I had two times with Paul this week. Our regular friday afternoon now includes picking up chicken feed as well as some special activity, shopping, and the library. Last friday was pizza day.
Saturday morning we spent doing autumn close-down of the school garden … final weed pulling and spreading leaves and compost. We may go back for finishing touches next saturday.
~~~
Still no big weather change. The leaf carpet on the approach to the hen yard has morphed from red maple to bright yellow cherry on its way to crisp brown. The birches are still golden. There are empty spaces on the pines where the wind has blown off the dead needle clusters. Outdoors requires two shirt layers, but no need for a jacket … yet.
Still only one comforter at night, but I have begun using the lap robes at the computer or when reading in the now dark and cooling evenings.
And the year turns.
~~~
The LDS genealogy center seems to be having a bit of a problem. It would appear there aren’t enough Mormons willing to staff it. I used to work there as an honorary “Sister”. I plan on scheduling days there for my own research. Maybe I’ll be put back on their schedule as helper. That way I’ll be sure someone is there when I go for research.
~~~
On my regular tuesday lunch-and-a-movie date with my friend, I went to see the new “Midway” yesterday. It was hard. I remember the original film (which was made a bit sloppy by a heroic Charleton Heston subplot and was war propaganda, but basically accurate). George and I used to watch it the first week in June every year. He was a history buff.
This new film glosses over some history (such as the pilot who saw the entire carrier battle while floating in the water in a life vest) and includes more build-up since it starts with Pearl Harbor. I remember seeing my Daddy cry only twice … once was Pearl.
George and I were teenagers during that time, and I almost lost it when some a—hole behind me in the theatre said something to the effect that those guys were all trying to be heroes. I knew men who had been at Pearl. My cousin was a submariner. I shared lemonade and chocolate bars with men in transport convoys past our farm. I bought war stamps. We were all heroes.
End of rant …
Next week my date with Joyce is for a comedy.
~~~
Have I told you I made Fire Cider last week? I should have started sooner. It is setting where I see it and am reminded to shake it every day. It won’t be ready until the middle of December. Building immunity in order to stave off colds and flu needs to begin around Hallowe’en. I’ll make a note on next year’s calendar to start a bit earlier.
It is time for a new batch of BooBoo Salve as well. Harvest went fairly well this year and plants have dried nicely. As a result I have a sufficient amount of appropriate herbs for that blend.
I’m thinking of doing up some face oil … again. I used to make it every year when the two older grandchildren were little. They always knew when I had arrived for a visit because they recognized the aroma. Might be nice to renew that connection.
~~~
Sunday, while sitting at Matilda spinning, I was reminded to be there (wherever you are) … unconditionally. I often daydream while looking out the window as I spin. Sunday morning, a bit before 0900, the cold autumn sun was at just the right angle to turn the spider webs in the fir tree into glitz. It was magickal eye candy. The lesson to be learned was to notice and enjoy the ephemeral blessings. Next time you look, they may be gone.
~~~
Yesterday was an unusual day from the getgo … not just the movie.
I was getting ready to go to the writing class when I took a last look at the net and saw there was to be a surprise food distribution. It was of fresh produce which had never before been available in November. So … no class … and I took off to do my food sharing volunteer thing.
We usually serve close to two hundred families at those events. Yesterday we saw only a few more than 90. There hadn’t been much time to let folks know. Those who showed up either saw it on the net like I did, or got a call from someone who saw it.
There were apples (“take a case”), grapes (“don’t you want more?”), persimmons (“so ripe you need to use them right away”), green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, chopped red and green cabbage, slaw mix (added carrots and zucchini), assorted greens (romaine, spinach, mesclun), potatoes (“take a full box”), frozen breakfast sausages and pork chops, and day old croissants (sausage, egg, and croissant breakfast sandwiches anyone?). As we were closing (they had to take a load to the north county), there was a lot left which was to be discarded since there was no storage space available. I decided if it was leftover, and was going to be discarded, I would take a lot of it to give to some folks I know, feed the fire academy students living in our fire house, feed us, and whatever was left or spoiled would be chicken feed. I wound up with the back of the pickup LOADED.
What a blessing !
~~~
Yesterday ended with the monthly HLA Board meeting. There are four new members and the tenor of the Board has changed. It had become majority new comers (less than ten year residents), transplanted city people who wanted to turn our rural area into city. The four new members are all long time owners. This is going to be interesting.
I am back in my old position as Secretary with the added responsibility of covering water issues. As a result, as soon as this blog is posted I have to do up the meeting minutes and create the agenda for next month in addition to doing the breakfast dishes
Yesterday started at 0500 when I went down to set out the morning juice and fruit and didn’t end until after 2200. I plan to nap today.
~~~
That cold autumn sun is filtering through the trees, and as a follow-up to last week’s holiday …
“To unmask a blessing in disguise stare it in the face and say, ‘I know you are not just a lousy day or bad luck. I know you are a good friend—even if for the life of me I cannot determine how.’ ”
“Then you can turn over a world. A world that once distorted every blessing that squeezed through its gates will now open those gates wide. And the blessings that have already entered will sigh a breath of relief as one by one they discard their scary costumes.”
So … ‘til next week …