Let it Snow

I tried to get a decent photo of Crabby Tabby but he would not stop moving his head. So we have a Blurry Crabby Tabby. It's getting cold enough at night for him to spend some time inside the house. Of course he chooses to spend his time with CatManDo.

We are having snow, large and fluffy flakes coming down and sticking to the ground. Four inches is predicted. It won't last, but I like seeing it. Today will be soup and I think the first fire of the season. I made chicken stock a couple of days ago from the rotisserie chicken Mark had picked up. Let it snow!

I made a vegetable lasagna for last evenings dinner. It takes an afternoon to prepare lasagna. It is well worth the time. This was onion, garlic, spinach and broccoli. And cheese. Did I mention cheese? Ricotta, fresh mozzarella, gruyere, parmesan. Mark thinks anyone very thin is either vegetarian or vegan. I pointed out to him this is vegetarian and won't make you thin. I don't think it gets through to him. 🙄 

Today will be inside jobs. Anyone want to volunteer to clean my antique chandelier? It needs it and I feel, maybe, up to being on a short ladder. I bought it in 1979 in a small shop in Minneapolis. I liked it because it's beautiful, in my opinion, but understated. My father wired it for me. The chandelier has moved with me from house-to-house over the years. I'd probably hang it in a studio apartment. I have an attachment to the thing. It's never been grubby before, but it is now. I know you all needed to know this.

The news of the day. So far.

The past two days I have actually been productive outside. I got everything at the top of my list accomplished, making me a happy camper. I will see if I am able to pull on my big girl pants to face today's chill and mulch leaves. I have become such a delicate flower. It's sort of embarrassing.

Of course, it wouldn't be this & that without a food photo, specifically a photo of a bowl of pasta. All I had in me last evening was the energy for quartering tomatoes, cutting asparagus and garlic, tossing it into a pan with olive oil and butter. Pappardelle, asiago cheese and it's dinner. Pasta is so often my salvation.

                   

That's the news. Enjoy Wednesday one and all.

Cats Abound

This girl rarely gets the spotlight treatment. The reason being, she has nothing but disdain for me, therefore leaving her out of my presence. Unless Mark is in the room. He is the Holy Grail for cats, and most certainly this cat. She is part of the litter born to a stray mama in the barn, spring 2015. One of four, two boys, two girls. They are all still with us. Three of the four were in and out of the house cats, she being one of them. She also would disappear for weeks. The last time, in 2017,  she was gone for three months. We thought she was dead, but one November day she came hobbling into the yard, dragging the left front leg and very thin. Her leg from the shoulder down had no feeling or movement. I wrapped it so it wouldn't be scrapped when she walked. I figured it would need to be removed but she needed to recover weight and vitality before that would happen. In the meantime the leg contracted up under her chest and I decided to leave it be. Surgical removal of a limb can be traumatic and it no longer seemed necessary.

She is our tripod kitty, or Mark's tripod kitty. She has no trouble getting around, she can jump and run and she is not allowed out of the house. She has no interest in going outside, she seemed to know she is vulnerable. I named her Jiggs because as a kitten her coat pattern looked like a jigsaw puzzle. I'm creative like that.

Now you have met Jiggy. Onto more exciting news. It's sunny and will be moderate today. I have big plans for outside. Plans don't always materialize into action. I will try. Enjoy the day.

A Little This. A little That.

 

It's 30 F / -1 C this crisp morning. Brrrrrr. Soon we will be seeing this. I hope. We didn't get much snow last year and that's not good.

Tomorrow will be warm enough to get back to the painting outside I need to finish. Yesterday was another puttering about the house kind of day. I have three days, starting tomorrow, that will be warm enough for what I need to finish. Time is slipping away from me. 

I did succeed in making sandwich rolls and they turned out well. If I do say so myself. I'd made Italian sausage and potato soup a few days ago which the rolls will go very well with. It's definitely a soup kind of day. Tonight I'm braising country style beef ribs and I think tomorrow will be eggplant lasagna. I have several eggplant to use before they go over. I gave my son two when he visited last Sunday. This is how well he knows his mother; he asked if I grew them and seemed a bit surprised. Yes, like forever. 

Gatto is tearing through the house like he's on something. This cat is nuts. I did read that the curly tailed cats have a feral gene. I believe it. Speaking of feral.....a few days ago I was on the phone with a friend and we were speaking about the turn a certain political party wants to make on the rights of so many. We were speaking specifically about women. I said I could not be in a male dominated relationship/marriage. She said I would be a feral housewife. I got a big laugh out of that one! Don't tell anyone, but it's true.

I think I've babbled on long enough. Good day to all.

Hello Thursday

Wednesday was a mild, sunny day. Perfect for working outside. I did not work outside. Instead, I puttered around in the house, accomplishing small things needing doing but things which could wait. Minnesota has a long winter. I have months to putter. Today. Today I will go out. I will. Truly.

One of the things I did was make an apple galette, with phyllo dough instead of pastry dough. The phyllo dough has been in the freezer for too long and the apples were beginning to attract fruit flies. I'll need to come up with something for the remainder of the phyllo. I think I can do that. I do like to bake but rarely do. I'm going to try making lavender and lemon cordial with erythritol. I like cordial in sparkling water but the sugar content is really high and I need to watch my glucose level. I found several recipes using erythritol to make sugar syrup. I wasn't sure that would work but I guess it does. I'll find out.

That's life on the farm. Horses are behaving, cats are cats, hay is being delivered and Mark and I are chugging along. And....we have desert.

My slim hope this would be gone was dashed. Neighbor Bill and his brother-with-the-giant-chainsaw did get the tree that fell and smashed the east pasture gate cut up. That was the only tree for the day. I do believe this is destined to be lawn ornamentation. It does look as if it has two arms reaching out. In the scheme of things, not the largest problem. I will keep repeating this to myself.

We are having another above average temperature today. Tomorrow we are going to go back to "normal", something that has been hard to gage the past few years. We reached 85 F/30 C. Not what one expects in a Minnesota late October. I look forward to crisp autumn days.

Otherwise, life is stumbling along. Cats are being, well, cats. The equines are wondering when they will get relief from bugs. The mares are overjoyed to be moved to the east pasture with all that grass and Zing (the stallion) is delighted to have a view of the ladies. I am having coffee and spending time here. Not bad in the whole scheme of things.

Sunday Morning

We had a nice time with the son yesterday. He brought fried chicken and an assortment of salads. He had last week off, so he, his wife and Yorkie went camping in Northern Minnesota. I don't know where it comes from, but he loves the wilderness. It must be a recessive gene.

Neighbor Bill has already shown up to start cutting up the fallen trees. He hasn't fixed Mark's chainsaw and Mark won't buy a new one because, you know, Bill with fix the one he has. Somehow, I am not holding my breath. I just want huge trees laying about the yard removed, however they manage it. I also need firewood. Problems problems.

The Prince of his Castle

Gatto is quite social and has overtaken Frieda in the photo department. Frieda has become more interested in naps and gladly hands her crown to Gatto. On the task front, other than the trees, I plan to spend some time continuing my work on the outside of the house. It's going to be on the hot side today and tomorrow, 80s F, so I'll want to do whatever I do in the shade. 

Yesterday was the birthday of my recently reconnected friend from 40 years ago. Facebook told me. I sent a text with virtual flowers wishing her a happy birthday. She called and we briefly talked. She was on her way to meet a friend for breakfast. They plan to visit sometime next month. Sometimes you just need to take that step.

Happy Friday

We are back to above average temperatures again for at least a week. I'll get back outside to work on that jumble. The son sent me a text asking if we would like him to come with lunch on Saturday. Of course! A visit with food is always welcome.

Speaking, figuratively, of food, I really knocked out the culinary skills yesterday with dinner. Oven baked wings and a salad, what an accomplishment! Simple is an understatement, good is not an overstatement. I buy beef and pork through Butcher Box, an online seller of organic meat and chicken, as well as fish and seafood. I've done this for several years, long before the pandemic. I get free wings for life. Or as long as I keep buying and they keep selling.

I placed an order for 11 bottles of non-alcohol wine last week from an online business started by a couple of young Italian men. It came Wednesday. There is no real comparison to, say a chardonnay, but it is pleasant enough and I can feel like I am drinking my one-time favorite beverage. Well, wine and gin. My son wrote a poem, a class assignment, when he was in second grade. "My mother is so very thin, that's cuz she drinks a lot of gin." What his teacher must have thought!! Ah, life.

We had our first frost overnight. These are happy to be safe inside.

I have been staring at the computer screen for what seems like forever, realizing there is nothing fit to print happening in my life. Plenty happening in the world. I read a Georgia judge struck down the hand count, after the automated count of votes, before certifying the election result, saying something like"too much too late". I will admit I worry about all of this. 

Enough of that. Onto the important stuff. I thawed duck stock for soup, today is the day to make said soup. Perhaps some bread will be made. Tomorrow I start up the outside work again. Neighbor Bill stopped by yesterday. It was pleasant to have another person to talk to for awhile. He is the neighborhood mechanic, which means he has been busy keeping farm equipment running. He told me he hasn't forgotten about the wood pellet stove. Mark could probably fix it, but Mark does not like doing that sort of thing. He is not mechanical and doesn't want to be. It's beyond my realm.

It's 9:30. Time to start my day. Have a good Wednesday, one and all.

From Stray to Hittin' the Hay

Synchronized Sleeping Beauties

Synchronized Waking Beauties 

Last night went down to one degree above freezing. Tonight is supposed to be one degree below freezing. I brought in a bunch of green tomatoes and several eggplant of various sizes yesterday. I think dinner will be Pasta alla Norma, otherwise known as eggplant in a garlicky tomato sauce. Procrastinator Mark has been working late every evening to get tax extensions done and he doesn't want to eat until he is finished for the night. We are eating late, later than our normal late. Anything I can prep ahead of time is welcome.

I did make focaccia yesterday and zucchini/carrot fritters. I have now used the last of the zucchini Bill gave me. Today is laundry and lunch from the deli day. Twice a week I get a break from making lunch. I think it warms up on Wednesday, which will put me back outside. I want to accomplish as much as possible while I can. I don't like mess and outside got out of hand after three years of doing only the minimum. Wednesday will be the day Mark is free from his office. At least for a day. We can both work outside.

Glowing Light and Other Things

I am a sap. I love the darkening of the season. There is a comfort in it for me. I know it can cause a depressive feeling in many people, but it is an emotional lifter for me. I love a fire and my amber light bulbs with the soft glow cast across the room. Of course, a kitty cat lounging on a piano adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the atmosphere.

 Nothing is ever complete without a Gatto pose. 

Now, off the sap  of my emotion and onto the sapping of my energy. I did what I said I was going to do on Friday. I stained the lower section of the east end of my house. It took me 4.5 hours to do it. I was surprised by that, but I was determined to be done with it. So I finished. My body was so sore, let me tell you, I wondered whatever happened to my life. I still have trim to paint, which will wait until midweek, as we are in a chilly period for a couple of days.

Yesterday I finished, or Mark finished, bringing in the rest of the plants, since we will have nights below freezing. I read petunias can do well inside over winter if they get enough light. The southeast corner gets plenty of winter sunshine, so fingers crossed. They are too pretty to just let them freeze.

There are no tasks for today. I plan to make zucchini/carrot fritters as a side for dinner, so that can be prepped in advance. Perhaps some bread may be made. Otherwise, a pottering, quiet day is expected.

Progress

In the spirit of keeping my cheering squad informed - yesterday I got the windows washed on the outside. Yes. I really did do it. I also split this old and sort of sad Snake Plant and repotted the Mandevilla. This morning I updated both Chrome and Safari (I know hard, right?) and got Mark's wireless working again. He was a bit, hmmmm, frantic. For a reason, he's trying to get client work done. After lunch I will stain the siding on the end of the house to the east. The stain has come off in many places and needs help. It's not a huge job, it only requires sitting on a stool to do. That end is mostly tall windows and I only need to stain the bottom part. The top is protected by wide eaves and has no damage. There will be a small amount of touchup on the trim. There is so much catch-up to do but I need to focus on what I get done and gear myself up for more in the spring. It's amazing how necessary I am and how much I took care of, which now excludes the care of the horses, but didn't used to. I am easily tipped over, which means handling those rather large beasts is not yet part of the program.

That's the report. Over and out.

 

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Here we are, Thursday and ten days into October already. I always believed time dragged on when days are mostly the same. I guess that is a myth. I had two exciting events Wednesday: I mowed and I made a loaf of bread. Look out world, I'm on fire. At least there are a few embers. Sort of.

Today will be low 80s F, meaning I will be washing the outside of the windows. This is done with a bucket of soapy water, a sponge mop and a hose. It needs to be on the warm side when spraying water at glass. Somehow it bounces back at you.

Plants. Mowing. Cat.

Good Wednesday to you all. This is one of the plants that hung on the front porch. The tag is lost and I don't remember what it is, but I hope it will get enough light here facing east. It's really pretty and has bloomed profusely. The excitement for today will be mowing. Yesterday I thought I would see a former neighbor and friend. We see her husband a few times a year when he brings tax information to Mark. She was planning to come with but in the end did not. It was disappointing. It's been maybe 28 years since I last saw her. We became good friends after they moved next door to us in Saint Paul. Her oldest daughter wore my beautiful wedding veil when she married. Life just moved on.

This fellow takes over my side of the bed. Every night. Bed hog. He lives the motto ~if you are going to do something, do it big~. And he does. I never thought my life would be filled with cats and yet, here we are. I can't have dogs anymore and life without housepets would seem empty, although much less work. So, yes. Here we are.

 

Take a Bow

I had a busy AND productive four days. Lopping saplings, washing windows, sills and baseboards. Steam cleaning rugs and then  starting the bringing of plants in for winter.

Gatto and Frieda have always been deeply intrigued by the palm. I need to keep it far enough away from the piano (cat perch) so they cannot maul it. You can see a spattering of color on the maples through the clean windows. Well, almost clean, I still have outside to do.

We have been surviving on leftovers the past few days. I'm done-in by the end of the day, making dinner just hadn't been on the agenda. Last evening I had no choice, all leftover food had been consumed. So, a boneless chicken breast with a bit of pasta and the usual suspects. Also a bushel of spinach to end up with a tablespoon.

As a believer in acknowledging accomplishments, I toasted myself at the end of the day with a glass of zero alcohol Sauvignon blanc. 

 

Rest & Relaxation

Just another Saturday night in the cat house.

 

Wool Eaters

Last winter teeny flying insects showed up in the house. They were minuscule little things which I couldn't identify because of the size. I had a dead one I put on a finger and took a photo, but they were so small I just couldn't figure what they were. It would seem they were some sort of moth. In the spring I had moved the chairs to do the periodic vacuum under them and found this. Yesterday I was steam cleaning the rug and decided everyone should share in my misery. Photos seemed appropriate. I like this rug and I can still use it as long as the chairs stay where they are, which in this small space is about the only choice. As unhappy as this made me, I feel grateful to the little bastards for not eating my other wool rugs. I have checked. I found mothball sachets I can put under furniture throughout the house.

We have a long stretch of pleasant weather showing as far into the month as my app goes. We desperately need rain, not happening. I'm continuing the window washing and rug cleaning over the next couple of days. If I stop to work outside I likely will just stop. I need to get things sorted inside for a reason other than it should be done. I have a house dust allergy. Not barn dust. House dust. Poetic justice. These past few years the minimal has been done in the house. My sinuses have been very unhappy, worse than I can remember for some years. I have air purifiers throughout the house, which helps, but a good cleaning helps even more. In the meantime, I'm kicking up a lot of allergen. Happy days. 

Oh, the Excitement

My gluteus is giving me a maximus pain. I spent several hours Tuesday afternoon bent over as I lopped what seemed like a forest of saplings. Wednesday I was made very aware of my limitations. Owie! It will be a couple more days before I can resume that job. I did wash the interior of 12 out of 18 windows yesterday, so I did something. Oh, the excitement of the life lived by an aging person.

Hello October. Nice to See You.

Hurrah! Hurrah! Autumn has arrived. At least for today. Currently 52 F, high of 65 F. My kind of weather. The afternoon will be spent clearing out the multitude of saplings growing everywhere. Take some advice:  don't move into a softwood woodland. Spare yourself. I plan to make soup for lunch, another thing I like to do. I consider myself the soup goddess. That's my story, anyway.

Yesterday was a good day. Laundry, some puttering and a nice hour or so on the deck with an audiobook. Life felt good.

I used the remainder of the shrimp from Mark's family gathering for dinner last evening. This time was cajun shrimp and rice. I have enough for another meal, but I think we will put that off for a day or two. I think an egg bake will be on the menu tonight.

We intend to watch the debate tonight. Walz has said in the past he is not a good debater, we shall see how it goes. I expect chaos will develop. CBS will not be doing in-real-time fact checking.