Simply Fun Stuff

These are my 99 cent (each) purchases from Jo-Ann's on Friday. The FQ's are for a quilt swap I'm doing later in the year; the color is actually a bit darker than they appear in the picture below.

The patterns were just super fun and I'm thinking each of the littlest nieces and nephews may get a hat for Christmas.

Yesterday I gave both dogs a bath and then spent an hour trying to get mats out of Bernadette's coat; I finally broke down and cut them out. She may look a little scrappy at the moment but she looks a hundred times better than the mats. Amelia got so jealous of Bernadette as I was brushing her for so long and talking to her about how sweet she was to let me cut all that mess out. Amelia came up to me on her belly and I asked her if she wanted to be brushed too even though she has short hair that is easily managed with just a good rub from a towel. I started brushing her and she looked so happy... goofy dogs! During all this Scott had to get Tesla (cat) locked up in our bedroom as he was going into "ANGRY" cat mode and Scott was afraid he would attack me again because I was showing affection toward the dogs. Tesla really is a little Tyrant! To top all the bathing off we took the dogs for a walk around the neighborhood... THE HORROR! The poor cat was beside himself and this morning he has gone into super suck-up mode and is on Scotts' desk demanding attention by being super cute...

ROTTEN CAT!

Scott had a job Interview on Friday that went REALLY well so here's hoping that it pans out and he has a job again before the end of this month. He said that he just has to talk with a guy from "Corporate" to get his final approval but we've heard that before so we will wait and see.

My Boss has put in for a raise for me that I am truly hoping it goes through as we could really use the money. Especially with the holidays just around the corner.

Well that's been the weekend so far; today I am planning to sew and perhaps we will go for a walk along the River-walk. I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend... they certainly don't last long enough.

A WONDERFUL Thank you!

I received a lovely Thank you from the Mother of the 12 year old that won my hand crafted gift basket that I donated to my Hometown for their Flood recovery effort.

 "This note is to Becky - -  (I do believe I have seen you post on this Page and also post a picture of the gift basket you donated to Floodfest.) This afternoon our phone rang and the person was calling for our 12-year-old daughter. She wasn't home so I asked to take a message and that's when I was told she won a gift basket from Floodfest! I contacted my husband and told him to surprise her and stop on the way home from her game to pick up the basket. They did, and when she got home she was very excited to go through everything! She has generously shared the dish clothes, potholders, and table runner with me. Everything else she's kept for herself - lol - ! 

First, I wanted to THANK YOU for sending this basket to Greene in order to help raise funds for those that lost so much. I know you are a former Greene resident and just like "neighbors helping neighbors" people never forget where they were either raised or lived as an adult and tend to help out when your hometown needs it. Greene has been my hometown for all but three years of my life. When we moved away (during my Middle School years) and then my parents realized we would not be staying in the town we moved to my mother refused to let us move anywhere but back to Greene. Part of that was because of how she moved so much as a child (and she knew that wouldn't be fair to me to do the same) but I know that another part of that decision was because she knew Greene was a great place to live.

Second, I do believe this gift will instill a bit of hometown pride in our daughter and to also teach her the values that you obviously have. Her Dad and I talked with her about how extra nice it is for people that don't even live here anymore to help out our neighbors and friends.

In closing, I want to THANK YOU again for sending the donation and helping out Greene, NY. My daughter is happy, I'm happy, and her Dad and I are happy that we are raising our children in such a great town!"

On my Mind - Early Morning Baking

Last night I noticed a bag of mixed fruit in the freezer (blackberries, raspberries and blue berries) and dreamed of muffins so when I got up this morning I made some from scratch. They were delicious!




This is a Friday photo feature that anyone with a blog can join. To take part, post a photo on your own blog, write a short caption explaining it, and link it back Down to Earth  from your blog by saying you're part of "On my mind". Please write a new post, don't link to an older one. When you've done that, go back to Down to Earth - and add a comment below, with a link to your blog.

My Weekdays

3:56 AM - Sweet Husband cooking breakfast

4:31 AM Popping the locks on my car

4:50 AM arriving at work

11:40 AM pulling back out of the parking space heading home.

Home for lunch and a nap and then it's time for dinner.

October - Halloween

Uncle Ray, me as devil, and my cousins - Heather, Jon Paul and Peggy Sue

It's finally starting to feel like Fall here; I love this time of year when no A/C or heat is needed. We will put off turning the house heat on for as long as possible and will utilize our electric space heater in the room we are using and just layer the clothes on. It's the perfect time of year for sewing as I can finally have the iron on for pressing and not sweat to death standing over it. Time to create the Christmas crafting list - perhaps each sibling will get a kitchen or bath basket of hand crafted items. Time to put on my thinking cap.

And my favorite Holiday is just a few weeks away.... HALLOWEEN! The above picture was taken in the 60's on a Halloween night when Uncle Ray had taken the four of us trick-or-treating.

Chili for Dinner

I'm not feeling well so have just put a pot of chili on the stove and have it simmering.  Scott may make some corn bread but he is not feeling well either. Head congestion and body aches and pains; I was SO glad to get home from work today and have slept most of the afternoon. Hopefully I will be up to going into work tomorrow.

Back to the chili....

Chili

1 lb. lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 2/3 cup)

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 cup water

2 (16oz) cans diced tomatoes

2 (16 oz) cans red kidney beans, with the liquid

Cook beef, garlic, onions, and green pepper in a heavy skillet or pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to break up meat. Cook until onion is soft and meat has lost its pink color. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer Chili for 45 minutes, stirring frequently.

We serve this over steamed white rice or with corn bread or tortilla chips.

First "Fall" walk

We decided to dress warmly and take our first walk along the river since the weather has turned a bit cooler. Even in a sweater and jeans it felt crisp and cool but we had a lovely walk. Scott showed me where the tree had come down on one of the street lamps from where a beaver had chewed through a large tree. Nature always amazes us.

Wild Blue Ageratum

The Blue Ageratum was everywhere and looked so intense in the sunshine; and the surface of the river just glistened. So like diamonds...

Crystal Clear River that shown like diamonds.

My camera just kept flipping this last picture this direction; I could have "fixed" it with Gimp but decided to let it be. The colors of Fall are not anywhere near the intensity of those that I grew up with in Upstate New York... so long ago. I miss those colors on the hill across from the farm and walking down the hill to the crick with the tree's over hanging the road with leaves falling gently all around me as I walked with the dogs.

Fall leaves on the boardwalk.