Moody

Once the family was fed and horses and chickens put to bed,
Frasier and I took a walk around the fields last night behind This Old House.
The setting sun created some beautiful moody hues across the sky…
 

 the moon had a halo…

 In this picture you can see the garden has been cleared out for the winter
and is being downsized… fencing has been pulled out and the plot will be smaller next year.
You can also see a little light on in the first floor of the house…
that’s the men watching monday night football.

 
…another goodnight.

Glorious Fall Weekend

 These are the days I love most.. when this little family finds time to slow down and relax and enjoy the simple things together!  OK… maybe for an hour here and an hour there we are all doing something together… or at least some of us are together most of the time.  Good enough.  
 
 The weather has been wonderful and we’ve been walking, talking, cooking, eating, watching movies or football, picking apples at a local orchard, blowing leaves (no rakes around here – blow ’em into the woods or chop ’em up with the lawn mower.)  sittin’ round a bonfire and taking a dog or two around the fields to explore. 
 
  Right now, the girl child is off riding her horse while the boyz are watching football.  I’ve baked an apple pie and the aroma is intoxicating…. recipe HERE.  Even if you hail from the Deep South  I hope you get to experience fall in all of it’s glory at least once in your life time. The air smells of woodsmoke here in the country…the  earth is littered with crunchy leaves and golden hues, the harvest fruits delicious.
 
Scotts Orchard, Deep River, CT
 

Have you ever seen so many apples??
 
 Hammocks ’round the fire pit up on the hill… 

 
 
 

 

William Cullen Bryant

Adjustments, Flexibility, Change

Life is all about adjustments, isn’t it.  The structure of that sentence deserves a question mark, but it’s not really a question.  Nothing is set in stone, nothing is forever, nothing is permanent, and nothing should be taken for granted, I think it’s safe to say.   How easily or begrudgingly we make adjustments – or refuse to make them – determines the flavor and tone of our life’s path. Let’s not leave out the word “flexibility”, of which I am not always the best example.

When I was young, I lived in a busy suburb of the Big City…and I couldn’t wait to make an adjustment. As soon as it was possible, I high-tailed it to the country and have never regretted that decision. Then came marriage and the adjustment of living with someone who is in some ways my polar opposite. Oh, there have been trying times, but over the years the adjustments and some serious flexing on both of our parts  have created a life that  flows forward  most of the time in a satisfying and good way.

When children enter the picture there is a whole ‘nother world of adjustment… all good, in my opinion.  Easy?  Heck, no.  To be a good parent you need to be flexible, sometimes bending in three different directions at the same time, but it’s all worth it. Most recently, I’m trying to accept the idea that just because my children have more options than I had at their age, it doesn’t mean they have to take them.  Adjust.
I’m slowly changing the behavior of breathing down my kids necks with
worry, no easy feat.   My son said yesterday.. “hey mom, you handled my
late arrival last night pretty well, I appreciate you staying calm,
thank you”.     He’s almost 18 and he’s been pretty responsible and
respectful.  A little diversion brings him home a little late..on a
school night?   Flex. Adjust.

In my late forties, I need to change my habits some to give my body the best chance to carry me another  40 years or so, If I’m very lucky. So I’m accepting that I need medication to help regulate my fluctuating hypertension issues, and I’m  tweaking my exercise routine and choosing  better eating habits most of the time… (don’t browse my blogs  recipe list just now, OK?). I’m also  helping my husband jump start his efforts too.   Adjust.

Another adjustment at this stage of the game… my parents and relatives are aging, and some dear relatives have passed away. You start to feel your own age progressing as you lose those who you have loved and have played a supporting role throughout your life.    My father now needs assistance in various ways.  Our relationship has always been a strained one and I’m not honest if I don’t say that there has been resentment and anger in our equation.  The bottom line is, now he needs me and I can hold on to that heavy stuff or let it go… Adjust, flex.   I’m finding it’s easier on the soul to do so…and he has found a way to appreciate it.  He, too, is adjusting. 

Friends old and new have taught me  that through  their own difficult circumstances, whether they are dealing with life threatening or debilitating illness, loss of loved ones, financial troubles, etc… their remarkable ability to adjust, to flex, to accept change and make the best of their life circumstances has allowed them to live a full and rewarding life regardless. Vicky… Dawn… Vickie…. Kate… Hilary… Sally…. Sandra…my own daughter K… and so many more.
      
Regardless of the specific circumstances, which are different for each of us –  We alone are responsible for the flavor and tone of our life’s path. If you don’t like what you’re living, it’s not someone else’s fault, no matter how easy it is to cast blame.   I’m figuring out that adjusting, being flexible, being open to change and sometimes being the
catalyst to change.. these are definitely key components to a contented
life.

  Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time…  We are the ones we are waiting for.. we are the changes we seek.

Ruth’s Swiss-Bacon -Onion Dip

I’m definitely adding this to our Thanksgiving appetizer menu – 
I found it in the Gooseberry Patch Thanksgiving Recipe magazine currently out in stores. 
YUM! 
(image by Amanda Jane Brown )
 
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. green onions, chopped
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 c. round buttery crackers, crushed
Mix cheeses, mayonnaise and onion; spread in a
greased
8″x8″ baking pan. Top with bacon and cracker crumbs. Bake, uncovered, at
350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve with Pita Chips or Crostini –  Makes about 4
cups

Window Treatment

 

 Pretty, right?
Reality check…
waxed paper works sometimes, if you press the leaves for atleast five minutes.
If you don’t.. the leaves turn brown and crispy pretty quickly. 
Dipping the leaves in melted wax  a la – Martha Stewart – works better.
Apparently I’m no Martha.

Homeward Bound! Another day for the dogs…

So…here we go again
with another 100 or so dogs pulled from kill shelters
and visiting from municipal pounds and rescues…
Meet just a few of the lucky pups
who will be looking for their new family at the end of this month…
 
Josie….
 
 
…and her pups!

 
John, a sweet lab who was found roaming with his brother, no tags.
No one claimed them, and brother was adopted. 
Gracie… what a sweet face.
 
Sassy
 
Beautiful Layla 
 
 and a very handsome Mr. Wiggles.
 
 If you live within driving distance and are looking for your new best friend…
Come on down to Dog Days October 26th and 27th… flyer below.
We don’t let a dog go home with an adopter without personal and vet references,
so keep this in mind when you come to adopt and have those references handy.
You can fill out an adoption application before the event and we will check references
before you arrive, so if you find a dog you love, you will already be approved. 
Hooray for the Underdog! 
 

Fall and falling

   I can count on it, you know… enter a discussion that involves politics, whether here on this blog or at the dinner table (MISTAKE, ALWAYS)… and ultimately someone is aggravated.  We wonder why the people in Washington can’t seem to get it straight, can’t see the forest for the trees, and yet we underscore it with our own behaviors.  I’m guilty as charged.   Let me just say this… what irks me most is not the actual politics but  the hysteria and prejudice we the people (and that includes the politicians) can’t seem to put aside to just get along and get the f-ing job done.

   Onward.    Fall has been unusual here in New England.  For the past few days we’ve been walking around in tee shirts and flip-flops.  Tropical Storm “Karen” (ha ha)  looms in the Gulf and we’re feeling the warm humid air from that system way up the coast.  The colors in the leaves are not as vibrant as usually but I still love this season….oh, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the smell of wood burning in fireplaces, the crisp open-window-good-sleeping air that has not yet graced us with it’s presence… 
The four amigos… 
 
If you’re looking to plant something simple in your yard next year
that just keeps giving and giving…
think ZINNIA.

 …and perhaps cucumber.
We discovered this plant growing in the little greenhouse attached to our garden shed
at the end of the summer.  No one had planted it or watered it and yet it grew all by itself
I guess from an errant seed in the spring…and grew the most beautiful cucumbers. 
Still going strong!
GROW where you’re planted.

I’ve brought a little fall indoors….

 Found this large (ceramic?) pumpkin at TJMaxx for  $12…
my favorite new thing.

 
  Pumpkins everywhere…

 
I have to be careful with what I put in the man cave …
apparently this is acceptable.

On the kitchen windowsill…. 
When I had the Artisan Gallery, these cast iron birds were a huge seller…
every time I look at them it reminds me of all that I miss about the shop.
Perhaps someday another.

 It’s a new day, all – and the beginning of the weekend –
Make it a good one! 
 

A is for Apple…and Addict.

We’ve got this big old apple tree right in the middle 
of the horse turnout field.  While the apples aren’t sweet enough
for human enjoyment, the horses are so addicted to those apples
you’d think they were laced with crack.
This tree I refer to is hollow, by the way.
 
…and yet it produces 100’s of apples.
In early fall the apples drop to the ground over night 
and yours truly has to go out with the gator and pick them up before the horses
can be turned out to graze.
As is true most often, too much of a good thing can be bad.
 
While I’m out there picking apples, Opie, Max, Coady and Lacey 
finish their grain and then watch impatiently.
Opie kicks at the door for good measure repeatedly..
with this look on his face. 

Hey, Ma!   LEAVE A FEW!
I let them out once I’m done collecting, and they race down the little hill to the apple tree
to scarf down the few that remain. 
Opie never forgets  that there are 100 or so in the back of the gator 
because he just watched me toss them in.
 He returns after eating what I left for him under the tree..
to see if he can steal a few more.
Much to his chagrin, they’re now covered in crap. 

Say what you will….

 
The letter below is a facebook post I read this morning by Brooke Wilson.  I don’t care if you are an Obama hater, a Democrat, a Republican, a Right Winger, a Left Winger, a member of the Tea Party, a Socialist, a bleeding heart Liberal or a hermit living under a rock.  I urge you to read it, because in our constant need to rant and purge and point fingers, accuse and scorn… quite often we lose the truth.   When I post something with a political flavor, I realize it  may offend some of you. That’s not my intention,  but I found it to be an honest take on the current state of govt. affairs and I urge you to read it anyway.

 *******

People:

Before you begin your rant about how terrible everyone in Washington is, make sure you get the facts straight.

This is NOT about the President, who is asking Congress to pay for
expenses they’ve already approved, including the Affordable Care Act,
which was approved by two houses of Congress, signed into law, upheld by the Supreme Court, and, when made into a central issue of the 2012 election, was not overturned by the voters.

This is NOT about the refusal of Democrats to compromise. Obamacare IS
the compromise. It was the Republican counterproposal to the
nationalized health care plan from the Clinton administration. That’s
why Mitt Romney pushed it through in Massachusetts (yes, the economist
who wrote the Massachusetts plan said Romneycare is the same as
Obamacare). It’s a mandate for people to buy PRIVATE health insurance.
Nothing could be more Republican. Many Democrats hate/d the Affordable
Care Act because it didn’t nationalize health care, but they . . .
compromised . . . so 40 million more Americans, including people with
pre-existing illnesses, could get health care. There’s been no
Republican counter-proposal because OBAMACARE IS THEIR PLAN. Obama
adopted it because he thought they’d support their own plan. How crazy
was that?

This is NOT about “Congress.” The Senate — which
has brought the House resolution to the floor multiple times, and
amended and approved the amended bill by majority vote — has approved a
“clean” funding resolution, but the Speaker of the House WILL NOT ALLOW
THAT RESOLUTION TO COME TO THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE FOR A VOTE. Were it
to be voted on in the House, there’s a reasonable probability it would
pass with support of Democratic members and a significant number of
moderate Republicans.

Why won’t the President and the Senate
accept the Republican proposal to delay a year? Because it’s already
been delayed. The Republicans are trying to stall until after the 2014
elections, hoping to win both House and Senate so they can overturn the
law. They also are terrified that once people sign up and get
healthcare and like it, they’ll think — as they did with Medicare and
Medicaid and Social Security — that it’s a pretty good thing. THAT,
Senator Cruz, is the real message of “Green Eggs and Ham,” which you
completely misunderstood.

This IS about a small group of about
30 legislative terrorists who would rather blow up the government than
permit legislation they don’t like, even when approved by majority vote,
to be enacted. It’s also about a Speaker of the House who will not
permit a bill to come to the floor for a vote unless the terrorists
approve.

This is really about whether we believe in democracy
— in majority rule — or not. You don’t get to wreck the country every
time you don’t get your way.

If all the Border Patrol officers
— who as of this morning are working without pay — would go home, I
wonder how long it would take the Senators from Texas to get the
message?

 

Frightmare on Victoria Ave.

This guy is hilarious!  My sister sent me a link to this article and ooh,  do I love a good laugh ..and a clever writer.   And even haunted houses, but maybe not this one.
(CNN) Editor’s note: Each week in “Apparently This Matters,” CNN’s Jarrett Bellini applies his warped sensibilities to trending topics in social media and random items of interest on the Web.
 It’s been quite a while since I last soiled my pants. Easily a week or two. Maybe three. But temptation is
everywhere, and the other day, as I was driving down the highway, I
noticed a big sign for a haunted house. And I thought, “Welp, better
stay away from that.”  You know. To keep the streak going.
But as I passed this haunted house, I also sort of did a double take, for it occurred to me that it was still only September.  Granted, it’s the end
of September, but seeing this caused a slight shock to my system,
reminding me that, yes, fall is officially upon us and October is
stealthily hiding right around the corner, chain-smoking clove
cigarettes. October’s such a hipster.
When I finally got home
later in the afternoon, I sat down, like I often do, at my computer to
scour the Web for things people are talking about online. And that’s
when I surfed upon several mentions of some other haunted house — a
rather famous year-round facility at Niagara Falls called Nightmare Fear Factory. 

For all you nature lovers, it’s just down the street from Planet Hollywood.  Seriously, if you’ve
never been to Niagara Falls, understand that the town, which rests right
along the Canadian side of the river, is one of the tackiest places
you’ll ever visit, and the entire area exists solely to vacuum-suck
money out of your wallet as soon as you’re done taking romantic selfies
in front of Big Splashy.
“I love you, Megan. Let’s get an overpriced cheeseburger.”
“And a commemorative paperweight?”
“Anything for you, babe.”
So there’s this big
haunted house right on Victoria Avenue, and, according to their website,
the location was once the Cataract Coffin Factory where, many years
ago, they claim the proprietor, Abraham Mortimer, was killed when a
stack of solid oak coffins collapsed and crushed him to death. Naturally, his ghost still wanders the halls and haunts anyone who passes through his “beloved and now abandoned factory.”
As opposed to just chilling out in heaven with Jimi Hendrix.
I’m not saying the legend isn’t true. But it seems like a rather poor use of time in the afterlife.
“Naw, Jimi, you go on without me. I’m just gonna float around my old factory and be bitter.”
But what really makes
this haunted house famous, especially this time of year, isn’t the
legend. It’s the photos. As visitors wander the haunted halls in pitch
darkness, huddled together following a trail of red lights, they reach a
point where they are confronted by a car full of ghosts. Lights
suddenly shine and secret cameras snap their terrified reactions.
Nightmares Fear Factory is just blocks away from the big splashy of Niagara Falls.
The images are amazing. Picture your grandparents watching Miley Cyrus at the VMAs. With their pastor.
Those are the faces.
As a bonus, some of the images are then fed to a photo stream on flickr so the rest of us can laugh at people clinging to each other in sheer terror. And if that wasn’t
hilarious enough, Nightmares Fear Factory has another way of humiliating
patrons. If someone happens to get too scared during the 10-15 minute
walk through of the house, all they have to do is scream “Nightmares”
and something will take them out.
Something.
That’s their word. Not mine. So, it might be a zombie. Or it might be a ghost. But it could also be, I suppose, a taco shell.
Just something.
Once you’re removed, you
are unceremoniously added to what they call the Chicken Count, which,
at the time of this being published, stands at 124,212 people.  So, as we say goodbye to
September, it’s time to say hello to Nightmares Fear Factory and all
the other seasonal haunted houses that come to us in October. None of
which I’ll be visiting.
You know. To keep the streak going.

You gotta wonder… what the heck are they look’n at?