An October Rainy Day

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Before the First Snow Flies.....

Every year we choose one large project to throw our money at.  This year, it is the deck.  FINALLY.  We took it down over four years ago when we realized there was a serious possibility someone might fall through it.  Someone actually did fall off of it...my poor husband leaned against the rail and CRACK! one back flip later he found himself on the ground. Throw in one year of we don't have the money to spare, two years of saving to buy a furnace etc. and we find ourselves four years later. As you can see we are doing the work ourselves but not without the help of a VERY knowledgeable friend.  So for now, I am doing nothing but racing against the weather clock with the hope that we will have it built and sealed before the first know flies!  Wish me luck...it is October 3rd you know!

And for next summer....

SIMPLICITY 2447

I did it.  I finished that summer blouse.  You know- the project where I was finally going to make something for myself.....  It seems to have taken nearly all summer and now the cool days of fall are setting in.  Sigh.  The one thing I never seem to have enough of is time.  Mostly the kind of time that allows me to do the things I want to do.  I could go on forever sewing, crafting, doing small construction projects, gardening and bicycling.  Of course I would probably have to be an independently wealthy hermit too because we all know it doesn't work that way.  We have house chores, places to be, jobs to work and families to contribute to. How does that saying go?  Whenever you have time you don't have money and when you have money you don't have time. Maybe I will try putting TIME on my Holiday wish list.  I let you know how it goes!

Trouble in the Henhouse

 Do you see it? There...with the long neck feathers...and curling tail feathers..........

A ROOSTER!  Unmistakable when you hear the crowing.  Well I suppose that means we have four hens instead of five.  You will be happy to know he has gone to the farm and I do not mean the proverbial "farm" in the sky.  He has gone somewhere to crow his mornings away and impress the ladies all day.   Something that is definitely not acceptable on the urban farm as we have to be kind to our neighbors!  He really was a fine specimen just not for my coop.

Finding Ideas

Do you Pinterest?  If you don't you should.  Its much like an online sketchbook of images and ideas.  I have been looking at lots of ideas for repurposing pallets.  I was ready to go to work when I realized that I have been holding onto something for nearly 7 years waiting for a good idea to happen.  When we moved into our palace it had a multitude of falling down fence types.  One was this beautiful louvered fence:

 Far too beautiful for me to imagine throwing it all away.  Well 7 years later I was on the verge of hauling it away because the perfect idea had not yet happened.  In the nick of time I realized this would make a fabulous head board!  I had to start by cutting in down to size.  This required my trusty sawzall.  You must be careful with this bad girl!  I am always amazed that I have not lost a limb each time I use it.  Don't let that strike fear in you though be cause it is a very handy demolition tool.  You just need to show it the respect it is due.

I think I ended up with a beautiful and unique headboard.  Someone spent a lot of time building this fence.  It would appear many nails were driven with a trusty hammer.  I am glad that I got to preserve a piece of it!

Tomato Harvest

There has been a lot of harvesting going on around here.  I am happy to say I am not doing all the work!  Little Miss can clean and eat an entire tomato plant in less than ten minutes.  She is fully aware of where everything eatable is in the garden.

I was admiring what a wonderful job my friend  Morgan did of illustrating her tomatoes and decided I should give it a try myself.  I used Picnic and was really pleased with how easy it was.  Sometimes you just need to put yourself out there and see what you can do! Please take a look at the varieties I chose this year!

Hunt Season

Its once again hunting season and that means for a solid ten days I have to command the ship by myself.  Not much time for blogging and causing trouble...I just wanted to assure you things are fine, I am just lost in the everyday like everyone else! Happy hunting!