Wonderful Norma !

Kathy in Napa

Mary, I hope Annie is feeling better and that the rest of you don't succumb to the flu.

Candy Those float fish are so cute.

Deanne your Jay pictures have been outstanding, and I always enjoy seeing the Luke and Rahji.

Marie what a pretty girl in the laptop photo. Hope you had a fun visit with DS and friends.

Where's Julie's little terrors? Just kidding Julie. I meant dogs.

We had fun at Wyatts house last night. DIL loves doing Halloween up special and celebrating her dads birthday too.

Today we need to start on the leaf situation here. I think they have dried out a bit.

later , Norma

In for a break , looks like Idylls are going about their business todayÂviewing my weather gadget it would appear there is nary a temp below 50 across the Idyll outposts. I am doing more demolition on Lady Banks and raking leaves and other debris . Low turnout of ghosts and goblins last night, so the remaining booty is already in the car to be deposited in the lunch room at the awfice.

I drove out of town yesterday to Best Buy to see their speakers Âwhat a pathetic collection ! None of the listening stations worked and they didnÂt have many models to choose from. I think I might go the internet route on this. I would love to shop right here in Napa but the one and only audio  video store has no high quality speakers at all. Independent stereo equipment stores seem to be a thing of the past , or at the very least few and far between.

Hope all are enjoying their Sunday !

Kathy in Napa

Well, gee, the only shots I could get of the Terrors is when they are not being terrofic! Here they are, Ajax in the black collar, Tucker in the red. They are best buddies.

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Paws won't let me near her with a camera. And I really can't get much of the fish either. When cleaning up the African Cichlid tank on Wednesday, we discovered a baby yellow lab. As the adults must carry the babies in their mouths for about 5 weeks, we were really quite shocked to find a viable young. We didn't even know they were breeding....The diamond angels are on their fourth or fifth clutch of eggs. We got one bunch to the free swimming stage, and then they got sucked up by the filter. Now the filter is wearing my jelly bag to screen out any babies. The parent fish ate the first two batches, and the snails got the last batch. Here's hoping that we are five times lucky. Gee, I sound excited. They are just fish for Pete's sake...

Happy Fall Sunday! Our weather actually is seasonable today - not terribly warm, but not too cool either. My major accomplishment this afternoon was to clean the fridge top to bottom. I finally found the mystery stink, and I now can have company here Tuesday night and not live in fear that someone would open the fridge door. :)

Friday night was DD's jazz ensemble concert and it was wonderful. She was featured on a song called "Little Girl Blue", and it had me remembering her very first concert as a third grader. She's come a long way! She looked completely confident standing in front of the band, and her trumpet playing was excellent. Yes, I was a little verklempt.

This concert always is billed as the Halloween concert and many of the band members dress up. Their soloist this year is a male, and the young man, who must be 6'4" tall, dressed as Dracula. His second song was, "What Are You Doing the REst of Your Life?", and he sang the first line with a Transylvanian accent. It was pretty funny, but funnier still was watching the director, who completely lost it. They also had a costume contest for the audience, and the little kids were a lot of fun to watch.

I'd better get my last outdoor jobs done before I lose the light!

V.

A sure sign that winter is on the way , a common sight in shady damp areasÂwhich pretty much describes about half of my back garden right now.

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Kathy in Napa

I signed off last time without making several comments that were in my head.

Norma, great pet photos. Mystic often sits with his paws crossed like Rebel; it looks so "composed".

Julie, Ajax and Tucker look so cuddly in that photo!

Woody, glad that you checked in and sad that you have more waiting to endure. Good thoughts are still going in your direction.

I had to shoot some homework photos this afternoon, and here's one that I am very pleased with. I do love the seed pods of common milkweed when they start to blow.

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And the other day, I noticed this unusual stump at the edge of DH's burn pile. I made him pull it out (no mean feat; this puppy is heavy!) and I am making plans for this. I think I shall have it cut a little lower, level the bottom and bit and then site it in the garden to hold a pot on top.

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And one more of the afternoon sun on the prairie grasses.

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Kathy, I love your 'shrooms, especially the one with the spider on it.

Candy, I laughed at your "pet" float fish. When I was growing up, my grandparents had an old toilet float hanging in their root cellar, and for unknown reasons I was terrified of it. I now claim that everyone is entitled to one totally irrational fear, and mine is - plumbing parts!

I got a couple of good house jobs knocked out today. Now to catch up on some email business. Later!

V.

OK, yesterday I had a nice post composed in Word and lost it. I believe my computer is dying a slow death. So I went outdoors to enjoy the first sunshine weÂve had for days. It was a nice drying day for the crops with a brisk breeze as well. The beans are about ½ done and no corn has been started. DH is getting antsy. I did more garden cleanup along the edges as its too muddy. I finally unpotted to containers that had been living in the garage and did lots of other miscellaneous fall clean up chores. Today again was a beautiful fall day.

I too got a kick out of RebelÂs crossed paws. I like the shot of Nikki on the fence.

I should send some of DeanneÂs blue jay shots to Kenzie as she was quite interested in them when she was here.

Âbug, the Iranian girl is beautiful and her head piece lovely and so white.

I was wondering what Bella, Wyatt and all the other little grand-Idylls dressed up as last night. Kenzie was the fairy Mariposa.

Candy, you have some wonderful fall color going on. My ornamental kales were all a fizzle this year. Did you make the fish? I thought I recognized the body.

Woody, my thoughts are with you as you continue the waiting game.

Norma, you asked about my DDÂs diabetes. She has not actually been diagnosed with it. The last test showed normal numbers, but this week she got sick at work and they checked it and it was 48. So now they have her monitoring it and its been as high as 150. More testing is planned.

Michelle

V, your stump project reminded me of these cool naturalistic objects I admired from Cynthia Hosmers garden at IU6 ...I think your pot stand will be splendid !
{{gwi:184298}}From Idyllunion 6 July 2009
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Kathy in Napa...

Good morning

Our computer, like Michelle's, is on its last legs so posting is a little eratic. Still there is hope on the horizon - DH is getting a new puter which means we will inherit his old one. Our current family one is a total mess of spyware and fake anti spyware and we have done everything we can to clean it to no avail. I thinnk the constant downloading of music etc by the kids is part of the problem. Oh - to have a computer geek in the family.

There are some spectacualr photos on the thread and I love seeing all the pets. Norma - I'm not sure I've seen all your furry crew before. What a handsome bunch!

GB - the girl from Iraq captured my heart.

Marvellous nature shots as well Kathy and V.

Deanne - those jays are simply amazing!!

Halloween was fun here though I felt a little detached from the whole process as both Annie and David went trick-or-treating with friends in other neighborhoods. They both dressed themselves, Annie as a broken porcellain doll and David a pirate. I felt rather nostalgic for the days when I spent long hours making their costumes and choosing pumpkins was anticipated weeks in advance. This year there was a dearth of large orange pumpkins - a result of the cold summer and the only ones we could find were the white ones that are so hard to carve but look wonderful lit up. The chickens love eating the insides and the flesh will make their yolks even more orange.

We had about 15 groups of trick-or-treaters, all young children and I think every one said "thank you"! At 7.45 DH and I left a bowl of candy outside and headed to our regional theatre to see the play "Clean House" which I thoroughly enjoyed. The candy bowl was still full when we returned. Annie and David and friends were there too, all engaged in the complicated process of trading candy which appears almost as much fun as collecting it.

Yesterday I spend doing some garden clean up and another sweep with the leaf sweeper. I cannot tell you what a joy it is to no longer be a slave to the leaves. I also started a crewel embroidery cushion cover for my Mum for Christmas. It is a Jacobean pattern with flowers and butterflies. A very good friend has given me an incredible stash of embroidery wool and I have become so engrossed in the cover I've decided its addictive.

Have a good start to the week!

Mary

Busy weekend made truly uplifting by sunny, dry weather! More leaf raking on the agenda today.

Seriously, Deanne. I realize I never knew what a Jay really looked like until I saw these; they are breathtaking! Your bird photos will be such a perk this winter, if what Kathy said is true about more to come. Now I get itÂbig lenses, studio, artistÂhow wonderful!

Norma, love those photos. Rebel and Rocky look so laid back and content. Jasmine has such pretty markings and that Niki! What a character she appears to be with her posturing. Sitting on the fence rail she looks ready for anything and I can imagine the wheels just spinning in her little head, lol.

Julie, those cute rascals remind me of kidsÂthey all look innocent when snoozing!

Thought you might get a kick out of the fish and see several recognized their fat bodies! I did make them but take no credit for the idea. Remember seeing them several years ago while surfing around and finally made a couple. Always like to add a bit of whimsy here and there in the garden and guests of all ages are drawn to these.

Mary and MichelleÂdrat those computers. Hurry and post some pet pictures if you expect computer down time looming in the near future.!

Cool Âshrooms, Kathy! Spider gave me a quick spasm but IÂm fine now, lol.

V. more pro photography! The milkweed is excellent - enhanced by that blue sky. And thatÂs definitely a keeper stump, unique multiple trunksÂcanÂt wait to see it placed in your garden. IÂm still laughing about your plumbing phobia but anything would look scary hanging in a root cellar! My lingering Âirrational fear is vacuum cleaners. Grandma had an ancient upright beast, maroon brown in color, dusty old bag of heavy material that ballooned alarmingly, and worst of all, a small rectangular glass eye that shot out a beam of light when she turned it on. Loud as a threshing machine. It lurked in a corner of her mudroom just waiting to come to life and give chase if I dared look over at it. At 3 yrs of age, that thing marked me for life. I still hate vacuuming and the sudden onset of noise.

Off to rake and see whatÂs photo worthy in the November sunshineÂ

Mary, I'm attaching a link to cnet's free download of Malewarebytes. It is the only thing that got rid of that horrid computer virus. Don't give me credit - V. is the one who first told me about it.

I'm enjoying all the pictures and reading along. Things are busy here and I'm just feeling low. I wanted to post pictures of the fur friends, but realized my new laptop doesn't have a slot for my SD card from my camera - I have to buy more parts, isn't it always the way?

Saucy

Here is a link that might be useful: Malewarebytes download

Enjoyed a weekend with DS. He dressed up for a Halloween party in town and went with a friend. On Sunday I took him to the toy store and we bought a game he enjoys. A late birthday gift...or early Christmas present. Whatever, he likes it.

DH left early Sunday for his conference and meetings. I have finished knitting a sweater but need to find buttons for it. Also need to stitch it together.

Today I did lots of cutting back of plants: phlox, some grasses, sedums, rudbeckia, echinacea, ETC.My friends arrived and handled most of the caging of shrubs. YEAH!!!! I still need to cut back the raspberries, clean up the soggy hostas and so on. The weather promises to be erratic, which is a pain. The weather man is quite imaginative, with rain, snow, frost and sun all featured throughout the week.

Phoebe is annoyed that her friend Morgan came to play but she was not allowed to run about with him. Two more weeks of calm and quiet to go. (Yeah, sure!)

DD returns to work in mid November and so things are getting ready for that...except Ivy hasn't figure out drinking from a bottle or cup yet. I think Daddy will have some challenges ahead. There will be challenges for DD at work as well with threats of several people possibly let go....people they can't afford to lose.

Loving the photos. Keep contributing V, I'm enjoying them all! Here's another from OLPC. I'm addicted to them! This one from Mongolia.
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Ivy was some sort of beetle for a Halloween party. Probably a dung beetle, but she's adorable anyway IMO!
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Happy November...even though it gets dark WAAAAAAAY too early!
'bug

Kathy I am a bit surprised that you have mushrooms in your garden.

V, Your milkweed shot made me think. I don't think I have seen any of those on this place.

Mary we have been doing leaves for the last two days. What a chore it is here. Hopefully we will only have to do them once more when the rest fall.

Michelle Wyatt was a ninja or something like that. He didn't go trick or treating because they had a party, but they had a pinata full of candy, and like Mary I was amazed at the fun they had trading candy afterward.
Jake had an away band competition that day. When he got home he said he came as a sweaty band kid. LOL

I'm hoping our fair weather lasts for awhile. I noticed several things that need taken care of while I was blowing leaves today. The ground is still really wet though. The river was over the road into town this morning. DS said it was open this evening though.
My eyes are really tired tonight but it could be from grit blowing in them today. At any rate I am done for the day.

Norma

Because bug told me to, here's a photo of an Idyll moonrise:

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Now this other one is quite different from what I usually post, but DH wanted a photo of the odometer from his 2000 Honda Insight.

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Yes, that green number on the left means that he has averaged 57.3 miles to the gallon over 130,753 miles! Not too shabby. ('bug, sorry but I won't convert that into liters per kilometers - that kind of math makes my brain hurt!)

Not much else new here. Things at work are hitting serious new lows. There's a bunker mentality setting in which is not good for morale. What I truly would love to do is give my notice and forget about work entirely, but the checking account would not approve of that idea. But at the rate things are going, I may not have to make that decision.

I do appreciate having this outlet to vent. DH would just look at me and say, "Find another job." Of course, this man has not interviewed for a job since he graduated from college 31 years ago.

I keep thinking it's way past my bedtime, but of course that's just the time-change hangover.

V.

Another beautiful day here, to bad it was dark quite soon after I arrived home. Jaden and I walked and watched the moon rise and here V shows up with a picture of it.
DH is busy in the field, rain is predicted for tomorrow but then I heard the words "Indian summer" I can only hope.

Mary, I remember my kids trading candy. In fact my DD rarely ate any of hers. How great that the leaf sweeper has made your life easier.

Candy, I'm think that some fish like yours would be perfect in my granddaughter's garden.

A few things that caught my eye Saturday in the garden.

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ItÂs Monday, and a singularly unproductive one at the awficeÂthat just happens sometimes.The biorhythms have yet to adjust to the time change, though it was nice to have my morning commute take place in semi-lightness .

Mary, when I was cleaning my closet last month I found a sampler I had embroidered when I was preggers with DS ( now 26) that is complete but never framed. It is an alphabet sampler and each letter is a flower. I am trying to figure out a spot for it . I had forgotten all about it .

Candy, my cat Ted is also vacu-phobic Âhe vanishes as soon as it is taken out of the closet.

Saucy, canÂt you just hook your camera to the laptop with a USB connector to download your pics ? IÂm so sorry you are feeling low ! (((Saucy))) and remember your pretend friends here value our favorite Southern BelleÂ

Âbug I believe Ivy looks just like a rose curculio..that is a decidedly weevil-ish snout. I must say I had no trick-or-treaters in a costume remotely like that !

Norma, mushrooms are a common sight in winter here in Northern Calif, even more so the closer you get to the coast and the Redwoods. There are folks who spend their weekends mushroom hunting in the coastal forests.

V, I hope you are able to work through your ugly work situation. All of the cutbacks and RIFS at my company are sure bad for the mental outlook. People who are unhappy with their jobs continue to hang on in their misery because they are fearful (justifiably) of finding work elsewhereÂin days gone by they would just have moved on sparing the rest of us their crappy attitude.

All for me ! See yÂall later ..

Kathy in Napa

Good morning

A wave to everyone and a special hug to Saucy (((((hugs))))) Things WILL get better or feel more manageable so hang tough. We're here if you need us.

GB - I love unique costumes and Ivy's is both adorable and fits the bill. One year Annie was Anne Boelyn but a Dung Beetle even tops that!

V - Hope things at work start to improve. I had a very realistic dream last night that DH lost his job and was so convinced in my sleep that when I woke it was some time before I realized it was a dream. What a relief to come to, but for many, ( close friends included) it is a reality not just a nightmare.

Mary

A perfect Autumn New England morning to all!!! The yellows are stunning in the fog, and those that are frosted are literally twinkling. Where's Deanne's eye and camera when I need it???? LOL

Boo's not old enough to have lots of pics, yet, so thought I'd add this to the "it's time to divide and conquer" list of gardens. Had a pro come out yesterday to quote moving nine shrubs that started as Bluestone plugs and are now just gorgeous. We wandered around for a bit and the price he quoted me included " divisions and cuttings so as not to ruin plants or views by barter." The quote is really generous and provided I'm still working, think it's doable.

As a bonus, Kyle can help him out and since he knows these gardens as well as I do, I can sit back on the Chaise with appropriate refreshment and direct. Grab Leisure When You Can!!! LOL

All that said, it's a wonder to me that the gardens are where they are in terms of plant maturity, and now it's time to utilize good design knowledge (of which I have very little) to put them all together. Here's the main garden when we started five seasons ago......

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Such Fun!! These were taken during the first two weeks of October:

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Malus 'Louisa' that does NOT have the widely reported lack of flowering and fruiting :-) 3 Viburnum Blue Muffin behind (this is the end part of the shrub nursery) that will be the basis of a new shrub border, one of two more garden areas to be installed.
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And the whole tangled mess in the main garden. Can't you hear these poor plants gasping: "We Need Air!!"
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Good to hear from Woody and know I think of you all the time. Loving the furry pics, and missing Bud amongst them. ((((Eden and family))))

Enjoy your day!!

Martie

There is very white rain falling outside my window now....

I've enjoyed so many of the photos, but Michelle's were very special and unusual observations! I just love the colours! Now Martie, were those photos taken today? Are those flowers blooming now? I love the sedum in both sets of photos at this time of year. And V, keep up the good work! (I can understand [in a general sort of way] both imperial and metric, so no problem there!)

A little more work has been accomplished in the garden. I just hope for a few more fairly warm days. If not, the worst of it is done. The ground is still very moist and the corn is still standing in the fields.

This day is most special to me because Ivy is exactly 6 months old today. She is a very special sweetheart to us all! Here she is welcomed by her daddy, 6 months ago:

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(((Saucy)))

(((Woody)))

(anyone else who needs one)

Car returned from the "spa" and I'm feeling REALLY broke. Get this: I had ONE functional brake of 4, lol. There was huge mouse nest blocking the air intake for the motor and heat/defrost function (no "pinkies" found). I still need to put 4 skins on the car for it to meet "my" standards for winter reliability.

Car repair on top of "spa" treatment for my machinery... which was a lot, but I can't complain since it was overdue and everything works smoothly now.

Appalled at the quoted price for the new machine I really need to seriously consider buying. Gulp.

Good news: while it sucked to pay the car bill, I'm working, and I had the money readily available. The greatest mechanic in the world took care of it and I'm good to go now. Ditto the required sewing machine work.
Bad news: I'm farther "behind" the estimate for the replacement machine than I was when I gasped at the quote this morning. C'est la vie.

I like that it's lighter in the morning. Good to know we're back on "my" time schedule. No more of the "artificial", "extra" light that everyone seems to think is so great, lol. ;)

Toilet tank float fish cracked me up. PERFECT use for them.

Hang tough, everyone. (the Wrecking Crew arrives Thursday for several days, I'm not quite sure how long because it doesn't really matter to me).

Hi Everyone! I am waiting for Skip to come back from NJ., he said he will get in at Midnight. Hanging out watching Sandra Bullock in The Proposal. I like her, and I like this movie. Nice scenery in Alaska. A couple of weeks ago I got mad at the cable company and took back my boxes, cancelled my service. I ordered Direct TV, found out a couple of days ago my trees block the satellite. Funny. Anyway, I really didn't watch TV, except I like the red carpet for the Oscars. Guess Jen will have some company that day. i cleaned my house, put away Halloween decorations. I am folding laundry, and thinking how much junk I have accumulated in 33 years of marriage. I need to simplify.

I am loving all of the pics of babies, gardens, and pets. Great thread.

Candy, I love your fish floats. Cool idea.

All the gardens look lovely. I really enjoy seeing the fall color.

Cindy hasn't posted, and I am wondering how she is doing. Last I read, they were having cutbacks at her awfice. Hope all is well with her.

Saucy, hope things are going better.

Woody, glad you were able to speak with your surgeon, and that he gave you some good options. It is nice to have a physician you can trust, and my good thoughts are heading your way, as always.

Bug.. happy 6 month birthday to Ivy. They are so fun, aren't they? Sorry you are having a little challenge with Phoebe's health. Hope she is well soon.

Chelone, cars can be a challenge. At my last job one of my co-workers sold her car and rode her bike to work. She calculated that the only place she had to go that was more than a mile was the vet. Of course she lived in the city and had public transportation. I often thought that it would be a relief to say goodbye to the annoyance of transportation, but I don't live in an area that has public transport. What kind of car are you looking at? We have a Jeep and a Toyota Matrix for gas savings. I would have liked to get something with alternate fuel choices, but the price tag was just a little too high at the time. Maybe next car.

V- hope things get better for you at work. Having gone through a total reorg, where every job description was rewritten, I sort of know what you are going through. It was funny to see how alliances were formed, etc. Felt like I was on a reality TV show. People who never spoke to each other suddenly became cooperative... I could write a book. Working with scientists was a real eye opener for me. Gave me a view into something I had never experienced before.

Well, I have rambled enough. Hope you all have a great evening!

D.

Since I will be working though the weekend ( the annual physical inventory gig) I am justifying unproductive evenings and uncompleted chores.

Martie, the saga of the landscape plan at the Park continues I see ! Tangled mess=abundance in my book, although I had some areas this fall before I started hacking back that were similar in nature. The design thing confounds me a bit too sometimes, but I feel good about the steps I have taken this year and it mostly involves Ârepeated elements  . None of the changes will be apparent till next spring. I think you have made wonderful progress and we expect updates !

Michelle, what a nice group of fall studies..I think we were simul-posing last night- I do note that you and V are always up late ! There are few Idylls still about when it is night here ..

Which reminds me ..yoo hooo Denise ??? IÂve seen you poking around over on FB , so cÂmon over and give us some Socal action.

And Cindy ?

Happy ½ a birthday to Ms. Ivy ! How especially cherished she must be .

Chelone, I am always comforted by your annual grouse on the undesirable elements of daylight savings time. Your arguments always have merit, though I admit to appreciating the added sunshine after the day at the awfice..

Hi Drema ! My company had a re-org too, but it has basically been undone by the recession . ItÂs been a real roller coaster ride the last couple of years and IÂve managed to survive a multitude of layoffs. We expect this winter to be the dark before the dawn-but a very subdued dawn at best.

ThatÂs all she wrote for tonight ..

Kathy in Napa

No new car on the horizon for me, Drema. Unless of course something unforseen happens happens in the immediate future. Nope, we're committed to "junkers"; plunk down the cash for decent used one, take care of it, carry liability insurance only and enjoy the savings!

I'm on the prowl for a replacement for my Juki 562 sewing machine. It's an older model, paid for itself years ago and it's time to move to something newer. It was the quote for the new model I'm interested in that made me choke.

And now I have to get going. Cold this morning; and the moon was beautiful last night when we went out with Rex for his last squirt and to round up Polly. I heard a forecast for plowable snow in "the County" tomorrow night into Friday morning...

Weather here today is gloomy. No sun so far... but it could show up later. I don't really mind, because I will be inside most of the day. I had an appt this morning, sold some windows, and now i get to play with Charlie boy while babysitting this afternoon. He has switched from shark love to dinosaurs. So cute. I am ordering him some National Geo movies from Amazon, hope they are good. Time to go fix Charlie's lunch, then later tonight I am thinking to tackle the wallpaper in my hideous bathroom and gross hallway. Would like to get them painted by Thanksgiving when the fam comes over.

Chelone, sticker shock can get you. The good thing about it that you are a very prudent shopper, and will be smart about your purchase or non purchase as the case may be. If you decide to buy, at least you know you'll use the equipment. Too bad you couldn't find a used one that someone bought thinking they would make use of it, and never did. Although something like that isn't something you see every day. Good luck on the search.

Hope everyone has a good day.

TTYL!

D.

I was too much of ding-dong to say how nice it is to see you, Drema! And I had to laugh at your comment about used equipment because I spoke with the cracker-jack mechanic I use and told him I'd be ALL OVER a nice quality used machine. He's going to put together some numbers for me and put out some feelers in the used market, too. While it's pretty grim, this is a really good time to be on the prowl for "buys" in the world of used equipment. I don't much like the notion that I'm capitalizing on someone else's failure, but if the price is right then cash is definitely king. That's life in the food chain and it may well turn out that I'll become chum myself. Life's a crap shoot, afterall. No guarantees for any part of it.

I'm way too far behind to comment intelligently (like I ever did) and it's looking as though I won't get much reading in tonight, either.

But I wish everyone well and wanted Julie to know that the Terrors don't look as though they've been beaten nearly enough. You have to leave raised weals, you know!

Good evening all!

Oh Thanks "ding dong" I'll try to do better in the weal department! And how are things in the wheel department? (hee hee, couldn't resist!).

Isn't redecorating fun, Drema? Maybe that should be the topic of our next thread, seeing as many of us are now stuck in the house for a few months....33 years of stuff - been there, done that, got rid of tons of junk four years ago, it's all back again now. And we vowed we wouldn't clutter up our lives or our new house when we moved here...

The world of work sounds pretty dreary V. and Kathy especially...Mary's already been there and the nightmares indicate how deeply one can be affected by the day-to-day grind...and at the same time, the fear of losing it.

Bug, Ivy is such a sweetie, and I love the costume! Hallowe'en was quiet for us too Mary as TCS went out with friends and their Mom. First time in a long time that we have sat at home together handing out the treats. We had about 80 children at the door.

'Bug, White Rain? Wasn't there a shampoo by that name long ago? We are slated to get hit this week too. The terrors dug up my daff bulbs (I know, I don't beat them enough) so I have to replant tomorrow in the freezing rain.

All the best to you, Woody, I bet the waiting is hard. Of course the doctor thinks your symptoms are mild - he isn't living with them. It will be good to be recuperating over the winter so your gardening days won't be disrupted!

And Saucy - sorry to hear that you're feeling down. November is the hardest month of the year for many, if not most, of us who live in the colder regions. Hang in there kid. Hoping for sunshine...

We finally finished the guest room. We tried to give it a more elegant look by having larger baseboards. We added a strip of molding two inchyes above the existing baseboard and then painted the whole thing white - turned out great so we think we will give the whole house the treatment. I haven't explained it well, I'll have to do photos. I haven't done muuch in the photography department lately.

Which reminds me of how wonderful Deanne's Jays are. Beautifu birds, and great shots Deanne. Looking forward the many shots from the "blind" in your yard this winter.

Have any of you come across the Train game? Occasionally it appears as a link on That Home Site, and I always get sucked into it. I could play that for hours, and have. I totally understand the kids with their video games. What a time waster!

That's it for me today.

Cheers,

Julie

Jeesh Julie, with 2 farms and a cafe the last thing I need is another game !

Back later with a real post ...

Kathy in Napa

Quickie quick post before I resume the work outside! IÂve spent the last couple of days pruning the privet hedge. Must get done while the weather is good so I canÂt wait for DH to get home in the late afternoons. Even though itÂs high maintenance, itÂs our living wall of privacy as opposed to a fence. Rather have a fence, actually, but itÂs not an option with our odd lot.

Martie, are the photos of your front yard only? What a project! Hope youÂre taking lots of before photos and will post as it progresses. Is this going to start now or on hold until early spring?

Hi Drema! Wow, stripping wallpaper after babysitting sounds very industrious!

Baby Ivy looks only hours old in the newborn picture, Âbug! IÂm guessing it to be a home birth; a family affair with grandparents attending.. What a grand entrance into the world!

Forking out big bucks, CheloneÂnecessary but hard to swallow, yep. Shows you just how fast chunks come out of the finances, not to mention getting blindsided with the totally unexpected. And ours usually comes in threes. IÂve gone through phases where I was afraid to turn on a major appliance, lol.

Michelle, what are those gorgeous sapphire blue berries in your photo? Your granddaughterÂs garden must be a delight! IÂm sure to have missed photos of it but will double back with anticipation. Somewhere, I have a picture of a fun rock you might like to see. Âjust another one of those garden tuck-ins.

Saucy, Woody and CindyÂspecial thoughts! Waving to all I missed on this round. Oh!Âyes, Julie, I played the train game last winter and got a bit hooked. Been so long now that IÂve forgotten the "secret" to winning, though, ha! Now IÂm using Gems twist for brief intervals of gaming.

Losing many of the colorful leaves now but IÂm loving this Ajuga Black Scallop.{{gwi:184325}}

Health tip of the day: Avoid overeating
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Hi Kathy! You popped in while I was busily botching up the layout on these pix. Best to go out and use my gross motor skills on the hedge ;-)

What? rejected post, too close or something.

Lost my morning post due to computer problems, but here I am again, following a haircut and a few grocery purchases.

So far today we have had rain, snow, sun, wind and more rain and sun. Crazy... Yes, White Rain was a shampoo I believe...back in the dark ages.

Candy, yes Ivy's was a home birth, but she waited until we went away for the weekend to make her appearance. Poor DD felt like a watched pot at the time. In the photo she is less than an hour old.

I'm not up to recapping the lost post...but I'll add a video at the bottom which Chelone will want to avoid.

'bug

Here is a link that might be useful: Ivy is exactly6 months old...video

doing a lunchtime post since tonight will be a late night.

And speaking of lunch posts, just where is Cindy?

things at the awffice have settled down just a tad. I finally had a heart to heart with the bossman and told him I was concerned about my job. He has assured me that I am safe for the time being. Of course, the "worst case scenario" still lingers on the horizon, but hopefully with other staffing changes we shall avoid that. And those other staffing changes mean that I have to let someone go tomorrow. A good, decent employee and it's strictly a budget decision. C'est la vie. By the way, have you heard that the recession is over?

A friend of mine is volunteering at our county health department and she told a shocking story the other day. What the health dept. is being told is that anyone born in the 1950's or earlier is in a lower risk group for getting the H1N1 flu because there is a good chance they have a higher immunity from being exposed to older H1N1 strains. Therefore, this group is considered lower priority for getting vaccinated. But apparently some seniors got so riled up by the talk of "death panels" earlier this year that they think they are being denied the vaccine because they are old. Le sigh!

My friend went on to say that there is a tremendous amount of misinformation in the media about H1N1 and she encouraged anyone with questions to call their health department.

I'm very much in a mood to tie up loose ends at home and at the office. I decided it's more fun to come in to an organized desk than a messy one.

We're starting to make our Thanksgiving plans. DS's in-laws are going to join us - no small feat, since they live about six hours away. I'm glad that they are making the trip and look forward to seeing them. My brother's wife and kids are coming also. We've got a heritage turkey on order from a local farmer and I hope to be able to get some local potatoes at the winter market in a couple of weeks.

lunchtime is over - gotta run! TTYL,

V.

Late lunchtime post here., but since V mentioned Cindy, I have an update..I was getting a little worried too, so I contacted here privately, but glad to report all is well, but there is much turmoil and reorganization at the her awfice and she is arriving home daily very drained -says right now it's almost like starting a new job . She hopes things will settle in a couple of weeks and she will be back with us....

Back later !

Kathy in Napa

Argh! I just lost a long post due to butter fingers on a laptop!

In summation: Woody, I agree with Julie - I hate when good doctors dismiss our symptoms, but I guess it goes with the territory.

GB, I love Ivy's trip to the xylophone :) Big milestone!

V, your Thanksgiving sounds fun - a great way to get to know your son's in-laws and make memories for the new couple.

Cindy, it's good to hear you're just busy. We'll try to be patient :)

I'm gonna go...I am thankful for a nice place to come at the end of a hectic week :) I'm taking tomorrow off!

'night all!

Saucy

ItÂs dark out and baseball season is over. However, on the plus side, it is cozy in the house with the lamps on and still no frost, and no heater. First week in November and I still have coleus outside..itÂs just this sort of fall weather that lulls you into complacence and facilitates unpreparedness for the first killing frost. I know exactly how Deanne feels disassembling her wonderful container displays while they are still in a state of glory . I am diligently checking the weather for signs of below 40 night temps. We have some rain coming for the next 4 or 5 days - no frost yet.

Drema, I heartily support all your simplification efforts re: accumulated crapola. I've gone though numerous Âpurge events over that last few years , and I sure donÂt miss one iota of the stuff I got rid of.

Candy, that is an outstanding shot of the Ajuga, a plant I have come to appreciate more in the last couple of years. Back in the olden days when I lived in San Diego, that was as common as iceplant and used in very unimaginative ways. Coincidentally, I also had privet as a hedge between myself and the next door neighbor, though we had Ligustrum texanum, the Texas privet again very common in Socal .

V, it does feel better to have the uppers give you at least a tad of reassurance Âwe expect a glum winter at my company , but the garden center may have the benefit of the demise of the competition, which has been on many a vendors ÂdonÂt sell lists as they are unable to pay the bills. I hate to see any nursery go under , but at least it will benefit my company. We expect to see others fall this winter, and will be in a good position to pick up their slack.

Hi Saucy ! I hope you are feeling better !

Ok , nite allÂhere is a pic I took several days ago at Mustards grill with their cool fountain and the veg garden in the background. {{gwi:184327}}From Napa Valley Fall

Kathy In Napa

We are enjoying the promised Indian Summer. Rick is a much happier camper these days. The beans are out.

Martie, I always enjoy seeing what's happening in your ever maturing garden.

Kathy, I love the fountain picture. Very artsy.

Candy, 'Black Scallop' is a favorite of mine along with 'Chocolate Chip'. 'Burgundy Glow' just reverts on me. The blue berries are the seed heads from the blackberry lily.

'bug, I'm impressed with Ivy's ability to get around already.

I'm ready to hit the recliner. No projects tonight. The new living drapes are hemmed and hung and the sewing machine has been banished back to an upstairs closet for another year. I tease Rick that it can only come out once a year. I also got caught up on the farm books last night which I get behind on during gardening season. One thing about the time change is that I do get more done in the house.

Good night
Michelle

I guess when one is single and attractive and successful and funny and wonderful, one needs to really squeeze in time to stop by and at least give one TGIF, Sue??????? LOL Hope you're well.

Must say that opening this thread each time is a delight when I see Ivy. Six Months!!! Wow. She is a ray of sunshine, for sure.

Have only had a chance to skim, and will be around this weekend for great chatter. In the meantime...

Saucy and Cindy and V and everyone feeling the effects of less sun and less warmth: Hang In There!! If there's a way you can get your brain to adjust to being grateful for being upright and talking, I've learned that some days that needs to be enough and when you get to that mindset, you can feel the actual physical change from stress to at least less stress.

Candy -- Cornfield Park has been a work in progress for five years when we bought a house with incredible inside and outside bones but stuck in the 70's for style. Won't go into the whole history, but suffice to say that I seed and cutting started, bartered and traded things, and bought a few real treasures. Kept selections to things I love the most and/or had minimal upkeep requirements. After a lifetime of gardening, didn't want to start over again after this property so stuck everything in the ground just to get it grown so there could be only one MAJOR move aside from the general plants on wheels times of year. Now it's grown, and I need to take the material and make real designed gardens. The area in the picture is one of about six different areas around the acre lot. The design/landscaper I had out counted about 175 varieties to work with. Don't worry, they'll be pics galore!

No, 'bug, no flowers now except for a few hanging on roses. Pics were from early October.

And to keep with the thread topic, Boo has learned that a ball in the bathtub is more fun than just about anything else. It's a riot!

Back for more later in the weekend. Smiles and waves to all until then!

Martie

I arrived home to a seething mass of canids. Each one attempting to overpower the other in an attempt to get to me. Hehehe, what did the doginatrix do? Just what you'd expect: she instantly ordered up a "Sit!" and was thrilled that all 3 not only obeyed but remained in that postition. OK, so two of them required some encouragement to remain so, but they did it! And then they remained seated until I told them it was, "OK!" to leave the house for a run. It's going to be a busy weekend. ;)

Busy at work and not terribly fulfilling but coming home and have 3 (count 'em) dogs to pummel is a good thing.

Eupatorium "Chocolate" is still covered in flowers. And if anyone thinks of it, can you tell me the name of those daisey like flowers (the ones around here are pink) that are so late to flower?

As for the "loss" of daylight; this is the normal schedule of the seasons, you guys; you're not "losing" anything at all! So get with it, complaining will do nothing to change the reality and I suggest a good brisk walk on your lunch hour so you can soak up some UV and clear your minds. For those who don't have to get to an artificially lit awfice, you have no excuse. Get up before dawn and watch the sun rise and get outdoors. People frequently say I'm crazy to keep the hours I do, but I'll tell ya, they are a godsend when daylight and sunshine are at their ebb.

Can't think of anything else to say. I'm terribly behind, but I'd really like to see the fruits of everyone's interior decorating... draperies, Michelle?! Time to quit "holdin' out", methinks!

Ivy is not only crawling but doing it in a speedy manner. She will be a handful to keep up with me thinks.

Michelle, the fall foliage you showed was an unusal mix. Nice. Good to hear Rick is happier about the farming.

Candy the Black Scallop is pretty. It didn't winter over for me though.

Chelone I guess Rex doesn't mind sharing mummy to much. The trade off of having mates is probably ok with him.

Good to hear of Cindy. Thanks Kathy.

We have been taking advantage of the sunny and warmer weather. Taking care of the leaves and other garden cleanup. Still probably more to be done than will get done though. DH was dipping leaves from the pond today and Niki was trying to catch hold of the net. She jumped for it and landed in the water much to her surprise. She is always good for a laugh.

It seems really stuffy in the house after being outdoors all day. Think I will go shed this long sleeved shirt.
Hey to all. Norma

Kathy, thanks for the update on Cindy. I'm sorry to hear she has to deal with so much turmoil, but glad to know it's nothing more serious.

I'm quite glad that this week has come to an end. I managed to get several piles of cr*p off my desk, and I think I got out of an ongoing commitment that needed to come to an end. I'm looking forward to a productive weekend at home!

Stopped by the liquor store this evening to pick up a little beer and wine. DS came by the house later and was surprised when I asked him if he had had a party last weekend - the liquor store owner had spilled the beans. Can't get away with anything in this town!

It's not cold out tonight, but the wind is howling like crazy - makes it sound like blizzard weather.

I'm starting out the day tomorrow by cashiering at our church's annual Christmas bazaar. Then I'm going to head to the camera store and look for a polarizing filter for my camera. I should have plenty of opportunity to play with it on Sunday.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

V.

Today I managed to pot up the wallflowers which have been sitting in water for the past month! I hope I didn't postpone things too long. It is so hard to keep things going all winter long. I haven't brought in the rosemary yet, even though it was 19F last night. (I covered it with towels)

Dh has offered to help me out this weekend with the raspberries, rain barrels and hose cleanup. I have some clematis to cage and a few annuals to remove still.

Phoebe has less than a week to go before getting her leg checked by her vet. I sure hope we get advice on how to re-introduce her to wild puppy activity without repeating stretching of the ligaments.

Tonight I received a sweet phone call from Skyler full of excitement about various items I'd mailed him and also some Halloween jokes that I emailed. He is going out to see a Christmas movie tonight. Sigh....already Christmas stuff.

Tonight the farmers are finishing their corn harvesting. I'm always surprised how they work into the night with lights on. One neighbour is allergic to corn and can't go inside his own barn. He's nearly died twice from the dust. Good thing he has three strong sons who help out.

I'm having a hard time finding reading and knitting time. There's always something interrupting me, the phone, a visitor, laundry, meals. Seems DD & DSIL hope to put down a new tile floor in their hallway and kitchen this weekend. They did this for his Mom last weekend and it was not very difficult. Today was DSIL's last day of work before starting paternity leave, so he's off with his buddies having a beer (or two?).

Off to read a bit.
Yes, I too miss Sue.
Enjoy your weekend! I hope it is sunny and warm.
'bug

I have a bread pudding in the oven. I made a cake earlier in the week and ran out of flour. I substituted whole wheat for the missing amount (about a 1/4 cup). It SUCKED. So we turned 3/4 of it into bread pudding and I've just recycled the remaining 1/4, along with some elderly bread from the 'frig.. I'm waiting for the time beep.

3 pairs of eyes are rivetted on my back as I type. But all are comfortably "down staying". :) When the bread pudding is finished I'll be making a run to transfer station with 2 TVs, assorted electronics, a boxful of used batteries, and 4 dead car batteries. Suffice it to say that there has been some pretty serious "hoeing out" goin' on 'round here in the past month. The Board Room is still pretty full, but I'm making progress in spite of spousal nervousness.

I think it was Deanne that first began singing the praises of Ajuga "Black Scallop". I loved it then and my opinion hasn't changed in the years hence. Lovely! as is the shot of the handsome ornamental Kale. We had a really hard frost last night (our first) and I suspect the remaining hornets in the nest I cut down yesterday afternoon are toast. I want to display the nest in the Salon, I think they're beautiful.

Sue doesn't like us any more, I fear. We've been cast aside as the "fuddy-duddies" we are, I fear. ;) I miss her too...

The leaf raking is due to commence as soon as DH gets back from his errand. The pin oaks dominate this neighborhood and are such a pain. Not like some other well mannered trees who get about the business of dropping leaves steadily. Pin Oaks linger on, and on Âinto December with some clinging through February so you clean up over and over again.

Norma, IÂm a bit concerned the Black Scallop wonÂt over winter myself. Had another one a couple of years ago and blamed the loss on a very late fall planting; not enough time for the roots to establish. This one went into the garden in late April so weÂll see if that makes a difference.

Piecing things together, TGIF Sue is sorely missed and AWOL on FB! Oh, the horror, Chelone! I said I would never grow up to be a Fuddy Duddy, lol. True, my cheerleader thighs melted down at least 2 decades ago butÂIÂm a long way from a hair net!

OK, must get goingÂmy brother is coming next week for his annual visit and the list of to-doÂs is long. Hope everyone has decent weather and gets outside for a last fling. DIG, transplant, work up even a 3 ft. section of ground for next seasonÂyouÂll be so glad you did come spring, and digging is great therapy!

Health tip of the day: Brush twice daily

{{gwi:184328}}

Yeah, speak for yourself, Chelone....I'm no fuddy duddy!

A quick howdy this morning as I am destined for a few awfice hours today, and a full day tomorrow. No weekend for me ! A full day of light rain yesterday has watered the garden for me, but mother nature does not help out in the dish-washing grocery-shopping world. That and paying the bills will be about all I get done this morning before schlepping over to work.

V, I will be interested to hear about your camera filter and the situations in which you might use it.

OK ..later

Kathy in Napa

Well I know that, Saucy. You're so techno-saavy you make me blanche... I'm surprised you even check your rearview mirror for the likes of me...

:)

It is just LOVELY outside today!

I've made the French toast for DH, put away dishes from the DW, gathered stuff and took it to the transfer station, watered indoor plants, returned beer bottles, bought some eggs too.

I think we're ready for the garden cleanup now! Phoebe is ready for sure.
Unlike Saucy, we tend toward the fuddy-duddy side. No hair net though for sure!

Waiting for V's photos....

Oh, and Candy, I brushed too! LOL!

I have to load the idiots into the car so we can all "go for a ride" (after we -hit on the lawn).

I'll leave my LATE customer's alteration on the door knob. I figure 30 minute's leeway for a confirmed appointment is plenty.

I spent part of the evening last night with Rick in the Steiger doing deep tillage. It digs down about 2Â and gets pretty interesting when you hit a big rock. We hit 3 that were probably 2-3 foot in diameter. We stop and flag them so he can go back with the skidloader and pick them up. So goes life on the farm.

IÂm in for a little lunch of vegetable soup before returning to an absolutely fabulous day. IÂm tempted to put shorts on  IÂm sweating. Mind you IÂm not complaining. It is time to clean up the garden though now that itÂs nearly dark when I get home in the evening. Even the perennials that look good I canÂt enjoy in the dark.

Norma, IÂm surprised that ÂBlack Scallop didnÂt overwinter for you. I bought one pot a couple of years ago and it has been divided and I now have a nice edging in front of the blue oat grass, 3 other clumps and now I removed what I had used in a container this year and have 2 more clumps. In fact the pieces that I use in containers gets thrown in the ground in Oct when I take apart the pots. So it probably doesnÂt get a very good start before winter. You should try it again.

In CheloneÂs words, the image of NikiÂs stunt cracked me right up.

Saucy, thanks for the malware link. I ran it last night and it found lots. IÂm hoping this will improve the performance.

Happy, happy .5 birthday to little Ivy!

Kenzie turns 5 tomorrow.

Back out to enjoy the sunshine

Michelle

Ah, Michelle and Rick having a date in the Steiger. I was certainly surprised when we moved here to see the next door lads all working away in the fields in their tractors accompanied by lovely young ladies! So smitten were the damsels that they would even do rock picking with them.

And now Kenzie turns FIVE! I hope you get to talk with her tomorrow! Here is a site you may be interested in using with her. Skyler made a postcard for me here last night. I think he was working on a poster for school and he and his Dad found this site for ideas.

DH and I had an old picture frame with pictures of our house through the four seasons. Today we altered the pictures to baby pictures and made them all vertical shots rather than horizontal. It is nice to have a small change! A friend dropped by and so the garden work was minimal. There's always tomorrow I guess!

Made a hearty soup for dinner tonight. I think I could live on soups!

Time to end this thread...even though my cats have yet to make an appearance here.
'bug

Here is a link that might be useful: Photo fun and more!