the gloved one

This is such a beautiful and unpredictable time of year.  Just a week ago, I was still bringing in plenty of flowers from the garden.

A new favorite is this Cardinal basil.  The leaf tips look like flowers and it's the perfect "spooky" color for the end of October!

This was my only bouquet, though.  Soon our nighttime frosts started...down to 28 degrees several nights!  Hello frost...goodbye flowers.

The frost looks gorgeous with the fall color, though...

It melts off quickly, and the days are so lovely with this saturated fall color.

(I can't believe how green the grass still is!)

I've put away my Halloween things...

...and am focusing on more cozy late-fall activities.

Sweater...done!

Milet gloves finished...and a perfect fit!

Hiking with friends!

A certain someone is starting to feel her age.

She had multiple teeth pulled last month, and now she's showing signs of hearing impairment and mental confusion.  She barks wildly at nothing, is either pacing frantically or drooping into a nap, and is showing a lot more fear response.  Last night, she sat by Todd and stared fixedly at him for hours...not typical behavior at all!

Lives have changing seasons, too, and we're keeping a close eye on Borga as she navigates through this one.  Borga and her dad are great pals and we want to make her comfortable in her old age.

Have a great week!

window clings and (half) birthday things

 If you were to Google half birthday, you'd mainly find baby onesies...to which I say, why should they have all the fun?

A small-batch recipe and a foil barrier with pie beads on the empty side that will keep the dough from spreading is all you'll need for the perfect half birthday cookie cake!  Half of a candle set...

...and, if your husband is especially obstinate about PIE being the proper sweet for a birthday - even a half birthday - sometimes you have to compromise.  Voila, half of an apple pie, made the same way.

This is a great time of year, because the third week in October is juuuuust when you slide into deep fall.  One minute your garden is still full of happy flowers...

...and the fall colors are bright and cheerful.

Then much-needed rain comes.  Colder temps, and frost - hard frost.

Colors deepen briefly, and then leaves...drop...fast.

The garden turns completely brown almost overnight.

Then it's time to turn your attention to decorating for the next holiday - Halloween!  Again I say:  why should kids have all the fun?

From garlands...

...to construction paper bats and skulls...

Even window clings for the microwave!

Those hugging skeletal hands, by the way, are on our bathroom mirror, front door, secretary, and even the fridge.  I...love...Halloween.  

It's also the time of year to deal with the remains of the garden - the seeds.  From trading...

...to "practice sprouting" on heat mats to confirm viability, especially in paler seeds.  Will seeds from flowers hit with frost still germinate?  What about flowers used in bouquets?  There's only one way to find out, and it's better to do it now, than to waste valuable space in spring growing flats and soil blocks.

It's been busy.  Bosewichte has been helping in the usual way.

Maybe seeds with bottom AND top heat will sprout faster?  :)  

I've also been working on little projects, like finishing my rainbow gloves...

...and tidying up loose ends, like frogging this old blanket that I knitted a decade ago and never used.  Eight oatmeal-colored skeins of Cascade 220 worsted yarn, current value near $100, will now be used in a sweater.

It feels good to get things done...with a little help from our friends!

Have a great week!