Tag Archives: Country Life

Acrylic painting

Art, Hiking, Books, and Catching Up

Books & Reading, Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, Thoughts On Life, , , , , , , , ,
Acrylic painting
Acrylic painting styled after a drawing I saw in a magazine.

This post will feature a little of this and a little of that since I have been remiss in frequency of posting so far this year. That doesn’t mean I haven’t kept myself busy though.

I continue to work on my painting skills, or lack thereof. I am working my way through a book of acrylic painting lessons by Lee Hammond. I do every lesson, even the ones that do not appeal to me. I figure the point is to learn new techniques and ideas. I am afraid if I skip one, I will be deficient in a basic skill forever! I did take a break from the lesson book and do the painting above. Every so often I like to paint something just for fun. After all, if it’s not fun, why am I doing it? This painting is done on a 5 x 5 inch flat canvas. I think part of the reason I find her to be so cute is because of her diminutive size. And she gives me lots of ideas for other paintings. Silhouettes of my nieces with things they like painted inside, gymnastics, girl scouts, etc. A silhouette of a sheltie with things like leashes, agility equipment, sheep, and such painted inside. Seeing as one of my goals is to become proficient enough to donate a painting to our local Sheltie Rescue auction to raise money for the dogs, this last idea may be a good one.

I have been trying other artistic endeavors too. I have done some handmade cards for people’s birthdays and other events. Some have been painted; others have been collage. I find that I enjoy collage and art journaling. I guess I like my senses to be bombarded with lots of information. My brother always says I don’t like any food unless it has at least five things in its name. Like cookie dough, chocolate chunk, fudge swirl chocolate ice cream. I would have to say he is correct on this. My first thought on vanilla is blah! I know it’s not true but my thought when I hear vanilla is, absence of flavor. I have to say that my preference for multiple items carries over to all senses, not just food. I read multiple books at a time. Different books for different moods, right? And then, sometimes an audiobook is a better option, say when driving. And I tend to lean towards multimedia when it comes to art. The fact that I want to try various mediums goes along with this mindset. That’s why art journaling is fun to me. It can combine it all. I even made a tiny little journal that I bound with thread and needle.

Hiking view
West Branch State Park, Buckeye Trail near East boat ramp.

We have begun hiking again. Not every day like we were, but currently a couple of days a week. It would be more, but on some of the days my husband golfs, so he already has his walk in for the day. We stopped hiking last fall because our dog Zekie’s health was failing, and I couldn’t bear to leave him home by himself. He would have had to be crated, with his severe separation anxiety, I knew he would have been drooling and making a mess of himself. His Cushing’s Disease and liver disease caught up to him and we had to let him go in January. I still miss yelling, “Zeke, put that down” and “Zeke, stop licking that”! (The Cushing’s Disease left him with a need to lick everything in sight; the cabinets, the floors, himself. And I mean constantly. I must have told him to stop licking the wood floors thirty times a day.) Ahh, the good old days. Then we went through a spell of weather where it was too icy to walk. But now, milder weather is here, and we are walking more.

I am reading as always and will leave you with my list of books read for January and February. Enjoy!

Books I Read in January 2025

  1. The Life Impossible-Matt Haig

The book starts with Grace Winters living a shell of a life after the death of her husband, and the death of her 11 year old son years ago. Out of the blue, she inherits a house in Ibiza from a former coworker she hadn’t heard from in decades. Grace goes there and is met with mysterious happenings that lead to a new life and exciting times to conquer an evil force. After an odd encounter with an unknown life form in the sea, Grace develops unexplained powers that help her with the coming challenges. A mysterious and beautiful book.

2. Pumpkin Spice Puppy-Lauren Berenson

Dog enthusiast Melanie Travis is back on the heels of another murderer. She is dropping off pumpkin spice tokens for her school’s fundraiser to a local pet store and finds a body along with the victim’s devoted Chow. Her search uncovers multiple people with a grudge against the victim including neighbors who didn’t like all the rescue Chows he took in. A short read with an enjoyable story.

3. Modern Watercolor Workshop-Pooja Kendall-Umrani (Non-fiction)

A beautiful book for the beginner. Painting geometric/repeating shapes. Good for learning techniques and controlling the paint.

4. Between the Sound and the Sea-Amanda Cox

Joey (Josephine) accepts a temporary job in a different state rehabbing and old, decommissioned lighthouse. There is a mystery to be unraveled surrounding the disappearance of the keeper’s daughter. A widower is using his wife’s life insurance money to fund the project. Enter the widower’s grandson in opposition to the project. Lots of unsolved mysteries from long ago to be addressed. The book got off to a very slow start for me but I keep with it and the end was rewarding.

5. How to Let Things Go-Shinmyo Masuno (Non-fiction)

Written by a Buddhist monk. The book contains 99 tips to relinquish control and free yourself up for what matters, per the cover. This book has something in it that could benefit everyone. Lots of good insights.

6. Big Vegan Flavor-Nisha Vora (Cookbook)

The book begins with lots of information and techniques before going on to recipes. Many of the recipes look delicious, but again I don’t have many of the ingredients on hand and I have a fairly well-stocked kitchen.

7. Dog Songs and a Thousand Mornings-Mary Oliver (Audiobook, Poetry)

I’ve discovered the magic of Mary Oliver from Facebook. This book is read by her. It is short, enjoyable, and easy listening. I went through it in two days while making dinner and a trip into town.

Magazines:  Downeast (2), AARP

Books I Read in February 2025

  1. A Merry Little Murder Plot-Jenn McKinlay

I love all of McKinlay’s books, especially the Lindsey Norris library lover’s mysteries! Lindsey and her friends must solve a murder and catch the killer during this Christmas season mystery. Lots of support from friends and fun times as Lindsey and crew try to keep their artist in residence from becoming the next victim.

2. The Blue Hour-Paula Hawkins

A story about Vanessa the artist and her friend Grace who live on Eros Island in the British sea. I’m not sure whether to call this a murder mystery, a slow paced thriller, or a character study. It fits all three categories. Vanessa has died and left her artwork to the personal museum of her married ex-lover. There is speculation about happened to Vanessa’s missing husband. The friend Grace is present throughout it all. Part of the story is told with pages of Vanessa’s diary and flashbacks. The story kept me intrigued and I would recommend it.

3. Counting Miracles-Nicholas Sparks

The book centers around Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mother, and Tanner Hughes, retired military and trying to find his place in life. Elderly Jasper lives nearby with his dog Arlo and plays a vital role in their lives. Jasper is horribly disfigured from a tragedy years earlier. All are drawn together with the appearance of the legendary white deer. A very good story.

4. Book Play-Margaret Couch Cornwall (Non-fiction)

A lovely book about how to make little handmade books. Covers supplies, techniques, and offers a few projects. I got some new ideas that I may just give a try!

Magazines: Best Friends

My recommendation from the above books is as follows. If you want an enjoyable book that makes you think, read The Life Impossible or Counting Miracles. If you just want to have fun, read A Merry Little Murder Plot. There weren’t any books listed above that I didn’t like.

And I’ll share the picture below just to make you smile! PeeWee likes to sleep on the back of the couch for multiple reasons. He stays out of the way and doesn’t get stepped on. He can watch out the window for neighborhood excitement such as the US mail jeep, delivery trucks, tractors, motorcycles, and loud cars. And all the better to see what we have on our plates on the tv trays that may be of interest to him. And everything is of interest to him!

Sheltie
PeeWee sleeping on the back of the couch.

Snippets of Nature

Books & Reading, Country Life, Gardens, , , , , , , ,
Woodland
Woodland view.

“I can sit alone by an open window for hours if I like, and hear only bird songs, and the rustle of leaves. The trees are pure gold and orange.” Virginia Woolf

Here is another Virginia Woolf quote that is speaking to me. (Recently, I read a list of quotes from another blogger’s site that spoke to me so much that I saved the list. Here is a link to that post-https://katiegilley.com/2024/10/09/quotes-from-september-2024/) I think it can apply to any nature encounter that touches a soul. It takes me back to a day over 20 years ago when I was sitting on the front porch of my last home. I had a book with me and was chilling out, contemplating the fact that I would soon be moving to a new house even though I didn’t really want to move. It was a breezy day and suddenly I noticed the sound of the wind in the quaking aspen trees growing in the field next to me. It was the most magical sound that went on and on. I remember thinking “I can’t believe I will not be able to sit here and hear this sound again. It is the most perfect sound.” Yes, I was having a bit of a pity party, but even in my distress I recognized how lovely and restorative nature can be. The sound was such perfection that I remember it to this day. I have numerous memories of such snapshots in time that I have spent in nature.

Patio garden.

We have a patio garden that we enjoy sitting in. It has a lovely fountain that gives us the sound of falling water. Sometimes, I like to turn the fountain off and sit in the garden. Then I can focus on the sounds of the birds, wildlife, and trees. We live out in the country and regularly see turkey vultures, hawks, and an occasional owl or bald eagle. The sound of their wings flapping is an amazing experience. So powerful as they glide over the little valley, occasionally giving a single flap as they glide by. I also enjoy hearing the chittering and scolding of the squirrels. I even enjoy the cooing of the mourning doves and cawing of the crows.

After a number of years of watching the crows interact, I have a new appreciation for them. We observed an unusual experience with the crows near our house a few years ago. Around a dozen crows congregated in some of our pine trees and spent the day there. They cawed sharply and urgently. After a while the calls became more repetitive but distressed. Each bird had the same call that it repeated. We knew something was wrong but had no idea what. The next day we went out into the patio garden which is next to the pine grove and in one of the bordered sandstone flowerbeds, we found a juvenile crow that was dead. It had only one wound and we think it was attacked by a hawk or other large bird of prey. We think the urgent calling had been the adults trying to scare away the predator and protect the younger bird. The slow, plaintive calls we heard later on, we think were ones of sorrow. We buried the young crow with sadness. This got me curious about crows. I read that they live in family units. I have a greater respect for crows after this incident.

I think that part of nature’s magic is that it helps us live outside of ourselves, get out of our own heads for a bit. No matter what is happening in our lives, the world goes on around us, most of it without any input from us. In this way it makes me feel better and I am able to put life in perspective. And this is one reason why going for a walk in the woods makes us feel better. Whatever is going on in our private lives, life in the woods still goes on, unaffected. The Japanese have something called shinrin-yoku which means forest bathing. Forest bathing is immersing yourself in nature for physical, emotional, mental, and social health. People have been doing this for centuries and I think it is fitting that someone has put a name to it.

I started this post to share how this Virginia Woolf quote above makes me feel. It is amazing how two sentences can make me feel so many emotions and have so many memories. This is the beauty of words. I hope you are able to have such experiences in your own lives through nature as well as words. I would love to hear about them. (Link to my thoughts on another Virginia Woolf quote https://sanctuary-acres.com/2024/10/28/fueled-by-fall/.)

Fall beauty

Fueled by Fall

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, Thoughts On Life, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Fall beauty
The view this morning.

“Autumn is my season, dear; it is, after all, the season of the soul.” Virginia Woolf

Recently, I read a list of quotes from another blogger’s site that spoke to me so much that I saved the list. (See her post here-https://katiegilley.com/2024/10/09/quotes-from-september-2024/) I decided to start my own series of posts, each on just one of the quotes I found to be meaningful. When a writing strikes emotion in me, it makes me feel a connection to the author and want to read more of their work to see if we really are of like minds. Maybe they have captured more of my feelings and put them into words. The first, by Virginia Woolf, is above.

For many years, I did not like fall. It reminded me of going back to school. School meant homework, discipline, and being indoors all day. It wasn’t that I disliked school. I just liked being at home better. Being at home had a certain freedom that I didn’t have at school. Years later as I was enjoying the beauty that is fall, I decided it’s time to get over that negative association with fall, grow up, and move on. Autumn has been my favorite season ever since. I love fall.

The vivid and varied colors in the trees and plants are glorious. I used to see red, yellow, orange, green, and brown. Now I see so much more. Red leaves so dark they are carmine. Coral leaves with yellow specks scattered over the surface. Salmon colored leaves that fade into peach and coral, all on the same leaf. What little jewels that sparkle in the sun! Where I live the majestic old sugar maples put on some of the best shows. The gold in the birch leaves changes hue when the trees release them, and they flutter to the ground. One thing that has helped me to appreciate these colors in greater depth is that I have recently given painting a try. I don’t just pick up a tube of yellow paint and begin painting yellow leaves. I have a simple set of paint tubes with limited colors. Even so, do I use medium yellow, lemon yellow, deep yellow, yellow ochre, or cashew? And of course, you mix colors, giving you limitless other shades to choose from. I will still never capture all the shades that Mother Nature has created. Painting has opened my eyes to see more than I did before. The greater depth was always there, I just didn’t see it. What other areas of our lives does this hold true for?

Another reason for my love of fall? The air is crisp and refreshing without the cloying heat of summer. It is the perfect weather for hiking. Fall is jacket time, and they are easily shed when you get too hot on the trail. Then you are quite comfortable and can concentrate on the beauty all around you. We often hike near bodies of water: lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. The photo above is from our hike this morning. I requested we hike on this particular trail this morning for the color contrast between the leaves and water that I knew would be there. It did not disappoint. (Wild Cherry Trail, West Branch State Park, Ohio) The trail is only one mile long, but I always think it seems farther. There are ups and downs, many tree roots popping up in the trail, and so much to see. I would rate it as moderately difficult. Our dogs had a blast as did we. Shelby stayed home but the other four went along. Cassius the greyhound and PeeWee the tiny sheltie is just in front of my husband. Zekie and Claire walk with me. Zekie was wearing his new llama sweater as his fur has thinned with the Cushing’s Disease. I think he rocks it!

Autumn hike
Dogs on the trail.

Homemade soups are something else that I enjoy in the fall. They say comfort to me. I never have a recipe when I make soup, so people are forever asking me, “What kind of soup is this?”, to which I invariably respond, “Umm, I don’t know…” and go on to list the ingredients. The soups you can make are endless and no two are ever the same. I think the key to making the best soup is to make the broth from scratch. I have a soup sack in the freezer for this purpose at all times. I make soups and stews often enough that sometimes I do have to use boxed broth. It is still a satisfying meal to have on a cool evening. With leftovers for lunch and maybe longer!

As for the opening quote, I do feel that autumn is the season of my soul. Most people see New Year’s Day and the beginning of a new calendar year as a time for starting over. I have never felt this way. I used to mock the idea in my own way. When someone would ask me if I had resolutions for the new year, I would respond with something such as “I plan to eat more chocolate.” I have since decided that if the turning of the calendar gives someone inspiration to make changes and better themselves, more power to them. It is not for me, however. I see it as just another day. New inspiration comes for me as fall arrives. The cooler temperatures rejuvenate me like a breath of fresh air. I have newfound energy and freshly inspired ideas. If I make changes to my life or take up a new hobby, it is going to be in the fall. I feel like I come alive again. My mind resumes functioning after the shutdown from the heat of summer. Once I’m done planting, weeding, watering, etc., there isn’t much left of me. (Can you tell we don’t have air conditioning?)

Woodland
Woodland view from the trail.

Oh, and when it comes to hiking in the fall, let’s not forget those crunchy leaves. What is your favorite part of fall?

Garden, Therapy Dogs, and Books I Read in August & September 2024

Books & Reading, Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, , , , , ,
Rose & Snapdragon

The roses are having a second bloom of activity with the rain and cooler weather. We haven’t had a hard frost yet, so all the plants in the walled garden are still gracing us with beauty. I think the blooms in the fall are twice as sweet. The plants bless us with a last round of activity before the long winter’s sleep.

In addition to gardens, therapy dog work has been keeping me quite busy. I have done more evaluations for potential therapy dogs this year than ever before and I still have three more sessions to go. That’s approximately 30 more dogs! Why so many? Personally, I think there are not as many evaluators around. I need to get Claire tested to be my next therapy dog since Shelby retired. The only evaluation I can find besides my own, is five hours away. I guess it will have to wait until next year. I never felt that Claire was quite ready to test even though she is sweet as punch. She will have to step up and start my next generation of therapy dogs. If she can master that long distance stay (20 ft), we should pass.

I read every day, no matter what. It centers me. So here is my list of completed reading material for the past two months. Occasionally, I start a book and decide it is not for me and return it to the library.

August 2024:

  1. Pets and the City-Dr. Amy Attas (Non-fiction)

This is the most engaging nonfiction book I’ve read in some time. Dr. Attas tells about numerous encounters as a house call vet in Manhattan, including several famous clients-Joan Rivers and Billy Joel are a couple. All the tales are entertaining and it’s fun reading what she encounters. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one.

2. East Coasting-Chitnis & Dorazewski (Non-fiction)

What a beautiful book! It tells you about places to visit in the northeastern United States and has wonderful watercolor paintings throughout. It worth reading even if you have no plans to travel.

3. The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club-Helen Simonson

The story is set just after World War I. Constance Haverhill is expected to give up her job, as are so many women of the time, to the men returning from war. She goes to the seaside for the summer as a lady’s companion. While there she meets Poppy Wirral and her group of women who wear pants and run a motorcycle service. Constance finds she also quite likes Poppy’s gruff brother who lost part of his leg during a plane accident. An enjoyable story.

4. Never Leave the Dogs Behind-Brianna Madia (Non-fiction)

Brianna is a social influencer who lives alone in the desert with her four dogs in a small trailer. She is brutally honest in sharing with us, her trials through the demise of her marriage and figuring out her new normal as she searches for who she is now. Of course I thought the best part was her dedication to her dogs.

5. Eruption-Michael Crichton and James Patterson

Although Crichton has passed, he left this partially finished manuscript and his research. It was finished by Patterson. A volcano is going to erupt in Hawaii and it will be the big one. Other factors added to the volcano make this a world threatening event. Volcanologists, the army, and demolition experts work tirelessly before it is too late. An exciting book well worth the read.

Magazines:  Country Living UK edition, Cottages and Bungalows, AARP (2)

September 2024:

  1. The Summer Swap-Sarah Morgan

Lily has escaped to Cape Cod after dropping out of medical school. She is figuring out the next phase of her life while cleaning cottages for the summer. Cecelia is reluctantly back at her Cape Cod cottage hiding from her family and the notoriety of her late artist husband. Kristen, Cecelia’s daughter, shows up at the cottage after walking out on her career-obsessed husband. All have issues they are dealing with and need to decide the direction they want their lives to take. They choose Cape Cod for their ruminations.

2. The Summer Escape-Jill Shalvis

Anna Moore is a private investigator. Her sister Wendy is expecting triplets soon. So of course, this is the perfect time to delve into their father’s past to see if he was a crook after finding a stolen coin in his belongings. It does result in Anna meeting Owen Harris who runs an outdoor adventure business. The coin is one from a collection owned by Owen’s aunt. Anna and Owen start to trust each other and work together on the case. Wendy gives birth to the babies in the midst of the investigation. Another enjoyable Shalvis book with likable characters.

3. How to Be Old-Lyn Slater (Non-fiction)

Good reading on what is expected of the older person and examples of how the author avoided it. This book covers the decade of her 60’s year by year. The author is a social/clothing influencer. There was a lot about the fashion world that I didn’t really care about. After finishing the book, I can say, I wish I had spent my time reading something else. The book is fine, it’s just not my cup of tea.

4. Sandcastle Inn-Irene Hannon

This book is from the Hope Harbor series. Vienna Price loses her career job and goes home to her free spirit mother. Mary Quinn goes to Hope Harbor to help his sister with the rundown B&B she purchased. The two come together to rebrand and spruce up the inn. Both are running from trouble in their lives, as is the young contractor couple who join them on the inn redo. Hope Harbor is the perfect place to contemplate the life changes all are working on. A pleasant read.

5. Four Thousand Paws-Lee Morgan (Non-fiction)

A veterinarian’s tale about being a check point veterinarian for the Iditarod as the dogs race across the Alaskan wilderness. Morgan has been an Iditarod vet for 10 years and worked many different checkpoints to make sure the dogs are healthy. He has anecdotes about the dogs, the mushers, and the Alaskan natives. An informative and fun book.

6. Making Bentwood Trellises, Arbors, Gates, & Fences-Jim Long (Non-fiction)

Gives information about finding flexible wood and various ways of fastening them together. Contains a number of different designs. Good general info to help you come up with your own structures.

7. The Summer We Started Over-Nancy Thayer

The Grant sisters, Eddie and Barrett, are close even though their parents weren’t typical. The family and several friends are all at the new family home on Nantucket for the summer. The sisters are finding men and relationships whether they want to or not. The family loves books but dad’s obsession has reached hoarder status. Enter, Eddie’s boss from New York City. She is a famous author. Dad is a struggling, unpublished author. And then there’s the late brother’s child. Lots of fun relationships in this story.

Magazines:  Down East, Yankee, Country Living (2)

PeeWee the Sheltie

Bringer of Joy

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, , , , , , , ,
PeeWee

Time for an update on PeeWee! He has been with us for nearly a year now. He fits in so well that it seems he has always been here. (Read about his arrival here-First Foster Dog This Year! and his trials before he made it into the house Foster Pupdate!) After we lost Baxter unexpectedly to cancer last spring, our home was not the cheery place it used to be. Our pack was older, and Baxter was no longer here to make us laugh with his antics and expressions. PeeWee arrived in the fall and after adjusting to his new surroundings, he started making us laugh again. PeeWee was just two years old when he arrived. Our other dogs are all nine and older. He has livened us all up! He even gets 14 1/2-year-old Shelby to play with him frequently. Of course, her version of playing is to stand rigidly, wagging her tail and smiling while occasionally stomping her paws. It gets her exercise and makes her happy, so it’s all good.

At his six month recheck PeeWee still had high numbers on his Lyme test although it did come down about 100 points. So, he got a second round of doxycycline and will have another recheck in six more months. Mercifully, he shows no symptoms. And he loves getting his antibiotic because it is given in a chicken flavored pill wrap. PeeWee has lost one pound since his last vet visit, but it is no wonder. He jumps on and off the back of the couch about 50 times a day. His new favorite thing is to lay in the windowsill and watch the squirrels in the yard and the cars go by.

PeeWee fills his days with his windowsill antics, banana time, chewing bones, harassing his doggie sister Claire, occasional zoomies, and begging for food. Although this is all well and good, he wants us to resume hiking. We take the summer off from hiking because it is too hot and there are too many biting flies. Also, there is too much work here in the summer with gardening and large projects. PeeWee does not understand this. When it is time for a hike, he will zoom, squeal, and bark when his leash comes out of the closet. He runs to the car. On the drive to the day’s chosen hiking spot, he looks out the window the whole way to the trail head. If he deems the drive to be too long, he starts getting antsy and pacing. Once on the trail, he diligently looks at and sniffs everything he notices. There is no down time, he is on a mission to take in new information!

He also goes in the car with the other dogs for trips to grandma’s house. This is not quite as exciting as hiking, but still cause for constant watching out the car window. His favorite place along the way is a busy intersection where five roads cross with a couple of gas stations and other places of business. There is so much to see here that PeeWee’s little body is tense with concentration and watches all activity and even the excitement of pedestrians! We rarely have pedestrians where we live, so it is quite the novelty for him. There are no sidewalks, and it is rural so very few people ever walk by our house. The city streets are a thing of wonder to him.

In short, we are smitten with PeeWee. He is just so cute that everything he does is adorable. Not that we’re biased. Wink, wink!

PeeWee enjoying the patio.

Glimmers of Fall

Country Life, Gardens, , , , , , , ,
Dahlia

Fall will soon officially be here. I look forward to it and am enjoying the cooler weather and slower pace already. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the plethora of flowers and the bounty from the vegetable garden. But it is exhausting!

Assorted vegetables, that large tomato in the front is a pineapple tomato
Tomatoes, mostly Lemon Boy and Jet Star
Green beans, pole and Romano

There was not a lot of rain this summer which meant frequent watering. It takes me about an hour and a half if I water everything. Since we have begun composting and tilling it all back into the vegetable garden in the spring, our production has greatly increased. I pick about every third day and the three photos above show what I got in one picking three weeks ago when the garden was in full production. We went to one of the box stores and got a freezer this year. I am busily trying to fill it up. I’m certain I won’t have to buy green beans over the winter. I’ve also frozen zucchini and yellow squash, and bags of diced tomatoes for soups and sauces.

I always look forward to the first frost when I switch my time from gardening pursuits to hiking, baking, and extra reading. Autumn is my favorite hiking season. The leaves have turned to jewel tones as they hang from the branches and converge to make a colorful tapestry in the sky. The view as we drive home from the nearby park is spectacular as we look towards home. The park road is at the top of one hill, and we live at the top of the next hill. You can see trees in all their fall finery surrounding the reservoir of blue water in the span of land in between the hills. On a sunny day, it is enough to take my breath away!

With the cooler evening temperatures, I have begun enjoying a cup of tea as I read and relax in the evenings. I have a rather large collection of teas. Black teas, green teas, herbal teas. Each variety in assorted flavors. I order our vitamins from an on-line company that has good quality and prices. You have to reach a certain total to get free shipping, and I am usually just shy of the total. So, I throw a box of tea on, to reach the free shipping requirement. The tea and the shipping are nearly the same price so I may as well get the tea. Thus, I have amassed quite a collection! Black tea with peppermint, herbal peppermint, green tea with pear, apple cinnamon chamomile, to name a few. And we always have the old standby English Breakfast. I make sure to buy the ones that have each tea bag individually sealed, so my supply doesn’t get stale.

There are many things I like about fall, and these are just a few. I would be curious to know what you like about fall. Comment and let me know!

Books I Read in May 2024

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A wonderful selection I found at the library!

I had no idea I was so far behind on publishing my reading lists! I can only attribute it to how busy we have been. Or maybe poor memory. We have been building a 12 x 16 ft. storage shed! Who knew I could lift my half of a 12 foot framed wall onto the prepared floor base? Certainly not me. My husband designed the shed and is the brains of the operation. I help lift things, run for tools and more boards, etc. Several days during construction have reached 90 degrees and I am NOT a fan of heat. I tried to keep my whining to a minimum and we are now under roof. The worst is over. Famous last words. I have learned a lot and surprised myself with some of the things I was able to do. All those hours watching my dad when I was a kid and handing him tools have paid off. I’ll share a photo of the shed some other time. Maybe when it’s all done. For now, here is my list of books read way back in May.

  1. Good Housekeeping, Organize Your Life (Non-fiction)

Usually, I’m disappointed by organization books, but not this one. It has some realistic ideas for regular people. I love a good idea on how to make my things look organized and less like junk.

2. Noon-Meike Peters (Cookbook)

These are recipes so simple; you can easily make them for lunch hence the name of the book. Each recipe is beautiful in the accompanying photo and indeed easy to prepare. There are food combinations that I never thought to put together, and they do sound delicious. I will be trying some new meals soon!

3. Mrs. Pargeter’s Patio-Simon Brett

A British mystery written in classic style. Mrs. Pargeter finds a skeleton with a bullet hole in the head when a stone in her patio cracks in half. This leads to her trying to find out why it is there and how it happened. She uses her deceased husband’s little black book of helpful people to handle the task. Mrs. Pargeter never catches on to the fact that all of these men are criminals with different specialties as was her husband. A comic murder mystery.

4. One Summer, America, 1927-Bill Bryson (Non-fiction)

This book took me the better part of two months to read. I did read other books at the same time. There was a lot of information to digest. Everything from the various flights of Lindbergh and other pilots of the day to baseball greats Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Prohibition, various gangsters, nazis, and anarchists are presented, and we’re given a look into their personal lives. Bryson puts a personal spin on the characters to keep things interesting while we learn about history. I learned a lot so it’s definitely worth reading. 660 pages not including the 90 pages of index and references.

5. The Ikaria Way-Diane Kochilas (Cookbook)

A nice book with some good recipes. Lots of dishes similar to what I throw together in my kitchen. The photos of the area are beautiful and it’s worth checking out this book simply for them. I enjoy reading about the longevity of the Ikarians who are in one of the Blue Zones where many people live longer than average.

6. You Are My Sunshine-Sean Dietrich (Non-fiction)

The author’s wife cajoles him into undertaking a long bike ride across The Great Allegheny Passage and the C & O Canal Towpath. One major obstacle-Sean is afraid of bicycles, so his ride is an adult sized trike. Just one of many hilarious obstacles that the couple overcame on their journey. The author also has a blog and podcast-Sean of the South.

Magazines:   Cuisine at Home (2), Country Cottage, Cottages and Bungalows, Cottage Journal

An Expanding World

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View from my lounge chair.

Summer is the season when my world seems to expand. In so many ways, both good and bad. On the good side, our living area increases. Our patio becomes an extension of our home, and we spend time there, reading, relaxing, drinking a cup of coffee, and occasionally entertaining friends and family. The bad side about my world becoming bigger is the increased work. Weeding, planting, maintaining, and watering. Oh, the watering! It has been exceptionally dry here for so early in the season and I kept putting off watering in the hopes of getting rain. I spent two hours catching up on watering. I’m happy when the growing season starts and I’m also happy when it ends. I guess this is a good balance because it affords me the chance to appreciate each one.

Cassius the greyhound.

This is a place outside where I can take all the dogs with me to relax. (Or while I work in this area too!) All five of our dogs stay confined with the fences. No longer so when I put our dogs in the fenced pasture. Our newest addition and smallest dog, PeeWee can escape the pasture. I’m not sure where he gets out, but he has come running to me a couple times when I am doing yard work and am out of his sight. Apparently, my being out of his range of view is unacceptable. I don’t like to put the dogs in their crates for the amount of time that I spend working outside every day, so I have begun tying PeeWee out on a nylon coated, wire line near wherever I am working. I do have to move him around a little, so he always has shade, but we have a lot of trees, so this is not much of an inconvenience.

PeeWee and Claire enjoying the shade.

Our dogs all love the patio. It gives them a chance to enjoy the outdoors while hanging out with their people. They are trained to stay out of the flowerbeds, even when they see me working in them. They have an opportunity to be in sun or shade and usually move back and forth. They see the fountain as the world’s largest water bowl, even though they have their own in a shady corner. (I don’t leave them unattended in case they fall in although so far this has never happened.) Some of the dogs amuse themselves by watching and chasing chipmunks. Claire will stare at the rock pile for minutes on end. I don’t usually see them, but she knows they’re in there. Even 14 year old Shelby lays on a cool corner of the patio between the raised sandstone beds and lifts her head to give me her beautiful smile from time to time. Being deaf now, she also is keeping tabs on my location to make sure we aren’t going inside. A brief wave of my hand will have her getting up and heading toward the door.

Zinnia

Here is one of the flowers from a recent trip to a greenhouse for annuals. We have many perennials and plants that self-seed. We also plant annuals for variety and to make sure there is always something in bloom. I took my nieces with me the last time I went plant shopping and the zinnia was their pick. I wanted them to be able to participate and have fun too. One of them is attending an afternoon gardening camp soon. How cool is that?!

Variegated begonia

I love all things variegated! If a plant has multi-colored flowers or leaves, it’s likely to go in my basket. Weigelias, roses, petunias, it doesn’t matter. This tendency must be related to my busy mind. It carries over everywhere. I like dogs and cats that are spotted, brindled, and multi-colored. I like food that has many ingredients. My brother is fond of saying I don’t want any food, especially ice cream, unless it has five things in its name. I must admit this is true. I don’t see this variety as a bad thing. It prevents boredom and keeps my mind busy. I like my mind to be stimulated. That’s why my reading is so diverse too. I will read non-fiction, fiction, and memoirs on many subjects although I do admit being partial to mysteries. If you ask me at any point in time, what I am thinking about, the answer will rarely be “nothing”.

Sitting on the futon, staring at the sky.

Sitting on the futon and staring at the sky through the grape arbor always produces dreamy thoughts and inspires new ideas. Alas, this usually results in more work. But we only live this life once so we must make the most of it. May your life be inspired too, my friends!

Progression of a Flowerbed

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Flowerbed on south side of patio.

Gardening starts early if you want good results. The first photo is from today, March 5th. And it is after I spent about an hour each of the past two days cutting dead stalks and flowers from last year. Ok, that’s not quite true because I got distracted today and decided that Claire needed a trim since her fur was so long it caught leaves when we were hiking and dragged on the ground. But we were out there for an hour each day and most of it was spent gardening!

The other two pictures are of the same flowerbed from June 14th of last year. What a transformation three months can make! Most of those plants are perennials, but don’t underestimate the work involved. There is still transplanting, splitting of plants, weeding, fertilizing, pruning, and mulching to be done. And did I mention the weeding, lol? During the summer I dead head and prune my roses about every two weeks. This seems to give the best results.

Our patio garden is completely fenced, so the dogs can come with me while I garden here. Otherwise, I would never get any work done. Cassius the greyhound naps on the patio furniture. The others usually lay on the cold flagstones in the shade, or under the Dawn Redwood. Although Claire is a busy girl and spends time watching the rock pile for chipmunks to chase. All of the dogs learn quickly to stay out of the flowerbeds. I will have to teach PeeWee, our newest addition, this skill. He learns quickly and I don’t anticipate a problem. He is only two and will almost certainly help Claire chase chipmunks.

The pictures of the beds in bloom almost make me ready for the flurry of gardening to come. But not quite. I am still resting. That’s why everything has its season.

    Goals for the New Year

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    Journal illustration
    Happy 2024!

    Now that all the hubbub from the holidays is dying down, it is setting in that the new year is upon us. I am looking forward to this year being a better one for us as 2023 was rather difficult. And I intend to make it a better one.

    I titled this article Goals for the New Year since I have never been a big fan of making New Year’s resolutions. I always looked at it as a poor excuse not to set goals during the rest of the year. I would make New Year’s resolutions like, “Eat more chocolate”, as my form of protest. I know, what a rebel I am. I have set three goals that I plan to work on this year. We’ll see how far I get. Something is better than nothing, right?

    Goal #1 “Daily writing/journaling for a calendar year perspective.”

    The photo above is the inside cover page of my journal. The journal was a gift from my daughter last year and I can’t think of a better use for it. I have wanted to do some writing and following my life through a year seems appropriate with how tied to the weather our lives are here. What we do each day is very weather dependent. At this time of year, we hike. We check the weather forecast to see when the warmest temperature occurs during the day. We also check the predicted precipitation times. The goal is to stay warm and dry. During the warmer months, this flips, and we look for the cooler hours. The elements also play a part in our choice of trails for the day. Will this affect how muddy the trails are? Does the weather increase the chance for flies? How does this impact which shoes I wear? There is a bit of science to it. It’s not a good idea to just put on sneakers and run out the door.

    The weather affects our daily decisions and when we do what during gardening season too. I suppose we make our daily plans somewhat like farmers do. Infact, maybe we are a sort of farmer, except for our own enjoyment and not for profit. When it’s hot, we work outside in the mornings as much as possible. I try to limit afternoon chores outdoors as I am a baby when it comes to enduring heat. Sometimes it is necessary. Certain tasks can’t wait. If it’s been rainy, you mow when it’s dry, even if it’s 90 degrees.

    Not all of my writing will be about these physical things. I also like to ponder thoughts and emotions, and pretty much anything. Like, why do I sometimes dream that the university is coming to take my college degree back? I once had someone else tell me that they’ve had this dream too. So far, I have missed one day of journaling. Not a biggie. Onward!

    Journal illustration
    Journal illustration

    Goal #2 “Meditate each morning on: being kind AND, how can I spread joy today?”.

    This has been going pretty well. During the brief meditation (I am starting with just two or three minutes), I focus my thoughts on drawing in peace to be stable enough myself, to be able to project positivity to others. Followed by several thoughts of a “Be Kind” mantra. Then I thought about something I might be able to do to spread kindness as I am going about my day. I plan to extend the length of this meditation as the year progresses.

    If I have trouble falling asleep at night, I have begun thinking the mantra of “Be Kind” then too. If I am awake anyway, I may as well put my time to good use. I don’t know if this goal is having any impact on my life or those around me yet. I find it hard to believe that there won’t be at least a few positive experiences from it. I believe kindness makes the world a better place. And we definitely need our world to be a better place right now.

    Goal #3 “Get another one of our dogs certified as a therapy dog.”

    This goal is totally different from the other two, but I still deem it a very worthy one. Shelby is still certified with Therapy Dogs International and works occasionally. I don’t work her very often because she will be 14 years old next month. She is still very happy to be working with mom when I do take her on a visit. I used to have hopes that Zekie would be my next therapy dog, but his anxiety never receded to a level where I can trust him to be reliable to my commands. He is very obedient, and I believe he could probably pass the test tomorrow. That still does not mean he would be a good therapy dog. He is obedient to my commands, but I must give him commands all the time. If I did not anticipate an inappropriate action, it could be a problem.

    I think the next dog I will try to train to pass the test is Claire. She will not be an easy dog to train for the required exercises, but I think we can do it. She is slow to respond to training. She is not stupid, she just doesn’t seem to understand what she is told. Either that or she just doesn’t want to do it. We will get there. One of my biggest qualms about using her for therapy work, or anything else, is the fact that she gets car sick if we drive more than about six miles. That’s why I don’t take her to my brother’s or my daughter’s homes. She would be well behaved once there but would get sick along the way. Claire also has a penchant for waiting until we are pulling into the driveway of our destination and get sick as I put the car in park. Other than hiking the only place Claire gets to go is grandma’s because it’s not very far.

    We have a storm heading our way and I see giant snowflakes out my window. The winds are starting to kick up and I’ve received an email from the electric company on how prepare for possible power outages. I should see about making dinner now. Just in case.

    Happy belated New Year to you all. May your resolutions, if you make them, be going well!

    Therapy dog
    Shelby spreading joy at an elementary school while we read to the kids.