Saturday on the Homestead

Another beautiful day in the California Foothills. I told someone, who commented, that the storm wouldn't last long because we only allow one day storms here and I was right. Yesterday the temperature rose into the 80's, the sun shone all day and we all put our shorts back on. That's how it is here.

Ivy Lady's bangs were obscuring her view of the canyon and surrounding hills so I gave her a haircut. Her hair was soaked and hanging limp around her face. A lady just can't be having a bad hair day when the sun is shining. She looks much more presentable now.

As usual, Carl was were he SHOULDN'T be. This time it was in my garden. What am I to do? He pulled every leaf (that the storm blew in) out of the small birdbath and was growling at the other dog in the water. Do we have a never ending source of entertainment with this little guy? You betcha!! Never a dull moment with a puppy.

Today we replaced the covers over the boat and the tent trailer. They were ripped to shreds in the wind storm. The covers were already in bad shape so we had ordered replacements recently. Now it looks great and, hopefully, they will be last for a couple of years until we can build a barn. Oh ..., a barn..., and..., and a bigger living room.., more closet space.., a free standing wood stove..., more fencing..., an automatic gate at our entrance.., more terracing..., a donkey..., a covered deck.., and....., oh my gosh,
I'm sorry. I got a little carried away. Must have been a weak moment. I'll just go have a cookie or two. That will make me feel better.
"CARL..., get out of the garden!!!"

An Early Morning Offering

I've fixed you breakfast. Tea or Coffee? Cheese or jam? Sit anywhere you like: The table, where you can eat without Carl in your lap..., or (it's all on a tray) you can carry it into the living room and sit on the couch with some big pillows tucked behind you. Here, there are no guarantees that the pupster won't be in your lap giving you a dose of puppy eyes. He loves toast.
Relax and put your feet up. There is nothing to do today that can't wait for a little while.

It was a busy day yesterday. I had to go down to the valley. I had a medical appointment , got my flu shot and went to Costco for some things. On my way back I stopped at Davis Farms for some Sloughhouse corn and saw pumpkins I couldn't resist. Such charming little things, looking like flowers, just asking to be taken home.It was a long day but I accomplished a lot.
Today I go nowhere. Today I make breakfast and sit with Carl and whoever would like to join me. The sun is shining, the fog has filled the river valley below us and there is the fragrance of burning in the air. It's what they call a "burn day" and the distant smell of fireplaces and burn barrels mixed with wet Manzanita and Oak trees is sweet perfume in the Fall air.

I will open a window.....,
Breath in deeply.

I'll clean up the dishes if you come. All you will have to do is sit and enjoy the morning. It's kind of a special place here, where I live..., I think that you'll enjoy your visit, and if you stay for lunch I have a dessert for you that will rival anything you have ever tasted. Maybe we could have dessert for breakfast. "Dessert for breakfast, you say?" Of course, my friends. Life is short and you don't know when you will have another moment like this one. So...., join me.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: The Aftermath of A California Wind Storm

The Mess....



The beauty....



What Carl did....

(Please click on pictures for close up of photos.)

Past Due Tuesday: New Kid on the Block

There is a new VINTAGE blogging event starting today. The folks from Roomies, the blog for the Room with a Past store that I visit every time I go down to my sisters, are hosting a new opportunity to share your vintage and antique items with everyone. Be sure to take a look, here, for other great posts that share the love of things that have survived time and come with "a past". Please join us and share your love of all things vintage.

My offering today is a small crocheted throw that was my grandma's. I remember snuggling unto it on cold days, in front of her fireplace and I have this memory, in later years, of her sitting in an old wood rocking chair (which I was also given) with this blanket over her legs to keep her warm. She was still living in the house in the hills above the town of Napa, California, by herself.
In this quiet and simple house that had wood walls and dusty land surrounding it, this blanket was a burst of color. It's texture is heavy and tough and has stood the test of time. Each square is done with skill and there are a rainbow of colors within the design. I don't think that my grandma made this throw. As far as I know she didn't knit or crochet. Maybe it was a gift from someone she worked with.., or family but it's so lovely and well made. I'm sure the person who made it would be happy to know that this little blanket has lasted this long and now lives in another little house at the end of a dirt road. in the country.
As you can see..., this small blanket was a bright, warm and loving memory of my childhood. It wraps me in so many fond visions of a time when life was simpler and a woman, who didn't get along with the rest of the world very well ,loved me more than life itself. It's a memory of place.., and tenderness.

Please go to Roomies for more stories of vintage things that are "past due" for being shared with others.

Storm's a Comin'

There is a storm moving in on us this afternoon. It's suppose to be a big one. The weather people say it's unusual for a storm of this size to hit us in October. I agree. We don't usually get the big storms until after Christmas.
So, yesterday I decided, at the last minute, to sand and paint the wood slats on our bench seat out front. The finish on it had disappeared from being in the hot sun for a couple of summers. It was a clear wood finish with a thin factory coat of varnish on it. The varnish was almost gone and the wood was crying for help. So I spent almost the whole day sanding and painting to make this pretty little bench proud. I love the dark green. It will be nice for the holidays and matches the trim on the house.

Last week, when the Prospector was gone, Annibel decided to play her.., "I'm stuck on the roof and I can't get down." act. She does this every once in a while, for whatever reasons, and no amount of "Here kitty kitty." makes any difference. She meows and acts like she wants to be saved but when I get the extension ladder and try to coax her down , she backs away. CATS!! This time she spent 3 days up there. The Prospector built her a ramp from the back porch to the fence the last time she did this. Do you think she used it? NO. It must not be to her liking. CATS!
Finally, feeling somewhat sorry for her and wondering which gutter she was using for a cat box, I climbed the ladder, with a bowl of kibble and got her to come over to me.
Try being 64 yrs old, twelve feet off the ground, bowl of cat food in one hand and grabbing for a cat that doesn't like to be held, on an extension ladder. Try carrying that cat back down the ladder while she is fighting to get away. Three days on that roof, sleeping under an eave near the back porch, she finally jumped from my arms about half way down the ladder and landed ON HER FEET. Maybe something scared her up there. I don't know. She's got a big garage to hide in at night. I don't know why she does this. She's a tough cat. She plays with Rattlesnakes for crying out loud.
I didn't fall off the ladder..., Annibel is OK..., but this cat is on my @#%&* list. If she does this again, during the storm that's commin', she's on her own.
The prospector goes up the ladder next time.

Just a final shot..., of the front steps and porch.
The sun is getting some cloud cover today. The wind is picking up. Anticipation is in the air. The humidity builds. The storm is coming. The goats are being restless and the chickens are already inside their house. I've cleaned the oil lamps and cleared the porch of chairs and things that could blow away. We are ready. I'm ready..., for a rebirth of season.