Miscellany

Like the thoughts in my head of late, this post is just a random tangle of things.

My streak of bad luck seems to be continuing...and I'm not willing to believe it' this charming fellow's fault.

I'm still trying to get things back to working order from the lightning that struck the end of September.... The wells, pool system, backup generator, and septic pump have been repaired or replaced and I'm (slowly) adjusting to the new pc.  I'm having problems getting the lighting on garage working though. The contractor has been here three times but was successful in getting only one of the lights working.

For every issue resolved, however, it seems a new one (or two) presents itself.  The concrete sink in the master bath cracked and now leaks...and, on Thursday, the huge vanity mirror glass in my bathroom disconnected itself from the frame and started slipping down the wall.

I seriously think I'm beyond sage and Palo Santo...I need an exorcist.

I've not accomplished much in the handwork department.

I put my needle down for a bit and picked up my hook but don't have enough progress to properly share. (OK...actually, I'm too lazy to take it off the frame to photograph.)

I am trying to focus on getting some things fully finished (ha!) and did get Lucy Nowlen (a Pineberry Lane design) framed.

I initially thought I would go with a very simple, stark, frame...but changed my mind wholly and completely.

What can I say?

While I am NOT an early Christmas decorator (I still have remnants of Halloween up), I transformed some old peach crates into Santa crates and I am (for the most part) happy with them.

(I intended to do only one but the first one, below, I did upside down on the crate, so had to do another.)

I'm not certain what I will do with them but, hopefully, something will come to me.

The weather continues to be fairly mild here - although the nights are cold and days extremely windy it seems.  Tomorrow we are to have winds of 42+ mph.

I am not fond of the wind...it makes me uneasy and make me edgy (edgier??)

Some of the sunsets, though, have been spectacular. 

And since I haven't done one in a while, an episode of what I've been reading:

When you've read as much material as I have regarding the Salem Witch Trials, you can be more than a bit skeptical about yet another telling.  But this...this was a welcome surprise.

As many of you know, Rebecca was my great aunt (7x removed) and her sister, Mary Easty (also hanged as a witch), my grandmother (7x removed).

The book is based on Mr. Gagnon's primary source research (love me a book with footnotes) and while it addresses the myriads of events and circumstances leading to the perfect storm culminating in the trials that other researchers have brought to light, it is one of the few I've encountered that traces the history and biography of the Towne and Nurse families so thoroughly.

Obviously, this is not for everyone...but for anyone with an interest in this historical tragedy, or in legal history, law, and religion, this book is a definite must-read.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

That's all I've got....

Have a great new week ahead! 

{Oh...just a blogger note:  Like everyone else, every single commenter on my posts is now coming up as being from a "no-reply commenter" even though the commenter has their settings configured to allow replies. This means that I can no longer reply to comments personally/privately (when and if they miraculously find their way to my email).  I prefer individual/personal replies (rather than using the reply feature that appears on the actual comment list).  If I have your email, I have attempted replying that way but if I don't, I can't.  If you would care to receive a reply to your comments, please share with me your email and I will do my best to do so. (You can just click the "email me" link on my sidebar and I will keep a list for future reference so you do't have to repeatedly make it publicly available.)

I have received so many wonderful comments and I feel very neglectful when I cannot reply.}

Beloved October

 If I were a month, I am certain I would be October.

Full of contradictions...bittersweet and melancholy...magic and moods,

and carrying color in my pockets.

It happened overnight... Yesterday it was plain ol' September and this morning it was October - the most glorious month of all.

Those green stalks of corn turned brown and dry, and were whisked off the field today.

I will miss them and their secrets.

One would think that since it has been so long between posts I would have a great deal to share...but I don't or at least I don't have the words for it.

I am certain I have accomplished something(s) over the past month, but I would be hard-pressed to quantify them.  There are the "have-to-do's" before the winter that keeping clogging up my to-do list but I am being pulled by the more temptinig "wanna-do's" of fall endeavors.

I did manage to get some tomatoes canned finally.

My back still hasn't forgiven me and Julia puts me completely to shame.

I have not hooked at all; I have stitched a little...but have completely finished nothing.  

The only thing I have to show for the past many weeks in that regard is this little punch needle box:

{Pattern by Teresa's Prim Treasures}

I struggled to get a decent photo - we are losing light so quickly here, but the box is actually a small candle box of sorts with a sliding lid.

I blame the squirrels...I just set my mind to something and it seems squirrels start running rampant and I, of course, have to chase them.

One squirrel safari led me to playing with paper and scissors.  

I had intended on doing stacks of three boxes but have been unable to find the larger ones for the bottom of the stack.

Rats.

So for now, they are stacks of two.

{Black felted acorns}

I have also been working on perfecting the recipe for 2 (and only 2) chocolate chip cookies. (Don't be deceived by the photo, these are MUCH larger and thicker than they look and than a typical cookie.)  Since I don't need to eat an entire batch of cookies by myself, I have been experimenting...but I think I will need to resign myself to making at least 3...these are just a little bit too thick and chewy in the middle. 

I can't believe I just said that.

*******

And, books....there's always room and time for books in my closed-in little world.

As fall settles in and darkens the nights prematurely; and chilly, dreary days bleed into colder and rainier nights, I find it even easier to lose myself in the company of the best friends I've ever had: books.

This is another debut novel by (another) British author (am I getting in a rut, here?)...and I will be reading more of her (well, yes, yes, I am...and I am enjoying the rut at this point in time, thank you very much.) The book was described as a "gothic" novel...but I am not sure why?  Perhaps because of its desolate, isolated, setting...but it's not "gothic" in the way that I think of that term.

Atmospheric, yes. Very.  It's the story of an orphan who comes to live with her new adoptive parents...in a secluded house on the edge of a marsh, all of whom and which hold secrets the young child struggles to understand.

It was good...very good.  And like I said, I will be back for more.

*******

I wish you all a very merrie month of October...Spooking season has officially begun.

Keeping those who suffered the wrath and havoc of Ian in heart and prayers.