Join Me For a Walk?

October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter. ~Nova Bair

I try to walk every day. We live in a fairly quiet rural neighborhood, with lots of streets winding around. I can take a different route every day if I want. I really enjoy looking at the sights. Join me? I pulled out the cell phone yesterday and took some pictures.

Signs of fall are everywhere. I really enjoy the scenery on my daily walks. On our street, we have this really amazing oak tree that boggles my mind. It's big, it's sturdy, it's leaning:



It's been like that forever, and at the base you can see where it's grown a wider "foot" to help it keep its balance.

Acorns are scattered everywhere as well. Folklore holds that when the squirrels don't collect all the acorns, it's going to be a mild winter. If that's the truth, it's going to be swimsuit weather in December. I mean .. really. Check it out:



I love the little hints of color that have begun. Soon, the leaves will be in their full glory (and carloads of tourists will be on the road):







There are still some gorgeous wildflowers growing because we haven't had our first frost yet (it's LATE this year). It's nice that we still have pretties to look at when we walk:




On one of the streets we take, the homeowners have this gorgeous bush .... I don't know what it is, but I LOVE the little berry-shaped "flowers" on it. If I knew, I'd probably get myself one:



Thanks for joining me on my walk. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

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You Are Modest

You live a pretty quiet and traditional life. You don't need much to be happy. You find contentment where others find angst. You are grateful for all that's right in your life. Your happiest times are spent with those you love. You don't have to be doing anything special, being with them is special enough. You aren't really searching in life. You've figured out who you are, and you accept yourself completely.

The Gourd Test

That's about right.

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It's a Puzzle

"It is one of man's curious idiosyncracies to create difficulties for the pleasure of resolving them." - Joseph de Maistre

Yesterday was COLD again(though we did walk a few miles...brrr), but today looks like it might be nice enough to get outside and rake the lawn. I just put the feeders out, and although it's cold, there isn't the wind so it's more than bearable. They're talking about weather in the 60's again next weekend. YAY.

DD and I finished our 1000 piece puzzle yesterday, and started a new one. DD loves puzzles, and the funniest thing is this: I never liked doing the kiddie puzzles, so even when she was pretty small (like four y.o.), if she wanted to do puzzles with me, she had to do grown-up ones. I didn't toss her into 1000 piece puzzles right off, usually did 300 - 500 piece ones, but they had the little pieces and tough pictures. It took her a little while to get the hang of it, but now she's AWESOME at doing puzzles. And I didn't have to suffer through 25 piece Barney puzzles.

Our favorite puzzles are the Hometown Collection from MegaBrands and created by Harry Wysocki. DD loves them because there is always a black cat somewhere in the picture. His website discusses that here. We're doing "Winner's Circle" right now, which has the 1924 Kentucky Derby winner, Black Gold, in it. It makes THIS song stick in my head:



As an aside, I only just learned that Dan Fogelberg died of cancer in 2007. Very sad.

In between my walk, doing a puzzle with DD and a few other things, I built the LASR/WC/Aurora website for next week and did some writing.

Tomorrow is Monday. YAY.

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Your Shopping Stereotype is Traditional

You tend to be a very down to earth shopper. You go for function and quality. Price matters to you, but you also want to get the most bang for your buck. You never buy junk. If you find a brand or store you like, you tend to stick with it over the years. You are a loyal shopper. You don't buy the latest thing right away. You prefer to purchase things that have stood the test of time.

What's Your Shopping Stereotype?

That's all very true... scares me when these quizzes are correct.

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Wonderful Weather!

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see. ~John Burroughs

Long but lovely day yesterday. Nearly 70 degrees, sunny and almost no wind. I walked with DD and Dakota twice -- about 3 miles the first time, and only 1/2 mile the second. I cleaned out flower gardens and saw how much is coming up -- hopefully when the weather cools down to the point we'll go into the 20's overnight next week, nothing much dies.

DH wants to have an orchard of sorts on the edge of our lawn. We already have two apple trees that are producing pretty well, but he wants peaches, too, and maybe more apples. Not a lot of fruit trees will grow here (I'd sure love oranges... *sigh*), but I'm going to research what does best.

However, in order to plant where he wants to... there needed to be a massacre. Out came the chain saw. Casualties of war thus far? One maple, one HUGE birch and a beech tree.





Now we just need to dig back about two feet into the woods and clear out all the blueberry bushes ... not an easy task. DH mentioned that he has a friend who "collects" large equipment, and he could borrow a backhoe or some-such thing but there is NO WAY I'm letting him loose with that kind of machinery. Our entire plot of land would be re-excavated. So, I told him we'd (mostly me and DD) would do it by hand. It took us about a month to clear out the space for DD's swingset that way, and I had my mom to help then, so as soon as the ground isn't frozen (almost there!), we'll get to work for a couple hours every day.

After hauling brush and stacking logs yesterday afternoon, I told DH that I'd changed my mind -- I didn't want to be a pioneer woman. I wanted to go live in a condo in the city and spend my days at the spa and my evenings at cocktail parties and Broadway shows.

I don't think he believed me.

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The only writing I did yesterday was in my brain, but I did think of what kind of pets I wanted my heroine in my "Kitchen Matches" sequel to have AND their names. And no, I'm not sharing because it will ruin the effect when you read it *G*.

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You Are Skepticism

You live by the philosophy "Question Everything." And you do question everything, including this quiz result. You think people believe in too much, and you think very little is true. You scoff at astrology and psychics. You're not a nihilist - you believe in some things. But you only believe in what's true and tested. You have lots of opinions and theories, but you never take them too seriously. You're always willing to change your mind.

What's Your Ism?

Not close at all! LOL...

Sunshine!

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. —Helen Keller

Tuesday was an absolutely gorgeous day here -- sunny, warm (for us!) and no wind. Lovely. I wanted to play hooky in the worst way, but I'm still absurdly behind. Even so, we did take a nice walk, though not as long as I would have liked because Dakota broke her retractable leash.

We have two leashes for her -- one for when we expect her to heel and behave like an obedient dog (a short one), and one for our long, meandering walks (a 26' retractable one). I know the "Dog Whisperer" says that dogs should walk beside/behind you on your walks, that they shouldn't wander and sniff, etc. That the walk should be "intentional", but we've just found that all of us enjoy the walk better when Dakota can sniff and wander. It's not that I can't make her walk properly... I can. It's that, in this instance, I choose not to.

So Tuesday, we walked around the back "loop" of our cul-de-sac to let her potty in the woods. We like to empty her out before we walk in neighborhoods (people who let their dogs poop on the sidewalk or in other folks yards drive me nuts). She's learned that sometimes we go back in the house after that walk (especially if it's cold) and sometimes we don't, so she slows WAY down at the edge of our driveway and listens for me to say either "going in" or "okay!". If I say "OKAY!" she tears, full speed ahead, across the driveway and down the road until she hits the end of her leash, the one time she yanks hard.

Tuesday she did this, yanked and the leash snapped at the end inside the handle (THANK HEAVENS ... I'm so relieved it didn't snap in the middle or up at her end, and then retract madly and hit me at 20 mph). She kept running until we yelled at her and our "long" walk was over. Poor puppy.

We've since bought a new one and now are just waiting for another nice day.

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I wrote yesterday. Bored myself to tears despite the fact that the story is funny and interesting in my head. It didn't come out that way on paper. Clearly the story needs work. But, I DID take my hour and wrote. YAY.

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You Are Cooking

You are a very generous and caring person. You love to make other people happy, and you love to give. You are content when you are busy with projects. You enjoy working with your hands. You are both intuitive and creative. You are good at figuring out how to make things work, and you love to experiment. You may be only following recipes for now, but eventually you'll be creating your own amazing, original meals.

What Hobby Are You?

50/50....

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Warmer Weather

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see. ~John Burroughs

We took a walk yesterday -- the temps were in the 20s (a veritable heatwave!) but the wind was blowing pretty good, so it wasn't as long as walk as I would have liked. This a.m., though, there isn't a wind (so far) and it's already nearly 15 degrees (and the sun isn't up), so I'm thinking it's going to be a good day to get our, walk and then ... ah, the glamorous life, so a little pooper scooping where the snow has melted.

Yes, folks, I'm actually looking forward to doing that. It's another sign of spring!

Maria, re: what potatoes am I planting ... I tried blue potatoes one year just for fun, but I'll probably end up with whichever ones have the shortest growing season and are good for baking (I'll read the little cards on the barrel and decide). I don't know what I'll end up with until I go shopping -- I'll also take into account which ones have the best eyes on them. One year I went, and there was a whole barrel of seed potatoes with no eyes on them at all ... makes it tough to plant them and get a quick response.

Counting the days until I can start my seeds. First waxing moon in April... woot!

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Your Inner Blood Type is Type A

You seem cool and collected, though a bit shy. You are highly driven and a perfectionist, but that's a side you keep to yourself. Creative and artistic, you are a very unique person who doesn't quite fit in. People accept you more than you realize, seeing you as trustworthy and loyal. You are most compatible with: A and AB Famous Type A's: Britney Spears and Hitler

What's Your Inner Blood Type?

Okay...while not my actual blood type, I'll go with most of that. But -- Britney Spears and Hitler? My brain is struggling to wrap my brain around those two names in the same sentence...

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Still Windy

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. ~Edward Stanley

It's STILL windy here. I could deal with the cold if it wasn't so windy -- I swear the house is going to blow away to Oz. It's supposed to finally calm down on Thursday (in advance of a mild snowstorm, oh yay), but I hate not being able to get outside and WALK. This is what is contributing to my achy hips (which I've had since I was pregnant with my DD -- pregnancy really did a number on my body). No amount of stretching helps ... the only thing that really seems to keep the ache down is walking, nice brisk walking with very long strides.

Yesterday I tried walking in circles around the inside of my house (we are in a colonial "box" so there is a bit of a track -- when DD was little and full of energy, I used to tell her, "Run around the house five times." and when Dakota was a puppy and the weather was icky, we used to put her on leash and takes turns jogging her around the house in circles to burn her energy). I think it helped a little, but it's just not the same. It's one of the reasons I want a treadmill.

Someday.

Anyway, despite my Christmas shopping being done, I need to go to the grocery store today and pick up fixings for a "deli tray". DH decided we had to have one for the Christmas gathering over here. I'm half tempted to get one already prepared, but will have to see if the cost is prohibitive. It's not THAT big a deal to organize one. I'm hoping the store won't be busy (I'm sure it WILL be on Christmas Eve), so am heading out today to beat the rush.

I'm also going to shop for a few things I need for dough enhancer so I can bake some big, beautiful Whole Grain Bread. I've never used dough enhancer before, but have high hopes of making fluffy WW bread with it. I probably won't do it until after Christmas, but I'll write about it on Healthful & Homemade when I do and you can see if it worked or not.

That's about it from my neck of the woods. What about you? Do you have any last minute Christmas errands to run before the big day?

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Your Holiday Personality is Responsible

The holidays mean that you need to get a lot of things done, and you're up to the challenge. You love shopping for gifts, sending cards, baking, and decorating. It's all about making things festive for others. Of all the types, you are the most likely to try out something new each season - whether it's a interesting recipe or fun decorating idea. You don't mind playing Santa for everyone else. In fact, it's what you brings you peace and joy.

What's Your Holiday Personality?

Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

That's pretty darn close!

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Head-Hopping and a Cold Weather Walk

Antisthenes says that in a certain faraway land the cold is so intense that words freeze as soon as they are uttered, and after some time then thaw and become audible, so that words spoken in winter go unheard until the next summer. ~Plutarch, Moralia

I didn't get very many responses from people to my questions about guest blogs / author interviews yesterday. Darn it. I'm still asking, so feel free to comment today!

Maybe I'll do monthly themes and solicit guest blogs in that theme? This wouldn't work if I hit up bigger named authors (and yes, I did get a few folks suggested to me). OTOH, if I had, say "cowboy month" and I hit up... oh... Linda Lael Miller, that would work.

I'd better decide soon... January is right around the corner!

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HA... proof that "head-hopping" is confusing, even to the untrained eye.

Last night, DD and I were sitting side-by-side and she was reading. All of a sudden she growled, slammed down her book and looked at me. "Mom, first the story is told from this person, then that person, then another one. I can't figure out who is telling the story. It's CONFUSING."

I clarified. "You mean that it starts out from the point of view of one character and then shifts unexpectedly into another's?"

"YES." She slams the book again. "I hate it. I'm inside one person's head, I even get their THOUGHTS, and then I'm not anymore and I can't keep track. I don't want to read this book anymore."

"This book" happened to be the first in a series -- and my DD is a series freak. If it had held her attention, she would have gobbled up every last one. This author lost a rabid fan by breaking the "No POV switches" rule ... and my DD isn't an author. I've never talked about head-hopping to her. The simple fact is, it confused her... her biggest quibble was being in deep POV with one character and then getting tossed out.

I bring this up because I started reading a short story this a.m. -- and was in deep, deep POV with the heroine, and then WHAMMO! it changed to the hero, mid-scene. I really, really hate that. Changing at chapter breaks is fine and dandy, or even scene breaks, but this was at a pivotal point in the story (the heroine realizes that her new teaching partner is an old flame) and dumped me right out of the story. So, I shut down the document and deleted it off my computer. And the author, who is quite a prolific eBook author, lost me as a reader/buyer (I'm looking for more books to buy for my Nook!).

BTW -- anyone have any suggestions for some good, newer, books?

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Yesterday I took a walk for the first time in several days. Between the snow storm on Wednesday, and then the gale force winds on Thurs, Fri and half of Saturday it was downright inhospitable. The dog was going nuts, my joints were starting to ache... so yesterday afternoon, when I noticed the wind had died down (never mind it was 20 degrees outside!), I bundled up and took both my kids (DD and Dd) for a nice walk.

I did decide that I need flannel lined jeans, though. My legs were the only part of me that was cold. OH, and my eyeballs. I swear, they felt like they'd frozen solid.

Next year, I'm spending the winter in California. I have a friend who lives in Monterey. It's lovely there in the winter. Yeah.... sounds like a plan.

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