"Makes Me Smile" Monday

Signs of the season . . . finally here !!

(Santa's little helpers, taking a rest after decorating !)

Happy (pine-scented) Monday !!

Better Late . . .

So Thanksgiving was a bit of a bust this year: I ended up getting sick and spending most of the past week on the couch recuperating. We'd planned to have my parents here for our holiday meal, but decided to hold off . . . maybe next time !!!

This guy was hanging out in my fridge defrosting, though . . . so now that all sickness is gone, it was time to roast him up ! He turned out pretty well for my first turkey . . . all 16 pounds of him !! I guess it'll be turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, and any other turkey dish for Jack and I this week !!!

Happy Belated Turkey Day !!!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

Another post of random tidbits !!!

* Jack got the results back from his recent liver biopsy . . . a clean bill of health! The very best news !!!

* I've been steadily working on this year's nifty Christmas gifty for my co-workers . . . 13 down, and 15 more to go !!!

* The "Twilight Saga: New Moon" movie opens this Friday . . . woohoo !!

* And last but not least . . . the Girl Scout cookies have arrived !! Hello, lovely Thin Mints !! Glad I snapped this picture before these cookies disappeared . . . I lost count of how many I've eaten today (oops) !!!

Happy Monday !!!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

It's a mish-mash here today . . . a smiling stream-of-consciousness, if you will ! But I'm finally posting again, and that's a good thing !!

* Loving my new IPod Touch !! I'm not into technology and gadgets and all (just not my thing!), and I'm clearly super slow to catch up . . . but it's new and handy and fun !

* Loving my new shower !! We had our old shower torn out last week, and new beautiful tile put up in its place . . . it looks so great !! Before and after pictures will be upcoming once all is done !

* Tom Turkey is in the freezer, waiting for our Thanksgiving meal !! It's my first turkey, so we'll see how that turns out !! Seems like I've cooked everything else but turkey . . . so here's to learning new things !

* Enjoying the fall weather . . . and all sweaters, cords, fleece, tweeds, etc. that come out of hiding !! Here are my new favorite tweeds making an appearance on my feet this season:

Work shoes, and . . .

. . . fun shoes !! (I haven't done clogs in a loooooong time . . .

glad to have them back !)

Happy Monday !

What Should Be On Every Bookshelf

(Leo's new nap spot)

Jack's Nemesis

Welcome to our world of golden autumn leafiness . . .

and Jack's nemesis !!!

We love the beauty and function of our tree-filled property (keeps us cool in the summer, even without air conditioning !), but fall is a different story all together ! The yard is one big carpet of gorgeous-colored leaves . . . all needing to be raked up !

I remember being so excited our first fall in the house . . . having our own yard . . . spending time outside raking our own leaves . . . . . and then trying to bag them all !!! We got a little smarter the next year, hauling them on a tarp into the woods. That, coupled with the riding mower that mulches those suckers up . . . and we're good to go ! The trick around here is trying to get the leaves taken care of before the first snowfall . . . . sometimes there's not a lot of time between the dropping of the leaves and the dropping of the snowflakes !

And since we only have one rake currently . . . and being the wonderful wife that I am . . . I let Jack handle the raking ! And he is soooooooo happy about that ! He even tried to make a deal with his brother involving a flat-screen TV and raking duty for the next 5 years !!

I took the video above yesterday, just a mere 2 days after he raked the lawn . . . you get the picture of what he's up against out there !!! He raked this morning for a while, too . . . and the yard looks like it hasn't even been touched . . . only the tops of the trees have lost their leaves so far !! Here's to conquering the the lawn, one leaf at a time !!!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

Oh, fabulous fall and glorious gourds !!!

After a gloomy and rainy start to our Saturday morning

(had to work, as well !), things cleared up

and gave us a beautiful fall afternoon . . .

So, I made my way to my favorite

farm market for some fall lovelies . . . .

Thank goodness I had some help decorating with the gourds . . .

my assistants are the best !

Happy (pumpkin) Monday !!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

So here's our nightly ritual . . . around 8:30/9:00, Leo strolls into the living room and makes his way to my side of the couch. Then he jumps into my lap, curls into a little ball of fur against my chest, and settles in for a cuddle. Doesn't matter if there's already a book in my lap, or knitting (he's slowly catching on that he has to wait until the yarn goes away !) . . . . Leo must be in a lap !!! He has this way of leaning his head against your chest and gazing up at you with his sweet little face . . . precious !

It's one of the best parts of my day !!

Happy (cuddly) Monday !!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

So, things have been revolving around "Twilight" at our house lately !!

Jack's been working his way through the books these last

few weeks, and is now on "Breaking Dawn" . . .

and I've been knitting up this version of Bella's awesome mittens :

(Still have to finish that thumb !!)

Love, love, love them !!! Perfect ode to a favorite series . . . perfect use of leftover yarn . . . perfect intro to knitting cables . . . and perfect for the upcoming cold weather !!!! Maybe perfect for a Christmas gift or two ?!?!?!!!!!

Happy (Bella's mittens) Monday !!!!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

Just a few pictures today from my jaunt

to our area's Fiber Fest on Saturday !

I'd been hearing about it for several years from one of my

co-workers/fellow knitter, and decided to finally check it out:

So many beautiful fibers and colors everywhere . . .

I wanted to take pictures of everything,

but the crowds made it a bit challenging !

These two alpacas were pretty much

posing for me during their snack time !

Glad I checked it out !

Happy (fiber-filled) Monday !

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

"Thoughts, rest your wings.

Here is a hollow of silence,

a nest of stillness, in

which to hatch your dreams."

- Joan Walsh Anglund -

(Sodus Point, July 2007)

Happy Monday !!!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

It's a happy day in knitting land . . .

. . . "Grape Ape" is done !!! Woohooo !!

Now I have to decide what's next on the needles . . . ?!?!!!!

Happy Monday !!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

Yesterday we trekked to the Genesee Country Village & Museum for their "Laura Ingalls Wilder Days". Like Williamsburg and Old Sturbridge Village, this is one of my favorite places.

It feeds my soul and completely enchants me . . .

The highlight of our day was enjoying a private lunch with actress Karen Grassle of "Little House on the Prairie" fame !! We ate in this lovely home:

What a treat of a day !!! Definitely a reason to smile !!

Happy Monday !

A Dozen

Today is our 12th anniversary !!!

A dozen awesome years married to my

best friend and favorite person . . .

lucky am I !!!

Peachy Keen

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

"I have felt cats rubbing their faces against mine, and touching my cheek with claws carefully sheathed.

These things, to me, are expressions of love."

- James Herriot -

Well, my little furry guys certainly expressed their love this past week, while Jack was out of town and I was enjoying vacation at home !!

Late last week, I ended up getting sick with some stomach issues . . . running from bedroom to bathroom every hour, all night long. And every trip I made, my boys came with me. They sat with me in the bathroom, and then climbed the stairs with me back to bed. When I finally stayed downstairs and camped out in Jack's office on the recliner, Marty slept in Jack's desk chair, while Leo curled up on the bathroom floor (as if awaiting my return !). After I moved to the living room couch for the rest of the morning, Leo snuggled in with me, while Marty fell asleep on the green overstuffed chair next to us. Our boys usually sleep upstairs on our bed for the most of the day, but not that day . . . they didn't let me out of their sight !!!

I've always been amazed by the intuition and instinct of cats . . . they always know when something's not right with their people, and they react in their own special cat ways.

My boys . . . they took such good care of me !!!

Happy (furry) Monday !!

A Favorite Drive

One of my favorite things to do with my summer Saturday morning is head to one of our local farmers markets. Not only is it a destination in itself (in my book !), but the drive to get there is a main reason I go at all !! There's nothing like a sunny Saturday morning, with the windows of my car down, breeze blowing and good tunes playing, on my way to buy fresh, yummy things!

I just head to the end of our road, meet the lake, and hang a right . .

. . . drive farther out in the country a bit . . .

farmland on one side, the lake on the other . . .

. . . to get to my favorite farm market !!

The best part, though, is going through Pultneyville on the way there and back:

It's my favorite little lake village . . .

reminds me a little of my time in Massachusetts . . .

And at the end of a hard morning

(buying produce and taking pictures !!),

I found this little lakeside bench and took a break !!

Perfect !!