Life in the Bristolwood

Over the river and through the woods….yes, we are off for Thanksgiving Day today!  So, if I am not back this evening, I want to wish you a safe and very Happy Thanksgiving!

When I was at Lowe’s the day I saw the wonderful  blue orchid, I bought a Christmas Cactus.  I had two of them for years and years and they both died at the same time a couple of years ago.  I figured I just wouldn’t replace them, but when I saw this particular cactus, I was enamoured!  After all, it has that incredible “gold dust” look on the flowers!

Have a great day, and if celebrating, don’t eat too much!!!

Phew, that is how I felt today.  Got up, got my motor running, and never sat still all day! Yesterday was like this as well.  Last night, when I finally flopped down to sleep, my poor legs hurt and it was hard to sleep!

So…I took a few photos yesterday but was too pooped to blog last night!

When I got up in the morning yesterday, it was snowing.  The snow was coming down steadily, but because the ground was warm, it melted pretty fast.  It did leave its mark on some things, though. Since I get up long before the sun (or lack thereof) does, I love to light little tealight candles and set them in the windows. (in votice holders!)  Look how pretty!

I love this little bit of “alone time” before everyone else gets up.  Murphy and I are the only ones stirring and it is nice to start the day quietly!

And, here are a couple of photos of the remains of the aforementioned snow…

I spent a couple of hours doing errands in Canandaigua yesterday afternoon.  It was a cold day, but the sun was shaining and the sky was blue!  When I came home,  I made some meatballs for spaghetti.  While they were baking,  I made up a batch of cloverleaf rolls.  Dinner was a hit, as Ben and Mark had spent the day outside working.  They were so cold!

Today, Mark and Ben were up and at it once again.  I had gone out to the garage at 6am and made a fire in the woodstove so the garage would be warm.  Mark kept the fire going throughout the day, and when he and Ben finally came in for dinner at seven tonight, the garage was a toasty seventy degrees!  No wonder they took long to get in….early this evening, it began raining, although the thermometer said only twenty-six degrees!

While the guys were out working,  I went to work on cleaning the chimney on the woodstove in the living room.  The stove seemed less efficient than usual yesterday, so I thought a good cleaning was in order.  It doesn’t take long and the result was the stove is burning better now.

After finishing up the stove,  Michelle’s friend came over to the house for a few hours.  I bounced back and forth between the house and garage.  Thankfully, we had some chicken breasts left over from a few nights ago.  I sliced them and warmed them up in my homemade Buffalo wing sauce and served them with homemade Bleu Cheese dressing,  mixed veggies, and potatoes. Once again, I am so tired!

Murphy wakes me up every night, walking around.  I don’t remember him doing this before Angus died, so I don’t know if it is related.  I started feeding him half a meal in the morning, and the other half in the evening, hoping this would help him sleep better.  He actually did sleep in a little this morning, so maybe two meals a day might help.

When Mark came into the house tonight, I was pretty concerned. We had that freezing rain on the steps and handrail.  Ben poured hot water on them just before Mark came up and it worked well. Phew!  Afterwards, I took some more photos….

During my running about yesterday, I picked up a pair of boots!  What better thing to wear out tonight into the miserable weather?

And, I got an umbrella and walked out to show you just how miserable this weather is!

Yup, the car is encased in a shroud of ice tonight!

And, one more photo.  When Mark cut through a piece of 4″ x 4″ pressure-treated lumber today, instead of “heartwood”, what he found left him starstruck!

I don’t think I have ever seen anything like this before!

I was so miffed last night.  I frantically tried to upload the last entry before the clock dtruck midnight, but I think I missed by a minute or two.  Drat!

Yesterday, after dropping Michelle off for her afternoon classes,  I picked up Carly and her daughter, Erin, for a little photo adventure.  I really needed that! It was awesome and we had fun wandering, too.

We went to the George Eastman House first. We weren’t there very long.  We really didn’t have a lot of time, as Michelle’s afternoon classes only run three hours.  Thankfully, Carly knows her way around the city very well….I never would have even known where to go!  After finishing up at Eastman House, Carly asked if I had ever visited the Mount Hope Cemetery. Nope.  But I would like to!

We got to the cemetery and it is really an incredible place.  Carly, being trained as an Earth Science teacher, knows all about land formations and such.  She told us the cemetery is built on what is called “kettles”.  As one wanders about, it is easy to see how this type of terrain is so named.  There are deep round valleys that do indeed look like kettles!  And, Carly said if the kettles fill with water, they become kettle lakes.  Thankfully, that isn’t happening at the cemetery, lest the dead might arise from their graves…..or at least their coffins might!

We had no sooner stepped out of the car when a male Cardinal began to flirt with us!  Can you see him? He’s the intense red “spot” in the center of the photo. Click to see him bigger! I stood there and took repeated shots of him, but it was nearly impossible to get focussed correctly on him. Only when I got home did I find this really cool shot of him…

The monument below was seen from the road and I told Carly we should go look for it.  The color was just beyond fascinating…and the monument is so beautiful as well!

I guess it really is impossible to capture the brilliance of the colors of the tree.  I don’t like to fiddle around with photos. I like to try to capture my subjects just as I see them. So,  I tried shooting upward into the tree!

Enlarging the pictures adds a lot…condensing them just detracts from the glorious colors!

We had wandered off just a bit from the car when I wondered if I had locked the doors.  Not that a “graveyard” is a typical place for pilfering, but I just wanted to make sure the car was locked.  We asked Erin to run down and make sure it was locked up, as we “oldies” didn’t want to clamber down a hill, then climb once again! Erin loves to run, so she scampered off and made sure everything was set.  When she came back, she was nearly doubled over, laughing hysterically.  She thought that both she and I had been pressing the wrong button for the locks.  She was so funny!

One of the interesting aspects of this cemetery is that no space was wasted in the past.  There are literally graves everywhere! Now, remember Carly called this land kettles….

The stones in this cemetery range from elaborate to simply initials etched into a tiny just-above-ground marker.

I couldn’t quite understand why some of the sites are terribly overgrown, either? The next photo was taken from a steep clifflike area.  There was a guardrail built at the edge from concrete upright “pillars” and horizontal iron bars, but the concrete was falling apart and the bars were not very likely to keep one from tumbling down the steep grade! Anyway, the mausoleum built into the hill across from the one we were on was intriguing!

As I was photographing the building, Carly and Erin had found some rather unique seating arrangements in a section of really overgrown graves!  The cedar trees looked like they were going to overtake the stones!

Now, how we could feel so comfortable and at ease amongst the “sleeping” is beyond me, but the atmosphere was amazing! We were having so much fun and it was just the kind of day where everything looks beautiful and perfect!

Carly told me there were a couple of famous people buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery. So, off we went on a little explore to find the monuments….

A brief history lesson. And, the monument. Buried in the same place is his wife,  and a daughter.

Apparently, Mr. Douglass was married twice as this marker is nearby….

As we walked along, I noticed this and smiled. Ironic it is in a cemetery, for in the crevice of a dead stump, a new little tree had taken root and was growing!

Another brief history lesson. On the way to Susan’s grave, what should Erin spot?

Definitely enlarge this one, as you can see the little fellow is sitting on the edge of a stone that says “safe with Jesus”. Too cute!

Susan B. Anthony’s simple, unassuming marker.  It seems so small for a woman who so greatly impacted the rights of women in this nation, and perhaps even elsewhere in the world.

And, one last tree shot….

We only covered a tiny slice of this huge cemetery. Perhaps one day we will revisit and see even more. 

Did you ever believe when you saw the title above that such amazing color would be found in an old, old cemetery?

Today was Michelle’s birthday and we had a rather busy day of it!  Michelle has lost her voice after the little sick spell…that cannot be much fun, but she still had a good day!

Michelle’s friend, Jacob, came over and we went out this afternoon, stopping first at a Chinese buffet in Geneva.  My, oh my, I ate too much!  I usually don’t overeat at buffets, but I kind of ate a bit too much today!  I sat across the table from Michelle, so I kept annoying her by taking pictures.  I was hoping to get just one good one.  She got tired of me and the camera, though….

Ummm…the photo above was taken before we left, obviously! I got the pretty Argyle sweater she’s wearing for her for her birthday.

After we ate, we headed on over to the outlet mall in Waterloo.  We walked and walked and walked some more!  Michelle had said she wanted a pair of fashion boots to wear under slacks, so we looked for those.  As we passed by the Clarks/Bostonian store, I told her she might try looking there.  She was reluctant, thinking it looked too “upscale”. 

Lo and behold, the store had boots just like she wanted.  The problem was,  they didn’t have her size.  She was a little disappointed, but one of the girls there told her they can order them directly and they will be shipped to the house. How cool is that?  No extra charge for shipping, either. Michelle was pretty happy.  I also found a really cute little purse there for a great price.

We looked around a little more,  then decided to start for home.  Mark wanted to see the Sabres/Ottawa Senators game, so we wanted to get home before too late.  We stopped at Wegman’s along the way and I picked up a Friendly’s Reeses Peanut Butter Cake for Michelle’s birthday.  WOW!  What a cake that is!

We got home a bit late, but watched the game as the kids watched a movie in the basement.  All in all, Michelle had a good day, but we can tell she isn’t 100%, as she looked pretty worn out by the time she went to bed. 

So, on this day, I am so thankful for our Michelle.  She has accomplished a great deal in her nineteen years and we a proud of her!  She is a blessing in so many, many ways. 

I am also thankful for the Sabres win over Ottawa!  This game was a real nail biter. The game ended in a 2:2 tie,  so we went itno overtime.  No one scored in overtime, so it was time for a shootout.  The first two Senators got the puck in, as did the first two Sabres.  Then there were three Senators who failed to drive the puck in….same with the Sabres.  Another Senator. Then, the Sabres’ Derek Roy……INTO the NET!!!  Sabres win 3:2!

I am so much more excited about tomorrow than about today!  Today was a rather humdrum day with little going on.

I did wander down to the Dollar General Store in Naples this afternoon.  I was feeling a bit on the restless side because the sun was shining, although it was quite chilly! 

This is just a quick post because I am tired and I am anxious to take a look at the Victoria Classic Holiday Bliss magazine I picked up today.  My oh my….this magazine is full of the prettiest holiday photos I have ever seen! I love Victoria Magazine, but this issue is so beautiful…..with photos ranging from simple little touches to luxuriously elegant ideas!  Eye candy, indeed!

Today, I am thankful for the birds that sing so happily outside our house.  I know that is a little unusual, but they are so chipper!  Just hearing their songs and little chirps can make a less than stellar day so much better! I really am thankful for the birds and that I can feed them.  God gave us those little birds to remind us of His great love! The Bible says that not even a little sparrow falls from a tree but that God is aware….How much greater His love for us?

I simply am having a hard time believing that November is already here!  Where has the time gone?

We spent the day today running around..a lot!  We had to drop Michelle off at school.  Oh, but *before* dropping her off,  we had to rush to WalMart so the kids could buy a bunch of the special Halloween candy on sale for half price.  This was important. To them, anyway!

After Michelle was off to school, it was time to rush over to Mark’s mom’s house.  She had a doctor’s appointment.  After getting her squared away at the doctor’s,  we went on over to Home Depot.  We were checking out some pricing on lumber and when I saw all the pretty Christmas baubles,  I was like a piece of metal to magnet.  I will never understand the draw for me,  but I just love all the colors of Christmas.  Oh, not *just* the reds and greens, but all the others as well.  And speaking of red and green,  I cannot even begin to believe all the variations of these two colors.  Just awesome!

After picking my mother-in-law up when she was done, we took a leisurely drive on over to Sam’s Club.  We were there for quite awhile.  I really like their big packages of chicken and roasts.  The prices are so great and with all the Crockpot meals I have been making, it is so nice to be able to pull out pre-packaged chicken breasts and thighs.  (I place one breast or thigh into a small baggie, then place the small baggies into a large marked bag…so simple!)  Mark’s mom even bought a large package of meat to make up several meals.

When we got done shopping, we were off to Mark’s mom’s house.  She is such a stitch!  She bought a wireless doorbell at WalMart she wanted to show me.  It was pretty cool. The button goes outside, as is typical, and there is a wireless receiver you plug into an electrical outlet.  It makes a very nice “ding-dong”. 

After seeing the cool wireless setup, she went and got out another box.  This was way way cool!  She loves watching QVC and sometimes buys things from them.  Well, she bought an awesome wireless doorbell that plays different songs.  It has Christmas selections as well as titles for other holidays.  The most impressive had to have been the Hallelujah Chorus.

Although today was fairly warm compared to the past several days,  I got chilled.  We were working outside at Mark’s mom’s and it was shady and cool.  I went and sat down in the car with Murphy.  Mark opened the tailgate and Ben put one of the seats down so Murphy could see what was happening.  The little bugger sat in the back of the car and watched every little thing!  He was so cute sitting there, tilting his head back and forth! 

One notable difference with Murphy being the single pup is he is no longer such a wild man when it comes to food.  When Angus was around,  if you offered Murphy a treat, you would have to place it in your palm and hold it up to him.  If you tried to have him take it from your fingers….OUCH….Murphy would clamp down on your fingers like a ravenous wild animal! Today, my mother-in-law (bravely) placed a treat in her lips and told Murphy to take it.  We used to do this with Angus and he would ever-so-gently remove it.  Not Murphy….he was out to do some lip-piercing!  Today, however, Murphy gently eased the treat from her lips!

As we were getting ready to leave today, my mother-in-law confided that Murphy reminds her a lot of Angus. That was awesome, as this woman absolutely adored little Angus!  When we used to go to her house, Angus would see her and his ears would lie flat on his head….his lips would curl back, exposing his teeth and his rearend seemed to come undone, as though totally disengaged from his body!  He would hop up and down until she came over to him and talked to him.  Oh, how we missed that today…..but Murphy was different….totally warming up to her.  It was so cute as he followed her into the garage to get a “cookie”.

We were a few minutes late picking Michelle up from school.  She and Ben were so excited, as a nationally known band was going to be doing an accoustic set at a local business in Rochester this evening.  It started at six, and the best part was, it was free!  Tomorrow, they are doing another venue, and it is expensive to get in. 

Michelle got into the car and asked us to crank the heat up.  She asked Mark to go to McDonald’s to get her a sandwich as she felt like she was starving.  After she ate, we went over to WalMart.  She stayed in the car with Murphy and when we came back out, she said she wanted to go home.  She then told us her throat was so sore, she just wanted to go home and go to bed.  Poor Michelle.  I feel so bad for her….

As soon as we got home, everyone acted pretty tired;  even Murphy flopped down and fell asleep!

Only one photo.  I took this one yesterday.  You see, we moved into this house just a little more than nineteen years ago. In all those years,  we have never, ever, had one child come trick or treating!!  The first few years we were here,  I always bought big bags of candy, expecting someone to stop by.   But, it never happened.

Sooo……there is always a first, right? 

There were four “kids” that came by just before dusk last night.  Aren’t they just dear?

The fourth little one was photo shy!

And so, this November first,  I am so thankful for all my friends and family! Where would be be without all the loved ones in our lives?

Yesterday, we went to visit my parents and brother, Randy.  We had planned to go for this visit on Friday, never anticipating that our little Angus was going to leave us on Thursday night!

We had such a great visit.  Mom, Dad, and Randy all shared little things they remembered about Angus and were encouraging and upbeat.  It really was good to get away from home, too.  We got to drive our new Subaru Outback for its maiden voyage, other than the trip home from the Subaru dealer a week ago last Wednesday.  Yes, we waited to drive it for a long time!

When we got to the home of my parents, Randy was anxious to show me a most amazing gift my Aunt Barbara had left for me!

This is one of two Scotties.  They are made of a heavy glass and although it looks yellow/green, they are actually clear glass. They are so pretty in their detail and I cannot think of a more awesome gift!  I’m not sure if Aunt Barbara is reading, but if you are, a million thank-you’s!!!!  A more wonderful gift could not be given, especially since losing Angus.

Ben and Mark and I worked on splitting and stacking firewood into the woodshed today.  We figure there must be close to eight cords of wood loaded in there already.  Ben has been working so hard on the firewood supply and I appreciate that!  I was having problems cutting with the chainsaw…I kept getting back pain.  The stacking  doesn’t seem to bother me at all.

Here is one more photo taken from the front porch late this afternoon…

Many of our leaves have fallen, but there is still a vibrant yellow/gold in our front yard!

My blog has been suffering from neglect, but it is a busy time of the year once again.

We have winterized the camper and it is tucked away for another winter, but the pool is still waiting and (believe it or not) the firewood is still waiting to come inside the garage. Yes, we are behind!  It seems like the Fall just kind of creeps up every year while we aren’t paying attention.  With the kids’ activities and all the running about for groceries and everything else, time seems to grow shorter and shorter!

Here is a photo of the view from the end of our driveway, looking down the hill.  As you can see, the trees have pretty much peaked.  I can’t believe the pile of leaves all over the driveway!  Oh, if only Autumn would last longer.  It arrives so covertly, then makes such a quick exit!  Just when the trees look their grandest, the rain and wind comes, blowing them all down to the ground.  Somehow, it just doesn’t seem fair at all!

I will have to try to do better with blogging, although I am not too sure how exciting life is right now!

Wow!  This hardly seems like October.  With temperatures pressing near 80 degrees, it hardly seems like fall!  Well, the thing is, we all know this isn’t going to last, right?

This morning, I awakened to a chorus of tree frogs screeching out their raspy song.  I got up with the Soctties and was pleasntly surprised at the mild temperature as we stepped out the door!  The sun just poured out all day today and it was so incredible with the vivid colors of fall, lighting up the sky against a backdrop of sapphire blue skies.  Oh, so beautiful!

We had dinner a bit on the late side.  I made Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings. It was after 6:30 by the time everyone sat down.  I had set the table on the front porch….hy should we eat inside when it is so mild after all?  I lit a candle and we just enjoyed the entire experience.  Apparently, eating outside makes everyone a bit more hungry than usual.  Although my BIG Crockpot was nearly full when I placed it on a small side table, there were hardly any leftovers!

We topped dinner off with Indoor S’mores! Okay, you twisted my arm….here is the recipe.

Indoor S’mores

8 cups Golden Grahams Cereal

1 12 ounce bag Milk Chocolate Chips

4 Tablespoons butter

1 bag mini-marshmallows

1 teaspoon Vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter,  chips, and mini-marshmallows.  Stir constantly and do not leave pan unattended!  After butter, chips and marshmallows are melted, add vanilla, then add cereal and mix well.  Place in 9 x 13 inch pan and refrigerate until cool.  Cut into bars and enjoy!

Mark says these are SICK!  (as in delicious!)  This is an awesome little treat to have on hand if company is coming and you don’t have lots of time to spend making goodies.  I think most everyone would like these!

Here are a few more photos I took on Friday afternoon. (I was too lazy to get the card from my Nikon camera!

I wish I would have taken a drive to see all the pretty leaves today, but Michelle and I did some cleaning in the camper.  Yes, it seems like we were just getting the camper ready for spring, and now it is time to store it away once again until next year’s adventures!

The kids wanted to go to Penn Yan late Friday afternoon to visit a friend home for the weekend from college.  Mark and I took them over, then we headed off.  I wanted to take some country pictures, so we took a few side roads here and there.  At one point, Mark decided GPS might be useful, so he pulled into a church parking lot.  Right next door was a Mennonite house, and the laundry was out on the line.  Love the look of the clothing against the red barn backdrop and the beautiful evergreens in the foreground!