Petrified forest, Fall, and Misfits

 Yesterday I was out walking, feeling well again,  in beautiful sunny weather, record breaking, in fact, see Trenton 

up to 80°f then still 70°f at nearly seven at night

And the Fall colors were blazing away on the street

And in the trees

While across the ocean, where I was a little kid going to the seaside, this happened, at Redcar, known locally as Retkuh.

I had no idea this existed under the wide golden sand I played on and made sand castles. The sand I played with has evidently been washed away.

Meanwhile, back to the present, Misfits arrived, bang on time

Here's the Imperfect Foods truck just leaving after a strong lady left my box

The sweet potatoes were a freebie, aka a perk, and it occurs to me I can use them in a bread, like banana bread, but sweet potato, with walnuts and dried cranberries.  A change from using them as a vegetable, and it's ages since I baked one of those breads.

The strawberries are excellent, not a bad one in the box, and I've got a new yogurt, the last of which will be a starter for the home version. Expensive this week, because I needed both olive and avocado oils.

Yesterday, dressed for the warm weather,  went much better, including knitting and stitching, walking, and generally having a good day. The kids were out of school, parent teacher conferences, and were all cheerfully playing out and walking around looking cool -- middle school!

Happy day, everyone, walk around, looking cool, if that's what you do.

And let's remember the Palestinian civilians in Gaza, including little children, being bombed and starved, trapped in a war they didn't start.

Let's be thankful for our own safety while doing what we can think of to help. I've been trying to showcase their textile arts, as a reminder of their civilization and ancient culture.

 And, until Russia retreats, as always 

Happy day in action

Yesterday doctor visit, with the Man Ray reproduction keeping me company while I wait 

And all happy results, weight right back where it spozed to be, agreement that being last sibling is hard, you're doing fine, go home now.

And bounty from Gary's garden cleanup

Green tomatoes are beautiful 

A walk filled with color and leaves blowing about

And later a gift of Indian snacks. 

Left, sweet ones, don't know the name, right, pakoras, deepfried spicy veggie clusters in chickpea flour.

Happy day everyone, enjoy your day however you can, different for everyone's experience and situation.

Ukraine will retake Kherson from Russian invaders any time now.

Catching the Fall sun and other things

I've extended my walks to take in more of the area around the development, and with the fall of the leaves, you can see more.

This idyllic scene of trees reflected in quiet water is in fact a flood avoidance scheme. It's the retention pond on the golf course. But beautiful anyway.

And later, a sudden burst of red evening sky lighting up the trees.

Today was good for roasting vegetables, 

here fingerlings, spinach, onions, then at the end an egg broken over to cook in the heat remaining after the oven's off.

Cold enough to wear my mitered square  jacket of many colors. I finished it in spring when the weather was already warming up. 

I'm really glad I made it, cosy and cheerful, with big pockets.

Sewing and snoozing

Today was going to be about starting to cut and sew my skirt, then take a local  expedition to the pond, to walk the trail with water on both sides. 

However last night's missing sleep and early hours' blogging changed the plan.

I started the skirt, I love how this rayon challis handles, soft but not too slippery. The pattern is multidirectional so no need to look out for how to cut to get it right way up, and I'm not using a pattern.

Here, left to right, the pieces. 

Left is the main bit, middle is the waistband, right the future pockets. They'll probably be patch, because there's only one seam, so inserting two pockets might be a strain on the fabric on the side where I'd have to cut an opening in the fabric, rather than just leave an opening in a seam, to insert the pocket.

Then the seam will be French, an enclosed type of double seam where you run one line of stitching wrong sides together, 

then turn it inside out, fold down the fabric, rolling it to raise the seam, then stitch another line right sides together, to enclose the first stitching. 

It's a lovely seam, with lightweight fabrics where there's not much strain on the seam. Expensive underwear used to be French seamed. So my exclusive custom designed unique skirt will, too.

The idea I've decided on  is to gather the main piece into the waistband which will be wide enough to navigate my hips, and then run elastic through the band to make it snug. 

That way there's no placket to be fussing with, and it avoids the bulk I'd get by just gathering the waist directly with elastic, and I can still get into it, always a good point.

So far, so really good.

Then, ready to leave for the Pond,  bag, water bottle, hat, keys, I suddenly realized I was tired. So, change of plan. An hour's sleep, then a local walk, no driving.

This year the fall fruits and nuts are spectacular. 

Staggering about on a carpet of acorns, beechnuts, hazel, black walnuts to get these pictures.

What's this?

I'm sure I know it, can't name it. Bits of its fluff flying everywhere.

And a late flowering honeysuckle, among all the berries of its faster friends.

Many insects, too including a large white butt wasp with a black and white striped shirt. I  kept a respectful distance in case it was a hornet, since it was burly as these animals go. Hence no picture.

I might check in on Textiles Tuesday, and if it's interesting I'll get back to you tomorrow.

Meanwhile drinking tea, reading an Andy Carpenter on my Kindle. I got a message from Misfits saying sorry, one item can't be delivered in tomorrow's box. So no broccoli, but I'll live. I'd have been more perturbed if it had been the honey crisp apples for which I have crumble plans.

Perfect day for the Preserve

Clear sky, temps in the low 80s, low humidity, just right for that postponed walk on the Preserve. 

But first I did a bit of local observing for my seasons notebook. The first acorns.

Birds and squirrels have been enjoying dogwood berries

So, back home,  I assembled a vignette

Artists among us no doubt noted the homage to Cezanne and nearer home, Milton Avery. The vertiginous foreground is what I mean. No one does vertiginous better than they do.

Then off to the Preserve. I had hoped for a spell of sitting by the lake in the one tiny place with a waterside bench. Today it was occupied by a group, too close for comfort, so I had to pass. But they were videotaping and having a lovely time. It's great to see enjoyment in action.

I went to the beechwood instead, and caught other interesting sights. 

Fleabane, big clump at the edge of the trees.

Dead nettle here. Beautiful wildflowers with rotten names whose idea was this. 

This immediate area has vernal ponds, tiny ones, with all sorts of aquatic life which appear magically each year and leave when the spring moves on and the ponds dry up.

Since there were people bumbling about on the regular farm road trail, I slipped from the wood to the parallel field trail on my way back.

Those woods are full of deer. None visible today, but at dusk they'll emerge.

Butterflies everywhere, which didn't show up in my pix, lovely dusky swallowtail butterflies, you have to take my word on them. Many little green grasshoppers, one of which I think came home with me, but it jumped off me in the house and I can't find it.

There are many bayberry bushes in the Preserve, no berries yet, and if you collect and boil down 24,586,342 of them you'll manage a candle. Those settlers had their work cut out. The women, that is. 

Home now, roasting fries, sweet and white potatoes, fir supper, knitting more of the beaded figure's top, drinking tea, blogging to you, friends.

Doesn't get much better!