It seems to be fall around here these days.

The corn and soybeans in the fields are turning brown and drying out, almost ready for harvest. The leaves on the maple trees start to do this,

 

The deer come back to our yard and watch me doing stuff in the kitchen,

 

then they go back to eating their favorite candy, more commonly known as acorns, of which we have an abundance in our back yard.

 

Fall around here also means that the weather changes enough for Miss (arthritic) Sadie to be excited about going for walks every night. The Riverside Live concerts move inside, but it still made for a most awesome concert tonight. Who knew I could have taken pictures there as well? There is only one other group's concerts that I have everbeen to that they specifically said photography was allowed. Well, that group allowed audio/video taping at their concerts as well, which wasn't allowed tonight, but that group hasn't been around for awhile.

One of the very best things about fall this year is using this, now that the nights are cool.

Oribel loves the patio

that the daughter-units built this summer. Of course if has been thoroughly claimed as hers.



Don't forget that today is Whiskers on Wednesday!

I know, I am behind again

Yeah, almost a week ago I promised at least two updates and haven't followed through. I guess you have either given up on me completely (which would mean you're gone and not even reading this to know I am updating), or you are holding out hope that I will return to a semi-regular writing habit (in which case, you're still around and I am feeding your hopes once again).
Well, I am going to go for the garden update for now, as well as the cool cooking tip I read recently. (Surprise! That wasn't one of the things I had promised last week!)
The other day my new Cuisine At Home showed up in the mailbox. In it was a tip for using a small foam paint roller instead of a pastry brush when dealing with filo dough. The tip said that it goes faster, doesn't leave bristles behind, and doesn't tear the dough.

So, since I had already been planning on making Baklava this week, I decided to give it a try. This is a seriously awesome way to deal with getting butter onto the filo with little mess and tearing. Easy clan-up too; just put it into a zip-lock baggie and toss it into the freezer until the next time you need to use it!

If you were hanging around here at Casa Coffee Yarn last year, you may remember our tomato debacle. Well, the garden report for this year is entirely different. There were some tomatoes harvested before the great out-migration, but more were harvested after they all left.

I brought in this bucketful-plus on August 30Th,
and made sure nothing was getting smashed.

 

Of course, all those tomatoes meant Hubband and I got to have fresh tomato and onion casserole, BLTs, broiled cheese and tomato sandwiches,
and tomato, basil, and fresh mozzarella salad a time or several for dinner before he left for China!

 

About a week after that, I got another bucketful, and then around the 11Th of September I brought in these! Some of the cages were being pulled over by tomatoes, so I needed to rescue them. This basketful weighed in at fifty pounds and I have more to harvest tomorrow or the next day. We have had more of all the previously mentioned dishes, plus fresh salsa and tomato-cheese pie, and of course the eating of tomatoes like apples! I am going to make more salsa and try to get some canned for the daughter-units, and may wind up making some Green Tomato Mince (non-meat).
My favorite thing about having a garden? Home-grown tomatoes

Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What'd life be without home grown tomatoes
There's only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home grown tomatoes

(Just in case you were wanting to see the finished Baklava.)

Adventure wrap-up

So way back in August, while everyone was still here, there were adventures being had. I have been a bit slow about reporting in on those, but am going to give it my best shot; I'm sorry it has taken me so long.
Mr A and I had a really wonderful time on our trip far, far away. There were some of the original costumes and models, all of which were really, really awesome to see! The only real disappointment of the whole thing was that I didn't know they allowed photography, so I didn't even take my camera with us! There we were, waiting to go in the exhibit rooms and see the sign that says,"Photography allowed." What a disappointment to not be able to share the awesomeness of the whole thing with you. The show is traveling around the world for several years, not sure where all it will be going and when, I just know it was slated to head for Australia next. Keep your eyes out, it may come to a galaxy near you. (If it does, go see it!)
A couple of days after we saw that, the two of us, plus the daughter units, went to the last one listed here. Fortunately there are a few pictures of that one for your viewing pleasure.
They really do seem to fry most anything around here and/or put it on a stick.

 

Fortunately, they only batter and fry the cheese curds and leave the sticks for something else.

 

We stopped in at the corner, where I was able to find a future gift or two.

 

There were parades with marching bands, horses, (missed those pictures) and clowns on strange contraptions.

 

We never did come across the chocolate covered bacon, which is just as well. Just the thought of it makes me feel my blood running slower.
I hope to have a Ravelympics update for you in the next day or two. I didn't get all of the projects done (not that I ever really expected to, to be honest), but I did get some of them finished, and a few others have had progress made. I also wound up adding a project or two during the time frame of the Olympics that weren't part of the stuff I was working on for medals.
I have been thinking about the upcoming gift giving season and what knitting that might involve, as well as making a few other things. (In case anyone out there had been wondering what I have been up to.)
There will also be a garden report in the near future, so stay tuned.

All Hallows Eve Dishcloth Swap

Questionnaire
Knotting Yarn
1. Do you knit or crochet? For how long?
Knit, since 1998.
2. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using the most? Are there some you've been dying to try out and haven't?
I love my Harmony DPs, Harmony circulars, and my clover bamboo circulars.... I have kind of been eyeing the new Harmony straights; I am thinking they may just be pointy enough to make me happy, and no matter what, they are pretty!
3. What kind of projects do you most enjoy? Small things you can take with you, or big complex ones that are just gorgeous when they're done?
I always have several projects going at once. I have small portable things for taking with me; larger things for working on at home; easy, mindless, no-thinking-involved projects; something complicated that takes paying attention to. Yes, there is a certain amount of cross-over, but sometimes there is more than one item per category too.
4. List one pattern for a dishcloth that you love to make, or just tell us about one you've made or received that you loved.
I really like making the Ball Band or DW.
5. What are your 'must have' notions? Are there any notions you need or can never have enough of? Any that might make you cry if you owned more?
I use my fold up scissors and Chibi needles on pretty much every project.... Well, except when I forget to move them from knitting project bag to the next and to the next. So they really are my "must haves" and I get frustrated with myself when I forget them.
Petting Yarn
6. What are your favorite yarns to work with? Any you hate or are allergic to?
Soft yarn, pretty colors. I don't like scratchy or squeaky yarn very much.
7. What colors do you like to use in projects? Any we'd never catch on your needles?
I am open to most any color or combination there of. I love to stretch the color envelope, even if it is mine.
8. Any cottons you'd like to try you can't find by you, or just haven't gotten around to getting?
I just learned that Malibrigo makes a 100% cotton, but I can't get that around here. (Which I guess makes sense in a sad, sad way, since I can't get any Malibrigo in town.) I have also never tried Pattons DK cotton
Halloween, Fall, and General Stuff
9. Do you like to use bar soap or shower gel more? What kinds of scents do you love? What kind do you hate?
I mostly use Cetaphil in the shower, but occasionally use a vanilla or lemon gel.
10. What's more 'Halloweeny' - Ghosts, Pumpkins, or Witches?
Witches
11. What's your favorite Treat to get? Sweet or Salty? Anything you're allergic to or just hate?
I don't particularly care for licorice at all. I like chocolate covered raisins mixed with salted peanuts.
12. What was your favorite Halloween Costume as a kid? As an adult??
My favorite costumes all fall into the "As an adult" category. That is because they would be the ones I made for my kids. I think my top three would be a pile of leaves, a loaf of bread, and a Pixie on a toadstool.
13. Are you on Ravelry? What's your ID?
CoffeeYarn everywhere I go.....
14. Anything else you'd like to be sure your pal knows?
Not that I can think of.

Dear Miss Oribel, Part 2,

You, my dear, are a traitor! Of course, I was pretty sure you would be. You snuggle with the very nice lady at the vet's office and do the mutual neck nuzzling, all the while politely letting the other nice vet tech clip your claws. I am not sure they believed me when I told them that at home you thrash, kick, scratch, and bite. I also told them that you hold a grudge and run up and bite us on the ankle five minutes after you break loose from our attempts to clip your claws. I am sure they were all shaking their head at the crazy lady after we left.
Never fear, you are still my favorite cat around.
Me

Dear Miss Oribel,

Why do you think that drinking contact solution is such a good idea? I understand that you don't think a little bit of hydrogen peroxide is going to hurt you, and I am sure it really won't. But you are in my way every night while I am trying to put my contacts in to sterilize overnight. I also don't exactly understand your fascination with drinking it the next morning, though I do realize that by then it is just salt water. I personally don't think I need your kitty germ covered tongue drinking out of the container every morning. Plus, you are very much in my way!
You really need to learn how to share the sink with tooth brushing situation or you will end up with toothpaste on your ears again, or you will be exiled from the room every night and morning by both of us until we are all done. (Yes, we will manage to ignore you and do what we need to even if you try to break the door down.)
You know, if you would come back upstairs with us when we call you, you wouldn't have to do the whole "trying to tear/break the door down" thing.

Do you also realize that you aren't fooling us about the wanting to come out of the basement when we open the door, even if you seem to have forgotten all about wanting it to be open?

By the way, I don't think you will be quite so successful with your results of running across the yard at a high rate of speed and jumping at a tree after you go to the vet's office tomorrow. It is time to have those very sharp, dangerous objects on your feet clipped again.


The people you have wrapped around your paw and fooled into thinking you are really sweet and cooperative will cut them very, very short for me. (Just because they are really nice that way.)

 

Yes, of course this letter is for you. Isn't everything is yours after all? Plus, it is Wednesday, and that day of the week again.
Love to my favorite cat around,
Me
By the way, I really do like the fact that you have decided that you need to have your ears and chin scratched every night after I am in bed. I enjoy falling asleep to your rumbling on my chest and resting your head on my shoulder. Is there any chance you could scoot over just a wee tiny bit so I don't have to breath and taste all that fur though?

Trying to get a little caught up.

Well awhile back I was going to give you pictures and a report about one of Mr. A and my adventures, but as you may recall, I was having problems with loading the pictures. I am sure at least some of you have noticed by now that the loading of pictures has been back up, but I have been lax on the catching up. Hopefully this will rectify that. (It is very picture heavy, so I have put most of them up as small, but as always, they will biggify if you click on them.)

Our adventure on Saturday, August 16, involved Mr. A and I going out to Oxbow Park and the
Zollman Zoo, which is there. (Not the greatest zoo, but it is closer than the state zoo, which is basically a drive almost to the Twin Cities.) Like I mentioned the other day, we saw stuff form at least three different Kingdoms.
We saw a couple of examples from Fungi
(on the forest floor)
(shelf mushrooms on a tree trunk)

 

We saw a bunch of examples from Animalia

 

And of course a lot from Plantae.

 

We also saw forest, fields, sunspots, cooperative insects, and a bunch of uncooperative ones that didn't seem to want their pictures taken.

 

And just in case you are wondering if Mr. A was really there, I'll leave you with these. (You can tell I was there because I was the "Lady behind the camera.")