It's A Lifestyle

When I was in Maine last week a discussion broke out about where I live and how they could not live here. I am tucked in the woods in a neighborhood on a dead end road. It is a 12 mile round trip for groceries. Not many shopping choices etc. Well you get the idea. I have lived in their area that is where we moved from 38 years ago. It is about lifestyle. Just the past 2 weeks we had people tell us how wonderful it is at our house and how lucky we are. 

At the very end of that dirt road a farm stand has sprung up. They sell their own beef,eggs,and baked goods. A nice addition to our area.

I found a recipe for gingerbread for 2 people. Just the perfect size. Let me know if you want the recipe.

I keep bread ends and stale pieces in the freezer I put them in the food processor when I have enough and then bake them until dried out in a 200 degree oven. It makes the best bread crumbs.

Our weather has been perfect.

The mornings crisp and the days up in the 70s. 

I am hoping 3rd time is the charm. This is my third time transferring it. No disappearing ink this time. 

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So as you can see my lifestyle is slow and on the homey side. Would I like to be closer to that group? Yes but not enough to give up what I have here. 

         HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Fall Is That You??

Trees and bushes are starting to turn...

And the slant of the light is different. The weather, glorouis!! My gift for getting through that hot hot summer. 

We got a little rain yesterday not nearly enough but it filled my rain barrel and that is something.

Husband made me a coffee station.

It was all lovely and cozy this cool morning. Now what to do with all that counter space?

A grocery store here gave me a coupon 6.00 off 30.00 of meat. Not one to let 20 percent off meat go to waste. I shopped a few of the mark downs and got 50.00 worth of meat for 39.00

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I bagged it up into portions we would use, just the two of us. 15 bags so for a total of 2.60 a meal

And yesterday I felt like I needed some laughter. I joined Donna's rug hooking group. Such a fun group! Then Donna and her husband treated me to dinner and ice cream. They wanted me to stay but I had a dentist appointment this morning. So I made the 2hr trek home. 

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My dentist thinks I need a night guard. I have a bad gag reflex not sure I can tolerate one. Has anyone tried the sport mouth guard instead of the pricy night guard? 

I love my dentist he gets my crazy quirks when it comes to teeth ugg. But it is very expensive.

                ^ ^

                 Happy Labor day weekend!!

A Lot To Learn

Yesterday we had Sue's celebration of life. There were 150 + people there. There were stories of her generosity, kindness, and friendship over and over again. Sue had lessons to teach us, and I am not sure we were all listening closely enough. Sue how we will miss you. 

After the service we all went to my brother in laws. 

Changed our clothes and had a BBQ.

This is all the first cousins, the next generation. 

And this is a picture of the of her 3 brothers, sister in laws, nieces and nephews.

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When I went to King Arthur Flour in July, I purchase a pullman pan.

To make perfectly square bread. Did I need it? No! But I wanted to give it a try. 

We have had lovely cool weather so now was the time to try it out. 

It worked perfectly! Very tasty and perfect sandwich bread. 

Pretty easy and really it was fun to see it come out. 

                          The tomatoes are coming in all at once. Today I roasted them with garlic and onions. Gave it a whirl in the food processor and froze it in bags for later use of sauce, tomato soup, etc. 

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                      I cannot believe it is the unofficial end of summer this coming weekend. While it was hot and dry summer it did slip by quickly. 

                      Have a wonderful week and don't miss a chance hug those you love. 

Salt and Sauce

Husband made me a gathering basket from a box from the grocery store. 

And since my vegetables are coming around it is getting used.

                                                      I made a large pot of sauce and froze it in one 

                                     qt bags for future use. 

I follow a British woman, Nancy Birtwhistle.

She showed how to use up the skins from the tomato.

I dried them in a low oven and ground them up.

I used basil also, I think this is genius! What a great flavored salt to use in cooking.  

We are having some work done to our chimney, a liner in the flue, and a cap put on. I will be glad when it is done.                              This week husband and I are walking around in a fog. Saturday is the celebration of life for his sister who died unexpectedly. While she was not in our everyday life 

it just doesn't seem real. Neither of us can stop thinking of her.  

I made a cup of tea and sent a picture to my sweet grand who loves tea in a fancy cup. I am also painting up a storm some good some not so good, but it all keeps my mind busy.  

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The weather is cool and lovely I have cut more gardens back. We are still so dry it will be interesting to see how fall colors shapes up. 

Have a lovely rest of your week. 

Homemade Ice cubes

Blackberries are still going. What I can catch before the birds and chipmunks get them.

My tomatoes are finally starting to turn.

Russian sage is happy....

And so are my zinnias but that is about it..

I have had to cut back a whole row of hosta. A lot of my garden is heat stressed, the poor birches have changed color and are dropping its leaves 

Friday we pretended we were tourists and headed down to the local restaurant on the lake. It was a lovely evening.

We have been teaching ourselves diminos which was a nice change from cards.

Tonight my neighbor treated me to a play "Menopause" at a local theater What fun it was! 

Our ice maker broke so we were buying a bag of ice now and then. I thought that was crazy so I have all I need to make my own lol, saving pennies every day.

             ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Have a great week!

Thank You♡

I want to thank  you all for the thoughtful comments and emails I got on the passing of my sister in law Sue. ❤️ I shared them all with my husband. Plans have been made and a celebration of life will be held soon.

Today would have been my mom's birthday and I am missing her too even though she passed years ago. 

The heat is on again and there has been little rain. We are watering the veggies with the rain barrel and I am watering flowers 2x a day. The trees are heat stressed and dropping leaves. I am heat stressed too, how I hate it!

My blueberries are winding down I got a few for my breakfast but that is it.

And since I have stayed inside more I am painting a bit. 

I went to our dump store last week and found a pk of Christmas cards that take pictures that was never opened.So I painted a tree cut it to fit voila custom christmas cards!! Only 24 more to paint lol. I have been looking on line for other ideas to paint.

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      Have a wonderful weekend.

Sadness

We lost an important member of our family this weekend.

Aunt Sue (on the right)

      She is my husband's sister.  

She never married or had children of her own. She adored her family especially her nieces and nephews.

Her passing was sudden and very unexpected. And the family is in bits. 

Godspeed Aunt Sue Sue♡

You are missed.

Birthday Dinner Out

My sweet grand is using the tea cups and pot that she choose. She is one amazing young lady. 

She is working at a breakfast. Lunch place 3x a week hosting and volunteers at a senior day care 1x a week. Love her to the moon♡

Tonight I met up with my sweet long time friend for my birthday dinner out. We treat each other for our birthdays. Plus she gave me a bag of lovely gifts. My life is blessed.

☆★☆☆☆☆

We have dr appointments the rest of the week. A quiet weekend a head. 

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Another Year

The weather finally cooled down and while we hit 80 today there was much less humidity. And the evenings are heaven.

Tonight the sun was a bright orange. Sadly because of the Canadian fires burning.

My daughter and Son in law invited us for a pre birthday dinner. To spend time with them is so important to me and the best way to celebrate. 

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My grand has been into tea cups and tea pots. I took several boxes up for her to choose what she wanted. I used to collect them. She unpacked them all and choose what she wanted.

She was so excited! And so was I to pass them on to her♡

I have so many tomatoes! Now if they would just turn red!! Boy are they slow this year. 

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Busy week ahead husband has appointments. And I have several bags and boxs headed to the thrift store. 

Have a wonderful week.

A Car Story

I got a recall on the battery bracket? on my Toyota. I took it to my nearest dealer. They are the largest in our area. I needed an inspection sticker also,they agreed to do that too.

All of a sudden a man comes to me with a piece of paper and dire news 1200.00 in repairs needed. I decline, take my car a week later to our regular garage. I fess up and tell them what they found. He says leave it I will give it a once over. ( he does all our maintenance on both of our vehicles) after he hands me my keys and says no repairs needed. You got your sticker. Because he is a class act he didn't say much. But that Toyota garage has been texting me daily about the repair. I blocked them! I am beyond mad how many others have they ripped off!?

Now on to something else mad. I was walking up our brick steps and a wasp stung me out of nowhere! Oh did that feel like a hot needle!  Husband finds they were building a nest in the stone wall next to our steps. While I hate to kill things they had to go! 

And on my walk this morning out comes the bear again in front of me! Now this time he is further away. He never saw me and continued down a neighbors driveway,they have a nice big patch of raspberries.

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Husband bought me flowers. I think going away for a few days made him miss me awww.

We are going to the concert on the common tonight if it doesn't rain. 

             Have a great day!