Sunday, October 30, 2016

October Social Butterfly

I tell ya, I've had more company this month than all together the past year (well, if you don't count Playdate).  It started on the first with a tea, then had some folks for supper, some folks for lunch, some more folks for supper.  A happy, yummy time!
In between, the wee folk were out to paint scarecrows and make cakes.



 Taking every opportunity to love up our little Wayside Sassy Pants.  As soon as she came in last week, she asked for Pap. I told her he was at work. She wasn't too happy with that answer and told me that she was going to put him in the washing machine when he got here Then when he got here, she told him the same thing.
Littlest bit- I wonder if she will remember us at all.  I don't know. I just hope she remembers some fun experiences, being fed, safe, loved.

Well, in the last batch of chicks I got a couple of rare ones.  I feel like, if I'm going do this, might as well keep the gene pool stirred up.  Any who, this rare Cream Leg Bar was said to lay a blue egg and not always in the next box. I wasn't worried because I only got one of her and chickens are such followers and there is already someone above Missy Loretta Hen in the pecking order. Well, what do I know? Everyday is an Easter Egg hunt around these parts.  It took me a week to finally stumble on this nest. Not only does that heifer not lay in the nest, she is convincing her girlfriends to check out her spot.  When I finally found the first nest, I marked two eggs and put them back. Yeah, well they are still there.  Just in case, I left two marked in this last one I found as well.  Apparently they aren't happy with the blue and white of their eggs and have to roll and roll them in brown leaves until they are dyed brown. Brat chickens.
 For sometime I've followed a blog of the author, Margaret Bloom. I so love her cutest peg dolls and I love, when I have time, ahem, to give her patterns a try.  I don't know a lot of folks personally who get as big a kick out of peg dolls, fairies and the like as I do.  Her adorable little dolls just make me smile.  She recently had a give-a-way of a couple of fall dolls made by her own talented hand, and I won!  How excited was I to get this tiny package in the mail from far away.
 And more excited still to find these two wee characters inside.  Perfect time for them to visit my fairy fort.  I put them back in box and left them on the table.  My little ones miss nothing new and were so excited to look inside.
 Wow, also of month of good gifts.  It is still so warm and garden produce is still coming for some. Aunt Tish received tomatoes, beans, and peppers and garlic.  I sliced and fried up the green tomatoes.  Oh my, so delicious.
 Salsa that we have eaten and eaten.
 Another friend gave me corn for the freezer. Now it is a blessing for true to get any produce, but to get it already ready for the freezer. Wow, what a gift.  I got it out and made creamed corn.
 Then green beans.  A feast for kings.
This was a full weekend of warm sunshine. Yesterday, I took Bean and Bugg on an adventure. They took lots of pictures, so I'll save that for a later date.  It was fun.
Today, I messed in the yard and chicken coop and hunted eggs.  
Ahh, school and Halloween- a wild time awaits me.

Friday, October 14, 2016

A Break Indeed

This fall break has just been lovely.  I've had the opportunity for long visits with good friends and family and my Handy Man. I've read and read. The weather has been glorious.  I think I've fed half of this county and a few other counties as well. I've lost track of the dinners and lunches and I'm not done.
Bean was off on his upteenth vacation this year. That child goes on more vacations than anyone I know.  He's ocean fishing.  
Since our little Wayside Rosie was returned to her family, I thought I'd plan an outing on Monday past, to give Rae a day to herself before another wee one arrived.  Not something she has much experience with- days to herself.  I was too late as last Friday another little Wayside Gramerling came to us.  It turned out that a family member had an outing planned for her for most of the day Monday, so it worked out.
On Saturday Pap brought them a load of sand for their coop. Our new little missy was sleeping. On Sunday they came out to transfer a few chickie girls and one rooster to their new digs and we met this little Posey. 
She is such a cutie and a talker, oh my.  



She is the same age as Mr. Smiley, so Rae is anticipating some interesting questions.


She loves Rae's hair.

The Captain dropped off Missy Bugg and we went to get Giddy-Up and Mr. Smiley and headed north to a great kid's museum.  It was such a beautiful day and the kids were so good.

Mr. Smiley was not fond of the idea of being flushed down the toilet.
 
He did love the bubbles.

 They had giant Orbeez. So squishy.

 My circus, my monkeys.



Missy Bugg and her daddy spend a lot of time rock climbing. She's quite the pro.  
This was Giddy-up's first time, but he climbed on up there and rang the cow bell.

 Time for a sundae as big as their head.
 Hmm, sauce you say, let me taste.
 Excuse me, I think I'll just drink it.

So grateful for this wonderful break before I hit the ground running from Monday through Christmas Crazy. Lord help!


Thursday, October 6, 2016

Tea Two

When I have to return to the classroom in July my heart is broken, but I do love this two weeks in October.
Since I had a lot of leftovers from Saturday's big tea I thought we'd have Tea Two with my littles.

Littles? These pictures make my eyes smart.  Look at Bean standing there like a man, and Ol' Henry right behind him.  It is sweet to me that in there bigness they still line up for the tea party.

My sweet Linee finds herself a littlest one to mother.  What a blessing now, how the big ones tend the wee ones.




This shot makes me chuckle every time I look at it.  Giddy-Up discovered coon tracks and shouted to the others, "Let's investigate this and see where he went." He turns to creep off after the mystery track maker and all his people get right behind him.
 Time for a little face painting.

 This girl, Antebellie, a child after my own heart.  Her creativity never stops flowing.  I was painted with creek rock paint and leaf paint.

 Who knew one tiny minnow could be the focus of such attention.
 This creek trip resulted in lots of caught leaves.
Such a beautiful Playdate. Finally it was cool enough to cook supper out.

Finally I had a chance to walk around my yard. My goodness, this beauty bush is putting on quite a show.

 Time to sort and wrap the books for the Advent boxes.

 One last book for the first box.  Yes, it is really early, but it quite time consuming and I am never sorry when December 1 rolls around and they are ready to go.

Looking forward to the rest of this break.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

An Endless Birthday

It seems the birthdays go  on and on this time of year.  After mine, Buttercup turned eight. Hmm, what? What you mean she turned eight?

Then Bugg turned ten!  Then Mom turned 88 and my friend, Gardner E. turned eighty.
Gardner E. has showed up in my class every week for twelve years to do art with my class.  My goodness the projects we've done.  We've had great fun and wanted to pull out our hair in equal measure sometimes.  Outside of school, we've shared many meals where she listens to all my concerns about education.  I wanted to do something special for her 80th birthday.  Her drink of choice is tea, so a birthday tea seemed an obvious choice.



 I've been planning for months and had such fun pulling it all together. I used hankies for napkins. I made the flower arrangements in tea tins.  Each guest received a tiny succulent with a fun quote.   I found charms and made napkin rings.  A friend loaned me all the china I didn't have.


 Sadly, I can no longer manage all my big ideas, so I involve all my people.  Aunt Tish and Rae came to help on the eve of the big day.  After two day of conferences, I was about spent and was so happy for their help and company. Ms. Glitzy and Sydly were the lead decorators and food setters, then served the tea.  I love the time I get to spend, even when we're working our fannies off. Handy Man was handy indeed.  I would not even attempt such an endeavor without him. Ceece snapped pictures and captured the event.  It takes a village.

 Missy Bugg was late because wee homecoming princesses have to be in the town parade.  As soon as she came, she kept all the guests in tea, mints and candy corn crunch.  That girl loves a party.


  Rae came with her family a bit later and Bugg was so sweet to show Giddy-Up the serving ropes. He went around and asked if anyone wanted more Apple Spritzer. Who can say, "No," to a cutest boy? Between he and Bugg, I imagine the guests floated home.


It was a lovely afternoon and Gardner E. seemed to throughly enjoy herself.

Remember my lovely tomatoes for my birthday. Well, at the end of the week I had two remaining.  I baked them in this pie and it was heavenly.



Our Wayside Rosie returned to her family on Friday.  Whew, such things are just hard.  I pray she's well taken care of.  I will miss that tiny ball of joy.

Yay for the arrival of fall and fall break.  I was so very ready.