Fern

 Around ten o'clock this evening I realized that I hadn't reached my daily step goal.  After much pacing around the house it was achieved so my thirteen plus month streak is not broken today by forgetfulness.  Other things I am happy for today:

• Keziah and a friend went to an SCA event yesterday and our friend crashed on our couch and not the highway last night.  This meant that she was safe and that we had a lovely visit this morning before she headed home.  
• One of the things that came up in our conversation was how the dog, Aesop, needed a bath.  He is finally out of the cone after being neutered and could use a bath.  After she left and Gideon and I took him outside, Aesop decided that rolling in what was probably turkey poop was a good idea.  Aesop got his bath.  The happy part is that the rest of us got a soft, fluffy, nice smelling dog.
• Prior to picking up Chinese food for dinner, Zed and I took Aesop for a walk near the Audubon Society.  Aesop is much better behaved when he isn't on a sidewalk or by cars.  This trail is very loud from the noises of the highway that it runs by, but that didn't seem to bother him like on a sidewalk.  Anyhow, we had a nice walk and saw a deer when we left.

Leaves are falling, but not an abundance of color yet.

Ferns are changing color.
I love the different shades in this one picture.

A side trail to explore another time.

☮

Currently reading:  Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Turkey

 Keziah and I split forces today when she went off to an SCA event in Maine and I stayed local and went to an archery practice with a friend.  I've never been a super archer, but my scores today were okay since it has been over a year since I shot and much longer since I practiced regularly.  My goal of scoring at least one arrow each time was achieved.  It was great to practice and great to get to hang out with people.  Other happy things for today:

• An additional reason for going to archery today was to invite some people who were there into the SCA household I belong to.  Another household member was there and we asked them together after practice.  We are giving them time to think about it.  I'm hoping for a yes from everyone.
•  After archery my friend and I went out to lunch and then a nice walk in Winant Park.  There are some lovely views.

Map.

Distant hills.

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

• The state capitol dome.

• When I got home there were a bunch of turkeys in the yard.

• The cats were quite curious about the large birds.

😀

• Clouds and colors...

A side note... I forgot about Inktober.  I'm too tired to start that tonight.  If I am able to start tomorrow I'll share then.

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Shopping

 Hearing the dog, Aesop, whine is what pulled me out of bed this morning.  It didn't keep me from going back to my room to get warm under the covers and avoid doing the long list of things to do that I had just created.  There were seventeen items on that list.  I had hoped to get through a bunch of them, or at least start some of the projects.  As the day draws to a close, I am happy that I took my time this morning.  Other happy things:

• Just when I was about to get up and motivate myself, I got a call from Keziah.  She wanted to go to the Spirit Halloween store with Gideon and would I like to go?  This motivated me out of my warm bed and to the store.  I'm not a big Halloween person.  When I was a paraeducator there was a student who LOVED Spirit Halloween.  These memories and wondering how they are doing now are a happy thing for today.

• Thinking of that student prompted me to text someone from the school and we texted a bit about school and my new job and would I ever go back into education.  A week ago I would have answered no.  Today I am very much undecided.  It was great to communicate with them again.
• We did more shopping after that and I was able to find a pair of jeans that fit.  My size seems to be popular and is seldom in stock.  Yesterday, I found a worn spot on the jeans I was wearing so replacements are in order.  I also found some pajamas that I like.  I'll be getting rid of some old clothes to make room for these.  
• After getting home and having lunch, I started on my list.  I managed to get through seven of the seventeen items.  Yay!
• Keziah found a sweater for Aesop with a llama on it.  I tried to take a picture but he is a very active dog.

The llama is wearing star sunglasses and
the top says, "Stargazer."
He doesn't seem to mind wearing dog clothes.

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Today's Color is Purple

 It has been a very long day and I am hoping to make my list short tonight.  I have been mostly awake since 11 PM Wednesday and it is just after 8 PM Thursday. I say mostly because I did drift off to sleep for some very brief naps when I got home from work and possibly during Star Trek Voyager.  I believe that I will sleep well tonight.  That belief, and the following are my happy things for today:

• Keziah picked up a bottle of blueberry mead and it is really yummy.  

• Keziah made pork chops for dinner.  I don't like pork, but the rest of the family had them with applesauce.  This prompted me to search and find this clip from The Brady Bunch.
• While walking the dog I saw this purple vetch.  I thought they were done blooming a while ago.

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History by Peter E. Randall.


Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Happy Michaelmas!

 The timeline beginning last night went something like this: 

1. Wake up randomly and look at my phone.  
2. See a message from work and read it.
3. Someone has Covid but their last day of work was September 27, my first day this week was the 28th.
4. I go back to sleep.
5. My alarm goes off at 11:00 PM and my nose is all stuffed up.  I've had an occasional scratchy throat that I figure was allergies for a few days.
6. After doing a few things to figure out my next steps I decide that taking a personal day is best.
7. Made an appointment for a rapid test at CVS for 9:50 AM.
8. Stay awake all night binge watching on Netflix.
9. After the appointment I drive around for about two hours, exploring, before going to the Oak Hill Fire Tower to get my steps in.
10. After about an hour wandering around, checking my messages about every ten minutes, I finally got the results-Negative.  Yay!

I must say that I really didn't think the test would be positive, I've been forgetting to take my allergy meds, but I feel a lot better having taken the test.  Other happy things for today:

• Part of the morning was spent driving around looking for the property from afar.  Eventually I found a spot, pulled over and took some pictures.

Somewhere on that distant hill is our property.
I expected it to be more noticable,
but things have grown this year.

• I walked past the fire tower initially and traveled on some of the trails to a scenic vista.

This is where I was when I got the negative results.

• The view from the top of the fire tower was beautiful, as usual.

Proof I was there.  😉

• There were the usual chipmunks, squirrels, sparrows, and large birds from afar that I couldn't identify.  I also saw three garter snakes on different parts of the trail.

Only a chipmunk stuck around long enough
for a picture.  I'm happy with
how close the camera zooms.

• My meal before bed included a small amount of a goose dish that Keziah picked up from some friends yesterday.  This fulfills my Michaelmas Day requirement.  I am thankful for friends.

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Silly Smiles

 It wasn't a good day at work.  I stumbled with boxes and missed them coming down the line and made a mess.  Eventually they had me swap places with the person who was down the line from me (they were trying to help me while I was having problems).  They fixed it all up and I had less items to deal with.  I am very grateful for all the help I got today at work.  I'm happy I only work a three day week!  Other things I am happy for:

• After lunch I started to drift off to sleep.  I tried not to, but the call was strong.  Gideon came and sat next to me on the couch and snuggled up.  He let me know it was okay if I fell asleep.  He doesn't know it, but he broke the spell and I couldn't get to sleep after that.  We snuggled for a bit and then I took pictures of us.  I love my grandson!

Smiles.

Tongue curling.

Silliness.

• From our spot on the couch in the living room, we had a clear view of Winston asleep in the dining room.  

He's so cute there!

• The SD card for the wildlife camera has finally made it back to the camera.  It accidentally went through the wash but seems to be working now.  Phew!  
• While taking the walk to replace the SD card, there were bees, so I had to take their picture. 

New England aster and a bee.

☮

Currently reading:  The backpacking book I have been reading has taken a hike and I finished this month's part of the homesteading book.  Instead I dusted off Mount Washington A Guide and Short History by Peter E. Randall.  It was published in 1983, so there won't be any recent history.  So far I have only read the pre-stuff part of the book.  

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.  

Where is the Foliage?

 On days that I don't work and return to what some might consider a 'normal' sleep schedule, I get up real early.  This morning as I make my way downstairs I notice how bright the moon is by the shadows it is casting.  Sometime in the next few minutes I remember I have a new phone, with a new camera, and I could see how it performs in the night.  I step outside in my bathrobe and notice how amazingly fresh the air is and the constellation Orion.  Another step and there is the moon, above Orion.  I take a couple pictures and retreat back into the house before a car drives by.  

As with my last phone camera,
the moon seems to create another light.
Most of Orion is visible,
even with the waning gibbous moon.

Other things that I am happy for today:

• There was to much time spent down the internet rabbit hole this morning.  I was able to find a blog I keep forgetting to follow.  I am happy to have found again, Fabled Practice.
• Another thing I was able to do while in that rabbit hole was to update my Amazon wish list a little.
• Yesterday I finished clearing an area of rhizomes, tubers, and pips.  Today I replanted some.  They have room to grow and I have a bunch of rhizomes, tubers, and pips to plant in other places.  Hopefully this will happen before they go bad.

The irises in the back, then daylilies.
Closest are the lily-of-the-valley
 that are mostly underground.
I put the pitchfork there as
 a rough measurement.

Close up of a pip.

• Aesop, the dog, decided that eating snowberries would be a good thing.  He seems fine and probably didn't get any because the cone he is wearing makes it hard to reach somethings.  According to one website I saw the berries often pass through without the toxins being absorbed.  As far as I can tell, I cut down all the branches from the offending plant.  One less thing to worry about for now.

Snowberries.
They remain on the plant all winter.
Some animals and birds can eat them.

Snowberry flower.

This is the one quince on the bush that the
 snowberries seemed to be taking over.
It will need more work if we decide to try to save it.

• I forced myself out for a walk so I could get my step count.  I checked Facebook while I was out and in my memories was a picture of last year's foliage.  I went out and tried to match the spot to get another picture to compare.  I couldn't get the exact spot, but there is a big difference in foliage.

This is from last year,
September 27, 2020.

This was taken today-
September 27, 2021.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.