Off to our son's house today for dinner! My pies are made, and I will make the maple glazed carrots, but that's all the cooking for me this year. Derek got green beans, pickles,  cider and cranberry sauce from my cellar,  and he and his daughters are doing the rest.   Eat well, American friends! And to my friends elsewhere,  wishing you a very good day too ..read more

30°f, about -1°C this morning, mostly overcast all day but warming up to 61°f. A few very light sprinkles. What a weekend! Lots of family, all kinds of busy, and all kinds of apple butter made. We started Saturday getting everything ready. Son Derek, his daughter Ashley and son Jared came to help get everything set up, which basically meant getting the big copper and brass kettle and stand cleaned and ready, the firepit set up, more firewood cut, etc. Afterwards we were joined for dinner by our oldest son George and his son Clayton, along with Derek's daughter Hannah, her boyfriend Max and he ..read more

41°f this morning, wet, drippy morning after all-night showers. We are finally getting precipation! Thursday was a snowy, blowy day, but no real accumulation.  Then Friday morning we woke up to this: Our first, if short-lived, measurable snowfall. It was so pretty, but was gone by afternoon. According to folklore, the date of your first measurable snow is how many snowfalls you will have in that winter. So, 22? Seems doubtful these days in our area. That used to be possible, but we rarely get much snow now. However, the forecast for the next two weeks is for very cold weather, so who ..read more

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein ..read more

48°f this morning at 5:30 am. Mostly clear, clouding up a little during the day. High around 60, nice. Well, we tore into it yesterday and are still dealing with the repercussions today. I have been working on Christmas decorating,  and decided that the curtains in this room needed to be washed. Which made me notice how dirty the windows were. Which made me move out the couch to get to the windows better, which meant cleaning under the couch...and there are totes of Fall decor to be put away, half-unpacked totes of Christmas, a pile to take to the thrift. And on it goes. While we had ..read more

32°f, 0°C this morning at 5:30am, mostly clear. Still no killing frost, I think,, as it warmed to 34° before the sun came up. Beautiful moon, just past full. A bit of pink in the sky. I haven't posted in a few days because there just hasn't been much to say. Do you have times like that, when you just feel uninspired?  That doesn't mean we haven't been busy, though. Monday we stocked our Ripley booth, Tuesday we went to my doctor appointment in Parkersburg, had lunch at a nice little Mom & Pop place called the Crystal Cafe, shopped at Aldi's and a thrift store. Wednesday we re-did ..read more

34°f this morning, about 1.5°C.  Gas prices yesterday in Mineral Wells, WV. You can believe we filled up the tank! 60 cents a gallon cheaper than in our county, just 25 miles away. What the heck! Yesterday I saw the surgeon that replaced my knee. It was quite a wait, about 30 minutes in a room that was so cold I they had put me in cold storage. But he eventually came in and I could tell him about the problem I am having getting this knee to bend. They did an xray when I came in and he showed it to me. The knee joint looks great, just perfect really? But that pain? After carefully ch ..read more

34°f, clear. Beautiful moon last night. Coyotes and owls seemed to like it. One of the reblooming iris i planted 2 years ago is blooming. Now, if the dogs don't ruin it. Fingers crossed! Off to the doc today, and hoping for answers. My measurements were better yesterday, -2 and 111, but these were not achieved without a lot of pain. Which isn't normal. One new exercise has helped: tying a strap around my ankle, lying on my stomach and pulling the strap over my shoulder to bend that knee. It's almost a contortionist trick! I have done it by myself but yesterday I called Larry to pull on th ..read more

50°f, clear after a rainy day and night. Lots of rain! So thankful! My annual Veteran's Day post, with some new photos of the vets in our family. To all veterans, whether you chose to serve or were drafted, thank you. As the mother of soldiers and airmen, I know a little of what it took and what it still takes from you. And to all the families of our veterans, thank you too. You also gave much. Above, son Derek with his daughter Haley, after she joined the Army National Guard. She's now a Sargeant.  Below, Derek at his promotion ceremony in June when he was promoted to Sgt ..read more

34°f, about 2°C, another clear morning. Still very dry. Sometimes I get lucky at the grocery store and find marked down flowers, like these pretty roses. It's a treat I give myself, because fresh flowers just make me smile and relax. I wonder if they have the same impact on everyone? Behind the flowers are some larger pieces of Blenko glass I have collected over the past few years,  but no longer want. So they are now priced for the booth--actually these will be part of the window display. I am planning a blue/green/silver window for Christmas. Not my personal color choices; I am mor ..read more