Happy Halloween

Well, it's Halloween today and it is cold and wet here in Ontario. Not the best weather for little tykes heading out tonight but I suppose it could be worse. We've had many stormy days of late.


Today we had the floors poured in the new house so we can now move in our pellet stove to keep fingers warm while the men do some inside work. The patio doors are installed and windows arrive tomorrow.

 

Grandittle checking the height of the handle. lol

 We still wait for the steel roof to be installed but it is nice and dry with the membrane on so work can move along.

                                                             Adding membrane

                                           Back view and membrane on the breeze-way

I am loving the wood-lot this fall; so much beautiful colour. I brought a bit inside but it will only last a short time before it is taken to the compost.

Someone nicknamed Peach loves to munch on plants, leaves and branches.

I hope you all have a fun Halloween. 
David, our neighbour cat, says "Please keep your cats in during the Halloween celebration". I hope his owners do the same.

Wishing you lots of cute trick or treaters tonight. And if that's not your cup of tea, well...brew a cup, put on a movie and turn the lights out. ;-)

hugs, Deb

A little mug and a recipe

 Just look at this mug. I get nothing done when he is around.
It's all about pats on the head and tummy rubs.
And when he drops and rolls I lose it. :)

 

He follows me around like a baby duck. He loves to visit and we love him; he just can't go near Simon's den. That's the rule and he knows it.

Yes, he's that smart.

So that is my excuse for still having one more garden to put to bed.

And as promised to a few new followers: 

Pecan Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
1 3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp powdered cloves
1 c applesauce (unsweetened)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 c rolled oats
3/4 c pecans or walnuts if desired (small pieces)

Measure together first five ingr.
In another bowl, mix together butter, sugar and egg
In another bowl combine sauce and soda
Blend into creamed mixture alternating with dry mixture
Fold in nuts

Spoon onto parchment paper covered cookie sheets
Bake 20 min at 350 degrees
ENJOY!

The trees are finally at their best these beautiful fall days. Here is one that I thought looked 'outstanding in it's field' when I was on my walk last week. A maple surrounded by cedars.

 I have a few photos that I wanted to add to this post of the construction but for some reason I can't upload them so I will be back soon with those.
There is still a lot of waiting as the fall puts a rush on every roofer and construction crew in the area to finish their projects at each and every site. We have the membrane being installed on the roof on Friday and windows going in on Tues. The patio doors are in and the floor is done in the basement.  Still...lots of waiting.
Onwards and upwards.

And, of course, Annie will have nothing to do with David stealing the show here so here she is having a stare-down with the cactus today. 
"Just one bite"...she thinks. 

 

 Don't worry...she's too smart for that.

hugs, Deb

A quick "hello"

I am just posting a quick "hello" as I am busy again today. 

While Audrey snoozed the morning away,

 Annie and I cleaned out my cluttered country cottage china cupboard.

Dusting...dusting...dusting.

Why do I have so many dishes?

"Sorry, Annie...It couldn't last forever."

 

 

Yes, we baked cookies, too.

Applesauce Oatmeal Pecan Cookies.

Best Fall Cookie, ever.

Just try and eat only one. HA! 

I have posted the recipe many times and

will post again this week for those new to my blog. 

Off to pick out doors

hugs, Deb

Being Thankful

Is there anything better than the smell of pumpkin bread in the oven on a beautiful, crisp fall day?

 I didn't think so. :)

These loaves and a few other delights were heading to the Country Cat Rescue Annual Thanksgiving Bake Sale last weekend. I have known the founder, Gwen Thompson, for over twenty years now.I can honestly say that she is the most hard-working and dedicated cat rescuer I have ever met. This lady is the real deal. When other rescues are full to the brim and cannot take on another stray Gwen will somehow find a spot so that the cat is safe and out of harms way. She cares deeply for her rescues and houses them at her sanctuary providing them with all their needs until they can be adopted out to a loving and forever home. If the cat is un-adoptable for whatever reason it will become a permanent resident of the spacious and clean sanctuary. No cat is turned away.

I finally got at my garden clean-up and let me tell you it is no where near as fun to clean it as it is to plant it. Uh uh!

I was amazed at how many rather large toads I discovered in my over-run veggie garden today. I used to be afraid of them but now I enjoy watching them as they hop around. I wonder if I will ever feel that way about the sssssnake. Who am I kiddin'... NOPE!

                                                                 =^..^==^..^=
Annie and Audrey are happy comfy cats these days.

 

 

 Audrey loves the Cat Dancer.

I'm so thankful that she's back to her old self.

The construction has stopped for now as we line up our roofers and have the basement floor insulated then poured.  We are waiting on our windows, too. There is a lot of 'waiting' while building a home.

Lots coming up but it's been quiet this week.

Most mornings I like to walk the paths in our wood-lot. The Autumn light is beautiful coming through the branches of the many maple trees. All is quiet but the sound of the birds and the chipmunks chattering away.

I have been getting the wood-lot critters used to me wandering about and leaving them seed and nuts for them to learn to trust. There are so many chippies, squirrels and birds that never come up to the front of our property and make the wood-lot their home. I refer to them as the shy ones. Most of them live amongst the stones in the wall.

It's time to bulk them up for winter so I'm spending more time doing just that.

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Canada yesterday. In order to round up the grandittles I did what I do with the cats with cat-nip; I lured them with cake pops to the couch.

And this is what I got. lol

I can't tell you what joy these five bring to my life.  That's grand-kitty Cooper photo-bombing.

We had a wonderful day with family and ate far too much as usual.  I had not posted about it, but my youngest daughter had just returned from a road trip to the United States and was in Las Vegas up until three days before the shootings. They spent five days there taking in the sights and the music concerts.

Before the dinner, I raised a glass to her safe return and thanked Almighty God for keeping her in his care.

This is a Thanksgiving, friends, I will never forget.


hugs, Deb

Catchin' up with life

It's amazing how far behind you can get when your world is consumed with caring for a loved one. And yes, that includes a cat.
But Audrey is getting better every day.

All those nasty meds did a number on her coat so after her birthday lunch on the weekend there was a grooming session to make her beautiful again.

 But nothing works better than the 'ol cat tongue.

The mouse-house needs some pampering and I have two birthdays to catch up with.  I have never been late with a friends' card in the mail so she thought I had died. She reminds me I have sent her a card ON TIME for thirty years. My sister has a birthday this week and is tough to buy for so I need to get at it. And, I want to have dinner out with my sis because we both love to eat. lol
I had made plans weeks ago to sweater shop with my daughter and well, you guessed it. We haven't done that yet, either.
So now that Audrey is improving each day and sassy again I have to get goin'.

 I also need to visit the cemetery and lay flowers for my mom. It's been twenty years since she left us and I still miss her everyday.

I have a garden that looks terrible and needs to be put to bed. Where are those garden fairies when you need them? And why did I plant such a big garden anyway?
If I have to look another tomato in the face I'm going to scream.  All I want now is root veggies; carrots, parsnips, turnip, cabbage, sweet potatoes and so on. It must be fall. :)

There is a bake sale fundraiser for a favorite cat rescue coming up so I have to get busy making pumpkin loaves for the event. The ones I made last week are....gone. :)
This particular fundraiser is always a big success and the rescue depends on these events to pay for multiple cat spays and neuters and, of course, the unexpected vet bill. Country Cat Rescue has been going strong for thirty-five years.

Today we picked out doors for the interior and exterior of the house, found a recommended stair guy to build two stairs; one to the basement and one to the loft and picked out a rustic-looking door for the main floor bathroom. So it's been a productive day.
I need a few more of those.

 Grand-dog Forrest came out for a visit and wasn't quite sure what to make of the new construction. And then he saw a squirrel...

Thanks for stopping by. 
Enjoy your day,
 hugs, Deb