Halloween

I'm home waiting for Trick or Treaters and they are few and far between! I may end up with a big bowl of chocolate, but I think there are worse things in life. Madeline is enjoying seeing children and in-between she tears up and down the stairs and steals things off my night stand to bring down to us. I'm juggling knitting a hat and a scarf and voting while we wait.

Meanwhile, Ardella and Annalynn turn 2 this week and I'm looking for dog cake recipes since my dog cake bakery has gone out of business. I'm trying to decide between one made with chicken versus one made with peanut butter and carrots. I've decided to use rice flour or barley flour instead of wheat. Karren and I are celebrating on Friday since it's my day off so I have a few days to decide.

I spent the weekend looking at e-Readers. I also finished the second book in the Millennium series and saw both movies. The DVD for The Girl Who Played With Fire came out on Thursday (I think) and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is now in theaters. The movie version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was really good, but I was very disappointed with the second movie. I think I have to stick with my thought that the book is always the best. I have started book 3 and won't see the movie until I've read it. I've been watching the Swedish movies - I'm undecided if I'll go see the American version when it comes out. I just don't see anyone being a better Lisbeth Salander than the woman who is playing her now.

Madeline has been busy attending football games and going to the coffee shop with Lyn while he works on the class he's teaching. She loves fireplaces. Here she is in front of the fire at Starbucks in downtown Portland. I was across the street at a local yarn store while Lyn and Madeline waited for me here. I love the way Madeline touches her paws to Lyn's foot. She does that to me, too. We had a hard time getting Madeline to budge when it was time to go.



Lyn and I have been discussing chickens. He went on a walking tour of Portland to see urban farms and he was excited by the chicken coops and chickens. I could get into having fresh eggs, but I don't eat animals I know so I doubt I could eat the chickens if we had them. I really like the black and white feather pattern on these chickens contrasted with their bright red combs.



These chickens aren't living in a very small pen, they have a cushy condo that Lyn was pretty excited about. They have a penned-in area underneath the condo where they can scratch and hunt for bugs. It also looks like the chickens have time out of the pen, too.



We're still thinking about chickens. We have something called Urban Farm School in the area that teaches classes and our local feed store is a good resource, too.

Halloween

I'm home waiting for Trick or Treaters and they are few and far between! I may end up with a big bowl of chocolate, but I think there are worse things in life. Madeline is enjoying seeing children and in-between she tears up and down the stairs and steals things off my night stand to bring down to us. I'm juggling knitting a hat and a scarf and voting while we wait.

Meanwhile, Ardella and Annalynn turn 2 this week and I'm looking for dog cake recipes since my dog cake bakery has gone out of business. I'm trying to decide between one made with chicken versus one made with peanut butter and carrots. I've decided to use rice flour or barley flour instead of wheat. Karren and I are celebrating on Friday since it's my day off so I have a few days to decide.

I spent the weekend looking at e-Readers. I also finished the second book in the Millennium series and saw both movies. The DVD for The Girl Who Played With Fire came out on Thursday (I think) and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is now in theaters. The movie version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was really good, but I was very disappointed with the second movie. I think I have to stick with my thought that the book is always the best. I have started book 3 and won't see the movie until I've read it. I've been watching the Swedish movies - I'm undecided if I'll go see the American version when it comes out. I just don't see anyone being a better Lisbeth Salander than the woman who is playing her now.

Madeline has been busy attending football games and going to the coffee shop with Lyn while he works on the class he's teaching. She loves fireplaces. Here she is in front of the fire at Starbucks in downtown Portland. I was across the street at a local yarn store while Lyn and Madeline waited for me here. I love the way Madeline touches her paws to Lyn's foot. She does that to me, too. We had a hard time getting Madeline to budge when it was time to go.



Lyn and I have been discussing chickens. He went on a walking tour of Portland to see urban farms and he was excited by the chicken coops and chickens. I could get into having fresh eggs, but I don't eat animals I know so I doubt I could eat the chickens if we had them. I really like the black and white feather pattern on these chickens contrasted with their bright red combs.



These chickens aren't living in a very small pen, they have a cushy condo that Lyn was pretty excited about. They have a penned-in area underneath the condo where they can scratch and hunt for bugs. It also looks like the chickens have time out of the pen, too.



We're still thinking about chickens. We have something called Urban Farm School in the area that teaches classes and our local feed store is a good resource, too.

Strange Things

Weird thing number one:


Remember our "top" chicken, Tootsie, who usually looks so gorgeous?









Well, now she looks like this:









No, she hasn't been plucked by some random predator. She's molting. (And yes, that is a chicken butt in the second photo. You just saw a chicken butt. *gotta laugh here* )

First time for all of us. Just wish she hadn't picked so late in the year to do it. The weather here is turning chilly rather quickly now. Supposedly she'll be finished in a couple of months. We'll be giving her some extra protein (suggestions are organic liver and/or yogurt) and keeping an eye on her. She'll probably stop laying during this time. For her sake I hope she does put a pause on her egg production in order to retain the energy she needs to produce new feathers.

Wish her luck. I suppose she'll be followed quickly by Ginger and Jelly Bean.


Weird thing number Two:


My Pink Blush aloe plant bloomed!

I think this is cool because I've never done well with succulents. (I tend to over water.)









Pretty, huh?

Question; what do I do with that "pup" on the stem?


Good news; we've been getting some rain. Finally.

Any weirdness happening in your world?


Update: Here is where Tootsie spends most of her time outside the coop now; on the backporch behind the couch. Hiding, I guess. It must be true, when chickens are molting it really affects their personalities. At least during the night she's sleeping inside the nesting box and staying warmer. Whether she's doing that in order to stay warm or because she's allowed the other chickens to bully her off her favorite roost, I'm not sure. She's a sad little chicken now and I don't like it.
I am looking forward to this business being over and for her to be back to her high and mighty self.

From the Studio: Business Cards

I created these cards for my husband for our 1st wedding anniversary. The traditional 1st anniversary gift is "paper". Little does he know, it will most likely be the next 49 years' gift as well. The bikes are from a pen and ink drawing I made of a vintage racing bike, as my husband is an avid cyclist.

Madeline goes to a basketball game

Here's the group that went to the game:



Lyn said Madeline did very well and she was not phased by the noise that often reached rock-band concert level (I'm so glad I didn't go). She was interested in the other puppies (Kiva from our club was there) and she slept most of the time. There was a little bit of trouble going downstairs after the game, but everything else went smoothly. I can't believe she could sleep through the noise!

Madeline goes to a basketball game

Here's the group that went to the game:



Lyn said Madeline did very well and she was not phased by the noise that often reached rock-band concert level (I'm so glad I didn't go). She was interested in the other puppies (Kiva from our club was there) and she slept most of the time. There was a little bit of trouble going downstairs after the game, but everything else went smoothly. I can't believe she could sleep through the noise!

October Saturday

Lyn and Madeline have gone to a Trailblazer's game. Someone offered tickets to puppy raisers and Lyn got 2 tickets. Lyn didn't find anyone else to go (I'd rather get a root canal than go to a sport's game), so he and Madeline went alone. At 4-1/2 months, Madeline is a pretty calm puppy and seems to take noise in stride. I hope that the noise level isn't too overwhelming, but I think she'll be okay.

We took Madeline and Ardella to Farmer's Market today and walked around. Madeline has been getting used to a head collar and she was fantastic. No accidents, no freaking out over anything, just a calm, well-behaved puppy. I thought Ardella was doing okay for Ardella, but she had a bout of diarrhea. However, she wasn't panting, drooling, or looking stressed, so other than that bout of diarrhea, I saw a slight improvement. We did have one more shaky moment when a man walked by with 2 parrots who started squawking loudly and startled everyone. I want to continue obedience training with Ardella again, if nothing else just to have some one-on-one Ardella time.

I want Madeline to learn to sleep on her dog bed at night and I'm beginning to consider putting away ex-pens. We need to work on Madeline not snuffing up every pine needle or piece of bark dust in sight first and we need to work on her being able to be present in the room with us without jumping on the other dogs and cats. This is improving, but we still have work to do. So far this entails me being on the floor with her. We play, take naps, I read while Maddy chews on bones. It's a hard floor so I'll be glad when I can trust her to just be present in the room without running amok. I also want the ex-pen out of the living room!

Nothing much is happening. I'm knitting a project for a swap and I'm working on hats, scarves, cowls, and socks for Christmas presents. Next year I'm not knitting for anybody except me. I want a year of being a selfish knitter.

We have a new grocery store in town - Chuck's Produce. It reminds me a lot of New Seasons in Portland where my daughter works, but the store has it's own personality. A lot of the food is organic and local, and less expensive than either New Seasons or Whole Foods. I've found new snack foods to enjoy, love the fresh baked crusty breads, and new local roasted coffees. I'm also thrilled to be able to boycott Whole Foods again. I'm thrilled to support this local business!

I'm almost through with Name of the Wind and I know this will be one of my favorite books for 2010. I'm not really a fantasy reader, but I love it when it's well written, and this book definitely was. I'm thrilled to see there is a release date for the second book in the trilogy: March 1, 2010! The author is very picky about his work, so I expect I'll be happy with book 2.

October Saturday

Lyn and Madeline have gone to a Trailblazer's game. Someone offered tickets to puppy raisers and Lyn got 2 tickets. Lyn didn't find anyone else to go (I'd rather get a root canal than go to a sport's game), so he and Madeline went alone. At 4-1/2 months, Madeline is a pretty calm puppy and seems to take noise in stride. I hope that the noise level isn't too overwhelming, but I think she'll be okay.

We took Madeline and Ardella to Farmer's Market today and walked around. Madeline has been getting used to a head collar and she was fantastic. No accidents, no freaking out over anything, just a calm, well-behaved puppy. I thought Ardella was doing okay for Ardella, but she had a bout of diarrhea. However, she wasn't panting, drooling, or looking stressed, so other than that bout of diarrhea, I saw a slight improvement. We did have one more shaky moment when a man walked by with 2 parrots who started squawking loudly and startled everyone. I want to continue obedience training with Ardella again, if nothing else just to have some one-on-one Ardella time.

I want Madeline to learn to sleep on her dog bed at night and I'm beginning to consider putting away ex-pens. We need to work on Madeline not snuffing up every pine needle or piece of bark dust in sight first and we need to work on her being able to be present in the room with us without jumping on the other dogs and cats. This is improving, but we still have work to do. So far this entails me being on the floor with her. We play, take naps, I read while Maddy chews on bones. It's a hard floor so I'll be glad when I can trust her to just be present in the room without running amok. I also want the ex-pen out of the living room!

Nothing much is happening. I'm knitting a project for a swap and I'm working on hats, scarves, cowls, and socks for Christmas presents. Next year I'm not knitting for anybody except me. I want a year of being a selfish knitter.

We have a new grocery store in town - Chuck's Produce. It reminds me a lot of New Seasons in Portland where my daughter works, but the store has it's own personality. A lot of the food is organic and local, and less expensive than either New Seasons or Whole Foods. I've found new snack foods to enjoy, love the fresh baked crusty breads, and new local roasted coffees. I'm also thrilled to be able to boycott Whole Foods again. I'm thrilled to support this local business!

I'm almost through with Name of the Wind and I know this will be one of my favorite books for 2010. I'm not really a fantasy reader, but I love it when it's well written, and this book definitely was. I'm thrilled to see there is a release date for the second book in the trilogy: March 1, 2010! The author is very picky about his work, so I expect I'll be happy with book 2.

The Melvins Letterpress Box Set

I was so excited when I heard the Melvins were issuing a limited edition (of 200) letterpress box-set. Designed and printed by Mackie Osborne, the wife of front man Buzz, the box-sets were hand assembled by the band, edition and autographed. My husband and I just had to get our hands on one of these gems. Anyone who appreciates letterpress and the work involved understands the $200 price tag. Judging from the line at the merch booth, (box-sets are only available at shows) Melvins fans don't seem to mind.  

Saying Goodbye to Summer. Again.

I was going to say that summer is winding down but I guess I need to face it; summer is over.



Asters and calendula counterpoint.






A successful dahlia from a tuber I overwintered.












Clematis seed heads.






Garlic harvest.






Ginger in pot.












Joe Pye seedheads.






Reblooming larkspur.







Plume poppy seedheads.














Number One chicken.







Sunflowers in veggie garden. Probably our biggest "crop".













Datura - "Moonflower".






Finch on sunflower.








Monarda Bergamot.











Alice and friends.







Fireworks goldenrod.












Mums.







Porch pedestal.











Girls at their seedblock.




This summer, as most, went by way too quickly. (See this post for why.)

I tried a coordinated color scheme for the front containers this year.
Didn't especially like it. I think I'll go back to my hodge-podge norm next year. I also need to face the fact that our front container garden is now mostly shade and I need to stop planting things that need full sun. Gees. I like full sun flowers. Oh well.

Yesterday Kim discovered a nest behind a tomato plant in the fenced in veggie garden. The next was filled with 14 eggs. Chicken eggs. Now wasted chicken eggs. Ginger is the only chicken we have who is thin enough to fit through the veggie garden fencing. She must be the offending chicken.

Now we're like most people who raise chickens and realize they enjoy laying their eggs in places other than the proper nesting box. So we'll be checking this nest daily from now on. Bad chicken!

What have you learned over the summer?