Shine On

Shine on Shine on harvest moon up in the sky....  

Tomorrow night is the great harvest moon.. , Even last night, through the wispy clouds, the moon shone brightly. This is the full Moon nearest to the autumnal equinox. Did you know: For several nights near the full Harvest Moon, there is an abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening, a traditional aid to harvest crews. The Full Harvest Moon is different than all our other full Moons. Around this date, the Moon rises at almost the same time for a number of nights in our northern latitudes. And the very best part of this year's harvest moon is.... it'll be shining on our Culture Cottage which is set to be delivered this afternoon.♥♥

Hero of the Month

My hero of the month is Albert J. Dremel.  Eighty years ago,in Wisconsin, he knew the world (and women and crafters) would not survive without this battery operated wonder....(Actually, it's the other battery operated wonder we couldn't live without but that's a blog for another day!).. No matter what my project..drilling, grinding, sharpening, cutting, cleaning, polishing, sanding, routing, carving, engraving...and even pedicures, it is the handiest tool in the drawer!   October's project is drilling tiny little holes in games pieces. (monopoly pieces, dice, scrabble tiles etc.) Next, I'll string them on heavy fish line and tie them to a bare lamp shade frame. You think that's weird?  Well keep it to yourself and you'll be surprised when you see the nifty lamp that will help light up our Culture Cottage.  Here was my inspiration!! 

Catch up

Wow, it's fall already and there's never a dull moment in and around EIEIO.  Lee is shooting nearly 7 days a week... He says not but when we talked about his venues... they encompassed 7 days.. It's OK.. he enjoys it, is improving and he could be doing a lot worse things.

Our Culture Cottage is about ready to be delivered.  The trees were cut and/or trimmed, the gravel delivered and leveled and the paint samples arrived yesterday! Let the project begin.

Soccer is in full swing. Pictures were last night and even if they don't know what the heck soccer's all about, they're the cutest team ever!!!!!

School is in week 4 already.  Bailee loves being a first grader, loves Mrs. Flick and admits she has trouble raising her hand to speak and closing her lips to rest.  She just has so darn much to say....
.
The girls are only 22 days away from their adventure in the air and on the high seas.  They're packed!!!

Jeff will be home on Monday for a week.  Lots of good food and hunting preparations will be under way. I hear a bit of energy and excitement in his voice that I haven't heard in ages... Maybe all good things DO take time!

October and November are packed full already and then....Christmas...I guess we won't be "American IDLE"

WTH NFL

Last night at 11:??, 25 mg of atenolol (BP meds) wasn't enough.  I'm sure I wasn't the only football fan that was on their feet and wondering just what the hell was happening to our favorite sport. The entire week-end had been fraught with inaccuracies.....Coaches and players are now reviewing game tapes and getting scouting reports on the REFS....WTH NFL.  Last night was the icing on the cake.  There was just a post on Face Book that possibly Commissioner Goodell has the power to overturn last night's outrageous call.....but should he?  I say unequivocally. "NO!"  If last night's call was overturned, all the horrendous calls from the first 3 weeks would have to be reviewed and overturned.  Instead, the commissioner should concede to the ref's demands and put them back to work.  No amount of money is comparable to what the NFL brings in and makes.  It's making a mockery of the game we love.  The only ones winning thus far this season are the locked out refs.  Their smiles are most likely from ear to ear.
Another good point is rules... these replacements are coming from high schools and colleges.  All rules are different.  Pop Warner actually follows most NFL rules, then you go to high school...new rules and finally off to college with a brand new set of rules.... ending up back to the rules you learned in Pop Warner in the NFL.... One set of logical, safe rules would help.
It will be an interesting week and we may see some ground breaking precedents set.... Let's hope week 4 brings back those "God damned blind idiots" we've loved to hate for so long... Remember, you never knew what you had...........till you didn't!!!

Fall into Color

                    This picture was taken by our cousin Bruce Williams at the Tughill Plateau

Color can change the way you feel. HGTV has provided us with their view of what color can do for you...and your home! Here are their ideas.....

Green.......... is the color of life.  It's a fun color full of whimsy and is said to stimulate conversation. (Green is my favorite color and my house is full of it....green that is)

Yellow.........is associated with higher powers..It relates to intellect, random thought and innocent happiness.  I have many random thoughts. My problem is vocalizing them..often:-)

Orange........is warming and uplifting, the color of fall and even the symbolic end of life.  I guess a jack-o-lantern is the end of life for a pumpkin!

Red.............emulates powerful emotions ranging from love to hate...The purveyor of our deepest feelings.  Our culture cottage will have red chairs......game on!

Blue............represents all forms of water.It's a fresh color that reminds us of rivers, waterfalls, the ocean and all things wet and wonderful. (our bedroom is blue)

White..........is my least favorite color...hardly a color actually. HGTV says it's actually an innocent color. Well that explains my dislike.

Black..........the forever color??  forever night, forever faithful, forever formal..in my case, forever flattering....but it can be a calming color......Naaa don't see that!

Gray...........rapidly becoming my new favorite color... it symbolizes the "rock!"...solidity and support.  It's also the color of wisdom and longevity!!  Long live Gray and it's 50 shades!

Brown.........The protector, the "Earth Mother", security and contentment... Voila....meet Bailee Brown!!!!

Birds of a Feather

Upon arriving home this morning I happened to look toward the falls at the tiny tinges of golds, oranges and reds beginning to illuminate our backyard.  There on the roof, neatly spaced and sitting at attention, were dozens of mourning doves.  I couldn't decide if they were there serving as feathered lightening rods, a winged security system or maybe just sunning themselves on the EIEIO shingled Riviera. It did mean that our resident hawks weren't around this morning and the eagles must still be near their nests.  When they're nearby, the doves, literally, stay low and hug the house...............or in the house..(it wasn't pretty!) They're singing a lovely tune on this sunny morning...I think it's Ha-Cooooo-na Matata!!!  They all seem pretty content and as of yet are managing their morning constitutional (as my dad used to call it) somewhere beside my lovely architectural shingles. I know in my mind they're just glorified pigeons but they've made EIEIO their home now (or maybe vice versa) and it's nice to see them all gather for a morning chat(ter).  I'm on my way to do exactly the same thing.  Heading to Pumpkin Hill Bistro for a chat and a snack with some of my loveliest gal pals. Hey, we're birds of a feather and today, we're flocking together too!!!

A Happy Wife........

You know the saying.."A happy wife means a happy life!"...well.... true story!!!  It's not always easy but it's doable!  I have 5 husbandly requirements for the Happy Wife-Happy Life to be a reality

• Happy Kids make a Happy Mom and a Happy Mom makes a Happy Wife.......usually..OK sometimes!
• Honey-Do lists with all items checked off....make a Happy Wife.....unless of course, I add more items
• Bills paid make a Happy Wife....unless of course you have your mail delivered daily and are crazy enough to actually go to the post office to retrieve it!
• Make sure he accomplishes the household and outside chores unless , of course, they're the ones I enjoy doing and then...hands off.... you should know which chores they are....it's a short list!
• Continue to use your lack of hearing to never engage in an actual argument.  If you don't hear, I promise to begin another again soon!  repeat step one....it's worked for 40 years!

Scrolling

Everyday I scroll through my Face Book posts and see pictures of children who are suffering.  I keep scrolling!  As of late, I have three little baby boys that I've been asking the Big Guy upstairs to watch over a little closer and extend a little more of his TLC.  I know two of these little guy's families and one, baby Easton, because he began his life..and struggles in a local hospital.   Personalizing brings it home.  His story has literally brought me to tears...more than once. 
For many months (years) this amazing little girl.....ok, she's almost a teenager, has silently struggled, along with her Mom and her wonderful Aunts (each not without struggles of their own).  She now waits for two, new, beautiful pink lungs!  Her cystic fibrosis has taken its toll and transplants are now her only option.  I can't imagine my child's (niece's) existence being tied to her name on a list!  Those of us who take each breath for granted can't begin to imagine what Brya and her Mom, Alicia, tackle each and every day.  That's why we often choose to keep scrolling...If we slide past it, it won't affect us...I often feel guilty, but I keep scrolling!  It's time to stop, click on the story, give yourself a great big dose of "there but for the grace of God go I" and give..... $5, $10, $50 or $100..... Every single dollar will make Alicia breathe easier therefore allowing Bryona to relax and concentrate more on getting better and less on worrying about Mommy!  None of us can be all things to all people.....but prayer combined with one less dinner out, or one less six pack or even one less caramel latte can mean the world to the Wiler women!!!  There are few places in this world where we can actually make a difference.... this is one place we can.....It's time to stop scrolling and start giving...

Fun in Fair Haven!

What a nice, relaxing week-end in the woods.  We spent  a couple of days with some great folks.  One family in particular just made you feel good.  Mom, Dad and 3 adult children.  This crew constantly picks on each other, yells at each other, laughs at each other and loves each other more than most families today. Seldom do you see grown kids (in their 20's) having so much fun spending time with their folks!!  We were short some of the regulars this year but those of us that gathered had fun eating, drinking, laughing and chilling. We were less than an hour from home and it seemed as though you were off in a far away location.  No wonder camping is such a fast growing family adventure.  Fuel costs have facilitated more staycations and actually given us all the opportunity to tweak our family (and friends) values...There aren't many pluses we can take away from this pretty sucky economy but somehow good friends and a bonfire seem to be a pretty good perk....Here's to Ole Milwaukee, Laurie's french toast, Mike's lamb chops, Ryan's antics, Steve's sense of humor and 2 days of no political commercials!!!!

R & R in the RV

Later this morning we're off to Fair Haven..  The weather looks a bit tenuous but it's not like we're

pitching a tent.  It's always a fun week-end with folks we see all the time but rarely get a chance to sit

and visit with.  Baby Leah Leonard will be joining us for a bit of spoiling and  a game of pass the

baby....The Hargetts will set up their outdoor kitchen.... fit for a king and/or a family of 20... They do

it right!  Looking forward to the bonfires... there's nothing more relaxing than a campfire and good

conversation.  Of course, I'll have my Kindle and get to catch up on a little Nora Roberts....Her 3

Montgomery men rebuilding and decorating a new Inn have piqued my interest and made me want to

 visit there....damn fiction!  Bailee will be off to her Dad's for the week-end, Jess is working a

wedding and on chicken duty and we'll be back for kick off on Sunday!  Enjoy your week-end

everybody!!  Fall is in the air:-)

Daisy, Daisy give me your answer do........

"Yes, I want to be a girl scout!"  Last night Bailee signed up for girl scouts...She'll begin her girl scout "career" as a Daisy Scout.  Don't think we had Daises in the 50's but maybe I've forgotten.......... What were we talking about? :-)  Oh girl scouts..... I think I began as a Brownie...I remember getting my first uniform and thinking I was just too cool for school.  I loved the crafts and activities and the badges we'd receive.  I think that was my first foree' into earning.  It was even before allowance and way cooler! I don't remember my leaders in Brownies but I sure remember my Scout leaders....They were awesome.. Sharon Hess Ettinger and Ginnie Baylor Moore.  Talk about cool!!!!  I even still have the little girl scout suitcase that I got as a birthday present one year.  I gave it to Bailee yesterday... The scout pictured on the front was wearing a pretty funky uniform and I could see that she was hoping hers would be a little snazzier.. I'm thinking they've made a few improvements over the past 55 years!  I'm sure there are badges for technology and preventing global warming...all things that were only seen during an episode of the Jetsons back in the day. I'm sure they're still helping to promote respect and responsibility and the basics are still in tact.  It will be fun watching her grow in this little sorority of sisterhood. In rural areas, other than school functions, groups like 4-H, church and scouts are pretty much their intro into the social world. Nothing better than a wholesome start and she'll be a good Scout.....I promise!

Consistency

Consistency- a harmonious uniformity or agreement among things and parts!!  If you were to ask me one thing that makes a restaurant, or any business, successful, I'd say #1 would be consistency!  Let's stick with restaurants because that's actually today's bitch! Last night I met Lee in Groton at a restaurant that I won't name...ok Farrells...I was greeted to a locked door advising me to enter through the bar.  Had I wanted to drink or even be in the bar, I wouldn't have tried the restaurant door in the first place!  Upon entering the dark bar and making my way to the swinging door of the restaurant, I was greeted by.......oh.......nobody... In the dining area there was no hostess, no servers, no customers, no salad bar , no nothing... The lights and the tv's were on!  Finally a little bar maid said ,"Yes the restaurant was open!"  I'm pretty sure she was doing triple duty as bartender, waitress and hostess...failing miserably at all three while I'm presuming trying to figure out how to walk and keep her backside covered with her 6 inch skirt ( a prerequisite of employment I've been told.)  I did get a diet soda and seated myself while waiting for Lee.  He joined me as we waited another 10 minutes. Being the patient woman that I am, I gave anybody 2 more minutes to acknowledge our presence.. Didn't happen... we reversed our entry and left for another venue......no bartender in sight then either.  Now, to give the devil his due, we have eaten here several times and most have been enjoyable.  Bailee loves the private booths with their own TV's.  If you can offer a nice salad bar, reasonable prices, good food and a clean establishment, as Arnold would say, "I'll be back!"  AND if you can do it once, twice or more.....why can't you always do it?  I have eaten at The Green Arch is Cortland many times......I have never had a bad meal, poor service or left disappointed...never....that's a long time.  They know what makes a restaurant successful....Consistency....I think that's pretty simple although I have never operated a food establishment and never will....if I wanted to cook and clean up and make people happy every day of the week at mealtime, I'd cook at home.  I don't see that in the tea leaves. Now, being a food critic, I think that would be an awesome job.  I love to eat, I love to write and I love to bitch...I think I've found what I want to be when I grow up!

Hell to get old

Boy it's just plain hell to get old................but compared to the alternative...............I'll take it!....So far!
Yesterday Lee survived a colonoscopy and a cyst removal from his chest.  Other than the colonic cleansing ( so nicely put), the huge hunger pangs and the wait as the Dr's was delayed...all went well.  We have have colored photos to commemorate the occasion...WTF.....These are the times I'm thankful that I've geared back a bit from scrap booking.... Only so many things should live on for pictorial posterity.
Today I'm heading to my Dr. (PA) to get a new script for my blood pressure meds....and a check to see if women can, indeed, suffer from gout.  My heel has been killing me and unable to bear weight for a few days and last night I was awakened by a pain n my big toe....fortunately (and thankfully) the pain in my ass was sleeping soundly next to me. I'm sure women can suffer from gout, they just never complain about it so we didn't know......time will tell!!
November will bring cataract surgery....Thanks Dad... I've always been so proud to have genetically acquired things from you....this one...not so much!  I've always been fine with knives and needles as long as I could close my eyes.....Houston, we have a problem:-)
My arthritis is in full gear and a few allergies have facilitated random sneezing attacks.  Other than that ... We're good to go.  As I said...it's hell to get old but at least we're around to bitch about it...That really is a good thing !! So far!!

Football FANatics!

Ahhh.. Football's back.  I thoroughly enjoyed 12 hours of football and football programing yesterday. My favorite hour of TV is Sunday noon... I love that hour spent with 5 very different men...They make me laugh, they help me with my Fantasy Football and I look forward to spending time with them all week!  Week # 1 provided me with a conundrum...( my big word of the week).  My Buffalo Bills were pitted against My NY Jets.... It seemed I would win big and lose big in the same game !!  My second round pick, Freddie Jackson of the Bills got hurt, two of my other FF teammates were out with injuries and/or just returned from them and my hopes for a big FF opening day win were slowly heading to the locker room before the games were

 over.  Oh well....that's sports.  The brightest spot of my day was watching Bailee enjoy the sport I love so much.  She's already mastered the 4 tries for 10 yards, she asks which team is ours and immediately becomes a loyal fan.  She instinctively knows when to yell "push 'em back" or "run like the wind!"  I have my own yellow, ref's penalty flag and she loves to throw it out and ask, "Is that all you've got!!"  She's lately been studying a book of texting abbreviations (it was for Lee but he still hasn't mastered calling on his iPhone so his texting skills leave a whole lot 2 B desired)  She asked me yesterday about how they got 7 points when she knew that a TD was worth 6.  I explained about the PAT.  A few minutes later our team scored and she remarked, "I just love this game!  In fact, instead of calling it a first down or a TD, I'm going to call it ILY...(to me that was I love You)." I had to ask........."Well Grandma, it stands for International Love Yards!"  Thank you Lord, she really does love the game!!!!

Quality vs. Quantity

Went to visit Mom this morning................................................................NOT the best visit in the world.  I walked in with the local undertakers....that doesn't really perk up your morning. Assuming Mom was finished with breakfast and "lounging" in the hall, I thought it was a pretty good time to stop in.....Once again, second visit in a row, she was still in bed.  She wasn't there because she was asleep, or under the weather or even just chilling..... They're "a little short handed!"  I pretty much became a little short tempered!  I explained in my indoor , I'm a little pissed off, voice that this was the second visit in a row where she had not been up, dressed and had breakfast.  When offered the reason of being short staffed I then offered my explanation  that with Mom's donation of nearly $9K a month, they should hire a bit more help.  Just an observation.... Now to give the devil his due....everyone was a bit emotional over a resident's passing and one aide was particularly upset and allowed to go home but the living were still lying in bed waiting for some breakfast and clean clothes!!!! I really am not being critical of the facility or it's employees.... I personally could not be an elder care provider.  It takes a certain breed of human to perform these duties day in and day out with a smile on their face and urine on their hands:-(....I see it as a take off on the saying, Those who can..do, those who can't..(in my case) bitch!!!  When I left, Mom was up and on her way to the shower and would hopefully be given some nourishment before lunch was served.  Shower time is not the highlight of her week and presumably not the staff's either but those are the breaks my friends!

For the most part, I'm very happy there and I think Mom is too.  I guess I'm just whining a bit through today's epistle and thinking a lot about  there but for the grace of god go I! I may just ask the kids to sit me in the woods with a pair of horns on my head and wearing Mom's old fur coat....... As Bailee always tells me.."It's just the circle of life Grandma!"

Sneak Peek (CC)

Here's the rug, a piece of wall art and the lamp for over the game table....I'd say the art and lamp are a pretty good match.  The tile samples arrived this morning so I'm working on the inlay design for our table.  I even found chess pieces that teach.....They have all legal moves etched into the base so you can learn as you play... I'm pretty sure Miss B. will be teaching ME!! She asked her Papa if he knew how to play chess....he remarked, "Nope, I just know how to play chest!"  He's such a Hatfield!  Luckily I think she thought he was speaking pirate and she took the comment with a grain of salt! Arrr!  The CC builder was just here to scope out the location.... Access is good and they're starting it today!! :-)  My rug will be delivered this afternoon so I can choose some wall and ceiling colors... I just love it when a plan comes together.....

Design by Disguise

For those of you that know me.....you know I've been itchin' to spruce up another room.  I have no more sprucable space....I also have wanted to make a special space for Bailee and Gram to chill, play games, listen to music, dance and read.... NO TV.... I'm shaking a bit as I type that as I love TV!!! I had decided that as a Christmas gift I would make us a game table... One that we could play checkers, learn chess and play card and board games.  That facilitated a little design plan....I decided to make it 36 x 36 and inlay tiles for the checkerboard.  Tiles are on the way and I'm searching for just the right hunk of wood.  So.. we now have a color scheme.... yellows, reds and sage greens.....I have a folder in which I keep torn out pages of catalogs with items I like... Yep, there it was the red, green and yellow rug with patterned leaves (another favorite of mine.)  On the same page was a beautiful wall print of those colors and birch trees....SOLD!  I ordered them both!  Now remember, I still have no space........but I will in 4 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!  I ordered, specially made, Bailee's and Grandma's CULTURE COTTAGE...Our hideaway will sit along the bank of the creek with windows to hear the falls, see the wildlife and breathe in the fresh air.  It will have 6 foot doors but there won't be any 4 wheeler parked in our cottage.... There will be a comfy day bed, 2 club chairs, our game table, some book shelves and a record player....you heard me, record player..with vinyl records that will spin out tunes on 45's, 78's and 33's.....Nobody will see us twist, shake, rattle and roll or sing along with Mitch but it'll be happening!  Over the next few weeks, I'll share some of my furnishings and interior ideas... We'll be having pergo flooring and bead board walls.. After all, it's a cottage. And remember, this is a Christmas/birthday present of sorts.... At least that's how I'm justifying it...like I have to!!  You can say it's a gift disguised as a design or a design disguised as a gift.  Either way, we'll soak in a little culture...just the 2 of us.  Who can argue with that?

Firsts

Click here to view these pictures larger

Bailee was in bed by 7 last night and up bright and early to begin her first day of first grade.  Her teacher is Mrs (Julie) Flick and her classmates are a fun bunch of kiddos.  Can't believe they're the "Class of 2024"

Sounds of Sunday

 

I don't generally pen my blog on week-ends...My gray matter needs a couple days off each week to regenerate..(I wish)... but this morning, as I was sitting on our front porch, I listened....to the wonderful sounds of Sunday.  The local, annual car show is today so I was treated to a show all my own and the sounds that drove them past the house... the hum of the classics and the putt-putt of the antiques....  A bit nostalgic if not sad, when I'm closer in age to the antiques:-(  When there was a lull in the parade, I could hear the far away sounds of hammers on Oak Hill where the Rieks family is building a new barn.  I could see, in my mind, all the family pitching in on a wonderful project that will stand for tens of years!  A little farther up the hillside, the guns were vollying at the Mark Strongs (I think) where a little target practice may have preceded the Sunday trap shooting.  When quiet resumed, I could hear the announcer from the car show at Fillmore Glen rolling up through the valley.  Today could be my lucky day...Lee finally decided to move an old "project car" from the shop parking lot to the Glen for a possible sale...I call it urban renewal! Right here at EIEIO, I am listening to the fowl sounds from the Walnut Grove.  A couple of hens are making that painful sound of egg laying....I keep hollering over, "Breathe, this contraction will pass!"  Dufus is still taking crowing lessons from Steve Harvey.  He tries so hard to give out a big, boisterous cock a doodle do like Steve's but still falls short. A pileated woodpecker is searching for breakfast bugs in the trees behind me. I marvel at his jungle-like call. I feel a little guilty sitting on the porch, drinking coffee in the warm sunshine but then I figure.."What the hell. I'm 60 and this was on my bucket list. Good for me!!!"