an autumn day

The waning moon and the Hunter, setting were beautiful in the southern sky when I let the dog out this morning, just as the sky started to lighten and show color on the east above the trees.

It was BRRR yesterday, but should be a bit warmer today. K thinks he will finish the mowing, but I am not sure, as we went to town mid-day to get a new Rx filled and have lunch with a friend.

And, as it turned out, the prescription had not been called in, so the day took a much longer turn as, after lunch, we drove on into Milo to touch base at the clinic.. and incidentally pick up another large jar of chili powder from the IGA there -- is in their own (Milo Farmers Union) brand and a very good deal.

The friend with whom we lunched is on Freecycle too and when I posted a request for natural fiber blankets and quilts, she responded. I was looking for old ones to put to the windows as inexpensive warmth, but what she gave me are a real Pendelton and a good fake, so they can go on the bed and I will end up looking for old sheets to sandwich the poly blanket (which I have been wanting to get rid of... it is not on the bed and I don't want it to be) as a window quilt, despite the fact that I really didn't want to do that.

One problem -- in general -- is that there are no really good thrift stores here and what there are ask (to me) inflated prices for their goods. I got the window frames mostly touched up with stain -- except for the places that first needed a bit of wood dough -- so hopefully that is dry enough to touch up this evening and I can have a go at putting on the seal coat tomorrow. I HAVE to get on that so that we can begin to put up the heat-shrink plastic. The dining room no longer has any curtain, though it does have plants, so I will want something there that can be raised or opened all the way... thinking roman blind... I have washed the drapes and sheers from the living room windows so have them to re-install. I am not terribly happy with the whole idea of sheers (I like to look out!) and the rods for the drapes are thick and not designed to let the drapes be pulled all the way open. They are also not insulated drapes (though they are lined) so I am not sure what I will do. Likely put together something in a home-made roman blind here, too... it is the most easily made, cost effective solution, and if I set it up right, should snug up to the wood window frame all around, keeping in the warm and out the cold most effectively.

It is really nice to be able to look out back and SEE the land rolling away to the north. And the Powers That Be handed me a set of old fashioned, wooden snowshoes, so I will be learning to use them once the snow files. It will be fun to walk about on the property and look for tracks. As we have been cutting, we have revealed paths and possibly places where something has laid down. Not sure what.. there are a lot of cats (domestic) in the area and one of them has been seen to hunt in the back field (though he did not share the mouse with K, riding the mower!).

K was asking for sausage and potatoes yesterday (I was set to make spaghetti then, which I did) so I boiled some potatoes when I made breakfast this morning and am set up for that tonight.