Finally… my office is officially done! As in, everything is moved back in! It took me a day and a half to get everything moved and reorganized. But it gave me a chance to go through everything, thrift things I don’t need any more, and get all the pictures etc up on the walls.

My bookshelves are all nice and organized with rooms for my dragon stuffy collection (mostly squishmallows but a few others) and Wednesday doll collection.

This shelf is new, and the fabric totes organize (and hide) office supplies like printer paper, shipping supplies and wrapping materials.

It also gave me a nice space to showcase the beautiful glass bonsai I got for a steal at the thrift store several months back. (If you follow this online, you know they can go for silly prices). It was also the perfect place for Sir Furbsalot’s thrifted portrait.

These plants were up here in front of the window before we renoed the room so it’s nice to see them back there. I’ve had the curtains for ages, just waiting to have the perfect green walls to highlight their beauty.

The Butterflies are real specimens Mom and I found at a festival about 20 years ago. She had plans to put them up in her bathroom, but changed her mind and last year asked if I wanted them. They were perfect for the vibe I wanted for the room so of course I said yes. I think they frame the window nicely!

And of course, there’s quilts in here! Mainly because I have SO many I have to put them somewhere – but they do look nice!

It’s so nice to see the closet framed and looking so clean and white. And above it was the perfect place for my stitched critters

There’s another small bookshelf tucked in the corner, and it was the perfect place for one of my thrifted cat lamps.

I don’t like having the overhead light on, so it’s nice to have this one in there. (The second one is sitting on my desk). I’m not sure if my dragon skull will stay beside it, but it’s there until I find a better spot.

And on the final wall, behind my desk

We picked up the little rack from a thrift store a couple weeks ago. Dave painted it white for me. As you can see, it’s got little hooks – which is why I bought it. I thought it was just perfect for hanging small plants. (I’m thinking it might have been intended as a kitchen pot hanger or something.)

I am waiting on some brass figurines, which have been ordered to fill the cat head shelf.

And last… the door

My daily reminder, and a thrifted toy rifle we picked up ages ago. It’s wooden and completely handmade. It has a little crank that clinks when you turn it and it just made my smile so much, I had to buy it. I don’t get to the range to play with my real rifle very often – but I think this one looks nice on the wall!

We started this reno in mid-August so just under two months to complete! Not bad considering it required an entire wall teardown, as well as new drywall for half the room.

Up next is Dave’s workout room. It should be easier (and ideally quicker). We don’t need to reconfigure any wall, or put up any new drywall. We will be wallpapering one accent wall – so that will be a new adventure! Stay tuned!

Technically, the veg garden is all but finished for the year.

But no one told the beans.

That pile there was given to a friend on Thursday. About that many were given Mom when she was here. And I have two large bags in the fridge, waiting for when I have time to blanch and freeze them!

I finally got around to rounding up my garlic and shallots for storage

They’ve been drying on the porch for months. The shallot haul was low this year, but I’m still happy. These are great for when you don’t want to use a whole, big onion! I have to get some seed garlic and get it in the ground soon.

There’s still some peppers on the plant, a couple melons, and my cabbage left to harvest. And of course, my bird house gourds. But Most of it will be cleaned up by the week of (Canadian) Thanksgiving. I’ll do a full round up of the season then.

October is here..

The Burning Bush is smoldering, and the Toad Lilies have bloomed. But the garden isn’t suddenly going to stop blooming tomorrow!

The New England Asters are blooming out front (the catio has the smooth asters). The show isn’t as good as previous years as I had to cut the main patch back hard this year – the lace bugs hit it hard in the summer. But, it reseeeded in several other spots out front, which was kinda nice to see.

The sneezeweed is one of my favourite fall bloomers -just love those little button-like flowers.

The roses look the best they’ve looked all year. Clockwise from top left: Bolero, Chicago Peace, Prairie Princess, Navy Lady

I have to get some seeds from these Strawberry Blonde marigolds because they are just the prettiest marigolds I’ve seen in my entire life! I’m not sure if they will come true from seed, but I have to try.

What’s your favourite October bloom?

Our time with the wee Marshmallow is quickly running out.

She’s set to go home Monday.

Poor Bronson is going to have a heck of a time keeping her content in the house. She’s been the first to go out every morning

And always, always the last to come in at night.

Furby was not to sure of her at first, but he’s come to tolerate her

And of course, she’s had a ball hanging with Lemmy.

But I’m sure she’s misses Bronson and Loki…

And will be happy to see them again, and be back in her familiar surroundings. And of course, she’s welcome to visit any time – she just lives beyond our back fence!

I’m happy to say, I finished up the Stormy socks while Mom was here this weekend. Normally, I’d work on a tiny needle project on the weekends… but my studio was still a mess and getting to all the supplies for my next project just wasn’t going to happen.

So I knit instead. And just breezed through the last of the second sock

I am so happy with them. I think they might be my new favourite socks!

To recap – nothing fancy – Cast on 60 stitches 2-2 rib for a 3.5 in cuff. Sock math for heels and toes in contrasting black.

Now, I’ve got to get something new on the needles, and since it’s officially October… it’s not to early for something Christmassy – stay tuned!

Can someone tell me how it’s already the last day of September??? Where the heck did the month go – I feel like it was just labour day last week.

I’m hoping to get out in the garden this weekend and get a start on several things I need to do before the frost hits. Right now, I’m mostly getting out there to pick raspberries. And when I do, I always take a little stroll around the garden to check on things and check in with my little friends.

Like Gary Grasshopper! These guys fascinate me – I love lookin at all the different parts of their body and how they fit together. Almost like little garden robots.

The Praying Mantises have also been very active

I came out the other day to find this giant lady climbing the glass on the catio door. She eventually climbed up my robin bell that hangs on the door and hung out there for a day or two.

She’s since moved on – I imagine to a better place to catch dinner.

The lady mantises are especially active right now because they looking for good places to make these:

That is a mantis egg case – also known as an ootheca. It has the same texture as spray-foam insulation, and inside are hundreds of baby mantises. It will hang out there all through winter, and when temps hit about 20C in the spring… they will spring forth and descend on my garden! This one is in the purple lilac by the shed. I will most likely find one or two more before spring.

I was checking on the remaining watermelons when I discovered this friend.

The humble grass spider! Tucked away in her funnel web, built at the top of the melon ladder, just waiting for prey to stumble by.

And while most of the butterflies are gone, with mainly just White Cabbages hanging about, I did stumble across this beauty

The Painted Lady. I really only see them late summer into fall here.

But they are definitley a favourite.

And just incase you’re wondering about our Monarch friend…

Still green. So we are still waiting. Tick Tock little Monarch, tick tock…

The secret project I’ve been working on the last couple weekends was a little birthday gift for Mom

I found this little kit at the thrift store for $3 about a month ago and instantly knew I had to make it for Mom. It looks like her dear departed Tibbi.. and while I don’t recall him ever hanging out in plants – he did love to sleep in the Christmas tree branches.

The kit had everything needed – printed fabric (which was lovely – way nicer than the little bee and moth kits I did a while back.) Needles (three sizes), floss (more than enough) and hoop. I felt the hoop was actually too big to frame the final pic, so I swapped it out with a smaller one I had on hand (pro-tip – you can get packs pretty cheap on Amazon – perfect to have on hand for framing pieces you are going to gift.)

This one gave me a great opportunity to practice my satin stitch. It’s come a long way from when I did Relic’s Wildflowers. It’s not perfect, but I’m definitely getting better!

As I mentioned yesterday – Mom was here for the weekend. It was her birthday on Saturday. She came Friday afternoon and headed home Sunday morning.

I still had to work when she got here, but we set up a sewing machine in the dining room for her so she could keep herself occupied until I was done. (My studio is still full of stuff – the cove we got was the wrong size, so I had to order some bigger stuff)

Saturday, after breakfast, we took her to our favourite three-story antique place in Woodstock.

While she didn’t get anything, and Dave only got a couple small oceanliner models, you know I came home with a pile!

First, up – a rectangular version of my favourite casserole collection. I’ve never seen this one before.

Then the creamer that matched! There were quite a few creamer/sugar sets throughout the place, but they were quite expensive. This one was half the price of the others.

On the way out, I found this beautiful pink carnival glass swan. The picture does not do it justice! It absolutely sparkles with all the colors of the rainbow! It’s stunning. I have to find a very special plant to put in it.

And last… I love a good crossbody purse, and I switch my purses out often.

This one had such beautiful autumn colours! And cats. I had to have it!

After our antique adventure, we took Mom out to dinner to celebrate her birthday. All in all, a great weekend! Though I’m definitely looking forward to having some slower weekends for a bit…

As I mentioned early in the week, I’ve been in the veg beds cleaning things out. Things are definitely coming to and end. Tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and zuchini are all harvested and done.

But it seems I missed a potato…

I went out and found this wee one sitting on top of the bed the other day. It had a little nibble out of it. I think someone was burying nuts, dug it up, gave it a taste and changed its mind.

I did not get many strawberries this year, but this one popped up the other day!

I got some new plants in late summer so I’m hoping for a better harvest next year.

The raspberries, however, never dissapoint.

As I mentioned before, those yellow ones are going right in the freezer for a batch of jam. I’ve almost got enough!

And remember that passionfruit I showed you….

There’s more! that one in the middle is the one I already showed you. I found two more and one was quite large! As I said, these won’t have time to ripen – but I’m still so thrilled I got fruit! I can’t wait to see what it does next year!

And last… Mom has been visiting this weekend so I finally cracked open one of the Mini Mike melons

It was so red, ripe and fragrant! I was thrilled. I don’t eat watermelon ,but Mom said it was delicious! I’m definitely going to grow these ones again!

September has just flown by and the garden is definitely showing the signs of decline. Of course, I’ve got so much pack in there, that decline moves pretty slowly

The roses are enjoying the cooler weather and the decline of the Japanese Beetle.

The Hydrangeas are turning pink and the autumn sedum is in full bloom.

There’s a great fall of asters in the catio and they frame Lemmy’s throne nicely.

But the real stars of the season are the annuals

The Dahlias are looking stunning. I really do have to take the time to dig them up this year so I can save the tubers for another season.

The Cosmos always put on a good show until the frost.

Same with the Zinnias. I’m going to try planting some seeds direct next year and see how they get on.

Other annual show stoppers…

Portulaca, marigolds and sunpations.

The first frost is probably only a few weeks off, but we are going to enjoy every last bloom.