Today is Thanksgiving Day, so naturally good day to reflect on all the wonderful blessings in my life. Naturally, thats’ my husband, my kitties, my family, my home, my garden, my health, etc., etc, etc.,

But another thing I’m grateful for is WHERE we live. Long-time readers may recall, that I grew up in the country (from age 4 to 12) Though I lived in cities and large towns for the majority of my life, those eight years made a huge impact on me, and I’ve longed to get back to those country roots.

We aren’t quite there yet. We now live in a VERY small town… one in which a five minute walk in any direction takes me to endless open countryside/forest.

And on Thursday night, I got a HUGE reminder of why I love it so much.

Now “see” might be a bit of a misnomer. Because I couldn’t see what shows in the picture. I could see the pillars on the sky, and movement, but I could barely see the colours. I was in an area that wasn’t quite as dark as I would have liked…. but it sufficed.

You see Monday night, Dave and I went out hunting the lights (I follow a group on Facebook that distills the scientific data and lets people know when/where to look). We found a great spot in the middle of nowhere, though we didn’t get an lights action.

On Thursday, it became very clear that it was going to be an almost 100% chance. But Dave was working and I didn’t want to miss it. He was not comfortable with me going out to our previous place alone (understandable). So I promised to stick closer to home.

I found a place to park just outside the local conservation area (which has an RV Park, and lots of people there until the end of October).

I got there just before sunset, set up my camera, texted Dave my location including pics (it’s a five minute drive from the house) and set into wait. And I didn’t have to wait long.

I spent about 2 hours out there, snapping away, experimenting with different lenses and settings on my camera and just generally having a great time all by myself.

And I learned several things, including that I need to invest in a wide-angled lens. And also that digital camera photography has advanced immensely since my camera came out (2008). I was a little limited because my ISO only went up to 1600, which limits how much light I can let into my camera (and get the bright colours), while trying to keep the pictures sharp.

For instance, my niece was able to get this picture with her iphone, in the middle of her city (with a good amount of light pollution

(My iphone is too old and doesn’t have night mode)

The lights had died out by about nine o’clock, so I headed home. Apparently they put on a better show after 10, and then again after 1 am. But I was already in bed by then.

And apparently the sun is going through a very active cycle right now, so there will be many more chances to capture this amazing natural phenomenon! Now that’s something to be grateful for!

Though we’ve had frost warnings, it hasn’t seem to have made much of a difference on the gardens.

Several of the roses are still blooming beautifully.

So many of the annuals I planted are still going strong.

But the colours of fall are making themselves apparent.

My Burning Bush is starting to smolder.

The end of the gardens will be here soon.

As of 5 pm yesterday, I am officially on vacation. I always take this week off for several reasons.

1. Monday is Canadian Thanksgiving so I only have to use four vacation days opposed to five.
2. The weather is almost always perfect – warm days, cool nice – just autumn perfection
3. It’s time to put the gardens to bed and do some prepping for spring (ie planting spring bulbs!)

Admittedly, I did a few of those task last weekend. I trimmed up all the roses, chopped down the asters and a few other perennials that I don’t leave for the birds over winter.

I do leave a lot standing. The coneflowers are a favourite of the finches.

I’m not sure who eats the globe thistle (above) but someone has definitely been enjoying it!

While in the veg beds, I pulled the last of the carrots.

These were planted after I pulled the garlic from the bed – which was late June. Since they were planted so late, I didn’t really expect much from them. But I was pleasantly surprised… a few were big enough to peel and cut up for the pot.

Of course, I didn’t get to do that, because almost as soon as they were cleaned off… Dave was eating them. That boy does love raw carrots!

With the carrots out, I got some more garlic in

It’s the same garlic I planted last year – though I bought new bulbs instead of using some of the ones I grew. I want to see if the ones I grew will get us all the way to the next garlic harvest – that will give me an idea of how much I need to plant in future harvests. I got 14 bulbs this year – and if all the ones I planted this year grow – I’ll get 18.

I was hoping to try some elephant garlic too – but the place I went didn’t have any. I might get lucky and come across some this week.

Elsewhere in the garden, the cherry tomatoes are finally done. While the days are still warm, the temps drop considerably at night, and the ones that do ripen split before we get a chance to bring them in. I’ll be pulling the plants this week.

I am happy to say, I did manage to get a few ripe fruit from the yellow tomato I started from seed. My seedlings did terribly, and I only managed to nurse one through to a spindly plant. But it still produced some fruit, so I count that as a success!

I’m still enjoying a handful of red raspberries every day. And I’m pretty sure I’ve got enough of the golden raspberries to make a small batch of jam (maybe 3 jars)

And would you believe I still have strawberries?

My plants are everbearing, so we get fruit on and off all summer and into fall. The later ones aren’t super big, but they are still delicious!

Over all, it was a very successful growing season for the edibles.

• My cucumbers did amazing and I’ll be growing the same ones next year.
• Same with the snap peas – they really resisted the powdery mildew – something my first crop the year before succumbed to.
• Though the broccoli I grew did well, I don’t think I’ll plant broccoli again. It’s much easier to just buy it at the store.
• I am definitely going to plant less beans next year, because there’s definitely only so many beans two people can eat! Basically the beans did TOO well.
• My squash harvest was of course, mostly a complete bust. As you will recall, the squash bugs/squash vine borer did their worst, and I harvested what fruit I had early, hoping I could ripen it on the porch. All but one of the squash rotted. I baked it up with a roast last weekend. It was a little under-ripe… but baked well, and mixed with a little brown sugar it was still pretty good. And… I have a strategy for next year to ensure a better harvest!

• The gourds and pumpkins did exceptionally well and I may try a few different types next year.
• Jury is out on whether I will grow zucchini again or not. I don’t eat it, though Dave enjoys it grilled on the bbq. But it did take up a lot of space, and we didn’t get a tonne of fruit from it.
• I will definitely grow cucamelons again – they’ve been so much fun to pick each day – just like the cherry tomatoes – they don’t stop until the weather stops them. In fact – they are still going!

So we’ve got a ways to go until I’m planting food again… but I’m definitely thinking I need to dedicate at least TWO beds to carrots!

What’s your favourite food to grow?

This is Relic.

Relic is sad.

Relic has had a rough week. He got two needles. Had goo stuck on the back of his neck. Got a pill shoved down his throat. And had his ears assaulted with liquids and probing. (And he doesn’t know we have to repeat all but the needles in a couple weeks)

It actually started last Friday. I’ve been having trouble keeping his ears clean. We’ve had a couple bouts of ear mite issues in this house over the years, so I was already thinking about booking him a vet appointment.

And then I noticed what looked like a bunch of dried blood beside his right nostril. It’s not unusual for the boys to tussle and get a little too rough, so I cleaned it up and went about my business. Then Saturday, I noticed the same thing… but it was wetter. That’s when I realized his nose was running (like a cold) but with a little blood mixed in. I kept and eye on him all weekend, but other than occasionally having to clean up a little blood and mucus from his face – he was his usually happy fat cat self. I called the vet first thing Monday morning and the got him in late in the afternoon.

The ears were easy – if apparently unusual. It was a mix of dirt, a little yeast, and a Demodex mite infestation. Demodex mites are apparently naturally found on cats, but not in any amounts that cause issues. But… they can in immune compromised cats.. like cats with FIV (which Relic has). The vet and vet tech however, had never seen an infestation inside a cat’s ears like that. So Relic is just special, but we already knew that. (And thankfully, unlike regular ear mites, they aren’t an issue for the other cats)

The remedy is fairly straight forward…. treatment with Revolution, Ivermectin, and regular ear cleanings administered by me (I’d already been doing this with Relic, so that’s no worry)

The nasal issue is trickier…. and the vet is concerned. If it was both nostrils, he’d be less concerned because then it would likely be a respiratory issue and treatable with antibiotics. That it’s one nostril, and contains blood… well the big C came up. But because his ears are so bad – it is possible it’s related to that. So we decided to treat the ears and see if the nose clears up on its own. If not… we’ll explore other options.

And if he wasn’t poked and prodded at the vet’s office enough… they also gave him his regular vaccinations (which were overdue because they’d been closed for renos)

So friends…. we’re asking for your good thoughts and purrs.

Because healing is always better with friends!

I thought I’d have a completed pair of socks to show you today, rounding out a week of FOs, but sadly I do not.

I’ve been working into the evening most nights, so poor second sock hasn’t seen any love since Friday.

I did however make it through the gusset and about an inch or so of the foot. I just need one, maybe two good evenings to get knit my way down the rest of the foot, and through the toe. Hopefully that will happen before the weekend… because it’s definitely starting to feel like fall here. And something so tropical looking is sure to keep my toes toasty as the temps drop!

The second quilt Mom finished up for me was the first top I’d finished in Augtober

I had a lot of fun figuring out how to use up a layer cake for this one. And I was quite pleased with the pieced border, because I always struggle with those. The pieced binding was just icing on the spooky cake!

Here’s a closer look at those blocks.

For this one Mom did an all-over leaf pattern that has almost and oak feel. Again – all free-hand because she’s freaking amazing!

For the back this one got a soft, marbled dark grey flannel.

It’s not a huge quilt – just 55″ square. But it’s the perfect size for curling up with a good movie. I suggest Practical Magic… or maybe Hocus Pocus!

If you want the perfect Spooky Season movie blanket, it’s in the shop now!

The weekend was so nice, I spent a good chunk of it outdoors. So there wasn’t a tonne of stitching this weekend.

I almost got the right-side leaves finished. There’s just a few that need the lightest shade added to them. Then I have to repeat it all for the left side. But there’s no deadline for this project so I’m content to just take my time with it!

The weekend before this last, Dave and I had to head to the big city for a celebration of life of the father of one of his good friends. On the way home, we made a bit of a detour to Mom’s so I could drop off my Aug-tober accomplishments.

I knew I would have time to get to her place and quilt them anytime soon, and I really wanted to get them in the shop before the Big Spooky.

Happily, Mom was more than willing to work her magic on them. She finished the first of them last week

Admittedly, it was a little hard to put this one in the shop – because I absolutely adore it. If I didn’t already have a quilt with these fabrics, I’d be keeping it! The centre panel, and some of the prints are from the Kitty Corn line. A few of the other prints are from Owl-o-ween. Both are out of print now, but I amazingly still have pile in my stash!

But back to the quilt itself.

I had so much fun picking out fabric for the friendship stars in the frame. It’s a simple concept with a big finish and a really fun way to frame out a panel. It does take a little quilt math, and time with the graph paper, but its worth it.

Mom did an all-over pumpkin and leaf design for the quilting – can you believe she does it all free hand??? And if you look closely at the cat, you can see she did a little custom work there…

Including a little spiderweb behind the wee spider!

The whole thing is backed with a soft, plaid flannel that matches the colours in the quilt!

That was a lucky find at the fabric shop, let me tell you!

And now its in the shop and could be yours!

I was out in the garden all day yesterday… though there’s still lots blooming, there still stuff that needs to be done to get everything ready for winter.

I leave a lot of seed heads for the birds, and leaves and such as mulch, and cover for beneficial insects. But there’s still thing I can trim and tidy up. And while I’m getting things ready for winter… I also have to get things ready for spring…

And that means spring bulbs! I didn’t go crazy this year, but I do have two gardens in the front (the side and island garden) that would be devoid of spring colour if I didn’t get anything.

These haven’t arrived yet, but hopefully will be here by next weekend.

For that first flush of colour, I got a mix of giant crocuses. And then added some “Whale Shark” crocuses too… because why not?

I got a mix of tulips, and a mix of daffodils – because they are such spring staples.

I love all my muscari (grape hyacinths), so I had to have more. And the Glory of the Snow is another early one that just makes the grey days of March and early April that much better.

Some later spring winners are allium (you know I love my allium), and snake head fritillaria. The only other place I have them is the catio, so it will be nice to have them out front too.

Something a little different is this Botanical Tulip called Peppermint stick. They are also known as Species Tulips, Groundcover Tulips, or Turkistan Tulips. They are close the the original form of the tulip. I have some bright pink ones, so I think these will be a nice compliment.

And last… these won’t be going in the garden, but some bulb pots I got earlier this year.

Some colourful dutch irises. They are smaller, and a little less showy than my big bearded irises, but still a great bit of colour for spring.

Are you making plans for your spring garden?

What does an October garden look like? Well it varies from year to year. This year has definitely been warmer than usual, though the garden is showing signs of decline. The Asters have gone over, there are no more daylilies blooming, and even the coneflowers are starting to wane.

There’s still a few hanging in there.

Most of the susans are finished too but these ones are still going.

The zinnias I started from seed are thriving.

I’ve got a couple of snapdragons that absolutely thriving.

And of course, that big pink Cosmos is still going gangbusters

A couple of the butterfly bushes still have blooms

My favourite mum is at her peak

And my second favorite mum is doing nicely too.

The little shade garden at the side of the house has done beautifully this year

It’s a mix of Coral Bells, with annuals thrown in. This year was begonias and impatiens

There’s lots of tidying to be done in the garden this weekend, so I’ll have lots of time to enjoy every bloom.