sweet november: thankful

I really wanted my words here to be poignant. I'm tired though and busy with the business of life. I am so thankful for this busyness of life. For living in such a beautifully stunning part of this country, for my mixed-up mister and his family. I am thankful for my sibs, my memories of my mother, and the humor she infused in me. I am thankful for friends who get me no matter how far away they are, and I am so super thankful and heart happy to have found such a delightful job working with a team of women who I enjoy at a school that astounds me with its community. Oh...and I am thankful for good music that makes me smile and livens up my heart.

sweet november: layered

The weather is finally cool enough for tights and socks and boots. This look here, is kind of my signature style and I have not really jumped back into it for awhile as I seem to be in frumpy-mode. But I'm trying, I am. We went to a pumpkin potluck today and I decided to festive myself up. The boots I had just received and was sad to discover that they were not actually the kelly green they appeared to be in the purchase photo. They were a non-returnable order from Zulily and I have to say that good old Zulily has some awesome customer service. I had contacted them to let them know that the boots were not even close to the green they appeared to be in their photo and that I was bummed out and they responded within 24 hours and gave me shop credit. Color me impressed. These boots here are not even as green as my photo shows but they are a bit on the minty side. So this is me in my layered leg look and I think that I may need to get back into it. After all, I do seem to have a thing for socks....and tights...and now....boots!

sweet november: comfort**

Yikes, I almost forgot! Today's word is comfort and while I wish I could re-use my tea photos as a hot cuppa is always comforting I'm going to go with the bed. Good golly do I love my bed. The headboard was made by my brother and I have had it for thirteen years. I absolutely love the uniqueness of it, add a happy pile of vintage linens and a girl just might lounge about all day!

 

I have not managed to keep up with my making the bed posts. While the bed does get made and the linens changed, I just have not had much time to stage and photograph all the happy not to mention how there is still a box of linens out in the garage that needs to be laundered. I did do the october bed...but I am not sure I posted it...oh and there was a september bed as well...

**well there goes that. Today's word was warm, not comfort, I don't know where my brain is lately.  This post might change if I can get to warm tomorrow...

sweet november: leaves

We have a lovely non-fruiting grapevine on the back patio here at the homestead. It curls around and around our shaded table peeking in and out of the metal fencing that arches over the tabletop and bench seats. It's what we use to track the seasons as it betrays the weather much better than any temperatures tell us.

 

While the week's forecast shouts out temps in the Hi 70s and we groan and groan because it is November and we could really use a break from this six month long summer already, the leaves on the grapevine begin to change. First the bright green dulls to dark then spots appear in a deep bergundy that spreads across the entire leaf blushing blushing away. The deep bergundy fades to coral and then yellow and then the wind takes advantage of them and carries them away in a dance of swirls and twirls.

So while it has been hot like summer during the day, the dark brings a chill that tickles those leaves so that they show all their colors. And with the variety of leaf sizes I thought I would also take advantage of the show.

 

 

 

 

To make this garland you will need 4-6 leaves in various sizes, a stapler, needle and embroidery thread. Layer your leaves according to size and color with the largest leaf on the bottom. Use a stapler to anchor them all together.

To cover up the staple mark, top the whole bit of frilly pretty with an even smaller leaf and lace along a length of embroidery thread.

Continue until you have a happy leaf party and hang in cheery space. If you have the time preserve the leaves in glycerin first so that they last and don't give off any allergy inducing fungi. This may make an appearance for the November bed photo but it won't remain up as this bit of pretty has not been treated and is full of all sorts of allergy inducing ick for me. But boy, isn't it pretty?

sweet november: everyday

We all have our routines. Some of us wake-up and do yoga or meditate. Some hop in the shower, while others cook breakfast for their loved one. Some routines involve listening to favorite music, checking email, or playing Farm Heroes Saga. There are so many tings we do everyday. So many things.

Everyday I check my email, listen to favorite songs, give the mister a squeeze, torment the witch-baby, and think of things to do in the classroom. Everyday I find myself in tears, both happy and sad. I laugh everyday as well. I smile, I wince, I cuss a little and may even play Farm Heroes Sage.

I also drink tea. Sometimes coffee but mostly tea. Green tea, black tea and all of those non-tea teas which are actually called tisanes. I drink them.

A hot cuppa does a body good. It does a body even better when you can smell what you are drinking. Still...I drink a happy cup everyday in one of my happy mugs be it chickenish or a smidge owly. Bottoms up, anyone up for a tea swap? Leave me a comment and let's swap! 

sweet november: old

It seems I have a fondness for old things. Some like to call them vintage but I think there is a tiny bit of magic in the oldness of it all. Most of my things, my old things come from family. They belonged to my mother or my grandmother. The rest were salvaged from thrift stores simply because I fancied them so. That lovely portrait up there is of my Great Aunt Mabel. I have always felt a kinship with her and met her when I was only a baby. In my childhood I could swear she was talking to me from this portrait. It all sounds a bit creepy now but back when I was all skinned knees and tow-headed I thought she was like a fairy whispering secrets of the past to me. Oh how I wish she really could. My mother told me that she never married and that she was a follower of Sister Aimee. She wore a pale blue velvet cape and played the tambourine along with the other women who followed Sister Aimee's gospel. Sister Aimee was caught up in all sorts of scandal.  If you ever get a chance, PBS put out a short documentary on her. I watched it searching for a familiar face and I do believe my Great aunt Mabel popped up in a frame or two.

 

And this bit of beauty if a small washboard, a recent gift from my brother as I wanted to bring one to the school to play. The sister a-go-go and her fella picked me up one last summer that we have outfitted with straps and the mister got me a horn AND a kazoo to add to it but now I think I want to keep it simple. I am not nearly as musically inclined as mr. a-go-go but I so have a good beat that can be danced to. A washboard makes for a pretty nifty percussion instrument if you do not want to fuss with drums. I'm still a bit shy and won't play in front of the mister but I do air-play when I am listening to this song (ya gotta start somewhere, right?) which by the way is from my new music obsession. Good golly is that Esther Rose just dreamy or what?

I'll end with the motely crew of old pillowcases on the not-so-made-up bed. Two of the three were thrifted and the top one was handmade by me from vintage fabrics that belonged to my mother. That yellow and pink bit is actually from one of her handmade dresses. So there you have it. A wee peek at some old things that I have surrounding me write now until...you know...I unpack that darn pink room!