Halloween is just around the corner

This is Rose, one of our goats.  She has cleaned all the oak leaves off of the Oak Tree.  The oak is the tree at her back but the branches are right in front of her.  The tree in front of her is a Walnut.  She likes the leaves in it also but prefers Oak or even better pecan leaves.  Isn't she pretty ?  Her sister Alice is just as sweet but she is lounging in the shade.

Have been busy here and there.  Much to do and the time is traveling by so fast I can't believe it.  Here we are heading into Autumn.  What a pretty time of the year.  I just love the smell of the crisp cool air in the morning.  You can just feel the change coming.  We really had a mild summer so am hoping the winter will follow suit.  We don't live in snow country so don't have that to worry about just rain and usually lots of it.  What I miss is the thunder storms.  Coming from Kansas we would have some rip roaring thunder and the lightning, well let's just say you were able to see All of the night sky whether you wanted to or not.  Oh, the good ole' days ! 

  I mentioned we have a walnut tree, two in fact here in our yard.  They are starting to fall so need to get out there and get them picked up.  I swear it's a battle to keep our dogs away from them.  What is really cute is finding a walnut cracked on my couch with only the shell left.  Oh, you can just bet I find that cute. Ha!  This year I am going to get them cracked and in my freezer as fast as I can.  We do love them and snack on them a lot.  What is better then walnut and carob chips, yum yum.     Tootles

Time, where is it?

They say the heat will be with us for a few more days.  Next week is suppose to be in the 70's. I want to say, I can hardly wait for next week but I feel like I am rushing my days away.  I suppose that comes with getting older.  We seem to notice time more, the kind of time that slips away.  I want so much to enjoy the rest of my life, I know that sounds  boring but I really do mean it.  I seem to be going through many days of feeling sad and lonely.  Don't get me wrong I'm generally not that way and I wouldn't describe myself as someone depressed.  I guess I am lucky enough that it doesn't last but an hour or two and I snap out of it.  I don't want to be that way.  I suppose the one thing I wish I could do is have friends.  I use to think I had a lot of them but my kids grew, I quit my job and I did not take care of my friendships like I should have.  That is really hard to admit as I have always had friends around me.  You know, someone to call or stop by and visit with. It didn't happen overnight.  I guess you could say it happened when I wasn't looking.  I wasn't paying attention and when I turned my head no one was there.  I had no phone numbers to call, no addresses to find and no name to think of.  Yes, I know there is Facebook.  I'm sorry, I don't like it.  I was on it for a short time just to see what it was like and it just happened my cousin from Kansas found me and we have been writing since.  That was a couple years ago.  So, for that I am glad but I have no desire to get on again.  We just exchange emails now.  I have discovered more people have regretted something they said on their facebook page or maybe they should have regretted it.  It's just too easy to be typing away on a machine and feeling safe and your thoughts get away from you.  Anyway it's not for me.  I would like to have someone who I could go meet for lunch.  Hey, maybe a cup of coffee.  The problem with that is your spending way too much for a cup and all of a sudden you feel this pressure to be someone you are not. 
     I also would like to go to San Francisco for the weekend.  Doesn't that sound like fun.  I really have been all over the City, thanks to my husband.  We have been to all the tourist spots and I do love them but I love it when he just goes to a part of the city, we park the car and start walking.  The little shops are so much fun and you will find a little cafe (I do mean little) that you didn't even realize was there.  The food ends up being so good and it's just fun to sit and watch the people especially if you get by the window.  That is fun and I do so hope soon I can do that. 
     I'm crocheting a baby blanket but in looking over patterns on Google I have discovered shadow knitting.  There are other names for it and it looks like it would be interesting.  Actually there are different kinds as the one pattern it shows a pair of hands praying.  It's not real plain but you see like the shadow.   Another kind is when you look straight on it's strips but when you look at the side you see a heart, or a hand etc.  First I am going to do the prayer hands in the shawl.  It really does look beautiful and when I get it done I will take a picture of it and put it here on my site.  Now you notice I said knitting.  I did knit years ago and will try it again.  Crochet is so forgiving as you can make a mistake and it really doesn't show, that is to other people but if you make a mistake in knitting it shows up like a sore thumb.  Wish me luck !   Tootles

It's September ? Really ?

What the heck happened to the summer ?  I was going to do so much......Oh well, anywho now it's getting into fall.  What is more beautiful then Autumn ?  I took a quick picture of our oak tree which is right in front of our walnut tree, they still have their leaves
  and soon they will be turning yellow,and it will be so pretty. Then of course the air starts to get cooler.  Ok, I am ready for the new season.
     I have been reading a good book on my Kindle, well actually I have been reading a lot of good books on my Kindle.  I am thoroughly spoiled by all the free books.  I cannot believe they are free it's like Christmas every time I click the buy button.  Right now I'm reading "Gone to Green" by Judy Christie.  It's a good story and am enjoying it very much.  Have you went to see the movie "The Help" yet.  Oh my God, it is soooo good.  I read the book and loved it so much I've read it a second and third time, then when I saw the ad for the movie I was thrilled.  Let me tell you the movie is very well done.  I was very happy with it, of course there are always some situations which are not in the movie so, by all means go get the book or get it on your Kindle, just get it you won't be disappointed and I promise, you will be very glad you did.  Nothing but enjoyment, love, laughter, sad, embarrassing, serious and down right fun.  I fell in love with all the character even the mean one (which is Opie's daughter, am I dating myself?).
     I have been crocheting again.  I do have a few things to make for Christmas gifts and of course there is a new member of our family coming around the end of the year so must make a blanket for him.  Yes it's a boy and we are thrilled, of course a girl would have been wonderful also.
     I'm feeling all sixes and sevens, up down all around, this way that way, over and under, backward and forward, turn this way, turn that way, not knowing for sure which way to go or what to do.  Have you ever felt this way.  Sometimes it feels crazy but it's not.  I think it's the changing of the season and not knowing for sure just what is going to happen.  I feel like my Mom should say, "Settle down".  I don't care how old you are you still remember Mom and how she could always make things better.  I think I felt safe just hearing her voice even when it was stern.  I now know that made me feel safe because she was it charge and everything was going to be ok.  Well, here is to all the Mom's out there.  Thanks Mom, even though you are no longer here your voice of love will always be with me.  Tootles

What a Great Summer We Have Had !

Weather wise that is.  We couldn't have asked for anything better.  Now we are enjoying the results of our garden especially tomatoes.  I love them.  I love a tomato and lettuce with mayo on fresh bread.  Yum, Yum ! 

Just a quick look at our tomatoes.  We do have more vines but this one seemed to show up the best.  We also have banana squash and pumpkins.  There is something to be said about planting your own garden.  I swear when you can go out and pick dinner this is nothing better.
     We have been cleaning things out around the house. The outside that is.  I guess we are getting ready for winter a little early.  Haven't been able to do a lot of the things we planned for this summer but you know the saying..... God just laughs and laughs hearing about your plans.   Tootles

Combining Blogs ?

Can you see the image of the bird ? Remarkable !

     What a great weekend this is turning out to be.  Nice breeze and warm temps.  Who could ask for more.  Now getting to the blogs.  I am trying to combine my blogs together as I have three.  Don't ask me why because I just don't know why I did that.  My first blog was  www.secretportis.blogspot.com .  I wrote about my Jim and I losing our home and moving to some land which my Jim made our home. He used an old school bus which we have our Kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom in.  I have pictures of it all on the blog.  Of course since that time we have improved some and added and moved something around, mostly outside and it all looks great.
     My next blog was  www.arcanesportisaveo.blogspot.  It's just more about my life and what been happening.  I do have a lot of pictures on it also, the house, a lot of our animals.  So don't forget to check it out. 
     Then of course I have this blog  here. adustycottage.blogspot.com .  Let me explain a little about the names.
Arcanes Portus Aveo is the name of our home.  I know some people name their homes and I for one feel it's a good idea.  I mean why ever not.  So I wanted it to be special and reflect my Jim and I and what we wanted for our future.  Well I have this latin/english dictionary which was given to me by a dear friend.  It had belonged to her husband when he was in college.  I swear I treasure this book not only for who it belonged to but looking up words and using them in the latin form.  So this is what I came up with.  Arcanes which means Secret or Hidden....Portus (I spelled it wrong in my blog, can you believe it) which means haven or home and Aveo which means Happiness and Good Health.  So the name of our home is" Secret Home of Happiness and Good Health" or Hidden Haven of Happiness and Good Health.  So I think you see why I started the first one and now here we are on the third.....which is " A Dusty Cottage".  It's still called Arcanes Portus Aveo but because I have such a time of keeping up with the dust I came up with that.  Now I am so sorry I just didn't stay with the first one and have all that has happened together but now I've been told the new thing now is.....tumblr.  Well I have started one on tumblr and it's name is adustycottage but only one page so far as I need to figure all of it out.  Here's to progress which is a lot faster during these times and trying new things.  Tootles

The Middle of August ?

Roses !  Beautiful and sweet.  Enough said. 
  I cannot believe the summer is almost over.  Have we ever been lucky here in Northern CA. , not one 100' day (so far).  Wow, this is so strange, but hey, I will take it.  At the beginning of summer the liner to our pool had holes all over it.  Then we found out they don't sell replacements.  So you have to buy a whole new pool, well we could not do that so we thought, Oh well.  I was not looking forward to the heat.  As you can see we have been very lucky and have enjoyed our summer.
  Have I got a recommendation for you !!  Go see the movie,  "The Help",very well done and has everything, drama, comedy (very, very funny) serious, sad and just plain fun.  Go see it and be prepared to laugh and maybe cry but don't miss out.  I want to go see it again and hopefully I will. Remember "The Help".
     Guess what I have taken on, that is with Jim's help.  We are recovering a couch that I threw out in the yard, that is in the back back yard.  Well I got to feeling so bad about doing that and knew it was a good couch that I talk Jim into helping me redo it.  We have peeled off all the offense material and the stuffing inside is snow white and in very good condition.  All I have to buy is some batting and maybe upholstery nails as we have the material.  I will keep you posted.

Good Morning!

     Isn't that a beautiful flower?  I know some people call it a weed and it does turn into one of those globe like fuzzy balls like a dandelion but hey, right now it is beautiful.
     We are having a cool morning and I am enjoying a cup of coffee. Now will someone please tell me where has June gone.  I swear it was just yesterday it was the first, now look.  Maybe it's because I am getting older.  I do notice how fast everything seems to be going.  Remember when you were counting the days to turn 13, at last a teenager.  Or who could forget becoming 16.  Now you were grown up.  And last but not least...taaadaaa!  21.  Ok, you were not only all grown up but you could drink to boot.  From then on it seems everything went down hill.  Ha!  Now we long for the days when we just had to clean up Mom's living room in order to meet our friends downtown.  Now that is funny.
     I'm putting my books on the computer.  My son suggested that I use Googledocs.  After showing me where to go I explored it all and decided yes this was the place for me to go.  This way I can use any computer to add, delete, or search.  It's great.  I plan on putting my movie collection and ebook collection from my Kindle .  I have a lot of books, so many in fact I kept putting them in archives as I was just getting overwhelmed.  Now I will be able to put them on the screen myself and maybe add a memo.  I know I can do that on the kindle but this way I can get to them faster.  Anywho, hope it works, will let you know.
     Must get some activity in this morning so will dance for 15 minutes or so.  I find it is better than exercise.  Believe me I have done my exercise since I was in my 20's now it's time to dance.  Tootles