10/16/26  She  looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." - Proverbs 31:27   Homemaking is an important job!   

  Cloudy, 37 degrees,  Rain today, starting about 8AM, stopping late evening.  A strong SSE breeze, high 55, low 40.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a NW wind, high 46, low 27.  Sunshine Sunday, a west breeze, high 52,low 41. Mostly sunny Monday, a SSW breeze, high 63, low 32.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a NNW breeze, high 66, low 37.  Sunshine Wednesday, a NNE breeze, high 59, low 31. Most sunny Thursday through the weekend A SE breeze Thursday, high 56, low 38. a NNW breeze Friday, high 58, low 35. A north breeze Saturday, high of 60, low 33. A NNW breeze Sunday,, high 60, low 37. Partly cloudy Monday the 26th, a NNW breeze, high 56, low 41. Mostly cloudy the next four days, NW breezes, highs in the mid fifties, lows in the upper thirties.

     Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and upstate New York all fall into the region’s least predictable precipitation zone this winter according to the long range forecasters.
      Dahlia tubers must be dug up each fall as soon as the tops frost and stored inside until the next growing season. You may want to mark them before frost so you will know the color of each tuber.  If they aren't frosted yet they'll frost tonight or tomorrow night. Cut back the frosted foliage so that only a few inches of stalk remain —  this will become your handhold. Use a pitchfork to loosen the soil about a foot away from the stalk in all directions, then gently lift the entire plant to free the tuber clump from the ground. Take your time during this part to reduce breakage.  Some people rinse all their tuber clumps and then let them dry before storing them. I don’t do that —  I’m too afraid that the moisture will lead to mold or rot. Instead, I let the tuber clumps dry and then brush off any excess dirt before storing them,  as though they were potatoes.. Ideal storage conditions for tubers are between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, at close to 90% humidity.  I’ve stored mine in cardboard boxes in the cellar, our cellar is very damp. The biggest issue I’ve noticed with this method is that they can get too dry and tend to shrivel up a bit. But some years are better than others.  I've also stored them in cedar shavings. 

     A busy day today as we get ready for tomorrow's birthday celebrations.  Another window got done yesterday.  I washed one section, Sally Jo took over and washed the other two.  The plants were happy to move out of that chilly garage into a warm, sunny window.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/15/26 Be careful how you live, you may be the only Bible some people read.

Clear, calm, 43 degrees.  A strong NW breeze today, sunshine, high 56, low 34.  Rain tomorrow, a stiff SSE breeze, high 53, low 40.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a NW wind, high 46, low 26. Sunshine Sunday a west breeze, high 53, low 31. Sunshine Monday a brisk SSW breeze high 65,low 35. Partly cloudy Tuesday, a north breeze, high 66, low 36. Sunshine Wednesday, a NNE breeze, high 61, low 31. Mostly sunny next Thursday, a west breeze, high 58, low 38. Partly cloudy next Friday through Thursday the 29th with NW breezes, highs in the upper fifties, lows in the upper thirties.

   Enjoy tomorrow night's low.  It's the last time we see 40 in the forecast, the rest of the lows are in the thirties.  Winter long range forecasts are changing to the possibility of more snow than earlier forecasts.  I'd rather plan for a cold snowy winter and the plans not be needed than vice versa.  The forecast is cold enough to plant garlic next week rather than the last week of the month.

   Mild or cold, snow or icy rain, losing power in the winter isn't nice.  It is time to check the generators and make sure the generator gas cans are full.  The garage is full of pellets and wood.  Our annual load of straw is being delivered next week.  Evan in a mild winter the north wall of our house needs banked.  Plants need mulched, especially in a mild winter.  Mulch prevents  the ground from freezing and thawing during temperature swings.  If the winter doesn't have much snow to protect the plants the mulch will.  Earlier long range forecasts predicted a rainy winter.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/14/26  Life isn’t always sunshine and blue skies. Sometimes we have to weather a few storms to appreciate the beautiful days ahead. 

Light rain, calm.46 degrees,  Partial afternoon clearing, a brisk NNW breeze, high56, low 44. Sunshine tomorrow, a NW wind, high 56, low 35. Rain Friday, stiff SE breeze, high 54, low 40.  Partly cloudy Saturday, strong NW wind, high 49, low 27.  Sunshine Sunday, a stiff WNW breeze, high 50, low 31.  Sunshine Monday, a strong SSW breeze, high 62, low 38. Mostly sunny Tuesday, a WNW breeze, high 65, low 37. Partly cloudy next Wednesday and Thursday, WNW breezes, highs about 64. lows 39.  Partly cloudy Friday the 23rd, a strong NNW breeze, high 55, low 36.  Possible showers Saturday the 24th, a strong NNW breeze, high 54, low 39. Mostly cloudy the next four days, NW breezes, highs in the mid fifties, lows in the upper thirties.

   The new dishwasher does a beautiful job. you would have laughed if you had seen us admiring the  shiny clean silverware and glasses.  I had purposely left some dried peanut butter and jelly on a few knives!  A new heating element has been ordered for the dryer.  It's a Speed Queen commercial dryer so it is worth fixing even though it is ten years old.

   Headlines on the weather channel page, "First real cold this weekend."  Strong NW winds are not exactly the weather we wanted for the last family cookout of the season.  Saturday we are celebrating two birthdays, big Mike's and Alexander's.  We'll set up tables in the garage and the house will be warm.  We'll be saying goodby to the flowers.  I got word yesterday that our straw order  is coming early next week.  Just in time for banking houses and mulching plants.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

10/13/26  Remember that gratitude and grief can live in the same heart at the same time.

Calm, clouds, 36 degrees  Rain this morning, snow may mix in.  There will be a break in the storm then rain this afternoon.  Rain tonight may be heavy at times. An ENE breeze, high 42, tonight's low 40.   Cloudy tomorrow, a stiff NNW breeze, high 56, low 42. Sunshine Thursday, a strong NW breeze, high 55, low 34.  Rain Friday, a brisk SE breeze, high 48, low 38.  Partly cloudy Saturday, strong NW wind, high 44, low 27  Mostly sunny Sunday, a strong WNW breeze, high 45, low 23.  Partly cloudy next Monday through Tuesday the 27th with brisk NW breezes, highs in the upper fifties Monday through Friday, Then the highs drop to the mid fifties. The low next Monday and Tuesday 36, 33 next Wednesday.  Lows of 40 Thursday the 22ed and Friday the 23rd.   Lows in the thirties the next five days.

   Yesterday we hooked up the new dishwasher.  Last night the dryer stopped heating.  It is a commercial speed queen dryer so it is worth fixing.  To my surprise Amazon looks like the best place for speed queen parts.  Home Depot carries aftermarket parts.  Parts will be here Saturday.  Today Bekah will dry a load at Maegin's and I'll dry a load at my sister's.  Maegin has been using our dryer,  she just got one a few weeks ago.  We have two wooden drying racks, after today we'll keep rotating clothes through them until the dryer is fixed.  Just found out Walmart has speed queen parts too.

     I hung clothes and sheets  all over the laundry room and on the racks last night.  Monday is a big laundry day for us.  We don't do as much laundry on weekends and we do sheets etc Mondays.

  We haven't had many birds the last few weeks.  There must be lots of ripe seeds.  Cold weather may bring them back if only for the suet.

This afternoon I'll bring in the last of the three mandevilla vines.  It is so covered in red blooms I've been wrapping it in remay.  When the vines come in for the winter I cut them back. The hibiscus is still covered in huge pink bloons.  Wrapping may not be enough this weekend.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 !0/12/26  There will come a day when no one needs you to tuck them in anymore. Tonight, linger just a little longer.

Cloudy today, calm now,a strong NNW breeze later.  It is 45 degrees, today's high 69. tonight's low 37. Rain tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow night, may be heavy at times.  An east breeze, high 43, low 40. Showers Wednesday, a north breeze, high 54, low 43.  Sunshine Thursday, a strong NW breeze, high 55, low 34.  Rain Friday, a brisk SE breeze, high 48, low 38. Partly cloudy with a strong NW wind. High 43, low 27.  Mostly sunny Sunday, a strong NW breeze, high 44, low 22. Partly cloudy next Monday, a SSW breeze, high 55, low 35. Partly cloudy next Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 59, low 36.  Mostly sunny next Wednesday, a NNW breeze, high 57, low 35.  Partly cloudy Thursday the 22ed, a NNW breeze, high 57, low 39.  Cloudy Friday the 23rd, a brisk WNW breeze, high 56, low 39.  Partly cloudy the weekend of the 24th and 25th, brisk NW breezes, highs about 56, lows about 37,  

    A dense fog has rolled in.  The sun is trying to burn it off.  Pleasant Sunday afternoon at Doug and Nicole's pressing apples for cider.  Each variety was pressed separately so people could taste the different flavors.  Then different flavors were mixed to see which kinds completed each other.  The cold breeze made for lots of shivering.

   Next weekend will be even colder.  Evan wrapped my beautiful hibiscus may get frosted!  I'll put a blanket over the decorative pumpkins by the door, all other pumpkins and squash will come in.  Anything we aren't planning to eat will go in the barn for the hens.

   Our dishwasher has been giving us lots of problems. Bekah and I bought a dishwasher Saturday.  Home Depot had it on sale so I checked Dunnetts, an independent business we've bought appliances from before.  They  had it on sale too, a little more than Home Depot but they match prices.  And they had it in white which we preferred.  Stainless steel inside.  With all the information about micro plastics that seemed a good choice.  It is much larger than the one we have, which is good too.  And they take the old dishwasher for free.  Sometime today I'll pick it up at the warehouse.

    May your day be blessed. Sally

 10/10/26"Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and for the soul." — Linda Solegato

Clear, calm, 39 degrees. Sunshine today, a strong NW breeze, high 57, low 31.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a stiff SW breeze, high 64, low 49.  Cloudy Monday, a brisk NW breeze, high 68, low 39. Showers after midnight.  Rain Tuesday, an east breeze, high 47, low 45. Showers Wednesday, strong NNW breeze, high 69, low 42.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a light WNW wind, high 55, low 32. Showers Friday, a stiff SSW breeze, high 52, low 45. Showers next Saturday, a light WNW wind, high 50, low 32.  Partly cloudy next Sunday through Saturday the 24th. A NW wind next Sunday,  high 48, low 31.  A brisk west breeze next Monday, high 54, low 47.  NW breezes the rest of the week, high in the upper to mid fifties, lows about 38.

     House plants put moisture as well as oxygen in the air and some plants clean the air of pollutants. Mostly we just like the way they make the house a home and seem to keep winter outside. Most herbs are Mediterranean sun worshipers, so a windowsill alone rarely cuts it. We give indoor herbs the extra light  they need to stay flavorful and healthy all winter all winter.  Looking at the temperatures it is time to put the plants that we overwinter in the cellar down there.

    The kids have been painting the white"painting" pumpkins for fall decorations. Their seed description says they are good pie pumpkins too.  I am going to make some into pies to see how they taste.  No big jack o lantern or pie pumpkins from Uncle Gilbert anymore. No load of pumpkins for the Children's Museum either.  Maybe next year we'll have the heart to plant them.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/9/26  People aren't beautiful because of how they look or speak but because of how they love, how they care,  and how they treat others.

Mostly clear, calm, 44 degrees.   Partly cloudy today, a light west wind, high 58, low 37.  Sunshine tomorrow, a strong NW breeze, high 56, low 32.    Cloudy Sunday, a stiff SSW breeze, high 63, low 48.  Partly cloudy Monday, a WNW breeze, high 68, low 42. Raiin Tuesday, a brisk ENE breeze, high 48, low 45.  Showers Wednesday, a stiff north breeze, high 55, low 42.  Sunshine Thursday, a brisk NNW breeze, high 57, low 40.  Showers next Friday, a brisk SSW breeze, high 56, low 45. Cloudy next Saturday, a brisk NNW breeze, high 55, low 40.  Partly cloudy next Sunday through Friday the 23rd with brisk WNW breezes, highs in the low to upper fifties, lows in the mid to upper thirties.

    I have a bucket of messy eggs by the sink.  Some were eaten, some smashed, some just dirty.  There was a dead possum in the road so I thought it was safe to leave the eggs in the cool garage overnight.  It wasn't, apparently there were  two possums.  I don't sell washed eggs so there will be deviled eggs, pumpkin pie and whatever else I can cook that uses lots of eggs.  The kids have four days off from school so the timing is good.

     This is the time of the year that the birds don't come to the feeders very much.  I suspect their absence may not be as long this fall, there were a lot of acorns but they didn't have much meat in them.  Last year the drought was worse, many acorns had no meat in them.  Most of the flock of blue jays that came to eat them this year were only here a day.  A few are coming to the feeders.  There are several large flocks of turkeys around.  I wonder how they will fare this winter.  The farmers won't be sad if a lot of turkeys don't make it through the winter, they do a lot of damage to farmer's crops.  Even the hayfields.

     Still lots on the to do list, a beautiful day to work on it. Jay is going to his parents to help them with their to do list.  Bekah is delivering hay.  Maegin will be here. May your day be blessed, Sally