Gold Rush

I hadn't done real fall colors photography in a couple of years. Lizard and I were able to get a few shots on the way home from his mom's a couple of times, but, generally speaking, he wasn't able to tolerate road trips for the last two to three years.

I wanted to try to get at least a few shots this year. But every time I set a goal to go up into the high country, I would break down in tears because I didn't want to go without him.

I finally worked up the courage to go last week, and I actually had a fairly good time. I can't wait to go back up into the mountains.

Most of the color was gone, but I got a couple of good shots. And I set a goal to hike the last trail Lizard had set a goal to hike. We were going to do it together this fall. Next time I go up, I'm going to tackle that trail to see where it goes. I may not make it to the top of whatever mountain it ascends, but I can hike and have a good time and possibly even get some good photos while I try to train myself to breathe at altitude again.

For this brief trip, I hiked across the boardwalk that leads to the 14er Bierstadt trail. Lizard and I had gone as far as he was able to go on the boardwalk about three or four years ago. There were some wonderful memories along the way, and I pretended to talk to him as I climbed.

I wanted to get a shot of the 14er reflecting in the unnamed beaver ponds at the edge of the boardwalk. I'd just bought new hiking boots because the waterproof pair I'd bought in 2020 had begun wearing a blister on the back of my left heel the week before. This was my first hike in the new shoes. Second day wearing them, actually.

Just as I got close to the edge of the water, I suddenly postholed nearly thigh deep into a mucky, black sinkhole. It took me quite a while to get myself out of the literal mess I'd gotten myself into. I hadn't told anyone where I was going. I was alone. It was late in the day; most hikers had already returned to their cars. There was no signal on my phone, but, I managed to keep both my phone (which was in my pants pocket) and my camera dry.

I was afraid I was going to have to holler for help. And hope someone might be able to hear me. I was really stuck. It reminded me of the day Lizard and I traversed this very same trail in winter on snowshoes the year after my emergency back surgery. I was still working my strength back up, and I was unable to extract myself from a similar posthole, possibly in very near the same place but in deep, soft snow. Lizard had to rescue me.

I was finally able to get one leg moving, which enabled me to break free of the muck. Oh, was it nasty!!! But I got out. I asked Lizard if he had helped me. And I had a pretty good chuckle, imagining him laughing with me as I tried to scrape the black sludge off my pants and my new hiking boots. It was just windy enough to dry my jeans out by the time I returned to my car, so, I wasn't freezing all the way home. And EVERYTHING got a good wash, including my new shoes!

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Snowflake Monday

I had just spent the entire rainy day at the temple. I was hours and degrees away from the first forecasted overnight freeze of the season. (It didn't happen.) I thought my garden might be gone the next morning. I was running our electric fireplace for the first time since the night Lizard died. In the very same space where I was currently curled up to begin trying to design today's snowflake. With no inspiration whatsoever. Until I noticed the design on my fleece nightgown.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 4.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Frostless Snowflake Instructions

Special Stitches

Popcorn Stitch (pc): Work 5 dc in designated st, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc.

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [1 pc into ring, ch 3] 6 times, omitting last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc into starting pc to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. Don't pull magic ring too tight.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 10, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch (bottom right branch made), ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, [ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch] 2 times (tri-picot tip made), working back down spoke, sl st in next ch, ch 6, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch (bottom left branch made), in next ch 3 sp work (3 dc, [ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch] 2 times, 3 dc] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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Missed Again and Again

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Catching the Halloween Wave

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Second Time Around

Lavender should be pruned every year to keep it healthy and blooming properly. I hadn't been doing a very good job of maintaining. I pruned for the first time in 2024, I think, at the end of the season, which I have since learned is a bit too late, although still necessary. Last year, I pruned in November, which was WAY too late.

I used this year's wonderfully smelling lavender clippings as mulch for my wisteria and my mourning glories. (Yes, I've spelled it that way intentionally. Lizard helped me plant the wisteria, mourning glories and apple trees. They were the last things we did together at home.)

I also fashioned some of the sprigs that were still alive into upside-down hanging plants in my master bath, which sees plenty of darkness now. Which is required for drying lavender. Which is why I put them there. They were extremely aromatic for about a month, but not so much now. I haven't tried crafting with lavender yet. But I will one day.

Healthy pruning at the right time (before the blossoms are completely spent) sometimes results in a second or even a third bloom. I had little hope because I was actually pruning properly, but still a bit late - at the end of July. I didn't really expect much of a second bloom.

Some of my youngest plants have blossomed heartily again! It is the coolest thing in the world to see! And smell...

Even some of the older lavender plants shot up a few spiky blooms. Just to prove getting old doesn't really bite, as we are so fond of saying and believing.

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Snowflake Monday

Today's snowflake was just a tad too big to send to Operation Ornaments, so it's still here at home with me. It also didn't pan out the way I'd imagined when I added even more rounds, so it's not that much different than my Esther Snowflake, particularly because I already incorporated one of my changes/unpgrades into last week's pattern. But, the final masterpiece looks more like a sunflower now, and I really love that.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 6.75 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Hadassah Snowflake Instructions

Special Stitches

dc cluster (3dc cl): [yo and draw up loop, yo and bring through 2 loops on hook] 3 times, yo and bring through all 4 loops on hook

bobble st (bob): [yo and draw up loop] 3 times, yo and bring through all 7 loops on hook

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 17 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Don't pull magic circle too tight.

Round 2: Ch 1 (counts as 1st half of starting dc), leave loop on hook a little loose, bob into same ch as sl st, [ch 1, bob in next dc] 17 times for a total of 18 bob stitches; ch 1, sl st in top of starting bob.

Round 3: Sl st into next ch 1 sp, ch 1 (counts as 1st half of starting dc), leave loop on hook a little loose, 3dc cl into same ch 1 sp, [ch 2, 3dc cl into next ch 1 sp] 17 times for a total of 18 cl stitches; ch 2, sl st into top of starting cl.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: Sl st into next ch 2 sp, ch 2, (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in same ch 2 sp, [ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 4, sk next ch 2 sp, 3 dc in next ch 2 sp] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 8, sk over next ch 4 sp, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 6: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 6, 1 sc over next Round 5 ch 8 and Round 4 ch 4 into next Round 3 ch 2 sp, ch 6, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 10, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook and in next ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, ch 1, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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Friday Funny

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A Good Day to Dye

I've kind of become addicted to one of this year's trending Halloween color palettes. I designed a gift basket, then a cowl.

Then I decided I needed to dye thread to match.

I couldn't decide which of my three browns I should use, so I solar-dyed a hank with all three... mink brown, cinnamon and terracotta. I think this could be trending autumn colors! Don't you?

The cinnamon won, but my purple in the Halloween hank turned out a bit too dark and too blue. Which means I will be trying again.

In the meantime, I wondered, "You Blockhead!!! (Yes, I'm a Moda Blockhead, but I haven't started Blockheads 7 yet...) What in the heck are you going to do with all this thread now???"

Well, duh! Use my own patterns!

I don't know what I'm going to do with the big heart, but I do love it. I kind of want to make a snake now.

Especially after about 56 rounds so far on the basket handle. The snake would be more plump, so it won't look exactly like the handle, but I still think these are great snake colors!!!

Linking up with Alycia Quilts.

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Wordless Wednesday

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Summer's End

Last Friday did not go as expected. Sometimes you have to do very hard things because they are the right thing to do.

I was can-watering my garden (because our daily highs are back in the 80s again) and thoroughly enjoying all the mourning glories (yes, I spell it that way intentionally; Lizard helped me plant the seeds but didn't get to see the beautiful blue flowers) and the radiant cosmos.

I noticed some birds munching on the sunflower seeds; almost all the sunflowers are expired. I've left the stalks up because the birds love the seeds, and we're not supposed to put out feeders anymore during bear season, which now lasts almost to the end of November. I don't think I've put out feeders since the winter before I retired to focus solely on caregiving.

I went inside to grab my camera, then perched beneath the pergola to wait for the birds to return. I had planned to maybe try to get up in the mountains to shoot some fall color, but I also was extremely intimidated by doing it alone for the first time in more than 21 years. I knew Lizard would want me to go, but so many firsts are just so hard to tackle. I decided birds would be just as worthy of my time, and I wouldn't have to spend any money on gas.

I noticed one female goldfinch on the cosmos, a little too close to me. She should have flown away when I took my seat. And I hadn't been seeing any goldfinches in about a week. I thought they should have begun their migration already. I snapped a super cute photo. (This is not the photo.)

She turned her head in the opposite direction, and my heart broke. Her eye was swollen shut, and I realized she's probably almost blind. Her beak also was swollen, with blood clots on her cheek.

Birders in my area have been asked for a couple of years not to put out feeders because a highly contagious infection was spreading throughout the songbird population. It can affect household pets, too.

I looked up what I should do, and it was pretty harsh. Wear gloves. Take down all the sunflower stalks. Dispose of them, and don't put them where other animals/pets can get to them. Wash clothes. Wash shoes if they came in contact with the plants. Sanitize anything touched, including the trash bin. And tell the trash guys to wash their hands after they handle the trash.

And finally, don't worry, the instructions said. The affected birds are not going to last long anyway, and the healthy birds will find other seeds.

Just to be safe and to prevent spreading to the rest of the birds as best I can, I also took down the cosmos where the little bird had landed. I did not see where the bird went when I began taking down the sunflowers.

I hired the kids down the street who had been advertising trash bin cleaning and happily spent the money that would have gone to fall color gas. I made sure they knew they would need to clean themselves up after cleaning my bin to make sure they don't spread the virus to their pets. They were so thankful for the work and the unexpected monetary tip, they said the cleanup would be no problem. They'd handled worse. I didn't ask.

My backyard is now sunflowerless (except for two plants that surprisingly haven't bloomed yet), and the bluejays have discovered the cracked walnuts I left in the (dry) bird bath in threes in order to try to get a photograph and hoping like heck the squirrels wouldn't steal.

I'm still sad about the little bird, but when God closes a door, He always opens a window. The bluejays refuse to pose, but I've now seen my second ever Woodhouse scrub jay!

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