Friday, November 13, 2020

On the Home Front

Just a few odds and ends of life these days! We are well into November, a month that is bringing extreme numbers of Covd to states throughout the country. Locking down? You bet -- whether there is a mandate to do so or not.

Birdiferous calendar by Kate McNenly

But I've still had some lovely walks to the ditch and am enjoying the tail end of beautiful color (which is pretty much gone now -- these pix were from last week.)


But I just want to hold onto that magic!  I'm going to miss this beautiful walkway when the branches are all bare.


The squirrels are out in full force!


Lizzie had her vet visit with Dr. Anne and with it a clipping of massive, talon-like nails. (The secret to getting out alive from this is Lizzie's mask. Works wonders.)


She's much better to be around now! No accidental scratches.

I made my apple bread in my Nordic leaf pan. I loved how they turned out.


I leave you with a little more color, a bit more magic.


 Within a few days there may be snow and certainly colder weather.


But life is good and I'll hold onto that for as long as I can!

56 comments:

Mae Travels said...

Great color in your photos! We noticed that leaves we photographed last weekend are now on the ground, leaving bare trees and less to take pictures of.

Your cake looks really neat.

be well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Lowcarb team member said...

So lovely to see all of your photographs, the colours are truly wonderful.
Love that last photograph.
It's a thumbs up from me :)

Enjoy your weekend.

All the best Jan

Martha said...

Wonderful photos! Seems like fall flew by too fast, not that I see any of that here in Florida, but I have loved seeing yours. Lizzie looks like a little sweetie and your bread looks fantastic - came out so pretty! My favorite is that reflection shot, it's magical!

Susan Kane said...

Fall is here and oh boy winter is coming!

Mary Rose's said...

Ah, the apple bread, the ditch walks, the tree colors - thank you for bringing all of them to us. Lizzie looks like a proper lady - beautiful lighting! And yes, life is good. We're all in this together, with each other.
XOXO
Maryanne in the Blue Ridge
Still living out of a suitcase, but not for much longer!

Mike@Bit About Britain said...

Good to see (and assume) that all is happy and well. That second photo is stunning! I have no idea what apple bread is, but please save me a piece!

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

I just went to the store for what I hope is the last time until after Christmas, like you mandate or not I'm staying home as much as possible.

Love those Nordic breads!

Mereknits said...

The colors are so gorgeous. I miss Autumn so much. It is still so hot and humid here in Florida. Love the photos of your wonderful family time. Pushing swings is a great way to make little ones happy. Have a wonderful weekend.

Prims By The Water said...

The squirrels are busy here too and I have noticed our Winter birds arriving now. Your bread looks yummy! Janice

Red Rose Alley said...

Jeanie, I loved seeing the last of Autumn around your neck of the woods. These photos of the orange and yellow leaves falling to the ground and the water are just like a post card. So beautiful. So glad that Lizzie got her nails clipped. And your apple bread looks Yummy. That is a perfect dessert to have with a hot cup of coffee. I noticed your little ones in the last post, and so glad you got to see and spend time with these precious boys. Enjoy the Thanksgiving season, Jeanie.

~Sheri

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Beautiful fall color. We are experiencing fall color here on vacation in Arizona for the first time. I think I like your reflection photo and the photo of you best.

My name is Erika. said...

You are on the same fall schedule as we are. Leaves are down. Squirrels are feasting at the bird feeders. Very cold weather is on its way, right behind you. Life looks pretty good actually. Not on the covid end, but you made some beautiful apple "muffins" and you look cozy in your house with a safe short clawed Lizzie. Enjoy your weekend. I am sure you will find something enjoyable to do. Hugs-Erika

Carola Bartz said...

Lizzie is such a cute cat! Is it just a mask she's wearing or are there some treats inside? I can imagine it would be dangerous to do this clipping without that mask. - Lovely images of the fall colors. I'm enjoying them as long as I can. Fortunately they keep quite a while here. I hope the snow might not come too soon to your area.

Rustic Pumpkin said...

Our colour is gone, so hold on as long as you can. All that's left now are evergreens and skeletons. Sorry Lizzie had to go through that, but it's better all around now, until the next manicure! I have Nordic baking pan envy. If you can find a Nordic pan in the UK, you need to take out a second mortgage to buy one! lol

Deb in Wales

eileeninmd said...

Hello Jeanie,

Beautiful and colorful trees, I love the reflections too. I am glad Lizzie's nail are clipped. The squirrels are busy collecting enough food to last the winter. Our weather has turned colder now too, I am not ready for snow yet. I will be a hermit this winter.. Lovely post and photos. Take care and stay safe! Happy weekend!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Good morning Jeanie: It's good that you have the ditch close by for your walks, and I am sure that it has its own attractions throughout the seasons. The ravages of COVID seem to be rising exponentially, and I am sure that we are all in for a bit of a rough ride over the coming months. It is hard to fathom the Covidiots who still deny it, or flout all common sense measures. At least you now have the prospect of a sane approach to the problem from the incoming Biden administration. Imagine listening to infectious disease experts; how novel is that! I have visions that Trump will be convicted of something serious after he leaves office and will be clad in an orange jump suit to match his crinkled pumpkin complexion. How sweet would that be! Take care and have a great day, as they used to say when you got full service at a gas station!

Sandra at Maison De Jardin said...

Good morning, Jeanie. The nasty old Covid just doesn't want to leave. We are only doing the necessary appointments and the store. Our leaves are mostly gone and 'Jack Frost' has been visiting regularly. But our fall was glorious with color.
I love the photo of the squirrel. It looks as though he posed just for you. We have had a few in the garden, they have discovered the Blue Jays peanuts.
Hold onto "Life is Good," Jeanie. Because it is and we will all get through this, someday. Have a great weekend and stay well!!

Rain said...

Thumbs up Jeanie!!! :)) Lovely post, the reflections of the fall colours in the water is fabulous and oh! A Nordic pan!!! I have the skulls, and I'm aching to get some more of them, they're so neat, I love how your cakes look! :)

Joanne Huffman said...

I, too, have self quarantined. My last foray to the grocery store included whatever baking ingredients I thought I might want. I did enjoy the spate of beautiful weather we had and am ready for the chilly, damp weather and cold drab rest of November.

Iris Flavia said...

Wow, that lake looks like it´s golden, and I agree... the magic leaves with the leafs...
Quite a fat boy, well prepared for winter, awww.
Apple bread? In a pan? Is it a kind of cake? A beautiful reflection... and smile!!! Thumbs up!

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Love the fall colors at the end! Those are long gone for us. :( It’s hard to imagine our snow melting but we are getting snow then rain then snow today so maybe we will lose some? But the roads will probably be nasty again (we got freezing rain then 5” of snow earlier this week). I am glad we don’t have to be out and about much these days.

Oscar got her nails trimmed when she was out for her tooth abstraction last month. She is not cooperative at the vet so it was good to get that taken care of when she was out!

Our case numbers are terrible here, too. And we haven’t even hit the holidays. Seems like most of our spread is from young people going to restaurants and bars or people getting together for casual gatherings and letting down their guard. Our governor announced new restrictions like limiting both indoor and outdoor gatherings to 10 ppl Max from no more 3 families. We will see if that changes anyone’s plans around the holidays, though...

gigi-hawaii said...

That apple bread sure looks good. I like your leaf pans. So inspiring and beautiful.

Susie said...

Jeanie, Your reflection pictures are so pretty. I love them. I hate that all our leaves are down..or do I ..no more raking. Gaaa. Good to clip those cat claws. LOL Those little cakes look great for a coffee break. Blessings to you sweet girl, stay warm and safe. xoxo, Susie

Divers and Sundry said...

What a great owl image on the calendar! The bright colors seem particularly striking this fall. I've never seen bread shaped that way. Cool!

Tammie Lee said...

Lovely autumn photos, colors. Ours was so short, yet quite beautiful. I looked back a couple of years, we barely had snow at Christmas, I have around 8" already. Each year has it's own expression. Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

You have certainly held onto some beautiful colors, at least for awhile. Such a good idea for Lizzie. That mask will help, I'm sure. You told us about it before, but I had forgotten how effective it could be.

Enjoy your time until the snow flies. Stay safe and warm, dear Jeanie.

Sandra Cox said...

The pictures from the ditch are just beautiful. And gotta love the squirrel, Lizzie and your sweet self.

Sue (this n that) said...

Loving those glorious colours Jeanie. Your blog is a pleasure to visit! Yes, we're the same, lockdown has finished but we're making very sure before we go too far from home, letting the rush from the city folk play out. It feels safe at home ;D) Lovely to connect with you xx

Pamela said...

Great post and gorgeous colors.

anno said...

Loving all this glorious color, Jeanie! But, yes, you are wise to prepare for the winter changes -- they are coming.

And those apple cakes! Oh my! I definitely need to find a way to add them to my autumn rotation, at least as an occasional treat...

shoreacres said...

That last photo of the colors reflecting in the water is just gorgeous. I smiled at your mention of the squirrels' frenzy. They certainly are active here. One of mine got caught by a cat and injured night before last. We ran off the cat, and then called animal rescue. I couldn't believe that they would come for a squirrel at nearly closing time, but they did. A young woman came and got the squirrel -- it was badly enough injured that it couldn't climb a tree. As it turned out, they gave him a steroid shot, closed his wounds, and he's doing fine -- he'll recover! Life's hard even for the critters some times!

Joyful said...

Lots of beautiful colour. I like the mask on Lizzie. That way she can't see what torture she is enduring. I hope she feels safe enough. I used to clip my cat's nails and I had a way to hold her down which I don't really remember anymore. Thankfully she did not fight and scratch and patiently endured until I was done. She was such a sweet thing and I miss her a lot.

The Liberty Belle said...

Your apple bread looks good and Lizzie is adorable.

Pam Richardson said...

The photos are just beautiful, Jeanie. This has been our peak week of color, I so hate to see it go. Now if I just had a slice of apple cake...sigh!

ashok said...

Gorgeously colorful post!

Sami said...

The squirrel is adorable. My cats have never had their nails clipped, I wonder if they need it...
The apple bread in a leaf pan looks lovely.
I love the beautiful Autumn colours, but don't like to see the bare trees that soon follow.
Keep safe Jeanie.

Decor To Adore said...

Oh your apple bread looks so lovely and delicious! Love the photos of fall in your neck of the woods. Happy Sunday!

Arti said...

What colours! These photos look like paintings, probably water colour would bring out the effects. That could be your lockdown project. :)

R's Rue said...

Beautiful smile.

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

Poor Lizzie!

I'm loving the autumn colours :)

Marilyn Miller said...

Beautiful fall pictures of your walk to the ditch. I always love them.
Great picture of you in the end. Love the autumn leaf baking. I am always tempted to buy pans for leaves and other shapes, but not sure I would use them more than a time or two. I do have a rose shape and love making chocolate cupcakes. What a sweet Lizzie with the trimmed nails. Wishing I had a mask for Joey so I could trim his nails. Love the owl calendar page too.Hope you are having a delightful autumn weekend.

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Jeanie your photos are magical. It's lovely you have captured them to share with your readers. Our leaves are dropping by the bushels today. Soon we must all look for beauty in the winter. Glad Lizzie is now okay. Poor thing...Take care and enjoy the new week ahead, my friend.

SingingRiverSoulSpa said...

I am so grateful to have had these months outdoors before the gray and cold
set in. And with them, we will have to shelter in place also.
My heart hurts for those who are not able to stay in and away,
the healthcare workers and other essentials. Prayers rising for those.
Rare will be out to eat moments now that the sidewalk tables and chairs
will be too cold. I'll be cooking much more at home.

Your little leaf cakes look amazing. Oh to eat grain again:)

Happy last sips of the color. We'll have to drink in the beauty of the Winter sky.
- Jennifer

Amy at Ms. Toody Goo Shoes said...

Our fall colors are mostly gone as well. I love the picture of the colorful walkway that you shared - so lovely! I'm going to miss my socially-distant outdoor visits with friends. It's going to be a rough winter, but I'm hopeful that better days are ahead. Stay well!

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

You are right to stay in and stay safe. I doubt my governor will mandate anything - he's so silly. I will stay in even more - wish I had a ditch close by like yours. Take care m friend.

thepaintedapron.com said...

Stunning fall color captures Jeanie! I can't believe soon you will have snow, this southern gal couldn't handle that! I know it's beautiful though...You seem and look so happy, I am so glad! Have a wonderful week!
Jenna

Bohemian said...

I'm glad that Life is still Good... and Thanks for Sharing some spectacular Fall imagery with a Desert dweller!

Liberty said...

Those apple leaf cakes are so cute!

Liberty

Judy said...

Thank you, Jeanie, you always know how to lift our spirits. Autumn color is vanishing quickly but such an enjoyment when we have it..Stay well, my friend..xxoJudy

Tracy said...

Hi, Jeanie! LOVELY to catch up with you, and see that you & yours have it good and doing OK and safe...so happy to see your smiling face!! Also lovely to see how beautiful autumn is there! Autumn has been rainy, grey and cold here...The leaves went down early... Feels like we almost missed a season! :/ Thankfully we are not in a lockdown situation here, not yet anyway...but we are distancing and hole-ing up at home as much as we can. Can we just get the fairy lights outs, tree up and call this year done?! haha... ((LOVE & BIG HUGS))

Victoria Zigler said...

Glad life is good for you right now, and Lizzie's vet trip went well.

Danielle L Zecher said...

That apple bread looks almost too good to eat. I'm impressed that you can get a mask on Lizzie! Is that for COVID, or just regular vet visits? I don't think we could get a mask on our cats. Maybe Howard, but I'm pretty sure everyone else would have no part of it.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Wow, Jeanie, gorgeous photos. I, of course, love the ones of dear Lizzie. Hope her "manicure" lasts a while! I've managed to do some painting these last couple weeks, after a bit of a dry spell. Hope you're getting your brushes wet!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

That apple cake looked wonderful, Jeanie, and I can imagine it tasted great with a cup of tea, my choice. Nearly all the colors have gone here as well and I too am glad to have been out for walks to enjoy them while it lasted. Lizzie looks all set now with her manicure done and glad go read it’s not a task you handled. Nice to see you in that final photo and know you are safe and well, my friend.

Anca said...

Aww, that Nordic leaf design is so cute. I would love a pan like that too. Poor Lizzie! Although the alternative would have been poor you... with all her scratches. :)

Naush said...

Jeanie, I love your fall captures. We're having heavy snow here in Toronto already :( I have 6 cats and none of them make it easy for me to clip their nails - you're lucky your tabby was so calm.
Thank you for sharing with us at Meraki Link Party.
Naush

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