It Kinda Looks Like Spring Out There

But it's not, is it?  No, it is not.  There are no buds on trees, there are ragged leftover leaves just waiting for the next blow to wrench them off.  But the light this morning (what's left of it) looks warm and yellow, it's making fog which, combined with the light, looks like spring to me.  I need to check online to see if there's a way to tell if the kraut's done.  I'm ready to can it and have the basement only smell like mildew, not feet and bad feet at that.  I'm debating whether to put the flamingo and palm tree out this year.  They're so big and probably need new lights, and they're a real pain to keep upright in the wind, but they're so fun looking, I should just do it.  Is it supposed to be nice over the weekend?  I'll have to check.  If it is and DS & DIL1 can help can the kraut, maybe I can get them all ready and DS can help me get them up.  I'll think about it.  Maybe just the bird.  I wonder if they've got pink LED lights, those would work much better than the old filament lights that tend to go bad after a season or two.  I don't have to work today, I'm so excited, then I work tomorrow and I'm off for the next 4 days.  Woohoo!  Of course I won't get paid for any of those days so next week's paycheck will be particularly anemic but I can take it.  I'm cashing my extra large paycheck today so I can spread that money around next week too.  Balance, it's all about balance.  I need to think about what I want to make for people for Christmas gifts.  Family-type people, so that's 5 women and 3 men, 8 somethings to sew or knit in the next 5 weeks.  Hmm... sewing's faster but knitting's warmer... I'll have to study on it.  Got any ideas?  I'm hoping to work out of my stash (which is not small in either yarn or fabric) and just have to obtain small parts like Velcro or snaps or interfacing.  I mostly just want to be with the people I love a few extra times around the holidays.  As much as I like the weather the way it is right now, I want it to be snowy in December so that when Lala and I go to the Festival of Lights at the botanical garden the lights will reflect on the snow and look magical and I want there to be snow for DIL2 who is a Kentucky girl who didn't grow up with drifts of Christmas snow.  So that's what I want for Christmas, I can't believe I've said that I want snow for Christmas, but I guess I do.  I can't forget to scout out a Charlie Brown-type tree on Christmas Eve for us all to make into the birdie tree once DD & DIL2 arrive on the 28th.  We need to figure out a way to outsmart those pesky squirrels so they leave the pine cones of peanut butter on the tree.  Oh, hey, I just had a brainstorm, I can keep some of the corncobs they empty and we can spread the pb on them... now, how to attach them?  I'll study on it, maybe we can drill holes in them but how to keep them on the tree... suggestions?

November 20--Claude Monet, Regatta at Sainte-Adresse.  The wind was just right for the race, not too strong so that the weaker sailors were in danger and not too light so that everyone sat becalmed and broiling.  Reggie and Jack were certain that La Sylphe was the fastest boat in the regatta.  They spent the day before checking her lines so that none showed any fraying.  They polished her brightwork and made sure she looked her best.  They had spent their entire lives sailing up and back in this very bay.  They knew where the bottom rose up and where weeds lurked under the surface to tangle a keel and slow them down.

Gah, all set-up and no action.  Sorry, I was distracted.  We're doing the Thanksgiving shopping today.  I'm making Mom's green bean casserole (not to be confused with the Campbell's Soup one, not even related) and my delicious sausage cornbread dressing and Durwood found a recipe for pumpkin bread pudding that we're taking to JZ & HZ's for supper.  She said that there'll be 3 pies but "bring the bread pudding anyway, someone will eat it."  Yeah, that'll be me, partly anyway, because I found a recipe online that has a toffee sauce to put on top of the pumpkin bread pudding.  I love bread pudding and with pumpkin and toffee sauce?  Be still my heart...  Later, dudes & dudettes.
--Barbara