@ Home

The weather is getting chilly and the trees are releasing their leaves.  Might be time to rake those colorful leaves.  Can you believe the "S" word is in the forecast for tomorrow? 

Today was a home-day for Bike man and me.  I love days like this.  Took time to relax, drank several cups of freshly roasted coffee, did laundry, cleaned the house, got my 3-mile run in with Jill, hemmed a new pair of jeans and helped Bike man make home-made pizza tonight.  In my small world, I love days at home enjoying the simple life.

PS.  And Bike man.....brought our potted plants into the house, cleaned our bay windows, roasted coffee beans, set up his road bike on the trainer, and made delicious homemade pizza with basil pesto and garden vegetables.

Ouch

Going through old photos tonight.  Our daughter Becca is fearless.  A little mountain bike boo boo doesn't stop her.  All those early years of taking our kids out on the mountain bike trails paid off.  Love you Becca.....

Cold Weather Men

What a great idea.  My friends, Jill & Mike, of Once Abarn a Time recently made snowmen out of fencing wood.  Of course I fell in love with these wintery guys!  One of these snowmen will go to my twin sister in Wausau, Wisconsin.  Winter, it's just around the corner.

If They Could Talk

If cats could talk, what would they say?  Apparently, Manny has a lot to say with his blue eyes and pink tongue.  Ragdolls don't have a lot of expression themselves, but they just want love and attention from their owners.  I call Ragdolls the family cat!

Enjoying the Warmth & Colors

Now this is one hot fire.  We got the fire going  this morning and the Son kept tossing a log or two on it to keep it going.  After the kids left to drive back to St. Paul, Bike man and I continued to throw wood on the fire.  Finished all my Sunday chores, and now Bike man and I are sitting outside in front of our toasty fire enjoying the crisp fall temperatures.  Most of all, I'm enjoying the quietness and the fresh cool air.  I love fall....it's one last display of color and beautiful textures of nature before we head into the cold and dormant months. 

Marathon Cooking

Today was marathon cooking day.  Drove to Minneapolis this morning so I could help Becca prepare food for her roommate's (Artena) wedding.  The wedding will be on October 27, so this was the big day to prepare the food.

 

We had a couple helpers today, Arlene, bride's mom on the left and Renee, bride's friend.

 

So the plan was to make 72 servings of beef stew and another 72 servings of Chicken Wild Rice soup.  We actually got everything assembled within 5 hours.  The beef stew was still slowly cooking in the Nesco cookers (had 2 cookers) when I left to drive home.  The soup was almost  done, except for the wild rice which was still cooking separately.  After I left to go home, Becca had the chore of packing up the stew and soup to be froze until the wedding day.

 

The ladies at the end of our cooking day.  Left to right, Becca, Arlene and Artena.

 

Drove home late in the afternoon.  To my surprise, the Son and his girl friend Trisha came to visit us.  Of course big boy Aiden had to find a nice warm lap to relax in....he's sooooo spoiled.  Busy day today....I'm pooped! 

Our Peak is Approaching

Couldn't ask for nicer weather.  I believe we are reaching our peak fall colors around Tainter Lake.

 

Continued my tin can punching project this afternoon.  When I finish this project later this week, I will have worked on 21 cans.  So, at the last minute today, I decided to leave work and spent the entire afternoon outdoors.  Despite the biting gnats, it was a wonderful and quiet afternoon.  I was even able to get a late run in before it got dark.    

 

Bike man was out and about running his chores this afternoon, but when he returned home, he built a nice fire.  Unfortunately, it's getting dark by 7 pm, so our time outside is limited now.  Always hate to see those shorter days approaching.  Guess it means winter is just around the corner......