Evergreen Wreaths

 Tom and I have been making evergreen wreaths for our front door for quite a few years now. We have most of the makings right here in our garden. 

This year Tom kept inviting family members to come and make wreaths for their doors. Ok, well then, I needed to make sure I had the supplies. Last weekend we visited several nurseries to find greens with juniper berries and branches of incense cedar with "bloom" buds. Tom gathered greens from the yard. 

That Sunday I started the process by making one for us, refreshing my skills. 

Then on Tuesday we made one for Tom's sister Jan. We would be going to her house for Thanksgiving.

Our team process was that I would design and make the bundles and Tom wired them on the frame. 

On Wednesday Jake came over and we made two more wreaths, one for Jill's door and one for his cousin Andy. I assisted Jake as he made the design choices. I can't find those photos so I might have accidently deleted them. Darn.

Then it was Thanksgiving and we delivered Jan's wreath. She, and Jake and Andy too, like all natural wreaths - no bling or bows. 

Then yesterday, Saturday, Irene and Isaac and his girlfriend Seila came to make wreaths, for Irene's Bellingham apartment and Seila's family home. 

I offered limited advise and instruction. Irene and Seila caught on quickly. Grampa assisted Irene.

Isaac worked with Seila.

I kept the supply of clipped greens coming.

Both girls were quite particular about snipping, shaping, and "fixing". Then there was a lot of deliberation about what "bling" to add.

Everyone was happy with their final product. And the best for me was that Seila and Isaac, who had never done this before, said enthusiastally, "That was fun!" 

We may have started a new tradition. I hope I'm up for it.

Now Tom has the garage cleaned up and we are gearing up for decorating. Christmas is coming!

Saturday Field Trip

Saturday Morning we joined members of our garden club at the Seymore Conservatory at Wright Park in Tacoma.

It is a wonderful old Victorian glass house built in 1908, and is home to many interesting tropical plants. It's a great place to visit during the cold, dark months. 

I didn't take many photos, but I was attracted to a few unusual blooming things and seed pods. 

                   

This Google phone app is a great plant identifier. 

Ginger seed pods.

Then while the rest of the garden club went to lunch, we went off to some nurseries in search of some greens to add to our home supply of wreath making greens. 

Of course we did make a Starbucks stop along the way.

We found the new location for Windmill Nursery and the juniper we wanted. Then we went to Watsons, where we checked out their Christmas greens as well as their Christmas shop. 

I didn't take photos of all of the decorated trees and didn't buy anything except two bunches of Incense  Cedar.

This week we are making wreaths. We made one for us on Sunday, as I practiced to refresh my wreath making skills.

The wreath is mixed greens with juniper and incense cedar berries. 

Today, Tuesday, I made a wreath for SIL Jan, who will be hosting Thanksgiving. Tomorrow, Wednesday, Isaac and his girl friend Seila, and Jake will come to make wreaths. Next Saturday Irene will come to make her wreath for her apartment door in Bellingham. That will all be another post. 

Tomorrow I will be baking pumpkin pies and making cranberry sauce. Thanksgiving is almost here!

Happy Thanksgiving! May your blessings be too many to count. 

Keeping the Home Fires Burning

 

We enjoyed our first of the season fireplace fires this last weekend. It will also soon be the last of the autumn decorations, as they will be changed out for Christmas decor after Thanksgiving. 

Outside the last of the leaves are coming down and Tom will mow up the ones on the lawn. 

We are still a ways off from the first frost, more rain on the way instead, so there are still roses. 

We've been trying to figure out our computer/internet issues, but we have exhausted all possibilities aside from maybe buying a new laptop, so I'll just resign myself to the slow process of getting my laptop on line since everything else is working.

This morning we had to get up early to make it to an 8:00 appointment at the KP Medical Center through heavy commuter traffic. I will be scheduled for finger surgery to remove a ganglion cyst on my left hand, "sometime in about three months". That's how medical things go now. 

I have been fortunate to spend some time with my guys this week. Jake was here yesterday, come to use our desktop computer to write a report for his medical team. When you are neurodivergent it is hard to get across to some of your service providers what actually will work to assist you in getting  employment with the right accommodations. They want to "fix" what can't be fixed instead of understanding and providing for your differences. It is frustrating. Anyway we had some good conversations and I know more about my 50 year old son than I have for a long while. I cooked a pot roast and roasted vegetables and he stayed for dinner. 

Today Isaac came over after his work shift at Boeing to help Tom put up the Christmas lights on the house. 

I went for my walk at the park while they worked and they had the lights up and on when I got back home. I can't show you them yet though because no lights until Thanksgiving night. 

We talked about making wreaths, so Tom and I will be gathering wreath materials. Cookie making is also still a requirement, as is fruitcake, so I will have my jobs lined up in the coming days. That will keep me busy and out of trouble. That's good, I guess. I will have plenty of help, but the organizing does always fall to "the Mom", at least until I say no more. None of us are ready for that. 

I guess I didn't  mention that last Friday I spent more than enough at Safeway to get a free turkey. The turkey is in the freezer and will go to Jill on Friday. She will be cooking it at Jan's, where we
will gather in Gig Harbor for Thanksgiving. And I have almost all of my baking supplies for all of the Christmas baking. 

The Holidays are almost upon us!. 

Underfoot

 

It rained last night, and it will rain tonight, and it will rain off and on for days to come, but this morning was a perfect day for a walk in the park. 

I haven't been having much fun lately. Last week on Tuesday I had a root canal that was complicated and took almost two hours. Then my jaw has been sore for a week. Two days later I was back in the dentist chair to have my permanent crown put on that tooth. OK, done with that.

But no. Friday night I was using a gum massaging tool that the dentist gave me and off popped an old crown an the other side of my jaw. 

I got an appointment for the next Tuesday morning, so I couldn't go with Tom and Jake to Whidbey Island for the day. At least at the dentist they were able to use the old crown - no complications. 

On the way home I stopped at the store and bought myself a piece of chocolate mousse cake. I needed a treat.

Then after a late lunch, I went outside and cleaned off the patio. 

As you can see this morning's walk featured gold underfoot. It was lovely, and I listened to my favorite John Denver music in my hearing aids as I walked my mile plus. 

Tom said he had a job for me to do today but he couldn't remember what it was. Too bad. 

I have mailed a card to my brother, who will be 75 next week, and have started the pork stewing that will be the base for pozole for dinner.  

During the last week we have worked in the back yard. I cut the edges of the lawn and we both picked up. Today Tom is finishing up the island bed in the lawn. It's all looking very trim. Tom mowed/mulched the leaves on the lawn and they make a pretty mulch in the bed.

Wood is stacked in the garage for our first fire in the fireplace, the remedy for cold November rain. 

I can chew on both sides of my mouth again! Things are looking up. And looking down there is lingering beauty all around.