Emmi was sporting what we call her “puppy” look–shaggy, fluffy, couldn’t see past her eyebrows so Monday was bath and haircut day. She has been to one groomer in her life–when she was a puppy and it was a disaster! So grooming is left up to me–and she wiggles and wiggles some more. We finally get it done but not without some conversations!
The Cowboy has been puttering–fixing the fence the bears loosened as they searched for chokecherries, hauled firewood as our weather is not so nice again. Lonn came to get a horse trailer on Tuesday and I had fresh cookies coming out of the oven for him and our UPS driver, Tony.
I’m a Peter Heller fan, to a certain extent. I listened to the audio version of The River and loved it. My niece chastised me for recommending it to her as it’s most definitely not an uplifting book but the fast paced story certainly held my attention. I tried listening to The Painter but couldn’t do it–I won’t read anything where an animal is abused. Peter Heller’s newest book, written during covid is a dud in my opinion–I struggled to read The Guide. Another of his books, Celine, I found just OK. But in the last week or so I’ve listened to the audio version of Peter Heller’s first book, The Dog Stars and loved it. This book is also not an uplifting, everything happy kind of book and at times is downright scary considering the times in which we are now living! Now I’m out of books–any recommendations??
I’m still quilting–sewing on the bindings for the three quilts I did for Katie. I am very pleased with how these little quilts look! My longarm purred like a kitten and the tension was just perfect, front and back–every quilter’s dream!
The wind howled on Wednesday, 50+mph gusts with spitting snow. Golden leaves are flying everywhere creating a colorful carpet on the grass. One miserable day in our valley! There are weeks like this one where we never leave home, it’s been a week since we’ve been out and about anywhere. It’s a good thing we like each other–most of the time!
We did go to town on Thursday so I could buy supplies for the sewing class I took on Saturday. Several years ago I purchased a kit for making a “Diva Wallet” and like so many projects, put it away and never started the wallet. After noticing Bonnie (a friend who owns the local quilt shop) was having a class, I signed up and came home with a finished wallet. It was fun–the lady who taught the class has made literally thousands of these wallets and sells them at various stores and craft shows. The outside of the wallets are made from “cork fabric”–something I had never heard of but it does make for a more sturdy piece.
Earlier in the week on Facebook I posted about falling down rabbit holes–I have so many friends who are great cooks and CJ (who I’ve never met but consider a friend) posted these cookies which she calls No Bake Cookies for Big Kids. I immediately rose from my chair and made these cookies. They are dangerous–I consumed way too many and took them to my sewing class on Saturday to allow others the pleasure of gaining weight!😁And to get them out of my house! I have no willpower when it comes to sweets! The cookies have “adult” ingredients which include chili powder and espresso powder–my friend Sue commented on the Facebook post, “Whew
I thought adult ingredients meant something other than chili powder” which made me snort with laughter! I used regular milk instead of almond milk, creamy peanut butter as I had no crunchy and toasted pecans because again, I had no peanuts–still addictive!
And here’s our little goblins–could they be any more adorable?? Not sure why Millie has two costumes–maybe she couldn’t make up her mind but she is the cutest witch!
Today, Sunday, was one miserable weather day. We woke to icy walkways, even the grass, and a bitter wind. Our high was probably about 38 degrees if that. Dang miserable walking the pooch–we didn’t tarry! I finished the last of the quilts and put the longarm to bed for the winter–blowing out all her dust bunnies, oiled her parts and covered the machine. I have a couple more things to do in the sewing room–we will see if those happen before we depart.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
No Time Like the Future by Michael J Fox
The Soul of a Woman by Isabel Allende
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Thanks!
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Those cookies are delicious. I won’t make them because I’d eat the whole batch. The blacksmith doesn’t like them. Wish we were closer we could share,
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Me too Patti! The Cowboy didn’t like them either. I could not taste the chili powder, he could. I have another recipe for those kind of cookies–who doesn’t–and the Cowboy likes those.
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That is a hat with character, Mike’s character, not the guy who made it brand new.
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Hmmmm–somehow I was not surprised that you would agree with Mike about the hat! 🙂
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You know, Mike was offered good money for that ugly hat! 88degrees today, your heavy coats look funny! Enjoy the autumn colors. Cork material? Made from cork?
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It was miserably cold today! I needed more coat to be outside! Yes, made from cork.
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I’m also with Mike…the hat is totally awesome! I love your backyard photos. What beautiful country Montana is! Millie is a cute witch, but I love the bunny! Thanks for sharing the recipe…
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We did have such a beautiful fall–now the trees are bare and it’s looking like winter–time to head south!
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Robert Galbraith’s books (5 of them) are good. … murder mystery type. You can read them individually, but knowing the history of some of the characters comes in handy. FYI … Robert Galbraith is an alias of J.K. Rowling ( of Harry Potter fame) … not at all similar type of books. We also really liked “Finding Gobi” … a light read about a dog.
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I actually read the first Harry Potter book when the granddaughters were reading it. Mike’s Dad also read at least one of them and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will check out Rowling’s other books.
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Michael’s hat is very cool. Love the gold trees and the black and white effect of the snowy mountians in the background. Great wallet! Millie and Brooks are so cute. You and Michael need to head to AZ. Our weather here has been perfect.
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“hat is very cool”—-not!! Soon, very soon we will be heading south if the airlines cooperate!
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“When did old fashioned
Become so out of fashion
When did we go out with the old, in with the new
There’s a lot of us ol’ cats
Wearin’ old boots and old hats
That ain’t ready to give old hat the boot”
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I like that! And to be honest, he does not wear that hat out in public, only around here.
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Our weather is about perfect- just sayin’. Jim is a baseball cap kind of guy. But I’ve always like that rugged cowboy hat. Montana upbringing. The golden trees are gorgeous. No cute little ones around here so its fun to see pictures.
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I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat and Wranglers but that hat has seen way better days. At least he wears it only on the ranch! Soon, very soon we will be heading to that nice warm weather!
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Be thankful he wears a hat!! I am having to get places removed from my ears and face from driving my tractor all those years with just a ball cap for shade!!
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That’s the strange thing Don–the Cowboy has always, always worn a cowboy hat and he still has skin cancers even on the top of his head. He wore a cowboy hat when a teenager running equipment for his Dad. I think the key may be sunscreen and it’s just about impossible to get him to apply sunscreen.
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That’s the strange thing Don–the Cowboy has always, always worn a cowboy hat and he still has skin cancers even on the top of his head. He wore a cowboy hat when a teenager running equipment for his Dad. I think the key may be sunscreen and it’s just about impossible to get him to apply sunscreen.
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Those kids sure looked cute. Going to have to try those cookies, they look yummy. Glad I could make you laugh. Was it a snort coffee out your nose kind of laugh?? LOL, Our book group is reading Louise Erdich The Night Watchman. Since it is about mid-fifties tribal life just east of you in Minnesota your might enjoy it. Yeah, dark in places, but I am hoping that it ends on an uplifting note. I will let you know.
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I will have to try the Night Watchman again–I remember reading some of it but maybe I downloaded a sample? And no, it wasn’t coffee, it was water!
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That hat is probably just broken in! LOL. Love the wallet you made, and the kids in their Halloween costumes are adorable. I’m terrible with cookies, too…I eat way too many the day that I make them. Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are my downfall—only six ingredients (peanut butter, egg, raw sugar, vanilla, baking soda, chocolate chips). Okay, now I want cookies!
I just finished reading The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek and enjoyed it.
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Those cookies sound interesting–you will have to share the recipe! I loved The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek.
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That hat is ten times better than the running shoes my husband wears as slippers and he too refuses to throw them out!
Those cookies really look tempting 😍😍
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That’s so funny Vera! Our guys do like to hold onto their treasures!
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Gorgeous vistas, but it sounds like the cold will be sending you south pretty soon! Looks like that hat could tell some great stories 🙂 The cookies look delicious – and dangerous. All our grands are getting so big. Their costumes are adorable.
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Those cookies were dangerous–not making any of those for a while!
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My book group also read -The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek- and it had us talking about it the entire meeting. That Doesn’t happen all the time since we often move into tangential topics. Tsk.
But another book we particularly enjoyed was – This I Know-by Eldonna Edwards. Another was -News of the World- by Paulette Giles. The movie based on this book was NOT good even if it had Tom Hanks. It was a poor adaptation. But that book was good!
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I will check out those two recommendations EmJay!
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