A New Door

First snow on October 30, 2020

We are predicted to get our first substantial snow fall of the season tomorrow evening, 4"- 8". I planted my tulips bulbs today and set a rose back in the ground in a new location. The rose was dug up a few weeks ago and it sat covered until I finally got to it. Tomorrow I will need to get the deck cleared and all outdoor living furniture under cover.

I made a terrible mistake with last spring's tulips which I dug up some weeks back. After they'd sat in the sun to dry the earth that still clung to them, I put them in a bucket and forgot about them. Sadly, I discovered this afternoon that fungus had set in and most were softening and spoiling. Oh dear. Lesson learned. I salvaged some of them but most had to be tossed upon the compost pile. Luckily, I had 24 new tulip bulbs that were ordered this summer and they went in. Looking forward to some 'Apricot Beauty' and WFF Perennial Pink next spring.

With the very generous help of my neighbor, there is now a new door leading to the back yard from the entry room. Yay! I'm very glad it happened. I did most of the demolition myself and was feeling confident that I'd be able to get the new door in myself, but upon hearing my drill and saws, my neighbor came over and went right to work. Most, most thankful. He built the stairs for me and all I need to do now is frame the door on the outside.

Wow, what a convenience! I used the new route this evening to bring in wood for the evening and it was a true luxury to be so close to the door. There's a wood bin in the entry room that I can fill which saves me from having to go outside if I'd rather not venture into the cold. I have to say, though, many is the evening when I look forward to going out to the wood pile at 11pm, or so, just to take in the beauty of moonlit nature. It's magical.

There wasn't much sewing this week. I finished the golden ring, and cut out the pieces for the 'geese-a-laying' and that's it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

More construction

 

Pudding cake just come out the oven... yum!

Recipe for the pudding cake: Chocolate Pudding Cake

The latest construction project, which I'm attempting on my own, is replacing a window in the entry/shed room with a door. As you can see from this picture, I've already removed the window and just beyond is the end of the wood shed. Putting a door here will allow me to exit the kitchen, turn sharp left and out the door for quick access to the wood. That will save me from having to clear a path through the snow all the way around the shed.

I found a pre-hung door at the local Habitat for Humanity for just $100 (edge of it is visible on left of picture). Today I took measurements and decided what I need to do next. My neighbor has offered to help if I need it... thankful for good neighbors. I hope to have this done by end of week and then I'll have to do something about stairs outside. May opt for a temporary solution this winter and deal with the stairs in the spring.

I made three potpourri with the materials I gathered from the garden. All experimental, so I did not make great quantities. I used powdered orris root as a fixative. A scant tablespoon for each, to which I added drops of essential oils to create the scents. This was mixed with the dried material and is now in air tight containers under the desk in the dining room to 'cure' until Christmas time. The following one will likely be my favorite. It's scented with balsam and Christmassy aromas. The tiny pine cones are not from my garden.

This one is quite appropriately scented with Arabian rose oil. I purchased the vial of oil many, many years ago in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. A deep, sensuous scent. Some of these petals may have come from bouquets that I allowed to dry out. The purplish flowers are fuchsias and the small yellow ones are 'Tête-à-tête' daffodils.

Finally, the last one is scented with a mixture of 4 oils to create a light, flowery aroma. I need to work on the formula a bit. When I get it down, I'll post my recipe.

The last of the Beatrix Potter characters is done! Tom Kitten is the eighth and final pattern in the set I purchased. I need to find a small straw hat for him. In the meantime I've used a small round straw 'cap' that I had in a set of doll house accessories. I do have a pattern for Peter Rabbit and will make him too, but first I want to get on finishing the Twelve Days of Christmas ornaments I started last year: I had made days 1 through 4.

All eight characters are done and boxed until the tree is put up in December.

At work on day 5 of the 12 days, a golden ring:

I need to get in the garden this week and plant my tulip bulbs! Luckily, it's warming up and will be comfortable for the task by end of week.

I think I'll do a post soon about the music I'm working on.

Pantry is done

The first fire of the season. Lit it three nights ago and it was allowed to go out during the following day. I re-lit it the following night and last night as well, but today I continued to stoke it as it was only in the 30s most of the day. There is nothing like radiant heat; so enveloping and soothing. It makes me happy.

The Tailor of Gloucester is almost finished. I just need to secure his glasses and attach a small bell or bead to his tail!

Only one character remains: Tom Kitten.

The pantry is done! Almost... I want to get some shelf paper for the shelves. I have some very pretty vintage paper but I'd rather preserve it than use it. My neighbor suggested photocopying it and using the copies. I may do that if they can copy it down at the UPS store. What I have is one long strip. I have a printer, and I could scan a portion and repeat it, but home printer ink has become prohibitively expensive.

I'm also going to paint a little decorative border along the partition that separates the broom closet from the pantry. As you can see in the picture below, I took some space on the right side of the original pantry to make a broom closet as I did not have one. The pantry shelves are now narrower, but since I put five of them on euro glides I was able to place them closer to each other. Originally, there were five shelves, now there are seven with room to grow on the bottom. I'm quite pleased with how my DIY turned out. The gliders were a challenge, especially since the walls aren't entirely straight. I put a motion sensitive light on the ceiling within to help illuminate what was once a very dark space.

The partition between pantry and broom cupboard was constructed with wood that was removed from the living room this summer; the shelves are the original ones that I cut to size and supplemented with a few pieces left over from past projects; the paint was also leftovers from a previous project. The only things I purchased for this make-over were the euro glides and some construction screws.

Happy November!