Oh.....

This is what we awoke to this morning. Katy came skipping into our bedroom, quite joyful about it all. I just said, "Oh......".



By 12:00 the sun had come out and the melting began. It's a beautiful, fresh day. Even with the snow...

It's done!

My mini quilt, inspired by the trip to the quilting show in the Alsace, is finished! It's not perfect, but I'm pretty pleased with it. I didn't have anything on which to hang it just yet, so I hung it on the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. It actually made a nice little frame for it.

The keys to efficiency

Anyone who has lived in a house with radiators would know what these keys are for. For those of you who have never seen keys like this, let me explain. On each radiator is a small valve where these keys fit. If the radiator begins to gurgle too much, it means there is air in it and it needs to be released so the radiator can work efficiently. Insert the key into the valve, give the valve a few turns until it starts to hiss. After a bit some very dirty water will join in with the hissing and then the job is done. It's a very easy process but certainly makes a big difference. Just what you wanted to know today!

Blog thots

I don't think I've ever enjoyed the colours of fall as much as I have this year. Howard says that's because I'm seeing them through the eyes of a photographer. I asked, which photographer? (That was a joke, by the way). Yes, I am enjoying taking pictures like never before, and I'm glad about that because after living here for several years, it's good to see things again - for the first time. And, that's what has happened since I started my blog, almost 1 year ago! Thank you to all of you who have sent encouraging emails and have talked to me personally about my blog. I find I am doing this as much for you as for myself!

Sunday drive

Howard liked this tree because it had lots of fruit but hardly any leaves. Hmmm.
Vineyards
More cattle corn

No Green Giant

The farmers grow a lot of corn around here but it's all cattle feed. There's no Green Giant niblets or cream style corn in this neck of the woods, that's for sure. On Sunday we happened upon this homemade corn bin. There was another one on the other side with an auger leaned up against it. I suppose by now it's likely full as well, or I hope it is, for the farmer's sake. This morning the wind and the rain rolled in and at the time of this posting (3:00 or so) it was only 8 degrees. It feels cold. I came home from work and turned the heat on all over the house. It's almost toasty in here now. Anyway, this was your fall picture for today and I do have a few more that I'll post over the next few days to make you think that it's still warm and glorious and golden here!

Happy Birthday to our moms!

Today is the birthday of our moms. Yes, it's true. My mom is 3 years older than Howard's mom, but they were both born on this day. So, we wish you both a HAPPY BIRTHDAY and a wonderful day and we send all our love across the ocean to you!
And, because my mom loves cows so much, I took this picture just for her! Notice how they posed for the picture.

#5

Another beautiful fall day. The sky was really this blue today. Absolutely gorgeous. The apples are ripe and ready to be picked. Many have already started falling so those are free for the picking by people like us. Howard enjoyed one today.

#4

Another perfect fall day...

#3

For many years I have wanted to get a picture of one of these brooms in action. Today was finally that day.

Contrast the first two pictures with these two. My guess is that they have only one of the fancy leaf blowers, and the young guy got dibs on it.

#2

It rained almost all day, so I found nice bright picture I took the other day to post for my fall picture of the day. This tree is quite glorious, don't you think?

Today's Fall picture

Fall comes very slowly and gently to our part of the world. The trees on the hills around us change so gradually that one hardly notices it. The leaves stay on the trees for such a long time, which also means they fall for a very long time as well! Lots of raking to do - over and over again!

Canadian Thanksgiving

On Sunday evening we enjoyed a wonderful feast and enjoyed being together as Canadians.
I only had time to take a few quick shots, and the one I did take with people in it turned out very blurry! So, you can imagine the bodies - all 64 of us.
We even had a few Americans in the mix who had shown interest in attending our party. So, the lady in charge said they could come if they brought 3 facts about Canada with them. Which they did. I actually learned some things about Canada from them. It was great to have them there and share our Thanksgiving together.

Kaffee und Kuchen

On Saturday afternoon the library ladies said farewell to one of our workers. Betty (in the blue) and her husband are going back to Canada after almost 30 years here at BFA. Amazing. It was a lovely time, sitting in this beautiful garden on a very warm Golden October day.

Issues

Our computer is having issues. I'm not sure what happened but we cannot access our photos at the moment, and I also cannot upload anything as well. So..... this is my post for today and I hope things will get resolved before our Canadian Thanksgiving Supper is too far in the past. I am trying not to be frustrated......

In the vineyards

Today Howard and I made use of a birthday gift - a coupon for lunch out at a wonderful "farm" restaurant. The prices are great and the food is fantastic. We drove through some vineyards on the way there and the colours were so beautiful with the mist and the heavy skies.

Good times

We've enjoyed a few evenings this week with some good and special friends. Monday night we had the RAs from Palmgarten over - Ellie, Bonnie and Lizzie.

And tonight Don, a former BFA staff member visiting from the States, was able to fit us into his busy schedule so we enjoyed a good meal and a great visit together.

Red

This vine grows almost everywhere, and in the fall it is absolutely beautiful, especially against the old houses.

Holzen's Market

This afternoon we enjoyed a stroll through the Holzen Handwerksmarkt. Holzen is a little village just 3 km from here. Yesterday it poured rain for a good part of the day, but today was a perfect market day. There was lots to see...