Cactus Blooms, Christmas Looms

Our Christmas cactus is living up to its name, with many buds still waiting to open. We won’t assemble the tree for another week, but Dwight is busy creating two or three gingerbread houses using his architectural LEGO.

A Merry Countdown.

My thoughtful sister-in-law has gifted us an early Christmas present: an advent calendar filled with 24 miniature wine bottles, all different. Each day we’ll open a new door to reveal another liquid delight.

Nativity Scene for Sale Unbundled

With Thanksgiving behind us, Christmas selling is kicking into high gear. As I headed to get a haircut, I noticed a manger scene on sale outside an antique store. The ensemble is priced at $295, but can be purchased piecemeal. A baby Jesus that lights up is a mere $40, the manger is extra.

Pieceful Thanksgiving

With Dwight immersed in his Sunday plant-care routine, I assembled the first 400 pieces (out of 800) of a LEGO dried flower centerpiece for Thanksgiving. The end result, though lacking some apparently superfluous parts, seems OK to me.

Fading Fall Foliage

Cycled through fading fall colors on my way to meet a friend over coffee. A downpour on the way home was soon forgotten after a hot shower.

Categorized as Fall

Fleeting Beauty

On Sunday mornings we walk the same route, up one side of the Mississippi and down the other, about five miles. Each walk is never exactly the same. Today turning leaves, iridescent with tiny drops of dew, caught our attention.

Phew! What a Scorcher*

As temperatures nudged towards 100, cycled an abbreviated route along almost deserted trails. *The title probably originated in the UK as a spoof of a tabloid headline.

Categorized as Summer

An Annual Treat

Another slice of my once-a-year Princess Torte. Since I was born in a time zone six hours ahead of Central, I got to enjoy my first slice yesterday evening.

Categorized as Birthday

A Taste of Summer

Tonight, we’re having sweet corn. Good local sweet corn has been in short supply this year because of the dry weather, but a friend picked up a supply at the farmers market and passed it on to me. We’ll cook all of it, and shuck what we don’t eat tonight for a salad or wrap another day.