§ Hold Your Horses EveryBuddy!!...

In my previous post I mentioned the Botanical Gardens and their gift shop...

..."I did good! Found a cute little trinket, was sorely tempted to buy it but didn't. I walked out, and called it a day.

....the saga continues another day tho. Stay tuned."

And most responded with comments such as a few I share here:

1. Good for you for not buying anything!! :)

2. Wow, good for you to make it out of the place with money in your pocket.

3. Good for you resisting a little trinket!

4. Good for you that you were able to hold off the temptation to buy. My resistance doesn't always prevail. :-)

And one actually is a kindred spirit!!----

5. Am I the only one who is sorry you didn't buy the pretty little trinket? It would have been a reminder of your lovely day.

As I said...the saga continues...

A few days after I attended the Plant Sale, I took a leisurely drive in the morning around the Ranch land outside the outskirts of the city. It was nice to get away from traffic and noise of city life! Peaceful, quiet. Now, to be honest here, for those previous days before the drive, I was kicking myself in the rear end for NOT buying the trinket!!! Seriously!!! When I told Bud about the cute item, he said to me: "Why didn't you buy it? It's probably gone now!" So, on the way back home, the gardens are NOT out of the way. I drive right past it to get home. When the car got close to the entrance, I swear the car veered off to the left turn lane all on its own, and I ended up at the shop's front door! After all, they don't call a vehicle "automatic" for nothing! Yippee...

It was still there. Of course, ol' Anni, the sucker that she is, purchased it with a membership discount [my pocket change magically jumped onto the sales counter]. My car winked at me as I exited! We were both delighted. Now, granted, it's NOT HUGE [fits in the palm of my hand!]. So no clutter, right? That's what it whispered to me when I got home, placed it on the table, and smiled to each other!!  It's cut crystal.

_ _ _ _

Thursday evening into Friday all day and early Saturday morning we had some heavy rain, and misty intervals with our weather. I stayed home and during the times of boredom, I got out my cellphone and opened my app for jigsaw puzzles. I did a couple over the two days of wet outside, dry inside...

Jigsawscapes Phone App
It's a free app
Hundreds to choose from and many categories!!

§ Spring is Busting Out in the Stores....

As I mentioned in my previous post, "Living on the Edge", I spotted and photographed the banded brown pelican that was on the jetty...a few weeks ago. Well, when I got home I sent in the information to get the bird's history. I received the certificate via email:

§ More Magic of the Season...

I don't know how I got two posts published today, but I did! There is another new one that follows this!

Our Elfen Wreath

I now have 17 Christmas themed gnomes. Bud bought me a new one this year...

I didn't take much time this year to bring out all my hundreds of Santas in my collection. But, I did a few! And, the newspaper headline would read: "Anni Bought But ONE in 2021"
Of course, without hesitation, I ALWAYS bring out my oldest. It was a gift from Bud on our FIRST Christmas -this one is the one that started my collection of 50 years plus!

Oldest - - - - - - - - - -- -Newest

§ Gnome for the Holiday....

They're adorable, they're irresistible, they're cute, and for the most part, they're inexpensive and festive little sprites! But, in my opinion, they're also becoming over saturated on the market. Everywhere you look, in stores, online, in magazines and websites....gnomes for every season, holiday, and occasion. I'm tired of seeing them personally. But, I find myself with a few in my cart as I walk to the cashier. I can't help myself...
[very large image, may take some time to load]

...yes, I have purchased one for thanksgiving even, and no doubt I'll find some more for Christmas.

§ Heart Walk & Dining Room Hutch...

Let's see, yesterday was the 2nd of October. That means the 2nd year in a row I have not participated in the 5K Heart Walk that ran at 8 a.m. on Saturday! It's a shame too, since there is a lot of commraderie and fun had. I do get to pledge and raise money for a worthy cause tho. Oh ya, the reason this year [instead of cancelling because of Covid in 2020] is it has been raining again. It has rained heavily night and day since around midnight on the 1st; to the point of flooding in some areas! So far, it's rained the entire month...[:::snort:::]. Like I said last year, "Maybe next year".

Okay, on with the show...

Let me start off with Halloween on the dining room hutch:

Purple lights [thanks to Holly for telling me where to find lights that are actually PURPLE instead of violet red like some sold.] I have two witches, one gnome in the far right corner, and in the center a grape-vine witch's hat that I painted black and stuffed orange lights and added a flower and black owl adornment. The candles are the kind that DRIP. And it's supposed to resemble blood dripping. I also have two black cats with glitter on the bottom of the hutch doors.

§ Silent "G"...

I have had nothing to blog about lately; instead of wasting your time and mine, I decided to just not write a blog just to be blogging.  We've had some rainy, drizzly, gray days this past week. A few days I've gone walking in the mist; Friday was partly cloudy with fog and drizzle in the morning hours.  So, I've been a home-body for those wetter times, trying to figure out what to do to entertain myself. I started two pastel sketches only to crumble them up and filing them in file 13 [trash bin]. I'll try again in a day or two.  Bud and I are working on our last puzzle for the season...in February we start our annual Spring Yard Cleaning ritual before the heat and humidity builds up.  Still, I was bored so I decorated our dining room table for Valentine's Day already. The table is the only area I decorate for the season. The gnome was a gift. And he's a special gnome. I'll show you more of him in a bit, but I'll take some close-up shots and share them first...

This first one is of the scarf I bought at the dollar store that I'm using as a table runner. I tossed some pink and red hearts as table scatter, used the wooden bowl [made by my son in wood class many years ago] and added some shredded red mylar. My traditional mice, red glass heart containers [I took the cork stopper out and added some more mylar and added white candles, making the hearts into candle holders.

Now, showing you the 'special' gnome a bit more closely...


...it becomes a nightlight!

§ It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas...

Once again this year, we decided to not put up the large 7 foot Christmas tree and decorate it since our kitty is still too curious and can be destructive. We brought out the artificial fiber optic tree. It's only 4 feet tall, small, and easy-peasy to put up...just set it in its base and plug it in!! It morphs into shades of green, red, blue, yellow, white, and purple. Pretty, but just not traditional [which I'd prefer]. On the plus side, no danger of CATastrophes, and then again, hours spent with decorating a 'real', life-sized tree or tearing down the very same after the holiday is over. (See note below)*

For now, I share these....

Top left to bottom

The small Santa Quilt I made last year and the Santa afghan that is several years old that was crocheted by me...now, it has become a bit 'sacred' to us.  This was our late Tahoe [cat]'s FAVORITE snoozing blanket.  No one could use it, 'cause she was on it the minute I unpacked it for Christmas, and left only to eat and use litter box...then, back on it  - day and night!!  I also purchased another quilt panel and quilt batting.  It's of the nativity.  I just never got around to buying other patch work quilt blocks [because of the covid 19 scare and shopping restrictions] to frame it...besides, I couldn't make up my mind even browsing the internet.  So, the panel sits, waiting for me to work on it.  Maybe soon.  Of course it will not be finished until 2021.  That's okay.

The last two are 'new' and 'old'.  The new [on the left] is a small Santa Fairy.  It just had to come home to sit at my table.  So far he's perched on the couch in the living room.  I'm sure he'll be moved eventually.  And last, on the right, is a piece we've had in our home for the holidays since Tucson, AZ.  It's large [about 3 feet in length] with a metal sleigh and Santa - his bag is filled with toys of mini-size.  [oh, and on the snowy ledge behind the sleigh...a gnome.  More of those comin' up too.]

*I'm working on convincing myself to put up the big tree! I miss it.

§ Cosmic Crisp and Completed Crochet Craft

... finished the gnome...

Two days of rain and below normal temperatures kept me indoors for the most part.  I crocheted.  It was more difficult than it looked on the pattern website. In fact, I followed the directions, and found there were several errors and the individual rounds didn't come out. I ripped out my stitches and began again, making sure I did the stitch count according to the instructions. Still, it didn't work out. I tried again, and a 4th time, then...gave up, and using the photo of the gal's finished gnome, I did my OWN pattern stitches and it worked. Just okay, but it worked. I also added arms and mittens, plus inserting a thin wire in the hat to make it 'bumpy-bulky' and bendable. It's done. Honestly, I'd much rather BUY them already made. lol


 * * *


I also played my own personal allotted  hour on the laptop, designing a new blog themed wallpaper/background and header for 2020.  Will put it up after Christmas of course.  I'm hoping to go for a more simplistic photo frame and a more monotone [black and white] theme for next year.  Perhaps it'll be less distracting with a too busy header and photo frames.  Waiting to test it out and see if it's a visual improvement.   Bud and I also worked on a new jigsaw puzzle now that the extra bedroom has been set back to normal after Erik's visit....we were able to set up the puzzle table this week.  The puzzle is Thomas Kinkade's Nativity [1000 pcs.] and we have 872 pieces yet to 'patch' together to complete. 

* * *

A couple of weeks ago, on the national news, there was a segment on a NEW variety of apple. From Washington state. It has taken twenty years of research and developing the fruit. And it's exclusively exported from Washington for now. I imagine, eventually, the trees will be grown elsewhere. Anyway, I've been waiting to see them in our local produce at grocery stores around town. Wednesday, I had to stop at the store on the way home, and was picking out a couple of bananas and noticed THE apple! They're huge!! About the size of a small grapefruit...supposed to last in the refrigerator for a year, crisp and juicy, tart and sweet. I haven't tried it yet for a taste test, but the apple seems like a perfect specimen. I do like the more tart, tangy apple instead of the mealy, sweet. Only time will tell. Oh and by the way...for now at least, they ARE expensive. Here in Texas $3.67 a pound. My two apples I picked out were nearly $7.00!!!  The name, which is the blog title today, Cosmic Crisp, is reportedly ...

"Out of this World" good.

ADDENDUM:  Bud and I split one apple in half Thursday for lunch.  I must say I've never tasted an apple so delicious.  The meat is white and remains so without "browning" after it's cut like most apples do.  The flavor is like a fine wine...seriously.  And ever so juicy and crisp.  More on the tart side without much sweet.  Awesome.  It's gonna be the only apple I buy from now on for snacking.  [too costly for pie.  lol]   Did I mention that the apple will remain refrigerator fresh for up to a year?

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