Ready for Winter

 All this snow and colder weather has me thinking about the upcoming holidays. So much to do to get ready - so little time! I'm still in the changing over from summer to winter mode. I have all the summer porch and lawn furniture put away; Jamie and Marie have helped exchange the lawnmower with the snow blower, and I now have everything neatly tucked in under cover. So neatly tucked in I can't find a few things. When I cleaned out the garage back in July so the new foundation could be put in, we stuffed as much as possible into my small storage garage, formerly my father's tractor garage. I haven't noticed the ski pole out there, so either it's buried until spring or I put it some place where I'd be sure to be able to get it when I needed it. It's just I don't remember where. The good news is that it's mate should be overhead in the garage loft and with my new stairs it's easy to head up there to find it. I have cross-country ski poles up there, but they are a bit too tall. Jamie has volunteered to adjust the length if I don't find my old bamboo one. I'll plan to go up there next week and take inventory. It's in great disarray and sorting through the stuff stored there will likely be my "project" for next summer.These photos show my new stairs and the window in the loft. Pretty cool, right?

Today I did laundry and switched my bedroom decor from summer to winter mode.This mainly involves washing a couple of blankets, changing the comforter and curtains and adding an extra blanket when I put things back together. I like the lift it gives me - nice to have a change in there each spring and fall and it reminds me of the seasonal change-overs my mother always did, hanging heavy winter drapes at drafty windows and replacing summer bedding with woolen blankets and heavy quilts that smelled of mothballs. She also scrubbed everything, ceiling to floor, and some years painted everything in sight, or hung fresh wallpaper. Every room in the house got thoroughly cleaned, no exceptions. She taught school and cleaning house was what spring vacation was for, in her mind. In the fall, before storm windows were put on, the windows had to be washed inside and out before the heavy drapes went up. I don't get even close to doing all of that. I have Woods Windows come in the fall so I don't have to look out through smudged windows all winter, and do my token bedroom changeover.

I was watering some plants in the basement while I was waiting for the laundry to finish and noticed my Christmas cactus plant is nicely budded. I may move it upstairs this year to see if it will bloom better and longer. Last year it didn't bloom much. When it does bloom, it's quite lovely and it seems a pity to hide it in the basement. It can be messy, though, especially if it begins dropping its buds and/or blooms - which usually happens if I bring it upstairs. They are finicky plants, and yet, this one has provided more "offspring" than I can count, and is much older than I am. It was my mother's plant and I believe she brought it from her parents' home. It's hard to tell - the McAllan sisters generously shared "slips" of their houseplants and it may have come by way of one of those women. I transplanted a healthy cutting from the original plant about 10 years ago, and although it is lush and healthy, it never blooms. I think it's because it is in my kitchen and doesn't get enough complete darkness and the temperature is too warm. They like cool temps and uninterrupted hours of darkness..

My little backyard pond froze over this week. I think  most of it opened up again today, but I couldn't be certain, and the weather was too raw to go out to get a closer look. Some of our snow melted and my driveway is almost bare again. I know hunters appreciate having snow for tracking game, but personally, I'd be happy if we didn't get any until Christmas. So, to the many hunters in the area - happy hunting; and to everyone else, remember that it's hunting season and stay out of wooded areas. If you have to go into the woods or are walking back roads or trails, wear hunter orange or some other bright color - with no white hats, scarves, or mittens, please (deer flash a white tail when they are nervous or start to run). Be safe, and enjoy our November weather if you can!