Lucky

I feel grateful that I wasn’t hurt. This could have been bad.

A NEW TECHNIQUE

Just trying out a new technique in Photoshop.

Accident

Yes, that is my car up on the wrecker. Today I had an accident. I was coming up West Washington Street and hit an unexpected patch of standing water on the road. There were a lot of leaves in it and they acted just like I went through black ice. My car erratically went out of control and fishtailed back and forth from one side of the road to the other as I tried to get control of it. I went into a ditch on the right hand side of the road and then back out to the other side. Finally it swerved to the right and tipped over on the passenger side right into a muddy ditch. As I hung there from my seat belt I waited for someone to come along. When no one did, I beeped my horn for the neighbors to come out. The woman called the rescue squad and they showed up with ambulance, fire truck, and police crews. I was stuck in my seat belt but finally figured out a way to release it. The rescue squad helped me get out of the van through the back. I was very scared and shook up but after the emts checked me out I was allowed to go home. I am ok but my body is achy all over from the trauma. It could have been much worse. I just missed a big tree. I am so thankful that it wasn’t a lot worse or involved another car. I will be much more cautious from now on for sure.

For all of you out there

For all those reading this blog, I wish you all the best life has to offer. As I write this blog I do not think about my readers. This is my own journal. Just a slice of my life and thoughts on a daily basis. There are a few faithful friends who read and comment on my posts. I love to read the comments and feel like my friends are near. Then I look on my flag map and see that there are others, even from other countries, who are reading my journal. I do not know you. I don’t even know how you came to finding my blog or reading it. But you are welcome. But still I am curious. If you are reading this could you please take one moment to comment at the bottom of this post. Please tell me where you are from and how you found my blog. And why do you read it? I am so curious. I have had 955 lookers since July from United States and nine other countries. How could I not wonder how and why. I’d like to make your acquaintance. Please introduce yourself. Even though I blog for myself I hope you found something of interest to you.

Look what’s new

We got a new bed! Here is the before: And here is the after:

Love those Grandchildren!

TOP GUN

There’s another member of this household who doesn’t get mentioned very much.

Top Gun is by far the king of the house. He was a stray in North Carolina who made his way to Pennsylvania by way of Virginia and ended up being the most loving cat in the world. He’s an outdoor cat and master of the mouse catch, squirrel catch, bat catch and even flying squirrel catch. There is not a critter who is safe from his sharp claws and quick pounce.
When he’s not outdoors keeping the house safe and earning his keep he can be found sleeping in a soft place or drooling on your lap. He’s very vocal especially first thing in the morning when his food dish is empty. If he had his way he would sleep in the bed, but Sadie chased him out long ago. He has quite a personality.
I know he can outsmart us.

Fall’s last breath

Have you noticed as you look around
the way the leaves have gone
Once brilliant in the Autumn sun
shining in the dawn?

The last yellow leaves are clinging
desperate to hold on
But more have fallen to the ground
and stacked upon the lawn.

They know this fight they cannot win
They never do each year
The wind and rain will have their way
As Winter will appear.


Scenes from around the house



 
 

Check out my new video

children's lake 2012 from Peg Karrasch on Vimeo.

You’ll sing in the sunshine

Can you believe it? Sixty eight degrees today and some sun. What a nice day to finish up those outdoor chores. Things are all put away now for winter. Tomorrow promises even better weather. What will you do to take advantage of that great day?

into each life a little rain must fall

Just a little rain was falling today with temperatures in the 50’s. I took Sadie for a walk in the cemetery before the light drizzle started. I don’t mind this weather but I do miss the sunshine. Since I had to be in this was a good day to clean the basement. It’s easy to put things in the basement to store but on the other hand it’s easy to forget about them too. In the last few years my goal has been to simplify by eliminating all that I can as far as cluttery things go. Each time I clean I throw out more and more trying to get to the spot where I know everything I have and how to get my hands on it. But sometimes I run into a dilemma. I have a lot of art supplies stored in nice plastic boxes which are labeled and neatly put away. I keep them in hopes that someday I will feel the urge to be artistically creative again. Throwing all that away would mean giving up my dream. So I can’t bring myself to do it just yet. How do you get your bliss back?

AS EASY AS PIE

All you Martha Stewart/Betty Crocker types read no further. Go into your perfect kitchens, peel your apples, make your homemade crust and don’t give me another thought. This is the easy peasy Karrasch apple pie.

First start with apples which you take out of the freezer. You have already picked them from your own apple tree, peeled them and added some sugar and cinnamon so they are all ready to go. Put them in the microwave for a few minutes to thaw and begin to cook.
Then poke a hole in the bottom of the bag and drain the juice from them so your crust won’t get soggy.
Get the premade crust from the refrigerator and roll it onto the pie plate. Be sure to use your favorite pie plate, the one with the ruffled edge.


Dump in the apples and spread around.

Put on the top crust and crimp the edges. This step doesn’t even have to be precise because the edge of the pie plate makes it look good anyway.

Use the fleur de lies cutter to make a design in the crust and allow the steam to escape.

Now bake for around an hour.

Everytime I eat a piece I say the same thing, “This is the best apple pie I’ve ever made. Mmmm.”

CURRENTLY

Outside my window… the hills are gray with splashes of dull yellow leaves who are bravely clinging to the trees.

Around my garden… stalks of brown flower stems poke above the dirt.

I am thinking…that already the colder weather has moved in and I should try to be outside to walk Sadie as much as possible while I still can.

I am thankful for… having a bird feeder outside my sunroom window  and watching the blue jays enjoying their morning treat.

I am wearing…my flowered comfortable nightgown. i love a day when I don’t have to get dressed right away in the morning to go out.

I am hoping…that our election will prove to find a great leader who will do the best for our country.

I am reading…my new Christmas copy of South Lady magazine.

I am hearing…the shake of Sadie’s tags on her collar as she itches. Each fall she has allergies which plague her. An oatmeal bath usually helps.

I am creating…quotes with my pictures to use on my blog.

And a favorite recent photo:

Special Moments

"Life is a question of nerves, and fibers, and slowly built-up cells in which thought hides itself and passion has its dreams. You may fancy yourself safe, and think yourself strong. But a chance tone of color in a room or a morning sky, a particular perfume that you had once loved and that brings subtle memories with it, a line from a forgotten poem that you had come across again, a cadence from a piece of music that you had ceased to play— I tell you, Dorian, that it is on things like these that our lives depend." ~Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

It’s the little things, isn’t it? Noticing the way the path curves. Hearing the ducks on the pond quaking their tune. Pulling out a warm sweater on that cold morning. The crunch of dead leaves beneath your feet. All day your senses are acutely aware of the change of season while you hardly notice as you go about your daily business. Don’t you wish you could record one mundane day with all its ordinary times. It reminds me of a saying I’ve always liked. “we don’t remember days, we remember moments”

Autumn question

 

Random thoughts