Good afternoon gals,
I think I have a slight cold coming on. My throat was a bit sore this morning and my head is stuffed up. I ordered a new jar of Manuka Honey today. Will get that tomorrow so that should help some.
Yesterday evening, David and Julie picked me up and we went out for dinner at a burger place near me. From there we went to the Japanese Garden for their Floating Lantern ceremony. It was very nice and peaceful there. The path to the pond was a bit bumpy and dark for David with his walker but we made it. Julie and I each wrote a prayer on the sides of the lantern and then the candle was lit. We found a place to put it in the pond. Was very pretty with all the lit lanterns floating around in there. Julie and I are going back in a week or so during the day for their Ikebana Festival. Ikebana is an ancient form of Japanese flower arranging. It is very simple arrangement but elegant looking. I have wanted to learn more about it so am also taking a class there in a couple weeks to learn how to make them. The containers used for Ikebana are also very unique. The look of these arrangements is very similar to contemporary arrangements which are also pretty simple and asymmetrical with unique containers. The festival will have many of the Ikebana arrangements set up throughout the garden areas. Should be very pretty!
I missed church this morning. I was really tired last night and went to bed around 10pm and didn't wake up until almost 11am this morning! I had planned to go hiking at Sabino Canyon after church but since I am not feeling too spunky, I will probably just do laundry today and get some reading done.
I want to make a small boat from a gourd for David for Christmas and need to get busy on that project! I have a couple of gourds I bought in CA that should be the right shape and size to make a boat from. I will need to cut it lengthwise and then add a deck and seats in it. I got a small outboard motor tree ornament from Amazon that I can (hopefully) attach to the back of the "boat". I hope it comes out decent. He has a classic wooden boat in his garage that he restored years ago, as well as an antique outboard motor on it, that he also restored. It is his pride and joy. I want to make this look as close as possible to that boat, which will be a challenge.
But if it turns out fairly close, I am sure he will love it. I have never seen a gourd boat before, so I have nothing to go on but my creative instincts.
I forgot who mentioned making the apple pie/cake, but I bet it would be great with peaches and be like a peach cobbler!
As far as cleaning up leaves, my dad would rake up and bag all his leaves. He had a large yard and lots of oak trees, and the neighbors leaves also blew onto his lot since his property was lower than theirs on both sides, so they all just collected in his back yard! He would put all the bags (usually around 80+
) along the street and the city would come by to collect them all. When he got older, there was a program for local seniors, where the school kids from different classes and ages (as well as the teacher and some parents) would come by on the Saturday before Halloween to rake yards and bag up the leaves. He just had to provide bags, beverages, and goodies for them. He really looked forward to that every year! The kids had a blast raking up big piles and jumping in them. They still managed to get the whole yard raked, front and back, in a few hours! I was always there helping out too.
I got my bird bath set up yesterday and the solar fountain too. It looks nice but so far the cats aren't too impressed. Maybe if some birds start coming by, they will pay more attention.
Next Thursday, David's caregiver, Terry, is having a wine-tasting party, so we are all 3 going to that. I will figure out some snacky thing to bring with. I don't drink wine much so I will bring some Baileys and Egg Nog instead. It is kind of an early Christmas themed party so that should fit right in! I discovered that combination last Christmas and it is really good!
Beth, have you ever been to Chiricahua National Monument? It looks like it isn't too far from your Benson place. Looks like a very cool place to visit!
Have a good day!