In fourth grade we had a teacher, Mrs. Williams, who read poetry to us. 'The Tale of Hiawatha', 'The Battle of the Light Brigade' and more. The most standout poem she read however, eludes me. I've never found it anywhere, but I recall it vividly because you see it was autumn and outside the classroom window was a sky that was impossibly blue and in the poem was a line about "October blue skies". I recall the tone of the poem was rather poignant, or so I think I recall. Considering all I can remember is three words it's not terribly likely that I recall an emoting of any sort of feeling from the poem. However, each year come October I look up at the sky and know just what the author, whomever he or she might have been, was viewing and why the words were written.
This year, October is especially poignant not just for the usual reasons. This month is my last as a full-time hands-on Gramma to Caleb. I will always be his Gramma, but my involvement with him will considerably decrease after this month. I hope, I pray that over the last three years, my presence has been an impactful one in his life.
He's not the first grandchild to live at a distance from me. They all do, save the three across the field and it's only been the last four years I could count them as 'nearby.' Except Millie who has never lived anywhere except nearby.
John says that October is his favorite month. I personally have always considered November my favorite. Most years that's when we see really cool weather and an obvious color upon the trees. This year, we've already had cooler days in September and the leaves are rapidly changing. This year, I suspect that October will be our month of Autumn.
Meals:
Mexican Pizza
Gramma's Fried Chicken, Mac n Cheese, Green Beans and Potatoes
Sweet and Sour Stir Fry, Rice, Steamed Broccoli, Oranges
Salisbury Steak and Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
Chicken and Dumplings, Fruit Salad In the freezer, I have a container of chicken pot pie filling. Or so I tagged it at the time I put it in the freezer. It occurred to me that I might make chicken and dumplings from it. I use all the same meat and vegetables and broth base in both.
Chicken Parmigiana, Salad, Garlic Bread, Tiramisu
Hot dogs, chips, apples
Work:
Zone 1 Kitchen/Laundry/Back Entry This would be a good time to mop the floors in this area. I usually go on and do the baths and front entryway at the same time, while I have a bucket of water and cleaner mixed up.
I said I'd declutter in each zone this month. I've pretty much attended to the laundry area and there's nothing to declutter in the back entry. However, I'm pretty sure there are things that may be removed from the kitchen. Utensils, unused cookware, vases, excess cloths, etc.
I've no idea what else I might do this week. There's always the routine work to be done. I think I'm just going to play this week by ear and see how I feel.
Personal/Leisure:
Get over this cold/allergy business which means resting and drinking lots of fluid. I don't feel horrible, nor really feel ill, but it's wearing.
Commit to a book and start reading once more.
Spend a little time playing with genealogy.
John started this next item at the end of this past week when he announced he had a hole in the knee of his jeans. I used an iron-on patch to mend those. I need to order more of those patches, since I used two a few weeks ago to mend two pairs of Josh's pants. Oddly I haven't used an iron on patch in ages, but in the past two months I've used four.
Fix two pairs of my jeans. I need to replace darts in one set where they have come loose. I have a zipper that needs to be sewn back in another pair. I think there's a third pair waiting to be hemmed. Make that two pairs because my newest pair of rust-colored jeans need to be shortened. I have a shirt that Pilar gave me that I really like overall, but I hate the long waterfall hem. I'm going to make a straight hem.
Since I'll apparently be in sewing mode, I may just check over all my wardrobe and see if there are other things that need to be mended. Why not just have it a mending week?
8 comments:
I just googled October blue skies and found a poem called October's Bright
Blue Weather by Helen Hunt Jackson. I think it's your poem.
Rita, That might be it! It' a lovely poem and I thank you for finding it. I love Helen Jackson.
Mending can be a pain but if it's done at one time with all the supplies out along with the sewing machine, that's not so bad. It's the digging out of the appropriate thread, needles and the sewing machine from its hiding place that takes a bit of time. I need to make a couple new aprons and with everything else, that task has gone by the wayside.
Will have to check out the poem. So far October (all two days of it) have been lovely. We expect frost anytime from the 16th to the latter part of the month. Cabbages are really going to town but a frost cover can be used if it gets really cold.
Is this the poem?
https://pollycastor.com/2020/10/14/octobers-bright-blue-weather-poem-by-helen-hunt-jackson/
I looked it up also. I think it is the one.
Dark cinnamon and ivory are my definite colors this year.
I find I'm between a medium and a large in tops and since pretty much all my clothes are mail order, I never know if I'm going to like the look until the article arrives. There are a couple of things I would love to take in. Hoever, my sewing machine is my mother's 1964 White and it has always had tension problems over the last few decades. Every once in awhile I would take it to the shop, but that shop has now closed down. Also it was never made to sew knits and usually just makes a big wad of knots' Sigh! First world problems, I know.
Just my busybody thought on the freezer, Having just gone through the expense and hassle of buying a bigger freezer and selling the old one, I would wait even six months more to save for the largest one you can fit in your house. Once you buy one you will probably not do it again and too small is too small. We are now at 21 CF and even that is not as big as we could easily use.
Donna, I have a very lightweight very portable Brother sewing machine that I keep set up most of the time. Biggest pain is winding bobbins and gathering and threading different color threads.
I had not thought about sewing an apron or two while I was at it, but perhaps I will. Might as well while the machine is going anyway.
Anne,I seldom go in anywhere to buy clothes now. I wear an XL-XX depending on how and who made it for tops and am a confirmed 22 on the bottom half. I order clothing or accept Pilar's really nice things that I like, and occasionally something of Katie's that is too snug in the shoulder/bust, while Katie benefits when I get something that is too big for me in the same area. It works, lol.
Juls, Parsimony, oh and one other who left the link on another post..Jo? I think it could be the very poem. I've gotten five times now and each time I read it I think it seems right somehow. I was in 4th grade when Helen Hunt Jackson would have been read widely, 1969-ish I think.
Lana, I thought and thought about it last night after looking. I was very tempted by one that came in at a very low price, smaller than I'd originally wanted and went to bed thinking upon it. I came to the same conclusion: save on for the one I really want and just wait a bit longer. I'd love to give Sam and Bess my freezer for this season, but I don't think I'm going to be able to yet.
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