Folk Art Lover

I decided to make one more Christmas sweater, despite having six perfectly perfect Christmas sweaters already (third shelf from the top, far-right pile in the picture below). I certainly don't need another one, but I feel like it has become a yearly tradition—and you know how much I love my Christmas traditions.

Which brings me to the question: Do you think I have enough sweaters?

I think yes.

As a fall prep, one chilly day this week, I tried on every single sweater in my closet, even changing pants and shoes to see if I could come up with different outfits. Six sweaters did not make the cut and have been donated. One went straight to the trash, and two made their way into my knitting room to be shortened.

Biscuit found them there and decided they made a perfectly good bed.

I once had a hard-and-fast rule that dogs were not allowed on the furniture, but that was when we had German Shepherds. This tiny fellow has completely changed my mind. He is allowed on select surfaces—and I have told him he is at his limit.

Organized now and it felt so good. But to do this, you've got to be in a certain mood. I can't make myself do this so when the whim struck, I dove right in.

I'm sure every dog we've ever had is looking down at this little pipsqueak on the sofa and reeling!

Chicken Orzo Bake

Have you tried one of those dump-and-bake dinners with Boursin cheese in the middle? I’ve seen quite a few of them lately and decided to give one a try using ingredients I already had on hand. We absolutely LOVED it! 

Biscuit  posing in front of a large eucalyptus that was planted during the time of the California gold rush.

We were invited to a dinner party with the understanding that Biscuit was invited too. Our hosts had lost their own dog and practically begged us to bring Bisky, so of course we did!

They have a beautiful, large yard with a creek running through it, and it is still completely fenced and absolutely fabulous for a dog. Drinks were served alfresco, and Biscuit had a blast exploring every inch of the place.

When it was time to eat, we went inside, where Biscuit was encouraged to explore the house. Our hosts insisted that they had a very dog-friendly home, and Biscuit happily took them up on it because he is a very nosy boy. And I do mean nosy in the literal sense. I don't think there was a corner he did not poke his nose into. When he'd had enough exploring, he came into the dining room, found a corner, and simply lay down.

I’m also proud of my girlfriend! She started this redwork quilt back in 2013 and has been diligently working on it ever since. She doesn’t consider herself to be handy with a needle and thread, but she had always wanted to make a redwork quilt—and so she did!

You can see the heart quilting lines are still there but will wash out. The basting stitches will soon be removed.

Before I go, I have a couple of MUST-READS to share—two of the best books I’ve read all year! Both are very character-driven, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with either of them.

Mad Mabel by Aly Hepworth Such a sad story, really, but you’ll fall in love with Mabel and admire her strength.

Five by Ilona Bannister You’ll savor each character’s backstory and, I suspect, find yourself thinking about them long after you’ve put the book down. I'm going to re-read this as there are a few characters I cannot get out of my head.

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