November 1

 I decided at the last possible moment to try to post every day in November something for which I am thankful.  We'll see how many days I make it...

But for today, I am thankful for flowers. Especially yellow daffodils which are my favorite.

Goodbye, October

 This is the fifth Friday in October.  We say bye to October today.  And welcome November tomorrow.  And since it's Friday, it's Friday Fave Fives time.  Here are my Five Faves from this last day of October.  You can join me and others in sharing five blessings from this week and post them HERE on Susanne's blog.

1.  Happy Halloween!  Our town did their trick-or-treat last night (Thursday), and The Professor and I sat out in our open garage and handed out candy to all of TWELVE children who came by.  Truth.  We lived on a dead end street, three houses from the end, so not many kids venture down to our place.  And it was cold, windy and sometimes rainy.  After the hour and a half of designated time, we closed up and moved back inside to eat our dinner and cuddle under blankets to warm up.  We had fun!

2.  Last Saturday Nurse Girl and I took the day to spend it at a friend's home doing nothing but knitting and chatting.  We had a fantastic time.  It was the best day possible.  We even had a chance to visit an antique shop that had a whole room full of yarn and another room full of fabric.  Wow!  We'll be back!  There are plans to have a "Knitaway" at least every three months.  I have a few photos of our time at Knitaway, but I didn't get permission to share them (oops).   Even the drive down was fun and beautiful.  Can you guess what kind of car Nurse Girl drives?

3.  Monday evening The Professor and I enjoyed attending a concert.  But it wasn't just any concert.  It was the African Children's Choir!  All the way from Uganda!  We noticed an article in the local newspaper about the choir coming to perform in a town near us, and we decided to go.  It was beautiful!  All the children were eight to eleven years old.  If you want to know more about them, go to AFRICAN CHILDREN'S CHOIR.  We were amazed and were so blessed.

4.  It wouldn't be a real week if we didn't get out for at least one hike.  One of our local county parks has a fairy trail, and PAL wanted her other grandma to walk there.  Sadly, the fairy houses had disappeared for the winter.  But there was a lovely bench to rest on.

After we walked that trail we continued on around the lake which was beautiful.

5.  A problem at PAL's house (a plumbing issue) ended up being a fave this week, too.  The plumbing guy couldn't get to the clean-out because many years ago, a former owner of the house built a porch over it.  So The Professor and T (of T and S) went over and helped Chaps saw a square out of the deck and fix it so the hole can be covered over but also make it possible to have access again.  No photos but The Professor said it was the best sawing job he has ever done.  And I do think that the guys had a good time discussing all the options and kneeling down making that opening.  Of course, at least one new tool had to be purchased.  Most importantly, though, is the fact that the pipe is fixed.

I hope you have had wonderful things happening in your life this last week of October, too.  Maybe some yummy candy!  And autumn leaves!

Friday Fave Fives in Late October

Another busy busy week has passed by so quickly.  It is Friday morning, and I am hitting the pause button to catch my breath so I can remember what good things have happened here at Willow's Cottage this week.  I love doing this Friday Fave Fives with others because it helps me be more thankful and more intentional about being thankful.  Susanne is our faithful host and she posts a place for us to link and share with others.  Head over there to HER BLOG to join us.

And here are my Five Faves from this past week:

1.  Once a month, our knit group meets at a local coffee shop and spend the morning together.  This month were only five of us, but we had the best time, knitting and chatting.

2.  After our weekly Bible Study, our small group of women met at Olive Garden was a fellowship lunch.  Most of us don't know each other well, so this was a great time to get better acquainted.

3.  Daughter-in-law's mom is here from Phoenix, Arizona visiting for a week.  PAL asked if her two grandmas could have their picture taken together.  Of course!

4.  PAL loves running with Auntie's doggies on the trail!  There she is way in front of the rest of us.

5.  And there is nothing better than walking the trails in the autumn, among the beautiful trees as their leaves turn all kinds of beautiful colors.  (The Professor and Nurse Girl with the other doggie)

And just for fun, here is a beautiful red barn!

And a lovely grey barn!

A Wonderful Week in October

What have I been doing the past week?  Keeping busy.  But not taking any photos (this is unusual for me).  My days have been filled with many blessings.  Here are five of them that I have chosen to share as my Friday Fave Fives.  THIS LINK will take you to where you can read more and join if you want with others who are sharing their five faves from this past week.

1. I hope you don't get tired of me saying how happy I am to be able to call or text Chap's family and say, "Wanna meet for lunch/dinner/coffee this week?"  It fills my heart with happiness knowing that we can see them whenever.

2.  PAL's eleventh birthday was last Friday.  We had a fun dinner at their new home, and PAL entertained us with a 'lecture' on Ancient Egypt which she has been studying in her history class.  Then Saturday night, we enjoyed leftovers and more time with them.

3.  My daughter-in-law belonged to a book club in their old home in Arizona, and she has already found one here.  It's called Well Read Mom.  This week, I accompanied her to the meeting and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I'm seriously considering joining too.  And the extra perk is spending that time with her.

4.  Lots of garden work has been getting done because the weather has been autumn perfect.

5.  Because of a necessary trip into the big city (Columbus), Nurse Girl and I had a chance to go shopping at a mall in the area. Both of us were looking for particular things and were successful. We both now own new warm gloves for winter, and I found a pair of linen slacks to add to my very small wardrobe of items I can wear (that I'm not allergic to). We also enjoyed a quick dinner.  And the best part was just spending time together.

So you won't be too bored... here are some autumn photos from a couple of years ago.  The fall leaves were brilliant that year!

October Faves

Friday Fave Fives.  I love joining other people who write five things that they are thankful for every week.  It makes me think all week about how blessed I am and how I need to be thankful for all the good things in my life.  Here are my Fave Fives for this week.

1.  All moved in!  Chaplain Dan and his family are settling in to their new home.  All the boxes and furniture were moved from the storage cubes on Saturday, except for the piano.  On Sunday after church, four very kind and strong men came and helped get the piano into the house. What a blessing!

2.  Rain.  We had a very rainy day this week. The soil sucked up all the water and all the plants are happy because we have been in drought.  I am thankful for that rainy day.

3.  The Professor mentioned to me this week that he is thankful to be living near enough to our two high school grandsons (cousins) to be able to help by taking them to school two mornings this week when their mothers were not available to take them.  Even if it meant being up at 6:20 to let them in the house and then drive them over to the school at 7am.  I agree with him.  Living in the same town is a joy to us.  And then hearing them say, "Love you!" as they get out of the car and slam the doors shut...

4.  I am loving having Chaps and J and PAL living so close to us.  At noon today, we met at a wonderful coffee shop that serves tasty lunch items and enjoyed just hanging out and talking with them.  And then later in the day, we popped over to help them unpack a few more boxes.  J and I just looked at each other and smiled-- we get to see each other every week now instead of every year.

5.  Another reason I am so late posting my FFFs-- in the afternoon, The Professor and I met Nurse Girl, her boyfriend and Warrior Boy and of course, the granddogs at a park nearby and we hiked two miles in rather hilly terrain.  It was a perfect day for a hike and the surrounding trees were a perfect place.

You may notice that the leaves on the trees haven't really turned to autumn colors yet.

The Professor sitting on a bench that a Trail Life member made and placed there for his final project. (like an Eagle Scout badge)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and stop to appreciate all the blessings in your lives, including the flowers.

Autumn Beauty

 I can't get enough of the autumn leaves and trees and flowers.  Going back through earlier years of living in a four season area (five falls now!), I am soaking in all the beauty.

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Hopefully, coming soon.

Mundane and Amazing

Some weeks when I plan and write my Friday Fave Fives, I have big amazing faves.  Other weeks, I simply share basic things in life that I am blessed with.  This week, it is a mix of amazing and basic.  Truthfully, our lives are just that, aren't they?-- a mix of mundane and magnificent.  But they are all blessings.  I am sharing my Five Faves to remind myself and to encourage all of you who read my blog.

1.  Our son and his family have a home!  They closed on their home this week!  They have been slowly moving in, and tomorrow is the big day to unload all the big furniture.

Their new home is just five minutes away from our house and our daughters' house (The Hive)

2.  Fall decor.  I don't do much decorating. But even the simplest autumn decorations make me smile.

3.  Another mundane thing that delights me.  My bunny Eleanor Elizabeth has a new dress!  I finished knitting it this morning and dressed her in it immediately.  She was so excited!

4.  Our Nurse Girl has moved from night shift to day shift.  She loved working with the co-workers on night shift, but the hours were hard, especially because she has children in the home.  Hopefully, schedules will be easier now.

5.  Last night, The Professor and I attended a 'reunion' at our local hospital where he was so well cared for in the ER and in the Inpatient Intensive Rehabilitation Unit after his stroke last May.  Every year, the Rehab Unit hosts all former patients to this reunion to enjoy a meal and opportunities to visit with their therapists, nurses and doctors and share how well they are doing now.  Actually, I also think that the reunion is great encouragement for the staff.  We are so very thankful that there is such great medical care right in our community.  (PS:  this is the hospital where our Nurse Daughter/Girl works)

Has your week's blessings been Amazing or Mundane?

A Busy Week

 Oh my.  Here it is Friday NIGHT.  And I am just now getting to writing my Friday Fave Fives.  Our week has been filled with so much busyness.  I really need to remember now before I sleep what things blessed me this week.  And thanks to Susanne at Living to Tell the Story, I am reminded weekly to remember and share them.  That link takes you to her blog and you can join us.

1.  Today I drove PAL and her mom to a friend's home to meet her two daughters.  It didn't take more than five minutes and the three girls were off doing all the fun things that girls do.  That's the main reason I am signing in here so late.  It was worth it!

2.  After we picked up the high school boys and drove them home (we came directly from our friends' home), we did a (not so) quick stop at Hobby Lobby and then came home.  It didn't take long for us all to decide that this was the perfect night to have pizza at our favorite local pizza place.  Then while we were eating Nurse Daughter texted asking if we wanted to visit a local cidery place.

3. So that is my next fave.  We drove over and picked up Nurse Girl and then went to the village next to our town and showed PAL and her parents a favorite place that serves all kinds of cider (and other drinks).  We all chose hot spiced cider to go and then we walked around the downtown area of the village.  What a wonderful way to end our day and our week.

4.  Okay.  Back to earlier in the week... as usual, we met T and S for coffee and snacks.  The coffee place we chose is in our town and next to a sweet local shop that sells clothes and all kinds of other things. The summer dresses were on sale and I found a 100% cotton dress that fits me just right.  I am thankful I am finding clothing that I can wear-- cotton, linen, wool.

5.  The Professor and I had a total of three medical appointments this week.  And all three had positive results.  That is truly a blessing!

I hope you have had a week full of blessings, even if it was full of busyness.

Last Fave Fives of Summer

I had to look up exactly when Autumn begins this year.  September 22nd.  Which means this is the last Friday Fave Fives of Summer 2025.  So, as we wave goodbye to summer season, let's be thankful for all the beauty,  garden bounty, and bonfires.  And we look forward to all the changing leaves and crisp weather and pumpkin flavored everything, we will focus our thoughts on being thankful for those things, too.

These are the Five Favorites that I chose from this past week.

1.  This past week I read two books, Green Money and Music in the Hills, by one of my favorite Scottish authors.  D.E. Stevenson (1892-1973) wrote more than forty books mostly set in Scotland. I could just get lost in her books and happily live in one of those small cottages in the Scottish hills.

2.  On Sunday, The Professor and I drove into the big city and met dear friends of ours from California for lunch.  California?  Yes.  He grew up here in Ohio, so they had flown out to attend his high school reunion.  This is the second time since we moved here that they have visited and we have spent precious time with them.  I'm so glad they chose to take some of their holiday time to be with us.

3.  Then, on Monday, we drove to (south of) Cincinnati to meet up with a college friend and his wife who are visiting various places and family members in Kentucky.  FYI, the Cincinnati airport is actually in northern Kentucky.  So, we enjoyed dinner and hours of conversation with them at Appleby's. (the servers were so sweet to just let us stay and chat).  It was so worth the hours of driving!  No photos taken of either couple--just wonderful memories made.

4.  Yes, I did get some walks in this week.  Not as many as last week, but still, any walks or exercise is good.  Both long walks were with the granddogs.  I'm thankful I have the energy to walk two or three miles a day.  And the leaves are falling, so I am kicking leaves on the ground as we walk!

5.  I don't know if you have noticed that Eleanor Elizabeth (Bunny) has not been mentioned lately.  She has been very busy hosting all the bunnies that arrived with PAL last month.  In fact, she has missed several coffee dates due to how full her schedule has been with spending time with all the other bunnies.  However, I did ask her to model a new dress that I knitted for PAL's  bunny AJ.  (this is one of the things I've been knitting this month).

Tall Boy's Senior Photos...2013

Examining shark teeth in the lab in National Science Museum, Los Angeles

Wearing his new Weasley sweater.

A Week of Walks and Dogs

Happy Friday, everyone!  Here at Willow's Cottage, it has been a busy week and a busy Friday.  Now it is Friday evening and I am resting and thinking back on all the blessings of this week.  Five Faves to share with you.  If you are a regular reader here, you know that Susanne hosts us every week at Friday Fave Fives. (follow the link)

These are my faves for this second week of September.

1.  I walked/hiked every day this past week.  I am really working on walking every day.  So far this month, I've missed only one day.  This may be a record for me.

2.  Two walks in the local arboretum, Dawes Arboretum.  We are blessed to have a wonderful local arboretum just a few miles away from our home.  Dawes Arboretum is made up of almost 2,000 acres.  So many paths.  Acres and acres of trees.  Japanese Garden.  And so much more.  The granddogs love walking here.

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3.  First Bible Study of the season.  We started back this Thursday on our weekly studies.  I am blessed to be able to be part of this group.

4.  Phone calls with my brother.  We try to talk to each other most every week because we live 2,400 miles apart.  I treasure those conversations.

5.  A photo that made me happy this week.  PAL's flipflops and Chaplain Dan's boots by the front door.

AND... Senior Photo of Tall Boy...

Sunflower Season

There are So.Many.Sunflowers blooming in my garden right now.  I love to sit and gaze out the window and watch all the birds, especially the yellow goldfinches, squatting on the flowers and leaves and stalks.  Those birds love to snack on the sunflower seeds.

Last week's strong winds blew several of the plants over, so I cut the flowers and brought them into the house and put them into vases.  So much sunny joy!

I left these to lean over the north side fence.

I love sunflowers!

Hello September!

It's September!  Ninth month of 2025.  School is back in the schedule.  The weather seems to be moderating (finally).  This week has been full of the usual busyness of life.  Friday is the day I just pause and remind myself of how blessed I am.  Susanne hosts us and we share our Friday Fave Fives (follow the link to join).

1.  Over the long weekend, we enjoyed not one, but TWO, bonfires.  Sunday night we hosted our church life group and enjoyed time just chatting around the fire.  Monday night we did the same thing with family.  It was perfect weather and a perfect way to celebrate Labor Day weekend.

2.  I am keeping up my walking. Six of the last eight days (including today).

3.  Peaches!  NurseGirl and I took PAL and her mom to the local peach orchard to buy fresh local peaches.  Yum!

4.  PAL and her mom like to visit thrift stores.  One day this week, we enjoyed checking out three thrift stores. We may have bought a few really great bargains...

5.  Yesterday, September 4th, is remembered by us for two reasons.  It was the wedding anniversary of The Professor's parents who were married during WWII.  Also, on their anniversary, we decided to announce our engagement.  September 4th is a wonderful day for us to remember.

AND... Tall Boy's Senior Photos...

End of August

Here it is Friday again and I am running in quickly to post my Friday Fave Fives before it's Saturday. (follow the link to join us) Life is so busy right now, but it is a good busy.  Chaplain and his family are settling in and looking for a permanent place to live.  In the meantime, life is filled with lots of activities.  Here are things I am noticing today and am thankful for.

1.  I have been gone most of the day today because I drove The Professor an hour's drive away to have an evaluation done to check if he can return to driving.  The answer (after two hours of testing!) is YES!  Exactly three months ago today, he suffered that mild stroke, and now he is back to almost completely normal!  That's a HUGE fave!

2.  Having an energetic almost eleven year old around helps us increase our activity.  In the past nine days, I have taken walks eight of them.  In fact, today we walked three and a half miles.  The granddogs joined us on that walk.

3.  The weather has cooled down and we are able to get more yardwork done.  I am truly thankful for a respite from the heat and humidity.

4.  It's fun to see the local wild life when we are walking...

Heron

5.  Fun with PAL.  Besides our walks, she is keeping busy.  This week, she created a cage house for me.  I am thankful for special times with her!  And with the other grands, too.

And, again, in honor of Tall Boy being a high school senior...