The witch hits the road back to the big city this morning. Have a fun and safe holiday!
Witch, witch, where do you fly?
Under the clouds and over the sky.
Witch, witch, what do you eat?
Little black apples from Hurricane Street.
Witch, witch, what do you drink?
Vinegar and good red ink.
Witch, witch, where do you sleep?
Up in the clouds where the pillows are cheap.
Witch, Witch, By Rose Fyleman
They held a Day of the Dead celebration at Twisp Works yesterday with candles, singing and music. People made a shrine with photos and remembrances of loved ones recently lost.
Seems like there is always something going on in this community. I walked by on my way to the house last night but didn't stay long. It's been very cold although sunny, with the low October sun right at blinding eye level.
Needless to say, Halloween is a big deal in Twisp and great excuse for a party, with one street in particular the destination for trick-or-treating and bonfires. The kids are excited and lots of planning always goes into costumes.
Maya and her best friend Kate are dressing up as gruesome zombie dolls. I'm not sure about Nova. I always seem to miss the actual holiday here which is a shame. I'm going back to Seattle tomorrow to hand out candy to big city kids. As long as I can stay awake.
This afternoon I'll probably sit outside by the river and watch the leaves drifting down one more time. Then carry the beach chairs up to the garage before they are buried in snow. We still come occasionally through the winter, but it obviously depends on the weather and driving conditions.
One thing I'll say about our beavers is they are quite tidy creatures and cleaned up after themselves. At least they use what they kill and you can't blame them for stocking their larder. They know winter is just around the corner.
All is well here, although the devil beavers are still busy by the river, chewing down more nice young trees. About the only preventative is wrapping the trunks with heavy (not to mention, ugly) wire, and I don't have the tools, hand strength or inclination for that.
They cut the largest one into neat sections and hauled it off. How? Where? I've never seen a beaver lodge on the Methow River. Closer examination shows they've been working our property for a long time. Most of the old stumps were chewed off, not sawed down as I originally thought.
Anyway. What a moon last night coming up over the river, and this morning, setting behind the mountain with brilliant Jupiter right above. Maya has a soccer tournament today in Omak and I'll tag along with the girls. It's cold, but not a cloud in the sky.
We're headed into the first stretch of cold weather, so I lugged the heavy Jade plants inside from the front porch. One of my fall rituals. It's a pain in the neck to find room, but I hate to see them freeze after so many years.
Now this big boy is another story. It grew so much over the summer there really isn't a spot left to shoehorn it inside.
Amanda loves houseplants and the more the merrier, so I boxed it up to take along tomorrow. Certainly the largest tropical Stag Horn Fern in the Methow Valley. The upcoming weekend looks sunny, cold and clear so excellent driving weather. I have a few fall chores over there before the snow really flies.
There's no good reason to wipe out her little kingdom. Maybe she captures the fruit flies that drive us crazy in the summer. When not patrolling the web, she lives up in that window corner tending her egg sacks. Charlotte is just a common outdoor orb-weaver spider-- nothing like those alarming huge black ones that turn up in the basement in the fall. I'm not so benevolent with those.
This morning I feel well enough again to be on my feet at the Cafe for a few hours. There was a study recently that suggested people who have the bad reactions to vaccines build a stronger immune response than the lucky people who don't feel a thing. Wouldn't it be great if there really was a pay-off for feeling like crap?
Yes, National Baloney Day rolls around again. Once the staple of school sandwiches, now people eat more "lunch meat" which is supposedly healthier. Cold cuts are traditional German food and we had something yummy called ring baloney in Pennsylvania. But my favorite was that dark, wood-smoked Lebanon baloney. White bread and yellow mustard.
So I've had my share of cured and processed meats and lived to tell about it. But honestly, those childhood food memories are often better than the reality when you have these things again. Of course, it's possible that food just doesn't taste as good as it once did.
I'm worn out this morning from that Covid shot and my whole shoulder hurts. I woke up at 3:30 and did not go back to sleep. A cold rainy day with an afternoon nap in order. Hopefully that's the worst of it. Some brave souls are getting 2 and even 3 vaccinations at the same time. I can see the logic but not for me. We go back for our flu in a couple of weeks.
