Laowai

The past couple weeks have been moving very fast. Time for a catch-up. 

First up – I had a birthday and Bea made a cake.

I've been keeping up with my walks at the botanic garden and also the weekly photos of this spot.

Bea and I went down into the city for a members evening at the Shedd Aquarium. She got to chat with some of the employees and it wasn't busy so we could look at the fish for a really long time.

And then mom and Jennifer and Jenna came for a visit. Look how cozy everyone looks! Movie time!

Jennifer and Chris just bought a boat (it's spending the winter in a boat yard a bit north of us) so we got to go look at it with Jennier.

Jennifer and mom had to return home. Bea had school. So Jenna and Claire and I headed into the city.

Claire has wanted to take Jenna to the Color Factory for a long time.

Then we did a little shopping. Those two get along so well so it was a super fun day!

Back in Midland – I watched the parade – mostly for the big turkey and the Rockettes and Santa at the end.

We all got to meet Henry – my new great nephew. Cute, cute, cute!

At mom's house we decorated her Christmas tree. Probably our last time at this house since she is looking forward to moving to an apartment in the Spring.

This is the favorite ornament.

Jennifer hosted us for thanksgiving. I seem to have mostly taken photos of things – grandma Dice's turkey platter and Jennifer's great little placecard birdies.

Here's our yummy Thanksgiving dinner.

On the way home it snowed and it was only 18 degrees when I went for a walk at the gardens today. So It feels very Christmasy. And I'm ok with that.

I decided to go a little retro by covering our tree with tinsel this year.

Sparkley!

Here are some photos of all the same things I photograph every week. But they're not the same really because everything changes with every bit of weather through every season. And I can't seem to not take photos of all the plants that are so interesting to me. Today there was frost covering anything in the shade and the plants have hardly any green left – just mostly stiff plant skeletons and lots of fluffy seeds. I'm making a study of these prairie plants and there is, amazingly, something new to notice each time I go.

I made a shirt to try out a new dress pattern. Of course it's a pattern from Liesl + Co. For 99% of the sewing I do I use her patterns. I don't want to waste my time on a pattern that doesn't fit at the end. Or even worse a pattern that is completely flawed and frustrating like one I used recently (Mcall's M8325).

Anyway, this is the called The Amarena Dress. It has a lovely shawl collar and it's very simple to sew. I wanted to match the plaid across the front seem. I was sure I cut it out correctly but nope – I messed it up. So it has a visual vertical line in the middle. I sewed a couple rows of top stitching to make it look intentional. Other than that silly mistake I'm really pleased with this shirt.

I used some linen gingham that I've had for a few years. In fact I already made one shirt out of the fabric and had enough leftover to make this one. The only change I made to the pattern was to curve the hem a bit more.

So next, when I get up my nerve to cut into the fabric, I'm going to make the dress version out this fabric.

I should probably clean up first too.

The end of last week was lovely and warm and I tried to pick as many flowers as I could before a hard frost came.

 

I made Mark Bitman's pear upside down cake. Lots of maple syrup flavor and it was yummy warm, with a big dollop of whip cream.

I finished painting the interior part of the window jamb of my living room window. The last little bit of work that I needed to complete on that window. 

My lilac is confused again. It had two little blooms. How strange to smell that smell in October.

Brian returned from Sydney on Saturday.

The girls and I spent a weekend with a group of moms and daughters. It was an annual crafty weekend away in Union Pier, Michigan. We had a wonderfully fun time hanging out with everyone. Here are a few photos of a walk I took to Lake Michigan.

And here are a couple photos of the project I worked on.

I made a paper plant using instructions from Corrie Beth Hogg. I've come to realize how special it is to have a series of days completely devoted to crafting (along with lots of chatting a laughing). Devoting time and being able to focus on just making something is a treat. 

Claire devoted the weekend to puzzles – she worked with friends on two big ones. Bea made a painting of a fish and another painting of some coral.

Back home it was time for Halloween and this was another big change. The first time my girls did not go trick or treating. And the first time I didn't carve a pumpkin – I was fed up with squirrels eating the pumpkins before Halloween and I kind of ran out of time to get one at the last minute.

I went for a walk Halloween morning and there was snow. Brisk windy fluffy snow!

Everything was dusted with snow like powdered sugar on a dessert. It felt so good to bundle up with lots of wool wrapped around my head and neck.

When trick or treating time came Bea (the crow) handed out candy and Claire and I sat around the fire.

The next morning we actually had snow on the ground! Driving around doing errands, it was so pretty to see snow on the yellow and orange trees. And the sun was shining through – fleeting and magical.

Having Halloween over and seeing snow out the window I was completely in the mood to get out Christmas decorations. But I didn't. Instead I cleaned the mudroom and made room for all the winter stuff.

One last photo. I ordered some heavily embroidered linen – It's sitting there in my sewing room waiting to be made into a new dress. But first I must finish cleaning out the vegetable garden and putting pots away.

Brian has been sweating in Singapore this week while I was finishing knitting a sweater. This was supposed to be a quick cotton summer project but I struggle a lot. I ended up switched patterns and now, finally, I have a finished sweater. 

Every time I knit something I really want all the hard work to result in something I actually want to wear. I think I will wear this sweater. This time of year it can be worn like a vest and in summer I think it will look nice on its own. Time will tell.

Here are some photos that Brian sent.

He said parts of the city remind him of China.

This past week it got nice and chilly. I moved all my geraniums into paper bags. They will hang out in a dark room in the basement – napping until spring. 

I've been in the mood for knitting. The project that I've had so much trouble with – my summer sweater – is finally moving along. I should have it done soon so I can get back to knitting with wool. Yay!

The sweater started out like this but I didn't like the shape and edging of that pattern.

So I ripped all that yarn and started with this basic t-shirt shaped sweater. I think I will be able to wear it like a vest with slim shirts underneath.

I've been enjoying walking in the not-hot weather. Lake Michigan was looking pretty on one stormy day.

My Zinnias are still going strong. I think I might try to save some seeds like my grandma always did.

I've not had a great year for tomatoes. I brought a bunch of green ones inside because it feels like frost is coming.

Bea has been going to an after school club where they make things out of glass. She made this little mushroom. I love to see her doing arty things. Even though she is mostly interested in science and biology at school she is a great fearless artist too. 

In old house news – this shower fixture is giving me big anxiety. I've talked to multiple plumbers and contractors since the fixture stopped working. Most of them say it's not repairable and that we need to take down all the tile to replace it. And some of them have given me ridiculous quotes. Uhg. I'm crossing my fingers that the latest contractor will help come up with a creative and affordable plan that doesn't involve retiling the whole shower.

It's a good thing I can take nice long walks at the Chicago Botanic Garden to calm myself.

Brian and I went to see our first opera of the season – The Flying Dutchman. 

We sit at the tippy top where the seats are cheap but also the sound is very good.

That's about all I have to report. Brian is doing lots of traveling so I think I will tackle some sewing projects while he is away.

Just today it feels chilly enough for a sweater. It feels nice.

I made granola earlier this week. When I'm feeling frazzled a bit of baking makes me feel better. Especially when the baking smells so good.

I finished some more window work this week. I gave three upstairs window jambs and sils a fresh coat of paint. This type of work always takes longer than I think it will. Maybe it drags out because of all the drying time after each coat of paint. Anyway, I'm glad to have it done before winter.

Cider season! Yay!

Another yay! moment: we got to see Jennifer and Jenna and Mom for a couple days. They took a quick trip to our neck of the woods for visiting colleges. For some reason – we couldn't help ourselves – we started playing Monopoly even though it was late and everyone was super tired. 

They made a visit to Purdue and were surprised to find Dad's name on a plaque.

I had my regular visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden. I swooned over all the asters.

The vegetable garden was still looking fresh.

These asters are already done with their color show.

This is my summer sweater. Hmmmm. I've ripped it out so many times and I even switched patterns but I think this version will finally work out. Crossed fingers.

Here's Claire in her happy place (Target). We bought candy for the trick or treaters.

Also this week – I swapped two beloved birds. I found this one years ago at a second hand shop in Zurich. It's always hung in our bedroom. 

Last Spring when Brian and I took a trip to Italy to celebrate our 20th anniversary I bought this little terra cotta swallow in. I thought I would hang that bird in my dining room, but I couldn't quite find the right spot. 

And then I realized that the two pictures in our bedroom where the first bird always hung are from our honeymoon. So the terra cotta bird from our anniversary trip should be there. Duh. Why didn't it occur to me before? 

Sort of wish the swallow was flying the other direction but oh well. I'm not going to make more holes in the wall. Now I just need to hang the first bird up – I love how it looks agains the green walls.

Montreal has a great mix of architecture styles from it's varied historical influences. Lots of old next to new – which makes it so interesting when you walk around. And so I have a bunch more photos to post. Photos that I took (or Brian took) just because the buildings were such fun to look at.  

Chunky to not so chunky.

Three in one.

I think this is Second Empire style – like my house.

Can I please live in this little building in the park?

Feeling like I'm being looked down upon. Ha.

Fancy-cute dormer window.

Wedding cake.

This was on the McGill University campus. It's hard to see, but the top parts – the very detailed dormers – were actually looking a little rough. Need some love.

The photo below shows a fascinating and famous apartment building called Habitat 67. It was designed by a young architect, Moshe Safdie, as a modular vision for future city living.

"The core ideas [Safdie] originally pioneered at Habitat 67 are still highly relevant today," he said. "Prefabrication, and how to make a place for living in a city that is spatially generous, efficient and with an abundance of natural light and outdoor space – while retaining a similar density to a traditional tower block."

The building shown above and below was a favorite of mine. It feels like this is what you think of when you think of Old Montreal or Quebec. So pretty. And the windows were intact and very functional with their interior shutters and screen windows.

Swan boat in an old canal (love it).

Bea took some drone videos so we can see some of the architecture from above – here and (one more to come).