Wrapping up grilling season

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It was in the mid-70s yesterday and it’s supposed to get into the low 80s today. I don’t believe the weather forecasters much but fall is in the air and I know the temperatures are going to drop. Plus it gets dark earlier so grilling slows down for us.

Mr. Aitch is the Grill Master (I don’t care if that’s not PC) in our house so when he offers to cook, I say “Yes!” Of course I have to get everything ready for him and can relax with a glass of wine while he does the grilling.

The menu consisted of BBQ ribs,

roasted baby red potatoes with onions,

baked beans, and wine.

This wine was a one of five bottles we received for our anniversary from my brother and sister-in-law. One for each decade of our marriage.

Did you notice the wine drip catcher on the bottle?

We may have a few more days ahead for grilling burgers, sausages with peppers and onions, steak, and chicken but those may be coming to an end soon.

Can and do you grill outside all year or are you limited by the weather?

Patti

Washing bag

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I love knitting socks and have knit dozens of them.

When I wash them, I try to keep them separate from the rest of the clothes so I put them in mesh wash bags. I bought two of the bags (I make my own now) and could never find them when needed.

Magnetic hook to the rescue.

I now keep the bags on the front of my washing machine so I can always find them when I wash my socks.

I air dry my handknitted socks so the bag makes to so easy to find them mixed in with the other clothes when transferring to the dryer.

Patti

Clean up

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I like to feed the birds during the winter and hummingbirds in the summer. Last year I got a new feeder for the winter that has places for seeds as well as suet cakes.

I took down the hummingbird feeders earlier this week and cleaned them before putting them away. Actually, I threw one away as the plastic perches were disintegrating from the sun and looked disgusting. We have two hummingbird feeders, one for the front porch and one about 10 feet away from the deck. I’ll need to buy another one next year.

I thought I’d take a look and the winter bird feeder and my suet cake supply. The five cakes I have will be enough for now so I’ll watch for sales to replenish my supply of Woodpecker and Hi-Energy ones. I’ve got plenty of seed for a month or two.

Well, I evidently forgot to clean that feeder before I put it in the garage in the spring. Outta sight, outta mind. I grabbed a trowel, bamboo skewer, old toothbrush, a scrubby pad, and some disposable gloves and started scraping away the mess.

The trowel got the biggest clumps.

The bamboo skewer and toothbrush got in the crevasses and other hard to reach spaces.

The scrubby pad got the rest. It’s not perfect by any means but it’s so much better.

I usually wait till after the first frost to fill it but it’s already for seeds and suet cakes.

Do you feed the birds?

Saving plants

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Our weather has turned much cooler this week. In fact it’s supposed to get close to freezing tomorrow night.

Just to be on the safe side, I brought my outside plants in for the winter.

I’ve had that asparagus fern (in the middle) for at least 10 years. I repotted it this spring and left it outside all summer. It really flourished!

The coleus on the left has also been around for a few years. I was surprised that I could keep that planted alive that long. The bright green one was pinched off the one of the plants from the planter on the right and just stuck in the soil. It took root and seems to be quite happy.

The planter on the right was new this year. It’s getting tall but scrawny. I think I’ll need to cut some of those plants back and hope I don’t kill them.

They are sitting on the “formal” dining room table for now. If we get company this fall or winter, I’ll have to find another place for them so we can sit at that table instead of crowd around the small table in our kitchen.

I think I need a new garden flag as that one sticking in the planter is so faded. “It’s Always 5 O’clock Here”

Do you try to save plants from one year to the next or just leave them outside and let Mother Nature do her thing?

Patti nona