Trying new ways of doing something doesn’t always work for me. Especially when trying shortcuts. I ran across a way to make beeswax candles by filling the jars with wax pellets and melting them in the oven. I fought the process the whole time and should have known they weren’t going to work. I had to add more pellets as they melted down, consequently they were in the oven double the time suggested. I couldn’t keep the wicks centered no matter how hard I tried. And even though they looked good last night, they had sunk in the center this morning. The only reason I tried this was to eliminate the mess of pouring them. And yet, hindsight, the whole process of melting, pouring, letting them set is what makes the process fun and fulfilling for me. Why would I want to eliminate the mess and bypass the fun? Though far from perfect, they still burn and make the house feel warm and cozy on this damp and chilly November day. And next time I’ll go back to the tried and true, old fashioned process. That usually works the best anyway!
(Joe, Drew and I went out for supper the other night. The restaurant Joe choose sits out in the middle of nowhere – pretty much in a cornfield! The field was so pretty with it’s golden cornstalks and the fall sky in the background, I had to take a picture!)
Monday morning – Drew woke up early and wanted to cuddle. Who am I to say no when my baby asks to cuddle? He’s seven after all – it’s rare that he wants to cuddle with his mom! Then I dropped him off at school, stopped at the store for milk and potatoes for supper, took the groceries home and headed over to help Dad doctor a goat. On the way I stopped and snapped this picture.
While camping we made our yearly pilmrimage to pick up buckeyes! The last thing I need is another buckeye but we love to find and gather them. When we got there there was a man and a little girl and their two dogs there. They said they were from Central City and had never seen a buckeye tree before so they were really enjoying finding them. It’s especially fun to find them still in their cover and to open them up and see how many are inside. Drew had one with three inside and Mom had found one with four which Uncle Jerry said was rare. I love how pretty they are when you first find them – all different shades of brown and then they darken to a solid brown as they dry. I keep them in an old wooden bowl. They say if you find a buckeye it’s good luck – I’ve older men who keep one in their pocket all year long for that very reason!
After much debate and weather watching (cold and rain was in the forecast) last week we decided on Thursday to haul the camper out to Belva Deer. I’m glad we did. It was chilly. And it did rain. But fall is still the best time to camp. We just threw on layers and toughed it out and had a great time!
The best part of the weekend was enjoying the campfire. There’s nothing better than cool air, a warm fire and good company! This may have been our last outing of the season and it was a good one!
