Twas the Season for Star Wars Mania

     The seventh film of the Star Wars series was released last month and was probably more cause for celebration in our family than Christmas. In 1977, husband and son saw the first movie and began a long love affair with all things Lucas. The Force was with us through the years as they anticipated and then attended the premier of each film. Son also collected action figures and accessories. Husband was heartbroken that circumstances prevented them from seeing Episode Seven together, but cheered somewhat when nephew enthusiastically agreed to accompany him.

     The action figures survived in a case in our basement for more than thirty years - they were not brought out as playthings for the grandchildren as were the preserved Matchbox cars, Lincoln Logs and Legos (except the plastic Tauntaun - for some reason he ended life as a  pool toy!) Resale value was trifling so to coincide with the awakening Force, I wanted to gift the toys back to son, the original owner. I bought a shadow box  with a fabric-covered foam core backing. After failed attempts to attach the figures with elastic, small rubber bands and jewelry wire, I finally achieved success with orthodontic ligature wire and staples. Son was thrilled on Christmas Day.

 Another Christmas gift that followed the Star Wars theme was also a hit - son and grandson wasted no time donning their Jedi and Sith fleece bathrobes!

Back Door Window Curtain

     The kitchen door was not just outdated - it was worn, discolored and less than energy efficient. The inset window was unattractive, to say the least - the exterior jalousies were operated by a crank, which was long gone, the interior was a sort of ridiculous storm window that had been altered for privacy with a DIY leaded pattern filled in with an etch-effect paint, and in-between was a lovely collection of dust and cobwebs. Suffice it to say, we were thrilled with the new steel door and its nine-paned window, even with the tags still attached.
     However, the privacy issue loomed again and I searched for suitable ideas, considering different styles of curtains and shades. After settling on a lace panel with top and bottom rod pockets, I visited the hardware store and was pleasantly surprised to find a product that I did not know even existed - magnetic rods! No need to put screw holes in the new door! It took very little time to measure and hem the lace (which I  found in my fabric stash) and hang up the new curtain. I love the new clean look and since the grandchildren are (mostly) grown and the dog is (mostly) well-behaved, the rods stay pretty much in place.
 

Miss Molly, the Watcher

     A small thunderstorm passed quickly through the area in the middle of the night. It was unremarkable except for the fact that it did wake me up, and because the wind gusts rearranged some of my outdoor Christmas decorations. As I hunted for and then reattached the wreath bow, then righted the small spiral trees (they have a thin, open build that is supposed to allow winds to blow right through!), I realized I was being observed. Miss Molly's expression seemed almost wistful, though I am not sure if she wanted to join me outside, or was waiting for me to come back inside. Sometimes she can be so sweet!

"Cinnabon" Pancakes

       For breakfast on Saturday morning, Pop loves a stack of pancakes drowning in syrup; I am not a huge fan, preferring french toast with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar if I'm going to carb overload. These pancakes, however, were fun to make and very tasty. It took just a little extra effort to swirl the cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter filling on to the half-cooked pancakes (of course, my spiral execution improved with each one - the first was not exactly pretty!) The cream cheese glaze was just the right complement to achieve the character of a "Cinnabon".

Trestle Table Restoration

     Husband and I bought this table about thirty-five years ago. We were newly-weds with very little expendable income and had been eating off of a borrowed card table for several months. At that time, Grandpa Pigeon's had a limited inventory of  furniture and we found an unfinished trestle table (of very good quality) and four ladder back chairs with rush seats (of not so good quality). I stained and sealed the table to match the chairs and was very pleased with the look

     Twenty-five years later, the table top was showing quite a bit of wear, so I resurfaced it. (Grown up son, Mike, feigned disappointment that his math problems from second grade were no longer etched in the finish). The chairs, still in very good shape but not exactly comfortable, were relegated to the basement and we bought six beautiful new ones in matching oak. 

     This autumn, I thought briefly about replacing the table because the top was again showing wear and the legs had multiple puppy teeth scars. Instead, I decided that the table just needed some new life so I spent almost two weeks stripping, sanding, priming, staining, painting and sealing. I love the new contemporary look for my old friend!

Jack-be-Little Twins

     Here is the sum total of my pumpkin harvest - won't make a very big pie, will it?! Jokes aside, the little guys are appropriately named "Jack-be-Little"  and they were actually a bonus because I did not buy seeds to plant. A Halloween decoration that was overlooked in late fall cleanup, overwintered in a flower pot, rotted under a blanket of fallen leaves, and self-seeded in the rich potting soil. I transplanted a couple of the strongest seedlings into a sunny corner of the yard but they did not thrive in the early summer due to a prolonged spell of cool wet weather. In August, finally, the heat and sunshine established precedence, the vines grew sturdier  and a few yellow blossoms appeared.

     Moments like this make me thankful that I do not have to depend on my garden harvest to survive!

Late Summer Color

     Sometimes one has to look close for color at the end of summer - after weeks of  hot, dry days have sucked the vibrancy out of many flowers and leaves, and before the cool, shorter days create the brilliance of autumn foliage. Case in point are these gingerland caladiums and accent red impatiens that have thrived in a shady area of the back yard. A small shrub of rosemary is potted in front of the flowerbed and contributes a silvery green (and a lovely fragrance.)

     Three pots flank the open porch in one of the rare sunny spots available in the back yard. Black Pearl Peppers grow there and the pretty spheres are a shiny black-purple, soon to ripen into a deep red. Even the purplish green leaves are attractive.