Today's images were taken by the professional photographer who recorded Elsa and Catherine at the agility trial at our local AKC dog club earlier this month. In the first image you can see Elsa just can't wait to get started on her agility run.
We are so proud of Elsa and her trainer/our daughter, Catherine.
:),
Lois
Flowers are blooming again for another Flower Garden Afghan Blanket for the shop. The last one is now living in California so it's time to make another.
This is a very popular style in the shop and I love making it. Win-win!
Afghan Blankets available to ship now are here.
What are you making, baking, growing today?
All the best,
Lois
Kjell made veggie soup with sausage yesterday. What's so great about this yummy soup is that there is always enough for two meals. It seems the second time it is served it is even better.
Retirement is good!
Lois
This is another image that Catherine texted to me with the same question as in the title of this post. That pretty buck is seated in a neighbor's (property diagonally adjacent to ours) back yard.
Our Wendy was sitting in Catherine's window on the third floor of our home barking for a good part of the night. The bucks didn't seem to be disturbed at all. By morning, they are long gone, but we see evidence of their visits from time to time.
We're not quite sure where these beautiful animals live during the day, but suspect it is a wooded area on Xavier University property.
They are so lucky hunting is not permitted in city limits. Or, maybe they already know that. ;)
Happy Fall!
Lois
Earlier this month My Honey had a birthday. We had planned to open a bottle of cognac and have a little nip to celebrate, then forgot. Ha! That tells you how much we think about drinking alcohol.
Sooooooo, we finally opened the bottle and each had a little. I sipped that for about three hours. I think I prefer it over ice cream or curing salmon for gravlax, but it was pretty tasty in the glass. The last bottle of cognac we had open lasted for more than a year and we only used it to marinate salmon to fry or cure salmon for gravlax. We'll see how long this bottle lasts. :)
Happy Birthday again, Sweetie,
Lois
It was a bread day and I did something a little different this time. Instead of using a little sugar, I used honey.
Oh, my this is good stuff! Try honey sometime....
:),
Lois
Our late night snack looked so good I had to take a picture.
My Dad would have loved this. He would have been 117 years old.
Happy Fall,
Lois
I had to work on this picture to make the critter show up. Our daughter, Catherine, came home from her office in the wee small hours of the morning (she's a CPA, a tax deadline is looming) and found this critter on our back steps so snapped a picture with her phone camera and texted it to me. I've never seen one there before, but we have a good idea where it came from.
The next door neighbor has completely removed everything green from his property - grass, trees bushes - so the critters of all kinds have no where to go but to surrounding properties.
I guess we have inherited the neighbor's critter. It's a garter snake so not poisonous. These snakes eat slugs, little rodents, and other things that I'm glad that they eat. They are our friends, I just don't like to be surprised by them.
The snake has disappeared for the moment....
Lois
I took the image above late at night with my phone camera - no flash, of course.
Happy Fall,
Lois
Our pups work hard, play hard, and sleep well.
The pink bed pillow is there because we allow humans to get on the floor and the pups to get on the furniture.
;),
Lois
This is a Norwegian Christmas meal we enjoyed a few days ago in September. We just couldn't wait. We'll surely have it again at Christmas, too.
Kjell made the pork meatballs with traditional Norwegian spices. He also made the sauce. I made the cranberry sauce from scratch, the sour kraut was imported from Norway, the potatoes were grown in Idaho, and Libby made the peas.
Ah, yes, it was delicious!
Do you enjoy holiday meals out of season, too?
;),
Lois
Elsa just received an invitation to be a part of the National Showcase of North America Diving Dogs in Springfield, MO! If daughter Catherine (Elsa's trainer) is able to make the trip, there will surely be some great images to come!
We are so proud!
Lois
We're up to Christmas in the holiday planning for the shop. It's fun to be working with traditional Christmas colors already while making a lap blanket. It's amazing how fast this year is going by.
Recently I made a set of large, medium, small pumpkins for Fall that are in the shop here. $25. If you like them, from now until September 22, you can use this blog friends
and family coupon code for 25% off and pay $18.75 for the set:
0921PUMPKIN25
What are you making, baking, growing this week? I know my friend Sherry made whole wheat bread. Yum!
All the best,
Lois
Catherine brought home new chew toys for the pups last night. Of course, they all got so very excited.
She is so sweet! She's just so happy!
:),
Lois
This has been my Work in Process this week. They are the perfect Fall Decor all the way through Thanksgiving and for many years to come. As soon as I made the first pumpkin, I had to make a set because they are so much fun to create. Click here to see the large, medium, small pumpkin set.
I just listed them in our Etsy shop yesterday for $25 for the set. If you like them, from now until September 22, you can use this friends and family coupon code for 25% off and pay $18.75 for the set: 0921PUMPKIN25
Happy Fall!
Lois
In the Spring the aroma of Honeysuckle in Bloom is just marvelous. Now in September the bright red berries appear and the birds are just thrilled.
We get large groups of birds enjoying these berries. Our pups have gotten used to all of the birds and just watch from afar.
Yes, Fall is upon us....
Lois
This huge donut is actually a dog toy. Huge makes it so cute when the pups carry them around.
Catherine picked up three of them so the "kids" won't fight over the same one. Of course, that is exactly what they will do no matter how many of them we have.
We're waiting for a special occasion to pass them out.
More toys!
:),
Lois
A few days ago we took our car in to be serviced and waited for it to be finished.
Of course, I took along a project to work on while in the very large, clean waiting room at our Ford Dealer.
We'll be missing a much anticipated visit with friends near the wood working meeting that will have to wait another year. Hopefully, the Covid situation will be more under control by then.
Stay safe everyone!
Lois
We visited Kjell's Toy Store this week.
It's always fun to go there and watch his eyes light up when he sees all the great "toys!"
;),
Lois
After our lovely dinner at the steak house (see yesterday's post) to celebrate My Honey's birthday, we had cake and present opening at home.
Catherine provided the Graeter's Ice Cream Cake (a Cincinnati Specialty and Extra Special Treat!)
Since Kjell, the birthday boy himself, has the most muscle, he cut the ice cream cake. This one is Chocolate Raspberry which is my absolute favorite!
Aside: The mug is not from this event. My Honey gave it to me some time ago.
Happy Birthday, again, Honey!
Thank you, Catherine, for all you did to make it so very special.
Lois
Last week we celebrated a very special birthday for My Honey.
Our sweet daughter, Catherine (left) took Aunt Carol, Kjell, and me to dinner at the steak house at a local casino. The company, food, and service were all fabulous!
Catherine ordered the seafood pasta which she said was marvelous!
We didn't stay long, though, because ice cream and cake were waiting at home.
Watch this spot for the celebration when we got home....
Happy Birthday, again, Honey.
Love,
Lois
Good morning,
Elsa is modeling her new purple bathrobe. Why, you ask, does a dog need a bathrobe? Well, she swims quite a lot, she competes in dock diving, and on the ride home, it's nice to have dry dogs.
The robe is a real winner! Catherine ordered one to see if we liked it and we do. Now she has ordered a red one for Erik and a blue one for Wendy, too.
The robe is quite efficient as well as being quite stylish. Ah, yes, stylish indeed!
:),
Lois
I recently made a set of extra large, double thick pot holders for the shop.
Now I'm working on a variety of different stitches to make dish cloths that are also marvelous wash cloths. There are plenty of patterns available to make these, but I enjoy making up my own patterns. I like lots of texture and a generous size.
It's fun to have these little projects between the big projects. I just may keep these dish/wash cloths for myself. :)
What are you making, baking, growing this week?
Lois
It's Labor Day in the United States of America. We celebrate our labor force and all that they do to enrich our country, regardless of what sort of work each person does.
The important part is that they are working and adding to the society and economy of this great country.
So, to our working Americans, today is your day to take the time and find a place to sit back, relax, and accept our thanks!
This is also the unofficial last holiday of summer to enjoy cookouts and family gatherings as we all remember those who go to work every day to make our country strong.
All the best,
Lois
Elsa continues to amaze us!
We are so proud of Elsa and her trainer/our daughter, Catherine!
Way to go Team Elsa!
Love you both,
Very Proud Mom and Dad
At the beginning of summer I came across some seed packets in my desk. They were forgotten and several years old, but I had to give them a chance. I filled a large patio pot of soil and spread the seeds on top.
All the best,
Lois
It's already time for the monthly Needlework and Wood Working Update of all of the items we've made this month.
As I write this post, our Labor Day Sale is happening in the shop. It is the largest sale we've ever had celebrating our designation as an Etsy Star Seller for the month of September. The shop, Evensens Productions, is here. Be sure to take a look in the "On Sale" section of the shop for specials while they last.
My Honey went back to his Norwegian roots for the piece in the image above titled Norse God Odin - Odin's Eye Story. It is carved in thick, heavy Walnut Wood. It's even more stunning in person. $168. More information and images are here.
...added to the Toilet Tissue Toppers available in the shop.
Check out all of the colors available here. $8.
...as people are traveling again, our Luggage Identifiers are selling out.
Thank you, once again, for your encouragement, likes, favorites, shares, and purchases, too. Our little shop has been such a fun project and blessing to us. What started out as a hobby more than ten years ago has turned into our retirement business.
And, don't forget to come over to see the shop and what's available during our Labor Day Sale!
All the very best,
Lois
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