Special November Faves

 

So here we are, well into November, and while I type this (Thursday afternoon) it is raining, raining, raining. It's been raining steadily all day long.  We need the rain as October was dry.  The only rain we had in October was in the evening on the 16th.  I'm ok with the rain as it forced me to get some much needed items off my "to do" list around the house. 

I'm pausing now with a steaming mug of harvest spiced coffee to share the blessings of the week.  I do this with other like-minded bloggers and we link up at Susanne's.  It is good to share at least FIVE blessings each week..things that we are truly grateful for.  Some are little, some are big but all good gifts are from ahove. 

FIVE FAVES

Dave rakes up some of the pear tree leaves 
along with the leaves from the large sugar  maple trees

• LEAVES:  Between Dave and I spending the last 2 weeks raking up most of the fallen maple and pear tree leaves, and the 2 cherry trees in the front yard, we bagged 21 bags of leaves for the town to cart away.  I bagged 3 this past Monday, and Dave did the rest. We left a few in the backyard, mainly behind our shed and kayak rack and there's still some maple and pear leaves clinging to the branches, but the raking for 2026 is done. We are ok with leaving some on the ground as that helps to promote fireflies and butterflies! Another great article about this is here.   I'm thankful for the beauty of leaves and for my husband's hard work on the weekends. 

4 slice personal Chicken Pesto Pizza
 and a side Caesar Salad; Peach Ice Tea 

• LUNCH DATE! On Saturday,  Dave and I had some financial  things to take care of at our local credit union. We took care of what we needed to do for the rest of 2026, and then he spontaneously suggested we have a lunch date and said "you pick". So of course I  chose my absolute fave Mediterranean place here in town.  Midpoint Wine Bar and Restaurant.  I ordered a signature pizza and a side salad under the Mini Bites deal and Dave ordered the beef and lamb gyro. I'm thankful for a husband who likes to do things in a spontaneous manner sometimes. I'm also thankful we had such a big lunch, that I didn't need to cook dinner later. Dinner was very late in the day, and  was just some tuna salad, parmesan crackers and fruit (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries). 

Late afternoon by the Erie Canal

• QUIET TIME WALK:  On Sunday, in the late afternoon, I really wanted to go walk the bike path down by the river and Erie Canal.  There were quite a few people out on that mild day so I really appreciated that the section of the bike path I chose to power walk on was quiet.  I headed east first and went a mile and then headed west for a half mile.  It was a lovely late afternoon  walk and I felt great.  I was able to pray about some thing and for some people who had prayer requests and the praying outdoors while also getting my heart rate up felt so good. I'm thankful for safe places to power walk and for the power of prayer and meditation. 

outlets in the Berkshires of MA

downtown Lee, MA

• ROAD TRIP!  Dave finished up the leaf raking Wednesday morning as it was the national holiday (Veterans Day) so he had the day off.  He was wanting to go buy some casual cargo pants or jeans to replace some that had worn out.  I suggested either the Lake George Outlets to the north of us, or the Lee Outlets in MA to the east of us. MA won due to the no sales tax on clothing, unlike NYS plus he said we'd eat lunch at our fave Mexican cafe in town.  Well, we were quite successful with our shopping trip ( I bought myself a new flannel hooded shirt for a top layer for hiking and several hand soaps from Bath and Body Works as their sale on holiday scents was happening that day) but we weren't successful with the Mexican food as we discovered they're only open for dinner!  So we were standing there talking and a local woman heard us and recommended Starving Artists Cafe.  It's a creperie and panini place.  We loved it!  I said we'd be back for sure!  I'm thankful for a fun road trip with my husband. 

Turkey club crepe minus the bacon
with horseradish mayo which was amazing!
and mixed greens salad

such a cute little pumpkin on each table 

on Buck Mt in late Winter 2018
l-r: Ingrid, Cindy H, me

• SURPRISE PHONE CALL! Yesterday (Thursday) I was busy doing some housework and heard my phone ring. It was my long time friend Cindy.  I hadn't spoken to her in almost a year. Sadly, she is still processing through the grief of the death of her oldest son who was in his 30s.  He died last year and it was horrible and unexpected. But she said she felt this urge to call me and just share love and encouragement. We ended up talking for about 20 minutes and it was awesome. She used to be in my hiking group but before that, she was in my book group and we would just spontaneously go out to brunch or hikes together before covid. She goes to our church with her husband Will but we don't often run into them as they tend to go to the early service and we go to the 11 AM one. I was so thankful she called me and I'm thankful that she is healing from her tragic loss. 

That wraps up my week!  I have absolutely no plans this weekend and nothing on the to do list. I see a weekend of spending time with Dave, a possible visit down at our youngest daughter's apartment, and lots of time to read and walk. 

2026 Book Review #32:Where the Water Meets the Sky

 

This novel was on our town library's "new books" shelf and the author was unknown to me.  Since I loved the summary on the inside jacket and I adored the art work on the front, I decided to take it out. I'm so thankful I did!!  I'll be looking for her other novels sometime this winter. 

STORY SUMMARY

One winter night, in January 1986, on the Garden Penisula of Michigan, a farmhouse burns to the ground. A young child, aged 7,  makes it out of the house and runs into the woods holding a book of matches. 

Ten years later, in 1996, Abby, now 17 yrs old who loves all things in nature, comes back to the Garden Penisula to live and work with her Uncle Dennis for the summer. She loves the woods, lakes, fisheries and farms of her childhood. During the school year, she lives with her stepfather in a town on the mainland. 

Uncle Dennis is working on his dissertation which involves an environmental study on trees. He's hired Abby to help him. 

Her best friend...and cousin by marriage (not a blood relative) named Brew, also 17 yrs old, invites her to a beach party where she meets a troubled teen named Seda.   Seda is on the run from her abusive ex boyfriend.  Abby decides she's going to protect Seda so she introduces her to an abandoned cabin that becomes a type of sanctuary for both of them. 

When they spend time at the cabin, Abby begins to process her feelings for Brew. But she also is discovering the person she is becoming. She wants more for her life.  She has a spiritual and physical hunger.  Plus, she is looking to understand the trauma of her childhood  which took her mother from her. Her mother's body was never found in the aftermath of the fire. Her biological father had died at age 16 from a drowning accident shortly after her mother became pregnant with her. Abby has never known her biological dad but has a super close relationship with her stepfather. It's a very good relationship. She is also emotionally close to her Uncle Dennis (her mom's brother).  

Abby very much cares about the flora, fauna and people around her. She even identifies with the wounds of the environment. But she is also desperate to remember what happened on that winter night..the night of the fire....and as the summer of 1996 unfolds, she is going to have to reckon with the truth. 

MY THOUGHTS

I absolutely loved everything about this beautiful story. I'm a nature lover and my spiritual temperament is Naturalist so this book really resonated with me. 

This is a well developed "coming of age" novel with richly developed characters. I really enjoyed getting to "know" Uncle Dennis, Nonna (Abby's grandmother), Brew, Seda, and Tanner. Even Piper is a well developed character although  plays a mainly minor role. Piper is Seda's ex boyfriend. 

The descriptions of the woods, lake, and town are beautifully interwoven with the plot.  Nothing felt bogged down or tiresome. It's a beautiful story in a beautiful setting. 

The main themes are the power of community, the wisdom of love, the vast landscapes all around us, and facing truth and loss. It also focuses on inner healing, memory, human connection with nature, love and friendship. 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older. 

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10. 

I HIGHLY recommend this beautiful book. 

Give me Patience, God. Right Now!!

 

My patience was tried over the weekend. I had to have a difficult phone conversation with a member of my hiking group. It did not go well. She became super defensive and could not grasp any wrong that she did.  

What did she do wrong? She basically ignored most of the guidelines for the hiking group:  didn't wait at the summit ascent, didn't wait at the trail split before the ascent, didn't get enough sleep the night before so had to sleep in the car, and brought breakfast with her which she attempted to eat in my car thus stinking it up with shrimp smell which is nauseating to me (and maybe to others).  I tried to overlook past issues but this time it was a matter of safety.  She had wandered, with another member who is brand new, off the trail and they were so far ahead of the rest of us, that I could not see them until we got to the flat part of the trail (the last half mile out is all flat) and spotted them through the bare trees.  If it had been mid-summer and all those trees had their leaves,  we would not have seen them.   

I needed to address the issues and I tried. I started off with positive things like I used to do at IEP meetings for my special needs prek students.  Then I shared the  concern and she "lost it".  I don't do well with supposed "friends" screaming at me.  The yelling brought on major neck pain and a headache. and it hasn't gone away. There was no reasoning with her. It was like talking with a child. She could not see that she did  anything "wrong".  She kept telling me to stop talking. Um. I'm the leader of the group. But I finally realized I was not going to be able to get her to see what she did wrong. I kept my mouth shut and just  agreed that she knew what she was doing. She didn't. But it did force me to take stock of what this past year has been like and forced me to realize I need to make some serious changes.  

I think what hurt the most, was not her unwillingness to admit she didn't follow group guidelines, but that I thought we had a better friendship than apparently we do. Real friends...especially sisters in Christ...do not yell and tell the leader to be quiet.  That  does NOT go over well with me. So I am choosing to distance myself from her now.  She can remain in the group and attend the mandated meeting I'm requiring all members to attend this winter.  It is there that she will need to keep her mouth shut and listen to me. I will be in teaching mode and basically tell them that if anyone continues to ignore the guidelines, they will be dropped from this group.  

Why does it seem like I have so much patience for small children yet basically none for adults who think they know it all?? 

And God.....He's showing me that although I don't have patience for certain adults, He does.  He has SO MUCH patience. He is patient all.the.time. He waits for us. 

He showed me what to do moving forward into 2027 and although now I have some self-doubt and fear about doing what I know He's showing me to do, I need to stand on this promise: 

and it's a part of the fruit of the Spirit that God is still cultivating in me. We all are in growth processes and we are all different. 

So I reached out in prayer to God this morning and asked Him to give me a heart of patience when dealing with my hiking group members. Some make it so very easy.  There's like 3 that make it so very difficult. But guess what? 

That's when I can show the love of Jesus and model how I want to be treated.  I don't need to succumb to yelling at friends. Not every member of SoulSteps is a close friend of mine, nor do I expect them to be. I love all of them, of course, and I want them to have fun while getting the hiking fitness in.  But I also need to place boundaries around certain people just for my own sanity.  There's nothing inherently wrong with that. I know who my true friends are....the ones I can call and ask for prayer, or go to coffee with, or just hike separately from the group with.  I don't need 40 people to be my closest friends. That's not what this hiking group is about. I would lead the group even if no one was a friend to me. It's a passion of mine and it's one I love to share. I know I need to teach what the vision of this group actually is and what it is not. I'm a bit hesitant to do so but I know it's what God is telling me to do. I need to obey my Father. But.....it's in the waiting for further instruction where I will have my most intimate moments with Him these next few weeks....it's in the waiting that I'm learning about patience. 

Patience. Kindness. Self-control.  These are parts of the fruit that often are difficult to display when we are upset with others.  

But I press on in Christ knowing that I'm doing the work He  has for me to do. 

I'm thankful the 2026 hiking season, for the most part, went really well.  I'm really thankful for the new members who have a passion to be in the mountains like I do.

I'm thankful for my faithful members who offer to drive, who follow the guidelines, who don't create drama, and who are quick to listen and quick to offer to pray for me. And while I wait for God to continue to show me what He wants me doing this winter with this group (I wish He'd hurry up!!), I will continue to read and plan and stay grounded in Scripture because that is the Sword of the Spirit and that's our firm foundation.  

Even when we run out of patience...........

November Faves

 

Here we are into November already!  What a mild Autumn we have had here in eastern New York State! I've been loving the mild temps and the sunshine/blue skies and now even some rain that was badly needed. 

I'm also loving to look back at the week and find FIVE blessings that top my FAVES list.  I have had a lot of blessings this week, as we all do when we are mindful of them but here are my top FIVE.  To learn more about this gratitude meme, head over to Susanne's blog. 

FIVE FAVES

Beyond Beef Plant based chili
this was a hit!! 

mild Chicken Chili 

toppings: Scallions, red onion, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips

the dining room table had the wine and desserts
and an extra bowl of tortilla chips
That's a Shiraz from Australia on the table
and we added a  semi dry Riesling and a Red Zin that my friend Joan brought
She also brought a dry Riesling that we didn't open so it will be saved for Thanksgiving

Dave and I relaxing in the backyard swing
before our guests arrived

let the burning of the brush begin!

• CHILI AND WINE PARTY! Last Saturday was the perfect Autumn day for our scheduled chili and wine party/bonfire. Dave and I used to host these autumnal parties every year from the time we joined our church in 2005 until the kids went to college. There were a couple of years we had to skip hosting due to family events and the last time we hosted one was during Covid 2021!  So when Dave mentioned to me earlier that week, that we needed to get back to doing hospitatlity with our friends, I organized the chili and wine party. We invited our friends Maggie and Bill, Joan and Thom, Meg and Charlie (who couldn't be there due to being in Indiana for a family event) and Eveyln and Mark (our oldest daughter's future in-laws).  We all had a blast. I warned everyone that I don't eat beef so the "beef" chili was actually plant based and every single person loved it!  There were not many leftovers! We had wine that 2 of us contributed to, and I had other drinks like sparkling waters, still water, beer, and ginger beer (non alcoholic) along with some cans of mocktails (non alcoholic).  We also had desserts.  We ended up burning almost all of the brush we had to burn before winter sets in.  We all hung outdoors from 1-6 pm!  It was so much fun to get to know everyone more and outside of a church event that we vowed we would do this again every few months. I'm so thankful for brothers and sisters in Christ to fellowship with and do life with. I was so busy having fun talking and hosting that I only took the pics that are above. 

a possible choice for mother-of-the-bride gown
approved by Courtney 

• BUDGET MEETING:  Our oldest daughter, as most of you know, is now engaged and they are choosing a late September or early October wedding. Courtney requested a meeting with us for Sunday afternoon so we had her over for dinner and talked budget. Dave gave her a ballpark figure of what we were willing to help them with and then I asked her about dresses.  She wants colors of dusty blue or sage green as apparently those 1990s colors are back and on trend for weddings! (who knew??) So I had found the above pic on a bridal website and she loves it!  I'm going to order the fabric sample first to make sure this is what she wants me to wear but she basically is leaving it up to me. She said she wants Evelyn and I to just wear something we love and that we feel comfortable in.  I'm thankful the process of wedding planning has begun  smoothly. 

table decor

• LUNCHEON:  Tuesday, after I voted and did some household chores, I headed over to  church to our gym where the "Over 55 Luncheon" was taking place.  Our special speaker was the young lady in charge of our KidVenture (Sunday School) program for birth through grade 5.  She did a great job and all of the food people brought (it's potluck style...i did up a huge veggie and crackers/cheese platter with lemon beet hummus) was delicious and a good variety.  I sat with my friend Maggie and at the same table was our Psalms friend Heather plus 2 older men I had never met.  One was the husband of one of the luncheon volunteers so it was nice to meet him. Our church has 2 services both of which tend to have an average of 800 people per service (a 9 and an 11 AM service every Sunday) so it's hard to get to know everyone!  I'm thankful the luncheon was a nice way to spent Election Day.  Talking politics is frowned upon at a church event or small group Bible study, etc as it's too divisive so it was nice to get away from election talk. Our pastor did encourage us to get out and vote.  I'm thankful for various events at our church and for the fellowship with friends and meeting new people. 

Panther Mt via the Giant Ledge trail
Elevation: 3720'!
A Catskills High Peak, RT= 7 miles
This is the mountain I climbed on Wed

• HIGH PEAK CLIMB! I had a scheduled SoulSteps hike (the hiking club I lead) for Wed in the Catskills which are between Albany and NYC, NY.  The trail we were heading to is called Giant Ledge. There are 5 main ledges along the trail overlooking the Catskills high peaks. Three of us were signed up but one person had to bow out due to an infection in her ear.  That left my friend Joan and I.  We were planning on doing the 4 miles RT hike to all 5 ledges and then be home by 4 pm. That didn't happen. We chose, instead, to do all 5 ledges and then for an extra grueling 1.9 miles, we hiked further up to the summit of Panther Mt which is the 18th highest peak in the Catskills. The Catskills are not real mountains like the Adirondacks.  The high peaks in the ADK are 4000' and higher and are real mountains. The Catskills' High peaks are 3500' and higher but none  are as high as 5000'.  They also are not real mountains. This article explains it. The high peaks in the Catskills are much easier to climb than in the ADK so we decided to go for it.  It was grueling due to all the rocks we had to climb up and over. Here are my fave pics from the day.  I'm thankful we had such a great day even though we hiked out in the dusk of the setting sun. We were home by 7:45 PM so it was a long day but a fantastic one! This was my third Catskills High Peak and my 8th high peak overall including 4 in the ADK and the highest peak in Vermont (Mt Mansfield). It was Joan's first time hiking in the Catskills and her first ever high peak! 

beginning of the Giant Ledge trail was pretty flat

Giant Ledge #1: there was a sheer drop off behind me! 
photo compliments of Joan 

This type of rock is what we climbed for the first mile
up to the summit AFTER hiking up 2 miles to the ledges
This is Joan climbing up

Joan and I on the summit of Panther Mt 
we are at 3720 ' elevation
the summit was only partially exposed

This part of the trail is just beyond the summit
and goes back down the other side of the mountain
as there are 2 approaches up Panther.  We explored a little ways down. 

It took a little over an hour to head back down the mountain
and then we still had another 1.5 miles to get back to the car!
This is me, taken by Joan, as I begin the descent.  

Joan took this pic of me starting to cross the bridge.
This is the last quarter mile of the trail back to the car.
This was taken at 5:05 pm 
Thankfully we made it to the road
just as we were needing our flashlights and headlamps.

• MUSIC and SCRIPTURE:  I'm very thankful for good Christian music to listen to on the way to our hikes, and for talking about Scripture.  Joan texted me yesterday morning, the day after our big hike, to tell me to read Nov 4th's entry in the Jesus Calling devotional.  It was perfect and went along with some of what we were talking about on the  car ride down to the Catskills!  We both have the devotional book so we try to read each entry each day.  We both didn't have time for it the morning of the hike. I instead had read the plan I'm doing in the You Version Bible app.  I'm just so thankful for the Word of God, no matter what form you use, and for close friends who are encouraging each other. 

That wraps up my faves for the week.

I  hope you have a relaxing weekend, doing some of the things you love.