Clean Hard Fast: 8

CLEAN: most of the good ol' garden. Giant sunflower stalks chopped, folded, and picked up by the garbage crew. Much soil turned over and ready for the start of next season's adventures. Any suggestions for planting experiments? No broccoli next time, but I'd like to know of varieties of Kale that would be fun. This year's kale and chard are hangin' in there. Nice to still see patches of real green amid the mucky browns.
HARD: to tear oneself away from Facebook.
FAST: how the day went today at Stockholm, Wisconsin's Stone Fern Gallery. Didn't sell a book, but did get a custom order for a mom and cub bear sneaking a peek through a screen window. This will be a fun project for the winter. I appreciated the 'No rush" comment from the couple ordering this piece, but also was glad that we did put a "Finished before Spring" boundary. Artists, this is a lesson in "You never know." Had the woman not gotten ill in the Boundary Waters and not visited a northern Minnesota hospital where one of our Mom and Cub paintings was hanging, this commission would have never come about. She has wanted a similar piece for SEVEN years. Today we met for the first time, had a great chat, and started down the decision list for the couple's own special bears.
 Of course, the day also included a morning visit to The Stockholm Pie Company. DECISION TIME? Yikes. I was swayed by the article by Jane and Michael Stern, of "Roadfood" fame, stating that the Double Lemon Pie was one of their top picks for 2012. My 21013 slice (with a dollop of fresh whipped cream) was also delicious. (Though we've never been disappointed by any flavor pie from this tiny booming business.) I went back a second time, too late in the afternoon, to pick up something for hubby, Todd. Two pieces of pumpkin pie remained; I left them for two later customers. Sigh. Pie.

Did wear out camera battery clicking Beauty there and a bit of back. Even stopped at a Scenic Overlook near Stockholm this morning to pretend I was on a mini-vacation. Chatted about Northern Wisconsin with a gentleman walking his tiny ball of snarling (for just a tiny bit) white fluffy dog. And of course we had to mention The Beautiful Day. This means that the sun was out and the landscape wasn't the past five day Grey. Ye haw!

Tomorrow holds a day "off" - just because. And cheering for football teams that are not The Green Bay Packers. (Don't know if I can cheer for the Vikings...) Daughter, Tara, and I will visit the local Buffalo Wild Wings on Monday night to cheer on the Green & Gold. We will wear our colors and I will journal the plays and emotions. Because that's what we do. We will listen to Wayne and Larry - she on iPod, me with radio headphones - instead of national broadcasters. We will hope that radio transmissions are ahead of TV because this makes watching what happens "easier."

Now it's time for a cup of tea and trying to stay awake a while longer. Some people are attempting to write a whole novel this month. Some folks have committed to Not Complaining. I'll stick with thinking  "I'm Thankful For.... (at least 30 things at least once a day). But will keep the Not Complaining practice up as best I can. (Just not PLEDGING the Pledge.)  Find a Great Challenge to attempt by month's end. If you start tomorrow you have two less days of not having to do it! Baby steps, baby steps. Ever onward. Be kind. Think your own thoughts. Perhaps give a compliment every day till Thanksgiving Day? Yup, I'm blithering. Time for tea.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue