Slate Saturday

When we left the funeral at 11:18 this morning, it was misting slightly. By the time we arrived at the craft sales site in Winona Lake, it was sleeting. In typical Hoosier fashion, the sun came out a few minutes later, then disappeared. Now it is 40 degrees and overcast at 4:30 p.m., probably our warmest temperature for this cold slate gray Saturday.

We had our first hard frost this week; I may need to put my geranium and mum pots in the garage overnight again. I discarded my small wax begonia the morning after the frost. My husband said that as he placed it next to the garbage bag on the curb, he saw all kinds of potted plants on our block sitting next to neighbors' trash. The seasonal change has settled into our hearts and minds. If my geranium hadn't recently put out all kinds of blooms, I probably would have said good-bye to it, too. Its fecundity gave it a reprieve. All thoughts of summer are definitely gone.

I bought a few Christmas gifts at the craft fair, including a beaded bracelet for my Operation Christmas Child box (girl age 10-14). Are you working on a box? Just a few weeks left until collection date. The beader in her 20's had never heard of the Samaritan Purse ministry. I shared a little and told her that the bracelet would go far away to brighten a young girl's life. Previously, my tracked boxes went to Africa, last year to Columbia, South America. She was happy to know her handiwork was for a good cause.

Bought some peanut brittle from the Church of the Good Shepherd table. Somebody gave us some of this last holiday season. One bite and you are hooked. I have never made brittle; penuche and fudge a few times, but I don't even own a candy thermometer now. 

On the way home from working in the library Wednesday, I snipped a branchlet from a bush near the Health Care employee entrance. It has fine grain-like growths. I think it enhances my pottery jug of artificial autumn leaves, but my husband didn't even notice it until I pointed it out.

Tuesday is the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther posting his theses and challenging the Catholic church. I am going to place our two library books about Luther in the hall display along with changing the library bulletin board. I am hoping there might be some newspaper articles I can clip to post, too. I doubt our church will even mention this anniversary, but other churches and organizations have planned special services and events.

Next Saturday there are at least 4 craft fairs taking place in Warsaw. I pretty much finished up my Christmas craft shopping for local family today, but I will still browse these other opportunities. One is the community art association; those should be interesting though more costly items. This is the first time they have rented a building at the fair grounds.

Friday I went to the Friends of the Library book sale in North Webster. The past few sales have been disappointing, but this time I bought 12 books, including a few Christmas ones. Next Friday the Warsaw Community Public Library FOL has a book sale. After that, I will search Better World Books again to fill in series gaps. I have some money to spend after a generous donation. I'll have to do shelf weeding to make room though. My helper has returned, and Friday the return box was empty. Hooray!