Changing Seasons
November 2025 was a transition month. The start was warmer than expected for the season. Temperatures were summer-like. Plus, a few rainy days and lots of wind. No snow yet. The weather experienced was more like Octobers of the past. But the seasons are changing.
Proof of the odd weather was the covered artichokes popping through the mulch. New growth occurred due to rain and warm weather. These plants were not re-trimmed. Instead, additional mulch was added. The third plant did not grow through the protective layer. It was the one surrounded by the bricks first. So, there are interesting notes for the experiment.
Finally, the end of the month harkens back to traditional weather. Cold, very cold, with chances of snow. Perfect for getting into the holiday mood albeit tricky for holiday travel.
Baking in November 2025
Most of the baking this month was for social events. Get-togethers with family and friends and baked goods for fundraisers. Pies, cakes, cookies and muffins filled the kitchen with wonderful aromas. However, traditional Thanksgiving baking did not occur as a destination Thanksgiving was enjoyed.
Snow Kissed by Rae Anne Thane is a newly released Christmas romance. The sweet love story is perfect reading for the holidays. The book is part of the Shelter Springs series yet works well as a stand-alone novel.
The digging equipment looks traditional in appearance. However, it is much smaller than the trencher forerunners. Furthermore, the equipment is “driven” by tablet. A human is still needed to operate the tablet, but an individual no longer sits upon the unit operating manual gears and steering wheels.
Leif Enger’s I Cheerfully Refuse started out slowly. But I wasn’t ready for the story to end. The characters are compelling and the plot solid. This most likely made the futuristic sci-fi appealing to a reader that turns toward historical fiction. So, a great book to read if you are expanding your brain with different types of reading. And you might want a dictionary handy for the vocabulary.
The beginning of September 2025 was a return from a quick trip to Nashville. So short was our stay that we used the hotel at the airport for two nights. The Hilton Hotel attached to the airport is a beautiful property. Both a pool and restaurant on the rooftop.
As long time readers noted, September 2025 varied from most months. Very few posts and not much reading occurred. Furthermore, the baby quilt is still not finished and only one of the Christmas stockings is started.
The highlight of the garden mid-summer is the peach harvest. This year the crop was moderate in number but large in size. Fresh peaches with meals are the best. But low sugar peach jam and peach pies are also delicious. We were able to share with friends and neighbors.
Mary Alice Monroe’s matriarchal novel Where the Rivers Merge is satisfying until the abrupt end. Apparently, there is a sequel in the works. Since the first is just recently released, I will impatiently await the end of the story. I can already picture this tale of Eliza Pinckney Rivers Chalmers DeLancey as a television miniseries with the lush lowlands of South Carolina as a backdrop for a life spanning the twentieth century.
I try to keep up and acknowledge the emails that come into the blog. Unfortunately, the majority want me to let them publish what they write thereby skipping the cost of a website. Others want me to write on their topic of choice. The vast majority are literary agents doing the job of promoting a client’s book.