The Craftiest Workshop

Most of the leaves on our trees are a bright yellow and a few have started to fall.
We even had a day of snow flurries earlier this week.

Chris picked the last of our carrots still in the ground and then I spent two hours cleaning them. They should last us another month or so.

I have learned not to rake the leaves as they provide added cover for the small creatures, birds and insects through the winter. Instead I rake them in the spring to use in my composter. I have tried to put them in my garden beds but the strong winds quickly blow them away.

When Canadian Thanksgiving falls as late as it does this year, there is the opportunity to decorate for Thanksgiving and then after replace some things with Halloween items. Usually, if Thanksgiving is early, I forget to decorate for Thanksgiving until Oct. 1 and then it seems a waste of time.

There are a few Thanksgiving decoration items in the kitchen on the counters and the table.

Over the course of the week, I switched summer clothes to winter clothes in the closet.
I put away shorts and tank tops and bring out the comfy sweaters and flannel PJ pants.

Adding the winter items to the car for when we do longer trips was a top item on my “to-do” list. I put a fleece blanket on my seat, added extra blankets and put in the ice scraper/broom. I replaced the emergency tea light candles that had melted in the summer, replaced the dead batteries in the flashlight and made sure the first aid kit was well stocked with bandaids and alcohol wipes. We have learned that when traveling in northern Alberta in the winter, you need to be prepared.

I have continued working through berries from the freezer. In the past week I juiced more Saskatoons and made wild raspberry jam. I also put berries, sugar, lemon zest and vodka into jars to sit for two months to make liqueur again.


This week ahead I will likely switch our jackets to winter coats and bring up our toque, mitts and scarves. Still a bit early for boots but, by November, they will be needed. I still have outdoor tasks that I need to tackle. Hopefully the week ahead will be less rainy/snowy so I can get those done.