bridge and pumpkin cake

,

Once a month I meet with eight women for about two hours to play bridge. While I am certainly not young, I am the "baby" of this group of ladies. Most of them are bridge players from the 1950's telling marvelous stories of their college days when a game of bridge would always be set up allowing them to play bridge hands between classes or when a bit of free time came their way. As young mothers they would have bridge parties, and even through the working years of some of them they would spare at least one evening a month to get together and play bridge with their clubs.

 For me part of the fun of belonging to this group is hosting bridge club at my house. We always begin with a dessert, cold beverage and coffee. After eating the pretty table settings are cleared, then every one is given a tally card, two playing decks of cards are placed on each table and a score keeper is delegated for each table. Each table plays five hands, then the glasses are refilled and little dishes of nuts and candy are set on the edge of the card tables along with a distribution of pretty napkins as everyone finds their new table or chair for the next round.

I love this older women fellowship, and the brain work playing bridge stimulates is certainly worthwhile. I am learning from the best.
Yesterday I hosted the bridge club at my house. The day had turned autumnal so I could think of no better dessert to serve than this pumpkin cake with cream cheese filling. This cake requires no other side such as ice cream because the cream cheese is all that is needed to make this cake delicious on its own.

the 13th of October

Friday, the 13th, and at last the weather has turned cooler. I breathe deeply as I turn off the air-conditioner and slide open a few windows. An ending to another week...

A birthday dinner for a special friend.

An afternoon walk with Charlotte in a church yard

My husband has customers from Belgium. Their company makes the most delicious cookies,*Biscoff Lotus*. With coffee or tea, they have the most perfect crunch, and I do mean the most perfect crunch.  You should try them...

 These socks were began last November, sheer determination will get them completed before I plan to start another knitting project. The red line is where the after -thought heel will be added. My bay tree will  come inside beside a sunny window during the winter months.

                                                         "Cattails"... Seeing them in a new light.

Back when we had Mr. Putter, the cats had to be fed on top of the clothes dryer, a habit that continues.

what Miss Ivy wears

a brown polka-dotted jumper, for once in a while.

 Sewing little dresses and jumpers for Ivy is a pleasure for me, even if her day to day activity levels might benefit her wearing other clothing styles such as pants and shirts.

But I love seeing her run in little dresses.

a setting for the Maine Bound shawl

I was seriously thinking this shawl should have been photographed beside the blue/grey waters of the Maine coast and the brown- tinged silvery ash colors of the rocks and stones that line the Maine shoreline.

But alas, I was home, and it was with the ochre hushed leaves and fading summer's greens that  spoke, "Aahh",  much like the clear purr of Louie on this gorgeous day in October.

 Just use your imagination and flip the Maine Bound Shawl onto Charlotte's shoulders!