Coming soon to a blog near you

. . . Making giant draft protectors, autumn roundup, and cooking even when you don’t feel like it

This has been an extraordinary week in the life of a blogger. Post topics are piling up faster than I can document them and write them, and I want to do them all. You will have to be a little bit patient, but here’s what’s coming up in the next few days:

Who knew that hundreds of Torch Lake Views readers struggled with shrink-wrap plastic and hair dryers every year? OK, maybe not hundreds exactly. Some of you hare off to Florida at the first sign of a snowflake, and a considerable number of you have windows of more recent vintage. For the rest of us, my giant draft protectors resonated.  I have a number of inventive ways to be cozy on a budget. I’ll be busy doing and photographing for the next few days. Post to follow.

If you hang out here much you’ve met Scott Thomas, and probably visited his Views Infinitum blog, too.  He’s posted another of his periodic photo challenges–this one about Autumn 2010.  Show us autumn where you live or traveled, he says.  OK.  I’m going to post a selection of my favorites from the chestnut harvest and the astonishing mushrooms and the leaves and the celebrations.  It’s going to take me awhile, so if you want to weigh in on a favorite or two, don’t be shy. 

It’s due by November 24.  As always, all you talented photographers can let me know if you’d like to participate and need help, or you can just visit Scott’s post and give him a link to your photo(s) wherever you’ve put them up.

You’ve also met Karen, a/k/a Karma of Karma’s When I Feel Like It Blog.  She’s a mom who likes to garden and likes to cook but also needs to feed her family every day—whether she feels like it or not.  All of us who have been there know how that is.  You go on auto-pilot and trot out the same old reliables over and over.  (Rob the Firefighter once memorably remarked that he wouldn’t mind if he never ate broiled chicken breast, steamed broccoli and rice ever again.  Ever.)  Karen issued a plea for useful advice at I am not a food blogger.   I can never resist giving advice.  I know, I know, but believe it or not I do occasionally make something good to eat.  A lot of you often make good things to eat, so if you would like to help out a Mom, go visit Karen with your best advice.  I’m going to get a post together here sometime this weekend.

Finally, a great big Thank You to Jessie, my across-the-street neighbor, who made excellent treats today and—this is the really good part—brought some over to the Writing Studio and Bait Shop.   She and her mom Sue and their bouncy golden retriever Phoebe are having a fine time doing a little mother-daughter bonding.  These are the kinds of neighbors a person needs.  Miss Sadie and the Cowboy agree, except they think that should have been mother-daughter-dog bonding.