HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!!!!!!!!!

TURKEY DAY!

This year I am so thankful that I was able to be with my family on Thanksgiving. Filled with love, laughs, and of course food! Though I may be a little sleep deprived from night shifts, and Marie removed only one of the two giblet packages in the bird before cooking it:), all in all it was a great day. Finished off by a traditional game of girls vs. boys trivial pursuit and some sweet treats. This year Marie and I took over the duty of providing the pie. I of course can't think of a Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie, so I jumped all over making that one! And Marie baked a delicious seasonal apple pie. Both which I think are beautiful enough to make an appearance in Better Homes and Gardens, or just give our Grandma a run for her money.

My First Turkey

I remember the first turkey that I cooked. It was at the house on Birchmont Drive that we rented when first married. Mom and Dad were coming for "supper", it wasn't Thanksgiving but I was cooking my first turkey.

The stove in that house was very old and the seal on the oven wasn't tight, of course I also probably opened the oven door a million times to check the progress. It was about time for Mom and Dad to arrive for the 6:30 sharp meal and the bird was far from done.

The saving grace of the evening was that the cows had escaped a fence and Dad had a late night of work so they cancelled. I took the turkey out of the oven at 9:30!

Marie, don't panic, your first turkey will be perfect.

Thanksgivings past, with Kenny G and Isaac Stern

This had to be one of my favorite thanksgivings.
My two nieces showed off their newly aquired musical skills. Of course they had not played together so had a quick practice session in the bedroom. Then lined the chairs up in the living room, seated the guests, and put of a concert.
I had all I could do to hold back the tears of laughter as they very seriously gave the performance.
Now, I only wish that I had it on video!

Thankful

I'm thankful for my crafty tendencies. With a $10 piece of fabric and an hour - I made a table cloth.

34 Years!

On this November day 34 years ago we exchanged the traditional wedding vows.

"for better or worse" - we have enjoyed the better and weathered through the worse

"for richer or poorer" - we have had the good fortune to not want for necessities and appreciate the richness of life itself

"in sickness and in health" - thankfully it's been mostly health

Here's to the next 34 years -

that makes us 90 and 95 - could happen

PedEgg

If you dont have a Ped Egg,Stop everything and rush out and buy one. A friend just put me on to them. You will be amazed at the amount of dry skin you can scrape off your feet!
Almost as good as a walk on the beach.
I bought mine at wallgreens about $10. (they might even have them at Joynes)

True Confession

It happened again. Every time I watch the movie Armageddon, it brings on a deluge of tears that I simply can't control. Now Kelly knows from my history of calling her after Grey's most weeks in tears that I'm a crier to fictional situations. But no other movie consistently brings about the nose-running, sniffling, kleenex clutching that is me while watching this one. I find it on one of our 5 stations and get sucked in. The music is sappy, the acting is over-played...they are in space on a snowy meteor, but every time I'm sobbing like a baby. Just thought you all should know.

Found it!

I found the mitten pattern! Now to get started. I'm trying to stock-pile things like mittens and coasters and baby quilts for gifts. One down...

Yellow Brick Road

I finished the quilt for the office/bedroom and the finishing touch - pillows. Anderson fabric stash and guest pillows for the fillers. The office has been designated as the "room of the month" a project of organization, decoration and cleaning. It's soon done - does help that some of the "projects" have just been moved to a room near by.

Call me crazy, but I like to think of this as more resourceful. Instead of going out and finding some ugly bookends to hold up my movies and of course books, I went digging in my closet. I found these beautiful and neglected shoes just sitting there sadly. I must admit I have never worn these shoes. Within minute of putting them on I want to cry because my feet hurt so much. However they were only $8.00 at Target and you know me and shoes, I just couldn't resist. I love these shoes!!! Even never wearing them, just having them in my closet made me happy. Silly I know. And now they are bookends and I get to look at them everyday!!

Button, Button,who's got the button?

What was I thinking?

I didn't take the buttons! Was I just too overwhelmed with all the other "real antiques" to realize the true value of the old can of buttons?

My current project could use 4 different ,large, old buttons, and I was able to find them in my own stash.

BUT, MSP, I hope you are keeping yours in a safe place!

It still makes me dance...

Its a snow day this morning! Just a little crusty dusting, but still snow. And it still makes me dance. Even before you look out the window in the morning - you can tell there is snow on the ground. The light is different...sure enough, the world is bright with a white glaze on the ground and the trees. So I do my morning snow dance and step right outside in my pjs to smell the snow.

Ok - anyone reading this blog is going to think I'm nuts, but I know my fellow contributors feel the same - genetics, I guess. I've noticed that many adults are not doing a dance for the snow - they probably don't smell it either. They should do both. I love the smell, sound, sights of snow!!!! It still makes me dance.

Winters Bed

The perennials have a blanket for the winter,

and there's wood to keep us warm,

but if you look really close

there are buds on that bush just waiting for spring.

Mother Nature, what a tease!

We had our first snowfall, it is really beautiful. Too bad these November snows melt away ,leaving us with only a hope for a white Christmas.

November can be so dark, a little snow on the ground really brightens up the chilly North. I love when they start giving both a real temperature and a wind chill temperature. Our wind chill was 8 this morning! Maybe we will have ice by Thankgiving.

Willys was invigorated too, by the crisp moring air.

Mittens

I lost my recipe for Grandma Fenske mittens. Actually I lost the knitting book where I was keeping it. Temporarily, I hope. In the mean time, I sit with my ball of yarn and tiny needles trying to remember where I put it. I have a lot of mittens to make.

Creative Gifts

I hope my friends don't get sick of receiving creative projects for birthday gifts. They are fun to make!

This is my latest set of coasters and a mat to use under a candle or maybe a candy dish.

lessons learned in high school

When I was in high school, I reupholstered this chair for a home economics project. It was a lovely green color, and was used by our family for years.
I just resurrected it from Mom's sewing room at the farm and gave it a new life. The fabric cost me $2.00 from Anderson's fabric. The chair is by nature a little crooked and my upholstery skills are not any better now than they were when I was 17, but it doesn't look too bad and was a fun project.

Daylight Saving's Time

I love daylight savings time! Why can't we just keep the hour of daylight at night, and add an hour of light in the morning? Maybe they will do that under the new administration. They have promised us everything else!
Yesterday, I remembered a day many years ago; the first day of central standard time in the fall.
Late in the afternoon, Marilyn and I saddled up our horses and went for a ride. We were still several miles from home when it became dark and significantly colder. We had not taken into the account the time change!
Butch has been preparing Willys for the time change. When Willys gets up in the morning and stretches and shakes by the side of the bed, Butch whispers to him, "its too early, go lay on your rug". Each day, Willys has slept in a little longer, so he is ready for the new schedule.
Sunday,I noticed that there were more full pews at 7:30 church -daylight!
AND, at 4:00, Butch suggested that we walk to the neighbors for a drink, it was 5:00 SOMEWHERE!