Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas

I hope all the shopping is done, list checked off and complete, and packages wrapped. I hope your home smells wonderful with the scent of spice and cookies from the warmth of the kitchen. I hope your family is well, and your Christmas will be as peaceful and joyous as you planned.

…with love and hope, from our home to yours!

Happy Thanksgiving

I had my cookbooks out the other evening planning our Thanksgiving meal - same things using different recipes, perhaps. My DS asked, what are you doing? I said, looking for recipes... He said, I look for them online -- are we not having green bean casserole? Are we not having squash supreme?

So the menu will be our fairly standard fare: Roast Turkey, Dressing and Gravy, Green Bean Casserole, Squash Supreme, Winter Veggies (potato, turnip, brussle sprouts (several stores didn't have parsnips), carrots, and garlic in olive oil), and rolls.

Something new I'm trying for dessert: Pumpkin Tassies. The recipe included a crust, but mine are 'semi-homemade', Sandra Lee style. I bought the little pie shells and baked them first. Mine must have been larger than the recipe because it said, makes 20-24, and mine made eight. Had to make two batches ;-). The filling has brown sugar, pumpkin, egg yolk, cream, spices and flavoring. The topping is very similar to what I use for sweet potato souffle - brown sugar, butter, and pecans. One of the crusts tore, so we HAD to eat that one - it was good! Oh, and my dinner rolls... they're rising in the freezer ;-)

So how about y'all ... trying anything different this year?

I am thankful for so many things: family, health, home, job, but also among the tops on my list are all the online friends I've 'met and befriended' over the past year or so. Thanks for being there, and for allowing me to share in your lives!

New Year's Reality Check

New Year’s Reality Check

Another year, another chance

To start our lives anew;

This time we’ll leap old barriers

To have a real breakthrough.
We’ll take one little step

And then we’ll take one more,

Our unlimited potential

We’ll totally explore.
We’ll show off all our talents

Everyone will be inspired;

(Hmm…while I’m writing this,I’m getting very tired.)
We’ll give up all bad habits;

We’ll read and learn a lot,

All our goals will be accomplished,

Sigh...or maybe not.
Oh well, Happy New Year anyway!
By Joanna Fuchs

Labor Day

Today is Labor Day -- and many in the US don't work... Hum...

Do you carry a fan in your purse? The weather has been hot and I have been hot, so there is a need for fans. Mine gets whipped out once in a while when I have a heat surge! And of course there is the paper one on my computer desk, another by 'my chair' for TV and stitching, and I would like to have one in the sewing room... I'll be on the lookout for another.

The fan I carry in my purse is one bought in Williamsburg, Virginia, as a souvenir that is wooden and carved (probably stamped). When the heat surges started for me, I wished for a fan in my purse and thought of this one stored away.



This morning before the dew dried, I spotted this beautiful web over the well attached to the front porch and maple tree. I'm always amazed at the distance those two little threads make it to the web -- until someone walks by and get them in their hair or face. :-)



There was one I saw a couple of years ago that looked like an angel - what do you think?



Jonathan is to visit today, and Aunt Mack has invited us over for home-made barbque (sauce and all). Sounds very good now - it's past lunch and I'm hungry!