One Week Before Thanksgiving and I am already thankful!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite celebrations. It happens in my favorite time of year, fall, and it involves family getting together.

This year since we have downsized and given our huge table to my daughter, Jennifer, we will be having Thanksgiving at her house. Yea! I plan to help as much as I can, but all of the mess will be at her house...another Yea!

We always have the same menu and always consume too much food. This year the weekend is shuffled. The guys are going golfing and the girls are going shopping. We play games every night and stay up too late!

Making gingerbread houses and decorating them with huge amounts of candy is on the agenda for Saturday. Each team thinks of a theme. We have had some really over the top houses. One year we had a trailer, a Hawaiian "grass hut", that one was really cute with all of the shredded wheat on the roof and homemade palm trees that we couldn't get to stand up, and a log cabin decorated with pretzels.

We talk and laugh and just get caught up on the happenings from the year. Oh course, we are all thankful for so many things. We all agree we are truly blessed.

Veteran's Day is here!

I have to go to AC Moore today because I need a long sleeve shirt for tomorrow for under my tie-dye shirt because of my field trip. Which is at... DUKE HOMESTEAD!



Last night was "sleep over" for the two girly girls...Amanda and Autumn, my granddaughters. Amanda, just typed herself into my blog, She is 8 almost 9 and will some day learn to type and write faster.

Today is going to be full of things to do. First we are going to open up a pomegranate and figure out how to eat it. Amanda is the expert on that procedure....we'll see??? We are planning a picnic to the park so Amanda can conquer another set of monkey bars. Just last year she couldn't do it, but in just a year of practice and conditioning she can do any monkey bars. I want to go to a place she has not done the monkey bars......I know just the right park!!

Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
This is one of the blogs I follow regularly. It does look good. I remember when I was a young Ky. wife and unfamiliar with Chinese food till we moved to Michigan. And even then, I only ordered Cashew Chicken....it was safe. Now I eat lots of cuisines thanks to years of moving around and friends. Like my friend, Gim, from Thailand. She cooks wonderful, amazing dishes and I wish I could have some of her spring rolls right now!! My son, John, and his wife, Tonya, travel all over the world and bring home lots of great ideas for different cuisines. Last time we were visiting they took us for Moroccan food...great tastes....cinnamon and cumin.

I did research on-line and found a great recipe that I fix at home for Moroccan Chicken. It has those great flavors of cinnamon and cumin together...very aromatic and yummy.

Today potato soup is on the menu. I want to finally make something apple in the oven or maybe waldorf salad for Bob.

My day is passing quickly....blessings.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Today is soup weather and that is what I am fixing. Bob and I haggle over what to do with the split chicken breast package in the refrigerator. This time he won....just plain old chicken noodle soup with some crusty bread. Sometimes I make a chicken soup with tomatoes, rice, carrots and broccoli seasoned with basil. I know, the broccoli sounds out of place, but it really jazzes up the soup. Next time the can of tomatoes comes out of the cupboard along with the chicken stock!

Looking forward to a great weekend. I plan to walk in the neighborhood and maybe take a ride to the town reservoir and take the two mile walk....it is a lovely park and the lake is filled with turtles that pop their heads up or laze on a log in the water.

Sometimes if you are lucky you will see an egret with long legs and beautiful white body at the lake's edge. Wish me luck.

Monday Morning

Great day for being outside! The sun is out and the sky is a breathtaking blue. Today I am busy. One of the best and oldest Quilt shop/fabric stores in Cary is closing this month, ETC. Craft. Jean , the owner, is 86 years young and losing interest in the shop she has owned for over 30 years. She is going to travel and garden. What a gal! She always has a smile and a friendly greeting.
I am going to buy thread at a discount and wish Jean many years of fun and adventure.
Everyone out there....have a great week. Blessings, Lee

Beautiful Autumn Day

I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted. Actually, I know not many read this so I am mostly writing to put down my thoughts for me.
September was a difficult month. My friend, Meli, passed away from cancer at the beginning of the month and it has taken me this long to write about it. Her death has left a huge hole in my life.
She was my fun person to visit with. She was always upbeat and laughing. She and I liked the same books, only, she read faster than me and always steered me to the best books. We crafted together...not sewing or knitting...just odd things that only she and I were interested in.
Our last craft project was a banner for spring with the word BLOOM on it. We used scrapbook paper and lots of fun "stuff" to decorate the letters. I hung my banner on my fireplace mantle . Meli hung hers in the kitchen on her pantry door. She got so ill so fast that I think her family took it down because it made them feel sad. My banner made me feel sad...but I wanted to remember Meli.
So, I left it up until this weekend when I made one for Autumn. It says HARVEST. Meli would have liked the way it turned out...I used lots of "stuff" to decorate my letters and it looks nice hanging on my mantle.
The weather feels so great...I love fall and the cooler temperatures.

Chocolate Cake

Today, I am making a yummy chocolate cake to surprise my hubby, Bob. He doesn't get cake very often because I tell him if I make it we will eat it!! Da! I guess that is the object of baking it! Neither one of us needs the calories, but I am in the mood for cake. Here is a cute poem I copied while in a Dr.'s office somewhere.

Funny Honey

You're my honey
You're my sweet
You're my pumpkin pie to eat
You're my ice cream
You're my ices
You're my seasonings and spices
You're my candy
You're my cake
Oops..I ate you....my mistake!
By Douglas Florian

Off to find my cake pans....Bob will eat ice cream with his, but I want a huge glass of really cold milk!!

Wednesday

Today has been one of those days where I am just running here and there.....lots of errands. I received my first Social Security Check today and celebrated by getting a pedicure. My feet are feeling great. Every time I get one I tell myself that every night I will put lotion on my feet so they stay soft .....and I will this time!

After running around all morning, I came home and put together chicken noodle soup. I love making it. The recipe came from Country Living Magazine. Altogether I have subscribed to Country Living for probably over 20 years and I have made only one recipe from the thousands that have been featured and it is their Chicken Noodle Soup. Everyone loves it. It is still on their web-site.

My day ended by meeting my knitting/crocheting friends at Borders for an over priced coffee drink and knitting! We talk about everything including knitting! I am making socks for Christmas gifts. Everyone expects them . I make different colorways and different weights of yarn. They choose and I have fun all year knitting them.

By the way, I have finished The Garden Journal blocks ....all of them! And I only have a small section to assemble. While I am putting the sections together I am making a few changes in fabrics. That is time consuming and probably un-necessary! But, I can't stop myself.

Such a beautiful full moon out there tonight. Enjoy.

Block of the Month

In January I joined a block of the month....called Y Not. It was to be a challenge for me because every other month the block would feature a y seam. The blocks are supposed to finish 12 1/2. So far only two finished out 12 1/2....that will be no problem because along the way I have purchased additional fabrics to add to my small blocks. Well, last month the block was really hard. They feature a tutorial video on line, but they really don' t help much because you can't see over her shoulder to watch her sew the seam??? If you bring it back to the shop before the tenth of the month the next block is free. I have finished all of my blocks on time....even though some look better than others. The only thing saving me is that the fabric is Kaffe Fassett print and they are soooo busy you really can't tell my seams don't meet or match. Kaffe fabrics are a new colorway for me. I am enjoying the wild colors and prints....but I will still always avoid a pattern with a y seam. Blessings, Lee

My family

My daughter, Jennifer, and I traveled together to my Mom's funeral. We got back to Raleigh yesterday and I am tired.

My son-in-law posted on his facebook about the funeral and he said, " Very odd that no one cried!" My family is a bunch of misfits..just trying to get along. We are not the Brady Bunch?? My Mom has been declining for six months and we were glad that she is at rest and not confused anymore. My Dad and my sister will miss her the most because they lived in the same house. I have lived away from home for over 40 years and sometimes miles and miles from Louisville. I lived five years with my grandmother and grandfather until I went to kindergarden. Time goes by and sometimes you just don't bond the way "you are suppose to". I am not saying it is all my Mom's fault, but we were just not bonded the way some daughters are bonded with their mothers. I am sorry we are a little disfunctional...but I will miss her...I just had a hard time grieving for her. Does this make sense? Thanks for listening to me vent.

I am getting back into the groove....sewing on my G J and finished up the stitcheries last night.

Catch you later.

Friday

My Mom has been ill for about six months and she has spent the last couple months in a nursing facility. She was 83 and she went to Heaven yesterday. She will be missed by everyone in the family.
I will be making the trip to Louisville, Ky. for the memorial and funeral. It will be good to see family and friends there.
Blessings, Lee

Paul was Fab!

My daughter and I had a wonderful time at the Paul McCartney concert last night. It was great fun to get away together.

I had my digital camera with me and used it to record parts of the concert.....the film turned out great....good shots of Paul on the stage and on the screen. BUT, the sound didn't function....oh well. I am so "dumb" with the camera and anything tech related, it was a miracle I recorded anything. I was checking the shots and thinking how great it would be to show my husband, Bob, but when the concert was over and it was quiet....no sound on my video. I have to say, though, Paul sure looks good for 68 years old! He had a vintage coat on and when he got warm he took it off and revealed a crisp white shirt and suspenders. He looked cute.

The songs he sang were just the ones I wanted to hear. But nothing from the Flaming Pie album.

Jennifer and Jennifer my daughter are different people. Jennifer who posts for me on the blog is a good friend and a very talented crafter. She has even designed her own patterns. It is fun to have a friend so creative....she is always encouraging me.....The Gardener's Journal was her suggestion.

By the way, I have finished the stitching part and continue to work on the piecing part. I keep digging into my stash for inspiration. My colorway has expanded.....I am having fun! My sewing room is a mess....little scraps here and bigger pieces everywhere.

Catch you later. Lee

Monday Monday

Sorry I haven't posted, but I have had a few technical problems? But, all is well and I can share everyday if I want.

My birthday was June 18th and my children gave me a ticket to a Paul McCartney concert in Charlotte. WE are spending the night and driving home on Thursday. I am so excited. Love that Paul! I know he is "old" but, I think he is the good kind of "old".
I am also looking forward to alone time with Jennifer. We cooked together this weekend and had great fun creating peach cobbler. It turned out to be part of one recipe and part of another and then we improvised. Improvising is almost always the best path to take....a little cinnamon, more brown sugar....extra peaches. Yum!
Let me think.....what is my favorite Beatles/Paul song? What is your favorite ? I love everything on the "Flaming Pie" album....especially "Calico Skies". Catch you later...Lee

Thanks for your comments

It was so nice to see so many smiling faces making comments on my post. I am having such fun. The weather here is very hot......heat indexes over 100. I wanted to go to the farmer's market this morning, but even 9:00 the temperature was hot. Our farmer's market is wonderful with lots of everything good. Bakers bring their bread and pastries, farmers bring fresh flowers and bedding plants. There is even a long row of bushel baskest filled with peppers in every shade of red, yellow and green. They can be very spicey. I only buy the sweet ones. I am waiting for the peaches and corn.
Have fun stitching. Lee

First day on the blog

I was encouraged by the girls at Stitch-a-long to made a blog page. So here it is. I am using it mostly to be able to post comments on the blog. Wish me luck. Lee