November

In November our community offers the opportunity to participate in a walking challenge.  We are encouraged to track our daily steps and compete with similar communities around the country.  The more steps, the more money that is contributed to the chosen charity.  This year it is going towards a local food bank.

The first of November found me joining the group for an early morning walk around the neighborhood.

For me, it has been a great motivator to get outside and walk more.

We have had such mild weather.  Little rain and mostly blue skies makes for ideal walking weather.  Watching the leaves change colors was an added bonus.

On this day I stopped to take note of what was planted in place of the summer annuals.  It looks like a combination of dianthus, snapdragons and dusty miller. 

Back at home the Thanksgiving cactus is blooming.

The blooms on this one are beginning to fade.

It may be all done by Thanksgiving on Thursday.

For the first time I ordered some waxed amaryllis through an online source.  They are supposed to ship in November.  I hope they show up fairly soon as they would be welcome replacements to the cactus when their bloom time is done.

Thanksgiving is liable to be very low key here this year.

A few weeks ago we had two invitations.

For various reasons that has all changed.

It may be just Brett & I here or we may have a visitor or two.

We have a turkey breast in the freezer, plenty of potatoes, vegetables, cranberries and even a box of stuffing on hand.  One way or another we will celebrate and be thankful.

If you are celebrating, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

🦃

Happy To Be Home

A beautiful day in sunny Florida.

Judging by this picture one might get the idea that we enjoyed a tropical vacation.

The main reason for our trip was to move my mother-in-law into assisted living from the apartment she has been in since 2014.

We drove down on Thanksgiving day.

Not knowing what would be open, and in an effort to save time, we packed lunch and ate at a rest stop.

Turkey Jerky, sweet potato chips, homemade pumpkin muffin and clementines were my attempt at making this somewhat unusual Thanksgiving still seem festive.

The traffic was light as we had hoped.

We arrived at our first destination in time to celebrate with our son and his family.  Thankfully we were able to visit with them for a few more days.

Jaxson loved going on walks with his grandparents and showing us the best views in his neighborhood.  Grandma wanted a picture by the pretty poinsettias.

When grandpa was ready for a rest, Jaxson found a palm frond and used it as a fan.

😄

Soon it was time to head further south and begin our work.

We spent 6 days going through my mother-in-law's belongings.

She is in a much smaller place now so everything had to be dealt with in short order.  Like so many from her generation. she was a saver.  I was amazed to come across her high school scrap book filled with crumbling corsages. Boxes and boxes and boxes of photos made me glad that we now store them on our devices for the most part.  We brought back what we could fit in the car to be distributed to various family members.  We lost count of trips to the donation center.

Once the jobs were done, we enjoyed a celebratory dinner and visited her in her new home.

In her room with her daughter and yours truly.

Our last day we visited during "happy hour".

Mother & son enjoyed the Christmas carols being played on the piano and a nice conversation.

Somewhat teary goodbyes are always hard.

At 95 years old she is in remarkable health.

Prior to her move she had a few falls and it became clear that she couldn't live alone anymore.  Convincing her of that was interesting (to say the least).  After an adjustment period she is now doing very well in her new home.

We are now back home and Christmas seems to be coming way too fast.  The smartest thing I've done in a while is ...

putting up my trees and all Christmas decorations prior to leaving.

After a very busy few weeks and a long drive home it was so nice to walk into our home all lit up for the holidays.

Merry Christmas to me :).

This afternoon is my eye injection appointment and then I'm off the computer for a few days.  Can't wait to have a minute to sit and catch up on blog reading.

In November

Is it really November 21st?

I feel like I just posted about Halloween and next week it will be Thanksgiving.

Today we had blue skies and sunshine until about 3:00 when a noticeable darkness descended in the house.  Odd as we aren't expecting rain.

I took a look out my office window and appreciated the sunlight illuminating the trees with that dramatic dark sky in the background.

I love when that happens.  November seems to be the month for those lighting conditions.

I feel like if we're paying attention, Mother Nature is putting the spotlight on the beautiful autumn colored trees and, in this case, birdies suggesting we take note of their unique beauty .

Around here we are still awaiting our first significant frost.

We had a light frost this morning, but not enough to cause any damage.

The leaves have begun to flutter off the trees.  Although there is still a lot of color to appreciate.

My pansies are happy.

The camellias are blooming beautifully.

Inside the Thanksgiving cactus are just about to bloom.

Since we will be traveling for Thanksgiving, I am hoping that we will be able to see them in full bloom.

How has your November been?

Is it flying at a rapid pace for you too?

🦃🦃🦃

Post Thanksgiving ~ Pre-Christmas

The Christmas decorating is underway at my happy home.

Before I get too immersed in that, a brief documentation of the Thanksgiving that was. . .

Thanksgiving was different in many ways.

My son offered to be the host in his new (to him) home.

One drawback to that is he doesn't cook.

He did offer to provide Costco's version of a pre-made turkey dinner.

That idea was shot down quick by his cousins.

I said I would be happy to help in any way.  But, I decided to let the younger generation come up with the plan.

This is new to me and I found it rather fun to wait and see what they came up with.

I did bring over a few fall decorations and my sister-in-law brought her table cloth.

I felt right at home seated around our old dining room table.

Once the plan was in place, we all brought a few dishes to share.

I guess I should say the females brought the food ;)

My son happily provided the "shelter" (as he called it) and the beverages.

I'll say one thing we had no shortage of food.

It's been tradition for my sister-in-law to bake the pumpkin pie and I bake the apple.  New this year, her granddaughter baked a chocolate cream pie.  

Yum! Yum!Yum!

Hats off to the younger generation for a most successful Thanksgiving celebration!!

Now, back to the Christmas decorating.

🎄🎄🎄

Pretty Sunsets and Thanksgiving Plans

Late yesterday afternoon Brett & I went out for a walk.  By the time we got home the sun was setting in a spectacular fashion.  It occurred to me that had I stayed inside working on my puzzle I might have missed it entirely.  We've decided that timing our walks around sunset would be a good idea from now on.  

The holiday cactus that spent the summer outside is now in full bloom.  I'm sure it will be done before Thanksgiving so wanted to capture it's beauty while I can.  

Like most people our Thanksgiving will look  a bit different this year.  At first I thought why bother with all of the cooking and baking when it will just be three of us.  Brett suggested ordering the complete meal from the supermarket.  I was briefly tempted until I started thinking about my favorite aspects of our Thanksgiving traditions.  High on that list is the scent of the turkey roasting hours before the meal is served.  To me, it heightens the anticipation of the delicious meal we have to look forward to.  It is also a comforting smell reminding me that even though the people gathered around the table changes through the years, the reason for the celebration remains the same.  While I realize it might be tempting to think that there isn't a lot to be thankful for this year, perhaps it's more important than ever to look for the silver lining.

This week I'm looking forward to finalizing our menu.  The traditional elements will all be there on, perhaps, a smaller scale.

It feels good to have something to plan for.

If you will be celebrating Thanksgiving I'd love to hear about your plans.  

Wishing you all a good week ahead.

Pumpkin Pondering

While we are still enjoying fall color, the ever growing blanket of leaves on the ground tells me it won't be long until the trees are totally bare. 

 Since I wasn't blogging in October, I never shared my front steps all decorated for fall.  Shortly before Halloween I hit the farmer's market and had fun making the front entrance ready for the season.

The jack o' lanterns have now been removed, but the pumpkins, gourds and mums are still hanging in there.

I plan to leave them in place until Thanksgiving.

After that I have plans for a few of those pumpkins.

The farmer told me that the greyish green one on the bottom left step is an heirloom variety that is especially delicious when roasted.

I'm looking forward to trying it.

I'm planning to add some to the freezer for future use.

 

Today I used a can of pumpkin that was in the pantry to make pumpkin soup for lunch.  There was enough in the can for a loaf of pumpkin bread.  It tasted so good as an afternoon snack.
I love the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg.  There is something so appealing about those spices at this time of year.
The recipe I used can be found here.  It's a lightened up version.  However, it's so moist and flavorful you'd never suspect it.
With our US Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'm thinking lightening up now is the way to go.

 

Thankful Thoughts ~ Day 22

I have no photos to accompany my post today.

It was a busy day.

Chiropractor visit.

Mammogram.

Grocery Shop.

A wee bit of Christmas shopping.

Dinner made.

Dishes done and now I'm ready to climb into bed and watch This is Us and then, hopefully, drift off to slumberland.

Last nite's sleep left a lot to be desired and I've been trying to stay awake all day.

However, no matter how tired I may be, I am still thankful and today I am particularly thankful for having all of the groceries bought so that tomorrow I can do the cooking and baking for Thanksgiving day.

Nite Nite,

China Talk

 

 Right about now I imagine there are many of us playing around with china.  Most likely getting it ready to grace the Thanksgiving table.

Perhaps it only comes out for the holidays or maybe it is a part of the weekly Sunday dinner ritual.

In many cases it may have been passed down through the generations serving up a heaping helping of treasured memories along with the turkey and mashed potatoes.

My own china playing hasn't been to prepare for Thanksgiving as I am not hosting the holiday this year.  

Instead it is the result of helping my in-laws downsize in preparation for their upcoming move into assisted living. 

My mother-in-law offered it to me and although I have the china I received as a wedding gift, it was hard to turn down such a beautiful set of dishes.  Not to mention it looks like it was made to match my dining room.  So, I've been re-arranging every cupboard in my kitchen to make room for them.  

As I was unpacking each piece I felt thankful for receiving this generous gift, but also a bit sad.  Remembering back to the day my mother-in-law purchased this set of china to coordinate with the home they had just built.  Although that was probably over 20 years ago now she maybe used the china once or twice.  You see she is the type of person who was afraid that it would get broken if it were used so for all of this time it has been tucked into the china cabinet, each piece individually wrapped in the plastic bags they originally came in.  I realize we are all different and it's really none of my business what anybody else does with their china, but to me by now if the china could talk it should have lots of stories to tell.  Happy memory making, heartwarming, family times together, celebratory, holiday merrymaking stories.  Oh the potential for that set of china.  How sad that it was saved for a special occasion... that never came.  

Time passes too quickly to wait for just the right moment.

So my (unsolicited) advice to you as we prepare to celebrate our Thanksgiving holiday in America.  Don't save the "good" stuff for that special day.  Use it now and enjoy the here and the now.  Make memories with those you care about and treasure the moments.

If your china could talk what story do you think it would have to tell?

~ Warm Wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving ~

XXOO,

 

Happy Thanksgiving

  I've been a bit scarce in blogland recently.

Not sure why.  Seems the spirit hasn't moved me to pick up the camera.  Another blog slump, I suppose.

At any rate, I think of you even when I'm not posting.

If you will be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

The Perfect Apple Pie

  When the recipe is titled The Perfect Apple Pie, it seems like there's a pretty good chance it is going to taste good.

 Thinly sliced Granny Smith apples paired with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  The perfect combination of sweet and tart.

 My secret weapon for adding interest to the top crust.

I found this at TJ Maxx a few years ago.  It's like a giant cookie cutter.  Position it over crust, press and gently pull away.

Voila...

 a pretty and tasty pie for the fall season.

Judging by the comments of those who ate it, it lives up to it's name.

If you're looking for a perfect apple pie recipe, this just might be the one.  The recipe can be found here

I made this same pie last Thanksgiving too.

Just to shake things up a bit I used the other side of the giant cookie cutter featuring apple shaped cutouts.  This was the result of that pie:

After all of the hours spent preparing for the Thanksgiving meal, it never ceases to amaze me how quickly it is devoured and we are left with a gargantuan pile of dirty dishes and...

happy memories of time spent with our loved ones.

Of course all those leftovers will be very welcome as we set-up Chrsitmas Central here today.

I hope you all enjoyed a happy and memorable Thanksgiving and the upcoming weekend will be a good one.  In the midst of this busy time of year, don't forget to schedule a few moments for rest and relaxation.

 

Thanksgiving Wishes

 

It's heartwarming to know that in homes all across the country preparations are being made to come together and give thanks for our many blessings.

Since we won't be hosting this year I've decided to relax this evening.  In the morning I look forward to some quiet time in the kitchen baking the apple pie and butternut squash dish I will be bringing.  It will be a good time to reflect on the many things I have to be thankful for.

Tonight I'd like to wish all of my American friends a very

Happy Thanksgiving

 and to all who take the time to visit and share kind words with me I am thankful to have come to know you through the blogging world.

Blessings and Love from my home to yours,