Thursday, November 28, 2013

A Memory of Thanksgiving

It was early morning. It was that tingly cold that makes you put on your warmest slippers and flannel robe. As I headed downstairs I cursed my attraction to century-old farmhouses. Although we had tried mightily to seal old glass windows and run heating vents through almost petrified wood beams, the upstairs was always chilly, and even more so in late November with an early cold spell bringing snow and wind to upstate Ohio.

On the way to the kitchen I turned up the thermostat several notches. I turned on the kitchen light and the golden tones of the wooden cabinets and floors glowed. The double window over the kitchen sink reflected a light glittering of snow dusted pink, rose and gold from the first rays of the Eastern sun. The gnarled ancient apple tree branches silhouetted against the pale lavender morning sky cast their charm over me as they always did.


The pilot light on my old, white enamel stove was out again, but I struck a match and the burner glowed warmly in the still chilly kitchen. I checked that the oven pilot light was working and turned that on as well. In deference to the early hour I had left my cast iron skillet, biggest roasting pan and a basket of onions out on the counter the night before.


The refrigerator supplied the butter, celery and a fat turkey ready to be stuffed. Very soon chopped onion and celery were simmering away in butter and their savory scents perfumed the kitchen air. This was the smell of every Thanksgiving past in our family. It was the same scent I anticipated each year when my parent rose at dawn to begin the preparation of our childhood feasts. I can remember laying in my cozy bed and smelling Thanksgiving as it drifted through the house. I hoped my children were having those same feelings on this day.

My huge yellow-ware bowl, used only for preparing food in massive quantities, easily held all my bread crumbs, bread cubes and spices - pungent sage and black pepper, the coarse glisten of kosher salt, the soft, enticing smell of the marjoram. All of the scents combined in that big yellow bowl…ahhh, the fragrance of memories. Soon the onions and celery were tender and the chicken broth warmed and the dressing became moist and aromatic with their addition.

The kitchen had become warm and wonderful and soon the stuffed turkey was in for its long roasting time. The extra stuffing was in its buttered casserole with a scoop saved out inside my little pink stoneware bowl. Now it was time to make some coffee and then start the dinner roll dough rising, time to make the pie crust so it could chill for several hours, time to start chopping vegetables…

But first… a fresh cup of coffee and cream and a small pink bowl filled with stuffing needed to be eaten in front of the big windows overlooking the stark sculpture of winter apple trees and the rosy morning glow of the sky. The house was quiet, the wooly throw was warm on my lap, my children were safely asleep upstairs.

Later the house would fill with relatives and laughter and teasing and conversation. Pies, mashed potatoes, the magnificent turkey, flavorful stuffing, yeasty warm dinner rolls, and homemade jellies glistening like jewels would fill the table.


But for now, my coffee was perfect, the stuffing was savory, memories of all the Thanksgivings that had come before warmed my mind. This moment and this magic was my Thanksgiving.


When I count my blessings this Thanksgiving, I have to count all of you, too. You have given me so much encouragement with my writing. Blog friends are real friends. I am so happy to count you as mine. Hope your holiday is filled with peace and joy and a nap by the fire after too much pumpkin pie.

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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

I'm being stalked...

...by turkeys...
 
Big wooden ones by the front door...


A whole bunch of them when you walk inside...

 
And the cutest baby one...
 
 
Our house will soon be filled with overnight guests and dogs ...
 
...and there are not quite enough forks for tomorrows feast...
 
...and I'm not sure of the logistics of turkey, pie and homemade rolls...
 
... and the fridge looks like a restaurant...
 
I love it.
 
I am so blessed.
 
And so thankful.
 
And I hope if you celebrate Thanksgiving yours is wonderful, too!
 
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Alphabe-Thursday Letter B


Good morning class. Welcome to round eight of Alphabe-Thursday!

Today we will be bellowing about the beautiful letter:


Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course.

I am, as always, behind on visits.   But I'll be by soon!

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find you easily otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and try to visit at least 10 other students (perhaps the 5 students before and after your post). The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please bring your best letter B now!
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Sunday, November 24, 2013

Alphabe-Thursday Thankful A AND A GIVEAWAY

This round of the alphabet I want to share what I'm thankful for.   I might throw a sign or two in when I can as well.  I'm having a giveway this week, too!   Info is at the bottom of this post!
 

I am thankful I have Always been geographically close to 4/5ths of our Grandlittles.
 
But I am learning the pain so many of you suffer when these dear ones are far away.
 
Our beautiful Granddaughters are moving to Ireland.
 
Yes.
 
Ireland.
 
Gulp!
 
What an adventure for them all.
 
I'm excited but I'm already feeling the loss of seeing them several times a week!
 
Our daughter-in-law has worked at least part-time since the oldest was born 11 1/2 years ago and we've been lucky enough to be babysitters as well as Grandparents.
 
But now our son's job is moving the family for several years.
 
Things are going really quickly and they will be leaving right after Christmas to west of  Dublin, Ireland.
 
My nephew says they will save a lot of money on sunscreen since two of the three are red-haired and freckled.
 
I'm just buckling up my Grandma seatbelt and am trying to stay on the ride of my emotions.
 
In the spirit of the move I wanted to offer up this beautiful leather bracelet for a giveaway.
 
 
 
It is very close to 7 1/2" from clasp to clasp. Green leather accented by  gorgeous black and green grommets highlighted by three silver flowers.   Three flowers for three Granddaughters.   And green, of course, for Ireland.
 
My sister makes these bracelets.   She doesn't have a shop but if you're interested in any for gifts, I'd be glad to send you some pictures and I know she'd be glad to sell some!   There's a wide variety available.
 
The one shown is $30 with free postage.
 
To enter this giveaway, just comment on THIS POST.   You can enter up to five times with any comment.  Just be certain I have an e-mail address to get hold of you so I can mail you your prize if you win!
 
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
 
Five entries available...each comment to THIS post is considered an entry
Be sure I have an e-mail address for you so I can reach you to ship your prize
Giveaway ends Friday, November 29.  
Winner will be posted Saturday, November 30 and notified by e-mail.
Bracelet will ship on Monday, December 2.
 
  
This post is linked to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter A.   To read other A offerings, just click here.
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Alphabe-Thursday Letter A


Good morning class. Welcome to round EIGHT of Alphabe-Thursday!

Here we go again!

I'm excited because I have a specific  theme I'm going to write about...big news for our family, indeed!   And hopefully I might have time to paint a sign or two along the way as well!

I look forward to seeing what you have to share...and I want to thank each of you personally for participating. Sometimes life feels so chaotic that I like the steadiness of one little thing I can depend on!

Today we will be sharing all aspects of the letter:



Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course.

I also want to let you know that each week I visit every blog. If it appears I haven't visited your blog by the following Thursday morning, please let me know!

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find you easily otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

I also want to mention that sometimes when I visit wordpress blogs the only way I can leave a comment is by using an e-mail address DIFFERENT than the one I have linked to blogger.  If you see odd e-mail address that's why I'm doing it.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and try to visit at least 10 other students (perhaps the 5 students before and after your post). The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please advise us what your A post is, by linking now:

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Sunday, November 17, 2013

If you give a girl...

...with complicated auto-immune issues a major oral surgery...
 
She's gonna have a crash.
 
And if she has a crash...
 
She's gonna want to die.
 
Or at the very least hibernate.
 
And if she hibernates...
 
She doesn't visit her blog much.
 
Or write much.
 
Or paint much.
 
Or talk much.
 
And if she gives up blogging and writing and painting and talking...
 
She's gonna miss out on a WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF IN BLOGLAND.
 
And in her life.
 
And when she misses out on almost three months of her life she suddenly realizes...
 
"HOLY CRAP! IT'S ALMOST THANKSGIVING!"
 
And when she realizes it's almost Thanksgiving...
 
...she decides that, "Yes, printed burlap can be washed in the washing machine to make a table runner to save time."
 
And when she washes printed burlap...
 
...it turns into a huge mess.

 
And when it turns into a huge mess she has to cover it up with ANOTHER table runner she already had to make it look semi-okay.

And then that makes her mouth hurt.
 
And she has to go to the oral surgeon again. ...
 
... Okay.
 
All of this was true UP UNTIL seeing the oral surgeon again.
 
I'm avoiding him like the plague.
 
He thinks I am going to have more surgery in January.
 
Yeah.
 
Ummm.
 
I think he may have to use an elephant gun to tranquilize me for that!
 
Sigh.
 
PS. Missed you all!
 
PPS. Yes, those are croquet balls in the wooden bowl on my table. I know. I'm weird.
 
PPPS (or is that PSSS) If you have oral surgery and you can't tolerate steroids or using your own blood in concentration be sure to let your surgeon know.  This has been a pretty icky ride and I don't want you to go through it if you can avoid it!

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Thursday, November 14, 2013

We could write about the quick brown fox...

...or we could write other, more esoteric, things.
 
Typewriters inspire the written word.
 
At least for me...and some of our Grandlittles.
 
Mr. Jenny and I have started collecting vintage, portable typewriters. 
 
Garage sales, my Dad and Craigslist have been our 'sources' thus far.
 
And our major source of repair and information has been a tiny, eccentric little shop in Mesa.
 
Mesa Typewriter Repair is an absolute gem of history, knowledge and just enough dust to make your imagination go wild.


 
 
 
...this remarkable place is filled with obsolete writing tools that inspire Mr. Jenny and I to ask at every single garage sale, "Do you have any old typewriters to sell?"
 
Almost always the answer is negative.
 
But we've scored several times now.
 
Our favorite so far is a bright red one.
 
It's our Granddaughter's favorite as well.
 
 
Granddaughter, Riley, wrote a very neat poem on it.
 
Granddaughter, Julia, started a story that began, "My name is Dandelion but people call me Daring because my name is nothing like I am."
 
We continue our request for these relics of past words written.
 
If you have a colored case portable typewriter that you want to get rid of, please let me know.
 
And if you have an old typewriter out in the garage, bring it inside and try your hand at typing again.
 
It's amazing how many words are born with the clickity-clackety sound of an old typewriter at work.
 
PS.   Sorry for the sideways pictures.  So frustrating.
 
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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Alphabe-Thursday Letter Z


Good morning class. 

Welcome to the end of round seven of Alphabe-Thursday! Today we will be studying the zippy letter:


...but before we do please


I have something important to tell you.

Round EIGHT of Alphabe-Thursday will start immediately. We will not have a break in between rounds.

It's hard to believe we've done the alphabet SEVEN times before, but I'm still enjoying it so I'm still going to keep it going.  It's always such a good distraction for me and I'm happy so many of you are enjoying it, too!

I haven't even figured out if I'm doing a theme this round or just random stuff.  I like doing it both ways...so maybe I'll surprise myself!

Ha!

Everything else remains the same.

Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course, and please try very hard to visit the blogs that visit you for this meme.

I also want to let you know that each week I visit every blog. If it appears I haven't visited your blog by the following Thursday evening, please let me know!  I am one week behind in my reading, though.  Just starting on the letter Y's.

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find your link otherwise. And, if you see any broken links, please let me know that as well.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and you must visit at least 10 other posts...perhaps consider starting from the last posts and work backwards. The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please link your zany Z post now!


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Monday, November 11, 2013

Because of you...

...I woke up today in a warm, safe bed in the United States of America.
 
I bow my head and honor
all the noble and the brave
who gave their life and their lives
in innumerable sacrifice made
when America asked for their courage
they packed their bags and went
Faces set in bravery, looking ahead
no thought of the cost they might spend
Some came back with battle scars
Some never came back at all
They unselfishly put their lives on the line
knowing they were giving their all.
A thank you is small recognition
For the cost these warriors paid
But thank you is all I can offer today
As we celebrate Veteran's Day.
 
Thank you.
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Friday, November 8, 2013

Painted Alphabet Letter Y

Take a deep breath and try not to go into shock.

I'm actually linking to Alphabe-Thursday this week.

And I actually did some painting this week.

So.

Here's some letter Y's!

This one didn't photograph well, but I think it's cute.  

https://www.etsy.com/listing/168529138/typography-style-you-never-fail-until?

8" x 8"

https://www.etsy.com/listing/168542031/typography-style-you-can-turn-out-the?

 15" x 16"
 
And this last one is my favorite.   I love the purple.  I love the message.  
 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/168529974/typography-style-yesterday-i-was-clever? 
12 x 12
 
 Signs are hand-painted and available in my Etsy shop...you can see the mini link at the top right of my blog or click on any picture for a link!  No stickers...no stencils...my designs.
 
This post is linked to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter Y.   To read other Y offerings, just click here.
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Thursday, November 7, 2013

Home fries, hash browns, potato cakes...

...all yummy ways to start a day.

But you know your oral surgery woes are finally, finally totally behind you when you choose, instead, ruffled potato chips for breakfast...

Ruffles® Original Potato Chips, 1.5 oz. Bags, 64 Bags/Box

No eggs.

No oatmeal.

No soggy waffles.

Just crispy, crunchy potato chips.

I can gum them really well now with absolutely no pain.

Woo hoo.

And.

Oooh.

Ahhhh.

They seemed like the breakfast of champions!

And waaaayyy better than Wheaties to get you fired up!

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Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Alphabe-Thursday Letter Y


Good morning class.

Welcome to round seven of Alphabe-Thursday! Today we will be studying the youthful letter:


Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course, and please try very hard to visit the blogs that visit you for this meme.

I just started visiting the X links. I will be catching up over the next week...but I have NOT forgotten you.

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find you easily otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and you must visit at least 10 other posts...perhaps consider starting from the last posts and work backwards. The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please link your yummy Y post now!
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