Thanksgiving is Coming!

My crochet blogging buddy, Christina, over at Crafty Christina, found this Thanksgiving Meme. I liked it so much, I decided I wanted to play too.


1. Which do you like better: Cooking at your house, or going elsewhere?
I like cooking at home best. I enjoy the special holiday dinner at home with my honey.

2. Do you buy a fresh or frozen bird?
The last couple of years we’ve gotten a fresh heirloom turkey. The first year it was really good and last year we were a little disappointed and they are really expensive. So, this year we are going back to frozen -- thinking a cajun smoked turkey sounds delicious.

3. What kind of stuffing?
Cornbread stuffing like Granny’s. Although, I saw a recipe recently with apples I’d like to try. Wonder where I put it? !!!!

4. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie?
How about pumpkin cheesecake?!!!

5. Do you believe that turkey leftovers are a curse, or the point of the whole thing?
I love turkey leftovers. I'll eat them for days until they're all done.

6. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu?
Bourbon sweet potatoes

7. Do you save the carcass to make soup or stock?
You bet!

8. What do you wish you had that would make preparing Thanksgiving dinner easier?
I think after all these years, I’ve got it figured out! I don’t need anything.

9. Do you get up at the crack of dawn to have dinner ready in the early afternoon, or do you eat at your normal dinner hour?
We usually eat mid afternoon. I’m normally not a crack of dawn person. I’m not fixing a huge turkey either and the smoked turkey really only needs a good warming.

10. If you go to somebody else's house, what's your favorite dish to bring?
Pumpkin cheesecake or apple pie

11. What do you wish one of your guests wouldn't bring to your house?
I’m always pleased that folks are thoughtful enough to bring a little something even if it isn’t eatable!

12. Does your usual mix of guests result in drama, or is it a group you're happy to see?
A group I’m happy to see.

13. What's your absolute favorite thing on the menu?
The turkey!

14. What are you thankful for this year?
I’m thankful that the love of my life, my best friend is sharing Thanksgiving with me. I’m thankful for my sista’s (love you Lucy and Mar). I’m thankful for another day on Mother Earth.

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I found the recipe I mentioned above. It is from an email I received from Gooseberry Patch. It sounded good to me, so I thought I'd share. (I'm not a fan of bouillon -- too salty and would probably try some good chicken broth instead).

Granny's Apple Dressing
(From Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Autumn With Family & Friends)

1 1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 c. celery, sliced
1/2 c. butter
1 3/4 c. water
3 cubes chicken bouillon
12 c. dried bread cubes
3 c. tart apples, cored, peeled and coarsely chopped
Optional: 1 c. toasted slivered almonds
2 t. poultry seasoning
1 t. dried parsley
1/4 t. dried sage

In a skillet over medium heat, cook onion and celery in butter until tender. Add water and bouillon, cook until boiling and bouillon dissolves. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl; add onion mixture and mix well. Place in a greased 4-quart casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts or 8 to 10 servings.

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I want to let you know that I will be hitting and missing in Blogland for awhile. Mr. Dragon has some very serious medical problems that we will begin to deal with in the coming days. Please know that visiting you is a great comfort to me and a nice break from all that is going on now for us. I think of my blog friends often and appreciate you more than you know. Please keep us in mind in your prayers and good thoughts. I'll try to blog as much as I can. Promise.

Meanwhile, Joy To You!

I hope this weekend is a beautiful one for you.

The Short Days

So many of you that I visit have been talking about the darkness of Autumn and the coming of Winter. This was in my email this morning and I thought I would share it with you.

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7 Happy Rituals for the Short Days of Winter
by Christine Kane

Each year, when we turn the clocks back, I am torn.

On the one hand, I'm elated to get some extra sleep and "gain" an hour. On the other hand, it's a little sad to know that winter is coming, and the days are getting shorter.

A few years ago, I noticed that I was rolling with the change of season much more gracefully – and without the same dread I had often felt. It was around that time I learned to create rituals in my days. Seasons, after all, show us what our lives are meant to be: dark times, light times, expansion, contraction, and of course… change!

If you are experiencing anxiety or sadness as winter approaches and the days get shorter, I invite you to try one or two of these rituals. Maybe you'll start to look forward to the earlier evenings as you see the mystery and magic of this beautiful season…

1 - Create a Glow

The great thing about darker evenings is that they allow for the perfect candle lighting ritual. Create a sacred space in your home and light candles at dusk or when you get home from work.

Some of my favorite candles are antique medicine bottles I've picked up at various flea markets over the years. I fill them with candle oil and wicks. The glass reflects the flame for even more glow! I'm always on the look out for simple candles and holders. (A quick resource for all kinds of candles is TJ Maxx.)

2 - Start a Gratitude Journal

It's the season of Thanksgiving, so why not begin the habit of gratitude now, rather than waiting til the end of the month?

Get a beautiful journal and commit to completing your day with gratitude. Start with a list of five things. Write in as much detail as you can.

We live in such lavish abundance, yet it's so easy to speed through the days without noticing. A gratitude journal will change your life!

3 - Feed the Birds

Wake up to bird song!

One of my favorite rituals is to make sure that the bird feeders are chock full of the best seed possible. Our feeders always have visitors, so we keep a guide to birds near our back door so we can grab it any time we spot a new species. We have regular visits from nuthatches, chickadees, flickers, titmouse, all kinds of woodpeckers, Carolina wrens, bluejays – we've even seen rare birds, like the hooded warbler. Spend some blissful time witnessing the pure joy of our feathered friends! (A great resource for bird-feeders is Wild Birds Unlimited.)

4 - Catch Up on Movies

Winter is a great time to catch up on those movies you missed in the theaters. I keep a list in my iPhone, and any time someone recommends a movie, I take note. That way, when I get to the video store, I have a reference. You can also get great television show seasons on Netflix.

5 - Morning Work-Outs

When the clocks turn back, the mornings get lighter. Why not take advantage and wake up earlier to hit the gym? Start a fitness ritual. Exercise has been proven - over and over again! - to remedy everything from disease to depression. Hire a trainer for a month and learn some new exercises! The fitness habit will lift your mood like nothing else!

6 - Complete a Project

Remember that idea you had for a scrapbook? Or that language learning series you've been meaning to plunge into? Well, now's the time!

Winter is a perfect time to learn a new craft, create something meaningful, and get lost in the joy of a new project. Winter is also the time to go inward and lose yourself in creating. What have you been meaning to create?

7 - Get Out!

Any dog will tell you: Winter is a fabulous time to hike! It's cold. It's crisp. You bundle up in layers of polar fleece. And you get to experience the hidden treasures of a season that most people avoid.

Make it a point to find some trails or paths near your home. Then, commit to bundling up and spending time outdoors each weekend. There's rarely anyone else out - so you get to have acres and acres to yourself. (Though you might bump into me and my dog! It's our favorite hiking season!)

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

My World Tuesday

Visit My World to see more of our world or to participate yourself!

One more visit to the International Quilt Festival in Houston.

This set of photos with a nature/animal theme.

In Hiding by Barbara Shapel from Washougal, Washington.
This was one of my favorite quilts.
I wish I had taken a photo of the back.
It was a beautiful as the front!

Summer Sanctuary by Ann Fahl from Racine, Wisconsin
Another favorite of mine because of the kitty!
Ann said this is her favorite reading chair and things went from there!

Pup Art by Nancy Brown from Oakland, California
Nancy said she loves bright colors and bouncy puppies
and thought it would be fun to bring the two together.
It sure made me smile!
Hand embroidery, hand quilting, hand applique and machine piecing
100% cotton, most dyed or overdyed by Nancy

The Great Crate Escape by Pauline Salzman from Treasure Island, Florida
This is Ally and Lucy and they are impossible to crate!
Pauline said the howling and barking that ensues is really unbearable.
But, riding in the car - that's another story!

I hope you enjoyed my visit to the International Quilt Festival.
We will all have to wait for next year for more!

Click here to view all participants of My World Tuesday.

Fast and Furious

Can you believe that it's November? Time sure flies at a fast and furious pace. This is my favorite time of year. Houston begins to cool off and we can finally really enjoy the outdoors. Walking around the neighborhood and spending time on the balcony with the kitties is a real treat.

The holiday catalogs are arriving at a fast and furious pace, too. I admit to doing a lot of window shopping and then into the recycling bin the catalogs go (after I've torn out pages I think I might use in collage). Here's a little eye candy to share with you.

The Vermont Country Store must send a catalog every two weeks and always with something different. Do you know about the Peppermint Pig?




"It started in Saratoga Springs, New York, back in the early 1880s. A pig, revered as a symbol of good health, happiness, and prosperity, was made from hard peppermint candy. After a holiday supper, it was broken in a cloth bag and the pieces were shared by all in the hopes of good fortune for the coming year. Our 8 oz. peppermint pig comes with a red velvet bag and a metal hammer to start your own holiday tradition. Replacement pigs and peppermint piglets (3 oz.) sold separately. This will make a delightful hostess gift that's sure to liven up a holiday party."

Sounds like fun, doesn't it!

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Then there's the Crate and Barrel Catalog.

Can you begin to see a theme here?
Tell I love reindeer?

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And, finally, a little online shopping! I really did order this wonderful Christmas spider. They come in a set of three from my blogland buddy, Sharon at The Wildflower House Shoppe. I can tell you they are as cute as the photo looks and the story of the Christmas Spider comes with each one. Thanks again, Sharon.

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Finally, Teesha Moore is doing a whole series of videos on journaling - making a journal, painting a journal, collage, and today I found a series on pen work. You absolutely must go and visit her blog to see all the work they have done on these videos for us! They are fabulous and so much fun! They'll get your creative juices flowing.

Not much true mulling today. I guess it's too beautiful outside to mull! Have a wonderful day and a beautiful week and remember JOY to YOU!

Camera Critters

It's Camera Critters time and
it's Halloween.

That calls for a special post.
It's back to the Houston Zoo photography day.
It rained lightly all morning.
I met this gentleman early that day and thought
Halloween!

CINEREOUS VULTURE
(EUROPEAN BLACK VULTURE)

A large bird, the cinereous vulture can measure more than three feet in height and has a wingspan that can extend up to ten feet. Cinereous vultures have dark brown feathers with a dull blue head, neck and bill.

Their status is seriously threatened globally due to hunting, poisoning, habitat destruction and improved stock management. The international trade of this species is regulated by law, since it may become endangered without regulated trade.

These vultures build their nests in trees and on cliffs high above the ground, using sticks and twigs as building materials. Males and females cooperate in rearing young.




This particular vulture was hatched in captivity in a special breeding program. The Houston Zoo is well known for its amazing birds, many of which are never on display -- behind the scenes in special breeding programs in an attempt to maintain the particular species.

If you enlarge on the photos, you'll see this bird liked the rain!

Happy Halloween

Be sure to check out other critters at Camera Critters!