Tuesday, November 30, 2021

T Stands for Cinnamon Buns

 

Every time, I went to visit my friend, Lambie, she would bake a batch of cinnamon buns. I'm so grateful she gave me her recipe so I could make them myself. Nothing screams holiday breakfast like home-made cinnamon buns with eggnog icing. 

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Monday, November 29, 2021

Happy Mail

 

I can always count on Nan to send a beautiful calligraphic card for the holidays. Lovely calligraphy, watercolor leaves, even the Henry David Thoreau stamps coordinates.

Nan, I'm so grateful we met at the Masscribes workshop so many years ago. 

Sunday, November 28, 2021

How Does Your Garden Grow?




Hmmm, paint flaked off the terra cotta pot


None of the other pots have any signs of flaking. Ink is still keeping watch. Weather or some malicious mischief? The following evening as the Young One and I were going out, she heard water splashing. The hose had been turned on. Definitely points to signs of malicious mischief. Though a kind reminder to turn the water off to the outside hose so the pipes don't burst during the Winter weather.


The dreaded S-word!


I hope it warms up enough so I can free the Flamingoes


Cold weather didn't stop the solar panel technicians from replacing a broken micro-inverter. The only time a ten minute repair job actually took only ten minutes!

How does your garden grow?

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Saturday Morning at the Library


When I was 5 years old, I was forced to take dancing lessons while the Brother was forced to take accordion lessons. I hated dancing class. The Knights of Columbus Hall where the classes were given had no heat or it wasn't turned on. I hated wearing the pink beginner tights. I liked clacking around in the tap shoes, but Ma wouldn't let me practice inside the house on the wood floors. I spent most of my time in class being miserable and crying. Eventually, I was taken out of class.

While the Brother still had to endure accordion lessons, Dad took me to the library. He would leave me upstairs in the children's library where I could look at the books and choose to take some books home with my own library card. As I got older, I would go downstairs to the adult library and wander among the stacks enjoying the scent of the books before going to find Dad in the reference area consulting the law books and catching up on his work.

So for the next several weeks, a list of my favorite books, some I have read as a child, others as an adult and some  I have read more than once.

This week, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  A self-made millionaire tries to pursue and woo a wealthy, young women he loved in his youth. If you haven't read this book, you can read it for free at Project Gutenberg, you can find it at your public library or favorite bookstore. 

Friday, November 26, 2021

The Friday Five Good Things


 Five good things that happened this week.

1.  Errands and out to breakfast at IHOP

2. Calli and Quill had their nails clipped. They weren't too happy, but didn't fight the groomer.

3. Enjoyed baking day: rye bread, apple pie, egg nog pie, cinnamon rolls with egg nog glaze

4. Cinnamon rolls for breakfast

5. Himself recorded one of my favorite movies, The Boy with Green Hair starring a baby Dean Stockwell.

How was  your week?

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Leo, Henry's Cousin

 

On the back of my Blue Willow Ware











Thank you all for stopping by, not just today, but every day

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Whatcha Doin?

 


Today, Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, is traditionally baking day for me. Vincent and I will be baking an apple pie, and I've had a request to bake a loaf of rye bread.

Whatcha doin?

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

T Stands For Cat in the Cup

 

Can you see the cat profile the Half n Half made in my cup of tea? What do you see?

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Sunday, November 21, 2021

How Does Your Garden Grow?



Look at that feels like temperature. 96! I wish!


The wind blew a couple of panels out of the greenhouse.



The grackles came back! I haven't seen them in a few years


Ink loved to watch the grackles


The grackles weren't happy I was out in the yard


It made me think of the jungle gym scene from The Birds


Tried to capture the waxing gibbous moon rising through the trees.


It looks more like sunrise.

How does your garden grow?


Saturday, November 20, 2021

Saturday Morning at the Library

 

When I was 5 years old, I was forced to take dancing lessons while the Brother was forced to take accordion lessons. I hated dancing class. The Knights of Columbus Hall where the classes were given had no heat or it wasn't turned on. I hated wearing the pink beginner tights. I liked clacking around in the tap shoes, but Ma wouldn't let me practice inside the house on the wood floors. I spent most of my time in class being miserable and crying. Eventually, I was taken out of class.

While the Brother still had to endure accordion lessons, Dad took me to the library. He would leave me upstairs in the children's library where I could look at the books and choose to take some books home with my own library card. As I got older, I would go downstairs to the adult library and wander among the stacks enjoying the scent of the books before going to find Dad in the reference area consulting the law books and catching up on his work.

So for the next several weeks, a list of my favorite books, some I have read as a child, others as an adult and some  I have read more than once.

Back in the olden days when computer were the size of houses, when one wanted to look up information to do a school report one went to the library to look things up in the encyclopedia. I was very lucky as a child as we had two full sets of encyclopedia at home. The Golden Book Encyclopedia (for children) and The Funk and Wagnalls Encyclopedia. The encyclopedia were upstairs in the attic room that later became my dad's office. One of my favorite things to do was to go upstairs, randomly pick a volume, flip to something and read. Hours and hours of entertainment.

When you were a kid, did you ever read the encyclopedia just for fun?

Friday, November 19, 2021

The Friday Five Good Things


 Five good things that happened this week.

1. Follow up appointment for Himself's hand went well. Stitches came out and infection is clearing up.

2. We stopped for Five Guys for lunch

3. Quill loves to watch television

4. Quill  doesn't like to be held for more than a minute, but he let me cuddle with him for quite a while. We watched The Andromeda Strain. He was fascinated by the crying baby.

5. Finally got around to painting the flower pots for a Christmas project.

How was your week?

Thursday, November 18, 2021

The Control Journal

 

Today, I'll be updating my control journal. My control journal is a hard copy of documents that prove homeownership (like a real estate tax bill, utility bill) and other documents that would be needed in case of an emergency. In case the house burned down, there was a flood, or alien invasion. It's the first thing to be grabbed during such an event. All the documents are kept in a 3 ring binder.

The journal contains a list of emergency contacts, doctors' numbers, home and car insurance policies, identification, etc.

It also occurred to me, since we are getting older, this notebook will help the girlies with things they would need in case we are no longer capable of making our own decisions and documents to close the estate like the attorney's phone number, copies of healthcare proxy, power of attorney, insurance policies, social security numbers, bank statements, etc. Everything in one place.

Do you have a control journal?

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Whatcha Doin?

 



Vincent and I are roaming around the yard harvesting Morning Glory seeds to plant next Spring. Whatcha doin?

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

T Stands for Winter is Coming

 

and with the colder weather comes cold weather teas. Cinnamon Stick, Vanilla Chai, Constant Comment, Vanilla Caramel. All warm and spicy flavors for a cozy cuppa. A Nonni's Cinnamon Streusel biscotti goes nicely with my cup of Vanilla Chai.

Are there beverages that you only drink during cold weather months?

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Monday, November 15, 2021

Little Bitty Tear

 


A journal page, when feeling sad. It took me a little bit to remember the date. The 8th anniversary of Ma's passing. And then the shock to realize how long it's been and how fast time has moved on.

The lyrics are from a song sung by Burl Ives:

"A little bitty tear let me down
Spoiled my act as a clown
I had it made up not to make a frown
But a little bitty tear let me down

Sharpie pen, watercolor pencil, pearl bead

Sunday, November 14, 2021

How Does Your Garden Grow?




The Japanese Maple at peak color


Stormy weather


The red sea


Calli watching me take the trash out


Little flowers hanging on to Summer


Hardy, tiny petunia


Quill watching me take pictures


New grass


Looks like the hydrangea survived the transplant.


Frosty hydrangea blossoms

How does your garden grow?