little bits and a bit of reminiscing

Surroundings:

 Here in the living room I sit gazing at a "not live" Christmas tree that has been set in its stand since last night. It is naked of baubles, balls, ornaments and garland. Not even an angel or star is donning the top of this tree.

Yesterday I collected all Thanksgiving and autumn decor to carry upstairs to be stored in the awaiting bins in the attic.  After several trips up  and down two flights of stairs I thought I should at the least start bringing down some of the Christmas decorations as I was planning to begin decorating in earnest this coming weekend. The tree is always the first thing we bring down and decorate so I thought we could at least set it up with just the lights and I then could imagine it being as an evergreen tree natural -like for the next several days.

But this afternoon I am just not buying that far fetched idea. It frankly looks out of place and pitiful.  The weekend will be here soon enough I daresay.

Reading:

I had to get out the house rather early this morning as I had my annual eye appointment scheduled. I carried along a book to read while in the waiting room. I can remember, and it was not really that many years ago, that you could count on having magazines to read while you waited for any appointment be it doctor, hair, dentist, etc. I actually looked forward to the waiting room experiences because of these magazines. Do you remember this?

But this morning I grabbed my newest read. And it was an air of sybaritism I felt to have the opportunity to read in the early morning hours even if it was in the eye doctors waiting and examining room. I am finding the book, No One Gardens Alone, the biography of Elizabeth Lawrence. a very enjoyable  read. She lived in North Carolina and reading the historical parts of her life in regard to what was happening in the state I find interesting. I discovered this book as well as a book written by Lawrence, Through the Garden Gate, at a library book sale back in September.  I consider both of them excellent finds.

Hemming:

My husband bought a pair of dress slacks that are 2 1/2" too long in the hem. He was actually going to take them back! But he quickly took me up on the suggestion I made to hem them myself. (I thought this was rather odd since I have hemmed his pants many times). Today my memory is sparked from this humble task of the countless times I've hemmed mens' black dress pants in Christmas's past when I was an integral part of the costume execution team for the  production of "The Nutcracker" performed by Charlotte's dance group. It has been three years since she graduated and I realize how much more time I have on my hands now that I am not spending countless evenings and Saturdays sewing and altering costumes. But those were priceless, happy times that I feel very fortunate to have had the experience to be a part and there is truly no equal exchange for them.

 

   A 2011 photo of the basement where we ladies sewed.

comfort food menu

                       "Eating is an agricultural act"

                                                   ~Wendell Berry

The study of Exodus has come to an end, an insightful as always Bible study. We gather to fellowship at my home tomorrow. I love being with these eight women that I have shared Friday mornings with for the past  eleven weeks.

It is going to be cold outside, plenty of  firewood stacked.

Menu:

Homemade tomato soup

Grilled cheese sandwiches with sourdough bread and  raw cheddar cheese

Lettuce/Kale salad with dried cranberries, nuts and pears

served with a citrus vinaigrette

Apple crisp with vanilla ice cream fro dessert.

thanksgiving weekend

 Adding two days to a weekend, specifically a holiday weekend, may sometimes direct the way in which you find yourselves spending the time. Of course, the people that surround you get a voice and certain circumstances can also play a major part in what you will in fact find yourself doing.

This year my husband and I were alone on these two days. My idea was we take the day after Thanksgiving and just relax, you know like actually take a no-work day.  However, he did not buy that scenario one little bit, he had  plans to accomplish much, many things on his to do list  both outside and across the street at the little cottage we are renovating. He mentioned going to the cottage to clean out the gutters  and since  I did not think it was a wise idea for him to be up on a ladder alone I went along. I sat in the red truck and sewed on my newest and most engaging project while he removed all the leaves and goo from the gutters.

Last winter I created a quilt, a "nap-sized" one, sewn with my father's pajama fabric I was left with when he came to live in my home before he died. I love bundling my legs in this soft quilt almost every morning  and it is the perfect quilt to wrap up in when you need that afternoon nap. It was pieced on the machine, but on long winter evenings and cold afternoons I looked forward to picking up my needle and thimble to spend hours hand quilting. What contentment. It is a simple design and it certainly has its share of mistakes, a true quilter would be appalled. But I had no intention of creating a masterpiece. My goal from start to finish was to merely use something that had great sentimental value and make it into something useful. Mission accomplished and I love it!

When we moved into our present home my sewing room had to be packed up  and all my stash of fabric, yarns, threads and UFOS (unfinished projects) came rising to the surface. I did rid myself of at least a box worth of things I knew that in my lifetime I would probably not get around to using. In this process I found the fabrics from my mother's sleeping gowns also. This quilt will be different in that I am actually creating it with a particular quilting design, using a 16 inch square block pattern called Fox and Geese. The cotton fabric I cut from her gowns are being pieced with a creamy white cotton fabric that I purchased. I have also decided to hand piece this quilt, hence I was able to sit in the truck and sew. Hand sewing has many attractions, but the best part is the portability.

I was able to do a bit of cleaning up and meal planning as I do have some family members coming Sunday afternoon and a lunch to prepare for my Bible Study ladies on Tuesday. Sadly, my daffodil and tulip bulbs have yet to be planted and the ironing pile is still waiting. 

blessings and gratitude

 "Thanksgiving does mean the giving of thanks to God, and it is a holiday belonging only to our country, reminding us of the Pilgrims who found a day in the midst of their battle for survival to praise God and ask for His blessings".

Gladys Taber  The Stillmeadow Road

Thanksgiving Day never looks the same from year to year in our family unlike it did in years past.  Those years I could always count on going to the same house with the same people and eating the same foods. The place and who we celebrate with now may be different, some not sitting around the table that were here just last year. 

 Charlotte was not with us today and this mama's heart tried, unsuccessfully I might add, to ignore the empty spot at the table with the heavy feeling of her absence grabbing my attention more times than I want to admit.

The foods also may vary a bit from year to year, yet the the main fare definitely does not disappear from the table's offering. The dressing I prepared  this year was different in that I added sausage and apples along with  the usual onions, celery, and sage. I might revisit this in future Thanksgivings. 

Rose had to work a hospital shift of both Wednesday and Thursday nights, so we opted to eat our meal at 2:30 in the afternoon between her sleeping and going back to work. 

After stuffing ourselves properly we walked the land, our blessings are truly felt.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy

endureth forever.   

Psalm 136:1