Post-Thanksgiving

“Hope itself is like a star- not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. ” 
― Charles Haddon Spurgeon

       From a beautiful, sunny day yesterday to a dreary, chilly day today!  Actually, kind of nice weather to just stay in, after a busy day yesterday!  Great time with family and extended family.  Since Andrea and I are Marti's only family in the area, Marti's in-laws have very graciously  "adopted" us as family members too.  We have always, since Marti and Graham were married over 25 years ago, had a very close relationship which has only deepened through the years, with the birth of shared grandkids, and the loss of family members...parents, siblings, spouses, etc.  

The Ayers Clan

     This is our adopted family!  On the far left is Sara with her wife, Laura; then Luke with his wife, Jordan-both Sara and Luke are the children of Angela Ayers Nickell and husband Brant who are on the far right.  In the middle are Bob and Eddy Lou Ayers, the parents/grandparents of the clan. In the center behind them is Colin (our shared grandson) and next to him Kathleen (our shared granddaughter)-both children of Graham Ayers behind Kathleen and Mary/Marti Dodds Ayers-my daughter. Great family...I have known these Ayers and Nickell kids from birth and feel very much a part of this clan!

 

The Jay Dodds' family

And here I am with my smaller clan!  Another really good-looking bunch!  These were taken yesterday at Bob and Eddy Lou's home.  As I said, a beautiful day inside and out!!

Thanksgiving Is Coming

Thanksgiving is coming...the goose is getting fat...oh, wait..wrong holiday!!  It is the people who will be getting fat!!!  In my article for TVQG newsletter I gave out a couple of websites...it is really my article from the library but I usually try to add a few other things for interest...after all there is only so much you can say about books.  But..I digress...the websites were one for Paula Deen's Southern Cooking and the other was for Weightwatchers!!  How mean is that!!

I started the big cooking thing today...have the cranberry sauce done, the meat for the dip (snacking after the game) done, the cake baked...I am making an orange cake like my mom used to make. It is my favorite and one of my daughter's had tried to get the recipe to make one for my birthday....her daddy looked virtually every where and could not find it!  He finally asked me about it and I had to say it is not written down...just in the head!!  So I told my daughter I would make one for Thanksgiving as it is a big cake and would write down everything as I did it....that means I will be expecting an orange cake every year from now on!!!!

I have the table clothes washed and ironed....I am looking for serving dishes that I haven't seen since last year.  Then tomorrow is continued cooking...the pecan pie, the pumpkin pie, the jellos...red and green...the giblets...will set one of the tables...the other on Thursday morning.

We have such a great time with all the family and the extended family.  My son-in-law says this is his favorite meal of the year...he wants my daughter to take note so the feast can continue when I decide to give up the honor!! So it is food, football, and fun (games).

Thanksgiving...Still Celebrating!

Autumn is finally here!  The leaves are turning and helping us celebrate Thanksgiving!  What a great week we have had!  Still eating leftovers, turkey and all....now it is not just the turkey who was stuffed!  Andrea and I have been sewing like fury....she (at 11:00 PM ) is still in my studio sewing away.  She is working on a really cute Christmas pattern.


My turkey wall hanging is one I made several years ago from fabric I bought at Keepsake Quilters' in New Hampshire.  That was on the first big trip Dick and I ever took...East for the Fall colors.

Andrea posted this picture of me from 1965 on her blog, so I thought for those of you that don't see hers, I should put it on mine.  I was 25 and that was probably my first (maybe second) turkey.  We were living in Alaska on a shoe string, so having a big ol' bird like that was a real  treat.  He was baked in an oven that would barely hold him...a small apartment stove.  The sink in the back ground was an ugly double sink with the removable wooden cover for one side.  I remember that I didn't know the giblets were in the turkey, so they got baked inside...in the little paper sack!  Those were the days...this looks like a perfect "Betty Crocker" moment!

A Mystery Solved!.....and......

A couple of days ago, Dick went out to get the paper and noticed that something had been nibbling on my begonias.  They have been just gorgeous 'way past their usual decline time.  The next day, he came in with the paper and stated that the mystery was solved!  Not only did we discover that DEER like begonias, but that they also love pansies!  So while we lay sleeping, those beautiful creatures that I love to watch, were chowing down on my flower garden!!  Apparently they don't care for geraniums or kale so I will know next year what to plant more of and what not to plant at all!!

And....what a nice weekend we had...our kids took us out to lunch on Saturday.  We all met Andrea halfway in Arlington and had a great time together.  We made our plans for Thanksgiving...really looking forward to having everyone here.  Andrea is going to spend nearly a week with us....she and I are going to have a "sew-a-thon" all weekend, then go with me to my studioQ meeting on Monday.

I purchased my turkey today...the ol' boy is in the fridge as we speak just thawing out!  Actually, it is a "young turkey"...and I also will have a ham and all the other stuff!!  I plan to cook tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday, then  I will not have to cook again for at least a week!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to All if I don't get back on here before then.!!