Thanksgiving is only a little over two weeks away. It is time to start talking turkey. This year, I find myself a little behind in planning our Thanksgiving festivities. I am feeling fine with that but I know that I need to start thinking, making lists, and shopping for all that we need.  I am realizing that as I grow older, I am much less stressed about making things perfect.  I am more about acceptance and embracing the craziness of life.  This is a very good thing.

We will be having Thanksgiving at our little cottage home.  All the children and my son-in-law will be home.  That makes the head count seven, eight if you could Little Bear (though she can not eat turkey).  Others may drop by but as far as I know there will be just us for dinner.

Our Thanksgiving menu will be very traditional: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, rolls, and our heavenly hash.

For many years, I made the rolls myself. I have a wonderful yeast roll/bread recipe. I don’t know if I am up for all that work. I may buy the Pillsbury Light Crescent rolls. I’m not sure they are called light but they are the reduced fat ones. I prefer those to their regular crescent rolls.

I may make my own cranberry sauce (which I prefer) but the kids like the jelled Cranberries from the can. I may serve both.

Our heavenly hash is a recipe that my mother made every year on the holidays. It is basically a whipped cream fruit salad. I will post the recipe if anyone is interested. It is a family favorite and a big hit at potlucks.

I am not certain what vegetable to serve. I usually serve peas (as that seems to go well with turkey and mashed potatoes). Peas are not loved by most of us and I’d like to serve something else. Any suggestions?

Desserts should be an entirely different post. There are so many to choose to make.

Decisions, decisions….

Have you decided what your Thanksgiving menu will be?

The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry’s cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.
The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I’ll put a trinket on.

- Emily Dickinson

Today was such a beautiful autumn day.  The time that I was outside felt so precious.  I wonder how many more days until winter, not necessarily calendar days but real days…

Update on  my daughter - she is feeling much better.  Thank you for praying.

Today has been a blustery one, inside and out.  The wind is blowing so that I would be surprised if there are any leaves left on the trees.

May I ask for prayers for my eldest daughter?  Though she did have her flu and her H1N1 vaccine (she just received her shot but it takes 2 weeks for it to kick in), she still became very sick.  She’s had to work with swine flu patients and that is most likely where she picked up the virus.  I’ve spoken with her on the phone.  She has had a pretty high fever since yesterday and the rest of the symptoms as well.  Thankfully, she is the healthiest of the children (no asthma) and I have no doubt she will recover in a few days.  She feels so far away (1 1/2 hours each way) and I can’t go down to see her.  The best I could do was order her some groceries online and have them delivered.  Her cupboards were pretty bare as she eats mostly at the hospital.  I wish I could do more but I know she should be quarantined.  Please remember her in your prayers.

I am trying to stay busy so I do not worry too much.  My third daughter is coming home this afternoon until tomorrow morning.  She is a nice diversion.

I’ve also been busy in the kitchen.  I wanted to bake some extras for the weekend.  We don’t really celebrate Halloween.  I think I’m a little old for trick-or-treating!  I do enjoy seeing the little children all dressed up.  I think little Miss Matilda Bear will agree (too much!).  She most likely will want to give them kisses and won’t understand why she can not.

I baked homemade sugar cookies this morning.  I didn’t feel up to rolling them all out and using cookie cutters today so I rolled the dough in balls and flattened them out.  I added a small dough stem and made little pumpkins.  I love the way they look – very rustic!  I then sprinkled them with orange sanding sugar.  :)

Country Apple Turnoversare next on my list of what to bake. I think I will top those with a bit of the festive sanding sugar as well.

I simply could not not have a little something chocolate to serve. I decided on Marly's Krispy Bars with extra chocolate icing.

Although it would be nice to have nothing but dessert for dinner, it is not very practical. Therefore, I have ribs cooking in my crock pot. I will put them in the oven with extra barbecue sauce right before dinner. That will give them a little bit of a crispy edge to it. Served with rice and a leafy vegetable and we’ll have a nice dinner.

I wish I could bottle my kitchen scents and sell them to Yankee Candle.

Blessings

The sun is shining and it feels wonderful!  I can’t remember the last day that it hasn’t rained.

Yesterday, I ventured out into the stormy weather to pick up some necessities for dinner and to mail some packages at the post office.  Today, I can stay home!

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort. - Jane Austen

Little Miss Matilda Bear had her grooming appointment this morning.  I am so pleased with her groomer, Ellen.  Little Bear is very happy to see her.  Ellen works so hard and takes her time giving Little Bear the “works”.  I had an hour and a half to get things done while she was getting her bath and hair cut.  Little Bear looks so fancy when she is all through.  She looks so fluffy.  Ellen shaves Little Bear’s feet (poodle feet) and she looks as if she is wearing pantaloons.  Grooming usually tires her out.  Little Miss Matilda Bear will take a long nap this afternoon.

My day is busy washing autumn and winter clothing.  After they are washed, I will hang them up to dry.  Perhaps it is a strange thing, but I enjoy washing clothes.  Once they are clean and pressed, you can put them nicely away for another day.  I am excited with my new autumn and winter dresses.  They aren’t brand new but they are new to me.  I found them online and they are so pretty and comfortable.  My favorite are Eddie Bauer dresses and LL Bean dresses.  Neither company make them any more so I must find them second hand.  When I was in the Eddie Bauer Outlet store last week, I inquired about them and the manager told me that she doesn’t know why they don’t carry them any more but she said that she is glad she has some from years ago because they last forever.  I am waiting until the weather turns a bit colder before wearing them.  Today is cool but my short sleeve denim dress is just right and if I am cold, I will layer it with a long sleeve cotton tee shirt.

And now it is time for lunch.  Blessings

People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

Is the love of baseball contagious?  I almost hope that it is.  Baseball is very popular here in the Jersey/New York area.  It seems that everyone is a Yankees fan, unless of course, you are a Mets fan.  With the Yankees in the World Series, even the Mets fans put aside their grievances and root for the Yanks.

The first game is tonight.  I know so many people that are excited.  I hope they don’t cancel the game because of the rain.

I watched baseball as a child and rooted for the Oakland A’s.  I knew the names of the players.  My daddy would watch most games and I remember the World Series being a big deal in our home.

I don’t know if I outgrew baseball.  I don’t know any of the players’ names on any of the teams any more.  I suppose the rules have not changed.

Years ago, I went to a game.  I can’t remember who played but I can remember the mustard dog that was delicious!  Isn’t that strange?

I doubt we will watch the game but I will root for the Yankees because those that I know are so excited and I am happy for them.

One mustard dog, please.