Holiday Snapshot #9 ::

The holidays seemed to go by in a blur --

and when life moves at that pace --

it's hard to slow things down --

and hold on to the memories we are making.

Children giggling as they play 'Santa's Helpers' with Papa Bill

The orange & spice scent of wassail

Stars scattered across a cold black sky

Christmas Eve Service

All these things I will treasure and hold in my heart

Holiday Snapshot #8 :: Something white

If the local 'weather-wizards' are correct -- looks like it will be a White Christmas. 

Santa and his reindeer will feel right at home !  

Holiday Snapshot # 5 - Sweet Memories

Little Hands

Big Hands

Making Minty Snowmen --

and lots of 'sweet' holiday memories.

Holiday Snapshot # 4 - Cold & Colorful

It was 17 degrees when I left my house this morning. 
When I stepped outside into the cold  -- this took my breath away. 

Even the heavens are decorated for the season !

Holiday Snapshot #3 - Singing in the Season

Evergreen garlands and red ribbons

Twinkling lights and Christmas trees

Children singing and swaying to the music 

Little hands waving in the air, eyes sparkling and so very excited

A wonderful start to the season.

Holiday Snapshot # 2 :: 'warm' memories

It's about 8pm on a dark and rainy winter night. A quiet evening and I'm in my little sewing corner -- cutting, pressing, stitching.  And, with each action, the cares of my day fade away -- because I'm sewing pajamas for my grandbabes. 

Working with soft cuddly flannel reminds me of the receiving blankets I've made over the years for grandbabes.  How those blankies, made by my hands,  would wrap them in warmth and my love. Now, those 'babes' are growing and getting older -- and that's as it should be. But, I do so hope that no matter how old they become -- they will remember their blankies and pjs made by me.

I know I loved knowing that something I created will keep the ones I love warm on a cold winter night.  That brings a smile to my heart.  Because,  as far as I'm concerned -- you never outgrown the need for comfort, warmth, and flannel pajamas. 

Please notice that I'm wearing flannel as I sew ! 

Holiday Snapshot :: #1

Seems like it was just a few days ago that we were celebrating Labor Day. Now, Thanksgiving is over and done. We stuffed ourselves with turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie.  And, when we weren't looking December rolled around again.  In the coming days/weeks we will all be in a hurry to get the shopping done, the cookies baked, the cards mailed -- all the 'things' that we think are so important this time of year.  But, in all that 'busy-ness' there will be a few 'snapshots' that will stay with us long after Christmas is packed up and put away for another year.  I'm going to make an effort to record (and share) some of the 'snapshots' of my Christmas this year -- things that I want to hold onto and remember.
 
Here's my first 'snapshot' of this season ::  little-girl-cousins from 23 months to 4 years old -- all busy with their Christmas crafting.

In the years to come, they may not remember a November afternoon decorating wooden ornaments --  but, I'll bet their Mamas (and their Grammys) will remember --  and treasure this first 'snapshot' of the season.

Two views . . .

While I would like to say that November on the Southern Plains looks like this every day . . . .  clear blue skies framed by red/gold leaves. 

This picture a more accurate . . . .  grey damp weather with fallen leaves covering every surface in a patchwork of red and gold. 

Two views of fall . . . . . and, I like both of them.    

Autumn-y Things

For the next couple of months, I suppose all of my posts to this blog should have the following warning: 

DANGER
If Autumn isn't your favorite season, do not continue . . . .

You see I love this time of year.  I could babble on and on about -- pumpkins, crisp mornings, foggy/rainy weather, scarecrows, candy corn, Halloween, even more pumpkins. 
( Please see picture below of the beautiful pumpkin decorating my Mom's front step).

To celebrate another October Weekend -- I plan enjoying a few Autumny things: 

• 
  
  baking Holy Trinity Apple Crisp,
  
  
  
• 
  
  buying flannel for pj pants for the grandbabes,
  
  
  
• 
  
  taking pictures of the of the fall foliage progress,
  
  
  
• 
  
  making a big pot of soup for Sunday supper. 
  
  
  

That's a great list, but if I could just add --

• 
  
  watch the Sooners win on Saturday,
  
  
  

It would be a perfect Fall Weekend!

Symbols & Seasons

September is almost over - the mornings are starting to have a little 'crisp' to them.  Almost every store you pass by has mums for sale. Pumpkins are starting to appear in produce sections all over town.  On Friday nights I can see the lights at the football field 4 miles south of our house -- and, it makes wish I could hear the marching bands playing and smell the popcorn. I love this time of year.  The sounds, the smells, the colors of Autumn -- so very glad it's almost here. 

Picture above is of the one and only bloom my Passion Flower Vine produced this year.  It bloomed last week -- looking like something strange and alien, unfolding it's bright purple petals along my front porch -- a last hurrah of the summer's finery. 

This week's bedtime reading - Dan Brown's new book.  Kept me interested and page-turning right up the end.  And, I'll never end another letter with the word 'Sincerely' without thinking of this book.  A definite 'Good Read' !

First Recipe of the Fall

Filled with apples and spices - this recipe is truly 'Apple Pie' in bread form. Just right for the cool/rainy weather we are having here on the Southern Plains.

Apple Pie Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup brown sugar

1-1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts

3 cups peeled/chopped apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pans with a cooking spray. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil, vanilla and sugars - mix well. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Add chopped apples and walnuts to bread batter and pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely before slicing. May be frozen for up to 3 months.

Makes 2 large loaves.

Goes great with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Note: 1/2 cup golden raisins may be added, if desired. Bread can also be baked in a bundt pan or smaller loaf pans - adjust baking times accordingly.

Weekend plans . . . . .

Just look at that forecast -- it's predicting Hot & Hot ---

followed by even more HOT

Welcome to July in Oklahoma !

And, here's a sample of what I will be doing this weekend --

Reading, knitting and enjoying the wonderful benefits of cental air conditioning.

Please notice I'm putting my first 'Jane Market Bag' to good use.

Hot, Hot, Hot

It's officially summer -- and, it's hot !
Here's what the temperature was at 8PM last night.

Don't know about other people here in the Sooner State --

But, I plan on spending most of my weekend inside knitting/sewing or maybe in a cool/dark movie theatre ( Angels & Demons ) with a big bucket of popcorn and a fountain Coke with plenty of ice.

I'm so ready for summer to be over --
just think it's only 55 days until Autumn begins !!

Spring Flowers & 'A Good Read'

Hubby has been reading all about container gardening and how to mix all sorts of plant textures. I'm not really sure what all that means -- but, I love the results that are now residing on my front step. So very pretty.

I love a good book -- one that you can get lost in -- A book that makes you read long into the night, because you can't wait to find out what happens next. 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' is that sort of book.

The setting is Post-WWII Great Britain - and through a series of letters, you learn how one small island survived a Nazi occupation. I started the book on Tuesday night and and as you can see, the book followed me to work the next day. I finished it during my lunch hour and was so sad to leave behind all the wonderful characters of the 'Society' behind.

But, I do have other characters to keep me company in the stack of books beside my bed -- and, I'll let you know if any of those are 'A Good Read'

Things I'm loving right now . . . .

Making brownies with a Joe-Joe and watching him lick the bowl clean.



Adding a few more rows to little shrug for Laney -- while Joe makes new friends in the "Donald's" play area.



Seeing the return of my hollyhocks --

Scent of Spring

After a little side trip on my drive south on Friday -- there were fresh cut lilacs filling my vehicle with the sweet scent of spring. I had almost forgotten how wonderful these smell. Lots of memories of Easter pictures of grandchildren taken in front of this same lilac bush -- and, those memories are just as sweet.

I didn't have any water so their 'vase' is a fountain drink cup from 7-11 filled with ice.

Good weekend for staying inside . . . .

So far the 'stuff' that's falling out of the sky is in liquid form. But, that will change sometime this evening; and, according to our local 'weather wizards' -- we will have up to 6 inches of snow by noon tomorrow with low temps over the weekend in the teens. A realy big/bad winter storm in spring -- a bit of unexpected weather !

In my garden, the daffodils, pansies are in bloom -- all of my rose bushes are loaded with buds -- the day lilies and iris plants are up about 18 inches. So, I'll be out this afternoon, in the wet stuff, covering what I can and hoping for the best.

Soon, the snow will melt and plants/blooms that were nipped by the cold will come out again. Spring will return. And, if I look for it -- I will find a bright side to this unexpected weather. Tomorrow I can can make a big pot of chili, watch a movie or two and do a bit of sewing on those 'biscuits'. And, that's not a bad plan for a weekend at all !!

Bisquits & Snow

The fabric is cut for the biscuit tops -- 49 squares, 6"x6"

The biscuit bottoms (or 'stays') are also cut - 5 1/2" x 5 1/2"


And, it looks like this will be a good weekend for staying inside and sewing 'biscuits' together. Notice the snowflakes over Friday & Saturday. The calendar may tell us it's Spring -- but, Mother Nature is telling a different story all together.




P.S. I'm adding 'chili making' to my list for the weekend because according Willie Jay -- Saturday will be a perfect Homemade Chili Day !

Spring 'Green'

After all the boob-related stress this past week,

I decided to reward myself,

boost the economy,

and go 'Green'.

With new handbag !

I love it -- it's big, has an outside pocket and no dividers inside -- and, it's the color of Spring !!

I'm ready for a change . . .

Something bright and colorful to look at for a few weeks. And despite the fact that our local weather wizards are calling for snow this weekend -- I'm in the mood for spring.

Spring colors, flowers , attitude.

This past Friday, when choosing fat quarters for Sew Mama Sew's -- it was the pale greens, clear yellows and soft pinks that caught my eye -- not the dark reds or blues. The trees are budding out and every morning I'm checking the progress of my daffodils -- there are even new leaves all over my rose bushes.

Change is coming. And yes -- I believe I'm ready for a it.

A change from winter to spring -- for cloudy overcast skies to give way to sunny cloudless days. For the sweaters & boots to be replaced by light-weight cottons and flip-flops. Change from sewing flannel pj pants to perhaps little sun-dresses in gingham-checks.

So, Mother Nature do your thing - just try to do it without many more thunderstorms - OK ??!!