Happy Thanksgiving

 

Happy Thanksgiving my dear friends. As we continue to be brave and face each day together. I want you all to know how Thankful I am for you.

There are days when the heaviness of this year starts to get to be much. I want to thank you for lifting my spirits. This land of blogging is a positive outlet for me and it brings me so much joy. At the very same time you all bring me smiles, inspiration and so much more.

Thank You 

♥ 

Carla

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

Albert Camus

 

There's a Great Big Turkey Out on Grandma's Farm

To the tune of Polly Wally Doodle

 There's a great big turkey out on Grandma's farm, 

And he thinks he's very gay.

He spreads his tail into a great big fan and struts around all day.

You can hear him gobble at the girls and boys,

For he thinks he's singing when he makes that noise --

But he'll sing his song a different way

Upon Thanksgiving Day!

Down Memory Lane

 

Taking a trip down memory lane today. We are making plans to go pick out our Christmas tree, a tradition we do the weekend after Thanksgiving. As the years go by, those two little guys in the orange hats have grown up. In fact this may be the first year that my husband and I go, just the two of us to find the perfect Christmas tree. Even though that makes me a wee bit sad..  at the very same time new memories start to be made.. this Christmas season we have Sam's girlfriend joining us for our Christmas weekend of celebrating. I am very excited as we spend more time with her and how she is becoming a part of our family. 

The love in your heart wasn't put there to stay, 

love isn't love 

till it's

given

away.

 

 

Happy Birthday to Mickey Mouse and it is the Hodgepodge!

 

 

Happy Wednesday to you all and you know what Wednesday brings, the Hodgepodge. 

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

 1. It's Mickey Mouse's birthday (November 18)...happy birthday Mickey! He reads here, right? Have you ever been to Disney, any of the parks at all?I have not been to Disney. Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that? I do enjoy the Disney movies. They're open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip? I would have to find a friend to go with me. If I could do that.. I think I just might say"yes" to a free trip, with spending money included to Disney.

 

2. Your favorite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse?In to the woods. I hunted with my dad when I was young. I learned to walk quiet in the woods and sit and listen.. very quiet. Would those who know you well describe you as more churchmouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse? I just asked my husband, he answered "churchmouse."

 

 

3. The day before Mickey's birthday happens to be National Homemade Bread Day. Did/will you celebrate?No. No homemade bread on the menu. Do you bake your own bread?Once in awhile I do. My husband enjoys baking bread more than I do. Last time you had hot out-of-the-oven homemade bread?Late September and it was so good. Why don't we do it more often?  What's your favorite kind of bread? As of today, Honey Oat from our local bakery.. but in another month I will have a new favorite. I enjoy bread. 

4. What's something you might say is 'the greatest thing since sliced bread'? 

I do like text messaging. I can share a thought, a question, a photo whenever and that person can get back to me when they are able. 

 

 

5. Let's keep the gratitude theme we started last week rolling on through November. Share with us five little things you're grateful for today. Small blessings. One catch-they all must start with the letter T. Gotta keep us thinking, right? 

Tea .. hot and cold

Turtlenecks .. it is cold outside

Toads .. my garden friends

Time .. visits with friends and family

Twix .. my favorite candy bar

6. Insert your own random thought here. A fun read.. and just in time for Christmas. Our library is doing curbside pickup during the pandemic.  I appreciate that.

A Simple Make over in the Dinning Room

 

 

A simple make over .. new curtains in the dinning room. My blog friend Kim is so creative in the ways she updates a room. She makes new curtains, cushions, and more. She has fun ideas for crafts and is currently sharing Christmas crafts.

 Click here to learn more from Kim

Well I did update a room, but I cheated and purchased my curtains from Vermont Country Store. I am not getting credit from Vermont Country Store for mentioning them. I just wanted to share this fun online store with you. We are very pleased with our new curtains.

Vermont Country Store

 

How about you, have you done any simple makeovers lately?

 

Book Review ~ Raising Butterflies in the Garden ~ Brenda Dziedzic

 

Hello Friends,

I want to share a helpful book that a friend recently shared with me.

Raising Butterflies in the Garden ~ author Brenda Dziedzic

 

 

A little about Brenda Dziedzic. She is an award winning Master Gardener and an expert on the subject of raising butterfly and moth species. Her memberships include the Southeast Michigan Butterfly Association, Monarch Watch and the North American Butterfly Association.

 

I appreciated all the tips she shares on how to attract butterflies to your backyard. And why it is important to plant both nectar and host plants.

 She also shares how to create your own butterfly nursery.

 

Black Swallowtail have been visiting and living in our garden for the past two seasons.

I was so happy to learn from Brenda, how to help our Black Swallowtail survive and flourish during the seasons by planting host plants and nectar plants.

 

 Brenda goes into detail with the following butterfly and moth families..

Swallowtails

Whites and Sulphurs

Blues

Brushfoots

Skippers

Silk Moths

Sphinx Moths

Tussock Moths

 

As the winter months are fast approching and we soon will be looking at seed catalogs. We can start to plan our gardens around attracting our favorite butterflies.  

Some people may feel they need to have a large garden to attract butterfly. Hey, no worries, butterfly enjoy small gardens and container gardeners too.

If you are a container gardener, Brenda gives tips for the container gardener on attracting butterfly.

If you like butterflies, you will enjoy this book.

Happy Butterflying!

September to November in the Greenhouse

 

Hello Friends,

The first of September I cleaned my little greenhouse and planted seed for an autumn harvest.

My little greenhouse has rain gutters. They get full of leaves and green ick during the summer months. I cleaned them with a toothbrush and soapy water.

I also wash the inside walls of my greenhouse after the summer months.

The humidity makes things grow, including some stuff that you do not want to grow, the green ick.

 I planted spinach, kale and lettuce.

 I began to harvest in late September. 

A snowstorm hit in October.. the little greenhouse kept the greens safe and warm.

We continued to have fresh salads the next few weeks. 

 I harvested the last of the greens November 6th. We were blessed with a week of warm temperatures. I was able to get all my garden work finished, the house and yard all buttoned up for winter.

 I am so pleased with the flavor of the kale, sweet and tender.

 

I added a few of my potted succuletns into the greenhouse. 

I put straw on top of them , thier winter blanket, for their winter nap.

 

I also put leaves on the soil areas inside my greenhouse. This will add to the nutrients in the soil.

 And the Christmas tree is up in the greenhouse.

All is tucked in and can sleep until Spring.

And as I write this, snow is falling, so we buttoned up just in time.

 ♥

Carla

 

Pumpkin Fun!

 

Hello Friends,

I saved seed from a white pumpkin and planted that seed the spring of 2020. I got three pumpkin from the plant. I decided to call them my "soft color pumpkins" a wee little green pumpkin, a white pumpkin and a soft orange pumpkin.

A few jokes to brighten your day..

What do you get when you drop a pumpkin?     Squash

What did the tree say to autumn?    Leaf me alone  

 ♥

Carla

A fallen leaf is nothing more than a summer's wave goodbye.

 

Hello Wednesday and it is the Hodgepodge!

 

 

My sister gifted this candle to me. As I went out to vote yesterday.. I was thinking about Veteran's Day coming up next week. Again reminding me how thankful I am to have the right to vote, because of Hero's who have stood up to evil when freedom was in jeopardy.

 

Click here to join the fun!

 

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

 

1. How do you define peace? 

At this time we have a friend who is dying, our dear friend Marv, who has been a subject to many of my stories here on the blog. He is a Korean War veteran. He talked to me many times about the war and God. He was thankful he had God in his heart. I am thankful I do as we say good bye to him. Having trust in God gives me peace.

2. November 3rd is Election Day in the US of A, but did you know it's also National Sandwich Day? Let's vote, shall we? egg salad or tuna salad? Egg Salad! chicken salad or grilled chicken on a bun? Chicken Salad! peanut butter and jelly or a bagel with cream cheese? Bagel with Cream Cheese! turkey and swiss or ham and cheddar? Turkey and Swiss! grilled cheese or pimento cheese? Grilled Cheese!  roast beef-corned beef-or make mine veggie? Roast Beef!

 3. When did you last say (or feel) 'no rest for the weary'?

  In late September when we started our staining the house and change the trim colors of home project.

4. This time last year, where were you? 

I was  enjoying a day at my home sweet home!

 5. Share a favorite song, verse, or quote featuring the word 'peace'. 

“And he said, ‘O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.' And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, 'Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.’ ”

Daniel 10:19 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

If you were to ask what is most important in a home, I would say memories.

Lillian Gishm

 

A Chalk Board Door

 


Hello Friends, 

Today I am going to share with you about a project I did this summer. My husband built me the door you see below for my garden shed.

 

The inside of the homemade door was a simple piece of chip board. I had an idea of making it a chalk board door.
 

 

I started with Kilz. I painted two coats of the Kilz on to the chip board.

Next I used Chalkboard Black paint, I painted three coats of the chalkboard paint on to the chip board.

 

 

I enjoyed using the Rust-oleum brand. It painted on the chip board well and I was pleased with the results.

 

I wondered how it would work to write on the DIY chalkboard door, well it was smooth as can be. The chalk also erased well. I am very pleased with my "new inside door".

I plan on changing the quotes each month. Do you have a favorite quote you would like me to share on my chalkboard door? 

 ♥

Carla 

"Earth laughs in flowers."

Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Trick or Treat ~ The Annual Pumpkin Carving Party

 Hello Friends,

Sunday we hosted our annual pumpkin carving party. My mom, dad, both our boys and Sam's girlfriend Catie all joined us on this snowy day. We usually carve the pumpkins outside, but this year we carved inside. I set up a table, placed an old sheet on the floor and it all worked out very well.

It may have looked like Christmas outside.. but inside it was all about Halloween.

 

On the Menu:

Hot Cider

Poppycock

 Chili

with all the fixings.. saltine crackers, oyster crackers, sour cream, cheddar cheese and onions

and my mom made a Poppyseed Cake for dessert. 

 

Recipe for Poppycock

1 cup salted peanuts

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup peacans

8 cups popped popcorn

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the peanuts, almonds, and pecans together in a large roasting pan. Toast in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes. Add popcorn to the toasted nuts. 

Grease two cookie sheets. 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, stir in sugar, corn syrup, and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil, boil for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla.

Pour over the popcorn and toasted nuts, stir and lay the mixture out on the pans. Let cool completely. Break up and store in airtight containers.

 

The pumpkin carvings of 2020..

The big happy pumpkin was created by my son Sam's girlfriend, Catie.

The X eyed scary pumpkin, by Atticus.

The RIP 2020 pumpkin created by, my husband.

Star pumpkin, by me.

The torpedo smile pumpkin, my dad.

The black spider, my mom.

The big scary pumpkin on the chair was created by,  Sam.

 

I think we all can agree.. RIP 2020!

 

 

Sam and Catie's pumpkin's glowing, wishing you a Happy Halloween!