A THANKSGIVING TABLESCAPE, RECIPES, AND BLESSINGS

Hi everyone.  I'm posting my December column that I wrote for one of the papers I write for.  I'm incredibly busy; Milo is not doing well, and I just have to take a few things off my plate.  I've been so aware that I'm slacking on blogging and it bothers me.  I truly want to continue with all my heart, so I have to give myself a little wiggle room without guilt.  

So here is the article I was writing until midnight Friday.  I hope you enjoy it and I wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

*****

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Ho Ho, Neighbors!  I really love writing this year end column, and nooooooo, not because I have a little break!  It's that I truly love to do my spin on an event, party, or holiday.  It's time for experimentation and self expression.  I really love to make something out of nothing, put time in making people feel special, or in a crunch, make it look like it took a lot of time.

Seriously, just as the women's movement going back over fifty years sought equal opportunities and wages for women in the working world, we now have a whole new tribe of women who stay at home raising their little ones.  They are not satisfied with just scrubbing floors and having the whitest laundry, and are saying, "Take a look at what I can do!"  

As a young mother raising four kiddos, I found myself somewhat lonely and lacking a sense of purpose and direction for myself.  But soon the simple activities I gravitated toward became the base for many of the interests I have that I now love to share on my blog, in my columns, and with anyone who might want to listen.  I learned to cook because it was absolute boredom to make Mac 'n Cheese from a box, boiled spaghetti with jarred sauce.  Biscuits from a can (you know--the ones that you bang on the counter and have a near heart attack when they pop open).  I picked up magazines and clipped out the recipes, bought my first couple of cookbooks, and made a huge mess in the kitchen.

I can say the same for gardening and my love of nature.  If I had to sit on the front porch watching my children play, I might as well pull weeds, cut the lawn, or even plant flowers.  Again, I read what I could my hands on and asked a lot of questions. 

So where am I going with this?  I think we can choose our direction.  And if your legacy is having your recipes passed down to generations or having them printed in a newspaper, it's all good.  When you create, you are giving back to the world.  And you have a valid reason for patting yourself on the back.

That said, I'm a huge proponent of getting great things done without killing myself or breaking the bank.  Since I'm very lazy and usually broke, I have excelled at this.  I hope in this column I can take some of the pressure off by inspiring you to make or improvise some of your own personal gifts, holiday decorations, and maybe just tossing flour around the kitchen to get that pie just right.

I have had this old, wood carved goose forever.  I think I found it at a gift shop in Paw Paw, MI.  Somehow it made it back to the city, as if we see geese here all the time.  One December it was sitting   on a shelf looking totally out of place and I mindlessly tied a green velvet ribbon around the neck.  Voila! It is now a favorite Christmas decoration that comes out in December, and only in December.  You know what you can take from this?  Get some pretty ribbon from a craft store or your stash, and jazz up some of the everyday objects you have in your rooms.  Tie a pretty red ribbon around the top of your cookie jar for the kiddos to see.  Wind a wider festive ribbon or piece of fabric around a pot holding a plant to dress it up.  Twist a wired piece and make a garland as a window valance of sorts.  I like to wrap thick ribbon around a bundle of logs to place on the hearth.  I stack the bundles up and we just toss them in when we want to start a fire.  Inspired?

I have so many blog friends all over the world who do handiwork such as knitting, crochet, quilting, sewing, crafting---the list goes on.  I'm in awe, as I can't do any of these things but I will tell you, many of us, especially myself, wish we could gift our loved ones with treasures we create.  So if you are one of those talented ladies, please know you can give a gift that is above and beyond anything store bought.  

We tend to get together with family and friends a lot during December.  We might have office parties or a girlfriends night.  Be ready for these celebrations as well as people who drop in uninvited...I mean  casually.  I know there are magazine articles that have you freezing little puff pastry cheese sticks and mini handmade pizza puffs, but keep it really simple.  Have some chips and crackers in your cupboard, assorted nuts, bread sticks and jarred olives.  I love store-made dips, like spinach and artichoke, onion, dill...such a great variety and so flavorful.  Keep that in your fridge.  No need to slave over it when you don't know if anyone is going to come around and you'll find yourself eating it  in the forgiving light of the fridge at 1:00 a.m. 

Now, the people you don't like...I mean didn't really expect, are here.  Dash off to the kitchen and make an arrangement on a tray, or in my case, a piece of chalkboard on which you can write what sort of cheese or what have you on it.  A cute little trick I found was to take a few slices of cheese and make a cutout.  Just a few as it wastes a perfectly good slice of cheese, just to make everything look very Martha Stewart-ish.  Use a variety of ways to serve your little tidbits (or snickie snackies as my late mother in law called them), In this picture you will see that I placed the bread sticks in a glass candle jar, and the creamy veggie dip from the grocery store is in a bright red pottery bowl.  Please don't serve it in the plastic container it came in.  It's tacky and clearly, you can't claim it as your own. If you want a garnish and don't have any fresh parsley (or edible flowers) available, use the leaves at the end of a celery stalk.  A sprinkle of dried basil looks pretty.  Be creative.  Have fun.  

I'm not much of a baker.  I'm actually really bad.  I don't like to measure things and there is nothing more aggravating to me than cleaning up flour off the counters.  I would use a wet dishcloth and turn it to glue, forget to sweep the floor and have footprints tracked through the house, and my little black dog looked like she was left out in the snow.  Naw, I'm bad.  So---when I bake, I try to make something reaaaaaaaly fancy.  Yep. Here's why:  1). I never bake so when I serve an intricate dessert or insanely gorgeous cake, people think I save my talents just for them.  2). I love a challenge because sometimes  I get bored with simply jazzing up meatloaf topped with crumbled bacon instead of ketchup.  3). It's still a tasty sort of success even if it fails in appearance. 

But I regress.  For years I've been making little gift boxes for friends, neighbors, and the little boys who knock on your door offering to shovel for $1 and you don't want to admit you pay $25 to a guy with a plow on his pickup.  Give the little dudes a box of cookies. 

 So my hack on giving food gifts is to make no more than two types of baked sweets, like cookies, fudge, brownies, gingerbread.  Don't do a lot of decorating on top because it's just going to fall off.  Use food coloring or sprinkles to lend color and some differentiation.  Make some simple candy like almond bark topped with peppermint, chocolate pieces, crushed pretzels--the sky is the limit. Dip pretzels in melted almond bark, tie them in bundles with ribbons.  

Now you need to get crafty.  Get a large bag of mixed nuts and bundle them up in a piece of netting with a gold twist tie.  Get some Hershey Kisses and toss them in.  Tasty Pepperidge Farms cookies or even better, some fancy European candy or confections.  

I found these boxes (pictured) at Michael's and know you can get them at any craft store.  I have gone   larger in past few years because I like to add some tissue paper to line the box and fold over.  This is so simple and fun because you are having more fun assembling the box than you would slaving in front of an oven.  

A couple of years in a row I made granola.  A lot of people like this sort of thing but some don't.  And it's usually a BIG love or BIG hate.  I loved jazzing up simple Ball jars with a piece of muslin and a gold lettered top.  So festive.  If you are going to go through the trouble of making something with so many ingredients, although very quick to toss together and bake, you need to double, even triple the recipe.  This was a hit, and several friends and coworkers of my daughters wanted to buy a few jars to give as their own gifts.

So here is the recipe...

Simple Granola with Fruit and Nuts (Blondie's Version)

*****

3 cups oats

3/4 c slivered almonds

3/4 c raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1/4 c canola oil

1/2 c maple syrup

2 t vanilla extract

1 c dried cranberries

1 c dried apricots (chopped)

(you may substitute any dried fruit you like chopped uniformly)

2 T honey

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a large bowl mix the first 5 dry ingredients.  In a small bowl stir together the oil, syrup and vanilla.  Drizzle the syrup mixture over the dry and mix thoroughly.  Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes, stirring every once in a while to brown evenly.  Remove and toss with dried fruit.  Drizzle with honey and let cool.  Store in an airtight container.

Jane's Sugar Cookies

These cookies should not even be called "Sugar Cookies".  They are crispy and golden on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside, almost like a shortbread cookie.  The delicious crunchy part is that you roll each ball of dough in sugar and that gives it a sweet, sparkling bite.  You will love these!

3 c sifted flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 sticks softened butter (1 1/2 c)
1 1/2 c sugar + extra for rolling
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  
Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, don't skimp here!
Add eggs and vanilla and continue beating until well blended.  
Slowly add the flour mixture in and beat on low to mixed well.  
Add about  1/2 cup granulated sugar to a small bowl.  Shape the dough into small balls, try not to handle too much-it's delicate.  Roll the balls in sugar and place 2 inches apart on your pan.  Bake 9-11 minutes until softly golden.  Let cool on pan.  I added some simple sprinkles just in the center.  Makes approximately 3 dozen.

                                                                        *****
I shared a recipe for Turkey Pot Pie last month--I mean we can only eat so many turkey sandwiches, right?  This month I have a recipe for Turkey Chili which is simple and warming with a nice twist. I did not share a photo of it as it was awfully disgusting looking.  Or maybe it's my photography skills!   Enjoy!!

Leftover Turkey Chili

2 T vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 poblano pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 packets of McCormick Chili Seasoning***

4 cups dark turkey meat, roughly chopped and/or shredded 

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 15 oz. can black beans

S & P to taste

Sour cream and chopped scallions for garnish

Saute the onion and peppers over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and continue to stir an additional minute.  Sprinkle in both packets of seasonings and stir to combine with the veggies.  Add the turkey, tomatoes and broth, scraping up the bits off the bottom of the pot.  Simmer over low heat, covered for approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the undrained can of beans during the last ten minutes and heat through.  Adjust seasonings if necessary and serve in shallow bowls with a dollop of sour cream and a bit if sliced scallions.  Serves 6

***I like individual seasoning packets made by McCormick, Lawry's and the like.  They have all of the components you need if your spice cabinet is lacking something.  These mixes also contain a little bit of flour which thickens the chili slightly.  There are no preservatives and there is not a lot of sodium, in fact, I added about 2 teaspoons of salt.  Want to use your own spices?  You will need 1/4 cup chili powder, 2 tablespoons ground cumin, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes.  Simmer uncovered so that you can let some of the liquid evaporate for a thicker chili.

This winds up my December Christmas column.  I'm hoping by now you are almost finished shopping, are sitting by a your lit tree with a nice blanket, mug of cider, and a dog or two at your feet.  

As always, its such a pleasure writing for Neighbors, and I hope I give you a little something to think about each month, maybe an idea or two.  

From myself, The Husband, Milo & Layla

FALL TARGET SHOPPING & SOME GREAT INSTAGRAM FINDS

Hello.  Trick or treat?  Are you ready for it?  So far our weather has been pretty creepy; cold, windy and rainy.  Just perfect.  Halloween is pretty busy in my neighborhood, younger couples have moved in with lots of kiddos.  Its kind of cool to pass on that baton.  Every year I spend more time than I need to making individual treat bags with a nice mix of candy, creepy fake spiders, snakes, some pencils, erasers, stickers--whatever I can get as cheap as possible at the dollar store. ;-D. But seriously, if you've ever had to wedge yourself in your front door, your dogs wanting to maul anything on the other side, while your outstretched arm holds a 15 lb. candy bowl that's breaking your wrist, you'll get my way of thinking.  It doesn't matter if its a three year-old or twelve year-old, they will hem and haw for 15 minutes before choosing one tiny piece of candy. Well, I've learned and so I make these little bags.  And so now I stand, wedged in the door saying, "Just take one, they're all the saaaaaaaame!"  

The picture above is the hydrangea mania going on in the floral department at my grocery store.  Apparently you can now get a dead flower for $7 a stem.

I thought this was worth including, also in the floral department.  Succulents are all the rage lately, and just to prove how hardy they are, these were shipped fresh from Arizona along with an unfortunate bird that couldn't quite tolerate the 125 degree temps. 

I don't decorate as much outdoors for Halloween anymore.  I think its really an all or nothing thing.  I drive past homes with life size skeletons, tombstones with funny inscriptions, and huge webs with black furry spiders...it's all too much trouble for me, but I get that people like to do it.  I like to decorate just for fall now, but in years past, I'd get haystacks, mums, scarecrows, pumpkins--and the squirrels would demolish it in a day.  And I have a new mantra:  Remember--what you put up today, you'll have to take down tomorrow.  I'm just saving my energy for Christmas.  But please note those four little pumpkins on my window ledge.  They're not there anymore.

I had Miss Mad over last week for an afternoon of baking.  She is really loving it.  She is so, so absorbed in the whole process.  We made chocolate chip cookies, fudge, and candy.  The candy is simply melted almond bark on top of a waffle pretzel and then adorned with sprinkles and candy corn.  If you'd like to see more pictures of this, and a little bit of everything else, you can visit me on my Instagram feed.  

Last Saturday was her birthday party.  She actually turns 2 on November 10, but Emily wanted to keep the party outdoors.  It didn't work, it was cold and windy and we all congregated indoors.  My mother in law always used to say that she loved crowded parties because it made for more conversations.  I sort of agree.  

I'm not going to share any pictures because Emily put a lot of hard work and a personal stamp on everything.  The theme was a Puppy Pawty.  Madelyn is in love with all things Paw Patrol.  Snacks were served in decorative dog bowls, peanuts butter sandwiches for the kids were made in the shape of dog bones by using a cookie cutter, and there was a large basket filled with stuffed puppies for the kids to rescue/adopt.  It was all very cute.  And the adults had a great time, too.  She served Italian beef, Italian sausage (and no, we aren't the slightest Italian, its a natural on the Southside), and pulled chicken.  There was a nice array of side dishes and desserts as well.  

Being on Instagram can open you up to new or new-to-you brands and companies.  I check out products when a person I follow makes a recommendation and sometimes offers a code for a discount.  I just wanted to share a few of the products I've been enjoying and I'm so happy to have learned about.  I am not getting compensated at all.  Promoting brands and being asked to join seasonal or themed blog tours just doesn't happen for me.  

Anyway, I am a tried and true fan of Antique Candle Works.  This was a little business that was operating out of the home of one of the gals in a small Indiana town, and they created these delicious soy-based candles.  And then word got out.  What impresses me most is that I can burn one of these candles for about an hour and the scent fills not only the room I'm burning it in, but surrounding rooms.  I'm not saying its strong, but I was astounded when I would burn one in the Great room at the lakehouse and it would scent that huge room with the 19 foot ceiling, as well as the kitchen and powder room.  You would think I had 3 candles going!  They are competitively priced, but you can check out what you'd like by trying the smaller smaller sizes before moving on to the larger ones.  You will also get a sample or two in your package.  Enough.  Check out their website, sign up for emails, they have a lot of surprise sales.

Another great brand I learned of from Instagram feeds is a popular one that is getting a lot of buzz.  Its a company called Grove Collaborative and you can read about it here.  When you are thinking about doing your part in reducing waste and using natural products, you can find perfect choices from cleaning to storage to personal health and hygiene.  I can't tell you how satisfying it is to fill in the blanks on products I need to stock up on, and then find a box on my front porch filled with what I need for the month.  In knowing that the products are natural, I feel good about washing little Madelyn's dishes or a surface on which she plays, and she's not going to come in contact with anything harmful.  Some of these products can be found in your own grocery store.  I did a quick check on the Mrs. Meyer's dish soap and found that it was $1.00 more than what I pay on Grove.  So...check it out!

Lastly, and possibly the best decision I made was to join a vitamin prescription program with a start up company called Take Care Of.  And again, I saw a few sponsored posts on Instagram and I was curious.  Do you have a hard time remembering to take vitamins?  I can't tell you how many times I've bought a multivitamin or several specific vitamins based on what I had read would be helpful to me (and they are not inexpensive), and then forget about them.  

To get started on this new way of thinking about supplements, I took a short survey on the website involving my lifestyle, health, and fitness.  Its tabulated and a list of vitamins, minerals and specific supplements, some natural, is given.  I was impressed.  Since I started receiving my monthly supply, I am definitely happy with how I feel, how easy it is to remember to take them everyday, and I even got The Husband to try them.  The individual packets come in a box with a dispenser.  On each packet (with a happy hello!) is an uplifting quote or inspiration.  There is something personal here, and I feel its about the self care movement that maybe I've been late on.  Another nice thing about the company, you get an email before your monthly box goes out asking if you need to push the delivery date off for a week or so.  They know we aren't always on the ball taking meds or vitamins, so you don't have to worry about getting more boxes than you can keep up with.  I would say that you at least check it out.  Take the survey.  I have to admit, based on my issues, I take eight supplements a day, The Husband takes two.  Insert eye roll here.  

I took a little trip to Target the other day.  I actually felt more pulled there if you know what I mean. I needed something to transition from between flip flops to boots.  And of course, I walked out with two pairs of booties.  I have to say, here in the Midwest, you find yourself in boots almost every day, whether it for rain, snow and slush, or for warmth.  I really needed the black ones, but totally fell in love with the brown suede.  And don't laugh, again, an Instagrammer actually recommended them and said they were very comfortable.  And she was right.  I've worn them twice and I love them.  I'm always a little anxious about comfort and not falling on my face with a higher heel, but if its chunky, I'm fine.  And I love being taller. ;-D

I happened to hear about these fleece lined leggings.  I have some very worn out, knit leggings that are no longer acceptable to wear out of the house.  And for our cold winter weather, fleece sounds heavenly.  The best part?  They are $7.99.  I haven't worn them yet but I'll give you my opinion when I do.

And my final purchase was a few plates and bowls from the Hearth and Home collection by Joanna Gaines.  I had been tossing out dishes with cracks and chips left and right.  I really like that I mixed up my dishes at the lake, its fun and I can never choose a favorite.  So I've hung on to the old dishes I have here and added a few of these.  I really like the larger soup bowls.  I also picked up a few smaller and deeper bowls, but these are really nice for soup or stew.  And this was dinner Saturday night.  I have a terrible cold and for some reason we always order Chinese food when I'm sick.  This is Won Ton Soup and Hunan Chicken.  

Not much else is new.  I've had a rash of bad luck lately, and that's not counting the same old eczema rash.  I backed into a white van at Home Depot.  It was actually a Home Depot van, unoccupied.  It was in their pickup lane and there were a dozen of contractors around.  They sort of smirked when I got out to look. Nothing wrong with the van, my SUV had some white paint lines from the white truck.  When I got home I realized it wasn't paint, it was actual scratches in my black paint.  I have a relative who does body work so I need to get it in for a little sanding and paint.  I also need to get the hole in my windshield repaired from the rock that hit it while I was driving home from the lake recently.  

The last worst thing that happened to me was I spilled a half cup of coffee all over my Mac.  I was devastated.  I Googled what to do and the best thing was to blot it and then turn it over like a tent for a few hours.  I heeded the instructions and that evening tried to start it and nothing.  I don't know if I was being hasty, but the next day I went to Best Buy and bought another one.  I actually got talked into the Mac Pro, which is smaller than the Mac Air except for the screen, there is no frame so they are the same size.  I have to admit it wasn't the easiest getting used to the different size keyboard so I apologize for any typos.  

Finally, I was going to share a recipe, but I'm not sure if you guys can see the Pin button when you hover over the picture.  I don't on my computer, so if you can just give me a yay or nay, I'd appreciate it.  I've been cooking up a storm from a few new cookbooks which I will share next time.  

This post has been spread out over three days.  I just can't get organized.  I want to ask that we all continue to pray for peace and human kindness in these turbulent days.  Remember to vote, no matter which way you lean.  And finally, a big happy heavenly birthday wish to my sister, Leslie.  Let's continue to push, donate, and pray for cancer research, which is where it all starts.  


Jane x

BLONDIE PLAYS CATCH-UP

Hi everyone!  I know all of you have just been devastated that I haven't posted in over a month.  Perhaps I should have said that I needed to take a break, which I've never done in eleven years, but it was so much better to torment myself everyday with thoughts that I was acting like a sloth and had no discipline. 

 I've heard stirrings that a lot of ladies have given up writing blog posts and instead use Instagram.  I've been doing Instagram for a little over two years and I think this might be true in a lot of people, but not for me.  It's important to do what we like and what we have time for.  I still love to write and weave little stories about my mundane life, so I'll never give up the blog.  I know I've said it before, I do feel its important to post on a regular basis.  Some do it to be dependable to their readers, and because they feature ads and depend on their blogging for income, much like a business.  So--when I'm lying in bed at night, thinking of the mountain of life happenings I want to bring you up on, it turns into one looming project that nags at me.  Realistically, I'm not making any money on my blog as I do with writing news columns.  But that's just a little twinge of excuse-making sometimes,  I want to write as I've been doing all my life.  And now I do it for a living, with teeth clenching deadlines, its overwhelming but definitely not uncommon and I roll with it.  Enough said.

  One other thing: for awhile just recently, we were commenting on blogs, and after, we filled in our name, email address, and website.  Then you could check a box saying, "Please save my information for further comments."  All of a sudden that stopped.  Now whenever I post a comment, I have to fill in those spaces and its a time sucker.  What happened?

When you go for a stretch of non-blogging, seasons change whether you realize it or not.  I use my photos as a guide to write, and I gasped when I realized I hadn't even finished telling you about the end of summer (or August), and now we are getting ready for fall.  We had a lot of great times at the lake, of course.  Emily and Mike come up quite a bit with Madelyn; she loves the beach and water, the large amount of open space inside the cottage where she can run and do whatever she can't do at home.  The last time we were there we had some rainy days and so Mad and I made cupcakes together.  I know every Grandma likes to brag, ahem...but I was really surprised how focused she was on mixing the batter, and later, carefully frosting and adding sprinkles.  She spends a lot of time coloring, drawing, painting and putting stickers on paper.  Its a good way to get that eye/hand coordination.  I thought I'd be sweeping sprinkles up for days but she didn't even get any off the plate.  But I'm not a bragger.  ;-D

Since I'm also a lazy photographer, I don't have much to offer from my summer gardens.  The Husband has completely taken over the big perennial garden we started at the lake a few years ago.  After my back surgery in April, I was in no shape to weed or even plant anything new.  He has totally claimed it as his.  On afternoons after he's finished fussing over it, he pulls up a lawn chair, pops open a beer, and just sits there looking at it.  Sheet.  He can have it.  I'm thinking of a raised bed for veggies and flowers next spring.  I'll ask The Beach Boys to dig it out when they are doing their water and beach cleanup.  Hee hee.  I will not be out-maneuvered by someone who doesn't even know what compost is.  Notice my photo bomber, Milo above.  My sedum is getting huge, the plants are like bushes. 

I had to mention that we met up with my blogger friend Cindy, who no longer blogs, and her hubby Dan right here in Chicago.  Since they are in Western Wisconsin, we've always met some place halfway, and believe me, there is not much between Chicago and Black River Falls, WI.  But it was Cindy's birthday and she wanted to spend a few days in Chi Town.  So we had a fun time hanging out in Millennial Park, one of the places they hadn't been.  And they covered a lot of ground in three days.  Temps were in the mid nineties and we were dripping wet.  We finally ducked into one of our favorite restaurants, Paisano's on State St., for some great Italian food, and then wandered over to Macy's, which held a lot of childhood memory for Cindy. When it was Marshall Field's of course.  Dan had never been to Chicago, and The Husband wasted no time in playing tour guide.  Big eye roll here.  I admit, he knows everything about Chicago: its history, layout, architecture, and every shortcut you can imagine to avoid a traffic jam.  Anyway, it was a fun time and I hope we can get together before Christmas.  Can you imagine taking a gamble to meet a blogger who was a total stranger, and become the best of friends while meeting once a year for ten years?  Life is full of the strange but true.  And the rewards of taking a leap of faith.  Love ya, sista!

Just wondering what this is growing along my fence.  Weedy but pretty.

I have a twenty-five year old jade plant a the lakehouse.  It took a little tumble which actually was a good thing; it had grown bigger in a way that made it off balance and I wasn't sure if I wanted to mess with it.  So some very large pieces broke off and I took this as a sign that I should be a little more courageous, if only with a plant.  I put the stems in water until the little whisker-like roots appeared, then potted it and left it out in the sun for most of this summer.  I am so HaPpY!  Look at the size of this.  Sure beats spending $9.99 for a little pot with two stems (sorry Home Depot).

The fall decorating got of to a slow start.  It was a little early for me but every time I went downstairs to do laundry, I'd pull a few things out of my autumn bin.  I would think, this is enough.  I have a much lighter touch these days keeping in mind I have to put it all away in a few weeks.  But then I started to to think how little kids notice everything and anything new, so I was motivated to add more.

The mantel was fun because most everything was there.  Its such a huge surround, if I try to scale back it looks too bare.  Too much and its obnoxious.  Anyway, I think it says fall.

I won these velvet pumpkins in a giveaway a few years ago that Debra from Common Ground hosted.  Another blogger made them and I feel bad that I don't remember her name.  They are gorgeous and those are real stems. Ignore that little candy dish there.  I mix a lot of kiddie candy in since The Husband would devour all of it if it was all chocolate.  And he obviously has.

More attempts at tabletop decor.

I have three of these crates that I was lucky enough to score in a Christmas grab bag.  This is the smallest and its great for corralling a few items.  This is not a new design tip, but it really makes me smile when I have an unusual container.

This little critter always comes out in the fall.  His arms wrap around little acorns which are actually salt and pepper shakers.  A little bit of whimsy.  I never fill or use them.  Purely there to amuse me.

Little Miss Madelyn came over this morning while her mama went out for a design consultation and relaxing manicure.  With just a few more weeks until she turns two, she has become delighted with exploring everything in her world, and imitating what she sees going on around her.  When she used to sit and stack my spice jars, now she actually pretends she's cooking...shaking that stuff in and stirring.  

Last night I made some sugar cookie dough and this morning when I had her here, we sprinkled the flour over the the counter (her favorite part--I mean actual permission to make a huge mess!).  We rolled the dough in balls, patted it down, rolled it out (she had her own small kiddie rolling pin), and then cut out shapes.  I only have to show her steps once and then she's on her own.  It astounds me.  After they were baked and cooled, we frosted them, added sprinkles, and then had a tea party.  I actually found a real Fiestaware children's tea set at Marshall's the other day for---wait...$7.99!!  We had so much fun, and I was exhausted afterward.  Love you mama's.  I did it with four under the age of ten, but I still wonder how.  

"I'm sorry.  I simply can't bake without my vintage apron and jewelry."

July, 2019 may sound a long way off, but not for my little girl Abigail Jane.  That's the wedding date and so it was officially time to start hunting for the gown!  The first prerequisite was no strapless dresses, and it had to tie in a bit with the long ivory silk dresses of her fourteen bridesmaids.  Sheesh.  And she also wanted to go to a variety of shops, big and small.

We made our way from River West downtown, to the burbs down south.  She fell in love with the first dress she tried on.  It was originally $10,000, (I'm catching my breath even now), but it had a few tears in the netting so it was marked down.  I was in the hall frantically checking my savings account on my phone, when she said she just couldn't decide in the twenty-four hours they were going to hold it.  Yes!  And cheers between sisters on a job well done thus far.

And we finally found THE DRESS!  She's my daughter so I'm partial, but she is stunning in this gown, it is her looking her loveliest.  The wedding will be outdoors at dusk on gorgeous Lake Geneva in Wisconsin, and she is going to outshine the moon and stars.  Sniff sniff.

Milo's lymph nodes were slightly swollen a few weeks ago so our vet said he is not completely in remission anymore.  The goal has been to keep an eye on him with bi-weekly exams.  He had actually been acting quite normal and then we spent an entire weekend with his back legs giving out over and over.  Once he'd hit the wood floors, he clawed desperately to get up and couldn't, so we were lifting him up.  I really thought that this is when the quality of life ends.  My doctor had mentioned acupuncture for the pain in what we thought were his hips.  So I agreed.  And this is what it looks like.  You can Google what it involves in canines because it was all Greek to me.  I do know he didn't feel a thing, and it turns out his problem is actually in his lower back, just above his tail.  I brought him home and he didn't fall again for a whole week.  I knowwwwwwww!  But he has just started to again, not a lot.  He has the second of three treatments on Monday.  If the problem is not alleviated, it simply isn't an option anymore.  

It might sound like we are entirely overboard on not giving in to cancer and old age with this great guy.  The chemo, although not the cheapest thing we've ever done, gave him another year, and maybe we will be blessed with more.  I was happily surprised that the acupuncture was $89.00, and it included a full exam so I expect it to be less on Monday.  I'll take it.  

He often acts confused; staring at walls, pacing from room to room, and as you can see above, taking a nap on the bathroom floor.  Senility in dogs is very much like some elderly people.  They get confused and disoriented.  When he paces from room to room, it may just be familiar patterns, or he could be looking for our children he used to find in a bedroom, the office or the family room, years ago.  The bathroom?  I think he just liked the sun and breeze coming through the window as well as the soft rug.  Since he's deaf he is pretty much undisturbed all the time, which is a blessing.  He needs his rest.

I'm wrapping it up here.  Just wanted to share some books I have corralled up.  Girl, Wash Your Face, which I'm barely half through, is extremely interesting and grabs you from the beginning.  A non-fiction book of humorous but totally relevant  situations and tips on how to stop believing the lies you have been telling yourself, from self worth to believing criticism.

Alas, the remains books have not been opened yet.   I mean, I haven't written a post in six weeks, do you think I have time to read?  Ha!  Every time I tell myself to write, I decide that catching up on my reading is more important, so I settle on my bed with eighteen pillows and the two dogs, the book, and my phone alarm set for one hour.  And then I promptly fall asleep.

I'll give you more reviews on these books in another post.  In the meantime just look them up on Amazon for a nice description and the good and bad reviews and ratings.

I'll leave you with this.

I've missed all of you and I'm already feeling energized and ready to roll on more posts.  Maybe I just went dormant for awhile.  Who knows.

HaPpY FaLl YoU'aLl!

Jane x

MID SUMMER IN BLONDIEVILLE---LAKEHOUSE FUN

Hello all!  Happy August!  I'm a bit spotty in my blogging, but I'm here now and full of ideas for upcoming posts, so as the dust settles, you'll see more of me.  Not much of a point in going on about July 4th! lol!  It was good...fun as always, exhausting too.  But it's just a once a year bash we have, not counting Memorial Day and Labor Day, the latter of which is coming up fast.  

I have to say we probably had about twenty-five people on the Saturday after the holiday as that's when the fireworks, parades and all sorts of celebrations go on at the lake.  Most of the time The Husband takes a boatful of people out at night to see the fireworks from the lake, but this year everyone just walked down to the boat launch down the road where you have a perfect view of the sky.  I stayed back at the house with Papa, and we sat by the driveway and didn't miss a thing.  

The little kiddos had a fantastic time on the beach and playing in the water.  I don't think any of us were indoors unless it was bedtime or nap time for the babes.  The meals were delicious, everyone bringing something to the table.  I used to be a lot more organized about the menu, rigid sometimes.  I think the best way is to have the basic plan and be ready to improvise.  The grocery store is five minutes away.  In fact, I had two appetizers I wanted to make, bought the ingredients at a huge store in another town, and then when the weekend arrived, realized how long I would be in the kitchen making them.  I think the more simple the prep work is, the better it would be for a large group or when it's your party.  When you have a smaller group, go for that enticing recipe you want to try on your victims.  

There is usually someone who comes through with flying colors to bump up the menu a notch, and help out in a major way.  My son, Jeff, took the horse by the reins and grilled up a huge amount of spicy chicken wings, then slapped them down on the patio table with a roll of paper towels.  THE best mid afternoon nosh.  And then there was my brother in law, Jim.  They drove in from Kansas City with the kids the night before and rented a small cottage nearby for accommodations.  He had the foresight and generosity to stop and pick up a few things on the way to our house.  In the kitchen he set out putting together a wonderful antipasto platter for everyone to nibble on before dinner.  He made a beautiful salad to go with dinner, and then after dinner he served everyone some sort of cream cake which he individually and offered to everyone.  His wife, Gwen, one of the best people I've had in my life for the past twenty-five years, came straight up to me when she arrived and said, "What can I do?  I'm not moving until you tell me what I can do to help."  She's just like that.  And you know, these are the sort of good people who would be hurt if you brushed them off.  Good, good family  :))

If this picture looks dark, it's because it was.  Backtracking... The Husband and I arrived at the lake separately, the weekend prior to the holiday.  Our daughters and their men arrived on Tuesday.  And of course, our little pixie, Madelyn.  Everyone was such a huge help in just getting some general things done, and then the nitty gritty of cleaning the garage, patio, house, guest house, shed...it was so heartwarming to see everyone helping out.  Yes, even in July there was plenty to do.  We also sat in front of the bonfire at night playing music, looking at the stars, and drinking a lot of cold beer.  Hence, the actual 4th of July on Wednesday came and went, everyone going to bed very early, leaving me, the last man standing, in the guest house while the fireworks lit up the sky outside the windows and the boom, boom, booms filled the air.  Everyone missed it but me!   

We have an ice cream truck that goes around the lake playing kiddie songs.  Oh my gosh, it was so fun to see my kids frantically digging in their pockets for ice cream for their kids, while shouting for someone to stop the truck.  That feeling of panic that the truck wouldn't stop for us was something I can still vividly remember from my childhood!  Remember those days?  In this picture, I don't think Madelyn has a clue as to the enormity of eating this entire ice cream sandwich!

Everyone was out the door on Sunday, along with The Husband.  I stayed on hoping I could just sleep for fifteen hours straight.  I ended up staying three weeks!  It wasn't all play, I had my writing to do, deadlines and such, and Layla has taken to sitting on the table while I work.  I swear she was a cat in a previous life.

 The Husband came up on weekends and that was fun, I always had a To Do list waiting for him.  He really threw himself into working on our perennial flower bed, pulling weeds, filling in sparse places, and pulling out plants that weren't doing well.  I think I showed you a photo of a plant I couldn't recognize and it wasn't flowering or doing anything purdy.  A sweet girl left a comment on that post calling it Pachysandra.  She was spot on.  A person at the nursery confirmed it and told me it was a ground cover.  I didn't want that in this bed, and the leaves looked a little diseased so out it went.  So, my guy made several trips to the lake nursery and kept adding more and more plants.  Honestly, I haven't asked what they are, although many I see are lilies.  I'm methodical about my gardening, I have a diagram and plant flowers that bloom from early spring to late fall so I always have color.  I also keep in mind height and space...oh well, he has so much fun.  I suggested that when he retires we can have a big veggie garden.  I think he's liking that idea.

I didn't neglect the inside of the house.  You might remember from my last post that I didn't like the black framed barn print I had next to the mirror.  The black played out well, but it was a little too modern for me.  One night I was perusing my emails and saw a sale on large wall clocks at Pier 1.  That good old light bulb went off in my head.  The closest store to me, 45 minutes away had two in stock.  And this is it.  It's a replica of a pocket watch, and it's super heavy.  It has a London address on it, I should have taken a close up, I will.   The Husband has a way of acting grumpy when I make decisions without him.  I was quite coy when I asked him if his father had a pocket watch (said father would be 110 years old if he were alive), as he was a train conductor.  TH couldn't remember but when I pulled this clock out of the box I could tell he liked it.  The next morning I woke up to the sound of his drill as he was hanging it.  It could go a little lower but I'm not complaining.  

All good things have to end, and to be honest, The long hot days were getting to be too much and the dogs and I were spending more time in than out.  It seemed like it took me forever to get all the bedding washed, the bath towels, beach towels, throw rugs...blah, blah blah.  But we finally got on the road last week. 

I was pretty impressed that The Husband hadn't let all my potted plants die.  Maybe his somewhat new interest in gardening is making him more attentive to this sort of thing.  And the house wasn't terrible.  We have a cleaning girl who comes twice a month, and since she had just been there, everything was clean, sparkling, and fresh.  He was spared...this time.

Grandpa & Madelyn, July 2018

All four of our grand kids really gravitate naturally to The Husband.  He is always so chill, he speaks slowly and smiles a lot.  I, on the other hand am always sort of excitable, to put it nicely, talking and gesturing wildly most of the time.  Even when I'm sitting, I look like I'm moving.  And I'm daffy with the kids...I love make-believe and funny voices, exploring the yard, filling the bird feeders, and picking up toads.  I guess they get a good mix.  Did you imagine me this way?  Don't answer.  

A quick update before I end.  You might remember we had one of our huge windows shattered by a stone thrown by our lawn guy's mower?  I searched high and low for a contractor.  We also needed our entire patio redone, the pavers were all buckling and it was a serious hazard.  Long story short, I found someone who would be available in August, yay, and you know the domino effect.  I had been wanting the balcony off our master bedroom to be screened in.  It has an arbor overhead so it's useless when it rains, and always buggy and dirty.  And I also thought that the front porch below should be extended on each side to really look like a farmhouse large porch.  I'll do some before pictures, but you can look on my sidebar for a pretty good idea of the street side of our side.  

Our guy and his crew will be working soon, so I'm just not going to be at the lake much.  It's just too involved and the dogs don't need that activity and distraction.  Anyway--I'm SO excited!

I'm signing out for now.  Off I go again tomorrow for a family weekend.  The next weekend we have good friends coming.  Then I'll be a city girl, and hopefully be good to go for Labor Day if we aren't a mess from the construction.  

Continue to enjoy your summer, it gets tedious sometimes with the heat, humidity and too much or lack of rain.  I'm getting too old to wish away even one day.  Make each one special. :)

Jane x