The World According to Maiden Fair

I cringe when I hear someone wishing for a white Christmas!! I’ll tell you what - I’ll trade places with you for the month of December. It is -7 F outside this morning - we’ve been under a wind chill warning for 3 days now - meaning you can get frostbite in 10 minutes or less for any exposed skin. We’ve had 2 or 3 winter storm watches and/or warnings an ice storm warning and a winter weather advisory in the last week or so, we’re under a Winter Weather Advisory from tonight until tomorrow night when it changes to a winter storm watch through Christmas eve. We’ve had quite a lot of ice and snow accumulation and they are predicting about 6 more inches before Christmas. Add to that the Ground blizzard we had Saturday and Sunday and we were unable to get out of here to go anywhere. My granddaughter’s Christmas Pageant was postponed at church yesterday and she was very upset, she has been looking forward to this for weeks. We will just pray that the weather clears a bit before Epiphany when they are supposed to present it.

I can get out this morning - so we are taking Little-Bit home for her AWANA’s Christmas Party this afternoon and going to the grocery store. We have no idea if we will be able to get out again this week. I think I would settle for a nice brown and green Christmas. At least you can get out and get around and things don’t get cancelled and postponed.

I found directions yesterday to make a fleece snuggle - a blanket with sleeves. It gets pretty cold down in my sewing room this time of year - especially when the temps drop below 0 and the wind chill is at -40 - and this would help keep me warm - I’m going to see if I can stop at the fabric store and get some Polar Fleece to make it - It shouldn’t take very long and will be totally worth the time. I also have a couple of quilting projects that need to be completed in the next couple of days and I have to finish printing out the calendars and then all will be ready for Christmas. The girls put up the tree this week and got it decorated so all is well on that front!

Well here it is this much closer to the holiday and I haven’t had a migraine yet!! That is wonderful news - it means my new approach to preparing for the holiday is working. What am I doing different this year you might ask? Well I’m not getting all upset about it for one thing. We aren’t going overboard or feeling pressured about it. My California family has decided to not exchange gifts, and we are limiting the gifts we exchange locally as well. I’ve also done most of my shopping online which has limited my exposure to the hustle and bustle and rudness of the general public. Hubby and I went out last Monday and did the shopping that needed to be done and we came home and will wrap those. I have a couple of gift cards to get and I’m awaiting some fed-ex and USPS deliveries and I’m done. My house has been cleaned and we can acutally find what we need do to a massive reorganization of our storage space. I’m spending my time working on some quilt projects and some painting projects.

Years ago I started painting a plastercraft Christmas Village. Then things got hectic in my life and I stopped painting them. This year we set up the little village again and I was suprised to find 3 unfinished builtings. So Little Suzie and I are working on the painting and I found a source for new projects since I can no longer get them locally.

Here are pictures of the houses I have completed:

I’m working on an ice pond, a fire station and a victorian house - plus a half dozen trees. Of course the new lighted magnifying lense I got for Christmas last year is making all of this so much easier.

Have a great day and keep the headaches at bay!

Well, actually Christmas has come to my house. My dear hubby gave me my Christmas gift the other day - a new Kitchenaide Stand Mixer and I’m so excited!! I am going to throw away all my old mixers - I think the newest one is 25 years old and they are all dying!! I just mixed up a loaf of bread in the new mixer without getting my hands in the dough and it seems to have made a wonderful bread dough!! I love fresh homemade bread but I just can’t seem to get it to work for me any longer. We set up a baking center with all the supplies and utensils that I need right there together. It took a little bit of shifting things around, but it will save a lot of time and steps later. We realized that we have not changed the kitchen storage arrangement in over 30 years - it is really about time I set it up to suit our current lifestyle instead of the way we used to live.

My Granddaughter and I set up the little Victorian Village that I have been painting for many years. In the midst of setting it up we discovered two unpainted houses and a partially painted skating pond. So we have set to painting the rest of the buildings. We looked to see if we could find more, but there weren’t any at Ben Franklin Crafts. I’m going to look online and see if I can find some more - there used to be lots of buildings - but knowing my luck they’ve discontinued the line or something.

I picked up a ring for my candle at Joann’s Fabric and Crafts yesterday and it looks really pretty. Today the girls want to decorate the table at the end of the hall and set up the Nativity scene. They wanted to put up the tree, but I put my foot down - Not yet - not even next week. Maybe the week after.

Anyway, I’m going to do some baking and break in my Christmas present!

Winter arrived with a vengence!! It is cold and dreary outside and depending on which report you look at, we got between 4 and 6 inches of snow. Most of that melted yesterday as it was warmer - but there is still snow on the ground and my car and the road. It is only 24 degrees today and the nice weather - eg sunny, warm, dry - that had been in the forcast yesterday has been removed. Thankfully I don’t have to go out today - I can stay inside and stay warm and dry.

I don’t know about you, but I did not go out shopping this weedend. I stayed home and put my house back together after the holiday - read a good book - and worked on my quilt. And then I read about the shooting in the toys r us store and the trampeling in the WalMart store and wondered what this world is coming too. This is supposed to be the season of love and hope and good will to men. But what we seem to get are shootings in stores, mobs violence trying to get into the store to save $ .29 on a stupid made in China toy, and massacres in places I can’t even pronounce. WHY?? I mean for heaven’s sake - NOTHING is so important that you have the right to disregard the personal safety of another individual over it. On top of that - why would anyone want to go shopping with over 2000 other people trying to get in the same door. There is nothing I want badly enough that it could induce me to fight through that kind of mob to obtain.

My shopping this year is going to be carried out at the hobbie shop, the grocery store and online. I refuse to fight the mobs for the sake of a gift. Besides, a thoughtful and/or hand made gift usually means a lot more than a cheap thing grabbed off the shelf. I really don’t want a headache or a broken bone to complicate my Holiday any year.

Enough about the mob mentality of Christmas - yesterday my granddaughter and I set up our Christmas Village on the Piano and discovered two unpainted houses. Hubby and I are going to go down and buy some more paints later today or tomorrow and with the help of my big new (gift from last Christmas) lighted magnifying lense - we will get them painted and added to the scene. I also need a small round miror to use as an ice skating pond.

I found a wonderful new site called Learning Herbs. They have some free herb courses, some interesting newsletters and also some other classes you can enroll in. I’m working me way through a free class before I try one of their other courses. I simply find herboloy fascinating and want to learn more!

The book list for November includes some very favorite authors and some new ones that I’ve never read before.

Christmas Knight by Christina Skye
Murder in Miniature by Margaret Grace
Laws of Attraction by Sherryl Woods
The Perfect Gift by Christina Skye
The Chick and the Dead by Casey Daniels
The Master Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini
The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews
Charmed and Dangerous - Lori Wilde
Spanish Dagger by Susan Wittig Albert
The Ghost and the Femme Fatale by Alice Kimberly

Have a great day and stay warm and dry and upbeat.

Well The Holiday season has begun. The Christmas decorations are going up all over town and I’m feeling the depression settling down on me again. I think I’m going to see if I can find some soothing, mood elevating herbs to make tea from and use them this season. My house is fairly clean, living room, dining room and kitchen and bedroom are in spectacular shape so I do feel a bit better than normal. I have the apple pie in the over to bake, the pumpkin pie is thawing out, and I must now go and stuff the turkey and get it in the oven as soon as the pie comes out.

We are going over to my brother’s this morning for a bit to see my brother and his family who are visiting from Kentucky. Just going to be a quiet day until late this afternoon when all of my family arrives on the scene. It will be a fun day and hopefully all will go smoothly. I’m going to get plenty of rest before they all arrive.

I wish you all a blessed and happy Thanksgiving Day.

When I think of Autumn, one of the first things that comes to mind - after colored leaves - is pumpkins. Pumpkins in the field in September, Jack-o-Lantern in October and Pumpkin Pies for Thanksgiving.

Pumpkins are believed to have originated in North America. Seeds found in Mexico were dated to between 7,000 and 5500 BC. The word pumpkin comes from the Greek word pepon which means large melon.

Today pumpkins are grown all over the world except in Antarctica. But the pumpkin capitol of the world is Morton, IL - the home of Libby’s pumpkin processing plant. Approximately 95% of the pumpkins used in the US are grown in a 90 mile radius Around Peoria, IL-Peoria is about 10 miles north of Morton on I-74.

The first colonists to America found the Indians already using the pumpkin. It was a staple in their diet as they took strips of the flesh and roasted it over the fire and ate it. The also dried strips of pumpkin and wove them into mats. The seeds were used for food and for medicines. The colonists adapted many ideas from the Indians and came up with more of their own. Our own pumpkin pie comes from the colonists taking eggs, milk and honey and pouring it into a cleaned out pumpkin and setting it into the dying fire to bake.

The tradition of the Jack-O-Lantern comes from an old Irish Myth about a man named Stingy Jack who tricked the Devil into agreeing not to bother him. When Jack died - God wouldn’t let him into heaven for all his underhanded dealings all his life, and the Devil couldn’t claim him because of their agreement, so Jack was condemned to wonder the earth with a glowing coal the he put in a carved turnip. Jack became known as Jack of the Lantern or Jack-O=Lantern. People began carving turnips and potatoes and putting light in them to ward off Jack and other evil spirits. When the Irish came to the UD, they brought their carving tradition with them but they found the pumpkin to be a much better vessel for their Jack-O-Lantern. Since Halloween is the traditional night for free roaming spirits, we place Jack-O-Lanterns to keep them away from our homes.

Pumpkins also feature in many of our Fairy Tales - Cinderella’s Pumpkin Coach, Peter the Pumpkin eater, Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin, Harry Potter’s Pumpkin Juice in the Hogwort’s series, and stories by RL Stine where Pumpkin juice has magical properties.

Pumpkins have been used for food by all cultures where they are grown. We all know about Pumpkin Pie - My son and grandson can devour a pumpkin pie apiece if they had the opportunity!! My son actually gave me a Pumpkin Pie Pan with the recipe on it when he was young so I wouldn’t forget how to make one.

Pumpkin Pie

2 cups Pumpkin Puree - fresh, frozen or canned
2 eggs
¾ cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp cloves
1 can evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9” pie shell

Mix eggs, sugar, salt. and spices and add pumpkin. Stir in milk and pour into pie shell. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 40 - 50 minutes until knife inserted 1” from edge comes out clean. Cool before cutting.

I have discovered a pumpkin cake that is quick and very easy.

Pumpkin Cake

1 can pumpkin
1 spice cake mix (dry)
¼ - ½ cup water

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 9 x 13 cake pan. Back according to the directions on the cake mix. Serve with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting.

You can make pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, Pumpkin custard and any number of other wonderful treats.

I also read about making your favorite stew - preferably beef stew and pouring it into a cleaned out pumpkin and setting it all in the oven to bake. When you serve the stew, serve the pumpkin with it. It adds a unique flavor and texture to your stew. You can also try pumpkin soup - with black beans and chicken broth and other good ingredients it should make an interesting change of pace.

Whatever you choose to do with the pumpkin - do something with it this season - pumpkin is not only good, it is chocked full of vitamins and minerals too so it is healthy and good for you.

Just another silly Questionaire that I got from a Friend.

(x) Gone on a blind date
( ) Skipped school
( ) Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada ,
( ) Been to Mexico
(x) Been to Florida
(x) Been on a plane
( ) Been lost
(x) Been on the opposite side of the country
(x) Gone to Washington , DC
(x) Swam/waded in the ocean
( ) Cried yourself to sleep
( ) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
( ) Sang Karaoke
( ) Paid for a meal with coins only?
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t?
( ) Made prank phone calls?
( ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Danced in the rain
(x)Written a letter to Santa Claus
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe
( ) Watched the sunrise with someone you care about
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
( ) Been skinny dipping outdoors
(x) Gone to the movies

2. Mother’s name Anna
3. Favorite drink? Herb Tea
4. Any Tattoo’s? No
5. Body piercings? just ears
6. How much do you love your job? Retirement’s Great!! and being Grandma is even better.
7. Favorite vacation? Great Smokey Mountains
9. Ever been to Africa ? No
10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Yes
11. Been on TV? Yes
12. Ever steal any traffic sign? No
13. Ever been in a car accident? yes
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? a 2-door and a 4-door
15. Favorite salad dressing? Ranch
16. Favorite Pie? Pumpkin
17. Favorite number? 16
18. Favorite movie? Sister Act
19. Favorite holiday? I’m not fond of Holidays .
20. Favorite dessert? Strawberry Shortcake
21. Favorite food? Pork Roast
22. Favorite day of the week? Any day ending in y
23. Favorite brand of body wash? Nothing special
24. Favorite toothpaste? Whatever’s on sale
25. Favorite smell? Lavendar
26. What do you do to relax? Read, write or walk
27. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Playing with my first Great Grandchild
28. How many siblings do you have? 3

Yesterday started out so great with sunshine and the promise that it would warm up!! Then in the early afternoon I looked out the window and what do I see but heavy snow falling from the overcast sky - obscuring the houses around us and trying to pile up in the yard.

Thankfully it didn’t last very long and quickly melted away. The sun came out, but the promised warmth didn’t come. Today it is colder than I like, but I guess it is nearly Thanksgiving. I noticed that the farmers still don’t have all the crop in. It is so very late this year. They were late getting it in, and it was so slow drying down, there was so much rain in the summer and fall, they are going to be combining in the snow and ice this year. I noticed it more so when we drove to DeKalb on I-88 over the weekend.

I guess I’m having Thanksgiving dinner this year. I’m not thrilled about it - and I need to get the living room put together - hopefully SOON! I have orders for Cheesy Potatoes, Pumpkin and Apple Pie and Sweet Potatoes with Pecan topping. I guess we add that to the Turkey which I ordered yesterday and the stuffing, gravy and probably mashed potatoes if I can get a mixer working - of course I could set someone to mash them by hand - LOL - and that should take care of everything. My daughter can bring whatever she wants. Little Susie has already made it clear that she is coming on Tuesday after school and staying until Sunday so she can help with the last minute things.

I’ve decided to make my challenge quilt slightly smaller than origionally planned. I started running out of fabric - so I’m cutting it down to 20 squares instead of 30. It will still be pretty and still be useful - it will also be easier to get done!! I only have a finite amount of time - I can’t take 15 years to finish this one.

It is lovely outside - the sun is shining although the temperature is chilly. But thankfully it is not raining or snowing or anything like that. We had a wonderfully pleasant weekend. We took out eldest granddaughter and went to DeKalb to visit our grandson. I took a steak dinner for him, as he doesn’t get to have really good dinners very often. Baked a pumpkin pie and made his favorite - mashed potato casserole.

Little Susie and I had a good day yesterday working on crafts and quilts and just generally enjoying each other’s company. She helped grampa burn some old junk wood from the garage - she loves to help and she is so good at helping. Hopefully today we will finish cleaning out one side of the garage so we can get a car put away. I will be so glad when the cars are in the garage and the junk is thrown away. - all of it!!

My challenge quilt is actually coming along very nicely. I finished all of the center 9 patches and have about half of the next pieces together. I know it is going to take a little while, but if I can spend an hour or two a day working on it - the squares will be together before I know it! Hopefully I have enough material to do the quilt the way I want to. Of course I suppose I could do a different border than I have planned - or use other fabric from my stash than I planned to use. I’ll have to see how it goes.

I’m really hoping to get the work table cleared off soon so I can get my quilts sandwiched. I really need to get working on them - hopefully to get at least one completed before I have to start quilting on my challenge quilt. When that is ready to quilt, I want to get working on it as I do have a deadline on that one. Of course I want to get the five-generation quilt done as quickly as possible so that will be the first one I attack. I want to look in my basket of UFOs - I don’t remember at all what is in there. Not that I need a project to finish - I’ve got more than enough right now.

Just got word Saturday that my brother is coming up from Kentucky for Thanksgiving. He’s going to my other brother’s - we will just go over to see him. I already have 10 people coming here for Thanksgiving. Which reminds me I need to go down to the store today and reserve a fresh Turkey - and get the refigerator cleaned out. If I do that job now it won’t be too bad - we cleaned it out after the storm back in early August and it hasn’t accumulated any “Science Projects” yet.

[1] Who was your FIRST prom date?……….Jerry Something or other - Didn’t make much impression
[2] What was your FIRST alcoholic drink?……….Communion Wine
[3] What was your FIRST job?……….Clerk at the 5 & 10
[4] What was your FIRST car?……….1956 Chevy BelAir
[5] Who was the FIRST person to text you today?………. Don’t text
[6] Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?………. No one in Particular
[7] Who was your FIRST grade teacher?………. Mrs McClelland
[8] Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?………. From San Francisco to Boston
[9] Who was your FIRST best friend and you still friends?………. Linda Crooks - Haven’t seen her in Many Many Moons!!
[10] What was your FIRST sport played?………. Probably Vollyball at Church Camp
[11] Where was your FIRST sleep over?………. Actually at my Uncle Eddie’s house when I was 4 months old and my mother went into the hospital
[12] Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?………. Haven’t talked to anyone yet
[13] Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?……….My Own
[14] What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?………. Got on the Computer
[15] What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?………. Probably the Quad-City Symphony
[16] FIRST tattoo or piercing?………. Ears pierced
[17] FIRST foreign place you’ve ever been?………. None
[18] What was your FIRST run in with the law?………. Speeding ticket
[19] What was your FIRST detention?………. Never had one - I was the local Nerd
[20] Who was your FIRST roommate?………. I don’t remember her name - I ditched her fast!
[21]Where did you go on your FIRST limo ride?………. Probably my father-in-law’s funeral