A Beautiful Day with Gratitude

Hello, Dear Friends. 

Since the time change to Daylight Savings, 

I've been getting up a lot earlier. 

This gives me time to myself, as The Mr. likes to sleep in

since retirement. 

I get to watch the sun rise over Mt. Rainier, 

and catch those early sunbeams streaming in the windows.

xx 

"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, 

the old and the new."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Of course, I have my faithful companion, Kai, to keep me company! 

You can see his empty pet bed on the floor. 

He prefers to lie directly in my path to

 keep a good watch over me :) 

The one place I can truly be alone. 

xx

It's lovely in the early morning light. 

I recently had a birthday! 

Yes, I am a Scorpio. 

Do you believe in astrology? 

Of course, being a Scorpio, I definitely do. 

We get a bad reputation for being mysterious and revengeful, 

but I believe the best revenge is to have a good life! 

Do you agree? 

Also, we are loyal to a fault, love to dig deep into the mysteries 

of life, value home, family and close connections, 

but if you betray us, it takes a long time to regain our trust.

Only if you are worthy.

xx 

We always forgive, but we rarely forget.

Not out of spite, but for self-preservation and honest reflection.  

What sign are you?

xx

  

"True forgiveness is when you can say, 

'Thank you for that experience'."

- Oprah Winfrey

I received some lovely gifts from all my loved ones.  

xx

One of my birthday gifts (from son, Gabe and wife Erica)

was my very first glass pumpkin! 

I think I have the start of a new collection ...

This soft, squishy pumpkin was also a gift, from daughter, Heather. 

She took me out for a day of shopping and lunch at our favorite plant nursery

which has a beautiful gift shop and bistro. 

I spied this cuddly pumpkin, and she thought I should have it! 

It fits in perfectly with my moody decor. 

The pretty gathering basket (filled with hydrangea from my garden),

 little pumpkins and sweet dish are from Gabe and Erica, also. 

The tea towel on the cupboard door was a gift from my Sis-in-law. 

xx

Son Dustin and wife Jen gave me a gift certificate to another plant nursery

and daughter, Jennie sent me the sweetest card with gift certificate, all the way from Hawaii. 

The Mr. gave me some big wooden planters for the garden

and a pretty sweater to keep me warm. 

They know what makes me happy!

xx 

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; They are 

the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

- Marcel Proust

You might have noticed the cookbook on the cupboard door. 

 I always keep one of my favorite cookbooks there for inspiration.  

I found this one at an antique store in a nearby town recently. 

We were supposed to meet our friends for dinner 

at a favorite restaurant, but it was closed unexpectedly 

for 'vacation' when we arrived! That's what happens in small towns!

So, we made the best of it by browsing through the antique shop

across the street where I found a few little things (of course), and one of them 

was this cookbook. It isn't exactly an antique, as it was published in 2009. 

If you follow country decorating, especially 'Farmhouse' style, 

you may have heard about 'The Farm Chicks' country flea market 

in Spokane, Washington. 

It was a big deal for 20 years, but this year was the last year that it was held. :(

I always wanted to go, but Spokane is a 5-hour drive from here, 

and I never got the chance. 

But I did find their cookbook and it is very charming, with sweet 

stories of their life and cute craft ideas. 

Oh, and the recipes are simple and yummy! 

xx

Speaking of recipes...

I have a great one for pumpkin-banana bread which I will share with you. 

The first thing to do is gather up a few of your favorite mixing bowls. 

xx

Here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes

Grease and flour 2 loaf pans 

• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup cooking oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 1\3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1\2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice 
• (Or use 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice in place of spices)
• 2/3 cup water or milk
• 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (l large)
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven

In a medium bowl whisk together sugar and oil until combined. 

Add eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each. 

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and spices. 

Alternately add sugar mixture and water/milk to flour mixture

a little at a time, mixing after each addition. 

Combine pumpkin puree and mashed banana in small bowl. 

Add to batter. 

Stir in nuts. 

Spoon batter into prepared pans.

Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Let cool before serving. 

Makes 32 slices. 

Keep tightly wrapped in refrigerator for 3-4 days. 

Can be frozen. 

Enjoy! 

I have this handy-dandy vintage nut chopper that 

I've had for years. 

It has a round wooden disk in the bottom and a plunger 

with sharp blades to chop the nuts. 

xx

This recipe is so yummy and worth all the bowl washing.

xx 

There's one loaf for now and one for later! 

xx

"Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life

is the foundation for all abundance."

- Eckhart Tolle

While the oven was still warm

I sliced up some lemons for drying to use in my simmer pot.

I put them between paper toweling to blot as much moisture as I could, 

then put them on cooling racks over baking sheets

(or you can place them on parchment-lined baking sheets),

and popped them into the oven at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours, 

turning halfway through. 

I then left them to finish air-drying overnight. 

Sometimes it takes a couple of days. 

This works for any citrus. 

I put a few slices in a jar with a couple of bay leaves, 

2-3 cinnamon sticks, some dried orange peel 

(I save these whenever I eat oranges, simply drying them on paper towels)

and a teaspoon of whole cloves, cardamom or star anise. 

These make nice gifts, too. 

You can air-dry some evergreen sprigs to add to the jar.

To simmer, simply add to a small pot with 2-3 cups of water, 

bring to a boil, then simmer on low, adding more water 

if needed when the water gets low.  

You can reheat the simmer pot 2-3 more times

for days of lovely fragrance.

xx

"In everything give thanks"

- Paul the Apostle 

Waking up early gives me time to do a little crocheting, too. 

This is a circle scarf made with soft, bulky yarn 

and a large crochet hook. 

I bought two skeins and had some leftover. 

I used a simple scallop pattern throughout. 

The bright morning light makes it easy to see what I am doing! 

xx

One of my favorite sweaters

It's so cozy and warm and can even be pulled over your head 

as a hood with enough to wrap around as a scarf, too.

xx 

"A basic law: The more you practice the art of thankfulness, 

the more you have to be thankful for."

- Norman Vincent Peale

We had some rainy, stormy weather which brought down 

the last of the leaves from the big maple tree, 

so later I went out and did some clean-up. 

  

xx

"Gratitude to God is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy."

- Mother Teresa

Some pretty color on my potted plants. 

I can see this beautiful cottonwood tree from the deck. 

Hazy skies as the day goes on. 

Another beautiful tree - a big-leaf maple. 

I finished planting a new garden down by the greenhouse. 

It doesn't look like much right now, 

but hopefully, this spring, all my work will be rewarded. 

There are two butterfly bush, 

four Russian sage, and four catmint. 

All are perennial with purple flowers, drought resistant, and deer-proof. 

The groundcover in between is arch-angel, and there 

are forget-me-not and some perennial grasses. 

I dug up so many rocks, but the soil is lovely and I added home-made 

compost for good measure. 

I still have two large bags of daffodil bulbs to plant

and these will go in the new planters that The Mr. gifted me. 

xx

"We should certainly count our blessings, 

but we should also make our blessings count."

- Neal A. Maxwell

At the end of the day, we took a little drive on our way to the Post Office. 

The cottonwood trees are in all their glory - the last of the color in this beautiful season. 

xx

"Gratitude is the energy of faith."

- William Arthur Ward

Most of the leaves have fallen, but this amazing shrub was still 

putting on a show. 

I will be sad to say goodbye to autumn, 

but the beauty of winter is just around the corner. 

xx

I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year and so grateful for all that life 

and love has given me. 

All of the struggles and hardships are behind me for now, 

and I am enjoying this golden time of my life. 

Like the landscape around me, I have weathered the storms, 

put down solid roots, and gratefully transitioned into 

the next season of my life. 

I now get to watch the next generation grow 

and blossom from the roots of the past. 

The circle of life. 

xoxo

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. 

So grateful for you. 

xx

"Let us remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm,

and look forward to the future with confidence."

- Pope John Paul 11

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others."

- Cicero

"Thankfulness is the tune of angels."

- Edmund Spencer

 

Sweet November

My Country Road

Hello, Dear Friends! 

Well, here it is, already November! 

This year has gone by head-spinningly fast,

(is that a word?) 

and I don't think I will ever catch up. 

Time keeps moving on despite our reluctance to keep up, sometimes.  

It's a good reminder to slow down and 

enjoy each moment, each day, and each season as they come. 

Of course, there are times when we do want life to pass by quickly, 

and if you are going through such a time, I am truly sorry. 

We've all experienced those. 

But right now, I am trying to hold on to the beauty of fall

as best I can. 

xx

As we leave my little mountain 

My post is titled, 'Sweet November', and it reminds me of 

one of my very favorite 'old' movies of the same title. 

Have you seen it? 

It was from 2001, starring Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. 

It is so bittersweet, and a reminder of the importance

of enjoying each precious moment.

 

xx 

I promised to take you on a country drive, Dear Friends, so come along 

with me and I will share some of that beauty I so 

dearly want to hold onto. 

A sweet little cottage as we drive through town. 

Don't you love the yellow trim around the paned windows? 

 I've featured this weathered old farmstead before, 

but it is especially lovely this time of year. 

This pale brick homestead reminds me of the villas in Tuscany. 

We have a similar climate here in the Pacific Northwest. 

I've always loved this fenced-in hillside, although I have 

never seen any animals contained within. 

An unfinished fence among colorful trees.

I think these are grapevines. 

Can you imagine having this farm with its amazing view of Mt. Rainier? 

I wonder what is growing in the greenhouse?

Or how would you like this view? 

It doesn't seem real. 

I love all the red!

 A nice place to keep a horse or two. 

We had two ponies when the kids were young.

Freckles and Dusty. 

They had the sweetest personalities, 

although they could be very headstrong! 

We were their 'forever' home where they 

lived out their old age. 

I miss them and their velvet noses that 

would nuzzle my hair when I would brush them. 

xoxo

Someone has planted these beautiful flowers around this abandoned home.

Love this! 

xoxo

Colorful vines to soften a high stone wall as we pass through a newer section 

of a very old town. 

Two scenes from what was once an old dairy farm.

Pretty fall scenes. 

The surrounding area where I live, was once full of dairy farms.

During the 1980's 

there was a Federal Buyout Program, due to small farms 

not able to compete with corporate farms, a dairy surplus, environmental standards

and other factors. 

All that is left are the old barns and fields,

some of which are quickly being sold for development. 

There is a county-wide project to buy out some of these properties 

to protect them and preserve them for future generations, 

which makes me so happy! 

Corn stalks

Migrating geese

Poplar trees planted along a farm field many years ago, 

look amazing against the dark green of our native evergreens. 

Pumpkin farm

xx

Following the pumpkin tractor :)

Final destination - 'U-pick pumpkin farm'. 

Can you see the tractor in front of the barn?

Birds on a wire. 

Sometimes, we all feel like we are 'birds on a wire' - holding on for dear life. 

xx

This is one of the farms in the preservation project. 

xx

Love the old truck. 

xx

My Dad had a series of old 'hobby' trucks over the years. 

One had a crank in the front to start the engine. 

When I was 14, I babysat all summer for one 

of my aunts, and my Dad would drive me there

in the old crank truck, 

early in the morning on his way to work.

 

He would drive along at top speed (35mph), 

taking the back roads, and telling me stories 

about his childhood growing up on his grandfather's farm. 

xx

Sweet memories. 

Some pretty scenes on the way home...

The road to home

Coming down the driveway

Where we park.

The driveway covered in leaves.

Home Sweet Home

The end of a beautiful day. 

Thank you for coming along with me, Dear Friends! 

I hope you enjoyed the ride! 

xoxo

xxxx