Just Another Regular Old Thanksgiving

 Just a little late with the picture, but the holiday was great. And we really celebrated on the actual day. All of John's family was able to be together this year after a much too long break. We were able to have a couple of days of Brafford Revelry before everyone went back to their respective states. It was so nice to see them all at one time. The baby is no longer a baby. My five bonus grands are stair stepped from ages nine til two, and as cute as can be.

                                                                  

                                                                   The Kids' Table

The Moran's had plans too, this year, but they had to change, after three of them came down with Covid, even though they have been "following the rules".  Everyone is feeling better now, and it hasn't spread any further. My children had four intimate little dinners, each probably missing some of the traditional foods. No traveling allowed. I have to say that my middle daughter and her family had their worst and probably most memorable holiday. Even though Meghan couldn't taste or smell anything, she made a dinner with last minute ingredients from online grocery shopping. Unfortunately, the oven broke and the door actually came off in Jack's hand when they were putting the cold dishes in to cook.

The dinner was transferred to the microwave. And a good time was had by all. Well, not really. Half the family was sick, and the other half was hungry. And, of course, they couldn't have any company. In a few days, I will be able to see them again.

My dream is to have everyone together this year for Christmas. So far it is looking good.

Challenge Completed

 

Here we are into November and I already feel like time is getting away from me. It sounds strange but I think everything went a little slower last month when I was writing every day! Here is my reward from PinArtWork. They have a lot of info about blogging and increasing your traffic, which I am still trying to absorb. So far it seems like all the info about increasing traffic has a big financial component.

I put away the Halloween decorations, except for some pumpkins. That's about all the decorating I do for Thanksgiving. I did buy a Give Thanks banner which I will decorate and hang. This year we will have a real family Thanksgiving again. Last year it was John and me and the Hy-Vee menu. We had two invitations this year. I wish we could visit both. I am really looking forward to a traditional Christmas. I hope it happens. 

I began this on November 4th and now it is the fifteenth. One of the things I learned last month was that I have a tendency to just float if I hadn't made a committment. Well, actually I didn't just learn it, but I did prove it. When I knew that I had to come up with something to write about every day, then I did it. There is a lesson for me there, I know.

November has been busy. John finally got to stop wearing the sling, and is now able to use his arm, even though he isn't supposed to do any lifting. He goes to physical therapy three times a week for a few more weeks. We have gotten used to having very unscheduled mornings, so that makes a difference.

We went to Galena this week and celebrated our second wedding anniversary a month late. We did see  some of the shops, but not nearly all of them. Just an FYI, many shops aren't open on Wednesdays. We also went to General Grant's Home. I had seen it several years ago. It is furnished in the same time period as my much loved Flynn Mansion. Flynn is much, much grander, although most of General Grant's house has original furnishings. We ex-museum people are always conscious of details like that. I have always said that once I started working in an historic home, I could never watch a period movie and just enjoy it. We all become very picky about authenticity. I always like to see other guides too. Ours gave out a lot of information (too much for John), but was very scripted. I don't think he appreciated questions. During all my years as an historic interpreter, I always liked to see how many ways I could say the same information. Factually, of course. And I did hear the dreaded "people were shorter back then" phrase. But it was fun to see everything. In an outbuilding they had a display of plates from most of the White House First Ladies China. I thought the most interesting was picked by Dolly Madison and manufactured in 1814.

                                                          

It was a little more vibrant and orange than it shows in the photo. The china came from Paris.

We stayed at The Irish Cottage Hotel which I highly reccomend. There is music on the weekends.

We are the music makers, and we

Are the dreamers of dreams

Wandering by lone sea-breakers

And sitting by desolate streams

World losers and world forsakers

on whom the pale moon gleams

Yet we are the movers and the

shakers, of the world for-ever

it seems.

I always thought I had quite a bit of Irish in me, until I had my DNA tested, and it was just a sliver. My children are still mostly Irish, on their dad's side, and with my tiny bit.

October 31: It is Halloween #Blogtober2021

 Goodbye October! See you next year! I learned a lot about writing this month. I now realize that I don't have to wait for inspiration. I can come up with something to say every single day for a month. I plan to have a more set schedule now than before. I think I can manage two or three times a week. Hello, discipline. Thank you to every one who took the time to read the things I've found to say, and to comment or give an encouraging gesture.

October the Thirtieth: One More Pumpkin #Blogtober2021

 

Here's a way to finish off the Halloween month. 

One medium sized pumpkin

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/3 cup chopped green pepper

3/4 cup chopped celery

 3/4 cup chopped onion

1 teasoon salt

1/4teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup soy sauce

2Tablespoons brown sugar

1 4 oz can mushrooms

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups cooked rice

Black olives

Steamed carrot

Whole cloves

Fresh parsley

Cut lid from pumpkin and scoop out seeds. In a large skillet, combine ground beef, chopped pepper, celery, and onion and cook over medium heat. Add next seven ingredients to skillet. Mix well and place mixture into pumpkin cavity. Place lid on pumpkin. Place pumpkin on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 1 and 1/2 hours.

Just before serving, embellish pumpkin by placing black olives (using toothpicks), to make eyes, a steamed carrot to make a nose, and whole cloves to make a mouth. Use fresh parsley leaves to make hair.

Or, just draw on a face with a marker. To serve, scoop out part of the baked pumpkin, along with the meat mixture, onto each plate.

October the Twenty Ninth: Trick or Treat #Blogtober2021

 

Many of our Halloween customs came here from Ireland and the British Isles. Samhain was a Celtic holiday celebrated on October 31. People believed that the spirits of the dead were out and about because the veil between the worlds was thinnest at this time. People dressed up to fool the spirits that might be about. By the middle ages, there was a lot more merry making with people going from house to house playing tricks and entertaining each other both at All Hallow's Eve and other holidays. The mid nineteenth century was the time of the potato famine in Ireland. Over a million and a half men, women, and children traveled to the United States, bringing their folklore and stories. Halloween or Beggar's Night activities continued here, with tricks and parties. Pranks were often  the highlight of the evening.

It wasn't until the 1930's that the activities became known as trick-or-treating. People would give out treats to keep their homes and property from being damaged. It's been called trick-or-treating since then. 

In the area where I live, it is customary for the children to have a joke, or a trick to tell before they are given a treat. I have heard that it isn't that way in most of the United States. All they need to do is dress in costume, and knock at the door, expecting a treat. Happily, the vandalism isn't a common result anymore.

Here are some examples of the jokes we hear in Iowa:

October the Twenty Eighth: Patience with the Patient #Blogtober2021

 

Today was a good day for John. It has been four weeks since his surgery, and he was able to stop wearing the very bulky and cumbersome sling. It has been his almost constant companion for the last month. He was supposed to remove it only for his exercise time, and he was really pretty good about it.

The first week after the surgery was pretty rough. He says that he wouldn't choose to do this again. I had an idea that it wouldn't be an easy recovery, but he really expected to be back to normal in three or four days. It's taken a bit longer than that, but it has been sooner than originally expected. At first, we thought he would have the sling until mid November. He started physical therapy last week. He'll be going three times a week for a while, but I think it is a real help. A lot of the exercises he has to do remind me of my Pilates classes. There's a lot of stretching, and working with range of motion. Both help to correct muscle balance, improve posture, balance, coordination, strength, and flexibility.

Tonight we went for a drive. I didn't have to be the driver. That was wonderful for both of us. John loves to drive, and that was one of the hardest parts of recovery. And the pain, because there has been a lot of pain.

He's very independent, and has been a good patient. This is fortunate for me, since my nursing skills are pretty limited! 

October the Twenty Seventh: My Gypsy Life #Blogtober2021

 Today I gave a program for a PT0 group. I used to do this fairly often, but it's been a while. I was a little nervous, but I think it went well. The subject was Fortune Telling and my collection of Gypsy memorabilia. I have been collecting items since my early teens. I have lots of books,and smaller amounts of postcards, fortune telling cards, tin boxes, hand made clothes pegs, pictures, and caravans. Since it is nearly Halloween, it was fun to dress the part. Unfortunately, the components of my Bohemian wardrobe, was in various boxes in many various places. So I had to improvise. Luckily, this time I will put it all in one large labeled tote!

We talked about apples and shoes, true love, and Tarot. 

Here's a piece from my collection. The cauldron lifts and has a calendar from 1929.

This was one of my first postcards

Going back in time. Here I was at Living History Farms, reading dominos quite a few years ago. If you pick three, I can tell your past, present, and future. 

More from my collection. I am fascinated by caravans. I'm not sure why. I don't like camping, and I'm not really much of an outdoor girl.

This is my friend Janet. This picture was the first time we "performed" at the Farms. It was a long time ago. Obviously!

And what a long time ago! I think it was sometime in the 1970's.  Almost every Halloween party I went to, I dressed like this.

DEFINITION OF A GYPSY SOUL

A person in need of a change or adventure who seeks the next best thing in any situation. A gypsy soul is passionate and inspired by different ideas, attitudes and experiences. May we all be gypsy souls.

October 26: Pumpkins All Around #Blogtober2021

 There was a time when I automatically thought of orange when I thought of a pumpkin. Now they come in all colors. And a lot of colors have meanings. They signify different physical conditions. There are four that are seen most often for health conditions.

A blue pumpkin shows autism awareness. A teal pumpkin is for allergies. If on the porch, it shows that allergy free treats are available. A child carrying a blue pumpkin bucket lets you know that he has food allergies. Purple is another clue. Purple is for epilepsy, letting people know that the householders are familiar with it. It has only been the past few years that the color hints have been used. Personally, I think if there are any such issues, then the adults shouldn't rely too much on the pumpkins.

Many people go with the colors as part of their decorating schemes. I've seen many pumpkins created from sweaters and shirts. It's very easy to make one by using a sleeve, Just cut the shape you want, gather the bottom, stuff, put in a stem and gather the top. Easy Peasy. Circles can be cut to cover an artificial form, or stuffed.  These can be made with hand sewing and glue. No sewing machine necessary.

I really like the idea of using shirts for  keepsake pumpkins. I have seen some that show the placket and pockets. 

I made only a few pumpkins this year. I used some vintage orange velvet and antique lace. I will still be adding some leaves and berries to it. Maybe I will use vintage buttons.  Another velvet pumpkin is the base for assorted brooches. I've also seen forms covered with decoupaged napkins. After all, if they don't have faces on them, they can stick around in November.

Stems are getting a lot more creative lately too. Sticks picked up from the yard have probably been first choice, but I have seen corks, vintage silverware- tarnished or shiny, crumpled brown paper, wire, and wooden clothespins.

Many years ago I decorated small pumpkins to sell. I added leaves and flowers and some ribbons to the top and they were pretty unusual at that time. When my oldest son got married, we decided that they would be unusual centerpieces. My new daughter-in-laws mother couldn't picture them on the tables, so she brought centerpieces too. So each table had my rustic country craftsy decor and a shiny mylar covered sparkly vase. It all worked out and we laughed about our different styles.

 

I really like this nineteenth century pincushion. I have seen several versions of this in my old needlework books. Someday I'll make one. Maybe.

October the Twenty Fifth: Pumpkins #Blogtober2021

 Pumpkins do not grow on trees. But this time of year, I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Actually, I just saw a photo of a tree along a sidewalk decorated with all sizes of pumpkin trick-or-treat baskets. And pumpkins on porches. And pumpkins along walkways. And pumpkins of every shape and size and color. I feel a little guilty that I haven't bought a single pumpkin this year. One just doesn't make a statement, and it does seem that this year is all about the abundance.

                                                                           

This is not my house.

This is also not my house. Mine is the one you will see without a single pumpkin. I am feeling the shame tonight, but I stand by my decision.

Does anyone still make jack-o-lanterns the old fashioned carving a pumpkin way? I haven't done one for quite a while, but I did come across a few hints that sounded like good ideas. I read that cutting a hole in the back of your pumpkin first makes it easier to clean. The cap stays on. I really liked the info to slice the bottom off the pumpkin, then clean it out and carve it and set the candle inside. Once again, the top stays on. I'm a little leery of hint number three, but I would love to know if it works. This one involves cutting the lid, and then taking a portable electric mixer, and whirling it around the inside. All the seeds and gooey innards, are supposed to stick to the whisk beaters, and come out very neatly. In my mind's eye, it just doesn't work that way. I don't want to try it, but would love to see it. I'm sure there is a video somewhere.

I can't even think about Halloween without reliving my years as a fraternity house mom. My "young men" got very excited about the holiday one year and bought several pumpkins and had a carving party. They put all the pumpkins on the front steps. I thought it was so sweet. The next day an administrator or board member drove by the house, and before I knew it we had a big scandal. A few of the carvings weren't as innocent as they should have been. For several days there was a lot of  talk about expelling some of the artists and closing down the House. After that I kept a lot closer eye on pumpkin decorating. Every year there was a big Halloween party with some pretty crazy costumes and more glitter than I had ever seen. Sometimes I miss those boys.

Although I don't have outdoor pumpkins this year, I do have some inside my house. Part Two will be coming soon.

October the Twenty Fourth: Reading and Writing #Blogtober2021

 Tonight I am taking a little break from Halloween. This blog post may be all over the place since it doesn't have a theme, but I am hoping something comes from my disconnected thoughts. Writing isn't always easy. Sometimes the words just flow, and that's when I feel compelled to write. For all the times I've written on my blog, I have almost always waited until I had something I wanted to say. And that is why I haven't written very often. (Also the photos. I never have photos available!!!) Usually I write about once a month, although at times I have gone much longer than that. By entering this challenge to write every day in October, I have learned that I can post something without waiting for my Muse to gently kick me in the backside. I have really enjoyed it, and I like to see what I come up with. I've said before that I feel like I am writing to myself, because it's really hard to know how many people actually see this. I have been pleasantly surprised at some of the "Likes" I've received. And I've wondered why it doesn't seem to reach many people. 

I've spent an excessive amount of time this month on the internet. I am researching, which I have always loved to do, but it does lead me down the rabbit hole. I am also trying to educate myelf about Facebook, and Blogger, and Instagram. I find it very complicated most of the time, but I am learning some new things. Just trying to put my words together takes a lot longer than the five minutes people give me by reading them.And I really appreciate that you do take that five minutes. I probably won't keep writing every day after the month ends, but I am wanting to make myself do this at least once or twice a week. A good friend told me recently that she doesn't read my blog as much now because I write too often, and that she doesn't have the time. So, I guess less must be better.

 I am working on a book of essays. I don't have really grand plans for it, but I want to have something for my friends and family. I think I must write because I like to see my words. I guess that's as good a reason as any other.

                                                                            

October the Twenty Third: Witches Tea #Blogtober2021

 

A Witches' Tea 

will be served at three

                                                                              

You're invited to prepare the pot

And drink it while it's piping hot

We'll have some treats upon a tray

And nibble til it's time to play

We'll practice all our games and spells

Until we all can do them well

And afterwards a fond goodbye

As on our brooms to home we'll fly.

There are some amazing ideas for Witches Teas on the web. I really didn't know it was a popular party idea. Here are some sites you might want to peruse.

Tatertots and Jello

Make Life Lovely

Up to Date Interiors

Enjoy Your Tea!

October the Twenty Second: Which Witch? #Blogtober2021

Tonight Miss Witch is taking her broom and leaving the party early. I'll be back tomorrow with more words and fewer pictures. 

October the Twenty First: Let It Go #Blogtober2021

Colder today and windy too. I'm not ready for the leaves to be falling yet. Autumn always seems to be the shortest season, I think. This year it's taken awhile for the trees to turn. I hope they aren't too quick to drop their leaves. Before this happens, don't forget to catch a falling leaf and make a wish.

      

 Flynn Mansion

   Living History Farms

    Urbandale, Iowa

 When I worked as an historical interpreter in a Victorian mansion, I spent a lot of my free time researching decorating, needlework and housekeeping books and magazines published in the 1870's. I still have many old books in my personal collection. Colorful fall leaves were often used to make Christmas decorations in the nineteenth century. In the fall we gathered leaves and twigs and acorns, and copied some of the arrangements from the past. We dipped colorful leaves in wax and arranged them on the fireplace mantels and tabletops. We stuck them on picture frames and mirrors, and made garlands to hang across the windows. Long branches and leaves filled our cut glass vases, and pottery pitchers. And, yes, it was the best job ever.

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go."  That is a wonderful and profound quote. And  appropriate to so much in our lives. So many times when we have to let things go, we aren't able to see the beauty that can follow. It can be books, a job, extra weight, a closet filled with clothes that no longer fit, our youth, furniture, houses, dear friendships, and even the special people in our lives. The bareness of late October trees serves to remind us that spring always comes back into our lives. No matter what happens.