Swap Party Reveal Time!

Parsley at Seasons of My Mind hosted a fun Swap Party. This was only the second time I had participated in a swap, but with the holiday approaching, I thought it would be a fun way to exchange some love with our blogging friends. My swap partner was Sherry of Blessings From Our Nest and she wrote a lovely post about the gifts she received from me. I'm so glad she enjoyed them!

Now to my gift: It was sent to me by Charlotte of Sweet and Southern Life and I must say that she could not have picked a better gift for me, because I can't remember the last time someone sent me flowers!


Aren't they just lovely?

I had just returned from a walk with my Gizzy around the lake when the Apartment Manager's husband asked me "Who sent you flowers?" because the delivery person was inquiring about my apartment at the office. Of course, I was bewildered as I had no clue who would have sent me flowers. They were sitting on my back porch, looking so pretty and cheerful!

Thank you so much, Parsley, for hosting this swap and thank you so much, Charlotte, for that lovely gift of flowers. This was perfect!

White daisies, yellow carnations and orange roses - what a perfect autumn bouquet!

November morning at Lake Irma

Today, Gizzy and I got up and at 'em very early and started our walk down to the lake when the fog was still lingering on the water. It looked like little ghosts hovering on the surface - little wisps of fog being chased by the beams of the rising sun, all floating off in the same direction.

The Canada goose and her two Muscovy duck friends

Two more couples of ducks coming to get their breakfast!

Sunrays chasing little fog wisps over the water's surface

I looked for pretty fall colors in our neighborhood. Looks like autumn has finally come to the Deep South.

"What about me, ma?"

(You are the prince of my heart Gizzy boy!)

We stayed outside for a good long while and didn't come back home till 11 am, so we really took advantage of this crisp autumn morning, feeding ducks (barking at them in Gizzy's case) talking to people, brushing Gizzy's hair and just being thankful for being alive.

If you're interested in entering my November Giveaway, please do so by Monday, 11/29/10.

I'm nuts about pumpkin

If you love pumpkin like I do, you must go to cooking.com and check out their Pumpkin Recipes section. You'll find anything from Spiced Pumpkin Butter, and Fresh Pumpkin Soup, to Gluten Free Pumpkin Gingerbread, including this marvelous recipe for:

Pumpkin and Ricotta Crostata 
(you'll need this too: Tender Tart Dough)

Take a look and see if you can't find a recipe to change someone's mind about the incredibly versatile pumpkin that's loaded with minerals, vitamins and fiber.

Health & Nutrition Benefits of Eating Pumpkin 

• Pumpkin is very rich in carotenoids, which is known for keeping the immune system of an individual strong and healthy.
• Beta-carotene, found in pumpkin, is a powerful antioxidant as well as an anti-inflammatory agent. It helps prevent build up of cholesterol on the arterial walls, thus reducing chances of strokes.
• Being rich in alpha-carotene, pumpkin is believed to slow the process of aging and also prevent cataract formation.
• Pumpkins have been known to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a serious eye problem than usually results in blindness.
• The high amount of fiber, present in a pumpkin, is good for the bowel health of an individual.
• Being loaded with potassium, pumpkin is associated with lowering the risk of hypertension.
• The presence of zinc in pumpkins boosts the immune system and also improves the bone density

Pumpkin! It's a good thing!

Don't forget to enter my Giveaway!

Oh, Tannenbaum!

Call me nuts, but I've had my Christmas tree up (well in the living room) since November 1st. It's been up all year, only I kept it in the bedroom so nobody else could see it. It's easier for me than having to disassemble it and squeeze everything in my tiny storage shed.

So, here are some photos to get you in the mood. I know a lot of you will be decorating right after Thanksgiving:

It's all white and silver again (like last year) with my crocheted ornaments made from white yarn with silver thread. I crocheted the angel on top too. I added a (white) Santa amongst the branches as well as my usual little angel dolls. There's white poinsettias and silver baubles and stars and white, glittery snowflakes, white butterflies and of course, icicles to give it a really frosty appearance and only white lights. 

This little wooden ornament is not white (the flash made it white) but natural (light) wood color. My cousin in Germany sent it to me last year, it's right on top for everyone to see. It's a wooden star, intricately carved that she purchased in the Black Forest and it's very special to me.

I added a white Santa amongst the branches to fill in some of the empty gaps in the well-worn artificial tree. I  wanted a real one this year, but they are too cumbersome for me to deal with on my own and also, by the time they offer them in the only grocery store here in town, they're no longer fresh. I miss walking through Christmastree lots, smelling the fresh tree scent and finding the perfect one.

One of Gizzy's beds is right under the tree where he loves to snooze.

He looks so festive beneath that tree - looking at him under there reminds me that he is my "bestest" present I could have got this year and all the previous 10 years since I had him. (I got him when he was 3.) He turned 13 on November 1st and I treasure every day that I have with him. I still say that our dogs (and cats) don't live long enough!

Good night and don't forget to enter my Giveaway. You have until November 29th to enter. Good Luck!

Honey of a recipe for Thanksgiving!

Give Thanks to the Bees!

This Thanksgiving, take a second to salute the humble honey bees who keep us in constant supply of sweet-tasting honey. These hard-working bees pollinate about 80 percent of our nation’s agricultural crops and travel more than 55,000 miles just to bring one pound of honey to consumers. Now that’shard work!

And, thanks to the honey bees, we’re able to deliver this delicious, honey-centric Thanksgiving menu to you this month. From the turkey to the pecan pie, the bees and their scrumptious honey have it covered! Enjoy this time with your friends and family, and reflect on the role of the honey bees in your favorite holiday dishes.


I subscribe to the National Honey Board and thought those recipes looked fantastic. I wanted to share them with my friends because I will try a couple of those myself. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving from the National Honey Board!


IMPORTANT MESSAGE: Some of you have asked me if I sent them an e-mail with nothing in the body except a link - DO NOT OPEN IT! It's not from me and I've been getting them from others in my address book as well. It must be some kind of virus! 


PLEASE be assured that if I send you an e-mail it will always have a personal message (so you know it's me) and if I send you a link, I will always tell you what it is and assure you that it's safe to open because I try to be a very careful computer user!


Now, go on and read those yummy recipes and enjoy your weekend :-)

Honey Tarragon Glazed Poultry
(makes 4 servings)

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (about 3 lbs.) whole chicken
• Honey Madeira Sauce

Combine all ingredients except chicken; mix well. Rub breast and thigh/legs under skin with honey mixture. Roast on rack in shallow baking pan at 325°F for 30 minutes. Brush entire surface with honey mixture. Roast 20 to 30 minutes longer or until leg bone moves freely and juices run clear; baste every 10 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving. Honey Madeira Sauce: Remove excess fat from pan and deglaze with 3/4 cup water. Boil 1 minute in small saucepan; add 2 Tablespoons Madeira wine and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Continue boiling mixture until slightly thickened. Serve with chicken if desired.

Honey Cornbread Stuffing
(makes 4 treatments)

• 4 cups day-old Honey Cornbread
• 1 (4 oz.) Italian sausage
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 Tablespoon minced parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tablespoons honey

In large bowl, place crumbled cornbread. Remove sausage from casing. In medium skillet, crumble and sauté sausage until brown. Using slotted spoon, remove sausage from skillet and add to cornbread. Drain all but 1 Tablespoon of fat. Return skillet to medium-high heat; stir in bell pepper, onion and celery. Sauté until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Cool slightly, then add to cornbread. In small bowl, combine broth and honey. Pour over stuffing. Place stuffing in a greased 9x9-inch baking dish. Cover dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until stuffing is lightly browned. As an alternative, pack you may pack stuffing into poultry cavity before roasting.

Honey Nut Squash
(makes 4 servings)

• 2 acorn squash
• 4 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 2 Tablespoons seedless raisins
• 2 Tablespoons margarine, melted
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Cut acorn squash lengthwise into halves; do not remove seeds. Place cut side up in baking pan or on baking sheet. Bake at 400°F 30 to 45 minutes or until soft. Remove seeds and fibers. Combine honey, butter, walnuts, raisins and Worcestershire sauce; spoon into squash. Bake 5 to 10 minutes more until lightly glazed. Microwave Method: Cut acorn squash lengthwise into halves and remove seeds. Microwave according to manufacturer's directions. Combine honey, butter, walnuts, raisins and Worcestershire sauce; spoon into squash. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated and lightly glazed.

Cranberry Pecan Pie
(makes 8 servings)

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 9-inch baked pie shell
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 Tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1-3/4 cups pecan halves

In medium saucepan, combine cranberries, juice and honey. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 15 minutes if using fresh cranberries or 20 minutes if using frozen berries. Cool. Puree cranberry mixture in blender; return to saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water. Stir into cranberry mixture. Bring to boil and cook until thickened. Stir in orange extract. Cool; then pour into pie shell. Spoon topping evenly over cranberry mixture. Bake at 350°F 20 minutes or until top is bubbly. Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Topping: In medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup honey and 3 Tablespoons butter or margarine; cook and stir 2 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Stir in 1-3/4 cups pecan halves until well coated.

My Quickie November Giveaway

First of all THANK YOU so much everyone for your kind comments. It's sure nice to see I was missed. All of you mean so much to me - honest! I appreciate my online buddies and you all are a big part of my life.

Anyway, as you know I'm still working on getting my programs restored and that takes a bit of work plus getting my Germany Christmas packages ready - so I hope you don't mind I make this month's Giveaway real easy (for myself) and offer another one of my lovely hardcover books called "Holidays In Cross-Stitch 1990" (The Vanessa-Ann Collection.) I know not everyone does cross stitch, but it's a very nice book and would make a wonderful Christmas gift for someone who loves to cross stitch. It's chock full of holiday projects to make with vibrant illustrations, graphs and directions to help you make them. I don't have my digital camera hooked up yet (am still looking for my CD that came with it) so I can't send you photos, but this is what the book looks like:

It's easy to enter: Everyone who leaves a comment will be included in the drawing. If you are a follower you get two entries and if you link back to this article on your blog, you get three. Just let me know that you did this, so I can add your name in the hat again.

LAST DAY TO ENTER: Monday, November 29th, 2010!

Thanks and I hope you will have a wonderful day. I just got back from yet another invigorating walk around the lake with my boy and we are content.

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

Thank you to all the Veterans, young and old. May your day be especially blessed today!

I'm still here...

It seems like a long time since I posted on my blog, but I've been unable to go online for a while. I had some type of mole ware that hijacked my computer and didn't allow me to go online (nor perform other normal functions) without trying to force me to buy their anti virus program - what an ordeal that turned out to be trying to get rid of it. I actually hat to totally reboot my whole Operating System and all the Drivers with the manufacturer's recovery disks - what a hassle. Now I have a blank computer and have to re-establish accounts, passwords, install programs that I no longer have, nor have the disks for because some of them came preloaded from Dell when I bought it years ago. I have my work cut out for me, but at least I can use the computer and don't have to walk to the library to check e-mails and run my Etsy shop.

I spent all day today working the bugs out so that I can at least get Netflix operating again and watch my DVDs since I don't have TV and the computer is my only source of entertainment in terms of watching movies and keeping in touch.

The weather has been so wonderful lately that in all honesty, I don't want to be in front of the computer as much as in the summer. I have been spending a lot of time outside with Gizzy enjoying the weather. Gizzy is feeling a lot better - and we are having a wonderful time breathing in the fresh, cool air and dreaming of the Blue Ridge Mountains where I want to relocate to next year.

I still have to do a few more installations before I can start using my digital camera and posting pictures again, so please bear with me and whatever you do, enjoy your time with your loved ones, even if they are just your four legged friends. I would be very lonely without my little doggy Gizmo! He turned 13 on Nov.1st and I appreciate every single day I have with him.

God bless you and yours!