November One

Had a lovely Halloween. A couple of my friends came down and brought grilled chicken salads from Pizza Hut. I don't know if you've ever tried one of those, but they are spectacular and kinda relatively healthy... if you don't eat the croutons and little add-ins...   My son was here also and had a good time entertaining some of our trick or treaters. It was a lower volume year, so again I have a ton of bagged candy to share with friends or later visitors. We had fourteen trick or treaters plus the little dinner party of four. Not too bad for a country Monday night.

Looking out the window into a sea of deep green etched with just the slightest touch of amber, I am wondering again this year if the vibrant color is going to miss us. It's so late for a hard frost, but according to the Almanac we are going to get one very soon. I could sit out today in summer clothes and feel cool but not chilled.

Thoughts in November turn toward the holidays. I ordered a buttercream Christmas tree this year. I saw its stunning photo in our catalog from "Through the Country Door," and I had to find one. Walmart actually had the same tree quite a few dollars less, so I ordered it. Mom is quite excited since she has been fussing to put up Christmas since I decked out the mantle in Fourth of July colors...  I think we have had a Santa somewhere in her line of vision since her stroke December 27th. She knows what month it is, but she just loves Christmas.

Here are a few shots of the loot from last night. I gave away Orange Pop, too...  Far be it from me to be outdone by the "Trunk or Treat" festivities in town.  haha..

I met the day with the ever present drive within me to try something absolutely new. Have you seen the egg molds? I posted about wanting one of these a couple years ago I think, and dear Nana Diana from her blog Nana Diana Takes a Break.... found it for me online. I ordered it then, but didn't try it until the last minute yesterday morning. I think there might be a learning curve on these egg mold thingys...  or at least there was for me! I had a little bowl for wasted attempts, and although this one was technically done wrong (eye broke too soon)...  I ended up with only a couple scrambled eggs for my lunch! haha,,  It is hard to get the yolk done enough without spreading it out. I finally learned to turn the heat really low and cover the pan. The oven might have done well, too...  But other than the fact my son exclaimed, "Oh, cool! a SKULL AND CROSSBONES!"  ... when it's clearly an owl on a limb...  haha..  it was a success.

Have a wonderful All Saint's Day. I plan to enjoy a nice piece of carrot cake and coffee and these beautiful flowers from my sister/cousin.

I have been tweaking my mix box cakes when I make them lately. It seems to add a different taste and delicious moistness to them, I think. I add an extra egg to what the box calls for, at least a teaspoon of really good vanilla, and a big dollop (couple tablespoons) of mayonnaise. I also change the oil to melted, cooled butter. Well, that adds some extra calories in the mayo and the egg... and possibly the butter but I don't know...  but the cakes are usually pretty good. I have also tried valiantly not to overbake things...  It's so hard to tell with me....  Too much or too little...  story of my life.  See ya soon I think.

I'm not a USUALLY a skull fan, (see the little sugar skulls in the beautiful arrangement?) but since I taught Spanish and the Mexican customs so many years, I grew to appreciate and actually enjoy the tradition of Day of The Dead. It's rather like our Memorial Day .... with cookies! On this sunny November First, I do think of my dear ancestors and their lives entwined in the making of my own. Where would I with my colorful fancies be without the magic and Christian faith of my dear Aunt Matt...  the tea leaves she read, the Bible she left my mother. My own grandparents worked their whole lives to leave us a legacy of values, traditions, foods, and family... They live within us all. Leaves are falling fast from these burnt green trees. I'm trying to imagine a color bouquet in my childhood 96 crayola box that symbolizes this 2016 autumn....  I think I'll go with sienna, olive green, and a touch of yellow orange from our Sugar Maple in the front yard brought and transplanted about sixty years ago in a tin can from Indiana...  more ancestors to share my morning...

Love you all...

Whimsy and Hugs!