First Snowfall of the Season

Hello Friends! I'm so sorry I've been among the missing. Life has been hectic around here. But, today was the beginning of winter here in Iowa!! We were not to get very much, so I wasn't worried about it. However, in the night (or very early morning hours) we got some 'thunder snow'. The wind and the temperatures have been so different than what we've been use to. We're back to having wind chills.. brrrr.. Obviously, I didn't leave the house..smile... But with those high winds and heavy snow on the trees, I have a few limbs down in the yard. We only got about an inch of snow, but the winds really don't help...

This was out front of the house, as the day went by, there was a little melting.

I noticed the neighbors tree still has some leaves hanging on...I'm sure this will end what life they have left in them and they will fall to the ground very soon.

It was pretty to look at, but sure let everyone know...it's time for a change. We've been so lucky. Up until yesterday afternoon, I've had windows either open or at least cracked a little bit. But as the temps dropped last night, I knew it was time to close them for the year! My son, came over yesterday and shut the electric to the air conditioner off and got it covered up. I really am glad I don't have to run it anymore though...smile...

 

I baked a few cookies today, that not only made the house smell amazingly yummy, but the oven warmed it up in here.

 

Tomorrow my daughter, her husband and my granddaughter are heading to Iowa from Georgia!! They will be here all next week!! I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it!!! I know it will go by fast, so must savor every minute!!!

 

I would appreciate your good thoughts and prayers for my sister in law as she continues to fight her battle with cancer. This will be a difficult time for her...

 

Off to bed, tomorrow is another day (without snow) I hope... Tell me what kind of weather you have been having...

As Close to Perfect as Possible

Yesterday certainly was 'perfect'!! Our temps were amazing, 73 degrees.  And can you believe it's February in Iowa?? Yes, those temperatures were a record setting high!! My son and DIL stopped over and checked on the van, which was fine. (Yeah!) My granddaughter and her girls were here all day. What a fun day we had!!

Holding, loving, and just seeing what wonderful children they are!!

 

Lorelai helped Aunt Karen make brownies!! (I wish I'd have gotten pictures of her in the kitchen) She broke the eggs, (which I'm still surprised at), then she whisked the mixture up!! She noticed Karen's yellow gloves she wears when she does dishes and told her she'd like to help with the dishes. What a little Miss Susie homemaker!!! 

 

Rusty even got into the mix!! (He did get a little jealous when they were up on my lap though!) It was funny to watch.

 

It was even nice enough to do a photo shoot outside..smile... It was just a wonderful, fun filled day!! Loved ones, babies, one on one time, playing games with those you love.

 

Blessings..

Where Did September Go???



This is at a mall in our area...so pretty!!

 

So how did your weekend go? We did a few things and also did nothing (like watching an old movie, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers!) what a great old show. Have you had those kind of weekends? Almost like...where did it go?? Reminds me of September...seems like we were just talking about ushering it in.

 

Saturday we made a nice dinner and baked a angel food, pineapple cake. It was so simple...just mix an angel food cake mix with a can of crushed pineapple. So easy, and yet so good!! Just put a dollop of Cool Whip on top! Yummmm

 

Sunday, we had company again. smile.. A couple from church came to see us and to see how we were doing! So thoughtful.. They are wonderful people, he has diabetes, last year he had to have his big toe removed. Now, he will have to have the next toe removed. He will be able to continue to walk, with special shoes.

 

Last night we went to a M.S. Seminar. My neurosurgeon was the speaker and did a wonderful job. Now here is another MS "pill". I believe lots of drug companies are making these pills. You know, the young people are wanting this and hoping to get away from the shots. I know they will be happy with it. Its amazing how far they are coming toward a cure. Anyway, it was good to get out, the weather was beautiful and so fallish!!

 

 

Today was fallish also, but in a rainy cool day way. Tomorrow is to be cooler yet...but it will be October won't it?? Tom has to wear a heart monitor for a couple days...so I'd appreciate prayers that the results will be positive..

 

Time for my shot...good night...

Saturday's Snow...

 

Well, here he is again! ha...ha...! Someone, said they enjoyed seeing him...so this morning when I looked out, there he was! Filling up on his suet...and as you can see, he has most of it gone... (thank goodness we have a full box of it!)

 

I looked across the street yesterday and today...you can see the difference. More snow today...smile...

 

This is so funny! My SIL has been throwing some (unsalted) peanuts out for the squirrels...at first, they'll eat one or two...smile.. then they run off and bury them! Then back to have another one...yummm (ha...ha...) Yesterday, I looked out and a nut hatch would fly down, snap up one of those peanuts and off he'd fly! The squirrel was not happy...he'd sit up in tree and scowl at the nut hatch!! smile...

 

Today...we finally made these pumpkin cupcakes! I found the simple recipe on FB...one box of yellow cake mix and a can of pumpkin! I added a few things, like nuts and coconut! smile They turned out pretty tasty! Yesterday, my SIL made the chocolate chip cookies. These are the frozen ones...so simple...take them out of the bag and plop them on the cookie sheet, bake and viola! smile..

 

So, what have you been doing this weekend??

 

Blessings,

Gert

 

more as it happens here in the city.................

Oh Silly Me...

Great big Woodpecker at the feeder today!

 

Today was a restful one for me..(what day isn't huh? lol) We did make lasagna and chocolate chip cookies.. smile... Due to the oven being on and of course it warmed up in here and our temps were nice outside, so we opened some of the windows...smile.. Tom and Rusty took a nap this afternoon, so I decided to watch a couple Hallmark Christmas movies. Soon, the heat from the oven cooled down and so did the house. So...........I turned the fireplace on...ha..ha.. silly me... (windows open and fireplace going..)  But I was loving it, seeing the Christmas movies, with all the Christmas trees and snow...awww I love it!!

Sparrows at the feeder..

 

I told Tom after I looked out the window this morning...we had sparrows, cardinals, chick a dee's, nut hatches and woodpeckers at the feeder! Love it! (And of course squirrels on the ground!)

 

Today, would have been my parents 75th anniversary! I'm sure they are celebrating in Heaven today!

 

I hope you have had a blessed SONday...please pray for all those effected by those deadly tornadoes that went across the country today. And don't forget those in the Philippines.

 

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. - Hebrews 11:6

 

more as it happens here in the city.........



Fall is in the Air...

 

The other day we went shopping and when we came out of the store...this is what we saw!! Pumpkins everywhere!!! smile... (Actually they were off loading them when we went into the store...)

 

Instead..of getting the pumpkin, back there we stopped at a little stand near by, for a watermelon and I spotted these. I said to Tom, I want that ugly pumpkin...(and a white one!)

 

Yep, our "ugly pumpkin" welcomes all who enter our home! smile.. As does our 'white' pumpkin!!! ha..ha.. (sorry I didn't get a picture of the white one...)

 

As you can see the trees are turning and the wind is really blowing!!! The temperatures were dropping today, but are to warm back up tomorrow! Normal fall...temps up and down!! smile... 

 

Having that in mind, yesterday we made cookies and chili! yummm..  This is such a great way to bake cookies, we bought some frozen cookie dough that was already made into cookies and plop them on the cookie sheet, and bake 'em! They were so good! We only bought one dozen just to see what they tasted like, I will certainly buy more. Yummmm

 

And the chili...well that was a different story--we knew what that tasted like and we weren't disappointed! It was so..so good, especially on a cool, windy day. smile..

 

Are you decorating and enjoying some fall cooking and baking??

 

more as it happens here in the city...............

Ho...Ho..Ho...

Look...look..look! I got another package in the mail Saturday! Isn't this just adorable? I was so excited!!! Look at the cute little towel with the doggie on it. But...the bestest thing of all...is the Beatrix Potter Great-Grandma's Brag Book!!! It was all wrapped in beautiful paper, adorned with cardinals!!  I am almost speechless...it is so neat. I told my on line friend, it won't take long to fill it with pictures of little Lorelai and those twin girls that should be here in February!!! I can only say "Thank You" my friend.

And look at these darling pictures! I have a friend who has MS, she lives in a nursing home in Wisconsin since she lost her husband to cancer last year. She painted these felt covered photos, one for each of us. A fish for Tom, the frog and butterflies for me and the puppies for Rusty! What an amazing friend!

Yesterday, I looked out the window and three cardinals landed in our trees. So, I hurried, grabbed my camera and only got one shot off! But at least I caught all of them...smile... We are so happy that they have come back to our house!

Now I think this is the same species, only ones a male, ones a female. And the difference is that red on his neck! They do love the suet!

We made some cranberry pumpkin bread yesterday! It turned out really good! I wanted to make some candy too, but we ran out of steam..sad...

I will do a post later on our Saturday night church Christmas party! It was so much fun! Today we went to the doctor, Tom has a growth on his face and they took a biopsy, we will hear the results either Friday or Monday when they take the stitches out. So, my prayers are that it is okay and non cancerous.

Hope you're having a good week and are catching up all your Christmas 'to-do's'! Let me know how you are coming....smile...

more as it happens..

Busy Day...

The other morning, I came walking into the kitchen, I spotted this beautiful sunrise out the window...(it was quite chilly that day) so Tom stepped out and shot this photo!! At about the same moment, my son Randy texted me to say..'check out that sunrise'!!! smile... great minds!!!

Tuesday when we went to therapy, I spotted this and thought it was so pretty...the landscape just goes on and on...smile...

The other evening, our bird bath was empty 'again'...the robins were going through the water like crazy!!! But I thought this little robin was looking at me like..."I want some more water"!!! smile... The next morning Tom filled the bath but, all I've seen are some 'snow birds' since then, so I assume the robins have headed south for the winter....sad... I will miss them.... (maybe he was telling me goodbye for this year....)

Yesterday, we made this Quiche  It was amazing...just like it was when we had it down to my sister in laws. Before we made it, I called her to tell her we were going to make it, BUT I had a question...the recipe calls for a 'baked' pie shell...now whenever I baked a pie shell, I'd prick it with a fork so it wouldn't bubble. But I thought if I did that I'd have holes in the bottom of my shell and I couldn't imagine pouring a liquid (Quiche mixture) in it...but she said it would be okay and of course it was! 

Hope you had a nice Halloween and saw a few little goblins...smile... or maybe some 'big' ones...lol This is our granddaughter Ashley....she did this makeup herself!! scary.... 

Tomorrow's Red Hat day...speaking of...I worked this morning setting up a blog for our Red Hat group...I  hope the ladies enjoy it!

I end this with thoughts and prayers for all those on the east coast who are suffering now from this disaster... May the victims find comfort in Jesus' words in John 16:33, "..in Me you may have peace; in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

Saturday...

Here is what I bought 'new' the other day. They had these glass pumpkin candy dishes on sale for $4.99, now who could pass that up?? smile... However, the candy cost a lot more than the dish...smile...

Also, I got these place mats 'new' too..smile... Aren't they pretty? I love the applique and the colors. Now the decorative sat and pepper set are not new... I've had them for years..

Speaking of kitchens..(smile) we had to have a new kitchen light put in. The old one had a short in it and we were lucky we didn't have a fire. (God watched over us for sure...) Tom and Henry went looking for a new light fixture and came home and gave me the receipt it costs $10.70! Can you believe it??? Isn't it pretty?? (It was a discontinued pattern, that was why it was so reasonable.)

Our daughter Brenda, sent this for Mother's Day, we finally got a plant for it. Now it's time to "Sing to the Lord"...smile....

I had bought a bunch of banana's the other day at the store, so today I thought, I'd use some of them to make banana bread! Tom was outside mowing the lawn! (Remember how neat it looked last week? Well, one of the trees out there dropped all it's leaves this week!! ha...) I think we're both exhausted tonight...smile..

Hope you're having a great weekend...

Story time on Saturday...

We tried something different today! I forgot I had this in the cupboard. And it was so easy to make and so good! Have you ever tried it?  It's made with orzo (one of my favorites...), and all you need to add is chicken. 

Tom went to the store and was buying some fresh milk, so to use up what we had I made some custard. It was so yummy!! Even have some for tomorrow!

I spotted this 'male' Downy Woodpecker today. Remember the female that Tom spotted yesterday? This must be her man!! smile....

And here is another picture I took the other night... (are you getting tired of these pictures??) smile... 

I was visiting with my daughter this morning and we were talking about my friend Mary (that I had lunch with yesterday..) I shared a story with her about when Mary and I were Juniors in high school, we were attending a high school in the city, (we lived in a small town about 20 miles south of the city) and we went to a school dance (in 1960), after the dance, when we got ready to leave, we went to pick up our coats and purses and her's was gone...along with the keys to her vehicle. We panicked...she called her Mom and she said her dad should be getting off work soon, so we called a cab (I must have had some money) and we went over to where he worked. When we got there he was already gone!! We were so scared...not knowing if the cab driver would take us back to school or what he'd do to us...smile... Of course he took us back and dropped us off... My folks didn't have a phone, but my uncle who lived in a trailer in my folks yard did. So, I called him and asked him to go over and wake up my dad. He said 'no' he'd just come up and get us. (Bless his heart..) When he got there he said we'd better tow the car to another area in case the thieves saw us leave, they might steal the car. What an adventure...  When Mary and I  were remembering this she was so disgusted that that happened...but I reminded her, that had we just went to the dance and nothing had happened we wouldn't have this great story to tell...smile.... I thought surely I had shared this story with my daughter at one time or another in her life...but I hadn't...smile... She found it really interesting...ha...ha...

Are you having a good weekend?? I hope you are doing something fun!

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more as it happens here in the city.......

Cooking on a Cold Day........

It was so cold today, started at zero with wind chills of 14 below......however, we shouldn't complain as we've had such a wonderful winter (almost fall like)...  Early this morning we looked out the window and saw our tree full of birds!! They were heading to the feeder....smile...

We baked cupcakes for church tomorrow...I thought I'd try to frost them like I've seen on Cupcake Wars...smile...filled a ziplock bag with frosting and snipped the corner of the bag off and started frosting...just like on TV...wrong..........smile... I don't think I'd win a prize with this one...ha...ha...

So I did a few like this...just ole plain and simple...smile...with a few sprinkles.... But they tasted 'oh so good'...we had to sample them...

Tom was busy making homemade potato soup...our granddaughter had made it and shared the recipe with us. It turned out pretty good.... It really made a lot...so he is filling containers and freezing them for another cold day!...smile...

Blessings and goodnight!!

Baking today...

We were busy today doing some baking! Banana bread, and I made a Chocolate 'buttermilk' cake. I made two 9" pans, one for us and one for Karen! The other day she bought some milk, then realized it was 'buttermilk'! So she brought it over and I said I'd use it to make a cake! So I figured I'd better share it with her...smile...and of course 'we' don't need that much cake to eat! smile...

I looked out the window today and saw our cute little squirrel doing his thing! Look at his little hands aren't they just amazing??

Oh by the way...this is what we woke up to this morning! Isn't it so pretty?? Amazing what God can create!

Daughter Brenda and her daughters Amanda and Ashley enjoying each other this weekend!!

Hope you are having a blessed weekend!