Daybook December

I'm feeling...content
I'm hearing...quietness,  ah so perfect.
I'm thinking...what next, there is much to get to today
I'm cooking...nothing yet
I'm planning...what to fix for breakfast and getting a potted poinsettia to welcome another new neighbor 2 doors down.
I'm reading...Sister's Choice by Emilie Richards then need to get through The Christmas Train by David Baldacci by the 18th of December.  That's the night of our book club Christmas gathering
I'm wearing...Purple comfy jammies
I'm creating..CXS Winter alphabet by Lizzie Kate
I'm enjoying...the artwork of my youngest grandchildren
I'm sharing...the art work.  I love Netflix and thought I'd have the movie, Oliver Twist in for a classic tale so the youngest ones could enjoyed it,  it's based on the book by Charles Dickens.  Can you say they paid rapt attention to it and then started doing some artwork the next day while they watched it for the 2nd time.  They also want to see it today so Netflix will have to wait for that return.  I do love them dearly and love their earnestness and creativity.

 

The CXS of Lizzie Kate's WInter Alphabet is enjoyable to stitch.  I had DH get my frame down out of storage from the garage and it makes the stitching so much easier.  While watching Oliver Twist with the grands, the lil guy, PGS#3 asked if he could help.  So of course I said yes.   He cuddled on my lap and would pull the needle up when I got the correct needle placement.  He and I got the brown tree branch near the bird house done.  Thanks Brody!  His sister also wants to stitch on it with me, perhaps we'll tackle the blank space where the reindeer stands near the pine tree since she's so good at drawing them.  ; )

All the turkey has left the building.  It's great having a Thanksgiving bird then  hot sandwiches with all the fixings too for leftovers.  I always make a soup and this year I changed it up a bit.  I made the traditional stock then added the usual trinity? (celery, onions, carrots) (I left out the potatoes this year ).  Then I used a tomato paste for the base and literally  threw in with additional veggies of frozen corn, frozen peas, fresh cauliflower, fresh broccoli and 1 serrano pepper with all the seeds.  WOWZER!  That spiced it up nicely.   Was great served with rice and was served with a cottage cheese salad appetizer finishing the meal with deep chocolate brownies Brody and I cooked up earlier in the afternoon.

With some of the sliced meat I found a recipe for warm turkey spinach salad that utilized the leftover cranberry sauce for the dressing.  It was fantastic.  SO I will write what I did here, since I really adapted it to make it with what I had on hand, that way I can share it with you and can duplicate it myself when I want to.  (Yes it was that good!)


Warm turkey spinach salad with a cranberry dressing.

For each Main Salad:
1 cup Spinach leaves
1/2 cup of Romaine lettuce
2 Tablespoons (Tbl) spiced walnuts
1/2 shallot sliced very thin
chunks of warmed turkey (DH thinks it would be better having the turkey cold next time.)
Fruit of choice -  I used 1/2 of a diced red pear, DH had 1/4 fresh raspberries.

The walnuts were sauteed with a pat of butter
and a pinch of all the following:  cayenne pepper, cinnamon, allspice, and sugar.
Don't scorch or burn it, just heat through to add a spicy sweet crunch.

The dressing comprised of:
the left over jellied cranberry sauce melted in microwave or stovetop
add a Tbl  of water to thin it a bit
1 TBL finely diced shallot
1-2 TBL of vinegar, I had a pear cranberry balsamic vineger actually on hand
2 TBL Olive Oil
Hint of garlic salt, a couple of shakes

Mix dressing all together and enjoy!  It was wonderful!
Off to get breakfast then quilt for awhile on that Horse quilt since a trip to the Docotors is going to happen around Noon.

TTFN,
Jane
 

Mary Ellen Hopkins lectures...

What a dynamic, petite woman with enough personality for 5 people! In the past 10-20years, I've always said that if Mary Ellen Hopkins was anywhere near where I was, I would do anything within my power to see her. Well, another dream of mine has come true.

Wednesday night and all day Thursday, Mary Ellen Hopkins gave a lecture at a neighboring guild and I atold Dh that I was going. Yep, I didnt; even ask, I just told him. No problem, got a hotel room and left. She has a simple yet to me, an unusual approach to her quilt making. The most complex blocks, she can irradicate the instruction into the simplest of terms and have a stunning quilts at the sae time. Her use of color is unique and I still am a huge fan. I love the size of the strips she uses too. One of her mantras is to cut the strip no larger than 1.5" at the maximum. Smaller is better for cutting, longer is better for buying. Besides

What an enjoyable time. I was able to meet friends that I made while quilting at Paul Smiths Quilt Conference years ago, besides made some new friends. A little shout out to Cheryl, Louise, Judy, Kathy and Pat, I really enjoyed meeting and spending time with you.

When I checked out of the hotel, I was using the clock in the room and not my wrist watch. I thought it unusual that the front desk clerk never set the 6am wake up call but set it for 7am, but I thought, people are people and sometimes mistakes happen. No big Deal, I'm up anyway and have enough time to get dressed, shower, go out to eat and have breakfast, check out and get to the place where the lecture is. It was starting at 9am. Proceeded with my agenda in a timely manner, and while enroute to the lecture hall, called DH to let him know my plans when I looked at the clock on the dash board. I was one hour and 20 minutes early. Hummmm, the clerk was right and really had called at 6 am. SO now what?
Well I figured I'd drive and scout out a copuple of shops some of the ladies had told me about the night before. The Wooden Needle which is a stitchery shop and the Vermont Fabric and Yarn shop which is a quilt shop so I'd know how to get to them quickly after the lecture. But..... I stumbled across some different views. I absolutely loved it and was thrilled about it, quirky and some parts stunningly beautiful. PS, Have you ever wondered where bicycles came from?




They grow in Vermont! I never knew that.







The stacked rocks are amazing. Such Talent. These pictures are done by an amature, but I am impressed with the quality of my photos. It must of been the exceptional early morning light. I'm so glad I messed up the time, otherwise all of this would have been lost to me. The early morning light was shining on the bicycles hanging in the tree which made me turn the car around, pull over to investigate and brought me closer so I could see.
Then I saw the stone work. WOW! I love to witness the finished artwork of someone who has found their niche and allows their passion to flow. Beautiful! I kept trying to find out the artists' name, I think it might be woman named Thea from some hints I saw in the split log egg/hen house, but I couldn't find out anything more about her or possibly him at the lecture.


This guy was the only inhabitant I saw. He kept following me around I'm sure just wondering what this strange lady was doing in his yard, but he also wasn't sure which door to choose.

Any suggestions?





Enjoy your day, it won't be repeated.
Jane