Thanksgiving Photos

And lastly for November

a few photos from

Thanksgiving at my cousin

Cindy and her husband

Rey's home.

Chef Rey (who really

is a chef :o) checking

John Wayne facts.

The apron had an oven

mitt shaped like a gun.

Coco the dog, sweet boy

who is mostly blind and

deaf.

The boys - Mike, Greg, Rey,

Tyler and my Dad, Roy.

The girls - Chelsea, Peggy, Lori

 & Cindy minus Aunt Jan & Linnea

Around the table.   Everything

was so delicious!  Rey made

a lovely brussel sprouts dish

with bacon and almonds.  He

took all the leaves off their little

heads first and then sauteed them,

 adding crispy bacon and toasted

 almonds...yum!

My beautiful Goddaughter

Chelsea & I.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For man, autumn is a time

of harvest, of gathering

 together.  For nature, it

is a time of sowing, of

scattering abroad.

--- Edwin Way Teale

Colorful November Days and New Lambs too!

Before December 1st rolls around, I

 thought I would finish up with my November.   :o)

A few photos of our yard in Autumn.

I just noticed today that the purple

tree below has lost all of it's leaves.

    

The photos don't quite capture

 the lighting and brightness

of the trees and shrubs.

 Mid-November front porch. 

Fall pansies on the front porch.

Pistachio tree out front.

A brave little fuchsia that toughed

 out a cold snap in mid-November

and still bloomed.   But then, of

course, I cut it to bring inside!

 A little lamb off Old Lakeville Road

 between Novato and Petaluma.

We stop every year on our way

home from Mike's parents either 

after Thanksgiving and/or Christmas,

  just in time to see these

darling new-born creatures.

 We love the way they jump

and scuttle about.  I think I have

 mentioned before that when we

lived in Fortuna 15 years ago, our

 neighbors had about 12 sheep and

one year I got to hold a newborn

 lamb.  One of the greatest thrills in

 my life!   Its little head felt like

 a head of cauliflower and had a
waxy feel to it.  I'll never  forget
how it felt.   I have a hard copy
 photo somewhere.

A set of dark-headed twins,

probably born within a day of this pic.

One is sitting close to mommy's

 rump and the other is about 3 feet

to the right of mommy's head.

Click on photo for larger view.

New lambs with their mommies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will find new meaning

 in every joy and sorrow.
In that silence I will hear

 the voice of Spirit, and

 freed from this world I

 will see another order where

 the end is another beginning.

--- Rumi



A few birthday presents

My birthday was a couple of

 weeks ago and I wanted to

share a few things I received...

From Mike...Gorgeous purple roses,

 a shabby "mercury" glass vase

 & a cute little bear, all delivered in a box.

The roses were hardy and

opened up perfectly.

A darling witch from my

friend Marie...love her!

Also from Mike...an original

 watercolor, Pumpkin Mermaid, he

found on Ebay from

Camillion Creations .

Paul and Cheryl took me out for

dinner for the 5th year in a row,

as Mike was out of town. 

Cheryl gave me this fabulous
tote/shopping bag with mermaids
and other nifty sea creatures...
I love it!
~~~~~~~~~~

Hope everyone had a wonderful

Thanksgiving weekend.  Ours was

 fun and we got to spend time with

both sides of the family.   Mine

on Thanksgiving and Mike's folks

on Friday night....the four of us had

 dinner at Benihana's ...always good!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

God gave you a gift of

 86,400 seconds today.

Have you used one to say

"thank you"?

--- William A. Ward

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

In Everything,

 Give Thanks.

1910 postcard

Click on postcard for larger view
and easier reading.

It's hard to believe it was a year

 ago we went to Disneyland for

Thanksgiving.  Here we are at

Steakhouse 55 located in the

Disneyland Hotel.

Out dinner reservation was at

 8:45 pm, the earliest we could get

 in and that was after I made

reservations 3 weeks in advance! 

  I have to say the food was just

 so-so, but the decor was lovely as

you can see.  Huge photos of classic

movie stars from the 1950's.

Around the table from left: 

my stepmom Linnea, my

brother Anthony, my husband Mike,

 my brother-in-law Herman, other side,

 my sister Amanda who is holding

Princess #3,  Princess #2

(who you can't see),

 Prince #1 and Princess #1,

me and my Dad Roy.

This year we will see my

Dad and Linnea, but no siblings

or nieces or nephew.  :o(

We'll have dinner at my cousins, so

I will see them, an Aunt and my

lovely Goddaughter and her brother

(my cousin and kinda nephew!  :o)

The next day we will see my

 wonderful in-laws and have

dinner at Benihana's...YUM!

From a postcard 100 years old 

Postmarked 1911

May all who are reading

 this have multiply blessings

 of the above menu.

THANK YOU GOD!



Halloween before Thanksgiving !

Oh yes, that is how it goes....

Halloween before Thanksgiving!

Oh my goodness, this month has

been crazy and a good learning

experience all the way around.

I am sorry I am showing

Halloween photos now, but

I really wanted to get these

posted before Thanksgiving.   :o)

We had our Halloween Party

on October 29, 2011.

12 lovely people joined

us and I was pleased with

the results as I haven't

had a party in 9 years.

So much more to do at

our next one though.  :o)

YOUR HOSTS.....

 

THE PHANTOM.....

MOST OF THE MENU .....

 

 

There was also Swamp Dip (hot spinach/artichoke dip), a cheese

 & cracker tray and chips & salsa.

Several guests contributed to

the delicious spread...oh yes

we also got some Stone Crabs

(Warlock Fingers) from Florida

sent in!   I didn't get a photo though. 

Mike had eaten at Joe's Stone Crab 

in Miami, Florida the week before

and loved them.  I barely had one,

but it was good and fun to have.

THE GUESTS ......

 

 

THE "BAT" ROOM.....

 

 
This picture changed to an eerie
 portrait when you looked at it
from a different angle.

 

 This bathroom needs a new sink

so a bit of blood sets the mood!

If any vampires arrived,

 we were covered....we even

had a silver bullet.

AFTER THE PARTY......

 

I wish I had taken some before 

photos of the food table,

but I am lucky I got what I got.

A couple more the next day

The witch was an early birthday

gift from my dear friend and usual

partner in Halloween, Marie.

She was unable to attend that

night, but next year.......

I love how the candles melted.

We are looking forward to next

year's haunting as this year's

Martha Stewart Halloween

Special had more great ideas.