Thanksgiving

Here are some photos from my Thanksgiving Day. It was a beautifully sunny day and unseasonably warm for November here in upstate New York.

Mom, my sister Rachel and I spent most of Wednesday busy in the kitchen. We listened to Christmas music and had a great time just being together. Since Rachel married in 2011, it always a treat to have her at home cooking with us. : )

The photo above is of our table setting and the three pies Rachel and I baked. I am always on a quest to find the best pecan pie recipe. This year I tried a recipe I found on the Country Cook website- one of my favorite places to find recipes.

Mom busy in the kitchen! Each year mom cooks up the best meat dressing. The recipe is one that has been handed down several generations by my mother's relatives from Germany. Yum!

                                                       The house looking cozy and busy. : )

Here is a recipe for the rolls I baked: yeast rolls. I thought it was a tasty recipe.

       Me and my dear Adam. I was peeling potatoes when my sister Hannah wanted to snap our photo.

Micah, my most adorble nephew, celebrating his first Thanksgiving. He tried butternut squash for the first time, and loved it. Doesn't he look sooo cute sitting up at the table?

                                         My sister Rachel and her husband Spencer- Micah's mom and dad.

                                                              Mom and my sister Hannah.
                                  We all had a wonderful day filled with the LORD’s abundant blessings!

Last night we watched "By the Light of the Silvery Moon"; it is a Thanksgiving tradition. I thought I would share this song as it is so much fun, and made me think of all the excitment at our house.



Also , from November 24th through November 30th all items in my Etsy shop will be 10% off. Just use coupon code 10percent when checking out. : ) I am adding some new items over the next day or two.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Psalm100:4&5

"Alas! how we forget that we are but strangers and pilgrims on the earth; that we are journeying to our eternal home, and will soon be there!" Octavius Winslow

Books and Wrist Warmers

The days are lengthening and growing colder. There is something about this time of year that makes me want to bake a batch of oatmeal cookies, sip a cup of tea and read a good book. Nothing can compare with the intrigue, charm and poetic beauty of a classic book.

This past week I added a couple more classic books to my Etsy page. All three are good “yarns”, and all three take place in the English countryside. Please check them out here.

I also added two pair of hand knit wrist warmer. Both pairs are knitted from 100% wool.

^"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever." Psalm 107:1

Folded Star Hot Pad

Recently I purchased a pattern for a folded star hot pad on Etsy. I have quite the stash of scrap fabric from years of sewing, and I found that this was one great way to use some of that scrap fabric.

The pattern is from Plum Easy Designs, and I must say that it was very fun and easy to sew. The instructions and interfacing guide made piecing together the triangles a breeze.

I found that I had some pretty Christmas fabrics that I had forgotten about. I have set that aside with the intent of sewing them up into hot pads. : )

Liebster Award

Last week Kimberly from An At Home Daughter tagged my blog with the Liebster Award. I wasn't quite sure what a Liebster Award was, so I looked it up. "Liebster" is a German word meaning favorite. This award is meant to be given to blogger with less than 200 followers.

 The rules are as follows:

1.) You must post 11 facts about yourself.
2.) You must answer the 11 questions the awarder has given you and make up 11 questions for the awardees to answer in turn.
3.) Tag 11 fellow bloggers.
4.) Notify them that you have awarded them.
5.) No tagging back.
6.) And the 11 blogs you tag must have no more than 200 followers.

Here are the answers to the questions Kimberly gave me:

1. How do I get my bonnet fix? I really like to read historical fiction, so I guess reading.
2. My favorite cookbook… I have so many, but I think that “Cooking with Praise” is my favorite.
3. Yes, I have smelled the ocean and it was wonderful. My first trip to the ocean was when my family visited Williamsburg, Virginia. I was ten years old, and loved everything about that trip.
4. Yes, I do shop at thrift shops, but sew most of my clothes.
5. As a child I really enjoyed reading Nancy Drew books.
6. I like my eggs fried sunny side up.
7. No, I had never heard of the Weston A. Price Foundation, until this questionnaire.
8. Tea most definitely!
9. Dark chocolate is my favorite, but I am not too picky. : )
10. No, getting lost is seldom an adventure for me.
11. Frogs are neat. I always like to hear them on a summer evening.

Eleven Fact About Me:

1. I am the oldest of three girls. My two younger sisters are twins.
2. I love chickens, and look forward to having some again.
3. We have two dogs and three cats.
4. We live on a beautiful country road. And I have greatly enjoyed watching the leaves change color this year. It seems that the colors have been especially brilliant.
5. I enjoy crocheting doilies and have several tucked away in my hope chest.
6. I was home schooled grades 4-12^th, and loved it!
7. Jeremiah 29:11 is a verse that has always encouraged me.
8. My favorite author is Augusta Evans Wilson.
9. I love canning.
10. I collect antique books.
11. I love blue and white

Eleven Questions for My Awardees to Answer:

    

1. What is your favorite color?
2. If you could live in any era which would it be?
3. Do you prefer cake or pie?
4. What is your favorite L.M. Montgomery book?
5. What is your favorite season of the year?
6. Which do you prefer “Little Women” or “Pride and Prejudice”?
7. Do you collect anything?
8. If you could visit any country which would it be?
9. What is your favorite classic t.v. show?
10. What is your favorite Christmas carol?
11. Who is your favorite classical composer?

I could only think of 7 blogs to award.

Heide @ http://apronhistory.blogspot.com/

Cheri @ http://ajoyfulhandmaiden.blogspot.com/

Hannah @ http://aladyintime.blogspot.com/

Brooke @ http://stitchesofthepast.blogspot.com/

Hannah @ http://so-lets-backtrack.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth @ http://thecountryhandmaiden.blogspot.com/

Shannon @ http://gabby-marie.blogspot.com/

Pecan Pumpkin Pie

Over the weekend I baked a pecan pumpkin pie using a recipe I found in my sister's "Better Home and Gardens Cookbook". I made homemade whipped cream to top the pie with; in addition to adding vanilla and a little confectionary sugar to my whipped cream I added about a teaspoon of maple flavored extract. I thought it was a nice addition to the autumnal flavor.


Ingredients 

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 15 ounce can pumpkin

1 1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream or one 12-ounce can evaporated milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, melted

pie shell

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare Pie Pastry. Mix pecans and brown sugar in small bowl; place 3/4 cup pecan mixture in bottom of pie shell. Reserve remaining pecan mixture for topping. Combine pumpkin, half-and-half, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in large bowl; mix well. Pour into prepared pie shell.

2. Bake for 50 minutes or until just set in center. Add butter to remaining pecan mixture; stir until moistened. Sprinkle pie filling with pecan mixture; bake for 10 minutes more or until topping bubbles around edges. Cool on wire rack.

3. Makes 8 slices.

Cara Mia

This afternoon I am enjoying a somewhat overcast sky, a day filled with sewing, tea and beautiful music! I have been listening to a record Mantavoni. I was hoping to find a recording of his rendition of "Chim-Chim-Cheree", which is very fun, but since I could not find one here is "Cara Mia" another one of my favorites!