Merry Christmas!

To all of you, I wish you a most wonderful and blessed Christmas!

"...May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make His face shine upon you,
and be gracious unto you,
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace."
Numbers 6:24

Remembering the little things...

As I made my raspberry chocolate coffee this morning, I was remembering a time past, about 17 years ago, when a hurting lady needed friendship so very badly. It was an extremely difficult time in our lives. We had just lost our business, moved out of our community away from family and friends, and was trying to start over. The shame and humiliation was overwhelming. We had no home or money, so we were living temporarily in a borrowed travel trailer in my husband's employer's back yard. We stayed for 3 months. 

During that time, we received an invitation to a co-workers house for a BBQ. I didn't want to go, as I felt I just couldn't face anyone, but we did anyway. We took our BBQ on the back of our truck. Half way there while driving down a bumpy gravel road, the BBQ flew off the back of the truck! I can't remember too much about it, except we stopped, put it back on, and proceeded to the BBQ. We still chuckle about it to this day. 

There weren't many people there, as the coworker and his wife were in the process of gutting and remodeling their home and hadn't moved in full time yet. There were 2 potato barrels in the kitchen holding up a plank that served as a counter for the food, and we ate in the garage around portable table and chairs. The wife of the coworker seemed a bit grumpy to me, as I had never met her before, but later when we talked about it, I could understand: her hubby had done the inviting impulsively, and she felt they weren't ready for company yet, but the invitations had already gone out! 

This slightly grumpy woman turned out to be a warmhearted, caring and generous lady, and became my very best friend. Shortly after the BBQ, we found an apartment. She called and offered to help me unpack. I couldn't believe this relative stranger would want to help me do this, but I accepted. That was the beginning of 17 years of friendship, and I am so very glad she offered her help and that I accepted, because I almost didn't. How different things might have been if I hadn't! 

I am writing this in honor of her today, in thankfulness that the Lord put her in my path and blessed me with her friendship. That day of the BBQ, I would never had thought this possible, but God had other plans. In the next few years, I have many very fond memories of sitting at her kitchen table, in her newly remodeled sweet country home, sitting by her beautifully restored Star Kineo wood cook stove, drinking Green Mountain coffee in every flavor they made. Chocolate raspberry was my favorite. 

We talked about many things, and during these times, my heart began to heal and open up. I was so very afraid of rejection, feeling so ashamed of our past, but instead I found gentle acceptance and love. An open heart, a willing ear to listen, and a bond of friendship that has lasted for 17 years. Although we live several states away now, our friendship is closer than ever, and I have learned what friendship really is. Our love of Christ binds us as Christian sisters, our hardships and trials as soldiers finding our way through this life of ups and downs, our love and acceptance of each other a type of Christ's love for us. Has it always been easy? No. But true friendship never is. 

So when I say, it's the little things, it really is. It's the cup of chocolate raspberry coffee offered in friendship and love, those moments around the kitchen table, talking about what's on our hearts, sharing hurts and joys. And years later, as I drink my morning coffee, with tears running down my cheeks, I am thanking God for those moments. For they mean so much more than I could have ever imagined at the time.

What did I learn from this? Don't be afraid to offer your friendship and hospitality to a hurting soul, because the need is probably greater than you realize. God uses us as His vessel to offer hope and healing. And when you are having a chat with your friend, drinking your coffee or tea, sharing a moment of your lives, tuck this moment away in your heart, and enjoy it to the fullest. Because some day you will pull out this memory, and realize how important the little things really are.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is the big day! I can smell my pumpkin pie baking in the oven, a request from my dear hubby. It's such an easy pie to make, really, and the Libby version has been a staple of ours for years. I cheated on the pie crust though. I can make my own and it's better than the store-bought, but was in a hurry, I guess. I will make up a batch before Christmas and store it in the freezer, so I can do some more baking.
It will be just the two of us tomorrow. We aren't even having turkey this year, even though there is one in the freezer. Wish they sold smaller turkeys, just for 2 people. Unless you have plans for the leftovers. I find it doesn't freeze all that well, especially the white meat. I've started freezing it in broth or gravy so it doesn't dry out so much. It would also store well in soup. But that means I have to plan on making that soup right away and getting it into the freezer. Hmmm....
We are planning on a big breakfast, though. Blueberry pancakes made with my own frozen blueberries, a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Scrambled eggs. Jimmy Dean sausage. Or maybe fry up some of that nice thick ham slice we bought from Costco last weekend! Homemade bread for toast. Fresh ground coffee. Sounds like a good start, don't you think?
I picked up a little treat for me yesterday - a small container of Seagold crab and seafood dip. That's pretty good stuff. The lobster version is also good. Costco was doing samples last Sunday, and had a smoked salmon version. That was also pretty good, if you like smoked salmon. Always nice with club crackers.
I used to do big Thanksgiving dinners times past, when we lived near enough family to have them over. My parents would even drive down for the long weekend, until they switched it to Christmas. Too far to make two 18 hour round trip within a month of each other. So we choose Christmas. That's ok, the turkey will keep until then. :0)
I spend the past 3 days this week raking the last of the leaves in the yard into big piles. We live on a sloped yard, and fortunately it slopes to the back, so hauling the 15 x 20 tarp down back wasn't too hard loaded with leaves. Of course, just when my lawn was beautiful and leafless, a big wind comes up today and drives all the neighbors leaves into our lawn. Sigh....
Well, gotta run. A house to clean and more food to fix so we can really relax tomorrow and enjoy the day, even though it's going to be turkeyless. (is that even a word?!)
I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving day surrounded by tasty food and an attitude of gratitude. God bless!

Damp, cool and misty...

It's a cool damp misty foggy New England kind of day today. I have been out with my camera taking pictures. Not sure how they will turn out, but I think I wore my knees out trying to get different angles. I love taking pictures, as the 5000 plus photos in 'My Pictures' file will attest. I'm sure there are more, but that was at last count some months ago. Time to weed out the bad ones and save the good ones on disk, don't you think? Uh, yeah....
I have so many flower pictures I have them catagorized by year and month - for the last 4 years, since I got my digital camera. I also have many pictures of Max, my big spoiled cat. (He's 13, but thinks he's still a kitten, you know)
He tolerates my picture taking, but I try not to use the flash too often. He does eventually get up and leave. Plus our trips, decorating ideas, landscaping ideas, family photo files, fishing trips, bugs and critters, pretty much anything that takes my eye or something I want to have memories of, like the recent 50th anniversary party for my parents.
The big problem is, since I went digital, I take several photos of one thing, so I get the right shot, but neglect to erase the bad ones! So, I might have a dozen of this one flower blossom. And that is just one flower! Multiply that times dozens, maybe hundreds! I think I need therapy...
I made apple chutney yesterday. I have some photos of it on my camera I will post in the next few days. I have a big 25# bag of beets to process yet into pickled beets. My honey adores them. He would eat them every day. Loves them on his salad. I didn't get any made last year, so he was feeling deprived. It will take me all day to do these, but I will probably get about 30 pints out of it, so they will last a long time, if I don't give too many away.
The last thing on my list is apple butter, my favorite. It is so good on warm homemade biscuits with butter. Yum! I fell in love with apple butter at the Brown County Fair in Indiana over 30 years ago. WOW, was it really that long ago??! Yup, before I was married, and we will celebrate our 29th this Christmas, so it has to have been that long ago.
I still remember in the town square of this small quaint town, a tiny booth set up with these tiny sample size biscuits with a bit of apple butter on top. I think I had apple cider with it. Sigh...such a great memory.
So if I get those two things accomplished, I will be happy with myself that I attained those goals this year. Next year, I would love to try dilled green beans, and perhaps another kind of chutney or two, like plum and squash. They are such a wonderful accompaniment with pork and chicken. It is also lovely with a soft cheese, like brie, and homemade crusty bread, or on a sandwich with sliced chicken or ham, and vermont cheddar cheese.
Are you hungry yet?
I'm getting there, LoL.
Well, I need to run into town and pick up 3 bags of brown sugar to do the beets before I can start on them. I'll keep you posted on how they turn out. Have a great autumn day!

What wonderful fall weather. It was such a joy to take my morning walk. Although at first, it seems a bit of a struggle to get myself to go, I always end up glad I did. (And my body thanks me too, lol) The air was crisp, about 50F, with so many delicious scents. Newly mown grass, sun warmed hay, fallen leaves, a faint scent of apple orchard, with a touch of cow manure. Yup. Cow manure. Not so thrilled with that, but in very faint wafts, not so bad. Always reminds me of when I lived on the farm growing up, so really it's a good thing. Would have much preferred horse manure, but, oh well. :0) Mostly it was just a crisp clean scent. The weather was just perfect for getting yard work done. We trimmed the front evergreens, mowed the lawn, even cleaned out part of the garage. Went out for breakfast at our favorite place - this has turned into a weekly event. When I suggested we go somewhere else, my husband got this 'what???!' and then disappointed look on his face. I started to chuckle. I couldn't help it, I could just see what he was thinking. He had been thinking about this breakfast since dawn likely, and couldn't fathom going anywhere else. We always have the same thing: #4 on the menu. 2 eggs over medium, 1 sausage patty, deep fried homefries, with raisin toast. Except I did try their pumpkin pancakes this time. Good flavor, but not cooked quite enough. Pumpkin definitely needs to be cooked well. It is so reasonable too. Our bill always come out to just under $14 for the two of us, and it's plenty of food. Oh, and that includes coffee. :0) We then drove up to Ray's Farm Stand and picked up a 25# bag of beets for making pickled beets - my honey's favorite. He puts them on his chef salad he makes every night for supper. Also picked out some pumpkins, large and small, and a large bag of Cortland's for apple butter and chutney. They are my favorite apple and so versatile. Dropped by Tractor Supply Center for bird seed (quite reasonable compared to our local hardware store) and stopped at Cowards' Farm, and visited their new barn. They sell pumpkins and cut-your-own Christmas trees, and some gift items. It's a great barn, with a wide covered porch. We would LOVE to have a covered porch like that. On the way home, we dropped into Cupola Hollow Farms to browse their selection of homemade jam, jellies, and relishes, and decided on a 1/2 lb. of homemade peanut butter chocolate fudge. It is so smooth and creamy! Yum! I also got a couple of chocolate covered pretzels, one dark chocolate for me. They were really good! I'm thinking of making these for Christmas gifts. I know I'd enjoy a gift bag of these. A quick stop at the CVS and our local grocery store for bananas and milk, and we were done for the day. We had planned to go to Olive Garden for my birthday, but decided to try to get there sometime this week for supper instead. Sunday's are always so busy there. We had a great weekend. But Monday always comes after. But that's ok, because it's laundry day. Clean clothes are a good thing, right?