How was your day?  We have seasonably cool weather, which I love! It will return to the 60's soon, just in time for the weekend.  It's kind of nice to Christmas shop and not be freezing walking from shop to shop. But today I had no shopping on my mind...only dinner. Because all day, my sweet husband (who is just enjoying his first days of retirement) called to ask cooking questions!  He surprised me with a fantastic dinner.  I wish I had taken pictures when I sat down to eat; alas, I just sat and gobbled! How lucky am I!!  

The tree is up and the temps were right for a little fire and outdoor gazing...not for me, for kitty.

Doozi loves to sit in her chair and bird watch.  She loves the tree and fire.  Doesn't she look queenly sitting on her throne?  She's such a sweet kitty.  

I like the low evening light out the window, and the tree reflected on the pane. I wonder if she notices these things, too.

Pretty Pot

Today was my first day back to work and I was happy to be back and greet the children.  Elementary school around the holidays is a happening place!   I planted a couple of pots for our entrance and they have turned out so pretty.  I enlisted the trusty help of a 4th grader to help me keep them watered and she has done such a fantastic job!

I really love the different textures in this pot.

I wish I could bring the helper to my house to water my pots!  I really hate watering chores!

Creeping Jenny and that little Sedum are really fantastic.  The Asparagus Fern is a nice contrast, along with the big, shiny leaves of the geranium. So sad to know that this will all be gone, but I think it will make it through December.  We usually don't have sustained cold until Janaury.  Hope you're still getting some joy from your garden pots or plants!

Mosaic Monday

A little mosaic for the memories of Thanksgiving, 2011.
I am participating in Mosaic Monday

Garden Love

No orchard's the worst for the wintriest of storms;
But one thing about it, it mustn't get warm.

How often already you've had to be told,

"Keep cold young orchard, . Good bye and keep cold..."

From Goodbye and Keep Cold by Robert Frost

My garden is always more beautiful if we've had a cold winter.  Everything is healthier and blooms better, the hydrangeas are prolific after a cold winter!

I enjoy seeing the garden going to sleep...

Bare branches against a steely -gray sky

My Sorrow, when she's here with me, Thinks these dark days of autumn rain Are beautiful as days can be; She loves the bare, the withered tree; She walks the sodden pasture lane.

From My November Guest by Robert Frost

But I'm not sorrowful.  I just love the autumn and winter and think they're beautiful.  How about you?  

Happy Saturday to you!  It looks like fall outside my window, cloudy skies ,leaf laden ground, bare tree limbs...but the temperature is horribly warm!  Do you like it when it's unseasonably warm?  I need it to get cold. Not arctic cold mind you...just cold enough to be comfortable in a light sweater.  I'm still wearing short sleeve shirts, for goodness sakes!!  I know it's coming, and I'll probably be whining about the cold come January, but that's just kind of how it is here in Georgia.

Friday morning was for relaxing and I made a little Fall breakfast tray for my daughter.

Here are a few pictures of another Thanksgiving table.  It's actually from yesterday, we cooked another turkey and had another meal, just so we could have some leftover turkey for sandwiches! It's more or less using the same elements that I used Thursday.

Here is a picture of the plates that I mentioned needing 2 more of.  I sure hope I'll run across them sometime.

Tonight was for decorating the Christmas tree.  I can't find my tripod and have a horrible time trying to get a clear shot without the flash.  Using the flash makes the tree look so harsh,  hopefully I'll find it soon!

The little wooden nativity was a gift this year from Don.  It was hand carved from an olive tree in Jerusalem.  He's so thoughtful like that, knowing how special it would be to me.

I hope you're well rested and enjoying some turkey sandwiches like we are!

Happy Thanksgiving!

So much to be thankful for, not the least of which is the delicious meal I enjoyed with my family.   We've enjoyed  good health, including Dad, who is the most fragile of us all.    We had a lovely day with family, though I was missing my daughter who was spending this year with her husband's family.  This year we all gathered at Dad's and I had to scrounge around for enough dishes to make three tables. I managed two tables of 6 and one of 4 .  I just brought over a little at a time until I had all the ingredients I needed to complete the tables.  Here is the first table - a setting with gold rimmed dishes.

I guess everyone now has the little Publix salt and pepper shakers.  I still love them and think they are adorable.  Next is the dining room table:

I got the blue glasses at Dollar Tree, I love them with the blue dishes, and I thought the blue against the brown table looked very Thanksgiving-y.  The little Blue Willow bowls were  bought at Kroger for next to nothing.  All the napkins were different colors - but at least they were fall colors!

I had everyone pick the table they wanted to sit at and grab their plates.  Next time I'm going to remove the dishes right before we eat and let them gather the dishes they want.  Some wanted to use the bowls/salad plates and some didn't and the ones not used just seemed to be in the way.  

Here is the last table, but it was actually set up just as a test (so excuse all the junk you see in the background, all the storage boxes and bags for wrapping are in the pics).  I didn't get a good picture of this table at Dad's and so decided to just use the test pic.

 I wish I had taken a  picture of the plate.  I found them at Ross, only 4. I desperately need 6!!  I was so sure I could find two more at other nearby Ross', but my luck ran out.  No more to be found.  They are so cute with a pumpkin in the midddle and fall leaves around the edges.  I'll continue to look for two more.  The little acorn bowls I found at Michael's, along with the little acorn salt and pepper shakers.

It was a lot of fun, but I'm glad to be home relaxing today!  We even got a little Christmas shopping done.  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. 

Wow, the days are just flying by.  When you work in the school system everything revolves around days off.  I'm  always focused on the next holiday so my year is broken down into two week periods or 6 week periods and it just seem to go so fast!  Now here we are already at Thanksgiving (and I get the whole week off!), and it seems like school just started.  I've been busy making my Thanksgiving plans and working on table decor.  We will be having dinner at Dad's so I have to carry everything over there.  Here is one of our tables...

 I have two more tables to make and a few additions to this one, too.  It's fun and I've been doing a little at a time so it's not too overwhelming.  There will be 16 of us.

I also created a little breakfast tray for out Teacher Of The Year, which I took the easy route on and bought the biscuit and bacon from McDonalds...I just wanted the fun of making the pretty tray.  We have the best teachers at my school.  You couldn't find a more dedicated bunch, so I really enjoy doing this special celebration once a month.

Now on to gardening news:  The garden is going to sleep and I am making plans for next year. I have a dilemma...I don't get enough sun anymore and I need to think about that as I make my plans.  The back third of the garden gets no sun.  I've wanted to plant hostas, but I have a deer problem and they wouldn't last a night!  I have a clematis that has quit blooming, and I'm assuming it's from the lack of sun.  I can move it, but I don't know how well they do when transplanted. Here are a few pictures from August.  The annuals do pretty well, I'm surprised at the ones that produce lots of blooms with little sun.  Petunias and Marigolds do fairly well.  Pentas blooms amazingly well.  I can't wait to buy more next year...I have two still blooming!

Wow, now that there is nothing happening in the garden now, it's tired and sleepy and ready for a rest, these pictures look pretty good to me!!