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!!

OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY

 

HOT, HOT, HOT

But the Stargazer Lilies are looking fabulous!

It's  humid too! 

My garden has kind of been like an on again, off again romance.  Some years I love it, some years it suffers from my inattention.
This would be an "inattentive" year. 

I hurt my knee and have been unable to do much in the garden this year. DH had knee replacement surgery in May and hasn't been able to work on our slowly departing grass :(.  Here are some pictures of better days - something to inspire me to not give up.

The urn in the above picture is the only thing that looks good this year. The grass hasn't grown to it's 3 foot height, but it's still a nice combination of plants: 

The deer have feasted several times, eating the tops of the impatience and one whole grouping of lilies.  The impatience will come back, so that's something to look forward to.  I had a strong beginning, so this is a big disappointment.  A few years ago the deer stayed away due to land clearing behind my property.  The plants were fabulous:

I take comfort in knowing there is always next year, the mantra of every gardener!

I am participating in Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Dreamer.  

Tripping on Tuesday

Actually, it was Tripping on Monday.  There was a new state park that opened this weekend, we visited it yesterday. Lots of trails and a lovely "River Walk".

Even tho we both have knee troubles right now (he a knee replacement, me...old age I guess:), we walked a bit on the River Walk.  There are many, many more miles to be added to the walk, only about a mile was done.  We only made it about 1/4 of a mile.

The woods were beautiful and cool.  The river was slow moving. 

Lets canoe down the river, and take a picnic lunch with us!

   

It's nice to have a special someone to share a walk through the woods with.


There were nice camping spots and picnic areas and it's only about 30 minutes from our home!   What a great addition to our County!

On the Menu Monday

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

Monday

Don's Famous Hamburgers on the grill

Mom's Baked Beans

Potato Salad

Chips

Fabulous Lemon Cream Cheese Pie

  We're going to check out a new State Park here in Coweta County.   When we return we will be grilling out and enjoying some family time.  

The Cream Cheese Lemon Pie is a favorite around here.  It's so refreshing and super easy!

Fabulous Cream Cheese Lemon Pie

Graham Cracker Pie Shell

8 ounce Cream Cheese  - chill removed

1 Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

1tsp Vanilla

 1/3 Cup freshly squeezed Lemon  Juice

In a bowl whip cream cheese until fluffy.  Add can of sweetened condensed milk.  Mix until creamy and lump free.  Add Vanilla and Lemon Juice.  

Spread in pie shell.  Cool in refrigerator for a few hours to set.

Tuesday

Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts

Mashed Potatoes

Homemade Biscuits

Tossed Salad

Wednesday

 Pork Chops and Gravy

Buttery New Potatoes

Tossed Salad

Thursday

To Dad's

Friday

Out to Dinner

Saturday

Hot Dogs on the grill

Chips

Baked Beans

Sunday

Spaghetti

Garlic Buttered French Bread

Tossed Salad

I am participating in On The Menu Monday at Stonegable.

   "Stop and consider God’s wonders."  Job 37:14                                               

                                  Photo courtesy of National Geographic

Happy Sunday!  I hope you are enjoying your day.

I teach a group of 4th grade girls at church.  They are a lovely bunch of young ladies and I noticed they seem  to enjoy looking verses up in the Bible; however,  their Bible skills are not very good. I'm going to try to begin a 20 minute Bible Skill time each Sunday. 

    

 I'm creating what I hope will be fun documents for them to complete during part of our time together.  They can work together in pairs or by themself.  What ever works for them!  If you have children that you would like to work on Bible skills, you are welcome to print these worksheets.  I'm doing one a week (hopefully)!


Happy Fourth to you!

Garden Pretties

What do you have going on today? It's hot and humid here in Georgia, but we have been getting some lovely evening cloud coverage with a bit of thunder and rain.  


This year my garden is definitely on the disappointing side. Have you had luck with your garden? One of my pots is looking nice, so that's something to be happy about!

I love this Caladium.  It would have more white instead of green if it got more sun, but I still like it. 

A little Creeping Jenny to drape over the side.  

For height I always use Purple Fountain Grass.  The last two years it has been very hard to find.  This one was located only a few weeks ago.  Normally by now it would be 3 feet tall with pink plumes shooting up.  It's one of my favorite plants to use in this urn, I sure hope it's going to continue to be produced  by the garden centers.  

I found a fun event that will be going on at Happier Than A Pig in Mud on July 15.  Hop over there and take a look.  It's a cook-a-long using Bobby Flay's recipes.  I think it sounds like great fun, but I'm having trouble picking a recipe.  I've really got to start cooking outside my comfort zone!

Hope you're having a Happy Tuesday!

On The Menu Monday

I'm am joining the On The Menu Monday group over at Stone Gable.  If you've never visited this blog, treat yourself today and jump right over there.  

I'm going to give this "menu planning" a try.  I used to be an avid menu planner when my children were young, but not so much now. Every week I would like to try a new recipe.  I've never experimented much in the kitchen but have been seeing some wonderful looking recipes around.  My first try will be Saturday with a salad from Stone Gable's site. 

Monday - TACOS    

I'm not much for cooking from scratch, so I use the El Paso taco boxed dinner.  I have found that adding an extra packet of seasoning when cooking 2 pounds of ground chuck makes the tacos much more delicious.

 Fresh Tomatoes, but unfortunately, no homegrown yet.

 I also like to use a really good, strong cheddar.  This is one of the best, and I use it in most of my recipes that call for cheese.

Please excuse the blurry picture, not much of a photographer either :) .  I like to eat my tacos on Tostado shells, they seem lighter and a lot crispier to me.  

TUESDAY:  Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Chips

WEDNESDAY:  Limeade Chicken (from Southern Living many years ago) - A favorite around here, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans .

    LIMEADE CHICKEN:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

    half of a large can of limeade

    1/2 Cup of Worchestershire

     1/2Tsp. of Garlic Salt

Combine limeade concentrate, Worchestershire and garlic salt in a bowl  (reserve about 1/2 cup).

Marinade chicken for at least a couple of hours.  

Grill.  My DH is the griller so I'm not sure how long to grill. 

Use the reserved limeade liquid as a dipping sauce.

THURSDAY:  Dinner with Dad.  Sometimes I cook, sometimes we go out - his choice.  Not sure which we'll be doing this week. 

FRIDAY: Out to dinner

SATURDAY:Lemon Pepper Grilled Salmon, Stone Gable's Arugula Salad,  Pinto Beans

SUNDAY:  Hamburgers on the grill, baked beans, chips

                            

Flashback Friday

I love looking at old pictures and many years ago I had a blog that featured a Flashback Friday. It was such fun that I think I'll do it again on my new blog.

Here is one of my favorites for stirring memories:

Do you remember when grocery stores looked like this? I was always FASCINATED with the cash registers...all those buttons, be- still- my- heart! All I ever wanted as a child was to grow up to be a checkout girl. I had an early job in the 70's where I got to use one every now and then. It was heaven!! I just love everything about this picture; the check out girl wearing pearls, the pouffy hair, the newspaper sales page display, the cigarettes right there instead of being behind lock and key, and the weight scale, and who can forget BROWN BAGS!!. I'm not sure what the little brown thing is next to the scales. I think it might be the Green Stamps dispenser - what do you think?

Hope you've enjoyed this little trip down memory lane, have a great day!

So Glad You Stopped By!

Wow, almost two weeks gone in my summer vacation! My, how time flies!

I fixed a breakfast tray back a few months ago. I'm using it for my FIRST Tablescape Thursday. The daffodils were in bloom, along with the muscari. It just speaks "Spring".

This tray is lined with a beautiful white napkin with a crochet edge that was my grandmother's. When my dear Mother passed away, I found the adorable little chick and egg salt and pepper shakers in her china cabinet. They are very dear to me, I think of her with every little shake:).

The bottom plate is just my everyday white dinnerware, the pretty little yellow plate was bought while antiquing many years ago. I only have the one, so a little breakfast tray is the perfect time to use it!

For breakfast: Yummy fried potatoes, boiled egg, orange juice. A great way to start the day!

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch. Be sure to stop by to view the wonderful tablescapes!

School's out, which called for a celebration - along with Memorial Day. We grilled Ribs and had boiled corn and holiday-ish cupcakes with starry picks. Fun and special because we were all there!

Husband's surgery went well, but recovery is slow and painful. He's come a long way, but has quite a ways to go. 2 months more off from work.

Hopefully I'll have some garden pictures to put up soon. Hope you're having a great week.