THANKSGIVING

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I can't believe Thanksgiving Day is one week from tomorrow. It is my favorite holiday; no presents...just food...what could be better than that? I am still mowing the grass! I saw pictures on the news of a big snowstorm in upstate New York that is probably headed my way. I am using my walk-behind mower because of a problem with the rider. It's always something, isn't it? I should finish today...after 3 straight days. It looks great; nice and short with no leaves! I have to get busy and start polishing some silver. I will use this Georgian silver food warming dome to cover the turkey on my early Staffordshire well and tree platter. The best part of this great North American holiday is the leftovers. Everything tastes better to the cook the second time around. I made the first graphic long ago. I still love it. The scan is from one of my antiquarian books. 

Happy Thanksgiving

This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving images from my blog. 

Safe travels if you are on the road or in the air.

Thanksgiving Shopping: Beatrix Potter

I am always happy when I find another new to me image by Beatrix Potter and I love this one. Have you started your Thanksgiving shopping yet? Some of these animals are enjoying friendship outside the store to catch up on the local gossip before going inside. Won't it be nice we WE can do this once again? xo

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

It's a little too nippy to have an outdoor Thanksgiving feast here at the cottage. Hope yours is lovely, inside or out. via Country Home

Martha Stewart

Perfect Kitchen with An AGA Range

All this and an AGA too? WOW, this kitchen has it all. I'm sure there will be a lot of activity there today and tomorrow getting ready for Thanksgiving! I wish my kitchen were this uncluttered but it's not. I have to clear all the junk from my catch-all farm table today so I can do some serious cooking tomorrow. Have a good one! xo

The Almost Perfect Reading Room

Add one ottoman and this room would be perfect. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. xo

photo source

It's Snowing As Predicted

We don't have ice yet because it's too warm. Yes, you can have snow even if it's 36° and I'm not at all happy about it for all the travelers going home for Thanksgiving. Mother Nature is showing her bad side once again. Be careful if you have to go out. See you later. xo cardinal on icy branch

Almost Home.

I love seeing houses with lights on in every room. It's so welcoming, especially for family coming home for Thanksgiving. Turn them all on tonight. I usually do this anyway in my small cottage on the main floor because I love the way it looks when I go out in the dark for Webster's last walk. via

Did you read about the 1640 Psalm book that sold yesterday at Sotheby's for $14.2 million dollars? The book was published in Cambridge, Mass., by the Puritan leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony just 20 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. It was the first book printed in America and it now holds the record for the most expensive book ever. It's small, 6"x5" so check your bookshelves. Story here.

Beautiful Pumpkin Dessert

You know you want this on your Thanksgiving dessert table! The recipe is in Polish but Google Translate did a great job of converting it to English. Not sure what this means though: "Not breaking hammer mix one egg and mix until combined." It's called Pumpkin Pie with Cream but it looks more like a cake to me. Anyway, it's nice to see what people in other countries cook that would be great for our American Holiday.

Recipe: Kitchen Love Story

Organic Vegetable Soup

My lunch today. I made this vegetable soup last night and it was so good. I think it was good for me too and it's delicious the second time around.

I get these big bags of organic mixed vegetables from Costco. Believe me when I say they are delicious; not at all like the horrid and dreaded blocks of frozen mixed vegetables from my youth. Watts Brothers Farms has grown the best organic carrots, green beans, peas and super sweet cut corn. They are perfect in soup. Last night I added a chopped onion cooked in a little butter and a peeled chopped sweet potato. The broth was organic free range chicken stock. I also added chopped romaine and some leftover spagetti noodles. Sometimes I add a can of diced tomatoes.

I sloshed it around the rim too much for a good photo in the process of carrying the bowl up to the attic to eat my soup in front of the computer. I wonder how long it will take to rid my body of all the sugar I've ingested since Thanksgiving?

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French Bulldog Love

Have you ever seen anything cuter? I want the one in the middle. I'm going to babysit for a white one who is 6 months old while the owner (my friend Kelly) goes away for Thanksgiving. Webster and I are soooo excited. His name is Piggie and he is white with fawn spots. Can't wait!!!

Weeds in First Snow

Everything looks better with snow on top, even a field of weeds.

I have been clearing my field of weeds by hand and it has been easier than I thought. The first two days, I just used my hand clippers and it was slow going. The third day I employed my electric hedge clippers and it was brilliant as the Brits say. I went over what I had cleared with my mulching lawn mower too. I am determined to whack them all down if it takes all winter and it probably will. Unfortunately the first snow of the season has called this project to a screeching halt. 

Now the weeds are bent over instead of standing tall. I will have to wait until everything melts before I can go back with an electric device but I can still do hand work. It looks like a real winter wonderland and the flakes won't be stopping until after midnight. My heart goes out to all the travelers trying to get home after the Thanksgiving holiday. My problem will wait until next week with temps in the 50s and rain. Be safe. Wishing you all snugness in your own homes. xo

Black Friday Illustrated Quote

I'm celebrating Buy Nothing Day today. Buy Nothing Day is your special day to unshop, unspend and unwind. Relax and do nothing for the economy and for yourself - at least for a single day. After such a busy day yesterday, the day after Thanksgiving is a perfect do nothing day, especially since the refrigerator is full of leftovers and I don't have to cook. I created the image with the holly for the inside of my 2007 Christmas card. Enjoy your Friday whatever you choose to do. Thanks for stopping by the cottage. Rosemary

Ralph Waldo Emerson House with Friends Quote

There must be lots of happy houses this weekend. I scanned this image from an old address book and added the type. I was honored by being a guest at a lovely Thanksgiving dinner last night in a happy home. 

Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars on PBS Thanksgiving Night

Anne Shirley (Ella Ballentine) is back in the new TV movie "Anne of Green Gables: The Good Stars" airing on PBS tonight. In my area it comes on at 9:00-11:00. Can't wait.

Books, Cats, and Antiques

Rachael Hale Trust, photographer

Cats have always fascinated me the way they can weave around prized possessions and almost never break anything. Enjoy the day after Thanksgiving known as Black Friday by the retailers. Eat leftovers all day too. That's the big downside to not cooking at home. 

Food Coma

Check in with me later to see if I've recovered from my food coma. I can't remember when I've eaten more good food in one day. So far, I've resisted leftovers but I feel myself weakening now that the lunch hour is approaching.

I hope everyone had an equally wonderful Thanksgiving.



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Looking Back: A Dozen Photos

My grandfather clock. My pantry with Dutch door closed. An early sundial on the counter before I had a microwave there. The outlet behind it was broken and I finally had it fixed when I needed an electrician for a more pressing repair.

An amazing winter golden hour. Photo was taken from the balcony off my living room.

Footprints in the snow. I walked halfway down my property a cold winter's day and these were the first prints I encountered.

One of my cardinals.

Bluebirds are my favorites. They love this corner of my balcony railing.

Geraniums on the lower level deck next to the sliding glass doors.

A favorite photo of my kitchen showing my tongue and groove ceiling.

The wreath on my front door last year photographed from inside.

A lovely notecard with a real shell on it.

My favorite photo of my cottage after it was painted summer 2022.

A nook in my kitchen.

One of the first photos I ever took in my kitchen.

I hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane with old photos you have probably already seen. I had a great Thanksgiving and hope you did too. My new eyes are just wonderful after my cataract surgery. It will be three weeks on Thursday since I had my rught eye done and a month since the left one. I was a little concerned about the "floaters" in my right eye but they went away after two weeks. I couldn't be more pleased.

xo

Home for the Holiday

Will you spend Thanksgiving at home or will you travel to be with family and friends? Enjoy the day and be safe on the road.

Rain.Day

Webster and I went out and checked all of the downspouts this morning in the soft rain and they are all fine. So far, so good with the weather here. The HARD rain they have been predicting hasn't happened and it's not too cold. Bright sun is predicted for Thanksgiving Day with much lower temps. I'm sorry all the travelers have rain and snow and ice to cope with depending on their destination. Be safe everyone. My animals have gone back to bed and I wish I could too. I can see an afternoon nap in my future. Tabitha got me up way too early this morning.
PS....Never did get my nap and sundown is in 20 minutes. Guess I will just turn in a little earlier than usual tonight. my iPhone photo