Happy Thanksgiving!

I know that almost everyone is either eating or cooking their Thanksgiving feast right now. We are having a late dinner, so I'm taking a quick break before I go clean up some of the mess I made this morning.

We are having a small group this year, just Andrew, Alison, Tad and Eric. I miss my oldest son Justin, who is in Europe, but he will be home for Christmas.

We will be having a very traditional meal: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry relish, green salad, and rolls. And for dessert, apple and pecan pie with whipped cream and ice cream. I made an apple and pumpkin pie on Monday for Rick to take to his shop's Thanksgiving lunch.

My husband likes to make little pies with the leftover dough.

Then two more pies yesterday.

My favorite pie is chocolate pecan, but everyone else likes plain pecan. So when I made these I made a little one with chocolate and we ate it last night. So good!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day with friends and family. I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed being a part of this wonderful group of bloggers this past year. Thank you for all of your sweet comments and ideas!

Finished WIP

 Don't you just love finishing up a Work In Progress?  I do, because I'm a little OCD about not starting a new project until I'm finished with the old one. (I did sneak in the fall quilt.) So I'm very happy to have finally finished quilting this Irish chain quilt that I started earlier this summer.

And, like usual, I quilted it within an inch of it's life! I can't seem to help myself. Though I know I could make a lot more items if I didn't do so much quilting or even had it machine quilted. Oh well. I'll just keep slowly turning out the quilts. Now which one do do next?

Sandhill Cranes

On Tuesday we decided to drive an hour north and see the sandhill cranes at their migration stop. It is such a spectacular sight! Thousands of these huge birds converge for the night in one place after feasting in the harvested fields.

It's hard to tell, but the field in the background is just full of birds. We were standing on a viewing platform and for some reason they were landing farther away this year.

I guess the deer knew they were safe because they congregated here also.

We could hear hunters in the distance, but the deer didn't startle.

Tad, his parents, and great grandma were with us.

We had a great time with the other bird watcher. As it started getting cold and dark, we made our way back to the cars and dinner at The Whistle Stop, part diner, part train museum.

Fall Quilts

I finally finished up this fall leaf quilt that I started before my surgeries. I loved using the felt with the cottons, and adding embroidery.

I never wash my fabrics before sewing the quilt. I use a thin batting, and wash it after the hand quilting is done. I like the old fashioned texture that it gives.

I made this quilt a few years ago and use it on the dining table. It's from a Thinbleberries book, I think.

 

 See that spider? My fun loving husband tried to scare me with it this morning. He didn't succeed, well, almost!

We are going to have a sunny, 60ish day and I have some bulbs to plant. We'll see how I do with a trowel. Anyone planting bulbs? I'd love to hear what kind. I've got some of those gigantic alliums, some snowdrops, and blue scilla. 

 Have a great weekend, everyone!

The Greenhouse

Last week my husband got the potted plants from around the yard put in the greenhouse. This is just the second year for of having the greenhouse and I love it! It's so nice to come out here on a chilly day and mess with the plants. 

 

It's also a good place to store the many pots and soils I have. It isn't heated so we will have to keep track of the night temperatures and bring some things in later. But I think they will be healthier having a longer time in the bright light.

This evening we are having the kids over for dinner: Italian beef sandwiches, chips, coleslaw, and oatmeal scotchies. Pretty easy meal. I love having everyone over to get caught up and see Tad.

Well, I'm going to go upstairs and work on a scrapbook page of our day at Shades State Park. Hope everyone is having a good Sunday!

Halloween Treats

Last night we went over to Andrew and Alison's to see Tad in his costume. Andrew and Tad were going to be the Blues Brothers (!), but Andrew realized he had an evening test. So Alison and Tad were dressed as Willie Wonka and her Umpa Lumpa.

The pumpkin bear was a gift from us.

Tad was in such a good mood and we had fun handing out candy with him. We don't get any trick or treaters out in the country, so this was a treat for us!

I made treats for friends and family. I had never done the dipped pretzels before. They were so easy and fun to make.

I made a little felt bag for Tad with a book and bear.

I hope everyone had a great Halloween. I can't believe we are in November now. Switching over to Christmas crafts!