For A Special Little Someone

A very SPECIAL little someone will be making an appearance this spring.

So there is a flurry of yellow, green and aqua sewing and crocheting

going on around here.

(All gender neutral colors, as we won't know 'til birth day.)

So excited to be joining the Grandma Club!

Smiling from ear to ear!

:-)

So Proud!

(family photos may not be borrowed or pinned)

Yesterday was a very special day!

Our son graduated from college.

He studied Political Science and Economics, on a Pre-Law track.

In just a couple of days he will begin Law School.

We are so proud of him!

(family photos may not be borrowed or pinned)

Go Rest High On That Mountain

(This photo was taken by my Dad, and may not be borrowed or pinned.)

 He is gone.

The kind and gentle man that I looked up to all my life.

Mountaineer, educator, leader, man of faith. 

Daddy.

"Go rest high on that mountain."

Trick Or Treat!

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

Hansel and Gretel

Here is a peek at my two favorite little Trick or Treaters.

(They didn't always appreciate having their picture taken.)

(Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)


 Can you find them all?

Two Kitty Cats
  Little Bo Peep and Little Lamb
 Little Red Riding Hood
Peter Pan

Goldilocks and Baby Bear
  Hansel and Gretel
Cowboy

The Scarecrow and Dorothy (Oz)

Do you have children/grandchildren who will dress up for Halloween this year?

* * *
PS- Yes, I made most of the costumes.
My sister made the Dorothy costume.

Celebrate With Apple Pie!

Special occasions call for pie.

So I peeled, chopped, sprinkled, mixed, piled high and crimped.

Then I cut initials J and B.

Not too bad!

It was yummylicious!

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

Congratulations to J and B!

Over the years I have modified the Betty Crocker Cookbook apple pie recipe to suit me.  I use more apples than the recipe calls for, because I like full pies, not flat ones.   I increase the measurements for the sugar and spices too.   Then I toss some ground cloves in there, which is not in the recipe at all.    I use a mix of apples, Jonagolds, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious, because those hold their apple shape pretty well when cooked (they are juicy but don't turn to mush) and produce the sweet and tart taste I am after.


  * * * * *
PS-  I have been asked for the pie recipe, so I am adding the recipe as printed in the Betty Crocker Cookbook.


Fresh Apple Pie  (9 inch)

Pastry for 9 inch, two crust pie
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of salt
6 cups thinly sliced pared tart apples (about 6 medium)
2 tablespoons butter

Heat oven to 425.  Prepare pastry.  Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.   Stir in apples.  Turn into pastry lined pie plate;  dot with butter.  Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it;  seal and flute.  Cover edge with 3 inch strip of aluminum foil;  remove foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.  Bake until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, 40-50 minutes.
(See my notes above if you are interested in the changes I make to the recipe.)


Standard Pastry (for  two crust, 9 inch pie)
2/3 cups lard  (or 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4-5 tablespoons cold water

Cut lard/shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas.  Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl.
Gather pastry into ball;  divide in half;  shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface.  Roll pastry 2 inches larger than pie plate with flour covered rolling pin.  Fold pastry into quarters;  ease into plate and unfold, pressing firmly against sides and bottom.  Fill with pie filling and then repeat with top pastry. Seal and fold under edges. Flute edge.  Bake as directed.

First Day Dresses

School started this week for the kids in our town.   

Brought back memories of my own first days at school.

Two little girls getting ready to walk to school.

I'm on the left.  It was my first day of grade one.

My big sister was two years older.

My Mom always dressed my sisters and I up in the cutest outfits.  

She sewed all our clothes.

I loved this green corduroy jumper and the floral underdress.

(It's not just a blouse. See some of it is peeking out at the hem?) 

 (This photo was taken by my Dad and may not be borrowed or pinned.)

You can see a close up on the fabric of the underdress, because 

Mom made me a little apron with the remnants, and I still have that.

The next year there were three little girls heading off for school.

I'm on the far right and starting grade two.

Matching plaid dresses with green velvet ties, made by our Mom.

Even our lunch boxes matched.

 (This photo was taken by my Dad and may not be borrowed or pinned.)

This one was taken several years later.
 My much younger baby sister was headed for grade three.

Styles had changed a bit by the 70's. 

Look at her Holly Hobbie lunch box!

 (This photo was taken by either my Dad or my Mom and may not be borrowed or pinned.)


Do you remember what you wore on your first days of school?

(All pictures in this post were taken by my Mom or Dad.)


I'm joining the Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingie Thursday.

The Country's Newest Social Worker

We had a very special event to attend this past weekend.

Our daughter's college graduation.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

She earned a double major in Social Work / Justice And Society.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

We are so proud of her!

1970's Thanksgiving

When I was a girl, we lived far away from family.  So instead of gathering with Grandparents and cousins for the holidays, we invited friends over.  Close friends, who were given honorary family names, like Aunt and Uncle, even though we were not related.

Here we are,  circa 1970, with 4 families all seated around the table for Thanksgiving.   Where did we find a table big enough for 18 people?  My Mom set up our ping pong table in the family room!     Everybody brought food. Somebody brought candlesticks.  One of the other Moms brought over her dishes, so we would have enough for everyone.  All of us glad to be together.   It really was a perfect holiday!

Mmmmm, look at all that good food!

That's me there in the plaid shirt and lovely glasses. 

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

Speaking of eye-glasses, here is another pair to admire.

And look at that molded jello!

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

Four of the group had birthdays within a week of Thanksgiving.  

I love this picture of all of them blowing out the candles on their group cake!

Linking to

Vintage Thingie Thursday at The Colorado Lady

Thank you for hosting.

I must apologize for not visiting and leaving very many comments this past week.   I have been so busy getting everything ready for the kids to come home from college.  I'm hoping to get caught up with all of you in the next two or three days.

(All of these pictures were taken by my parents or other guests at the dinner.)

Quilts From Great-Grandma

My great-grandma was an amazing quilter.  My best memory of her is sitting in a chair, surrounded by bags of colorful fabric, scissors, and paper templates.   She had lots of kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  And she made beautiful quilts for all of us.

This darker green nine patch quilt was the first quilt I received from her.  I don't ever remember it not being on my bed, so that means I've had it since before I was 4 years old.  I remember laying on my bed, looking at all the different fabrics and colors.  ( I still do that now.)   Sometimes I played with dolls on the quilt, and each 9-patch block became a different "room", and the sashing became the "hallways" of the "doll house".  

This lighter green quilt came along a few years later.   Do any of you quilters recognize this block and know it's name?   I think my great-grandma found some of her quilt template patterns in the newspaper.   I should go to the Kansas City Star Quilts web site  and see if I can locate it.  They published quilt patterns in newspapers all around the country. 

Because of her, I grew up loving quilts.   Her specialty was scrap quilts and to this day that is my favorite type of quilt.    

*   *   *   *   *

I decided to make today's post quilt related in memory of CC.   I was just getting to know her  through the Sunbonnet Sue patterns she posted on her blog.   Rest in peace friend.  My deepest sympathy and prayers go out to her family.

The Colorado Lady is having a giveaway in memory of CC. 

Dont forget to sign up for my giveaway!!  Click here. 

I'm linking to:

Vintage Thingie Thursday  at The Colorado Lady

Alphabe-Thursday Color Summer School at Jenny's

Family Tea

We held the annual summer tea party with my niece last week.  Sisters, parents, cousins and of course, my little niece.  

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

Two pots of hot tea, iced tea and fresh squeezed lemonade.  (Teapot, sugar and creamer are Franciscan, Desert Rose.) 

Delicious!

(The teacup in the center is the newest in my Mom's collection.  So pretty with the violets on the outside and the pale green inside.  I do not remember who the maker is...  Do any of you recognize it?)

Linking to Tea Cup Tuesday,  Tea Time Tuesday  and  Wednesday Tea For Me and Thee  

T is for Timberline Lodge

(this pic from the web)

T is for Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood, Oregon.  The massive mountain lodge was a WPA project, built in a mere 15 months during 1936 and 1937.    

  

 Entrance to the Lodge.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

My two youngsters.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

Mr. Garden.

The lodge is  only 3.6 miles from the summit of Mt. Hood.
(But it takes hours for a seasoned climber to climb up and back.)

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

My parents and Mr. Garden visiting by the fireplace.

(this pic from the web)

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

Our family celebrated my parents 50th wedding anniversary at this landmark lodge.  

(this pic from the web)

Handcrafted works of art are found around every corner.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

All the kids.

Timberline Lodge is an amazing place.  Have you visited?

(Most of these pictures are my own, but two were taken by the family photographer , 

and three were borrowed from the Lodge web-site.)

I'm joining Jenny Matlock for Alphabe-Thursday.   And The Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingie Thursday.  I hope you will have time to pop over and visit some of the other posts.

Rental, Rummage, Rake, Round-up, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Roadtrip, Retrieve, Ranch, Roam, River, Rest, Recline, Refrigerator, Return, Real, Room, Remove, Raving

The past couple of weeks have been all about the letter R.

We drove north to move our college daughter out of her on-campus apartment into an off-campus rental house, which she will share with several of her friends.  We  rummaged through the boxes and mess and tried to help her get settled in.  Mr. Garden also raked and bagged a ton of grass clippings and leaves.   It is an adorable little house and I think the kids will enjoy living there.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

We also had to round-up some furniture.  Daughter feels very strongly about the whole  reduce/reuse/recycle concept, so we searched for and found some second hand pieces.  It all cleaned up pretty well.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

She spent several days unpacking after we left.

A week later we took another roadtrip.   This time we headed west to retrieve our son from university and move him back home for the summer.  

We passed several cattle ranches.

And just a few of these:

Wait... go back... taking pictures from a moving car is really hard.    

Can you tell what those little black dots in the grass are?  Bison!    

"Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam...."

Descending down into the river valley where the university  is.

Rested for a few minutes on these orange recliners after loading everything (including a refrigerator) into the car.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

So, son has returned home and everything has been put away and looks great!  

Ha ha, NOT,  Let's get real!  There are piles of stuff everywhere around the house and it is a mess!

It's one thing if he wants his room to look like that.  But he needs to remove the pile from the downstairs living areas before his mother (that would be me) turns into a raving lunatic and threatens to throw it all away.    

It is pouring rain at the moment.  I think we might float away.  

I'm joining the fabulous Jenny Matlock for Alphabe-Thursday- letter R.  I hope you visit her blog and read all the other fun posts.