Winner of "Sort of a Blog Hop"

Good evening everyone! I apologize for being so late in posting the Winner of my Sort of a Blog Hop, but today was our family Thanksgiving and I was a bit tired when everyone left! Whew! We had a great time and thanks for all the well wishes.

(courtesy: Google)

So, without further adeui, the Winner of either the equally beautiful set of note cards or calendar is..............Becky Dunham of Bloglessinutah!

Congratulations to Becky and a heartfelt thanks to the other fabulous seven bloggers who participated. I truly appreciate your kindness for joining me in my first "Hop."  (And I must add a special note to Miss Sparkle Farkle: Your blog post for this was just awesome! Thanks so much for being your usual creative, crazy, wacky self!) The random-number-drawing-thingy chose number four, Branching Out, which was Becky's post title.

And don't forget, these are very reasonably priced....so buy some for yourself and for Christmas gifts!

To those of you who don't know what Becky won, she will be choosing from the following: A Robert Brault wall calendar for 2012, with beautiful pictures and quotes of his.

Or a set of 12 note cards with the same beautiful pictures and quotes.





Becky, please e-mail me with your mailing address and I'll get your order placed asap! Congrats, again!

I'll end this post as I always do, with a quote, and obviously it's one of my favorite Mr. Brault quotes!

"Looking back you realize that a very special person passed briefly through your life - and it was you. It is not too late to find that person again." -- Robert Brault







* I WONDER *

As usual, I've been mixed up about what day it is, but my laptop says it's Friday.

So, that means it's time for another I Wonder!

I wonder: If I'm becoming a real Miss Becky Homecky, because I baked four pies today! That is definitely a World Record for me! I've been making two pumpkin pies for Thanksgivng for many years, but I know that I've never made four, of any kind, in one day.

Now, before you get all impressed with my baking expertise....don't! Because I only use the easiest recipes and use every shortcut I can. Pillsbury rolled crusts, canned pumpkin, (does anybody use fresh pumpkin?) But, I am quite proud of myself for using apples, and not the canned kind!

My two pumpkin pies, ready to go into oven.

I'm not very fancy with the crust edges, either!

Baked, just right, and I only had to slide the knife in it twice.

Some years it looked like Zorro had his way with them!

This is my favorite kitchen gadget in the entire world!

If it wasn't for this, I wouldn't enjoy making apple pies so often.

I bought this at Bed, Bath & Beyond a few years ago and it still works great.

Layers of sliced/peeled apples, with sugar-cinnamon sprinkled on top.

I think y'all remember how much little things give me such joy?!

WELL, my Pampered Chef pastry blender is one of those!

I didn't have one for years and just used a fork, which worked fine,

but having a real one of these makes me feel like a REAL baker!

(this is the flour/sugar/butter mixture that gets sprinkled on top.)

Ready to pop into oven.

Baked, ready to cool, and serve tomorrow. Yummy!

It was 9:00pm when I took these from the oven. I still have things to do for tomorrow, but only simple things, like straightening up the family room, etc. So, all is good and I'm relaxed. Yay!

Welcome to my newest followers: "PJ @ Seens From The Backs Of My Eyelids" and "Cate Pearce." I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!

 

“America has developed a pie tradition unequivocally and unapologetically at the sweet end of the scale, and at no time is this better demonstrated than at Thanksgiving.” -- Janet Clarkson. Pie: A Global History



Thoughts of Thanksgiving

Such busy times, but I'm trying to remember to take deep breaths, relax, and stay focused on what needs to be done...today, the next day, etc.

Such wise words from a little girl.

(courtesy: google)

Have I mentioned we're having our family Thanksgiving THIS Saturday? Since we're a blended family...Yours, Mine & Ours...there's more than the "usual" parents and in-laws involved, so things can get really hectic. We began celebrating this way quite a few years ago and it works really well. I always say, "How many huge Thanksgiving meals can a person be expected to eat in one day?!"


Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, with Christmas a very close second. It's all about family, friends, and food! No commercialism. Every time I think about roasting the turkey, I swear I can actually smell that aroma and it brings such memories.....

(courtesy: google)

 I love to bake pies the day before. This year I'm making my usual two pumpkin pies, plus two apple pies. Oh yeah, and some banana bread with cream cheese frosting. Mmm good!

I make this type of crumble top apple pie and it's so easy.

(courtesy: google)

Welcome to my newest followers: "Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes" and "Deborah Pucci" and "I'm erin!" I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." -- Denis Waitley

A Sort of Blog Hop & Give Away!

This is my first "sort of" Blog-Hop and it's for my friend, Robert Brault. Please join in to have a chance at winning one of the brand new 2012 Calendars or a Set of 12 Note Cards. (And if you don't win here, you can purchase them at very reasonable prices!)

1)  Visit Robert Brault's blog and read some of his fabulous thoughts and quotes. Don't just read the first page, there are months and months of archives....all full of gems!

2) Then add your blog in Mr. Linky,

3) Post something on your blog about Robert, or his quotes, which one(s) you like the best, etc.
   
     ** This is not a typical Blog Hop where people are expected to go around and comment on everyone else's. Just write about one of Robert's sayings/quotes on your own blog, and then add your blog in the Linky, and then you are included in the drawing. **



On November 19th, one lucky winner (chosen by random drawing) will receive either Robert's calendar or one of the note card sets. What a neat gift for just reading some inspirational or humorous quotes that will enrich your lives! This Give-Away is available to everyone no matter where you live!
*Or buy some as Christmas gifts for those special people in your lives.

"Looking back, you realize that a very special person passed briefly through your life -- and that person was you. It is not too late to become that person again. "  -- Robert BraultOn November

* I WONDER *

It's another I Wonder Friday.

There's so much I'm wondering about today, that I have no particular theme. Just thoughts, questions, and information.

First: A HUGE Thank-You to ALL the Veterans of War from our country, and also to the military serving today. Just think how all of our lives have been affected one way or the other by these men and women. Some of us are alive today because our fathers or grandfathers came back from a war. And some of us, like myself, are alive because someone didn't make it back home. Seem impossible??

My mother's first husband did not make it home. For a few years, she was a war widow, and eventually married my dad. So, there began another branch on the Family Tree.

Second: My bloggy friend, Sue over at Sue's News, Views 'n Muse is having the most fabulous Blogaversary Give-Away that I've ever heard of! All you have to do is leave a comment and be her follower. That's it! AND...you could be one of the TWO winners of a HANDMADE QUILT! Is she crazy, or what?? And here I was, trying to decide what kind of give-away to have for MY blogaversary. No matter what I decide, nothing could ever live up to hers! So, hop on over there for Pete's sake and leave a comment and become a follower! She's a great gal and wonderful writer, too.

Third:   Here's a couple of reminders about a Writing Call Out and a Contest.

              The Mona Schreiber Prize for Humorous Fiction and Non-Fiction. Every year I tell myself I'm going to enter this contest and I never do. Why, I don't know. The entry fee is only $5.00. And from reading winners of previous years, the wackier the humor, the better! Give it a try! All entries must be post-marked by December 1st, and the winners will be announced on Christmas Eve! *Mona's son, Brad, has kept his mother's memory alive through this contest for quite a few years.

               Silver Boomer Books has a call out for a book about widows. When I first heard about it, I thought, Well, that leaves me out. I'm not a widow, and I never have been. BUT, when Becky Haigler; writer, editor and publisher (of Silver Boomer Books) spoke at our Saturday Writers Workshop last month, I had the opportunity to talk with her about various topics. I found out that the writer of the story doesn't necessarily have to be the widow in the story. Ahh...now, that's different! I'm going to submit a story about my mother's life when she suddenly became a young widow, along with thousands of others, during WWII. Submissions accepted from December 1, 2011 until March 30, 2012.

Wishing all of you a Happy, Blissful, Beautiful Friday.

 

“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.” -- John Lennon

A Winner - A Blogaversary - And Heartfelt Thanks

The Winner of Melissa Goodwin's children's book is:

Septembermom!

Congrats to Septembermom, who was chosen by random drawing. Please e-mail me with your mailing address, so we can send your signed book.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Since recently reading about bloggers' anniversaries here and there, I thought I should look at my first blog post and see when it was, because I honestly did not remember. My blogaversary is tomorrow, November 10th. I began blogging on 11/10/2008. It certainly doesn't feel like I've been doing this for Three Years!

Thanks to all of you who've been with me since the very beginning! And of course to everyone who somehow found me, or I found them, and we became blog buddies. Some of you have become really close friends and live all over this wondrous planet we call our home. This truly is an amazing endeavor and has enriched my life in so many ways.

A huge thank-you to Karrie for helping me get started. I knew nothing and she explained blogspot to me via e-mails from Ohio!

"There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves; it is not my nature." -- Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

* Random Thoughts *

As a woman who is forgetful on a daily basis, and semi-confused quite often, I'm happy to announce that I do indeed know that today is a Tuesday and it's November 8th. 

I'd lost track of time for a few days, but I think I've got it straightened out now! With The Ronald having surgery on the 1st day of the month, and it being the day after Halloween, time spun out of control for a while. I'm pretty sure I've got things under control....but don't hold your breath.

Here are my latest random thoughts:

** Why does a Tire Shop give out appointments...say for 4:00pm, and the customer (me) is there until almost 6:00pm? I am grateful that they could fix my flat and didn't tell me I needed a new one. BUT, they also said I needed a new air filter, which I saw, and it was filthy, so I said Yes. Wouldn't you think they'd tell the customer (me) that the filter had to be delivered to them and it would take forever?? Oh well....such is life.

** After I left the Tire Shop, I stopped at Bed, Bath & Beyond, (since it was nearby) hoping to find two little plugs or drain stoppers that I wanted so badly. Remember my post from Nostalgic Sunday, sharing my thoughts & photos about the little things in life that make me happy? Well, for the sum total of $5.97, I bought them! I could've danced right out of that store. And my aggravation at the Tire Shop...What aggravation? I'd finally got my two little drain stopper thingys! (I even took pictures, but then changed my mind about posting them!)

** While listening to my car radio during my errands, I was reminded once again that some singers and/or groups should really not sing Christmas Carols. Yikes! Or at least make better song choices. A couple of times I couldn't hit the Off button fast enough. (and yes, we have a local station that began playing all Christmas music recently.)




(photo taken by Becky Povich)

This is a tree in our front yard. Aren't the colors glorious?
I truly believe I've witnessed many more wondrous trees this autumn, then ever before.

** I'll announce the winner of Melissa's book tomorrow, so if anyone wants to still be in the drawing, leave a comment on last Wednesday's post. **

Welcome to my newest follower: Just Stuff from a Boomer! I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!



"There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day." -- Alexander Woollcott

* Nostalgic Sundays *

It's time for another Nostalgic Sunday.

Today's post isn't technically about nostalgia,
 but it's about little things that make me happy.

Writerly coffee mugs!
(Saturday Writers is the local writing group I've been the president of this year.)

Chocolate covered strawberries - Yum!

Beautiful fall foliage, even on a rainy day.
I took this picture from inside my laundry room.
I purposely wanted to capture the rain drops on the window.

"Cheapie" earrings from Walmart -- $2.88. (no kidding)

Same as above: $2.88

These photos don't do the earrings justice. They are really beautiful. I've never seen such nice ones for such a small price! I just happened to notice different earring displays as I walked down the aisle and couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at the price. 

I've told girlfriends over the years that whenever I'd feel a little down and needed an inexpensive pick-me-up, I'd head to the earrings in various department stores at the mall. I'd usually find a pretty pair on sale for less than $10.00 and I'd be a happy gal! BUT, to find such gorgeous ones for $2.88!...Well, I just had to go crazy and buy TWO pair!

(All photos taken by me except for the Taylor family in Mayberry. That was found in Google.)

Aunt Bee would be so proud of me and my frugality!

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." ~ Robert Brault

*I'm so proud to say that Robert Brault is a friend of mine. He is a genius, yet kind and humble, and so encouraging to others. Click on his name to go to his blog. Read some of his hundreds of quotes and sayings and maybe purchase his new calendar and/or note cards. I have them both and they are delightful.*