This n' that ...

Few ramblings of my life and mind ...

We lost a friend last week.  Betty Lawhead of Trimble, Illinois died at the age of 92.  Betty was a wonderful hooker, fellow charter member of the Hoosier Hills Rug Hooking Guild, and just a fun person to be around.  After reading her obit I could see that she had a wonderful, full life.  And the most interesting thing to me was that she lived in the same house all her life!  From birth to death.  Not many people can say that.  Wendell and I ran into her recently at the Wabash Coffee House in Hutsonville (IL) where she ate lunch every day!  I'm glad we got to share a few words and laughs that day!

And speaking of such things, I updated my address book this week.  I keep an old-fashioned one, like my mom used to, in pencil.  Thank goodness it's in pencil.  Unfortunately I had to erase several entries.  Our good old friend Jim Doversberger, my Aunt Rosie, and my cousin Margaret Schooley Johnson are all gone now.  And I hadn't erased Mom's entry yet; that was a hard one.  And other people have just moved out of our lives ...  Life does go forward.  But doing something like updating your address book brings the fact that you're growing older more clearly to mind.

We had a quiet Thanksgiving.  Was outside some because it was so beautiful.  Took a walk and it was great to breath deeply of the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine!  Had wanted to go out for a holiday dinner but waited too long to make reservations at any place we'd want to eat.  So we had ham, roasted butternut squash, and cranberry salad.  Pumpkin pie for dessert.  It was all good.  And spent with my favorite person.

So ... what have I been up to lately?  Here goes!

Last post I showed a view out my kitchen window with all the beautiful fall color.  Well, here's what it looks like now with the trees almost bare.  Big difference.  And we're supposed to have rain and wind tonight, so I expect even more will be gone tomorrow.

Betty McClelland gave me this piece from an old overshot weaving.  I sewed around the edges and fringed it to make a simple table runner.  I know it's not perfectly balanced, red & blue, but I like it anyway!  My thoughts are along these lines:  "who knows who made this and where it's been in its lifetime!?"  I love it.  (That bowl is made from an old lariat discovered at the farmer's market in Las Cruces last February.)

This is all the autumn decorating I did this year.  I was lazy ...  The American flag always makes things look better, plus the leaves helped me out!

This is the little mat I'm hooking right now.  It'll be a pillow top.  Now that I'm well along with it I like it better than I did when I started.  Isn't that always the way it is???

Here's the beautiful landscape by Bill Ferguson that Jane gave me.  We love it there on our living room wall!  How very generous of her to share this painting with us!  You know, Jane is just a very special person.  Some time I'll tell you some of the good things she does for the community.  Lots of things people don't even know about.  And probably way more than even I know about ...  Jane is a good person.  But anyway, thank you Jane.  We are so enjoying your gift.

Now, I'll close with this picture.  This is a VERY bad hand dealt to me in Quiddler.  We played a couple games last night.  If you were going to make some words out of this, what would you do?????  Luckily I got to draw.   Pssst ... my family doesn't know but I'm going to make them play this game at Christmas!  LOL!

Well, hope you've had a great Thanksgiving and are starting your Christmas shopping at home or at the mall.  And that you go out and do something fun this weekend, too.  We're off to the Festival of Trees at Shawnee Theater and the Owen Valley Winery for some wine to tide us over the rest of the year!  
Remember that God is good!  All the time!

Will it never end?????

Only five days to go!  I am so over political advertisements!  Right now I don't care who wins.  And I probably won't care much when it's over either.  It seems to me it's just a bunch of people seeing how much they can spend to hold power.  Bah.  Humbug.

Now.  On to important things ... I made a pie today!  Probably sounds like braggin' but it's pretty yummy, too.  So I'm sharing the recipe here and saying it's just as good as Wick's Sugar Cream Pie!  Big talk, I know -- but try it, and let me know if you did and if you liked it, and how it worked for you!

INDIANA SUGAR PIE (from Marcia Adams' "Heartland" Amish cookbook)

1 8" unbaked pie shell
4 T. all-purpose flour
2 T. cold butter
1 c. sugar
pinch of salt
1 c. heavy (whipping) cream
1 c. milk (whole, 1%, 2% ...)
1 t. vanilla extract
grated nutmeg for garnish

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Blend the flour, butter, sugar and salt in a food processor until well combined and smooth, about 5 seconds. Pour into the unbaked pie shell.

Add the cream and mix gently, thoroughly with your fingers, being careful not to break through the bottom crust.

In a measuring cup, combine the milk and vanilla; pour over the top of the cream mixture but don't stir in.  Sprinkle lavishly with nutmeg.  Place pie on baking sheet for stability.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours.  (This seems too long, but it does require long baking.  And remember, it's only at 300 degrees F.)

The center of the pie will be bubbly and still a little wiggly.  Cool completely at room temperature before cutting.  Store leftovers in frig.

Here it  is, right out of the oven.  I know; it looks like it didn't bake long enough, but it did and it firmed up perfectly.  We just had a piece tonight with a cup of coffee and it was delish.  And so simple!  ANYONE can make this pie.  Honestly.

I was successful in the "stirring" with my fingers because I just cut my nails back!  LOL!!! (And now that I look at them, I need a manicure ..........)

You know we enjoy visiting antiques shops.  Well, we went to Vincennes recently and visited Shakers Landing.  Found a couple of small green planters to add to my collection.  They had some neat stuff; we hadn't been there for some time and enjoyed the trip.  Had lunch at Procopio's; first time we'd been there and really enjoyed it.  I'd recommend that restaurant to anyone.  Also took a walk along the Wabash on their newly remodeled riverfront walk.  And drove along the new (to me) section of riverfront drive.  It was a beautiful fall day and it was good to be alive and out and about in Indiana!

They have an outside area with all sorts of architectural salvage ...

And indoors there's plenty to keep you occupied.  Love this 'weed' sign -- I probably should have bought it to put down along the river to help the pot farmers find their plot by boat.

I thought this lamp made from fittings was unusual and almost bought it.  Couldn't think of any place to put it though!  I did buy some yardsticks that I then used to make a 5-sided star.  Hung it on the wall downstairs.

We went to Michigan recently to visit Adrian and family.  Got to see Veronica play soccer.  She's second from the left in the picture below.  So proud of her and her team!  They had an excellent season.  Enjoyed a yummy Mexican dinner with them before we parted.  Life is good.  While we were there we visited a very nice church south of Hastings for Sunday services; friendly people.  The weather was cool but no rain, sleet or snow for the game or the trip.  The driving was good with some pretty color here and there along the way.  It was all good.  I'm really enjoying my new (used) Subaru!

Well, we finally had some pretty fall color over the weekend here and took a drive to see some of it.  On Monday we mowed and it was the best day!  Just wonderful weather and so good to be outdoors.  I kept finding things to do to stay out longer.  All of the yard 'stuff' is now put away and all the flower beds except one ready for the winter.  Sad.  It think it's the last time we'll have to mow for the season.  (Thank you God!)  But really -- I so enjoy being out on the mower when it's nice.  It's sort of mindless work and gives me time to think, sing, and pray.  (Don't tell anyone I sing.)  Only time I really mind it is when it's 90 and humid; then I'm hating it!  We had way too many mowing days like that this summer ... 

Met (brother) Don and Nancy for lunch at 21 North in Martinsville Tuesday.  What fun!  We ate and talked for 2 hours!  Great lunch, too.  It sure was good to see them; probably the last time till next spring.  We hated parting; stood out on the sidewalk and talked some more.  We'll all get busy with holiday events plus they'll leave for AZ soon.

Then Wednesday it turned ugly and I think all of the beautiful leaves were blown/rained off of the trees yesterday and today.  Today was a good day to be in.  Sewed some.  Baked the pie.  Helped Wendell clean out can lights.  Did the minutes from the last church council meeting (yeah! glad that's done!).  Read some on a very interesting book.  Just a good day to be indoors.

Here was the view out my kitchen window couple days ago.  Pretty I think.  Now the trees are much more bare.  I can see the river today through the woods.  God is good.