Sort of Long and Lots of Pictures

We had some snow several days ago! It was coming down so hard and big flakes but it stopped not long after it started and turned to just cold rain! I would love one good snow before the end of the season.

It won't be long before the weather is nice enough that we can drive up to the mountains and see family again! I always love the mountains no matter what season!

Two infusions down and two left to go for this round! Last infusion was a bad day. The infusion went fine with no problems but one of gals brought me a cup of coffee (very much appreciated) with creamer that I am allergic to! I should have asked but it slipped my mind! From now on, I will take my OWN creamer so that does not happen again!

I have an update on Quaker Bluebirds aka Redbirds by Willow Hill Sampling. Unfortunately, I am not as far along as I had hoped to be by now but I am really enjoying this stitch! I had to stop and take care of some frogs but it will be worth it in the long run. I have an update on Virtuous Woman as well but I am going to save it for next time! I am taking my time on both of these. No worry. No hurry.

Can you believe that I am already itching for another new start?? I am usually a one project at a time type of gal.  I made an exception this time with Quaker Bluebirds and Virtuous Woman but I will fight those new start urges until at least one of these is finished!

I made a run to our LNS for some threads I was out of and while I was there, this sassy fellow by PSS caught my eye. I had to bring him home!

I don't buy much jewlery but once in a while I see something that just sets my heart spinning. I have had my eye on these two necklaces over at Etsy for quite some time. I finally gave in and bought them!

The recipe of the week is An Old Fashioned Skillet Meatloaf. The picture and recipe are from Pinterest. This was a new meatloaf recipe for me and it was a BIG hit!  Everyone really enjoyed it! I substituted BBQ sauce for the ketchup and it worked great.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. Ground Beef  (80/20 or 85/15)

1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats

1 cup Ketchup

2 eggs

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

TOPPING

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl whisk the eggs. Add the onion, salt, pepper, 1 cup ketchup and the Worcestershire sauce to the eggs stir until blended. Add the ground beef and the oats mix well using a wooden spoon or your hands ( I used my hands).

3. Dump mixture into a 10in. cast iron skillet, press to shape. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can follow the same instructions for a bread pan.  Bake for one hour, remove from oven, spread on the topping and bake for 25 more minutes or until the center reaches 160 degrees.

Until next time may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.

Christmas is a comin'

I had a birthday earlier this week. I have always enjoyed having my birthday so close to the holidays! All of the music, lights and festivities just make my day even more special! I had a nice day. We had a storm which I used to get some stitching done then the Grumpy Ol Gazer took me out for a birthday dinner at one of my favorite places with no clean up and a new dutch oven that I had mentioned wanting (and needing).

Several day later I stopped by my LNS with my birthday coupon and picked up a new project (like I really need one)! I was looking for a something Christmasy to start on for next year!

I had said once before that I had stopped cooking on Thanksgiving but I broke that little rule this past holiday. Because I had just gotten out of the hospital, I really did not want to stand in any long lines. Christmas is a different story though. I have never cooked on Christmas. We usually had family dinners to attend and when we got home everyone was always so busy "playing" with their gifts so I would just place an order with our local BBQ restaurant for a pan of BBQ with all the fixings and pick it up on the Christmas Eve. Everyone can eat as they please off and on all day (and into the next day sometimes). By now this has become a standing tradition. The BBQ is ordered to pick up on Christmas Eve and this year I added a pan of chicken and dumplings to the order. This (along with Christmas Eve leftovers) should last us several days or more.

I did not get any Christmas stitching done this year. I usually try to do at least one but I missed out this year so I will share several of my favorites from the past. I am already looking for one or two to do next year!

Poor Maidens by Plum Street Samplers

Feliz Navidad by Blackbird Designs

There is no update on A Virtuous Woman this week. I did not get very much done on her this week and I wanted to wait to get more done before showing her off but I am really enjoying this stitch.

Around the end of this month we need to do a big clean out around the house. We just have too much stuff that we never use! Just junky stuff (boxes, old papers...)  It seems like we just did this same thing about this time last year, too! How do we accumulate so much JUNK!

I probably won't post again until after Christmas so I hope everyone has a wonderful and Merry Christmas! Until next time may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.