Want Some Soup?

Time for another Autumn recipe!

Loaded Potato Soup (serves 8)

INGREDIENTS
8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
8 cups milk
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Place cubed potatoes into a glass dish, and cook in the microwave oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until soft.
While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour until smooth, then gradually stir in the milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Stir in the potatoes and onion, and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the sour cream and Cheddar cheese until melted and well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with crisp bacon bits, grated cheese and a spoonful of sour cream! YUM!

I finally got to pick up my stitching again after all the confusion around here the past few weeks. This is how my Willow Tree Sampler looked yesterday. More has been done on it since then. I am hoping to meet my deadline goal of October 10th but the closer it gets, the more I wonder if it will be completed. DH will be taking me to a dr. appointment tomorrow (a good hour drive) so I plan to take this along to work on in the car.

I am still feeling rather sluggish after all that has happened recently so I will take some advice this month from a very wise song.

Nothing's impossible I have found,
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off,
Start all over again.

Don't lose your confidence if you slip,
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
Start all over again.

I added a few more items to my October goals list to help give me the shove I need to get started!

1. Start working on Cross Stitch Lottery piece
2. Start posting on group blogs (I have been lax in this area)
3. Start on some smalls
4. Recipe swap at Peek
5. Do a Crazy Exchange for ??

I also ordered Phoebe's Forest by The City Stitcher yesterday. I have loved this pattern for quite awhile. Now I will just keep my fingers crossed it is in stock!

Thank You, My Friends

The first thing I want to do this morning is send out a big thank you to all of you who read my blog! And an even bigger thank you to those of you that post comments! I don't get quite as many comments as some blogs I read get but each one I do get is special to me and a comment from a friend! Thank you all for taking time to come spend part of your busy days with me!

This is the picture that hangs in our dining area now. Or one of them! A different piece of art used to hang in this frame in this very spot but after we painted I decided to change things around a bit.

I am finally ready to place my order for some new goodies! I bet you want to know what I plan to get! Don't you? LOL! I will tell you an item a day so it doesn't seem like so much! I just couldn't stand it anymore and had to get the Houses of Hawk Run Hollow chart by Carriage House Samplings! I may have bitten off more than I can chew with this one but I just love watching everyone else's progress with it so I took the plunge! *wink*

Hello October!

When it rains, it pours. Or so they say. So much has happened last month to throw our normal dull lives AND our house into utter turmoil. I definitely need to pay some attention to doing some cleaning around here the next few days! Hopefully everything is over for awhile and we can get back on track with our ordinary drab lives now!

Several people have asked how old my MIL was at her passing. She was 85. As I said she lived a long life. Married 64 years, 5 children, 11 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

No stitching for me the past few nights again. By the time we would finally get home from all we had to do, I was too exhausted to do much else other than just fall into my chair. I will be glad to get back on my schedules for stitching and scrapbooking! I did make this journal awhile back and never got a chance to post it. I can keep pictures of my stitching along with dates and special comments in here.

Time to review last month's goals and list my goals for Oct. Hopefully I will be able accomplish more this month!

SEPTEMBER GOALS
1. Continue working on And A Forest Grew - YES
2. Complete Willow Tree Sampler - NO
3. Get new chairs for house - YES
4. Get new rug for living area - YES
5. At least one new stitching start - NO
6. Stitch no less than 2 smalls - NO
7. Paint the kitchen - NO

OCTOBER GOALS
1. Continue working AAFG
2. Complete Willow Tree Sampler
3. Two New Starts
4. Work on 30 day journal at Peek
5. Catch up on housework (YUK)

September did turn out to be a good blog month for me as I ran across some new ones to add to my list of those I enjoy reading but all in all September was a long and hard month around here. I am glad to see it end. Hopefully, October will bring happy times for us again and lots of new beginnings!

Rest in Peace

My Mother In Law passed away last night. It was quick and peaceful. She had a long life that had become hard for her at the end so I am glad there was no pain for her. I wanted to share this picture of her when she was much younger and so happy along with being full of dreams for the future instead of a more recent one where you can see how tired she was becoming. She often talked of going home to see her beloved husband who passed away several years ago.

Rest in Peace.

Nature's Bounty

Some of the wonderful berries in my yard that the birds love to snack on! These are only a few of the varieties I have planted for them.

Birds and Trees

Where do Christmas trees come from? Why, Christmas Tree Farms, of course! This picture was taken earlier this summer on one of our day trips and I totally forgot about it with so many other things going on! We saw oodles of Christmas Tree Farms like this one while in the mountains and it really put us in an early holiday mood! Ho Ho Ho!

Time to update my Wishlist and some of the links on my sidebar!

Harold is working extra hours for awhile. Until this job is finished my calendar is totally turned around for awhile! Sunday seems like Monday. Thursday seems like Saturday. Monday seems like Friday. Hopefully this won't last very long. For awhile I have to find recipes to make for dinner that I can fix early enough for me and the boys to eat and being able to reheat (or keep hot) for Harold when he gets home a few hours later without that stale "nuked" taste.

Cooking for the birds! Yep, you read right! Even our feathered friends enjoy a nice homebaked meal from time to time! Next time you have a little time to spare, try out this recipe. Your backyard buddies will thank you!

Seed Cornbread
Get a package of cornbread mix.
Prepare it as directed on the package except add an extra egg (egg shells crumbled into the mixture also.)
Add 1 c. bird seed. (I often add some dried fruit and nuts as well)
If the mixture is too dry, add a little more water.
Bake as directed on package. Cool.

Cut into serving size pieces. Freeze in small freezer bags until needed. Defrost and crumble into pieces onto a platform feeder and watch your birds devour it!

I am looking to comfort myself with a nice order. Cross stitch. Scrapbooking. Maybe a little of both?

Open House

I have a thing for houses. I love to use them in my decor. Pillows, wall hangings, and more. I also have a love for birds (big surprise), small wildlife and trees. Of course they all seem to tie into together. The backyard of our HOUSE is always busy with BIRDS & SMALL WILDLIFE because of all the TREES! Any wonder I want to do a wall for each of these! YIKES!

I have recently set a goal for myself of October 10th to complete The Willow Tree Sampler so that I can put this piece aside and begin several new starts. I am at the half way mark so I should be able to meet this goal or get very close to finishing.

October 1st, I will begin a 30 Day Journal over at Peek (www.apeekintoyesterday.com) with some prompts for an insight into my everyday life and the things often taken for granted.

I recently joined the Crazy-Exchange at http://crazyexchange.blogspot.com/. It looks like a lot of fun and I am anxious to get started!

Monday

It's Monday and I have nothing to show. In all honesty, I will be glad when this month is over. Possibly a new month will give me the feeling of a new beginning which is what I need right now.

Even though it has been exactly one week today since we took Whiner for his last visit to the vet, I feel much better. I still cry from time to time but I know in my heart he is better off with no anguish. Now it just a matter of getting myself moving again and back on the track of life.

I did go outside yesterday and roamed the yard with my camera and took some pictures. I puttered around the garden area and put out some mums for some extra Fall color and put fresh wter in the bird bath.The temps sure didn't feel like Fall but the colors of the season were beginning to make an appearance. Sweater days are not far behind.

Section One

Is almost complete. By the time I do another update, I should be well into section two after a run to pick up some needed thread colors.

As I worked on And A Forest Grew this week, I felt a certain peace. I even found myself smiling. For some reason it managed to help comfort me. So much of it has reminded me of Whiner and how he loved to walk in the backyard near the wooded area with the birds and other small wildlife critters.

For those who have inquired, I am starting to do better. I definitely feel better since bringing Whiner's ashes back home. Like Harold said "this is where he belongs". His memorial stone arrived yesterday and has been set out. The area looks lovely (which is also a comfort).

Time Heals

It has definitely been a rough week. For some reason there was a delay about Whiner's cremation and I wasn't able to pick up his ashes to bring home until today. Very upsetting as I had been told they would be ready for me to come and get the day after his passing. But he is home now where he belongs. The picture is of the memorial I fixed up out back in the area he loved best. The flowers are not in full bloom yet nor has his memorial stone arrived but time will take care of all of this.

I have tried to do some scrapbooking but it has just been too hard for me. This was a hobby that Whiner shared with me. He always wanted me to scrap on the bed so that he could lay near me and play with the scraps of paper I would discard. I tried to scrapbook in a different area but there was no inspiration. When I moved my supplies to the bed, all I could do was cry. It will take awhile before I am able to resume this hobby. I know that time will heal this terrible loss I feel right now.

I have been able to do more and more stitching the past few days. Whiner wasn't involved in this hobby as much (basically only laying at my feet) so it easier for me to do without the heavy flood of memories and emotions.

I realize that last week I had announced that I would begin several new pieces but considering all that has happened recently, I am going to post pone these for awhile and work on what I have already have in progress along with some smalls I would like to do. For now, these are more than enough for me - at least until my energy level begins to rise again.

Days and Nights

The past several days and nights have definitely been extremely hard for me. Especially the nights. I am so used to feeling Whiner snuggled up against me as I sleep and I have had a hard time sleeping without him. I am still feeling an empty kind of tired but I know that I must begin to move on with life. It will be slow for awhile. I have had many friends reach out to me during this time which has meant a lot to me. Thank you all.

I did do a little stitching last night. Not much but it was a beginning after this long break. It wasn't enough to bother taking a picture of but hopefully I can begin doing a little more each day now.

We have been having such beautiful Fall days this week and this is a perfect recipe for enjoying in the Autumn.

Caramel Apple Dip

8 oz. Cream Cheese softened
1/2 c. caramel ice cream topping
1/4 c. honey
3 - 4 green and red apples, cored and sliced
cinnamon

In a medium serving bowl, combine cream cheese, caramel topping, honey and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Beat until smooth. Store in refrigerator til chilled. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve with apple slices. Makes 2 cups.

Goodbye.

Goodbye, my little sweetheart. This morning I held you in my arms as you fell into a sleep that will last forever. It was fast and peaceful. I cried as I watched your tiny body lay on my lap, taking its last breaths. When I came home, I stood on the deck looking at the area you loved to walk among the bird feeders and a wren began to sing. I believe in my heart it was singing for you. You are gone from our lives but never from our hearts.

You came into our lives quite by accident. It had been decided there would be no more dogs which was a decision I intended to change someday but when we were given the opportunity to take the boys over to a friends to see some new puppies, I had no idea I would fall in love. It was agreed that the boys could have a puppy but it was I who ended up choosing which one to bring home. As I held you, my heart melted. It was you or nothing. You came home with us and won the hearts of everyone. You and I have shared the most special bond and you have been my third child.

It was Michael who decided that you needed a middle name and was allowed to give it to you. Whiner Leon Human. It worked and there was no argument from us about it. Your full name was used often especially when you were bad.

As you got older, your sight failed and your hearing vanished. Your mind become a clouded fuzz. It became harder and harder to care for your needs. It became apparent the time was nearing the end. It took along time for everyone in the family to accept this fact and come to terms to life without you.

Thank you --

for loving us unconditionally.

for all the nights you would sleep curled up next to me.

for protecting me when Harold worked odd hours.

for missing me whenever I went out to run errands.

for making us laugh.

for the wonderful memories I have.

for being the wonderful valued family member you were.

I love you and I will always miss you.

New Beginnings and Sad Goodbyes

It's a new week and lots of new things going on! New chairs, new cross stitch starts begin this week, new glasses (I decided to get a second pair in large frames!), a new TV, my new rug has been shipped and a new stand for the TV. I hate to write about everything in one blog post and possibly miss some great details so I will spread out everything over the course of this week!

I love our new chairs! Especially mine! The print is so yummy and the picture doesn't do it justice! I bought that wonderful stitching basket a while back on sale with the intentions of putting it beside my chair when it arrived. Harold was a sweetie and installed the wall lamp to give me some extra light while I stitch! I can vision many projects being worked on (and finished) in this chair!

Over the weekend we made a quick Wally World stop and I grabbed several BIG handfuls of DMC that was on clearance! The selection was already mighty thin but I was able to get 30 skeins of floss for $3.00! A lot of greens which will probably come in handy on AAFG! What a great buy!

We finally got rain that was needed so desperately and it was extremely welcome! I'm sure the plants are much happier with a fresh rain shower than with a substitute soaking via the hose!

We went to the lake over the weekend. My BIL and SIL have boat and took us out. What a great time! I am already looking forward to going out on the lake with them again!

On a sad note, tomorrow we will be taking Whiner into the vet's to be put down after 17 years of loving companionship. I have already done so much of my grieving as I have known for quite awhile this was inevitable. It just took awhile longer for other family members to finally accept it. The thought of walking through a house without his presence is very upsetting.

Full Circle

I promised a better picture of me in my new glasses. This is about as good as it's gonna get! I really do miss my larger frames and am seriously thinking about getting a second pair so that I can have both looks as my mood desires.

I have been asked if I still scrapbook since I talk about stitching quite a bit now. DEFINITELY, I still scrap! For me, scrapbooking is a daytime hobby while cross stitching is a night time hobby. Scrapping is about action with photography and journaling. Stitching is relaxing and calming. The perfect way to unwind in the evenings.

So what are my new stitching starts going to be? The new starts are marked by a * and will begin next week. All have a reserved spot waiting for them to be hung up!

Mon --- Willow Tree Sampler (I am nearing the half way mark on this piece)

*Tues -- Because Nice Matters*

*Wed - various smalls for ornaments, pin cushions, pillows, ect.*

Thurs - And a Forest Grew (LOTS left to do!)

*Fri - Matter's Choice*

Sat - Free Stitch

Sun - Free Stitch

Our new chairs will be delivered sometime today so I should have a picture of those to share by tomorrow! Also, we heard from the warranty place about our TV and were given a voucher to pick out a brand new television! Hopefully we will be going to the store to do that today and I will have a picture of it to post as well. A NEW tv to watch while I sit and stitch in my NEW chair! Can life get any better? *wink wink*

Found a fun test to share

Your Brain is Blue

Of all the brain types, yours is the most mellow. You tend to be in a meditative state most of the time. You don't try to think away your troubles. Your thoughts are realistic, fresh, and honest. You truly see things as how they are. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about your friends, your surroundings, and your life.

What Color Is Your Brain?

Nature's Bounty

These pictures were taken when we took a day trip to Grandfather Mountain this summer. So much beautiful nature. What a great place to refresh your soul and spirit! And yes, we were at the top of the mountain and the clouds danced around our ankles as we walked!

A lot of people have asked just how close I was to the Mountain Lion to get this picture. LOL! Actually -- TOO CLOSE! Even though you are walking above the animal's habitat area, it is not caged. These mountain lions CAN JUMP HIGH enough to get out if provoked! While we were admiring these beauties, Harold turned to me and said "That mountain lion sure is staring mighty hard at you, Sherry". He wasn't staring at me but at the little girl next to me (about 3 years old) that kept screaming with an excited high pitch voice "I see Tigers! I see Tigers!" Maybe he didn't like her high pitched screaming or maybe he didn't appreciate the fact she mistook him for a Tiger. Whatever the reason, I moved away from her! There is a reason they have up signs that say DO NOT TEASE, SCREAM AT OR PROVOKE THE MOUNTAIN LIONS.

Stitchy News! My JSC Ornament issue arrived yesterday! Lots of drooling while I thumbed through it!

Yum Yum

No stitching updates this week because of too many other things keeping me busy right now. But I did place an order at Peek (www.apeekintoyesterday.com) after a long absence! *BIG HAPPY GRIN*

What a great recipe and so easy to make! This is a Fall favorite for me and Harold!
Homemade Oyster Stew

4 cups of whole milk
1 can of oysters, drained
1/4 stick butter
salt and pepper
several dashes of Worsterchire sauce

Melt butter in sauce pan. Add remaining ingredients and heat. A delicious and easy hot homemade soup to serve with crackers and a sandwich! Serves 3. Can be doubled or tripled or quadrupled! LOL

Home stretch

I ordered the rug for the living area and it is pictured at the side! Not the one I originally intended to get but I have drooled over this one for several years and it went on sale at a price to fit my budget! It feels like we are on the home stretch to getting this place fixed up -- finally! Alot of things are either not in our budget right now or not possible to do because of the way the house was built but we have done what we can and are happy! We are doing the best with what we have and who can ask for more!

I spent yesterday hanging the rest of the items back on the walls. We got the last few shelves back up last night. A few new things were put up and a few empty spaces remain because of the spots have been reserved for future cross stitch pieces (some in progress and others that will be started soon)! Stop by Friday to find out what my new starts are! Nothing like a new look!

I feel like my stitching has suffered the past week with turning the house upside down to paint and then all the time to put everything back! I am hoping the furniture store calls today and says the chairs are ready to deliver! A stitching chair is just what I need to get back on track! *big grin*

I want to start a new mini album and decided to do one from one of our day trips this summer. I will still have more day trips to scrap along with plenty of other themes but this will be a fun one to start with!

The mail man brought my new Gooseberry Christmas book for my preview. I will definitely be keeping it!

A New Start

No progress updates on the Willow Tree Sampler. Painting has taken priority this week! But I am getting ready to begin several new starts this week! Stayed tuned to find out what they are!

It's a new week. Harold's vacation time went by too fast. I have had some issues to deal with that kept me from enjoying my normal routine. I am at a point now where I feel I can resume my life. So I start this morning with my old and beloved routines -- coffee, blogs and Peek!

I looked though my stack of charts over the weekend that I still want to stitch along with the list of those I still want to purchase! Yikes! Where in heaven's name would I put all of these?!! We would have to move to a MUCH larger house with ALOT more walls! LOL! It seems I have made plans about doing certain themes and walls. Good intentions but maybe I should just stick with doing pieces as I choose them. No pressure!

Poor Aida. So many people have abandoned you for different types of stitching fabrics but you hold a special place in my heart. I learned to stitch with you and you stuck by my side all those years I had such a hard time stitching because of my eyes. When I was able to take my stitching up again, you and your friends were waiting in my sewing basket to greet me! Maybe I just have a soft place in my heart for the underdogs. Sort of like the plants I buy at the store that are close to dying from neglect. I must bring them home and try to revive them with love and care. You will always have a place here with me, dear Aida! One of my scrapbooking friends, Linda (http://elendae.typepad.com/bliss/) sent me a wonderful package full of Aida scraps and larger pieces! These will be great for ornaments and smalls! Thank you, Linda!

I am so ready for cooler weather! This awful hot, stale heat is keeping my birds at bay. They are only venturing out early in the mornings before the heat gets unbearable! Right now, taking pictures seems futile because everything is either dried up from the heat or in hiding from the heat!

Paint update! What a fiasco! We started too late in the week. We were continually being side tracked and interrupted thus having to stop which delayed our progress even more! Then when we finally got started good, we discovered the paint we bought didn't cover as good as it should so back to the store for a different brand of paint and a new start!

The living and dining areas are finished. The hall will have to wait until a free weekend. We have been busy putting things back in their places. A big job and it may take a while to completely finish. But the rooms are painted and ready for the new chairs that should be delivered this week and the new TV we hope to be getting very soon! Hopefully I will get some pictures later in the week!

East Coast Gal

create your own personalized map of the USA

Gee, do you reckon I am pretty much east coast bound? I need to travel some! Westward Ho! I found this fun map and you can see states you have visited, countries and more.