What I'm Thankful For

I am thankful last week is over! Actually, I am thankful for many things, but I made so many silly demands of myself last week, that I couldn't even think about being thankful until today.  I learned a big lesson this holiday -- my friends and family love me even if my house isn't completely finished.  Our guests didn't notice what was missing or what wasn't perfect.  They were just happy to be here.

We had a massive meal on Thanksgiving.  I planned on 20, but we ended up with 16 (see some of them above).  I cooked a 22 pound turkey, most of which is still here . . .    We started with an assortment of nuts (smoked almonds, pistachios, and mixed nuts to open yourself) and hummus with pita bread triangles.  Paul and Linda brought an assortment of cheeses and crackers, tortilla chips and guacamole, and more hummus! We had lots of vegetarians so I made lots of side dishes.

Baked Wisconsin Wild Rice (from the Odena Reservation -- a gift from Pete's parents)
Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Truffles (my favorite dish of the day)
Cippolini Onions Roasted with Thyme and Sea Salt
Swiss Chard (home grown by Pete) with Tomatoes and White Beans
Cranberry Pecan Dressing
Roasted Butternut Squash
Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic
Cranberry Relish
Spinach Salad

Claire brought:
Beet Salad
Sweet Potatoe Casserole
Sauteed Mix Greens

Tamir brought:
Tofurkey

For dessert: 2 pumpkin pies, 2 apple pies, and vanilla ice cream

We were stuffed to the gills, but managed to play a spirited game of Trivial Pursuit with questions from 1984, the year I bought the game.  The young'uns couldn't answer most of the very old school questions.

It was wonderful to be together with Pete's cousins again, although we missed Joe and Spencer, and Max and Ros and their families.  We spent many summer weekends together at their parent's home in Southampton when we were younger.  The day brought brought back fond memories for all of us.

Now I am off to make Turkey Soup, Turkey Enchiladas, and maybe Turkey Tetrazini.

Thanksgiving Means Too Much on My Plate

and I don't mean my dinner plate . . .

We've invited four of Pete's cousins and their families for Thanksgiving dinner. That means there will be about 18 at the table. We thought we were serving at 2 pm, so those who live in Manhattan get home at a reasonable hour. Turns out nobody received that email. So dinner is moved to 4 pm, so the Connecticut contingent can take the ferry over. Some are sleeping here, too, so we are turning the attic (formerly Clara's room) into a bunk house for the boys (there are a lot of boys -- although they really are men now), and moving Clara to a little room she covets in the new basement with radiant heat in the floor.

This would not be so much to handle if I didn't have a three-day show starting the day after Thanksgiving, and if our newly renovated house was completely decorated. I've done a lot in the last two weeks, but in my haste I have made some bad choices, like the rug I bought for the family room, which is going to be hidden in the basement really soon.

 We've turned it around and angled the chair and put a new coffee table in and tried to hide it with plants and baskets, but it is just wrong.   But with so much else to do -- including babysitting for the neighbor's little boy today and helping with show set up again tomorrow and more grocery shopping to do, I am going to live with it for awhile, even if it means wearing sunglasses every time I go into the room . . .

Country Parlor Holiday Home Show

It's almost time! Check out the Country Parlor blog! http://countryparlor.blogspot.com/

Country Parlor Holiday Home Show
Thanksgiving Weekend 2009
Friday, November 27 9 am to 3 pm
Saturday, November 28 9 am to 3 pm
Sunday, November 29 10 am to 2 pm

How to get there:
Route 58 Riverhead, New York to Northville Turnpike (3.5 miles east of Tanger Outlets)
Turn left onto Northville Turnpike to end at Sound Avenue
Turn right onto Sound Avenue and head east
Hallockville's Naugles Barn wil be approximately 2 miles east on the left

Simply the best Holiday Show on Long Island!

thimblefolk on The Primitive Gathering

Barb has some new seasonal treats on The Primitive gathering -- update today!Why not visit? Click here: thimblefolk on The Primitive Gathering

For the Birds

The North Fork branch of the National Audobon Society is having its Holiday Bazaar and Indoor Yard Sale this Saturday, from 10 am until 4 pm, at the Red House nature Center on the North Road (Route 58 in Greenport, New York. I'll have a table there with hooked rugs and Christmas Stockings, rolled wool and needle punched pins, and a few other things. Join us if you can.

November

We've had some remarkably warm and sunny days this past week and I actually remembered to bring my camera along when I walked the dog.

Christmas TEA

The Eclectic Artisans Christmas Sale
Opening: Saturday November, 7, 2009
7 pm

We are excited to bring you the most splendid handmade folk art, primitives, early American, and whimsical style artwork. Stop by and shop and join in our scavenger hunt to win hand-crafted prizes!

You Know You're Procrastinating When . . .

. . . you spend an hour trying to unroll the thread and wool caught in the wheels of your desk chair.

. . . you spend another hour cleaning the felted wool out from under the keys of your laptop -- and then try to figure out how to use it in your hooking.

. . . you spend an hour taking pictures of your dog because your blog readers think he's cute.

. . . you blog about how bad a procrastinator you are believing people will think its funny.

We're Working on Reds Today

Well, I'm working on reds today . . . Cairo is working on his beauty rest.

It's a quiet first day of November here. Pete left on Friday to go hunting with his brothers and his 92-year-old father. I think they are going after ruffed grouse and I'm hoping Pete doesn't bring any home . . .

I was left on my own to tend to the trick-or-treaters, who wiped me out of candy by 7:30. I talked to Clara, who was dressing for the Morbid Ball at Skidmore. She went as Darth Vader on a Caribbean vacation. Picture her in a wetsuit, a Darth Vader Mask and a snorkel. I'd like to see a picture of that . . .

I watched Hannibal for awhile (the very bad sequel to The Silence of the Lambs) because it takes place in Florence and the street scenes transported me back to our trip last April . . . I just looked away during the really gory parts.

Today I'm in the studio, folding red wool when Cairo will get off of it, and working on finishing some small things for my upcoming shows. It's only 5 and the sun is setting . . .