Goodbye Autumn

Autumn is about over.

Temps are going down to 19 degrees tonight.

Time to snuggle up in my comfy throw and read a good book. 

 

Thanksgiving Feast

                                                              Whew!

Thanksgiving is over. Not that I had anything much to do to prepare for it. Time for the younger gals to take over, don't you think? 

Our Virginia family got together on the Eastern Shore on Saturday. I am just amazed, always, at such great cooks that abound in this family. I ate way too much. And, I have leftovers in my fridge for dinner tonight! Lucky gal that I am!

With the granddaughter that hosted the affair suffering from alphagal (I think I spelt that correctly) she can not be in the house where products from hoofed animals are being cooked nor can she eat them. So, she baked the turkey. We had to have the classic green-bean casserole and she did that as well. But, she made her own 'cream of mushroom soup' not using any cream. (That comes from a hoofed animal). I'll tell you about alphagal in another post. 

The pictures will tell the tale. And, we watched football. I mean, with Shirley rooting for Auburn and I am an Alabama fan... we could not miss the Iron Bowl. (if you aren't into college football, you won't understand).

There was a roaring fire going in the fireplace which I sat close to to soak up all that warmth and the feel a fire gives you. The host's sister and her daughter dropped by bringing a 6 week old little bunch of love. I just had to hold him! And, he smiled and cooed at me... at 6 weeks. I was thrilled. Still have the magic touch I guess. hehe.

I even snuck in a few minutes of reading by the fire before the 'crowd' arrived. I am reading 'Along Came A Spider' the first in a series of James Patterson's books with Alex Cross as the main character. The resident dogs lay quietly nearby.

After dinner was over my great-grandson entertained us all with his piano playing. He is naturally gifted and has not had any piano lessons but can rattle off a Beathoven as well as the Charlie Brown theme with the best of them. 

It was quite a day. Night fell and we headed home which is an hour and a half from there to my apartment. I was bushed when I got home. I bet I was in bed (curled up with my book) before Shirley and John had driven out of the city limits. 

                       Hope all of you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

A Time to be Thankful

 May each of you (in the U. S.) have a very special day of Thanksgiving

The Commons Thanksgiving

 This is Thanksgiving week here in the U. S. Lots of family get-togethers, lots of travel, too much good eating. A time to be thankful for all we have. 

Last Friday night a large number of us residents here at the Commons had our Thanksgiving dinner. Such good food. The staff furnished the turkey and gravy. The residents filled in with pot luck dishes. 

I seem to be the 'resident photographer'. At least that's the position I seem to have fallen into. Not that I mind!! Love taking pictures. Just wish I was better at it. 

The tables were all set with pretty centerpieces. 

Residents busy setting out desserts. 

as you can see we had plenty of variety.

People in the buffet line. 

We were all so thankful to have each other! 

A Trip To The Farmer's Market

 Shirley and I are riding along after coming through that road construction I told you about in last post. She sees a sign Farmer's Market and wants to go but I am thinking about the farmer markets we have around my place and they are only open on Sat. So, I say 'no, it won't be open'.

Good thing she overrode me. (She always was a head-strong girl). We found it and had the best time. They are open year round, 7 days a week.

Join me as Shirley and I stroll around enjoying everything! 

Yes, I bought apples. Tried two new kind - lemonade and ambrosia. 

I got me some turnips. Love them but seldom cook them. 

I got some squash, also some green beans. 

I bought two of the biggest, tastiest tomatoes. How I missed taking a picture of them I'll never know.

The candy was tempting but I passed that up. Aren't you proud of me!!

Pickled eggs? I've never eaten any. I should have bought one jar just to say I had tried them.

Wouldn't you love to have a Farmer's Market near you just like this one?

She'll be Coming 'Round The Mountain... When She Comes

 Shirley decided we needed to take a more scenic route across the mountains... Hwy 58 from the western part of Virginia to my apartment.

                    Let me tell you... it was an adventure!

We should have had the first clue when we slowed to a crawl behind this...........

We came to a stop and we waited and we waited and then we waited some more. 

Finally they let us continue. We soon saw what the hold-up was!

They are tearing down the mountain. Making the road a four-lane I reckon. 

This went on for miles and miles, one mountain after another being chewed up and leveled out.

So, if you are planning a trip on Hwy 58 through the mountains of Virginia....

I suggest you take another route.

We did have fun, though. 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Dub's Burgers

 Boy, did I get lazy about posting while I was in Alabama. I am back home now but I want to play catch-up!

Can't miss telling you about our trip out one day to find hamburgers. Michael had heard of this place called 'Dub's Burgers' in this little strip mall. He'd never been so we decided we'd try it out.

                                                              What an experience. 

That place had been there since the big flood, I think. haha. Health dept. rating was 96 but the place looked like it had been, as my step-dad used to say,  'rode hard and put up wet'. Not your normal atmosphere but oh my how friendly and the burgers were like I remembered them before we had fast food junk. 

The waiter came to the table with a lunch sized paper bag in his hand. He proceeded to write our order on the outside of it. And, when he brought our food to us.... it was down inside that same paper bag. Novel idea and not a bad one at that! 

We really enjoyed our lunch at Dub's Burgers in Athens, Alabama. So, thank you, Dub, whoever and whereever you are! 

Wordless Wednesday

Sweet Potato Gingerbread

 The cool fall days make me think of my Mother. Oh, the things she would bake, filling the house with all sorts of wonderful smells. 

                 One of those was her Sweet Potato Gingerbread.

Here's my Mom's recipe in her own handwriting. What a treasure to have that to keep and to use since I no longer have her. 

I serve mine with a dollop of whipped cream, lemon sauce and a sprinkle of toasted almonds. 

I am sure you have similiar memories and I'd love it if you'd share in the comment section.

A Trip To Buc-ee's

                    Ok, so now I have been introduced to Buc-ee's! 

It's a southern thing and since I am in Alabama visiting my son and there is a Bucee's here... well, of course, I had him take me.

Oh lordy, what a place! In case you don't know what Bucee's is, it is a humongous truck stop with around 100 gas pumps. And, that place was buzzing when we got there. 

It puts Walmart, Macy's and Bloomingdales all rolled up in one to shame. I could have spent all day and a ton of money in there but since I was with my son, that sort of reigns in my spending! haha. Don't want him to think his Mama's lost her mind. 

There was everything from pickled quail eggs to old-fashioned candy 

- clothes to kitchenware - 

seasonal decor to beef jerky - 

cowboy hats to all the latest for the local Alabama and Auburn fans to buy. It was ridiculous. 

Then there were the Beaver Nuggets! 

I could eat a whole bag at one sitting. Say, I bet you didn't know beavers had nuggets, did you? Just joshing around. but they are soooo good. 

I understand that a Bucee's is being built not too far from my home in Virginia. I can't wait!