Skywatch Friday

 Skywatch Friday  is Yogi each Friday.  It is  a  fantasy  trip around the world to capture  the  Skywaltz  through  the day and evening.  I wish I had  more  time to be more actively involved but every now and then I do capture  a lovely sky!

In November we travelled  to Massachusetts to celebrate the upcoming holidays   with our daughter and  her family.  Coming back we encountered  snow and  icy roads  through  Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. It was  a pretty grueling trip. Then we got to Virginia    and  the sky cleared and all was well. And as I looked up    and out my side window to utter a prayer of thanksgiving,   there she was .  A beautiful sky angel    traveling along beside us,   reassuring me that  all was, indeed, well and  we were  assured of smooth sailing the rest of our way home!

Final Thoughts on the Charcuterie Party with recommendation

 We had a  wonderful Charcuterie party last night. It was a huge  hit  ..  even having it for  a pick and eat for  supper.  My  70 year old guests  loved it..  Of cours,e we are the youngest 70 year olds you will ever meet!! But  truth to tell  I had  about 1/3 of the board's left overs.. because I  think I  offered too much.  But  those left overs  are  nice to have.  I mean for  lunch   that  cheese and ham   were perfect  on a cracker    for lunch..  along  with grapes and sliced apple. I t was  almost the perfect bite.  I had  in the fridge  enough  hydroponic lettuce ( our favorite)to  make us  chef salads  for suppes.. I cut up  the remaining  cucumber  sticks,  some of the  multicolored  carrot sticks,  and red pepper sticks..  Added to it  more of the ham  and various cheeses  cut up in small pieces.. There is an instant supper us  along with  a  fine choice of  crackers..  Those pretzel crackers would be  wonderful.. I also had some gluten free crisp  flavored with Parmesan and garlic..  I only have a few of those left.. But my absolute  favorite  cracker last night was the       

                                 

but all three  were great !!!

Party Night

 My dear friends will be arriving in  an hour  and it is just about  time for me to start putting the charcuterie together.  Everything is ready to just be placed..  but    placement  is so important to the artistry of the board. I will be glad to have it all finished and ready to receive my guests. I will  add a few photos  when all is ready!!

 Oops need to  straighten  that!     Guests will arrive  shortly!  God bless!!

Christmas Mood

 

I  really get into  a Christmas mood  during this week  before the New Year.. I suppose it is because the days are numbered  to be able to  celebrate  wholeheartedly!

Toward that end I  have the Pandora  Carpenter Holiday Station playing on my computer in the kitchen   while I type this,...  while I   sort through  my  Christmas dishes to  decide  what I will use  for my Charcuterie party. I realize we do not need a large dinner plate.  But I hope  my friends will  keep their party plate  going throughout the evening.  

We shopped at Krogers and  Heavenly Ham  and I  was so delighted that Lynn was such a good sport.  Because the items did add up and for  the 6 of  my guests including us, and then   they talked me into a 3 pound  ham at HH at 40 dollars. That was a yikes for me.  Clearly I need to host  more parties to get into the groove  of what's what!I know,  I shouldn't write such a thing on my blog,  but I am 100% sure none of my guests will be visiting and if they did  I'm pretty sure it would be yikes  from them as well! But ....

t'is the season  and we will celebrate and have a glorious time!!!!

So I decided to use my English  Square  party plates by Cuthbertson. I bought them years ago.. my first  dishes that I bought that were English..  I suppose it was the beginning of my Anglophile temper-ament!

I was at first struck by the beautiful embossing  and the square shape, but the design is so  clear and just a perfect English tree!!  I suppose it is,, in my dreams anyway. Lynn needs to  get the dishes down form the top shelf... so I found this photo on Ebay!  The mugs are really cute..  Will take a photo of the table once I get it   all set up!!

By the way,  this  Pandora station is wonderful.. all the  very best  popular Christmas songs..   Right now  Josh Groban singing 'Believe"  ... I just love him, don't you?

Well, since I was last  writing here, I have  cleaned the sunroom,    gotten all the dishes and serving pieces out and Lynn has washed them.  the  implements are  finding their place  .. mugs  at the coffee, tea, cocoa station....  the  glasses at the punch station...the  table ware on the table!  Various level   stands and the    meat tray are in place!

 I made the cutest   New Years place cards.. just need to trim them  down a bit and   place them. I wrapped my  small gifts for my girl friends.  I  am giving   a Dolly Pardon Christmas  dish towel from Hobby Lobby.. so cute..  wrapped around a bag of candy.   Peppermint Patties for Dottie and Bill, and  chocolate    pretzels for Gerri and David!  These are two of our favorite couple.  We had planned to invite  Tracy and Steve,  but they  had planned a trip to a southern beach    this week..He still works and needed a break!!  Although, hubs would say today, what about me.  as he is vacuuming.. I still work!

 That doesn't count, Dear!

So here is my  china  for the party... I decided it looked best on my black and holly   appliquéd mats..   Sort of dramatic!! 

So here's the table set of the 6 of us..  I  cant decide about flatware. I mean everything will be finger food.. I think I will get my small forks out  so everyone can make selections without using their fingers.

You can see the hot station on the hutch!

The glasses  will be at the punch station... I think I will remove the tea chest and set it up there on the end of the sideboard!

I had moved the centerpiece off of the  table and moved it because I do like it and  the food wills serve as  a cp on the table!

Well, that is it for today. I still need to finish up the place cards  and think about our Pictionary game

  How to set it up etc.,  I think it is going to be so much fun!!!

 Next time I'll share how it all panned out!!!

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hosted by Sandra over at Dairy of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather 

Monday partly cloudy, 56

Tuesday cloudy, 64

Wednesday rain, 71

Thursday cloudy, 68

Friday  cloudy, 54

Friday, partly sunny , 66

Saturday, rain, 57  

This isn’t my preference for Christmas week, and I do think cold weather would help kill germs and especially insects, but, for the sake of travelers it is a good thing.

On my mind

I am having a small holiday party on Wednesday evening, and it has changed in my planning from a supper party to a charcuterie party.  I have always thought those creative boards were so cute and exciting, but neither Lynn nor I really enjoy cured meats like salami and well, you know.  But I thought we’d get some heavenly ham for make your own ham biscuit  except not a biscuit, but a small roll, or prosciutto,   I may get a small amount of sliced roast beef. I have Kerrygold sharp cheddar slices, Swiss slices, manchego, and assorted crackers. I bought some pepper jelly to put on cream cheese,  there will be cucumber, carrot, celery, pepper sticks around a dip,  small dishes of pickle and olive assortment, grapes, nuts, and one of the guests is bringing deviled eggs.  Her's are always beautiful. I can’t peel an egg well! What do you think?  What have I forgotten?

On the breakfast plate

 Coffee,  eggs and   mini bagels..  

On my reading pile

I haven’t had time to read,  today I start my devotional and, of course, my Bible reading.. Pastor is beginning the study of Exodus in the new year!

On my tv

Hallmark movies and Christmas vlogs!.

Interesting youtube vlog I saw this week:  

Looking around the house

I am completely redoing the decor  in  the dining room in preparation for the party.  So that gives us a chance to clean in there,  and all the downstairs rooms need a good vacuum and dusting! We are going to play Pictionary after dinner.  I love that game…I hope everyone will enjoy it!

On my to-do list

• Develop the everyday habit of starting my day with Bible  and devotions
• Clean the downstairs well and redo some of the decor
• Make some snowball cookies and blondies
• Go with Lynn to the doctor tomorrow and then out to breakfast before finishing up our marketing for the week
• Put final touches on the party
• Make several important calls to coordinate some therapies I have upcoming
• allergy shot
• pre-register for a procedure in January

To relax I will:

Listen to Christmas music, Bible Study, vlogs, practice my calligraphy for my Christian planner and start filling in some introductory pages in my planner.  

Prayer and devotional :

 Praying for our new church and  the leadership there...  They' re working especially hard to  create a wonderful Christmas season for us!!

Our government leaders to seek God, and for the fear of the Lord to
spread among all people.

Prayer about the influx of illegals into our nation, and the possible spread of disease and covid.. Father,  we rebuke the spread of covid and its attaching deviants.. We say no more and we also pray that these diseases will calm down and that they will not be so disruptive to the body. that our bodies will fight them off effectively and without devastating consequences.. we say enough to covid! In Jesus name!!

We pray for the places everywhere that persecution is taking place...

For healing of the sick,
salvation of the lost,
deliverance for the hurting,
the supply, food, and building shortage problem: may it not become
a huge crisis  
Churches to arise and pastors to preach according to our times and
these days.. very vital! For the churches to repent and get straight
before a holy God. We have become too lax in our Christianity and
we need to be more persistent to seeking God and His Word!
Protect our children from the ungodly teachings and protect them
from ungodly people who wish them harm for their own purposes. 
Especially for people to turn or return to God. Only He can
save.. There is no other way to God except through the shed blood 
of His son! 

I cannot imagine negotiating these days without knowing
that God has my back. Otherwise, I would be a basket case. He is in 
control ;even the terrible things He is allowing for his own purposes
and it may be for the judgement of America. A nation cannot kill 70
million babies and think God doesn't notice and care. Please pray 
for the overturn of Roe Vs. Wade. We know so much more about 
abortion now than they did in 1960.. it is not a mass of cells but
a viable baby who has sense and  is entitled to its own life! 
God's judgement may be right around the corner, but His people
will go through it in the palm of His hand. Please turn to God 
through Jesus Christ.  

PS  Today our youngest grand,  Lady Bug,  turned 6.  She  is  blowing it away in kIndergarten... So smart.. reading and doing math as well as  learning French in her French Immersion class!  God bless her and  send your angels to  protect her from all harms!  InJesus name!!        

                  

                         

                                                

                             

     

I Can Dream Can't I?

 Ok, so it is  actually  65  and sunny out  today  and Lynn is actually, finally, getting around to planting our spring bulbs!

Oh, how I wish that pumpkin would rot!   Lynn  keeps after me to bake him pumpkin pies from that  silly pumpkin and Ive told him numerous times...  "No Way!"but  he can be persnickety!  So we had  that pumpkin out for Christmas, as well!!

But I   divert of topic.. As long as I can visit my dear blog and see  a snowy  vista, I  will    feel  the season in my heart!

This was 2019   and we had snow for Christmas!  I remember because it was   another year we had  Christmas here at home.  and not in Boston!

So now for a listen  to  some music for  more mood!

from The Snowman

I absolutely love this story  and the theme song here    really  warms my heart!!!
I am sitting here thinking of my children and grands.  They have really gotten into skiing.  The little ones too, at age 6 and 8.  They took to it like  little polar bears.. They love  cold and snow!

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNHvivrznz2hKDQLctR1QJmnppf2g906LM85OclE4PEQhbEDwXr-jtoIMPLRXenhw/photo/AF1QipOKnTVhaI0vXrcyj-5qkWuvQ4PiNC0qZC2vqarJ?key=N0JjM2NacXg1MERZaFhkRTVBMlItc0dwbXlNZzNB

Maybe you can open this link to see how  our wee one took to skiing right from the beginning!  She certainly did not take after her  Gaa Gaa!  Anyway, they are right now on their way to NH   for a ski trip  where they will  get to ski at 4  major resort this week!  I look forward to more videos!!  Also, Dear Lord, please look after  our family.  Keep them safe and  may they enjoy the beauty of your creation.  Keep them well and   in good shape and bring them home safely!  In Jesus name, Amen!

Merry Christmas!!!

 Merry Christmas from our home to your's!!

Our Christmas started in November when we  went to Boston  to celebrate  with our  children and grands!

We got to help put up their tree!

So nice to see Amanda relaxed after all the hard work of having us there for 2 weeks!!

Being with these special people thrills our hearts!  I know it  takes months if not years off our age... they re so dear and fun to be with!

We got to make a ginger bread house.  that was a first for me!!

So  today has been very low key.. just the two of us!!!

We cooked a small brunch of Italian Egg Bake and a cranberry crumb cake.  

I baked the Crumb Cake

Lynn baked the Italian Egg Bake

Our delicious brunch table

I love my centerpiece in my mother's dough bowl!!

Yum, I spy a glass of Homestead Custard!!!  Too Delish!!!!

Lynn is acting a bit coy!!!  What is this..  something I missed in my stocking!!!

Just what I needed!  Thank you, Santa!!!

It was a great    low key  Christmas  with  just the two of us..  And then,  Ding Ding..  it was  Face Time for an hour with our  girls!  

Glorious, in excelsiors, Deo!!