Skywatch

  

Visit  our host at Skyley.

October gloaming!

Thursday Favorite Things

Katherine's Corner

This week I've been going through my Google Photos for   autumn images  from 2010.  I think it was  a very good year!! 

In 2010 hubs turned 60!  So I bought him roses!

That autumn there were various decorations in  various room!

I hope our  autumn will be this brilliant..  This photo was taken out our back door!

2010 was the year I inherited Hub's   mother's china.  I absolutely love it!  So  I used it for Thanksgiving!

Hubs  was one  handsome 60 year old guy!!!  Actually, he still is!!!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Hosted by Joyce!

1. What's one part of your everyday routine you'd be better off without? 

I always go to Facebook to  check up on  my family..  we are so spread out and  I devour every bit of news they have to share,  but  along the way I always get caught up in a post that leaves me  in a  state of  something,  I'd say, is not from above!

2. October 5th is/was National Do Something Nice Day. So what did you/will you do? I realized next Sunday is Pastor Appreciation Day so I  wrote a nice email to send out to our church members  to gently remind them of all the wonderful things our pastor has done during this covid season!

3. What question do you hate to answer? Besides how much do you weigh,  it would things of a political nature!

4. Do we have control over technology or does it have control over us. In that same vein, have you watched The Social Dilemma (available on Netflix) and if so what did you think? 

My friends, too, have recommended this towatch.  I could tell from their description it was probably something that would take a toll on me at this time...  I am pretty savvy on  things  and  I have enough  concerns about my grand children    and  what could happen to them..  I think I'll talk hubs into watching it! 

5. What are three small things that make your day better? That first cup of coffee, a free block on the calendar,  and  a  spring/ fall breeze wafting through the house!

6. Insert your own random thought here.Today is the day I designate to  redo the dining room for October/November.  I get a real charge in my spirit at the prospect!

Tuesday Four

 

Autumn Days

 Welcome! This is Tuesday 4 in honor and memory of our friend

 Toni Taddeo. This week's questions are from ideas given by Susan

 who owns Susan's Sayings.

Hosted by Anni
Are you decorating your home for fall? Thanksgiving?
Show us some photos if you don't mind! I love to decorate by the seasons. 

 Here are a few of my decorations

.







We took these photos on a mountain drive we took last fall








Are trees changing in your area yet? Do you mind showing a fall photo from 

your area? See above..our area looks much like this the trees are just turning . 

But more so in the higher elevations.
Do you like to use scents in your home? What kind do you use and what scents 

do you enjoy in your home. I like cinnamon scents in fall/ winter.
Fall's weather usually turns a bit chilly. Sometimes we change how we eat by

 seasons. Can you share a nice recipe for a good fall meal with us?We love

  homemade vegetable beef soup. .. click for the recipe.. This is delicious with 

 cornbread.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hosted by Sandra!

♥♥The Weather♥♥

Cool autumnal weather all week.  Some threats of rain due to tropical weather late week!

♥♥How I am feeling this morning♥♥

It has been a great day.  

♥♥On my mind♥♥

I’ve been dreading tomorrow for some time.  I have normally gotten my mammogram in February, but I was laid low with shingles,then co-vid, but last month  the hospital caught up with me and set me up for tomorrow’s appt.   with my imagination, Injust dread it every time.m..this time a bit more so because it has been almost 2 years since my last one.  Plus this time I’m getting it the actually hospital instead of the satellite women’s center near our home where I usually go. 
I will sigh relief when I get a letter that says congratulations all is Normal! 

♥♥On the breakfast plate♥♥
Cup of coffee and    fruited yogurt.. 

♥♥On my reading pile♥♥

 In His Image, Jen Wilken.

♥♥On my tv♥♥
 
Youtube  videos,  Laramie,  Hallmark movies  HGTV


♥♥On the menu this week♥♥

Monday - sandwiches
Tuesday -  chicken stir fry
Wednesday -Soup and salad
Thursday -  Submarines
Friday -  fish and chips


♥♥From the camera♥♥

Last photo of the girls before school started.  These bright fall days are extremely sunny.  Sunglasses are a must!wee one start Pre-school today! 

♥♥Looking around the house♥♥

I was looking at my dining table with the September “look”!  I had set the table with my Fransiscan Apple dishes in honor of Johnny Appleseed, and thought, goodness, it’s October!

♥♥New recipe I tried last week, or one that we really enjoyed♥♥

I ran across this recipe today! Yum!

Cinnamon Streusel Pumpkin cake

Cinnamon Streusel Pumpkin Cake

Moist and tender pumpkin cake loaded with warm pumpkin spices and topped with a sweet cinnamon & brown sugar streusel. Mix up a simple vanilla glaze to drizzle over the top. This streusel pumpkin cake is the best Fall pumpkin dessert recipe!

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time32 minutes

Total Time52 minutes

Servings16 people

Calories401kcal

AuthorJessica

Ingredients

Cinnamon Streusel

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons cold butter cubed small

Pumpkin Cake

• 4 large eggs
• 1⅔ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon salt

Glaze

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Cinnamon Streusel

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and using your fingers, or a pastry cutter, mix together until it resembles coarse wet sand. Set aside.

Pumpkin Cake

• In a large bowl add eggs, sugar, canola oil, and pumpkin. Use a handheld blender, or a stand mixer, to beat until combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir with a wire whisk to break up clumps. 
• Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet and beat together. Add the other half and mix until combined. 
• Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkled the cinnamon streusel over top.
• Cook for 30-38 minutes or until center is no longer "jiggly" and looks set. The edges will be golden brown. Let cool on a cooling rack.
• Once cooled make the glaze: beat the butter and vanilla extract until soft and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Keep adding heavy cream, in 1 tablespoon increments, until desired consistency is reached.
• Drizzle over the cake and serve.

Notes

If you use 1% or 2% milk you will need less milk as it's thinner than heavy cream. Just start with 1 tablespoon of milk at a time and then add from there until it's the desired consistency. The glaze is much better with heavy cream!

Mine was perfect at 35 minutes. You want to make sure the center looks cooked and not jiggly. You could also use a toothpick and make sure it comes out with no wet batter on it.

If wanted, sprinkle some pecans over the glaze for a salty bite

♥♥To relax this week, I will::  

Practice with my water colors! I love it!

♥♥Something I want to share♥♥

Less than three weeks until I’m wading in the surf!

♥♥On my prayer list♥♥

Our president and Melanie , for  their recovery and recovery , regained strength wisdom, courage, clarity , and  a definitive win come Election Day

For our government  (William Barr)  for justice to be applied to the corruption that has plagued our country for some time. Protect him as  the indictments become  known.

For this coronavirus to stop in its tracks and not spread any more... Lord, protect the elderly and those in compromised health situations. Protect the health providers and the families where the virus is bringing suffering. I pray that this week we will begin to see a great decline in the number of deaths and the numbers o f healed will increase in Jesus name!.

I pray for inner healing in our nation regarding the ongoing problem with racism and it effects in our society. May the rioting stop in the name of Jesus..  I pray that the Antifa group would  dry up and  disband in Jesus name.   I have come to understand that  the protesters, are  really only wanting to disrupt and destroy our nation.. I speak to the evil one behind this and say, "Stop! in the name of  Jesus! You have no dominion here. get out! "

I pray for exponential wisdom  and truth to fall upon our media outlets. They seem to exist to keep turmoil riled up instead of bringing clarity to the situation. I pray they seek things of good repute to report on instead of always the bad..I pray they realize that pouring gasoline on a fire is more damaging than letting it go out of its own accord.  All of this is for political reasons  and yet  people's lives have been ruined  for that?  I pray for people of every nation, color and creed to learn to live amicably together, that love would heal the divisions in our country. I pray the schemes of the devil that instill more and more unrest to stop in the name of Jesus.  I pray that the demolishing of our national  treasures will stop in Jesus name..   You can not change history through this distruction!

  Oh, Lord,  evil runs rampant in our nation..  the worst kind..straight from the pit!  Oh Father,  may your Spirit speak to your Children to  pray more, pray specifically!  We have government  saying child moleststion is ok,  we have  men and women in high placing practicing it!We  have  evil men and women roaming our streets  looking for unsuspecting people to  attack, maim. even kill. Then they  have so little respect for life they taunt  for their death.. We  have  abortion running rampant .The  respect for life and for your young people  , our children,  has evaporated all to appease the vile desires of the flesh.  Our schools teach  obscenities and lies  trying to turn the minds of our young people.  Oh father, we need You!  We see a small outpouring of revival sparking....  may it  ignite all over this nation and bring everyone to their knees!  In Jesus Name!!!!

Special prayers for Hobert..a n unusual form of cancer that  he ahs dealt with for years now and  they cannot seem to  find  a means to bring it into submission.  He bleeds through his pores and  other   symptoms that are  just  horrible!  

The lost in these divers places , that they will realize their need for a Savior and turn to God through Jesus!

For God's mercy to hover over the earth and give people rest and the forbearance to continue to persevere in their trials and testings! 

 

Devotional  ::

Saturday 9

 

What's Love Got to Do with It?

Welcome to Saturday 9. 

Hosted by Samantha!

What's Love Got to Do with It? (1984)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 
What's Love Got to Do with It is also the title of Tina Turner's film biography, which tells of Tina's escape from her abusive, controlling husband, Ike.October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Spread the word that help is available.
  
1) The video was shot around New York City in spring. Kids are seen jumping rope. Were you good at jump rope? Has it ever been part of your workout routine as an adult? I have never really enjoyed jumping rope.  It jarred my head! 

2) In real life, Tina Turner played basketball for her school. Were you good at team sports?   In elementary school I loved  kickball.  In Middle School I enjoyed volley ball and  I loved to play volley ball with my students when I taught.   Those were the only team sports I played, but as an adult I loved golf.  Can’t play anymore, though!

3) In the video, Tina Turner wears a little black dress topped with a denim jacket. That jacket is a fashion staple 36 years later. Do you own a denim jacket? I own two denim jackets.

3) This song was first offered to Cliff Richard, a major pop star in England who never enjoyed gained superstar status in the US. Perhaps, if he had recorded "What's Love Got to Do with It?," he would have been better known on this side of the ocean. Tell us about a time when you said "no" when "yes" might have been the better answer.  I do not live my life deciding whether a yes may bring me fame or gain.  My motto in life has been to say yes if the task at hand brings blessing to others.  I learned early in life it was hard to get people to say yes.  So I determined that if I were able to do a good job of what was asked of me, I would say yes. 

4) Tina's first marriage, to Ike Turner, was a painful one. Her second marriage, to German music executive Erwin Bach has been far more supportive. This has been a blessing, since Tina has had serious health problems in recent years. Do you have any medical/dental appointments scheduled?  I do have a mammogram scheduled for next week! 

5) Tina met Erwin at Heathrow Airport in 1986. He was there to help her prepare for her London performances. They immediately liked one another, but didn't become romantically involved until months later and were surprised to find themselves falling in love. Have you ever had a romantic relationship that crept on you? Yes.

6) The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards referred to Tina as his "favorite aunt." Is there anyone who isn't a relative of yours by blood but you refer to as aunt, uncle, brother, sister, etc.? Yes, my prayer gals are also called my prayer sista’s.  We truly do love one another as the sisters we never had!

7) Former President George W. Bush is also a big Tina Turner fan, and has praised her for having "the most famous legs in show business." What do you believe is your best physical feature Well, it isn’t my legs!  Unfortunately, I have the unshapely legs of my granny. Why I most often wear slacks.  I do have graceful arms and hands. 

8) At home, Tina often doesn't always play music or TV because she appreciates quiet as much as music. What about you? Do you enjoy quiet?  I prefer to have the company if music.

9) Random question: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being "very lazy" and 10 being "very productive," what number are you? Lately, I’d have to say 4.  I spent my whole career life of 30 years being a 20.   I was a dynamo, at work, in the service of my church, and keeping a lovely home  and life for my husband and daughter. I burned the candle at both ends .  

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Hosted by Joyce.

1. When is the last time you experienced nostalgia?   I enjoy watching  old time tv  programs on MeTv  like Leave it to Beaver the old Perry Mason and  westerns on  the Grit network.  These shows take me right back to the 50's and 60's.  I find them very comforting.  They lift my mind to a gentler time.  They bring back many memories of  my  informative years, when life  wasn't so dramatic or scary!

 2. September 29th is National Coffee Day. Do we need this? Ha! So are you a coffee drinker? If so how many cups per day, and tell us how you like it. Is there a recipe you enjoy that calls for coffee as one of the ingredients? I didnt start drinking coffe  turned 50...soon before I retired from teaching.    I spent  the next  10 years  trying to make  coffee and I got used to drinking  it  whether it was good or not..  I never could strike the perfect   cup. HUbs makes  delicious coffee. He only buys  Arabica coffee and it is a  dark and  toasty blend. It makes  a robust  and strong cup of coffee,  so I have learned to tone it down with  Sweet Cream by Coffee Mate, Natural Bliss.. a natural   creamer.  Oh, my, goodness I love  coffee, now  but I limit myself to 1 mug..

3. Do you find praise or criticism to be more motivating? Explain. The teacher in me  has always tried to be motivating and   encouraging.  It is odd though, I find that  for the most part, people are so trapped in their role    mostly of complacency, even if they appear to want to be motivated, they fail to budge  from their familiar path.  I find this in church, especially. Then there are the handful of   strong dedicated  people who  expend energy and  resources to  live according to their    gifting and  calling,  who  encourage me to keep on keeping on.

 4.  What's a television series you keep coming back to and re-watching? 

I really like to watch reruns of Blue Bloods,   Match Game, and old movies. 

 5. As the month of September draws to a close give us three words to describe your mood. 

'Expectant',  'happy'  for what October will bring, and 'trusting'  God in the uncertainty of our times.

 6. Insert your own random thought here.  Hubs finally  capitulated regarding taking trips to the beach and said yes  to the invitation to  join 4 of our best friends for a week in October...He can't back out now because we have already  paid for our  lodging. I could not be happier  about it!!!