vacay finito

 The view from my driveway.

One final pop of November colour.

 

Festal corner.

Bougainvillaea~still going strong. 

And proofing Trader's new pumpkin croissants to ease back into the work life.

whimsy

 

While I shun Black Friday and anything that smacks of commerce, I celebrate the Buy Local idea and have obtained a couple of local Christmas gifts.  Hard to grasp that it's close to 80 and I'm wearing shorts to shop!

From the enormous wind chimes to the teensy library, it was an interesting urban hike.

zipping by

How does a week of basically doing nothing fly by so quickly?  My little tree is out and some lights are now framing the windows.

Love a palette of paints~ready for crafts (I won't call what I do with paint Art.)

And the lefse finally got made~this is one of my best batches yet.  Never sure why~if it's the potatoes, letting them sit a day or two...and today, I used my KitchenAid to mix the dough.  Genius!

And really~this is all one needs for Thanksgiving dinner (that brown gelatinous goop is mushroom gravy.)  Happy tummy.

feeling the feels

of gratitude.

From sitting on my veranda this morning with my pumpkin cheesecake watching all the runners huff/puff up the hill (I SO wish I had gotten photos of some of the costumes~turkey tutus were my favorite.  Although there were some funny turkey leg hats that were photo worthy),

 

to a gorgeous pre-dinner stroll (and nap, if we're being all about honesty)

to a lovely meal with new Austin friends/colleagues and their adoring puppy.  She slept on my feet most of the evening.  Grate-full.  (Although that makes me sound like the little cinder girl, doesn't it?)

the trifecta of thanks

A sassy little birthday has made me giggle all day~wish this could be the image on my driver's license.

Lefse 2014 has commenced.

Although with the warm sunny weather, I may need to run the a/c to recreate the authentic experience!

My lovely & artistic friend J, unearthed a gorgeous mahogany bookcase for my bday/housewarming (which is truly above/beyond~she's helped me move twice in the past few months.  I promise I am sitting still for at least 12 months now!)  And ALL of my music books fit exactly.  Miracle.

Since the creme brulee only used a smidge of pumpkin puree and I'm not inclined to eat oatmeal on holiday weeks, decided to make mini pumpkin cheesecakes to use it up.

Got ambitious and hung a couple of curtains while w.a.i.t.i.n.g. for the cable guy to show up and fix my internet.  Am ever so pleased to be connected solidly to the e-world again. 

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you~may whatever table you're gathered around nourish you in some form.

thanks, part deux

A friend just bought a guitar and for an unknown reason, the company sent a free ukulele.  It was so darned cute that I've claimed it and am now learning to play it along with one of my 7th graders!

 

Was thrilled to find that my French music plates (gifted by some Seattle singers) make the perfect sized charger for my grandmother's dishes.

So nice to be in an apartment where I can actually fit guests into the space.

Pumpkin brulees for a twist (and smaller amounts) of the traditional pie.

And some decadence found at Trader's today~hopefully, the weather will cool down a bit so that hot chocolate is appealing.

thanks transformed, part I

Love going to the market.  And I LOVE Thanksgiving cooking.

Having three different Thanksgiving celebrations this week!  This first one is one I'm hosting~so happy to have Grandma D's dishes out.

Boiling and toiling and sauteing.

Slicing & dicing & cubing.

 

Grandma's mixers and a good friend's holiday recipe.

 Getting closer to assembly time.

The startings of pumpkin cheesecake brulee!

stunned

By the sun.  Have no idea how much rain/hail/winds we got on Saturday night, but Sunday?  Sunny and in the 80s.

While I think that the autumn colours 'pop' a bit more on a dreary day, there is nothing like that November blue as a backdrop!

Where diamonds grow.

The return drive was a much more pleasant experience~winding little country roads are best enjoyed dry.  Stopped at Fredericksburg on the way home just to make sure that apple strudel was still in season.

 

And, as it's a fairly major touristy spot, they were already decked for the next holiday.

re-treat

Kicked off vacation with a gift for teacher's from my fav pie place!

Drove hours through wild rains, but oh!  This park lived up to the reputation.

Excited to discover the teensy town of Utopia had a miniature labyrinth to walk.

Tree urchin?  (They were covering many of the wires as well~must be some kind of moss.)

This was truly out in the Hill Country and not many dining options~the delight of finding this gem was serendiptious.

As the chef only does a set menu, was happy that not only did she come out and chat, she created a vegetarian entree, just for me!