320/365-2 Give Thanks for Home Cookin'

"Oatmeal for Dinner"

I am truly chuckling as I post today's photo...of cooking from scratch???  I do enjoy cooking ...from scratch.  I do cook most of our meals...from scratch.  Today just didn't happen to be one of those days.  After church this morning we had a fantastic lunch with a group of our most treasured friends.  Lunch was delightful and filling.  When dinnertime rolled around, neither of us was particularly hungry.  Finally I decided that I should eat something...and oatmeal it was.  In my defense, it was not instant oatmeal!  The stove was used and there was a cook time that exceeded one minute.  And, I added the milk and brown sugar myself.  Surely that counts for something on the home cooking scale, doesn't it?  Honestly, oatmeal was the perfect comfort food on this chilly snowy night.

319/365-2 Give Thanks for the Beauty of Nature

"Perseverance"

After a morning rehearsal, I "took the day off."  I didn't do anything today that resembles work in any way...no work for school and no household chores.  Right now this feels really good.  Tomorrow when I have to do laundry and prepare for school next week, I may be sorry for my day of irresponsibility, but right now I am feeling pretty darn good!

It was cold and wet here today.  I didn't have much inspiration or much incentive to go looking for the beauty of nature.  Truthfully, I am in a serious creative rut.  The best I could do was wander out into the yard hoping to find something.  Amidst the wash of brown that is our yard, I did notice this lone bloom on the Mexican Heather.  The pink really stood out against the non-color that surrounded it.  

I wish that I had the same will as does this little flower to persevere against all odds.

318/365-2 A Quiet Place

"Sleepy Boy"

Our boy likes to talk - mostly about food.  He also likes to tell us how happy he is when we get home, which usually takes at least an hour.  He likes to talk to the critters outside.  He also likes to tell us how much he loves us.  When he finally finds his quiet place, the rest of us can also enjoy a quiet place.

317/365-2 Holding On To Memories

"Making Memories of Pumpkin Bread"

At this time of year my mom always used to make pumpkin bread, a favorite treat of mine.  When I got married (the first time) she copied by hand many of my favorite recipes from my childhood (and of few of her favorites that have never made it on to my favorites list).  For many years, I pulled the card for the pumpkin bread straight out of the box and used it as it was, unprotected from the drips of pumpkin, vanilla and who knows what other ingredients.  In my youth, I had no idea how much I would later value having these recipes written and preserved by my mother's hand.  I still make this recipe many times a year, but the recipe card is now protected by a plastic sleeve.  I have also typed and saved the recipe on my computer, but for some reason, the pumpkin bread just doesn't taste right if it is not made by reading from the stained and smudged blue index card.

316/365-2 A Hand to Hold

"Happy Hands"

315/365-2 Interesting Displays

"11/11/14 Veteran's Day"

314/365-2 Give Thanks For New Adventures

"Time To Zip Up"

Our 80 degree temperatures of today are going to become freezing temperatures over the next couple of days.  Like most of the United States, Texas is preparing for its first blast of cold air of this season.  I am ready for it!  I like the cold.  Tonight I dug out my warm clothes wool coat.  I am looking forward to the days when I can come home from school and put on my sweats and flannel shirts.  It may not be sexy, but it sure is comfortable.  And comfort trumps sexy any day in my book!