Visiting for Three Weeks in North Syracuse.

After living most of my life with snowy winters, I spent a few years in sunny climes. I began to miss the beauty of autumn leaves losing their green and turning into magnificent colors, and the first snowfall coming thereafter.

As each year went by, I missed seeing snow on the ground, drifts of snow after the wind displaced the fallen snow, and the swirling snowflakes of a blizzard.

This year I was lucky to spend three weeks with one of my daughters in North Syracuse. The weather hadn't been wintry for them in the north, and they were a little disappointed about the possibility of not having a White Christmas.

The year I went to Pasadena I had somehow caused it to hail, which was a very unusual happening. Then the time I went to Memphis, I brought some snow, which was very surprising to the residents. They even made a snowman with the snow that happened to come with me. So it wasn't surprising when I brought some lovely snowstorms to North Syracuse.

There was most certainly a White Christmas, with plenty of snow that made central New York state as white as could be. What a thrill that was for me! At last I could see the first snowfall, and I would ooh and aah as I hurried to the window to admire it.

The trees soon were laden with so much snow that the branches would bend a little. Every limb and every twig had a dressing of white. Roof tops began to be covered with a foot of snow, as well as front lawns and back yards were buried under a foot of snow. Fences were topped with that white stuff that I like so much.

Even birdhouses had their little roofs topped with snow, making a whimsical picture. I clicked my camera at so many beautiful sights.

The way the snow fell was quite interesting, too. Sometimes it would float down softly and slowly, sometimes fast and furiously, depending on the wind. At times the snowfall would be vertical, sometimes almost horizontal, depending of course on the speed of the wind.

I shall tell you some more of my love for snow, another day. When you go out tomorrow, don't forget your boots. The snow is rather deep...

I'll see you at the Corner Post...

WALK ??? ... WALK !!!!!!!!!

December 13, 2012.

I have noticed some hinderments ... I mean to say, behinderments that are unfavorable. It seems, not to my pleasant knowledge, but to my unknowing and disappointing realizations, that sometimes irreversible habits that increase any former measurements are appearing backstage again. 

Any palatable pleasurableness like baking your own luscious cookies and taste-testing, is being forced into a hiatus. But one of the aids in returning to former measurements is an activity named 'walk'. Therefore, I coaxed myself into trying this 'walk' activity, and today was the best for a beginning (again). The sky is absolutely devoid of any sort of cloud, mist, or vapor, and it was absolutely astounding to see such a gorgeous, clear, sunny, calm and AZURE hue. 

The temperature was perfect, with my gloves, and head scarf (babushka), and sweat jacket, to my pleasure and joy. It was necessary, though, to stop now and then to take a deep breath and stand still for several seconds. While doing that, I admired some Christmas decorations at various homes, and two mailboxes that had at their feet and posts such gorgeous flowers. 

Once in a while I just stopped, and admired that most beautiful sky. Not even a jet stream, or vapor, or even an airplane did I see or hear. True countryside pleasure on a little neighborhood street. Is this causing you 'green-eyed' distress? Forgive me... 

Going back to work on my big project now.

I'll see you at the Corner Post ... 

I'm Up Again, Full Moon, Beaver Moon, Full Frost Moon.

November 28. 29, 2012.

Good Morning, one and all. Did the Full Moon keep you awake, also, as it did me?

Being very tired, I went to bed just before 9 o'clock last night. Slept like a charm. Got up at 1:15 a.m. to relieve myself, and couldn't fall back to sleep. Too many thoughts coming into my mind, because of the lovely Full Moon. The November Full Moon is called the Beaver Moon because it was the time to set traps, before the waters froze over. This Moon was also called the Full Frost Moon. 

Knowing I could not see the moon from any windows in my house, I tried to ignore it. The moonshine came through the little slits in the closed blinds in my room, and it kept drawing my attention as I was trying to get back to sleep. I would close my eyes, thinking I'd fall asleep, and then would look to see if the moon was still trying to cajole me to take a peek. 

So I got out of bed, put my warm socks on, my sweat jacket over my pajamas, and came into the living room. There was so much light, that I could walk around without putting the lights on. The computer lights under the computer table lit up the kitchen and the Full Moon shining through the closed blinds in the kitchen and the living room were tempting me so much that I opened the front door to see just where that Full Moon was. 

I stepped to the edge of the itty bitty front concrete (patio)(porch) which is about three inches from the ground, and looked up into the sky, and there it was! Directly above me, it was, at the zenith, looking so majestic with its accompanying 'star' near its side. Clear sky, brisk air, so gorgeous a Full Moon that I could have stood there for fifteen minutes taking in all its beauty and love. 

But it was not the thing to do, as old as I am, and sometimes unsteady on my feet (what would happen if I had tripped and fell down in that cold frosty air with no one around to help me up? ("Help, I can't get up!" ), so I came back into the house. Oh, I did take a couple of shots with my camera to document the brightness and the frost on the front lawn at 1:45 a.m., the beautiful tree across the street, and then the Full Moon at its zenith before I thought that I had better get back into the house. 

Now I sit here, telling you my story, and trying to decide if I should attempt to go back to bed yet, or stay up another while and make those cabbage rolls that I am thinking about. Some of the ingredients are in the fridge waiting for me to begin cooking. I think you already know that sometimes when I cannot sleep in the wee hours of the morning, I make cookies, or a nice soup, or do up the dishes that I let go because I was too tired to wash them last evening. 

I've been known to wake up at this time and get out of bed instead of tossing and turning trying to get back to sleep. Did you know that in very ancient times, humans did have a wake-up period after midnight, and then after one activity or another, would get back to bed until the crack of dawn. I guess we do need eight hours of sleep per day, but not really all in one lump. 

Love and hugs in the Moonlight, I say again, "Nighty-Night..."

Mom - Grannamae - Anna Mae. 

I'll see you at the Corner Post... 

Dancing In the Kitchen with Only Doggies as An Audience.

November 24, 2012.


As I went doggie-sitting for a few days, my computer went with me so I could keep in touch with my family. I also like to listen sometimes to music on the computer. Two of the doggies are Labs, and the other is a shepherd of sorts. They live much of the time inside the house, especially if it's too cold outdoors, or rainy, or too hot in summer. They love the owners and the owners love those doggies. I love them too, and now and then I doggie-sit so they know me quite well. We usually stay in the kitchen along with the computer, and I prepare my meals and snacks, and my presence in the same room keeps the doggies content.

I enjoyed one of my favorite programs this morning from southern California, on my computer. The doggies were in the house, because it was so cold outdoors during most of the morning. Lucky the shepherd and the Lab Princess were sleeping as usual under the desk in the kitchen, and Lily Lab was lying on the little carpet in front of the stove, all tightly curled up as snug as a bug in a rug. I sat at the table in front of my computer, listening to the melodies that the DJ was playing on the program, while I was reading and answering emails.

Suddenly one of my very favorite tunes was announced, and I got up and began to dance to it -- "CAB DRIVER" -- in the kitchen. I wasn't wildly doing the dancing, just trying to keep my balance and keeping in step with the music. I just LOVE that song, and always have. After about fifteen seconds, Lily lifted her head and looked at me. I looked back at her while I was dancing, and another few seconds passed. She lowered her ears, and they were closer to her face than usual, and she had a strange look in her eyes. I kept smiling at her, she kept looking at me, I kept dancing the steps, and sort of using my hands also, waving them once in a while. She kept looking, her ears were kept lowered and snug to her face, and her eyes were sort of getting a small look of something like embarrassment or some different look. Her paw was sort of lifted a couple of inches, and she lowered it, and it seemed that somehow she wanted to get up and join in the dance, but she didn't get up, just moved her paw again, and she kept looking at me with that same look in her eyes. She didn't move her ears at all during my dancing, they were in that same lowered position. Finally the tune ended, and I stopped dancing and sat down.

I wish I could have known what she was thinking all the while I was dancing. Her eyes never left me as I danced, and I kept looking at her eyes, returning her gaze. She could have been thinking,  "What in the world is this woman doing?" or "Gosh, I wish I could dance like that!" or "This woman is ku-ku and I think we'd better call the vet!"

          I'll see you at the Corner Post...

Nostalgia -- I'm Missing the Snow!

November 21, 2012.

When you've lived most of your life in Pennsylvania, and move at the age of seventy-nine years of age to the state of Mississippi, you certainly do miss the snow! I miss it terribly.

I always loved the first snowfall of the year, even if it is a short time of flakes descending upon us. Sometimes it is a long storm, and the snow piles up about two feet! THAT is excitement, and a lot of work to get shoveled out. One of the most beautiful things to see is a snowfall of shiny flakes when the sun is out. Those flakes look like thousands, millions, of diamonds gently floating down to where we live.

The Birds and Blooms magazine has lovely photos of birds sitting on branches laden with snow, and you are so amazed at the beauty of snow. This is one reason that I am thinking of snow.

This one shows snow falling, and it looks like a female cardinal sitting on the branch of red berries, which are hawthorne berries. Poisonous, but so beautiful. Perhaps the berries are poisonous to some creatures and humans.  They look much like bittersweet berries. 

The bittersweet bushes grew in the woods near Grandma and Pop's farm in Pennsylvania, and they were always so pretty to see. I still miss that farm and the lands around it, because we went there quite often to visit the grandparents when we were growing up. I think they bought the place in 1939, when I was six or seven years old. I don't know what time of year they bought it.  

The hawthorne bushes I saw near Dallas, Pa., when I went for a ride about twenty years ago  to see the woodsy snow just after a snowstorm. Oh, my, how very beautiful that was, the trees and bushes were so close to the secondary road, and it was simply breathtaking! The beauty was so close to one's eyes, you had to be careful not to swerve into the snowy ditch!

On this approaching Thanksgiving Day, let us give thanks for all the wonderful times we have had this year, and for the beauty of nature around us. 

See you at the Corner Post...

 

What An Afternoon!/ Finally, Another Blog

October 15, 2012. 

This morning, my very helpful daughter-in-law brought me home from my appointment with the eye doctor, and then left to go home. I wrote a short email to inform my family about the results, but didn't want to write anything more. My eyes were still quite dilated and uncomfortable. 

I took a nice Power Nap on the love seat, very comfortable for a short nap, and I slept for twenty-three minutes! I must have been very tired. 

Then I got up, and thought again about those three turnips with greens attached. I would soak the turnip leaves because they were rather limp. I wanted to see if they would perk up in the cool water, and desired to cook them today. Voila, amazingly, they did perk up. I used the stems, also, cutting them in 1/2 inch lengths, and cooked the stems separately, to see if they would taste all right. Of course, they did taste good, because I had added some chopped onion, and a tad of brown sugar to them. 

I then cut up all the leaves and the more tender parts of the stems, and sauteed them in some olive oil with chopped onion and minced garlic. I looked up a few recipes for turnip greens, to get some ideas. There were enough leaves to use the larger frying pan. Then I wanted to cook a turnip and a potato with the cooking leaves, so I did that -- peeled the turnip and left the red potato unpeeled, cut them both into inch-or-so sticks, and cooked them with the leaves. Now, here is where this adventure takes a turn. 

I was wondering if I could use some turmeric with them, looked it up on the internet, and yes, turmeric would be fine, PLUS, if one wanted it, curry would be invited, also. So of course, I put them both in the mix. Thinking that cayenne pepper might be welcome, I added a couple of dashes of that, too. I didn't want it to be dry, nor swimming in liquid, so I added a bit of water from time to time as the liquid cooked away. After a time, it was ready to taste. Delicious...  

This kind of dish is similar to Indian poriyal, but not authentic, as I altered it somewhat. To me, it is quite tasty. 

The green peppers in the fridge caught my eye. I've been wanting to make some stuffed peppers, and today would be the day, as long as I am in the kitchen, I thought. 

The rice boiled, the ground meat thawed out, the onion was chopped, and an egg was added to my recipe. It is time-consuming, but I didn't mind, as I was on a roll, as they say. The peppers were then stuffed, and baked in the oven for two hours. 

The afternoon was full of activity in the kitchen, and was quite satisfying to me. Now this evening will be movie evening in my little abode. A happy day...

September and October have been so busy that I've had to forego some of my favorite projects / pastimes. I felt so neglectful of my blog. If you have been looking forward to reading them, I apologize. If not, 'nem-mine...'

I'll see you at the Corner Post...

Labor Day a Year Ago; Hummingbirds!

           September 5, 2012.

         

Our drive to our destination was a long one, ninety minutes each way, for the 2011 Labor Day get-together of some people from the Orthodox church that my son and his wife attend. The ride was very pleasant, though, as I like seeing all the scenery. There was much greenery to see, lots of kudzu climbing on all the bushes and fences and trees. The odd shapes produced by the kudzu sometimes look like monsters or strange buildings. 

As we were coming closer to the home where the gathering would be, we turned onto a macadam road, and it was much more rural-looking. Then we turned onto a narrow dirt road ~~  INTO THE WOODS. I did like that part of the ride very much. The woods were so beautiful, with trees not right next to each other, but perhaps several feet apart. I so much enjoy looking into woods like that. It makes me think of my childhood and of my youth. I grew up on a little farm with quite a few wooded areas around us. 

Many of the congregation were invited, along with their children. The home is out in 'the boonies', and I just love the boonies and always have. Right around the house the trees had been cut, but twenty-five or thirty feet away, were 'the woods'. A lovely large pond is RIGHT in the back of the home. A large deck and stairs were built onto the back of the house. It is owned by a deacon and his wife. I've known them for some time while attending church with my son and his family. 

There were about forty guests, some of which I recognized. There were a few tables with snack-y things to eat, like pork medallions, pulled pork, some cole slaw, a couple of other little dishes with some kind of mixed sauce in them; some tuna salad, I think some kind of chicken, beans in a red sauce, and lots of cheeses; cookies, a tray of some fresh vegetables with a dip, some rolls of some sort. There was so much to eat, and it was all so delicious. My daughter-in-law  brought her home-made snack of some cream cheese layered with a green pesto, and you could cut off a little of that to put on your crackers or corn chips. I think it was about two or three layers with some diced tomato, really tasty. There were plenty of crackers and corn tortilla chips for the sauces and dips.

Then ICE CREAM in a gallon container, in the large ice chest. Beverages to drink, too, some delicious-looking cookies which I didn't dare to look at or think about, because I am allergic to gluten. They were tempting, though.          

Some of the kids were taken on a hay ride with the deacon's little tractor, and my son and his wife took a walk on The Trail around the large pond. There is a swing put up in a tree, and the children loved it so much. 

One of the best features of all were three hummingbird feeders outside the back door of the entrance to the home. That's located at the end of the long driveway, and the long dirt road into the woods, from the macadam road. It looks like the back door, but could be the front door. It's at ground level. The door on the other side of the house is one story up from the ground, facing the pond, with the very large deck and stairs leading down to the ground. 

Guess what! there were at least 20 (that's TWENTY or more) tiny hummingbirds, a few of them with the ruby throat. Ruby-throated hummingbirds! I watched them for at least fifteen to twenty minutes right after we arrived. I took some pictures of them, and hope that at least several are good photos.

The hummingbirds would come to the feeder, a few at first, then they'd all be there, five or six at each feeder, with some flying around between the feeders, and suddenly, all of them would fly away up into the tall trees at the driveway. Then after several minutes, they would all come back to the feeders, first a few at a time, then all of a sudden they would ALL be there, feeding, flitting back and forth between the feeders or around, and then it seems that at a signal of some kind, they would all go back to the trees. This they did repeatedly, all the while we were there.

It seems that the owners have lived there only two years, and they really love the place. They have said to so many people that they are welcomed to come to stay with them for a night over the weekend, and some folks have done that. The church congregation are quite close, almost like a family, very good and caring  people.

High up on one wall inside the house is a crazy quilt made by the woman's great-grandmother (I hope I got that right), in 1890. It is truly such a beautiful quilt. I took a photo shot of it. I wish that I could have been on a step ladder with a platform so I could really study that quilt, as I am so fond of crazy quilts.  

The grounds of their property are so beautiful ~  the pond, the woods around it, some small fields in the distance, what a boon for painters of landscapes. There were some pieces of art work hanging on the walls; a woman had come to their house to paint some pictures of the outdoors. 

What a lovely time I had there today! I am so grateful to be among the invited guests. 

         
          I'll see you at the Corner Post...