By chance the sun peeks out beyond the clouds. But the low temperatures have numbed my brain. Losing what wit I have to deal with crowds. My best excuse will be that there is rain. ~ Audrey Christophersen

The howling winds, the biting chill

Of wintry nights reign vales and hills 
All songs are ceased, trees in tears 
Gone are all autumnal hues and mere 
Some wounded leaves scream under-feet 
As I tread and thump on a dreary street
Rayless moon peers at the bleak world 
Specter shadows of bare boughs on bare earth 
Stand palsied blades of grass and some roses shrunk 
Grey sunrise, days in blanket of haze cold and stern 
Memories of summer, spring's visions 
For bright morns we all wish and yearn
Solstice sun beam in Newgrange ancient dark 
In somber cavern hope shines with a bright spark 

~  Yasmeen Kahn

Had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year.

                               

 Spent time with family members I don't see nearly often enough.  We celebrated at my sister's house so I avoided some of the cleaning and decorating.   

   

This year my Christmas cactus has switched holidays.  It’s blooming over  Thanksgiving.  

Matilda enjoys sharing the sunny window with my plants. This is the one year anniversary of her arrival at my house.  She is doing well and finally gaining some weight.

My sister's family dogs Maggie and Ludie waited politely while we ate our holiday dinner.

One of my favorites for left over turkey or chicken:

Mom’s Turkey a la King     

1 ½ cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup frozen carrots thawed

1 cup frozen peas thawed

½ cup chopped red or yellow pepper

½ cup flour

¼ cup butter

¼ teaspoon sage or poultry seasoning or both

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup fat free cream or milk

2 cups cooked turkey cubed

Salt and pepper to taste

  

Cook vegetables, set aside

Melt butter, add flour

Add seasoning and all liquids

Cook until bubbly – cool 2 minutes

Stir in veggies and turkey

Add salt and pepper

Heat thoroughly

Serve over Pepperidge Farms puff pastry shells, biscuits, rice or noodles.

If desired, add additional chicken broth to thin.

The snow had begun in the gloaming, And busily all the night Had been heaping field and highway With a silence deep and white. James Lowell

Since my last post we have had our first snowfall of the year.  From green grass, blooming flowers and fifty degree temps to 10 inches of  blowing show and 14 degrees.  It's dark at 5:30 in the afternoon and dawn is just spreading its morning light at 6:30.  

Snow wars.  

The dogs love the snow.  Cold doesn't phase them.  

I wasn't prepared and all my bird houses were still outside.

The garden is covered in a heavy, white blanket.

Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving holiday.  

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. ~ Albert Schweitzer

Went to a movie couple  Saturdays ago.  It was the first movie I've seen this year that I really liked.  De Niro is great.   Just a happy movie with none of the usual misery that passes for relationships, no shootings, explosions, murders...  Go if you get a chance.

More photos from earlier when the garden was at it's peak.  Better late than forgotten.

Pretty in pink.

New clematis already blooming.

Pretty Leaves

Somebody's on my roof.