Counting down to Turkey Day!

Can you believe it's only 24 days until Thanksgiving? Just three weeks. Three. Short. Weeks. I have a lot to do before Lynn's family joins us for Thanksgiving dinner on the Saturday before Thanksgiving...confused? Because almost everyone in the family has "another side" where they celebrate on Thanksgiving Day, we decided to move our celebration to the Saturday after Thanksgiving. However, this year I have some time issues with that weekend, so we're having everyone over on the Saturday before Turkey Day this year. Clearer?

I am planning, weather permitting, on serving dessert on our back porch. Below are some before pictures...before we screened in the porch. I had removed all the "stuff" to powerwash it when these pictures were made.


And another before...see the lovely tiller on the porch? Yeah, it had to find a new home.

And here's some afters...it actually looks a lot better now..I've added some things, but I haven't taken any new photos. However, once I get it decorated for Thanksgiving dessert, I'll take some new pictures and share them with you. But in the meantime...

Here's my yard sale vintage wrought iron furniture...75 bucks for the entire set, including the glass topped table. I bought the new cushions this spring...

This rattan settee was salvaged from a trash pile on the side of the road. Lynn has since cut a board for the broken seat and I've added a cushy solid black seat cushion...custom made by my personal seamstress, also known as "Mom".

This basket started life as a blue flea market find...now it's an antique white fleece throw holder!

I am planning on painting the green furniture antique white as well...but that's a project for another year...hopefully next spring. In the meantime, they sit quite well.

What would you like to have for dessert after Thanksgiving dinner? Pumpkin pie? Pecan pie? How about Pumpkin Ooey Gooey Butter Cake and a cup of coffee? Mmmhmmm...sounds good to me!

I'll be back later to tell you about my "honey-do" list for my honey to do, and some chores for myself as well...also coming up in the next few days: The Menu!!

Thankfully,

Cathy

Welcome to Fall at the Hamlet!

Halloween is over and it's time to turn my focus to Thanksgiving. If you know me, you know that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! I think any holiday that makes Thursday special is OK by me, but add in faith, family, food and football and honey-you've got a first class holiday!!

I'm hoping to share my holiday plans on this blog. However, as you know from past experience with me, my blogging is spotty, at best. But I promise I'll try. So, here's my first effort!

I made caramel apples for the kiddos last night for after trick or treating, just in case they didn't consume enough sugar from their candy. They aren't pretty, but they tasted good. Conner was especially happy about them, since his dad refused to make him some. Hang with Aunt Cathy, Conner...I'll take care of you!


This is on our living room mantle. My mom made the plate a few years ago, and when I was working on my mantle display, it just seemed to naturally fit, with the pumpkins and all the autumnal colors.

This is on top of the kitchen cabinets. This rooster often lives in the living room, but right now he's hanging out on the tops of the cabinets.

The corner of the kitchen cabinets. I picked up that basket from a flea market a few months ago..it's huge...for only $5! And it's grapevine, my favorite kind of basket!

Hang with me! I'll be sharing some recipes, photos and plans for Thanksgiving in the upcoming weeks! It's getting closer every day!!

Thankfully,

Cathy

Great Thanksgivings and to all good night!

We had two great Thanksgiving celebrations! We had around 45 crazy folks at Mom's on Thursday, and around 20 at our house on Saturday! That's two full houses! And all the food was plentiful and good.

Now, Scarecrow Soup is bowing out, and giving Pumpkins and Reindeer center stage...check in often over there, I'll be posting all kinds of stuff in the next 25 (gasp) days!!

Thankfully,
Cathy

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Thank God for your blessings today...and tomorrow...and every day after that.

One Day to Go!

Tomorrow is the big day. Today is shaping up to be a busy one. I won't go into details, since I already did that...but I'll bet you really don't have much time either to read a lot of details-you're probably busy, too!

This punch recipe couldn't be simpler, and it's so pretty in a glass or crystal punch bowl. I like to freeze the cranberry juice in mini bundt pans or heart shaped pans. The idea behind it is that the cranberry juice cubes melting into the oj looks like a sunrise. Nice!

Thanksgiving Sunrise Punch
1 quart orange juice
1 quart cranapple juice cocktail or cranberry juice
2 litres ginger ale

Freeze the cranberry juice in ice cube trays or other molds a few days before serving. Put the orange juice in a punch bowl, then add the cranberry ice cubes a few minutes before serving. Just before serving, pour the ginger ale over the ice cubes and stir gently. Serve.

Cranberry-Pineapple Cups

Tonight is our annual Thanksgiving service at church. I can't wait!

I mentioned yesterday that I'll be cooking on Friday in preparation for Lynn's family gathering on Saturday. I will make a cake, get the ham and turkey ready for the oven, peel the potatoes
and put them in water until tomorrow, and put together the relish tray. I'll put the green beans in the crockpot when I go to bed, then Saturday morning, all I'll have to do is roast the turkey, bake the ham and bake the dressing. Oh, yeah, and set the table. I'll try to have some photos of my tablescape up soon. Need to dry-run it anyway!

This is a new to me recipe that sounds so yummy...I'm going to give it a try this year. I think it would be good to substitute a can of mandarin oranges for the pineapple.

Cranberry-Pineapple Cups
1 can crushed pineapple in juice
2 pkg. raspberry flavored jello
1 can whole cranberry sauce
2/3 cup walnut pieces
1 apple, chopped

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add enough water to juice to measure 2 1/2 cups; pour into saucepan. Bring to boil. Pour over gelatin mixes in a large bowl; stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in pineapple, cranberry sauce, walnuts and apple. Spoon into 24 paper lined muffin cups. Refrigerate 2 1/2 hours or until firm. Remove liners. Makes 24 servings.

This will look so festive on a relish tray. The kids might actually pick them up and eat them before they realize it has fruit in it! When Lynn's sister Gail moved she gave me (among a ton of other stuff) a beautiful crystal tray, which will hold our pickles, olives, cranberry cups and other relishes.

Next post: Thanksgiving Sunrise Punch. Oh, it's good, and it's a pretty punch. Stay tuned!!

Just to clarify...

I got a message on my last post asking about if we eat at both events...I should clarify that.



We go to my Mom's, with the hordes of 40, on Thanksgiving Day to celebrate with my side of the family. Then, on Saturday after Thanksgiving, we host Lynn's side, usually between 20 & 30 people. So yes, we do eat both times...and we do eat the next week! LOL!!