Gee whiz!

Wow, it has been a long time since I've posted. I don't have any excuse, really, except there were other things which occupied my time!
That being said, here goes a post - of sorts.

We had some pretty good snow before Christmas. The birds were at a loss for food - other than the feeders, of course, so I made up a batch of suet. We tried different ways of offering it to them - since we couldn't locate the suet feeder - I stuffed pine cones - gone in no time! I filled little paper cups on the deck so we could watch them - also gobbled up. We filled a pan with water for them, it froze in minutes. We had a heater for the bird bath, but the wires broke - not the best solution.
When the sun returned, it was absolutely gorgeous!!!
While the weather kept us indoors, Dean went to work on projects in the shop. His brother, Larry, bought his lathe and has been creating pens and bottle stoppers, so Dean designed and made a display rack for him. I think he will have to design a bigger one, though, because he has too many to fit in this one all ready!
Dean also made a trivet out of the wine corks we have been collecting over the years. This one was a Christmas gift for Janet (and Jim)There is a story behind this next project. Dean made a name sign for Colin's door when he was a baby. Colin is the son of our good friends Deb and Jill and they are now caring for 3 of the cutest little girls and hoping to adopt them soon. Dean made each of them name signs and also for Larry's grandchildren, Zane and Avril, and our neighbor's granddaughter, Cydnie.
Autumn especially enjoyed her new name sign because, at 7 years old, she was a bit jealous of Colin's. Now she has her very own!! Here, Dean is having fun reading to Colin and being read to by Autumn.
We were in Vancouver for the holiday, during their foot of snow. This is in front of Jim and Janet's house - there is an open skylite above the Japanese maple that created this huge icicle.

Turkey day was FANTASTIC!

We hope that everyone had a peaceful and happy Thanksgiving with family and/or good friends, as we did.
We used a new turkey recipe, so thought I would share - it came out soooo good!
We brined it in salt/brown sugar water for about 24 hours - sat it out in the garage - it has been cold enough here! Then, I rubbed it all over with melted butter/olive oil, we placed it breast down in the rack, covered it with a tent of foil and put about 3 cups of chicken broth in the bottom of the pan. I cooked it at 400º for the first 45 minutes, then turned it down till done. Basted it several times with the liquid in the pan. It was super juicy and the taste was amazing!
The only "problem" we had - was the broken leg. The turkey's, that is....... If you notice in the photo above, the lower right corner - the meat is particularly dark - that is the broken leg. We couldn't use any of the meat in that area - the pan we put the turkey in to carve it - well, TMI, so I will stop there.........
Below, Janet is pouring the water. Dean made the nice turkey cut-outs. It was Larry's birthday, so that is a card on his plate.
The happy group - trying to eat while I was trying to take a picture. L to R - Janet, Jim, Dean, Larry, and Carol. The empty chair is mine :)
Janet and Jim are sad that their kids are not with them for Thanksgiving (and so were we.....) Denise was home in Chehalis, and Jimbo was with his uncle's family in Hurricane, Utah (Jimbo now lives in Las Vegas)We were lucky enough to experience a beautiful sunset, too. Another beautiful Central Oregon day!

Thanksgiving

Pablo Neruda's poem "The Great Tablecloth" gives us a hint of what this celebration may one day look like....

Let us sit down soon to eat
with all those who haven't eaten:
let us spread great tablecloths,
put salt in the lakes of the world,
set up planetary bakeries,
tables with strawberries in snow
and a plate like the moon itself
from which we can all eat...


BRIEFLY IT ENTERS, AND BRIEFLY SPEAKS
Jane Kenyon

I am the blossom pressed in a book,
found again after two hundred years....

I am the maker, the lover, and the keeper....

When the young girl who starves
sits down to a table
she will sit beside me....

I am food on the prisoner's plate....

I am water rushing to the well-head,
filling the pitcher until it spills....

"Dreaming of gardens is something that always elevates my mood.
A single green sprouting thing
would restore me...."

Giving Thanks

For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the workingman's hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

~Author Unknown