Oh, No...It's November's Three-O

  The tradition conditions, much to Dr. Dale's dismay. Here are thirty random and assorted observations to celebrate the end of November: 
    1. Thanks to a couple of nights when temperatures dipped below freezing, we're seeing some reds and yellows in the trees that lose their leaves. They're pretty...but I'd much rather have the warm weather.
    2. It's important to connect the electric blanket correctly when one person turns the dial waaay up and the other frequently doesn't turn it on at all. Just saying.
    3. And if the old wives' tale holds true, we're in for a cold winter as the live oak trees had a bumper crop of acorns this year. 
    4. It's in the 70s here one day and 50s the next, and while I know those temperature fluctuations don't cause colds and flu, it seems like all my family and friends are battling illnesses. I'm taking my vitamin C religiously.
    5. What could be better (and easier) on a cold day than dinner in the crock pot. I see more of this in my future. 
    6. We stood on the back porch the other night and listened to the coyotes howl in the woods just behind the green. Imagine a coyote howl from the cartoons and that's just what they sounded like that night.
    7. And early one morning a few days later Wayne saw a pair of foxes loping down the fairway behind the house. They were quite a sight with their long, fluffy tails flying behind them. 
    8. Our Kansas roots run deeper than I thought...the pottery we were attracted to at the Arts Festival was created in Marquette, Kansas.
    9. Wayne's parents celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary earlier this month. Congratulations, Pansy and Gene...what an accomplishment!
  10. Want to learn new some new and artsy techniques? Tim Holtz is doing his Twelve Days of Christmas again this year, and his videos offer great step-by-step instructions for working with all kinds of cool products.
  11. And if you're looking for a cute Christmas project the kids can do, I thought this tree made from circles and buttons on Jen McGuire's blog was really cute. She has a wealth of inspiration for cards there, too.
  12. Thanks to everyone who commented or wrote to me about the Twilight books. I'm planning to read them now...nothing like getting book recommendations from your friends.
  13. Speaking of friends, I love that mine call and tell me to go outside and see a particularly amazing moonrise. They know that I am constantly awed by the beauty of nature.
  14. The peanuts are all harvested now. When we drove by one of the fields last week, there were hundreds of red-winged blackbirds pecking in the plowed ground. Wayne went by a day or two later and there were robins there, too...but they're heading south.
  15. My lemons are beginning to turn yellow. More green than yellow still but I can already taste that lemon meringue pie they're going to become one day soon.
  16. Thank heavens Typepad finally added an auto-save feature! We can only hope it means the end of the lost-post frustrations.
  17. And talk about frustrations...we went to four stores looking for ink cartridges for one of our printers. No one stocks them anymore since the printer is several years old. Fortunately, we could order them still directly from Epson. 
  18. I might need to enter the 12-step chocoholics program: Never be more than twelve steps away from chocolate.  
  19. Why are there only men on the golf course on Thanksgiving morning?  
  20. I felt very Mother Earth-ish this year when I could go out on the back patio and cut fresh parsley. Now that the dressing is made, I can let the cold take its toll on it.
  21. The house is heavenly when it's filled with the aromas of Thanksgiving dinner cooking, but to really appreciate it, you need to leave the house for a few minutes. It smells twice as good when you come back in.
  22. There were a few sweet potatoes left after dinner was over but all of the marshmallows were eaten off of them. Hmmmm, Miss K...any idea who did that!
  23. I'll confess...I've had pumpkin gingerbread for breakfast almost every morning. It's still moist and delicious. You can find the recipe here. I baked mine in a Bundt pan which took a little longer and then sifted powdered sugar over the top. Wayne thinks it would be good with raisins and nuts in it too. 
  24. We've about cleaned up all the leftovers. Dressing is good hot but it might be even better cold. 
  25. Kayla at the mall + Grandma with text messaging = new additions to the birthday/Christmas list.
  26. And Wayne has now sent his first text message. Kayla was texting about when they would arrive for dinner, and since I was busy, he answered her.
  27.  The blog is getting hits through Google for searches for Will I. Am. Apparently he has a rap song celebrating Obama's election that's titled It's A New Day. Needless to say, they're not finding what they're looking for here. I can barely text; I don't rap.
  28. A little of the excitement is gone from Amazing Race and Survivor now that some of the people I really liked have been eliminated. But I'll still watch...I'm hooked. 
  29. We've had a rash of tragic automobile accidents in our area this week. Death is particularly cruel at the holidays. Y'all drive safely.
  30. The very best thing about November 30? It's the official end of hurricane season and we got lucky. You'd think we could forget about it until June but in ten days they release next year's forecast. 
  November...I'm really not ready to let go of you yet. You were a pretty good month and I know the crazy days that lie ahead. But I can't stop time. Hold on to your hats...here comes December!

Comments

[sandee]

I just love,LOVE your sense of humor! Yes...the blankets need to be hooked up properly! been there Hmmmm, we have had a ton of acorns here too! Maybe need to pull the flannel sheets out for the boys this week!12 steps from chocolate...gasp..your that far away from it? Ms. K and I would get along just fine..I love the marshmallows on them too! I see Ms. K has Grandma wrapped around her finger ( as long as it's free to text though!! lol )Kudos's to Wayne for his first text message...I still have that on my bucket list *eyes rolling* LOL, enjoyed your blog as usual! :)

[MamaJayne]

I haven't noticed bunches of acorns from our trees, but I've noticed the onion skins are thicker this year.
Aren't Tim's tags wonderful? I am so going to do them.
:J
p.s. nice to read you had a nice Thanksgiving.