Before Christmas Linky Love

 

Book Tree at Local Library

Are you ready for Christmas? My short answer is I don't know.

Linky Love

Scientist Developed a Questionnaire to decide if your Cat is a Psychopath

Royal Christmas Cards from Around the World - Do you send cards? I usually don't do many Christmas cards.   I am a Valentine Card person. Another question is do you hold onto Christmas photo cards? I know if I received one from the royal family I would.

Viral Box Photos DIY for Instagram and TikTok Has anyone tried this 

Our Family Tree

Inappropriate Thoughts

My husband had the audacity to ask me if I have started my Valentine Cards.  Does he even know me? Short answer is YES!   Not the most complicated design but sourcing materials has been challenging.

Tree in the Oasis

Deep Thoughts

I hope you find calm in the season. It is too easy to fall in the trap of consumption, overdoing, and comparison.  May your season be perfect for you and your family. 

Chuck's Fish Tree

Wordy Wednesday

 A map is really just permission to get lost.

Percival Everett

Percival Everett said this during our book club discussion with him. I like it.  Percival Everett wrote the book " James".

December Happenings - Someone has Christmas Spirit

 My son loves to set up his own Christmas tree and village. Many of the holiday celebrations are challenging for him in regard to change and noise etc.  He is a big fan of Stitch from Lilo and Stitch. I mentioned that I had seen a Stitch blow mold.  Next time we were at Walmart, guess what was in his cart.

My son is a safety-first kind of guy. So of course, Stitch was buckled in for the ride home.

I think it looks great in his room along with his tree. Decorations are all him.

December Reading

 I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone else is reading. December had me finishing up a book club book. 

I plan to do a wrap up all the books I read this year next week. I was surprised by the variety.  Book club really helps with that.

James by Percival Everett

This is the telling of the Huck Finn story from Jim's point of view. Mark Twain was an amazing storyteller, and Percival Everett is as well. This is going to be considered a classic and more than a companion book to Huck Finn. This is an easy read with complex layered themes.  I had the chance to virtually join an author talk with Percival Everett.

Weekly Roll

 

2024 is in the almost in the sideview mirror. 

Plogging is the New Fitness Trend - Jogging while picking up trash. Well my husband and I have been walking and picking up trash. Is that almost plogging?

How to Turn Toilet Paper Rolls into Snowflakes - this seems on brand for me

Inappropriate Thoughts

Nonna's Cats got fixed this past week. One lived up to his name of Lucifer.  I call him Luz. He hissed at me when I put him in the carrier and evidently gave the whole Halloween vibe of the black cat stretch with arched back pre anesthesia. He wasn't having it. I guess we got the last laugh. The cats are recovering.

Deep Thoughts

I was everywhere and nowhere this week. I think we tried to jam in every appointment in this week. I left me MIA from this blog.  I am ready to slow down and try to enjoy the season. Next week is less hectic though and I do need to get a few more gifts in the mail.  I would love to craft and watch a Christmas movie. Any good Christmas movie suggestions?

December Happenings - Tree Suprise and Confession

 My husband carved this little tree for me and left it for me to find. I am well known to have a mini tree problem See below

I have a few mini trees. This is the majority of the collection but not all of them. They are ceramic, glass, wood, mercury glass. I love them all

Weekly Roll

Photo by CRR

My son was gifted like 4 lbs. of pecans. Our area of New Mexico is known for Pecan groves. He has been making batches of Candied pecans for us. RECIPE.  Maybe we should try these spiced nuts.

Rare Wildflower found in New Mexico Granted Protected Status

 Inappropriate Thoughts

Anybody else look at their Spotify wrapped. I spent the majority of my 5000 plus minutes about 4, 000 listening to podcasts. I use mainly Spotify for podcast listening when google podcast went away. I only use music on Spotify when driving on road trips. I have a road trip playlist.

Deep Thoughts

This is the week I start freaking out a bit about what gifts I haven't bought and things that need to done before Christmas. Does anyone else fee that way?  

December Happenings - Light Up Artesia Parade

 Since moving here, I have only attended the 4th of July which frankly takes more time to wait for than the actual parade. The light parade was great.  There were many parade entries.  If you know me in real life, I am always down to go to a parade. It was a great hometown showing. I of course loved all the lights. It was my first time seeing Santa in a sombrero. No Santa did not pass out tacos. It was a missed opportunity in my opinion.

December Happenings- Keith and Helen have Arrived

 I never had any inflatables until I arrived in New Mexico. My best friend felt I needed these. They really do bring so much joy

Keith and Helen

December Happenings - Mistakes Were Made

Does anyone else watch Jennifer Gardner's Pretend Cooking Show on Instagram. She made leftover cranberry sauce muffins.  I gave it the good Monday Morning attempt. Problem was I didn't have enough coffee. I might have accidentally mixed-up cumin and cinnamon. 

I was able to dig out most of the cummin out but not all. I added the correct amount of cinnamon. I felt like I was to far in so I continued baking.  Mistakes were made. My husband said they were a bit on the savory side according to my husband. They disappeared quickly.

Wordy Wednesday

 

This is kinda the whole point of my side quest project.

December Happenings- Christmas on the Pecos

 Ali Edwards, scrapbooking expert, has December Daily scrapbook. I cannot not maintain that level of commitment, but I did want to share and maybe scrapbook some of our December activities.

Last year we tried to go to Christmas on the Pecos. They have a lighted boat tour, but our tour was cancelled due to weather. We were successful this time. The pages below were done with Project Life.

Weekly Roll

Linky Love

TikToker's DNA test results help solve a cold case - my parents just got their DNA results. Good news I am their daughter

7 Things I can't stop Thinking about after watching the Martha Documentary - I have talked previously about how much I liked this documentary

This Hidden Colorado State Park is Better Than Rocky Mountain National Park - I might need to take a side quest here. I love Rocky Mountain National Park. I haven't visited this one. Staunton State Park

Jim Bishop builder of Bishop's Castle Dies - This would make a great side quest to visit. Maybe I need a Colorado, my youngest nephew has visited. 

Inappropriate Thoughts

I have gotten to the age where I leave notes on things. Evidently these dinosaur inflatables are named Keith and Helen. It is important info folks.

Deep Thoughts

As we enter a busy holiday season, I have a tradition of reading the Gospel of Luke. I read a chapter every night until Christmas starting December 1.  This isn't a fancy bible reading. It is just me quieting my mind and reminding myself the reason for the season. Every year I learn something new. I discussed it here.

Goal Setting - Year Projects

 In my birthday month, I like to announce a project or idea I will be working on.  I found that the more random these goals are the better. They work best when it is high interest to me and low risk of failure.

This coming year is about the side quest. Not a to do list but a want to do list.  I will be looking for opportunities to go somewhere out of the ordinary, research something odd, go down that random rabbit hole, and learn something new.

Wordy Wednesday - Annual PSA

 

Weekly Roll - Pre Thanksgiving

 Linky Love

Turkey Tape Resist Art - I did this back in 2022. It is a cute craft

cardboard turkey - I might need to do this

Would You Rather Questions for Thanksgiving I would definitely swim in gravy over cranberry sauce

Best Time for Thanksgiving Dinner - who knew

Inappropriate Thoughts 

I couldn't resist putting up my front window lights. I have decided that my Christmas theme this year is going to be twinkly glitz snowy with a touch of tacky. Hey, it is a genuine theme. I have two blow-up dinosaurs for my front yard. They will make their appearance after thanksgiving. 

Wordy Wednesday

 

It was my birthday last week and I think about this a lot as I get older. I don't have a credit for the quote but it is a good one.

Weekly Roll

Did you feel full moon vibes? Photo by my husband. This full moon was Friday and was called the Beaver Moon.

I have been on a podcast kick my current favorite podcast Hide and Seek is back. They are covering a Washington state missing person case.  This is on Shane Barton

Make Ahead Side Dishes for Thanksgiving - This is coming up and Good Cheap Eats is one of my go to for budget and times savers

7 Ways to Cook Mash Potatoes - never thought to use a steamer basket

Inappropriate Thoughts

This God Knows sign is on a fence near a middle school near Nonna's house. I can't ever decide if it is a threat/warning or something else. It really is an ambiguous sign

What I Read November

 I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone else is reading.

Reconnected by Carlos Whittaker

Carlos spends 7 weeks screen free.  He spends two of those weeks with Monks and additional two weeks with Amish Sheep Farmers. Carlos even has his brain scanned by Dr Amen before and after. I thought this was really interesting. Carlos talks about noticing things and how our inner GPS is broken. I found the wonder part really interesting especially with screens we can get the answers immediately. We have lost our wonder. Carlos also turned his experience into a documentary. This maybe the kind of read all of us could use in this season of way to much information.

I am a big fan of his instagram loswhit

Wordy Wednesday

 

This is a Sharon McMahon quote best known for her Instagram SharonSaysSO. It is one that keeps rumbling around in my brain. 

Happy Veteran's Day

I thought on this Veteran's Day. Thank you have served and those serving. Thank you for your service! I thought I would write about some civil war veterans in my family tree.

Herman Pringey  is Henson S Liston's brother-in-law.  They both served during Civil War for the Union Army in the 6th West Virginia Calvery. Henson Liston saw action at Winchester, Cedar Mountain and the Second Battle of Bull Run. Henson also participated in General Siegel's campaign on the Rappahannock River Herman introduced Henson to his sister, Candance. Herman's baby sister, Abigail, also married a Civil War veteran, Jacob Martin who fought in Gettysburg, When the war was over, they all moved to Iowa later settling near each other in Cass County Iowa. Herman and Henson are both are buried in the Newlon Grove Cemetary in Cass County, Iowa.

Weekly Roll

 

I don't know why but this cracks me up. Maybe it is the genealogist in me.

Linky Love

Mental Well Being of Family Members of Autistic Adults - probably more scholarly than most things I post. 

1 trait more crucial than love to stay together I will have to agree with this

Inappropriate Thoughts

Watched the Martha Documentary. I am not Martha.  I thought it was good but talk about perfectionism.  I even checked out 2 Martha Stewart books.  Martha was an influencer before there were influencers.

Thanksgiving Shelfie - Pumpkin Edition

 

This display is my dining room on top of my china cabinet. This is all stuff I have had in my fall stash. Still not in a rush to pull out the Christmas quite yet.

Weekly Roll - time Change Edition

Did you fall Back?

Linky Love

What I voted sticker look like across the US

True Story of a Famed Librarian and the Secret She Guarded Closely - I read The Personal Librarian that is based on the Belle da Costa Greene story. I glad there is going to be a special exhibit on this very special librarian.

Will the Time Change Ever End Please make it end

 Inappropriate Thoughts

I kinda miss having little kids at Halloween time.  It is fun to see them dressed up and excited. I was reminiscing to my now grown children about their Halloween's of the past. There was one year my youngest dressed as a werewolf and jumped out of the bushes at some middle school girls. They were not impressed.  The was the year of the spontaneous light saber battle between an unknown Luke and my Darth Vader. 

There were many Halloweens of us going trick or treat with my nieces and nephew. My best friend made some amazing costumes.

Sourdough Chronicles - back from the dead /cloud of pumpkin spice

 I must confess I neglected my sourdough starter in the refrigerator. It had lot of hooch on the top. I fed it and it is alive and kicking. Feed it and it will come back.

I wanted to make sourdough pumpkin bread. I had to get some pumpkin spice. I had trouble opening the container. I am still sweeping up pumpkin spice. There was a cloud of pumpkin spice. It makes two loaves

Taste of Lizzy T Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

This bread didn't last long at my house.

Last Minute Halloween Craft - Man on the Moon

Sometimes I get a wild craft hair. My Dad gave me a giant quilt hoop he found at the city recycle.  I have wanted a Man on the Moon. I was like I can make this on fabric and use that hoop to make my moon.

I used this printable from Earlyn Whalen Online. I used my printer to enlarge and made way to many copies. I used tracing paper to transfer to some fabric and colored in using fabric markers My husband suggested I use battery operated lights to make moon light up.

Wordy Wednesday

 I know I have used this one before, but I really couldn't resist. It is a good one for Halloween.

Meow Woof - Santa Fe

 My son wanted to go here for his birthday. However, our August was quite busy, so we finally delivered on our promise last weekend. Meow Woof is an interactive art exhibit. It was a real workout for me as I shimmied into a fireplace, climbed into the trees, and walked through a refrigerator. I thought this would be sensory overload for my autistic son, but we came prepared, and we went through early.

It was interesting and a bit weird in a good way.