Recreating....

Happy Saturday to you!  I hope wherever you are,  you are staying warm and dry!  The rain has slowed here for awhile at least, though it is expected to return on Sunday.  Our temperatures are more seasonal, after a record high temperature of 76 degrees on Thursday.

As promised, here is an attempt at recreating my table setting from Advent By Candlelight.

Ten places were set at the table.

I chose a green tablecloth this year, a new purchase from Aldi's for only $10.00!  The china is Noel by Salem, the crystal is Lady Anne by Gorham, and the flatware is Chateau by Oneida.  I used the wooden dough bowl for the centerpiece.  The Husband cut off holly from our bushes, and I arranged it in the bowl with the candles sitting in the foil-lined bowl.  They are cranberry-scented candles, and they gave off a wonderful aroma when lit!  The napkin ring is actually a ring designed to trim a taper candle holder!  Favors were silver bells which I found at a local antique/craft store.

This is a busy UMW week-end.  There will be more about that in a future post.

This is also a busy sports week-end.  The Vols will play basketball today, and the game is televised.  Later in the day will be the SEC Football championship game between Missouri and Auburn, also televised. 

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Christmas reading....and a winner!

Happy Friday to you!  How has this first week in December been for you?  Are you enjoying this special season? 

Reading is one way I find to enhance the mood of the season.  This is what I am reading at this point.

This book has a reading for every day during Advent.

When I was in the classroom, I learned about Jan Brett.  She quickly became one of my favorite authors.  She is also the illustrator for her books.

Colorful cover.

Charming illustrations.

Even recipe directions!

Included in the margins of the pages!

Add one egg!

A fold out page at the end of the book!

Also a favorite of mine!

A wonderful story about lining up the reindeer.

  If you are looking for some books that will be enjoyable to children, these are really good options.

Now, to the winner of the Susan Branch mini-wall calendar.  There were several of you who were entered.  "Two Birdies and a B" was the name drawn.  I have sent her an email letting her know that she has won.

I am sorry everyone couldn't win, but there will be another giveaway coming up on Monday, so come back to see about that one!

I don't know where all the followers of this blog are located.  I just want to wish you safety during this storm that is moving across the United States and will impact so many!

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

A December nature walk....

Earlier in the week, The Husband and I made a trip to visit Country Girl for awhile.  She and a friend had plans to go on a walk into the woods in search of honeysuckle vines to use to make baskets.  The baskets were to be used for fire starters, which they were also making with pine cones City Girl had already collected.

Of course, I left my camera at home!:-(  So, I tried to do the next best thing.  I brought home some items from that nature walk.

Small pine cones.

From the sourwood tree.

Lichen on twigs.  I thought this was cool!

Are you able to see the blooms from this wildflower?

I think I was told that this is a cone from the white pine.

A hemlock twig.

A white pine twig.

All of this was on the forest floor, so I didn't trim anything off of the trees.  There had been some recent strong wind that broke some of the smaller limbs from the trees.

There were many other things we saw on our walk, one being lots of Christmas ferns!  I had never known there were ferns that had that name!  The leaves have a shape that appears to be a stockinged foot, similar to an elf's foot.

We left to return home as the candle-melting process began.  The pine cones were to be dipped in this wax, creating a fire starter.  Plans were to make several of them to put in the honeysuckle baskets to give as gifts.  Country Girl had built a fire outside, so it was nice to be able to work around it, though the melting was taking place on a electric hot plate.

Country Man and the mission team in Honduras are having a good week.  He is scheduled to return on Friday night.

Also, NanaDiana's grandson is home from the hospital!  Thank all of you for your prayers and concern.

Remember!  This is the last day for you to comment to be entered in the giveaway!

This mini-wall calendar could be yours!

  Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

One of the highlights....

One of the highlights of the Christmas season for me is the Advent By Candlelight event sponsored by the United Methodist Women of our church.  Last night, approximately 300 women gathered for this special observance.  The program included a moment of remembrance, beautiful music by the women's ensemble, officer installation, and a message by a wonderful young woman minister.  The offering that was collected will go to two missions - our Holston Conference initiative "Imagine No Malaria" and Wesley House in Knoxville, TN, the choice of the speaker.

Today, I want to share some pictures of the table settings from the evening.  Each table had a hostess who was responsible for her table.

I liked this basket centerpiece.

Colorful dishes.

Nativity scene participants were in a row down the center of this table.

Quite festive, with the red berries down the center.

I especially liked this Nativity arrangement.

Clear glass with red!

Beverage servers ready for action!

A very nice candle decoration.  Another was on the other end of the table.

Red, green, and white!

Purple is such a regal color!

Another nicely decorated table.

The tall slim decorations left ample room on the table.

No two tables were alike.

I have always loved arrangements such as this one.

I like these dishes!

The pictures were taken yesterday afternoon as many of us were there to set up our tables.  I realize that I failed to take a picture of my own table!  Well, I will have to recreate that here and take a picture!  There were 30-plus tables that were set for the evening.  Each table had a different dessert, brought by someone who was seated at that particular table.

Today is December 4!  On Thursday, December 5, in the evening, the winner of the giveaway celebrating my two years at blogging will be selected.  Announcement of the winner will be on Friday's blog..  Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win this:

Susan Branch mini-wall calendar.

I want to welcome Deb, a new follower!

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Another choice....

December 3 already!  I suspect this month is going to pass as quickly as all the others seem to have passed! 

Last week, I posted a recipe for Pumpkin Scones.  I want to mention that they were well-received on Thanksgiving morning!:-)  They did have to share the bread basket with these, though.

I patted out the dough!

The dough was cut into eight wedges.  Wait a minute!  The Husband must have sneaked one off the rack!

This recipe comes from a newsletter I received several years ago while I was still teaching.  Credit is given to Renee Rochfort of Brentwood, TN.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE SCONES
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1Tablespoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup butter, cut up
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup dried cranberries
1 Tablespoon milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
- Combine first six ingredients; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.  Add buttermilk and dried cranberries, stirring just until moistened.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead five or six times.  Pat into an 8-inch circle.  Cut into eight wedges, and place one inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Brush with milk, and sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon sugar.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until scones are golden brown.

These will be repeated!  Boy Munchkin really enjoyed them!:-)

One of the finest programs I have watched on TV in awhile was on our local PBS station last night.  Celtic Woman presented an outstanding Christmas performance!  I hope some of you were able to enjoy it as well. 

There has been some encouraging news about NanaDiana's grandson, thanks to some information passed along by another blogger.  Some of you follow NanaDiana's blog.  For those of you who do not, I will keep you posted on developments.

Remember!  The drawing for the giveaway of the Susan Branch mini-wall calendar is Thursday, December 5, 2013.  Leave a comment, and you will be entered!

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

On a cold day....

Happy Monday to everyone!  How was your week-end?  Was Thanksgiving over for you with just one day, or did it extend through Friday and Saturday, too?

We had a very nice Thanksgiving time.  City Girl came to town on Wednesday, as did Munchomom, Machoman, and the two Munchkins.  We chose to have our turkey for Wednesday dinner.  On Thanksgiving Day, we all journeyed to visit with the Country Couple.  Country Man was working, so we went by to see him at work.  Then, we all went to the Country Couple's home where we enjoyed a Thanksgiving Day dinner together. 

During the afternoon, we walked around where Country Man works.

This is the mill where Country Man was grinding corn.

Do you see those icicles?  It was cold!

The Becky Cable House.

A cantilever barn.

How to catch a wild hog!

Another building on the grounds.

Steps into the Welcome Center.  We used the ramp, which was clear.

The traffic through Cades Cove was rather heavy, which was a surprise to me!  It had been several years since we have driven through.  There were many sightings of deer and wild turkeys, but we saw no bears. 

We had a marvelous time with our company!  Everyone returned to their homes on Saturday, and Country Man left on the mission trip to Honduras.  Plus - our Women's Chorus kicked off our performance season by appearing on Saturday afternoon at a local event!  It was a busy holiday!

Remember!  On Thursday, December 5, I will draw names for the giveaway.

A Mini-Wall Calendar!

Someone will be awarded this seven-inch square Susan Branch Mini-Wall Calendar!  All you have to do to be entered is to leave a comment on this post - or on any post since Saturday, November 30.

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

First Sunday in Advent....

Bishop Desmond Tutu has said these words - "Do your little bit of good where you are.  It's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world."

This is the first Sunday of Advent, the time leading up to the celebration of the birth of Christ.  What an appropriate time to think of Bishop Tutu's words!

The Mission Focus for December 1, 2013 in the 2013 UMW Prayer Calendar is Project Crossroads in the United States.

May this Sunday be one of special blessings for you!