A Comforting Return

I've finally returned home, full of relief and thanks for how well my mom is doing...and so glad that I was able to be with her and care for her during this time. Thank you again for all of your well wishes and kind words...she was blessed by them, and so was I.

I had to teach a class soon after arriving home yesterday (as well as today), and with all that's happened, my mind is a bit 'cloudy' at the moment...so I'm just going to just post some images that I took right before leaving on my trip...as they pretty much express how my spirit feels at the moment...peaceful, quiet...and at rest.

Much of the peace I feel now is not only due to the fact that my mom is doing so well, but it's because I know she is being taken care of so beautifully by her amazing friends who also took great care of me while I was there...I was spoiled rotten with comfort, thoughtfulness, love, and extraordinary home cooked meals (one dear friend made the best chicken soup I've ever had!)...and leaving my mom in the encouraging & capable hands of these gracious people is an enormous relief...we are so fortunate.

And then there is Poppy...who I know for sure will be watching over her night and day...I just wish he could talk on the phone...I would love updates from him...I miss him!

I miss you all as well...I thought I'd be able to 'visit' each of you while my mom was resting but I was busier than I ever imagined...so I hope to 'see' you all very soon, I'm looking forward to catching up. ♥

Time With Gitzi

Thanksgiving is going to be a little bit different this year. Tomorrow I'm heading to California to spend some time with my mom, Gitzi, who actually hasn't been feeling all that well for quite a while. She is going to the hospital first thing Monday morning for surgery, and we're very hopeful she will feel much better soon afterwards. We might be having Thanksgiving dinner in hospital...which my dear friend Dumbwit says might not be all that bad (she happens likes hospital food though, at least the type they serve here in WA)! ;)

So for this post, I thought I would showcase some of my most favorite Gitzi creations...and in a way, dedicate it to her. My deepest wish is that she will soon feel well enough to resume her passion for creating art...that her creative spirit would once again find it's spark, and she could enjoy doing what she loves so much.


The two images below are from what I call, her 'Flowers In Flight' series.


She has always been a fantastic photographer...but now with access to such wonderful technology...the skies the limit for her imagination!

For years everyone has told my mom that she needed to get her art out there, but for one reason or another it just never happened...but just recently, with the help of a dear friend who is a painter, she is now on Red Bubble, and I'm so proud of her! Please stop by and visit if you'd like to see more of her work...I know she would be thrilled.

Now, I'd like to wish each and everyone of you a Very Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that you too will be spending this blessing of a holiday with those you cherish & love...and hopefully, there won't be any hospital food involved (just sayin Deb...homemade has to be better!).

You all mean the world to me and I'm so very THANKFUL for your friendships, your visits, and your great big hearts...and also, for the joy you bring to me by the sharing of your worlds...I feel so unbelievably blessed to know you!!! ♥

The Bluest Skies You've Ever Seen...

I knew Seattle was famous for having the bluest skies around, but today was just ridiculous! I usually fiddle with my photos in Photoshop...but I decided to leave these au naturel, the fiddling just didn't seem necessary.

Does anyone remember the old show "Here Come The Brides"? Well, if not, at the end of this post you're in for a treat...if yes, then you're in for a bit of nostalgia...Perry Como style.

This beautiful house has it's own special post in the works. Ginger and I walk by it all the time and it has a bit of a story...just like 24C does. The blue skies were a beautiful backdrop for it today.

It sits across from our most favorite stretch of pathway....

Which sits above this...our most favorite beach.



The somewhat truthful, late 1960's show 'Here Come The Brides' was set in Seattle during the 1860's when there were more lumberjacks than women, so 100 civilized brides were brought over from the east coast in the hopes that they would become the blushing brides of the lonely, unruly men that had overrun the great Pacific Northwest...it was one of my favorite shows growing up.



Little did I know that one day...I would become a blushing Seattle bride!!

More Autumnal Splendour

This week Ginger and I were able to go on a little walk and together, enjoy the picturesque fall beauty that thankfully, is still surrounding us.

The leaves she's standing in are from the majestic tree in the first image. I have a very strong suspicion that Ginger was thinking how wonderful a loo the lovely leaves would make...we best give her some privacy in case I'm correct...let's move on, shall we?!

I've always loved this little sidewalk...and when it's strewn with autumn leaves, it invites me even more so. The image below is of the leaves that are causing all the strewing.

There was still some green left (we'll allow it here, won't we Mise?) which made for some interesting contrasts in color, I must check and see if it is completely aflame now, before the ferocious winds that are prevalent at the moment carry them all away.

These golden torches just took my breath away. The sun was causing them to literally glow and sparkle, and we could have just stared at them all day...well at least I could have...Ginger being so short and all has a difficult time looking up for very long. Needless to say, she's picked up a lot so that she can be part of the above world.

I felt all nice and warm just standing next to them...

And finally, we're back at the towering, flaming cloud of beauty where our adventure had begun...you know, where the loo leaves are - but in respect to Ginger's modesty, we won't discuss that, we'll just admire the gorgeousness that once again I felt very privileged to see, especially as it was seen with my very special, dear little friend!

My Daily Tree

Just about everyday I have the privilege of parking under this beautiful tree and it's plethora of extremely bright foliage, which I heard just today is a gift from our not having had a spring or summer. Thank heavens something good came out of all that abnormal and silly weather!

I keep thinking that the leaves can't possibly get any brighter, and then they do...and as far as I'm concerned, they can keep brighten themselves up to the point of me needing sunglasses on just to look at all their vibrant splendour!

The tree's torch like qualities have been especially appreciated on the few gray and cloudy days we've had here recently...I know soon enough that those are what the majority of our days are going to look like, and there will be no warm color palette at all to break the ice, so to speak.
So I'm trying to soak it all in to my memory now in the hopes of warding off as long as possible, the inevitable chill that is bound to occur soon.

For the most part though, our skies have been abundantly blue and sunny lately, which of course is by far my favorite backdrop for the tree, as well as the other trees that have been vying for my attention this Autumn...and whose fleeting beauty I'm hoping to share with you in the very near future before the usual November gusts blow them all away.

Do you have spectacular autumn scenery in your neck of the woods that you're trying to soak in the before the not so pretty chill sets in? I truly hope you do, so that the warm brilliance of this time of year will help in keeping, if not your person...then at least your thoughts and memories nice and toasty...until spring's thaw can properly do the trick.

Autumn Ravioli Surprise

This week, my teaching schedule finally became it's usual bustling self (my art classes always trickle in at the beginning of a new school year) and I am now once again, busy enough to have to start worrying about what to make for dinner every night.

Thank goodness, my trusty icebox was full of these delicious frozen pillows of help.

Ever since I discovered Rising Moon Ravioli's (no, they aren't paying me for this), I try to always keep them on hand because they make a wonderful base for a very easy, quick...and healthy evening meal.

Usually I add prosciutto, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, onion, garlic...etc., with the sauce being just olive oil, some lemon juice, and a little cayenne. But last night, not having a few of those ingredients, and not feeling much like going to the grocery to get them, I decided to be creative and use what we had on hand. Well, we ended up liking this new version so much that I think it will become a bona fide standard now...at least during the fall season, and it only took me all of about half an hour to cook as well, which made me very happy!

For this version, I used two packages of the Feta-Hazelnut with Butternut Squash Ravioli which were boiled in water for about five minutes. The second they float to the top, you know they're done, any longer than that and they get mushy. I then added:

Prosciutto - Two pieces, rolled, sliced, then chopped and added to a pan of hot olive oil to crisp them up. Place on a paper towel lined dish when done.

Haricot Vert - A small handful, sliced into two inch pieces, then blanched in boiling water for about three minutes, drain in colander when done.

One shallot and two extremely large cloves of garlic chopped fine....the results split in half.

One half of the shallot-garlic combo was added to a saute pan in which butter and olive oil were melted together, and after sauteing for one minute (or less), a package of fresh, chopped crimini mushrooms were added, along with salt, pepper, and some dried crushed thyme.

The other half of the shallot-garlic combo was added to a larger saute pan and also sauteed for one minute (or less). Then some chopped red cabbage, about a quarter of a head, and half an apple, chopped, were added to it, along with salt, pepper, crushed dried thyme, and a splash of apple cider vinegar (this replaced the acidity of the lemon that I would normally add).


These were all cooked to completion, combined in the pan that had the cabbage & apple...a crushing of dried tarragon was added along with some chunks of Maytag Blue Cheese, then the whole lot was cooked over low heat just until the cheese had melted slightly, then more salt & pepper were added to taste...and we were done!

I have to say, it turned out amazing, and the only thing I would have added if I'd had them, was some chopped toasted hazelnuts or walnuts, but even without these, it was very tasty...the perfect quick, Autumnal, after work, concocted meal...one that we will definitely be making again, and again.

Do you have any quick and easy, busy day meals that you've come to know, love, and make quite often? If so, please do share...it would be so wonderful to give them a try as well...I know we all could use a little help in this area.

If you do give this meal a try, which I hope you do...please share that as well, as I'd love to know what you thought, and tasted! Please enjoy...