turkey feathers

Time Out & Last Post for 2010

 
There's been some talk about snow and the hope for a white Christmas, but even if the weather doesn't cooperate--we do have a white tree this year, which I absolutely love.  Yes, I do miss the pine scent of a live cut tree, but that's about all.  No muss, no fuss, no awkward watering, no creepy-crawlies on the ceiling--or bizarre insect noises coming from the branches--like last year.  (When you get a truly fresh tree, you are likely to find anything.)  So yes, LOVE it!  The initial set-up is always a bit of a chore, but I plan to throw one of those covers over it instead of breaking it down and trying to get it back in the box.  Armchair shopped here and got very fast delivery.  I've actually been dreaming about a white tree for a couple of years now, but it took awhile to convince the family.  Some traditions are hard to break.  But they all agree this tree is beautiful.  Lilly's cozy place underneth is slowly shrinking as presents trickle in.  We left a spot for her in the back but she's a bit disgruntled.  Unfortunately, she will also chew and swallow any type of ribbon or string, so our presents have to be left rather plain for her sake. 

 
But I found some snazzy wrap at Michael's to (help) compensate.  I'm "mad for plaid" and this paper is wonderful.  I want to paper the walls and line all my dresser drawers with it.  Wouldn't that be grand?  BTW my 'Gift Wrap Holiday Special' has run its course and the links have been taken down.  It's getting down to the wire and time is up for Christmas deliveries.  Thanks again to those of you who took advantage of that.  I only have one book left!  I'll order more soon to keep on hand for anyone who wants a signed copy.  I also want to take a moment to thank everybody who visited my blog this year.  Your kind words and gestures of friendship are precious to me and reminders that there are still a ton of good peeps out there.  Love you guys! 

Unrelated, but I keep forgetting to mention this; someone asked me if I was "Turkey Feathers" on Facebook, and the answer is NO.  Infact, I don't even have a Facebook account.  (Nor am I part of any other social network sites, games, or discussion boards for that matter---just mentioning that so there's no confusion.)   

Anyway...now it's time to finish wrapping a few more gifts and start the holiday meal prep to freeze for Christmas morning.  I'm going to make my mini-quiche brunch cups (recipe here) and the usual apple turn-overs with puff pastry.  (With much gratitude to Pepperidge Farms for the frozen sheets.) Everyone always asks me if I'm going to make them again, so I guess it has become another tradition we can all look forward to.  Sometimes I make a few with our blackberry or raspberry jam.  Can't go wrong there, and it's quick if I run out of time to prepare the apple filling.  The girls have been baking and decorating an array of cookies all week.  It seems everytime I leave the house and come back there is something new and delightful cooling on a rack.  They made peppermint bark with white and dark chocolate a few days ago that was quite impressive too.  I think homemade peanut-butter cups (for Papa) are on their agenda for today.  I tell ya, the smells and aromas coming from the kitchen have been intoxicating!  From here on out I expect we (and you too) will be fairly busy...so farewell for now.  See you on the flip side in 2011!

 

Packing it Up

 
I forgot the name of the movie I got this picture from, maybe you've seen it. Thelma Ritter plays the hired housekeeper of a newlywed couple, but the wife (Gene Tierny) doesn't know she's her husband's mother and all sorts of comical mishaps and misunderstandings ensue.  I couldn't help noticing that stove, it's exactly like the one my mom had when I was growing up.  The kind with the pancake griddle right in the middle.  I wish they'd bring those back, don't you? 

Well, now.  The lovely sunshine didn't last long.  I'm back to hovering over the tomatoes again.  Ready to throw a blanket on them any moment, to stop them shivering.  September in the Rain drifted in over the air waves last night as we sat down to dinner.  The lyrics, composed by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, go like this:

"The leaves of brown came tumbling down

Remember, in September, in the rain

The sun went out just like a dying ember

That September, in the rain."

Even though it's meant as a love song it seemed perfect, under the circumstances, "as raindrops play our sweet refrain". Last night I heard the chorus of tree frogs mingled with the soft rain falling as I drifted off to sleep.  (Such a peaceful sound.)  Yet, while it may be the end of one season, it's also the beginning of another.  One filled with splashes of color, crackling fires, and often the scent of apples and cinnamon baking.  And PIE! 

Speaking of pie . . .OH My!

I really LOVE this wonderful little book, by Susan Dahlem, our blog pal behind Not Quite June Cleaver.  In it she has shared her most treasured family recipes and secrets for making great PIE.  There are "cutie pies" (you can't eat just one), tarts, tassies, pastries, hand pies, half-moons, tartlets, dream creams, custards, fruit-filled, amazing meringues, nut pies, and even some no-bake types, plus tips and trivia throughout.  Two of her daughters, (she is the mother of six), did the photos for the book, which are beautiful, and mouth-watering I might add.  I'm dying to try the Yogurt Pie with Granola Crust.  (She graciously gives us her recipe for granola too!)  Check it out on Amazon (click the photo it will take you there), and then click on that picture to look inside.  Today is her "Foodie Friday" FAQ, plus she's sharing her recipe for Upside-Down Caramelized Apple Cake.  Yum!  Perfect for a gray day like we are having today.

  
I've got some projects I'm finishing and a new one I'm starting, but I wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten the State Flower Quilt.  A new block will follow soon.  Right now, I'm still catching up on some neglected areas of my home, with a sewing project lined up for the weekend moving toward that end.

I also want to take a moment to say "Thank You" for the enthusiastic response I have received for my new book.  The whole time I was putting it together, it felt like I was making something for friends, and I'm SO happy you agree!  

Gobble-Gobble

Do you like my new 2009 November banner?  I find it funny, and somewhat strange that my blog should now have actual live turkeys  on it. 

Because, back in 2005, when I dubbed this cyper spot "turkey feathers", I wasn't seeing wild turkeys from the porch or out the window or huddled in my flower beds.  Neither did I have turkeys or feathers (in particular) on my mind.  In fact, I never thought about turkeys very much at all except on Thanksgiving. 

Just why the name turkey feathers  even popped into my head in the first place is still a mystery, except to say, that the hour was late and it was thought up and decided in under two minutes--which may have had something to do with it. 

Yes, I'm sure it did. 

I suppose I settled on the matter quickly because it conveyed an attitude that fit the premise (light-hearted), and that was that.  If I'd known then, that whatever I created, might *possibly* manifest, I probably would have taken a more thoughtful approach.  Certainly, "lollipop rainbows" or "chocolate butterflies", or something more glamorous or desirable would have been chosen.  Ya know, just in case.  What's weird is, turkeys don't generally hang around my house.  They've just shown up recently.  And I don't want to read too much into that, but I do believe in divine cosmic humor.

Sometimes it arrives just when we need it the most.  Like now.

 

I just need to keep an eye out for it. 

oOPS..make that FOUR . . .

 

. . .and still counting.  Blogiversaries, that is!    I nearly forgot.  Time to stop and smell the roses. 

3 Daughters & A Dog

 

We interupt this garden tour for a bit of R & R.  Ahhh.  I'm feeling ever so much better after a little respite in the hot desert sun.  We just got back from visiting my brother and his family at their ranch home in northern California, AkA:  Frank's Spa and Grill.  The go-to house.  An oasis really.  He totally spoils us with his amazing BBQ and hospitality.  I don't think we ever stopped eating or laughing.  Wonderful times for sure.  But alas, I am home now and slowly stepping back into my life.  Still have some unpacking yet to do, a few orders to fill. (Thank you for your patience.)  Upcoming events;  later today, friends from afar will be stopping by, and tomorrow a big frontyard landscape project begins.  I'm exicted we're finally getting back around to this.  Even though I'll be hiding in the house (with the cat) when it happens.  Especially when the tractor rumbles in.  Yikes.  I know it will all be good when the dust settles though.  Keeping my fingers crossed.  Will report back.

 

And now, we return you to our previously scheduled program...

 

 

Currently. . .

 

Organizing my sewing room with a little help from the embellishment center from Michael's.  I didn't actually know I needed one, until it went on sale for half-price.  Still trying to find empty 3" diameter ribbon spools to finish the job.  It seems they're everywhere until you actually need one.  (Piglet pincushion from Jennifer Murphey:: perhaps a visual comment on how I'm feeling at the moment--doing balancing act!) 

Circular Motion

A lovely box of apples appeared on my back porch from friends yesterday!  There are so many things that are good and decent about the world, and apples (and friends) are two of them.  Sublime happiness is in the little things after all.  Here in Oregon, we are having a spell of gorgeous fall weather that is more than mildly distracting; just stopping me in my tracks as I take it all in.  I love the rich colors of autumn, don’t you?  They inspire me.  After clearing a roomful of furniture from the den a couple of weeks ago, and finally finding a new home for the monolithic pellet stove, which we rarely used, and which turned out to be more of an ordeal to detach and remove than I ever imagined possible, involving hired help, a hack-saw and blood stains on the wall, (don’t ask) I’m finally ready to begin again.  Starting with a new color palette, more saturated color, pattern, and texture. 

I’m inspired by so many things I see around me right now, including the outfit Grace waltzed into the room wearing this morning.  So pretty!  Do we love brown cotton knit tights?  Yes we do!  And I must say, that having just finished reading Winter Solstice (again) by one of my fave Scottish authors, Rosamund Pilcher, my heart is embracing old world comforts and cozy earthy colors all over again.  Right now, this is all just a vision inside my head, but I’m working toward that end. I’ve actually been pretty busy working on some new projects for you, my dear stitchy friends, and not only that but more exciting news:  I just received my proof copy of Blanket Statement, which I see needs a few more tweeks before I can send it out into the world.  Actually holding it in my hands and seeing all the years of work in book form is so thrilling.  I didn’t think it would be, but it really is.  So tying up those loose ends is going to be my first priority.  Second, would be that afore mentioned apple pie that I still need to bake.  The pastry has been chilling since yesterday.  I got that far at least.  And, a name-game update:  Sarah is still Sarah and quite happily so.  And I am no longer, mom, but Victoria .  I wanted to play too.  And, oh yeah, Pazzles!  We got it up and running.  It took so long to get back around to that, but we figured out how to turn it on!  You need more than a little program-smarts to run this, and the first thing we did was accidentally cut the very expensive mat because it wasn’t inserted correctly.  The instruction manual fell apart in my hands when I opened it. Pages fluttered to the floor, which did not help build my confidence one bit.  So.  I calmly gathered them up and put them in a neat little pile; will get back to it all another day.  Preferably, after I’ve had my pie.

Catching My Breath

So Long September, until we meet again.  We’ll miss your golden morning wake-up calls, your warm burnished afternoons, your peaceful quiet under a shallow lingering sun at the end of the day.  I wish you could’ve stayed a little longer; your visit went by too fast.  It does seem the days here are flying by much too quickly and October has arrived with a storm at its heels.  Time to batten down the hatches and hang on, it’s likely to be a long bumpy ride.

Transitions & Practicalities

My birthday bouquet greeted me with an explosion of blooms this morning. Just like here! You’re all so sweet. Thank You for the good wishes, links, and slippers! My fortune cookie read, “Friends are like chocolate chips, you can never have too many."  How true!

 

September is a transitional month, and as the seasons begin to shift it calls into action my primitive side to hunt and gather. Like a squirrel with a good nut, and seized with a sudden desire to re-feather my nest and settle in before the leaves begin to fall, I listed a room full of furniture on craigslist and sold it all in two days! We’ve been busy as bees carrying things in and out of the hive with happy smiles and friendly handshakes on both sides. There’s still so much to do. The plumber is coming today, to fix a leaky pipe in the girl’s bathroom, and will also have to replace the fixtures and faucets which have corroded beyond belief from our mineral rich well-water. And this little improvement has just started another chain of redecorating reactions of its own. Naturally!

Some of these practicalities might explain why the blog goes quiet for days at a time. It might also explain why we are eating cosmic espresso éclairs for breakfast . . . and pancakes for dinner!

Farewell, Dear Tasha

When I heard the news that Tasha Tudor, the beloved children’s author and illustrator, had passed away peacefully last week, surrounded by family and friends, it was a bittersweet moment.  I felt as though I’d lost a dear friend even though I’d never met her.  Certainly, to me, she was a kindred spirit if ever there was one.  A touch stone; with a long career of artistic and creative accomplishments I still find astonishing. It’s been hard getting used to the idea that someone is gone, when it seems like they’ve been around forever.  At 92, I guess she had been, really. 

Over the years, I’ve managed to collect only a few T.T. books from the estimated one hundred titles that she either wrote or illustrated (or both), an accomplishment in itself, as many were small runs, are now long out of print, and it seems, still very much in demand.   I love them all, but I think my favorite is the one written by her daughter, Bethany Tudor, entitled, 'Drawn From New England' (1979).  It’s a sweet and sincere biography, sprinkled with family photos, sketches, and stories of her mother; a free-spirited artist whose life and work combined to create a magical world for her children and a highly individual lifestyle for herself. I picked it up and read it again over the weekend, smiling at pictures taken so long ago and remembering little details I’d forgotten.  Like how she often used her own children as models for the illustrations in her books.  How she struggled in the early days, raising her family of four children, while pursuing an art career ("to keep the wolf from the door"), while living in a century-old farmhouse without running water or central heating, and not because she had no choice, but because it was her choice. 

The life she created and shared through her own creativity influenced me so much.  I’m quite sure it led me to explore the road less traveled, to remain true to myself, and to take joy and peace in everything around me.  Her message was a gentle one, and I’ll always be grateful for her influence. Here she is with her beloved Corgi pups that never left her side.  They were often the subject of stories and a popular recurring theme in her illustrations for children. 

For example this one, and the sketch she added to the print when she signed it in 1996.  I'll cherish this forever.  And a few others.

I was thrilled to find this book: 'All For Love' (1984).  It's a collection of poems, songs, letters and stories "enchantingly illustrated" in classic Tasha style with old-fashioned portraits of couples, children, pets, and adorable animals wrapped in flowery frames and be-ribboned borders, with bouquets & tussie-mussies scattered about the pages.  There's a section describing the family Tudor Valentine celebrations with recipes for cake and cookies, and some craft activities to beat the band. In case you don't know, I'm talking about those famous cupcake fairs!  The directions for making the little "shops" are also included in the book. 

I'm behind on so many things and never expressed my pleasure (here) about the revival of Victoria magazine, but am finally mentioning it now, to note the beautiful feature article in the premiere issue (Nov/Dec 2007), showcasing a few of the amazing antique party dresses and ball gowns from Tasha's exquisite collection.  (These were later exhibited and sold at public auction.  I guess it was time to let them go.)   Tasha was quoted as saying, “My antique clothing is a great folly of mine…I myself feel much more at home in an old frock.  There’s no feeling of dressing up; they just feel right.”  Still, she is a vision of loveliness (above), posing in costume, about 30 years ago.  Blueberry Cottage and all sorts mentioned T.T. and shared links and a little more background.  Maybe others have done so as well.  Please leave a comment and link back to your page if you found or have something to add or share.  If you're a fan, I say we declare this Tasha Tudor week...to honor this great lady; her life, her art, her craft and of course, corgi cottage!