"Waste not...."

This pretty pumpkin has lasted all through October..November..December..and had no signs of deteriorating. All through December, it even sat out on my porch. I asked my Mom what she thought I should do with it. She told me that's why people always used to grow pumpkins-because they last and store very well for winter. She said that I could eat it or put it in the compost pile in the garden to let nature take its course. I actually did a little of each.

I cut it up and scraped it out. That left the seeds, the top and the bottom to go in the garden.

I roasted the pieces with salt and olive oil. I removed the peeling and cut the flesh into chunks. Then I put one package in the fridge for later and cooked half of the pumpkin with bacon and one clove of garlic.

It tasted really good. I think I'll blend up the other package and use it for muffins.

I was proud of using this pumpkin for its real purpose.

Yellow

Two photographs, taken by my daughter, prominently displays the color yellow. She made the first still life to photograph and paint, but then the assignment was modified and the painting must include complimentary colors (I don't know anything about those, but she chose purple and yellow). She arranged another still life and is currently working on a painting of the second photo. Yellow is a color I am incorporating into my bedroom, kitchen, and sunroom this year. I thought the arrangements were special and beautiful, so I wanted to share them.

handmade pottery pitcher, lemons and mint from my flower bed

grandpa's yellow chair, lavender fabric, my goose measuring cup, lemons and a pansy from my flower bed

The colors are bright and pretty-cheerful and sunny and I'll proudly display the finished painting.

 And, of course, I'll post a photograph.

Nature Rarer Uses Yellow

Emily Dickinson

Nature rarer uses yellow

Than another hue;

Saves she all of that for sunsets,--

Prodigal of blue,

Spending scarlet like a woman,

Yellow she affords

Only scantly and selectly,

Like a lover's words.

The importance of Bobby Flay (dishes) and ripe lemons

I want to share some of my new things with you. The lemons are completely ripe now and ready to pick. This is the last picture of the only fruit I've been able to harvest from a tree I've grown. I am a fledgling fruit harvester. It might seem silly but I have babied this tree and these lemons since early last spring. They are very special to me. I'm turning them into Limoncello this morning. It is a 60-80 day process so the rewards are still to come much later. I only need the zest for that so I will have lots of juice to use in the next few days. I have new dishes!I have searched everywhere for some dishes that were not made in China. My new project is to research products and their origin of manufacture. I want to only support buying products from countries that do not sell leaded or poisoned products (China!). I most want to support manufacturers that actually produce their products in the USA, but that is a rare thing. I found these Bobby Flay dishes at Kohls. They are not produced in the US, but in Portugal. The most important thing is that they are not produced in China. I wish China the best, but I wish America the best MORE! The dishes I first picked out a few months ago are expensive so I have asked for them for Christmas. Yesterday I happened to stop at Kohls and found this less expensive line. The plates were regularly $9.99 but everything in this line was 50% off so I bought a few things. I still am asking for the other style for Christmas though-they are very beautiful. I haven't heard any negative things about the merchandise from Portugal so I am very happy right now.
On a side note, I spent a couple of hours in HEB yesterday also looking at where the things I buy come from. I stopped buying produce from most foreign countries if I possible. I like to buy organic, American produced food. Sometimes you just can't. The American laws for organic produce are broad enough to worry me already but I don't know how strict other countries are about what is applied to their produce. Therefore, I was pleased to find things like packaged salad, fresh fruit etc. that were labeled "produced in the USA". I was horrified though to find out that other things, like my favorite Central Market brand of frozen green beans were produced in China. I'm going to have grow more of my own stuff!

My lemons and garden vegetables are completely organic. Of course, that is why some of my lemons have spots on them. What insect or animal nibbles on lemon skin? The good news though is that all I have to do is rinse the dust off and eat.

My lemons look beautiful in my favorite gazing spot-my kitchen window.

They look really lovely against my new Bobby Flay dishes. Something made with lemon juice is for supper. Pie? Lemon chicken? Both?

Ike, before and after

BEFORE:
Mike took some old tin and covered up our sunroom windows before Hurricane Ike struck land. We have had a huge limb crash through one of the windows in the past-and we didn't need that again. If Ike had hit 10 miles more west, we would have really been glad we had the protection. AFTER:
The Red Cross served our town several meals while the electricity was out. I helped serve one of the hot meals and was amazed at the amount of hot food. It was much appreciated and none went to waste. They also handed out MRE's.-already prepared meals that you heat up with a special bag that comes with the packet (like soldiers in the field eat). I was really impressed by how well thought out this packet was and how much food it contained. This meal was a chili and macaroni meal. It contained the main dish, instant coffee with creamer and sugar, a huge oatmeal cookie, jalapeno cheese and crackers, a wet wipe, napkins, matches, a heat pack, gum, and salsa, I think. All that in a 1ox10 package. I saw about 6 varieties including chicken breasts, fajitas, jambalaya, potroast etc. Some had flavored coffee and some had apple cider. Some had candy and some had Ranger bars. They also last 3-5 years. You can't beat that!

I'll help you if you'll help me

Be patient with me, I am a new blogger and I really excited, maybe really nervous as well. I have been reading a few blogs for about 3 months and I love reading about some of the other women in this world. They have inspired me to try one on my own...
But my daughter is the one who actually is setting this up for me. (Thank you). She has recently graduated high school and is, at this moment, in the kitchen making a small batch of strawberry jam. I keep calling her back in here to answer my questions about the computer and this blog site and then she'll call me from the kitchen to ask something about the jam. I guess we are teaching each other something this afternoon. One lesson she has learned is bubbling fruit splashes burn.
These are special times for me. I will be 50 in December and my two kids are practically grown. I will introduce you soon to my 19 year old son, and my 18 year old daughter. My husband will be retiring in a few months, so lots of new things are happening around here and I would like to share some of them with you. I'll probably share gardening news and photos first because keeping the plants from dying is my main focus right now. It is hot and dry here in Texas and I have to baby the plants daily. So far, I have produced enough cucumbers to put up 8 jars of pickles and enough squash to put in the freezer and I don't want the plants to wither away already. One joy in particular is the first blooming of the morning glories. That is a story I will share next and, if I ever learn to post a photo, I'll share that as well. Thank you for listening.