My Son's Birthday Party

What do you do to celebrate your only child's 39th birthday?  Why, you switch it up and pick a restaurant out of the ordinary! 

Last night, we got the family together and went to Toyko Japanese Grill in downtown Woodinville.  The food was wonderful, with lots of culinary theatrics, sizzling food, and waves of flames from the grill!

We had fun getting caught up on everyone's recent activities, and then came back to Maltby for the requisite ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins (Dave's request).  Kaila placed the candles on the cake, and was proud of the job she did.

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoying a Holiday Cookie

We took a break from Thanksgiving dinner shopping yesterday to stop in at the Woodinville Starbucks for a snack.  This festive cookie caught our attention, and was great paired with Starbucks famous hot chocolate!

Comfort Food for Autumn Dinners

I tried a new vegetable dish last night made with Butternut squash and fresh Liberty apples.  I am looking for something new for my Thanksgiving dinner this year, and I think I've found it!

This lovely dish is made from an organic Butternut squash halved, pared and sliced.  It is then spread in a baking dish, topped with cored and sliced Liberty apples, and topped with a drizzle of butter, brown sugar, and flour.  Delicious!

 

 

A Still Life on the Deck

In September, I gathered together these lovely gourds and squash, and put together a still life on the deck that was visible from inside the house.  I've enjoyed the Gooseneck Gourd, and all of the smaller colorful ones.

These will be outside until after Thanksgiving, when the Christmas theme takes over!

Thanksgiving Postcards from 1911 and 1913

I have these two old postcards for the Thankgiving holidays dating back over 100 years.  The first postcard (the one with the turkey and flowers on it) was written in 1911 to my grandmother Alma Hantel in Grafton, Nebraska, where she lived with her father, the Rev. E.F.A. Hantel.  Two years later in 1913, a friend, Lena, sent Alma a postcard (the one with the football) to Halsey, Oregon, where Alma lived and worked as a school teacher.  That's also where she met my grandfather, Ernest Arnold.  They were married in 1915.

Fuschias in the Fall

I've never (in all the years I've been gardening) had fuschias survive until late November.  This year since April, I've had these lovely baskets (and six others) manage to stay alive and blooming until now.  Each day, I step outside and admire them, thinking each day will be the last day they will survive.  They keep surprising me.  Seven months of beauty will not be forgotten this year.

A Child's Rocking Chair

This is the rocking chair I had as a small child.  I used it in my son's room when he was growing up, and I got it out again when my granddaughter was born.  It now has a permanent place in my home.

This season, it is tucked into a corner of the dining room with my miniature scarecrow and small bear, relaxing there until the holidays are over.

Decorating the House for Thanksgiving

I've cleaned up the yard in anticipation of Thanksgiving Day, so this weekend, I put the finishing touches on the house and the dining room.  Here's a visual of the new pine table and chairs, and my decorations of candles, leaves and pumpkins for the centerpiece.

Baking Bread

This was a good weekend to start baking, and getting in the mood for holiday dinner preparation.  This Cranberry Banana bread is really good, and I took it to church this morning for our study group.

Homemade food stimulates the intellect!

A Veteran's Day Remembrance

My father Robert Arnold spent over three years in the Army during World War II.  This last week on Veteran's Day, we spent time poring over his photo albums, looking at pictures of North Africa, Italy, France and Germany.  He started out in the Field Artillery, but later became a General's driver, spending a lot of time near the Front.  He earned two Bronze Stars.

Fall Foliage

When I was cleaning up the yard yesterday in the aftermath of the weekend's storm, I found all of this wonderful fall color.  This arrangement is made up of flowering crabapple branches, barberry branches, Sonoma Sunrise rose buds, and dried leaves I'd prepared last week for card-making.  It looks great as a centerpiece on the oak stereo cabinet in the living room.