Time Out For Jack and Grandma

Jack Aidan: What's a Time Out?

Grandma: It's when you quit your regular routine and do something else.

Jack Aidan: Grandma, are you taking a time out"

Grandma: Yes, Jack. Grandma has a bad, bad cold that she got from you and she has a Christmas party to plan plus Christmas presents to get and Christmas cards to mail and a house to clean and decorate and holiday baking to do so Grandma is going to take a little time out from blogging. For maybe a week or two. Ok?

Jack Aidan: Ok, Grandma. Do I need a time out too?
Grandma: Yes you do Jack Aidan. You need to help Grandma pick up all the little Christmas balls you threw on the floor on Thanksgiving Day. And you need to sweep up all your little messes in the family room too.

Jack Aidan: Oh, Grandma, it was such fun throwing those ornaments and those pumpkins all around your house.

Grandma: I know. I know!
Grandma: But right now Aunt Gigi is going to show you how to clean and sweep while Grandma goes off to bed with her cold.

Jack Aidan: You take it easy Grandma. Aunt Gigi and I will have this place cleaned and decorated for your Christmas Cookie Exchange Party. Grandma, you just go lie down and take a baby nap.

Jack Aidan: Aunt Gigi, is this how you sweep and clean?

Aunt Gigi: Yes, it is Jack.

Jack Aidan: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can sweep and clean. I hope Santa thinks that I am a good boy and will bring me some presents on December 25.

This Blog Will Be Back After Grandma Gets

Over Her Cold And Her Christmas Tasks.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Thanksgiving Day is
a day to gather with family and friends
cook and cook and use those kitchen items stored away for this occasion,
watch Macy's Thanksgiving Parade see who is hot this year like M. Cyrus,
do more cooking and dish washing,
get a ton of ads in the newspaper and thru email about Black Friday,
finally eat and eat,
watch a little football on TV,
eat again and again,
think about the holidays approaching, especially Christmas and Hanukkah, talk about past and future holiday adventures,
think along the way of all the things we have to be thankful for this year,
think of all the things in the past to be thankful for,
eat some pumpkin pie
and go to bed very stuffed just like that turkey when he went to bed in the
oven!

News Flash: Click on my recommended blogs at the left. Brush Strokes From The Heart has a nice prayer with her photos of homemade desserts. And Heirloom Gardener has a prayer with her photo of her garden leaves centerpiece.

Our Tuesday Adventure With Santa

at Fair Oaks Mall

in Fairfax County

Fairfax County has a pretty amazing Santa Visitors Center. The theme is the children's book, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg. I used to read this book the week before Christmas to all the kindergarten classes when they came to the school library to check out books. The kids really loved the book for the magical trip to the North Pole. Well, you can go to Fair Oaks Mall and hop on the train and pull the cord and blow the train whistle and hang out on the caboose porch rail while waiting for a visit with Santa. Big Jack and Little Jack were doing just that when Santa called them over for a visit and little lap time.



Jack enjoyed getting his little present from Santa but he didn't crack a smile when his photo was taken. I think he thought that man looked a little odd but then he must have decided it was OK because Mom put him on Santa's lap.Here's a last look back before we toddle down the mall halls with our gift from Santa to find our lunch.

And here is where the Polar Express Train deposits the little ones at the North Pole. It is a beautiful make believe winter scene complete with snow covered trees and snow covered pathways. Now Jack liked this the best. Watch the little video as he headed down the pathway. This video ends with Grandpa yelling at Grandma to catch him he is cutting in line! Joann!

Thanksgiving Weekend Sports

Grandma will let me play a little ball at her house.

She has a mottoe: What happens at Grandma's house stays at Grandma's house.

Take a look.

I can use these pseudo pumpkins to play soccer, football and basketball.

Look out, Grandma!

Look out!

Lots of Dishes To Make Today

Do you have lots of side dishes to make in advance today?
Me too!
Do you have some pumpkin pies to make today?
Me too!
Do you have some bread rolls to make today?
Me too!
Do you have a table to set for tomorrow's dinner?
Me too! Actually mine's ready. Just need to grab some fresh sage to finish.
Do you have a turkey to brine and then massage with sage butter?
Me too!
Do you have a turkey gravy to prepare ahead of time ala Bobbie Flay?
Me too!
Do you have a Thanksgiving guest arriving this afternoon?
Me too!
Well, let's get off the computer and go cook!

But before you exit the keyboard go toThe Food Network to find out when you should stick the bird in the oven in relation to dinner time. They have an easy calculator there. Just type in how many pounds the turkey is, and if it is stuffed or unstuffed and presto they will tell you what time to stick the bird in the oven at 325 degrees for a nice slow roast.

Note: these pretty pottery dishes I found at the gift shop at Shenandoah National Park. Aren't they lovely. Just had to take a photo.

My World Tuesday #6 Nov. 24, 2008

My World Tuesday

Northwestern Prince William County

and

Loudon County

The Place Where

in the '90's

A Disney and Mickey Mouse Historical Amusement Park

Was A Dream and Proposal That Was Rejected By Virginians.

Virginia Wanted To Preserve History By Keeping

The Horse Farms

The Apple Orchards

The Dairy Farms

and

The Old Landed Gentry Estates of the Rich and Famous

It Is 2008 Now

What's Happening in Northwestern Prince William County and

Loudon County

Let's Take A Look Around.

Here we have an apple orchard and lots of red apples lying on the ground.

Now here's the French Style Chateau. An old house that has been restored with pine floors recycled from an old house and wood doors and beams from a abandoned mills. The rocks walls are from the Virginia clay soil. The top photo show the entrance of this restored old house.

I like that little twig conversation settee that has a toile pillow.

Here is the double door entrance. The old doors have been covered in copper sheeting. Notice the ceramic tile and old mill wood water fountain to the right of the door. The same ceramic tile adorns the floor in the entrance.

Now look up to the circular raised ceiling in the entrance that is covered in copper shingles. Isn't that pretty.

I like the iron sconce on the old mill wood here. It looks medieval.

Now look at this cozy wood beamed room with tables and sofas by the rock fireplace. I like the provincial yellow color on the walls. Where are we you ask. We are at another of Virginia's newest wineries. This winery is called ChateauO'Brien in honor of the founder and owner, Howard O'Brien, who has a passion for wine and travel and has found this apple orchard at North Point near Markham, VA as the spot for the founding of his vineyard and winery. Jack and I visited this winery last Saturday for a tasting and light picnic supper.

Circling this table are the types of grapes and consequently the types of wines produced here.

Did I mention that I love that little settee? And I really just love the red and yellow toile on the cushions. It would fit in with my home decor. Do you think I could get it?

The reason I like toile is because it is a fabric that tells a story.

This winery literally sits on top of a little mountain in the Shenandoah Valley. Both inside and outside you have almost a 360 degree view of the mountains. There was a good breeze Saturday afternoon and a flock of about 20 hawks were flying around the little mountain and the winery.

Here's the view from the parking lot. You are looking at the building where the grapes are processed into wine. Mr. O'Brien only uses grapes grown on his own Virginia property to make his wine. He wants that terra Virginia quality to his wines. No bringing in grapes from out of the state of Virginia to make Virginia wine.

Now go check out more MyWorldTuesday Blogs.

Later if you want to learn more about Chateau O'Brien Winery , click here.

Jack's Getting Ready To Cook

Big Jack is getting ready to cook. Little Jack is playing The Cookbook Game that his Aunt Gigi taught him. I can't believe our second daughter kept first daughter's son totally entranced with pushing grandma's cookbooks forward and backward on the shelf. Push them in. Push then out. Oh--ohh, here's another to push forward. And lookie here, here's another to push back. Aunt Gigi had Jack Aidan very busy.

He had to take off his shoes and socks to really get in the game. Go Jack Aidan. Work on grandma's cookbook shelves. Oh, I just noticed that Aunt Gigi was barefoot too. Enough, enough. We need to move on to the great soup recipe I promised you. And what is it? It is a recipe from Wegmans new Holiday magazine. So look below.

Wegmans Corn and Crab Chowder

As Modified By Joann Who Likes To Stretch A Dollar

How do you stretch a dollar? Where the original recipie calls for a pound of fresh crab meat that will set you back $25 at Wegmans's I used three cans of crab meat that cut the cost to $12. Their canned crab looks just like the fresh and with the paper liner in the can, there is no tinny taste. And where the original recipe called for 2 boxes of Wegmans gourmet frozen corn I just used three drained cans of corn. After all we are making soup. With soup you can get creative and find this and that from the fridge and cupboard to throw in the soup. With any baking which is an exact science follow the recipe baby to keep from having a flop.

Here's the ingredients:

First, peel two white potatoes and cut up and put in small saucepan with one can of chicken broth.

Second, heat two more cans of chicken broth in another saucepan till nice and hot.

Third, chop, chop and saute and saute in this fashion:

4 oz. pancetta saute in soup pot till done then add to the soup pot

1/2 cup sweet onion diced (I like Vidalias) and saute then add

3 cloves garlic diced (I like mild elephant garlic) and saute then add

1/2 cup celery diced and saute then add

1/2 cup carrot diced and saute then

Now add the two ingredients for making a roux:

1/2 cup of butter (one whole stick cut in pats)

1/2 cup of flower

cook on low heat while stirring frequently all this stuff: sauteed veggies and butter and flour.

I cook the roux a long time because I don't like a floury taste. I set my timer for 5-6 minutes. When you start to get a nice fragrant smell you know you are ready to move on with the recipe.

Now slowly add the heated chicken broth. Stopping to stir to incorporate the liquid. When that's good to go meaning that the broth has thickened quite a bit like it is a thin gravy you add the cooked diced potatoes in their broth.

Next drain three cans of reguler corn and dump in soup pot.

Now it is time to add some seasoning for flavor:

1 tsp or more of Old Bay Seasoning

1 tsp or more of dried thyme

1 tsp or more of Tabasco red pepper sauce

1 Tbsp of granuler chicken stock (Why? Because they don't make chickens

the way they used to so even the best chicken stock is bland)

1 shake of the kosher salt shaker and 1 turn of the fresh black pepper

grinder mill.

Now put the soup lid partially on and let this simmer for 1/2 hour. It's not soup if it hasn't simmered a while!

At this point I remove soup pot from stove and let it cool and put it in the refigerator to cool completely.

I finish the soup later in the day or the next day or even the next day by doing this:

1. Slowly reheat soup in pot. Do not boil. Just heat!

2. Add 8 - 16 oz. of light cream. Add the cream till you get the consistency

that you want. Hmmmm....so good!

3. Gently stir in your three cans of crab. Don't boil! Just heat it.

4. Do a taste check on your seasonings. Does it need a little more of......

5. Add another pat of butter to finish the soup.

Now dish up a bowl and serve it with some sourdough crusty bread for dipping in the soup. Very good, huh!

A New Soup From This Recipe

Roasted Chicken Soup

Try this with a store bought roasted chicken that you bring home and pull the meat off the bone and cube.. Follow directions above except substitute 1 tsp of poultry seasoning for the 1 tsp of Old Bay Seafood seasoning. You could make the chicken soup with the light cream or just add another can of chicken broth.

Saturday Soup With Tidbits Of This And That

Today's blog post is going to be a Saturday soup with a few additional tidbits thrown in for nothing. Like take a look at this. This was in front of Shopper's Food Warehouse at Somerset Crossing in Gainesville, VA last month when I was rushing in with Jack to get supplies for our Octoberfest party. Well it looks like some type of racing car to me and when I looked closer I discovered that it must be a woman's car because I saw the name Bunny along the side of the car. Now what man would put the name Bunny along the side of his car? Now even the Easter Bunny would do that.

See. Here is her name up close with the hood up and the wheels and transmission down. Now isn't that strange. First the name Bunny and the Boys and then the car like this. It looks like a George Forman electric grill where you would pop in a piece of meat. I looked for Bunny coming and going from the store but never found her. But I'm still thinking about her. And I reckon that a lot of boys and men are too because they were flocking around that car like carrion birds with a fresh kill. Speaking of birds look below.

Yes, the day I wrote about missing Sarah Palin this guy showed up at our breakfast room window and made a hit on either Sarah or Sunny chipmunk! This was a very young and cold little Coopers Hawk and I don't think his hunting skills are too good yet so I'm hoping he didn't take Sarah Palin or Sunny out. And speaking of our dear Sarah Palin I'm taking a nap this afternoon so that I have enough energy to stay up tonight to watch Saturday Night Live. I just know that they are going to do a skit about the Sarah Palin interview where she is talking while countless turkeys are meeting the head chopper off man. By the way, what do you do for a living? Answer: I chop off turkey heads in a little metal funnel chute contraption. I know. I know. The poor man is just doing his job and next Thursday when we all sit down to our nice roasted Thanksgiving turkey we will be thankful that this man did his job. But the irony of this story it seems to me is the fact that this interview was called to show how the Governor of Alaska would pardon a turkey destined for the governor's mansion while countless other turkeys were being slaughtered in the background! Think about it a moment. I ask you now. Who was the biggest turkey in the video?

After his slam dunk dive that missed the target the Cooper's Hawk flew to the lawn and just sat there shivering and looking up at me thru the window. I was trying to get a photo shot fired off with my little Mickey Mouse camera that doesn't ever get good details in these incidents. A little blurry and out of focus thru the glass. If you click on the photo, you will get a little more detail.

Now look at this. I know I'm jumping all around from one topic to another but how else are you going to make a Saturday Soup With Lots of Tidbits. This old fashioned truck was parked outside Wegman's Gourmet Grocery Store in Gainesville, VA the day Dickie and I got busted for using our cameras in the store! I still think that was the funniest thing that has happened to me in a long time. I could just see Jack having a conversation with the judge.

Judge: "Why are you here?"

Jack: "Uhh...well, I need to post bail for my wife."

Judge: "Was it stealing dope?"

Jack: "No, sir. It was stealing an image of the grocery store.

Let me just add that thru my little gadget that tracks visitors to one's blog I discovered that I had at least a dozen visits from folks up in Rochester, NY. after that blog post. I don't know anybody up in Rochester, NY but I do know that that is the headquarters of Wegman's Grocery Store. So maybe Dickie and I are still not out of the woods yet. By the way here 's a tidbit of info. The busiest Wegman's in the nation and the one that generates the most money is the one located in Fairfax County, VA near Centerville. There people do walk in and order the $700 a pound French truffles to go along with their $1000 a bottle French Burgundy wine or French Champagne. That's a fact.

Next I want to thank everyone who stopped by my blog yesterday and left a comment about my father's baby photo in honor of his birth date. The old fashioned Wegmans truck reminds me of a story that was told at least a million times in our home when I was growing up. I really wish my Uncle Nick, my mother's oldest brother who was both a great reader and story teller, could tell this story to you. Well, you just have me to tell you so here goes nothing and the story:

Both my mom and dad were newly weds of the depression era as well as farm folks so every single time we made a trip to visit my mother's two brothers "who left the farm!" we took half the farm with us in the car. Vegetables from the garden, fruit from the orchard and rich cream and butter from our dairy plus a ton of canned fruits and vegetables that my mom had canned so well. Why? Because my mom and dad felt very sorry for those poor folks who had left the riches of the farm to live and work in the big city of Dayton or the little city of Fairborn, Ohio.

Well, this particular trip must have happened soon after my mom and dad got married because there were no kids that I'm aware of along for the long slow ride to Dayton from Willowdell, Ohio in my father's Model T Ford. I do know that my dad was the chauffeur for his in-laws, Frank and Ellen Dapore. Normally on these long road trips the men sat in front and the women sat in back. On this particular day everyone was seated when either my mom or my grand mom realized that they had forgotten something that they wanted to take to their "poor city relatives". So they quickly and quietly hopped out of the car and headed back inside the house to get what they wanted. In the meantime my father and my grandfather were in a heated discussion about something. They were probably talking politics and/ or farming or how the current politics was impacting their farming. Anyway without looking back they pulled out from the farm drive and tooddled on down the gravel road towards the big two laned paved road coming up on their journey to Uncle Nick's house in Dayton.

In the meantime my mom and grand mom exited the farmhouse and looked for the Model T Ford. No Model T Ford. What! Where did it go? And where on earth are Leo and Frank? Then my mom and grand mom looked down the road and saw thru the dust cloud that the Model T Ford was stirring up that Leo and Frank were heading to Dayton without them! And knowing how those two men could talk and talk without including them in their important men's conversation (Remember that this was not too long after women got the right to vote and men still probably thought that women didn't know anything much about politics or farming for that matter.) they decided that they better grab their goods and make a run for it. And that's exactly what they did. They ran with all their might for nearly half a mile to catch that Model T Ford. When they finally came alongside the car they were panting beat the band. And when my dad and my granddad saw them they wondered why they were running instead of riding. Why are you outside the car? Why aren't you in the backseat of the car where you belong. For heavens sake, get in and and close the doors and let's get rolling or we will be late. We have a long trip ahead of us.

Of course, when they finally arrived on Uncle Nick's front porch they had to tell him the story. And my Uncle Nick listened, embellished the tale and it became one his favorite stories to tell when he visited us in later years from his retirement home in Florida. We kids all knew the story by heart but every time Uncle Nick told the story we laughed harder than the previous time the story was told. We could picture the men talking, the women running and panting and crusty Grandpa Frank Dapore scolding the women to stay in the backseat for heavens sake!

Now I was going to give you a great Saturday Soup recipe but this post is getting just too long so I'll save the recipe for tomorrow's blog post. But here is a short recipe for a fresh cream dessert that is decadent. I now call it Backseat Dessert.

Backseat Dessert

One half of box of graham crackers pulverized to gravel consistency.

(Remember the gravel roads back then.)

One carton of rich and heavy cream and half a stick of pure butter.

(Remember the Ohio dairy farm folks.)

One large can of crushed pineapple drained.

(Remember the exotic big city of Dayton, Ohio where Uncle Nick and Aunt Ruth could find canned pineapple on the grocery shelves.

One half cup of sugar and one teaspoon of French Vanilla.

(Remember our French ancestry from French-Comte region of France.)

Directions:

Mix the crushed graham cracker crumbs with the pats of butter.

Place half the crumbs on the bottom of a glass dish.

I remember that we always used to use one of those square green depression glass refrigerator dishes that had a glass cover.) Save the rest of the crumb mixture for the topping.

Now whip your real and heavy whipped cream in your electric mixer. Add the sugar and vanilla and stop mixing once you achieve nice cream peaks. Remember we are aiming to make dessert and not butter. Beat too long and you will have made real homemade butter which is also a good thing to make and eat.

Drain your crushed pineapple well and add to the whipped cream mixture and then spoon this into the glass dish. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker "gravel" on top. Chill well and serve. Delicious.

And just as my Uncle Nick could embellish a true story so could my mom embellish this easy but delicious dessert. Sometimes she would drain marachino cherries and place them on top of the "gravel" for a little extra color. And I have learned that if you add some microwaved melted chocolate chips to the whipped cream you have turned this into a Chocolate Mousse. Very French! Sprinkle some coconut on top of top gravel and you would have something I would call German Chocolate Cake Mousse.

Sky Watch Friday for November 21, 2008

Sky Watch Friday

November 21, 2008

Photo Taken From My Dining Room Window

On the outside of the window thru the glare of the camera's flash you can see how my arbor and swing looked this morning. The wisteria vines have shed theirs leaves while the bourbon rose vines still have leaves and are rising above the backside of the top of the arbor. The two saucer magnolias along the backside of the arbor have set their buds for blooming next March. And the knockout roses on both sides and in front still have a few small buds and blooms.

On the inside of the window I placed a small silver frame with a photo of my deceased father because November 21'st is his birthday. Now look below and you will see a larger version of this same baby photo.

Leo A. Gariety

Born November 21, 1903

Died May 21, 1979

At the turn of the century and earlier baby boys wore dresses! Truly amazing! If you looked at this photo today you would just assume that this was a little baby girl. I think my father must have been about a year old when this professional picture was taken. It might have been taken in a photographer's studio in Newport, Ohio or Versailles, Ohio. Notice the ornate Victorian wicker chair in which he is seated. That chair definitely has a Victorian look. I suspect that my father was actually seated on a little tuffet that was placed on the wicker chair. Otherwise his legs would be dangling over the edge of the chair. And since he was sitting so well without support I imagine that this photo mayactually have been taken closer to his second birthday. What is amazing is that all little baby boys back then wore dresses all the time. See, unisex dress is a lot older than you think.
I also bet that some of my dad's sisters also wore this same baby dress.

My father had ten older siblings and one younger sibling. Dad's younger sibling, My Aunt Viola Gariety Luthman, was born November 5, 1905 and she has just celebrated her 103'rd birthday this month! That's amazing too! Aunt Viola has outlived several of her children and many nephews and nieces.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Now go visit other blogs doing Sky Watch Friday by clicking here:

http://skyley.blogspot.com/

I Really Miss Sarah Palin

It has gotten downright cold outside this week with a snow flurry or two to remind us that autumn is down to its final weeks and the great days of running barefoot thru the gardens are over for this year unless you are a really brave soul or have good soles on the bottom of your feet. Winter is around the corner and already I feel my little world closing in on me. In one way I hate it and in another way I love it. I always have a true love/hate relationship to the final season of the botanical year. Winter.

The season that has the most emotion to even the word. Ok, close your eyes and say the word Winter. What sends your heart racing? The thought of watching it snow and seeing the world turned into a holy wonderland of white. Or does complete fear grip your heart when you think of winter driving, winter snow shoveling, and winter heating bills!

During the summer I spend so much time outside that I forget what my house even looks like. Oh, hello chair, I haven't sat in you for ages and ages. You are looking mighty good today. And that cozy wrap there looks good too. I think I might just sit down, wrap that wrap around myself and pick up one of those books that I have been meaning to read this fall. I have them stacked up two feet deep.

But then when I stop a moment to get a fresh cup of coffee I will think of Sarah Palin. What are you doing today? You looked so cute sitting on the arm of my patio glider with your little mouth full of birdseed and/or clematis seed. I think you still could have a career in politics or become an Olympic gymnist. You would be terrific on the balance beam. Please click on Sarah's photos to see her beautiful little cheeks full of clematis seeds while she is chewing away with her little paws close to her mouth. How adorable you look. I can see why people are enchanted with you. I admit that I am fascinated by you too.
Why did you run away from my garden limelight? You say you need to get back up north for the moose hunt? Ok, but do be careful. When the moose chile is ready give me a call. I'm in the book.

Today's blog is dedicated to my two little summer garden buddies Sarah Palin chipmunk and little Sunny chipmunk. If you haven't heard my other Sarah Palin story roll back to November 11'th blog post. Now back to the chair, the wrap and my good book.

Sarah Palin: Please, may I speak now, Joann. I realize that you are Joann from Ohio and not Joe the Plummer from the Ohio and that you didn't vote for me but I do have something to say to you. I will be back. But right now I have my paws full. In each little paw I have a brand new baby chipmunk and three more are nearby waiting for some attention. By the way, the chipmunk nursery is right by your outside celler steps and your breakfast room window so I would appreciate it if you would keep the music playing on low.

One Week Till Thanksgiving Rush!

Joann's Official Warning: One Week Till Thanksgiving Rush!

Time management people will tell you to plan, plan, plan and do things ahead of time for Thanksgiving. So I've got a plan and I'm doing something or two ahead of time. You ask, what is it you are doing? I'm putting up my Christmas tree in the living room and other sundry Christmas decorations. This year I'm using a shorter tree and placing it on a table to keep Jack Aidan from climbing the tree. (He's now in climbing mode. Look out!)

The weather here in Northern Virginia yesterday helped put me in the Christmas mood. We had several snow showers with great big flakes so when Jack Aidan came for lunch in his hooded sweatshirt Jack took him outside to see the big fat flakes. Later we had another type of shower but I'll tell you about that in a minute.

First, I want to tell you how Bob Ryan, the weatherman on our local NBC affiliate here in the Washington metro area describes snows in his five types scale:

1. Conversational

2. Sweepable

3. Shovable

4. Call Off School.

5. Call It A Blizzard!

Our snow shower yesterday was a #1. Just something to talk about. Nothing stuck to anything.

Now for the other little shower that we had yesterday. After I posted MY TUESDAY WORLD blog late yesterday Jack and Jack Aidan and Jenn went to our favorite restaurant, Alibi Catering, for continental catering takeout. So I set the table and got the high chair ready and poured the drinks for everyone. Jack Aidan has his drink in his sippy cup. Well, lunch came and we all ate and Jack Aidan provided lots of laughs and giggles at the lunch table. A baby trying to eat rice all by themselves is a stitch to watch. We had a little rice shower right in the baby high chair!

Then I looked down and spotted a little round puddle on the floor below the high chair. I looked at Jennifer and wondered out loud you don't suppose Jack Aidan........ Then Jennifer interrupted and said no way, he has on a diaper, his onesie and those very heavy pants. Jack Aidan must have just turned his sippy cup upside down. So we proceeded to finish lunch with more laughs and giggles provided for our amusement by Jack Aidan.

It was when Jennifer pulled Jack Aidan out of the high chair that we all exclaimed: "Uh--ohh!" That's when we discovered that Jack Aidan had rained upon our parade. He was soaked thru his heavy pants, onesie and diaper and that little puddle on the floor was not apple juice!

My World Tuesday

Great Loves in My World:

My Jack, Jack Aidan, Food From Alibi Catering in Haymarket

and

Sitting in the House Office Blogging.

If You Have A Minute, I Invite You To Watch My Inner World.

Jack Aidan Will Give You A Quick Trip Around My Home

Where I Blog and Entertain My Grandson.

I Suggest That You Turn Off The Music By Clicking On The Megaphone On The Playlist Or Else You Will Have Competing Music and Voices. This Movie Was Made While Watching MSNBC's Joe Scarborough Show Pre Election Day.

After Watching Movie Visit Other My World Tuesday Bloggers:

http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Today's Flowers Meme: Last Roses

Today's Flower Meme: Last Roses

The last roses of summer?

Maybe so.

Click here to see more photos of Today's Flowers:

http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Men in the Military Part I

If my brothers were in Virginia today, I would take them to the Golden Corral to eat tonight. The Golden Corral is doing a great thing. They offering a free "Thank You" dinner for any person who has served in the U.S. Military. I should take my husband Jack who was in the Army too.

My three brothers dressed and ready to participate in the outdoor Memorial Day mass at the grotto at St. Remy's Catholic Church in Russia,Ohio. From left to right: Carl Gariety in Air Force uniform, Paul Gariety in Army uniform and Harold Gariety in Army unifrom. Photo circa 1959-1960 .

The Catholic War Veterans pose for a group photo after mass with Father Ritzler. Photo circa 1959-1960. I believe some of the older gentlemen pictured fought either inWorld War I or World War II.

My Sunday Sermon

Two thoughts running thru my mind this Sunday morning.

Hate is so old.

It seems like it extends back to the beginning of human times. And it makes us feel ugly.

Love is always so new.

It seems like it is just discovered for the very first time and it transforms our world just like when seeing a rainbow after a windy dark storm transforms our world. It makes us feel beautiful.

Why am I thinking about hate and love on this Sunday morning? Because of what I just read online in the papers. That since the election of our first black president there have been two very discouraging developments. First, the rush to buy firearms, particularly shotguns and semi-automatic fire weapons. Second, the rapid rise of hate crimes all across the nation against blacks since the election results were announced.

See the pew above. Recite the Lord's Prayer or listen to it being sung here on my Playlist by Il Divo. Focus on the words concerning forgiveness. Lastly, think of what professor William Ferris at North Carolina recently said: "Change in whatever form does not come easy and a black president is the most profound change in the field of race that this country has experienced since the Civil War." He also referred to this quote: "Someone once said that Racism is like a cancer. It's never totally wiped out. It's in remission."

Then go take a little walk outside. Maybe you will experience the wonder of God in nature just like I did when I walked down my street and discovered this beautiful tree full of little crab apples. Peace and love to all of God's children this Sunday morning.

In The Dog House For Inauguration!

Here's the local D.C. news scoop. All the D.C. metro hotels, motels and inns are booked solid already for the Obama inauguration festivites. So it looks like people who have plans to attend are now scoping out dog houses like this cute little fellow here. Do you need a dog house for attending the January festivities? Hmmmmmmmm.....maybe Jack and I can work out a little deal for you. We live just 45 miles from two ground zeroes in D.C.--the U.S. Capitol Building and the White House. Maybe for a fee we can rent our home to you for the week.

This idea came to mind after our September trip to Louisville,KY where our friends Leon and Helen told us that their friends and neighbors were moving out for a week and renting out their homes for the PGA Golf Classic at the golf course next door to their community. Like some folks were getting up to $25,000 for a week's rental. Hmmmmmm----not bad, huh! And I just heard that some rooms with two beds in downtown D.C. are going for $1000 per night. And at our place you would have an entire 4200 sq. foot home with garden to call your own for inauguration. Of course, I may be overcharging for the garden since it is sometimes cold in January and not a very good time to explore my wisteria and rose covered swing in the backyard.

One more thought on this silly idea. In Louisville all folks who rented out their homes had to remove all their personal possessions from the closets and all personal photos from the walls. Sorry!
I'm not doing that! Baby Jack's photos will stay up on the walls as well as Fishing Guy's Buckeyes photo.

Sky Watch Friday Nov. 14, 2008

Sky Watch Friday

for November 14, 2008

The New National Harbor

South of the New Wilson Bridge

Across the Potomac River

From Alexandria, VA.

Remember to click on each photo in this series to get more details of this sculture.

This sculpture is entitled

The Awakening.

It Used to be at Haines Point in D.C.

It was moved to the New National Harbor

In Maryland That is Being Developed

By The Gaylord Resort Corporation

Whose Flagship Resort is a Five Acre Atrium

Under Glass in New Orleans Style

In Nashville, TN.

When I Look At This Sculpture I Think of This:

The Presidential Election Is Behind Us and Barack Obama Is Getting Ready to Become Our New American President. I Remember All the Southern Plantations I Have Toured. I Think of How the Owners Had Fancy Fenced Grave Sites With Fancy Tombstones While the Graves of the Slaves on the Plantations Are Lost in Unmarked Clay Dirt.

It is November, 2008

This Surely Is

The Awakening!These Photos Were Taken This Past Sunday.

Lots of Puffy Clouds and Blue Skies

Above The New Spans of the Wilson Bridge.

This is a Complete New Little City:

Shops, Restaurants, Apartments, Condos,Etc.

One Fun Thing About the D.C. Area
Is the Great Ethnic Mix of Folks Living Here Which I Just Love!
These Folks Look Like They Hail From India.
Maybe Shiks Since They Are All Wearing Turbans.
Now Here Are The Colorful Circus Tents
And
The Reason for the Journey to National Harbor:
Cirque du Soleil is in Town
Performing the Show
Kooza!
Here We Go Thru the Entrance.Someone Has Described Cirque du Soleil as a Theatrical Show That Borders On Opera! I Think That Fits Perfectly.
And Here Is Our Daughter, Jeanine, With Her Good Buddies:
Boyfriend, Bryan, and Roommate, Maria.
Maria Was So Excited! Her First Circus Experience Since She Was Ten Years Old! We Were Excited Too!
Another Cirque du Soleil Show to See
And Our Daughter Gave Us The Tickets
For Mother's Day and Father's Day.
Thank You, Jeanine!
This Photo Says It All.

Now Go Visit More Sky Watch Friday Folks by Clicking Here:

http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Botanical Play Act III Scene III

Botanical Play

Act III

Scene III

As my grandson Jack Aidan would say: "Oh-ohh! Grandma fell asleep and Act III of the Botanical Play proceeded on while she was either sleeping or goofing off in the house!"Well, my grandson Jack Aidan does notice when Grandma gets sleepy or goofy. And I did slip up a bit. Since spring I had been posting irregularly how my garden is like a botanical play in three acts with actors appearing and disappearing on stage and that sometimes even unexpected actors appeared in the play too. Like when the deer showed up and ate all my hosta actors who were just getting ready to do a purple blossom dance. And like when I had to sometimes order some actors to exit stage right after they had blossomed like the daffodils and irises. And other actors like the roses and coneflowers needed to exit stage right and be deadheaded before reappearing in another scene of the play.

Well, lo and behold, I just realized that I have been asleep backstage while Act III proceeded on without me the director directing! So here we are now long into the final act of the botanical play and I haven't been in the game so to speak. So I better get in the game now. And so here in photos is what happened since Fall arrived in late September in Act III Scene III of my botanical play. Go back to the top and roll on down to see Act III Scene III of my botanical play.