From my quilting room to yours, I hope you have a most wonderful Thanksgiving. 

My quilting room has become dusty this week. (Dustier than normal!) Instead of sewing, I've been in full-throttle hostess prepping mode. Around 30 of my family will be here for turkey and all the trimmings at noon today. 

The big platter awaiting the 18-lb. bird!

A very old table topper.

Fortunately, everyone brings a dish, so all I have prepared is the turkey, both mashed and sweet potatoes, gravy, and rolls. Probably the bigger task is making space for all of us. I have 4 tables up in 4 different rooms. Cleaning and clearing away all our day-to-day clutter has consumed quite a bit of my time this week.

Let me tell you about the exceedingly enjoyable day we set aside for making noodles. My mother has absolutely perfected homemade noodle making, and my sister Sandy and I figure it's high time we learn this skill. Armed with rolling pins and a lot of eggs, butter, and flour, Sandy, my daughter Erin, and I gathered around Sandy's kitchen with Mom. In no time at all, we had 4 batches mixed, rolled out, cut, and spread out on waxed paper. Flour everywhere!! But they look really good!

And you know if daughter Erin was involved, then grand baby Cate toddled around in the midst of all the activity. What a treat. Four generations of noodle-makers! 

Special times with family are what the holidays are all about. And we don't necessarily need THE precise holiday - any day can be a special occasion when dear loved ones spend time together. Can you tell this great grandma is totally smitten with her youngest great-grandchild?

Enjoy those feasts whenever and wherever you have them. I am surely counting my many blessings this Thanksgiving!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Good morning and my best Thanksgiving Day wishes to you all! We are hosting a houseful of family today for a traditional feast - I hope you find love and happiness around your table, too.

Back to quilting and stitching tomorrow! 

A Thanksgiving Quilt Show

Happy Thanksgiving to all my faithful readers! Are you preparing for your feast? We will be heading off to my sister's in a little while. I prepared three items for the feast table - spinach dip in a bread bowl, 7-layer salad, and pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing. YUM!

Yesterday DH and I had a little day date to the Ross County Historical Society in Chillicothe. Their special exhibit of quilts from their collection has been on display for a couple of months; the exhibit ends on Saturday.

I won't include a lot of detail on each of these pictures. Instead I will identify, include a year (if known), and point out one or two special qualities. Enjoy!

Mariner's Compass, c. 1890

Mariner's Compass, detail

Honeycomb Patch c. 1900

Honeycomb Patch, detail

Whig Rose c. 1840

Whig Rose, detail

And the show stopper of the entire exhibit is this nearly 10' x 10' beauty.

Eastern Star, Star of the East, Star of Bethlehem - 1835

Eastern Star, detail

Eastern Star, detail

Eastern Star, stitched date of 1835.

Of course, I took almost 70 pictures, and shared just these few here. Maybe in awhile I will post some more. 

If you are able to travel to Chillicothe, OH, this exhibit will only be up for 2 more days - maybe you can check it out!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 To all my faithful readers and followers, I wish you the happiest of Thanksgiving days. 

 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear JQR readers and followers ~

I extend my sincerest Happy Thanksgiving wishes to you all! I am so very grateful for your encouragement over the years.

I have been blessed in so many ways and I humbly give thanks for those blessings today and every day!

DH and I will be feasting with my side of the family today at my sister's house. Should be quite the crowd. I hope you are spending the day with those that you love, as well.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers and
Best Wishes to all wherever you may be!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I sincerely hope you are having a wonderful, peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving! We are spending the day at my sister's and my extended family. Count your blessings! I know I am!

Thanksgiving Blessings

Greetings of many thanks and blessings to you all, dear readers! Without a doubt, I have much for which to be thankful.

I am upstairs in the quilting room prepping this post, and the incredible aroma of the turkey is wafting all the way up here! Heavenly!! It is set to come out of the oven in about an hour. The festivities here at our house will be quite low-key, but we are set to make the most of visiting family and friends through the rest of the weekend.

I hope your table is surrounded by those you love, laden with foods of the season, and your hearts filled with gratitude. I always take a moment to remember those loved ones no longer with us, as well as our brave military.

Blessings - they are a'plenty!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Barnsgiving16

Back in June, on the hottest day of the year, my niece Abby got married on her parents' farm. The reception was held in their old and very picturesque barn which is over 100 years old. At some point on that hot, hot evening, some of the cousins hatched the idea of having Thanksgiving in the barn.

And so we did.

What a wonderful day it was, too. My sister and her husband did lots to the barn in preparation for the wedding, so they had just a day or so of work to get it cleaned up for a feast. The cousins who hatched the idea showed up on Wednesday to set the tables, decorate, arrange the lights - all that fixy sort of stuff.

Here are some pictures of our magical Thanksgiving Day feast. Enjoy!

The barn: Ohio, circa 1890.

The food; fantastic; potluck style; yummy stuff!

Special touches - butter molded in shape of a turkey.

Looking up to the loft (haymow).

Looking toward the front door; dessert table and drink table to left.

One of my favorite shots of the interior; lights, table; loft.

Looking down from the loft; left side.

Look down from loft to the right side.

The loft became the living room complete with all the outdoor furniture and area rugs.

We even had a television rigged up for football!

The very best part: the family, plus extended family and friends.

Our 2016 Thanksgiving was certainly a memorable one! I hope you had a special day of thanks, as well.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving, Dear Readers! I have so many blessing for which I am grateful. I have been reflecting on those blessings and giving thanks.

I have had some diverse fun the past few days. On Tuesday evening I went with 6 family members to Cincinnati to see White Christmas The Musical at the Aronoff Center.

The show was fantastic. The costumes, the singing and especially the dancing - all were exceptional. This show was a treat in every way. As my sister said, "Best night ever!" We all had a wonderful time.

The sweet twins, my nieces Anna Rose and Mary Jean, attended with us. Aren't they growing? They are now 8-year-old second graders.

 A very cool opportunity to support our servicemen and women was available to us at the Aronoff. Guests were invited to sign cards which were collected and will be delivered to deployed military around the world. The girls sent their sweet sentiments, as did the rest of us. Talk about blessing - I am grateful to our military, for sure.

We also had to get a picture of the twins with their Grandma Jeannie. If you want to take in a show at the Aronoff, I suggest you allow time to dine at Trattoria Roma which is just a half a block away and easy walking distance from the theatre. We had a wonderful meal - from wine and appetizers to entrees and dessert.

All of this festivity resulted in my staying the night in Hillsboro at my mother's. I thought you'd enjoy seeing the beautiful flowers blooming in her sun room. Many, many healthy African violets and a whopping Christmas cactus that is just beginning to come into bloom. By Christmas it will be full of bright red flowers.

Through all of this, we are cat sitting for our older daughter while she and her husband spend the long Thanksgiving weekend at her in-laws'.

He's such a handsome kitty. He loves coming here as he has space in which to roam after being limited to his 1-bedroom apartment in Columbus.

I have done minimal sewing, but a finish was accomplished. I will share that soon, as well as some fun projects from the Frankfort girls.

Wishing you all a most blessed Thanksgiving!