A BIG THANK YOU TO ANN...

 for her delightful Christmas Card. 

Thank you Ann, always a joy to find one in the mailbox, and a wonderfully thoughtful and kind gift you send each month.

Love and hugs my dear friend, 

 

SHOPPING MALL CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS FROM 2009

From my archives, photos taken December 2009. I loved going to this shopping mall just to see the decorations (I am no longer a mall shopper, not that I ever was). Unfortunately, the mall changed hands many, many years ago and that was the last I saw of them. I am thankful I have these photos to remember them and being reminded of the great pleasure of showing them to my own son when he was very young, and later to visiting family and friends.

Anyone who knows me will need no guesses as to why I enjoy these Christmas decorations. They have been put out on display for many years, I feel like they are old friends. We got on the elevator and went down to the ground floor.

I don't go to the mall very often, as I'm not one of the keenest shoppers, only when it's absolutely necessary. I always carry a camera in my purse and was prepared knowing that they would be once again on display. 

Smile! 

Don't worry, this tiger might look fierce, but the bunny is safe. I have it on good authority that he is a vegetarian. They are in fact very good friends and share cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off.

I enjoyed these quotes from "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling...

...which may also not be a surprise that it is my all-time favorite children's story.

"A brave heart and a courteous tongue. They shall carry thee far through the jungle."

"Oppress not the cubs of the stranger but hail them as sister and brother...

...for though they are little and fussy, it may be the Bear is their mother." Rudyard was a pretty smart man.

Last one of a window display.

I hope you have enjoyed your tour around the jungle.

Thanks for dropping by 

and have a great day!

FOR ME, THERE IS A LOT OF TRUTH IN THESE WORDS

"Going to the woods is going home."

~John Muir~

MORE TO SEE IN THE WAY OF CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS

This…

and this...

I put the final ornament on the tree last night. This is my “wings” tree and I started this tradition last December. It includes birds, angels, butterflies, Santas and snowmen holding birds, a few honorary ones like the homemade-looking squirrel, and others that have that honor too. Several are gifted from loved ones, family and friends, some picked up on travels, and others that caught my eye just because. I have added an ornament here and there, some you have seen before because I have been sharing them at this time of year throughout the lifetime of this blog. I have been looking at your trees and their treasures too and loving them. 

In our other news, not only did hubby arrive home on Saturday after being away for a few days, but on Sunday morning we had a lovely visit from family who dropped in on their way home many miles south of us. Our son was here also, and we had such a lovely time catching up as it had been a while. I am grateful most of the tree was dressed for their little one to enjoy and even in daytime, her eyes twinkled along with the colorful lights. 

Today was not as exciting but we enjoyed ourselves, having our monthly Bahn Mi sandwich with a car picnic. Shopping for groceries came next and a coffee on the way home. A good start to a new week.

Thanks for looking and 

I hope your day and week are great.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - SLOW COOKER MONSTER MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE

I forgot to take photos so came up with the artwork. When this is made again, I will add my own photos. In the meantime, you can see what the meal looks like if you go to the original website.

It’s been a while since I put meatballs on the menu. When I found this recipe, both ingredients and slow cooker won the day. There was no browning the meatballs first, which made it even easier. I am happy to say we both gave it a 10 out of 10, really delicious! My thanks goes to Louisa Clements, host of Living Lou. The original recipe can be found here.  I made another of her recipes which I put on this blog, a Greek Orzo Salad. You can see it here. It's not a salad I would serve with this meal, but is a really good one.

Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce 

Serves: 6

Calories: approximately 422 per serving 

For tomato Sauce:

1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, broken up with a spoon

1 5.5 ounce tomato paste

1 carrot, chopped 

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes 

10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, for garnish

For Meatballs:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound ground pork

2 eggs

3/4 cup breadcrumbs 

1/3 cup milk

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 teaspoon fennel, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In the slow cooker, add the tomatoes that you have broken up with a spoon, also tomato paste, onion, carrot, garlic, salt and hot pepper flakes. Mix until well combined.

In a large bowl, mix beef, pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, fennel seeds, salt and pepper until combined.

Shape in 12 large meatballs and arrange meatballs on top of tomato sauce in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until carrots are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into meatballs read 160 degrees F. Skim off fat.

Serve sprinkled with basil. 

We made no changes  It is described as a traditional style meatball recipe. 

I was curious about using the fennel seeds as I don’t remember using this ingredient before. My super taster hubs could detect a faint taste of it but I couldn’t. All I know is that it was a delicious dish and as mentioned, we both easily gave it a 10 out of 10. 

We served it with Angel Hair Spaghetti and extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top, along with the thinly sliced basil leaves.

A nice mixed veggie salad would finish it off perfectly.

I checked after 6 hours and everything was cooked perfectly. You be the judge though as temperatures may differ from one slow cooker to another.  

There are leftovers which will taste even better the next day but…

we both said we would like more sauce and would double those ingredients next time  Not the meatballs though! Any sauce left over that we don’t finish, I will freeze it.  

The added ingredients might alter the length of cooking time, but I will allow for the 8 hours while checking after 6, for both carrot and meatball. Easy enough to check the carrot but will always use a thermometer to make sure the meatball is cooked all the way through. 

Another thing I wanted to add was that one of the commenters said her meatballs turned out softer than she likes. Louisa’s response was that they tend to be more tender than those made in a frying pan or in the oven as they are braised rather than roasted or fried.  I personally thought these were excellent both in texture and taste, but wanted to let you know just in case you wondered about them once served. I am looking forward to making this recipe again. 

That’s all I can remember for now but if you have any questions, write a comment and I will be happy to try and answer. I highly recommend visiting Louisa’s blog to look at the original recipe. 

Below is the full address if you prefer to copy and paste today’s recipe, as well as the salad,  rather than using the links above.

https://www.livinglou.com/slow-cooker-monster-meatballs-tomato-sauce/

and

https://www.livinglou.com/greek-orzo-salad

Thanks for looking and have a great week.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - RANDOM PHOTO PLUS ONE - MY PHOTO AND OLD VINTAGE POST CARD FROM YELLOWSTONE

 It's snowing outside (wrote this on Friday,12-5-25). As I haven't been too far afield lately, I am thankful that I can browse through my old blog for trips we took in previous years. My random photo is from August 2013 when we took a road trip across country. 

This is a scene at Hayden Valley in Yellowstone, one place I would dearly love to visit again. I actually shared this photo before here, along with a favorite poem if you would like to take a look-see at the poem. Also, I came across a YouTube of a young Irish couple - Philly and Keely - who visited Yellowstone recently. Keely’s excitement and awe of being at the park is delightful! They have been traveling to several countries for the last four-and-a-half years, and they've just landed in Yellowstone. You will be able to see various sights as they travel around the park. 

I am not sure of the date of this antique postcard, 1940s maybe but that's just a guess.

I have a Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie in the oven, and as I missed breakfast this morning, I am about to sit down for lunch. Looks like it has stopped snowing.  There's maybe a couple of inches out there, not so bad but bad enough that I won't be going outside, except maybe to feed the birds as the containers need to be refilled and the water dish has iced over.

It is Saturday evening now (the 6th). My dear other half walked through the door at 6 p.m. after being gone for a few days. I made him his favorite chowder to come home to (mentioned several times on here). I didn’t have the corn I usually put in, or any tasty rolls for dipping, but it was oh so good and the aroma coming out of that kitchen was a lovely welcome home after driving for several hours. I was curious about the calories in 1 cup, so I did a search online. Several sites popped up. The one I visited was a lady’s blog and she said she found it in a Southern Living magazine published in 2000. I have been making it two or three times every winter for almost 25 years! I knew I had been making it for yonks, but didn’t realize it had been that long. As for the calories, I never did find a number. It all depends if you use cream or 2% milk, the amount of veggies, etc. One day just for the heck of it, I will jot the calories down for each food as I prepare, then divide the finished soup into 1 cup portions and calculate from there. Not that I am really bothered, I would do it just for fun, and my own curiosity. 

Hope you're all doing okay.  It is chilly in our part of Virginia, 32 degrees F. (0 degrees C.). Probably not as bad as some of you are getting.

Take good care of yourselves and thanks for stopping by. I hope your day is a great one.

SATURDAY MORNING AT THE BIRD FEEDER - WREN SAYS "THE PINECONE SAGA AGAIN?”

Chipmunk is just joking. He likes the seed more.

And that's how it goes on a Saturday Morning at the Birdfeeder.

The birds (and squirrels and chipmunk) told me how much they missed you when I was on my blogging break, as did I. Thanks for the nice welcome back. I have had a lot of fun reading all your very sweet comments. It's taking me a while to catch up with all of you but I'll get there eventually.

Have a great weekend and 

thanks for stopping by.

ONE LAST AUTUMN JIGSAW PUZZLE UNTIL NEXT FALL SEASON

 From my iPad.

For a change I also added a screen shot while I was fitting the pieces. Once the last is added, all the lines melt away  

Thanks for looking and I hope your day is a great one.

GREEN SPRING GARDENS AND CHATEAU DE CHANTILLY CAFE BAKERY AND COFFEE

I only have a few photos taken at the garden (these photos are from the beginning of November). Lining one side of the parking lot are flower beds, and beyond is the garden. The garden mums (maybe Harmony mums) were looking very healthy. The sun was shining which felt so good and I didn’t need a coat. At first I thought there were dozens of bees buzzing from one flower to another, and was again surprised as they should all be safely tucked away for the winter. I looked closer and knew they weren't bees, for all the similarities. They were Drone flies. 

The Drone fly has brown and orange markings, and it looks very similar to a male Honeybee but is harmless. This mimicry helps protect it from predators while it gathers nectar. 

The key differences between this fly and the male Honeybee include its lack of a stinger and ‘waist’, and only one pair of wings. You can usually find them in gardens and urban areas. The Drone fly not only mimics the Honeybee in looks, but also in the way that it moves about, following the same flight patterns. Many of our often-overlooked insects are important pollinators for all kinds of plants, including those which we rely on like fruit trees. As I nibble on my apple, I will think of them very kindly. Splendid little things for what they give us, and we must do our utmost to protect them, along with all the other hardworking pollinators.

The Painted Daisies weren't as abundant but still beautiful and healthy looking. The Drone flies were enjoying them too. 

A very enjoyable trip to the garden and a nice surprise. This was one of those flying visits.

Another flying visit was to our favorite bakery of the moment, the Chateau de Chantilly Cafe, for a pastry and a cup of coffee. Santa was at the door greeting us.

Thank you for visiting.

Have a great day.

FROM THE ARCHIVES - THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY - PART 1

(old photo found at pixabay.com)This is from an old post in May of 2009.  Exhibits may have changed since the last time we visited. Its history hasn't and I hope you will still enjoy the photos. We started our visit looking around the transport section of the museum. Above is the Steam Locomotive Jupiter made in Philadelphia in 1876. Jupiter was the Santa Cruz Railroad's third locomotive. Built for narrow-gauge track (36 inches between rails), Jupiter became obsolete in 1883 when the line switched to standard gauge (56-1/2 inches). Jupiter was sold to Guatemala, where it hauled bananas for more than 60 years. In 1976 it came to the Smithsonian as part of the United States Bicentennial Exhibition (whether it is still there I am not sure but I found this link with some history of Jupiter. It is a fascinating story.)

I am assuming this is a reproduction as according to the website's article, the original was scrapped in the early 1900s. However, another was reproduced in 1975 by the O'Connor Engineering Laboratories of Costa Mesa, California. (I try to remember to take photos of the historical information at each exhibit and read them when I get back home. I remember more this way. That is how I got my information for my post.) 

I enjoyed the sculptures at various exhibits, people dressed as they would have been during that time.

"There's always light after the dark. You have to go through that dark place to get to it but it's there, waiting for you. It's like riding on a train through a dark tunnel. If you get so scared you jump off in the middle of the ride, then you're there, in the tunnel, stuck in the dark. You have to ride the train all the way to the end of the road."

~Han Nolan~

(I didn't get the information on this locomotive at the time, but since catching up I put "old steam train 1401" in the search engine and happily it sent me right to the website I needed. You can read about it here.)

"To travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches and rivers, in fact, to see life."

~Agatha Christie~

"Nowhere can I think so happily as in a train."

~A. A. Milne~

This photo doesn't show you much as I was more taken with the horse sculpture, but he is pulling a Kramer Farm Wagon from 1925.The previous link takes you to what it looks like as the website is from the museum. Farmers wagons served many purposes. They picked up and delivered goods and also served as passenger vehicles when benches of extra wagon seats were added in 1926, despite the growing use of automobiles, more than 200,000 wagons were manufactured, and millions were still in use around the country.

This gentleman is a Pullman Porter. In the 1920's the Pullman Company was the largest single employee of African American men. From the 1870's through the 1960's, tens of thousands worked for Pullman as sleeping-car porters. The feeling of sleeping-car luxury came from the porter. He "made-down' berths at night and "made-up" berths into seating in the morning, helped with luggage and answered passengers calls at any hour. Working 400 hours a month, porters earned wages better than most African Americans, but degrading conditions helped lead to the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925.

The photo below was taken in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1927. In the community, although they were servants on the job, at home they were respected members of their communities. Porters traveled extensively and connected their communities to a wider world. From the 1920's to the 1940's, porters helped southern African Americans migrate by bringing back information on jobs and housing in the North. Porters were also involved in civil rights activity. Pullman Porter E. D. Nixon helped plan the Montgomery-Alabama bus boycott of 1955-56. Union leader A. Philip Randolph pressured Franklyn Roosevelt into issuing Executive Order 8802 in 1941. It barred discrimination in defense industries and created the Fair Employment Practices Committee. Later Randolph was involved in planning the 1963 civil rights march on Washington DC. Peaceful protestors were and are the heart of getting things changed for the better.

The Railroad Conductor's job involved more than collecting tickets. He was the "captain" of the train. He supervised other train crew, looked out for the safety of everyone aboard and made sure every passenger paid the correct fare. The engineer was responsible for signals and speed restrictions enroute, but the conductor determined when a train could safely depart a station and was in charge of emergencies. The conductor's role as chief of the train came from maritime tradition. Many conductors on the first American railroads in the 1830's had been steamboat or coastal packet captains.

The last photo shows Conductor John W. Zimmer greeting a passenger in Burlington, Iowa in 1925.

There are links throughout my post to websites with more information. The one to the museum can be found here. I will have two more to share from the museum sometime at a later date.