Blustery Day

I'm sure you're tired of these "tree" pictures but I was driving around the neighborhood, delivering things, and the wind was blowing the beautiful leaves off the trees and all around. I so wish I had video on my cell phone - a still shot just doesn't do it. But it was like being with the butterflies again. And on this particular street there was like a wall of falling leaves. Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough to capture that but I wanted to try anyway. This is all I got. One tree drops its leaves in clusters - and the clusters of three would spin like helicopters. The wind would catch them and take them "up" before the gust died down and then they'd spin off and away, slowly to the ground.


Some of the fancy twirlers.Notice the little seeds at the base of the leaves - I bet that's why they can fly - carries the seeds off and away.

Foggy Morning

I went on a foggy walk this morning - two in fact. I wish I had a picture from the first walk - it being earlier it was denser. I walk a steep hill with a friend and we couldn't see the top of the hill from the bottom - which really isn't all that tall of a hill. It was very dewy and I had dew drops on my head. Was a great walk though.

Second walk was with another friend, we walked the path across the street from the Camden church building. I was there a minute or two before my friend. I sat on a bench and thought what I was looking at was picture worthy. So - the phone snapped some pictures.


Was also a great walk. :-)

Amaryllis

Soon a flower will emerge!

Sunday Music

Is it Christmas time yet?

When does Christmas time start for you?

Does it start on Thanksgiving? or the next day? or the Saturday after? How does it start?

We have not been consistent about when Christmas starts - we are often away from home after Thanksgiving so there is no set up the tree tradition or anything like that. But I do try to have the music out. The piano music gets set out, hoping the kids will pick it up. They usually do. (this year it all came a little early - Claire has been practicing several Christmas pieces for several weeks - so fun - especially Sleigh Ride) The CDs get played in the car. We don't really hear the music in the house! Isn't that weird? We don't have a CD player but what is part of the computer and TV system. It definitely plays on Christmas day though - we are all in the family room - no TV on. We have a bunch of Christmas movies we like to watch - we just watch them whenever.

What signals in the Christmas Holiday for you?

Shop til you drop?

Why do they call it Black Friday?

Have you ever ventured out shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving? Did you have certain things you were looking to buy? Or do you enjoy the crowds and the excitement of it all? Do you go out every year? What's the best deal you've ever gotten? Did you go out today?

I have been out on Black Friday once - and it was to go to the Lights at Temple Square and without thinking much about it ended up in the crowds at the mall that used to be across the street. Didn't enjoy it, and temple square was a zoo. We were with lots of people and ended up losing each other. It was a bit of a bust.

I don't enjoy shopping all that much, I really have to be in the mood for the most part. I don't see myself venturing out to shop on such a busy day. And I don't enjoy the crowd.

Am I a party pooper?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tradition

From the time I was 5 ('68) to the time I was 17 ('80) I had Thanksgiving at my house. My parents hosted Thanksgiving for both sides of the family every year. It was a huge group - nearly 50 give or take 9 or 10 if Peterson cousins came or not . As the years went by the group got bigger as cousins married and continued to come down to San Jose (most of our extended family lived in Sacramento). And then the number began to dwindle as cousins had their own kids and split their time between their in-laws.

I should admit that I really don't know how many years we hosted Thanksgiving at our house. I recall having Thanksgiving in Sacramento because my mom had recently had surgery. That afternoon some of the cousins went to Star Wars - I think it was the first one. Regardless, there were several years of Thanksgivings at my house.

I know it was about family. I'm pretty sure my parents did what they did because they didn't want to have to choose between their two families. It was also about food because my mom made the same things every year - and I'm sure the sides and desserts were the same - people expected them.

My mom did turkey, potatoes, stuffing, cranberry salad and rolls - her rolls were famous in the family. Everyone else brought sides and desserts. The dough for the rolls was made in a big ceramic bowl - I think it was yellow - she'd cover it with a very thin white dishtowel (we had things that lasted forever) and put the bowl on top of the freezer in the garage for the dough to rise. She'd visit the day old bread shop and buy a bunch of loaves of bread. I only remember doing this once but Ed and I sat in the family room watching TV while tearing the bread into pieces. I seem to recall pealing potatoes in front of the TV once as well. The cranberry salad was frozen. She'd make it ahead of time. She'd grind everything with this hand crank grinder that she'd clamp to the wood cutting board that pulled out from under the countertop. The turkey would cook all night long it seems. I remember waking up very early one Thanksgiving, not feeling well - and my mom was in the kitchen checking on the turkey - it was dark outside - i don't know but I wonder if she ever went to sleep.

My dad would always prune our Fruitless Mulberry tree on Thanksgiving morning. Funny he did but he did.

The house was always set up the same way. The kitchen was the buffet area - the peninsula and the table were covered with all of the food. The family room had football games playing all day. I don't remember my dad being very much into sports but I had cousins who were very interested in the games. They'd eat in there. The dining room table was stretched to full length - the piano bench for two to sit on was always placed at the end of the table nearest the piano :-) the dining room opened to the living room - there was at least one more table in there that was stretched to its limits - it was a beautiful table that served as a lamp/side table all the rest of the year. There was a fabulous little wood picnic table with benches attached - it would get covered with a table cloth and serve as seating for a few little people. (Nancy has the table now). There must have been a cart table or two we ate at in the living room as well - maybe not but seems there was. And for sure there was a cart table that was set up in the living room right by the kitchen door covered in appetizers - cheese and crackers, chips and dips and some veges as well as soda.

On my father's side of the family I am the youngest grandchild - on my mom's side the 2nd to youngest with another cousin the same age - they are boys. Did we have the adult table and the kid tables? I don't know? But I think I was forever at a table that was not in the dining room. I think I was a bit of a misfit among the cousins - being one of the youngest and the youngest girl by a few years I kind of tagged along with Ed. But I think I also hovered around the adults, prematurely stuffing myself with those appetizers. What I really wanted to stuff myself on was potatoes and gravy.

Good weather meant football outside in the street or even quick trips over to Santa Cruz. But I don't remember any tables ever being set up outside or chairs outside. We all sat down to a place setting inside except for the guys who wanted to watch TV while they ate.

After I headed to college I never had Thanksgiving at my house again. I don't know if the Sacramento group was still going. I have a feeling that they weren't. They were all hosting their own children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. But my parents were still hosting their family - their children and grandchildren. I think it became the gathering holiday because Christmas everyone spent at their own homes.

Greg and I have spent Thanksgiving all over - mostly in Tremonton and San Jose but also in Santa Rosa, Pleasanton and more recently Island Park Idaho. School being out, we have often taken the kids on little trips. We've spent time in Santa Cruz yet come back over the mountain to be with the San Jose crew. We've been to the Redwoods and had dinner in Santa Rosa. We once spent Thanksgiving at Clear Lake - jet skiing. That year we had dinner at an all you can eat Thanksgiving buffet at Konocti Harbor Inn. It was an interesting experience but the food was good.

The consistency of my parents' holiday traditions is hard to match (Christmas is a story as well). Do you think it is unique? I don't know. It's all I knew.

Cewel

Fall Color, even in San Jose

It wasn't until Greg and I moved to San Jose that I realized San Jose has Fall color. The neighborhood I grew up in had Carob and Olive trees as the tract trees. They are Evergreens and their fruit is very messy but I think they are disease resistant and the thought of not raking leaves was given more thought than picking up squished fruit that gets tracked into your home.

The neighborhood Greg and I first lived in when we came to SJ the tract tree is Liquidamber. BEAUTIFUL! Granted they drop these walnut sized pokey balls that could sprain your ankle if you stepped on one or cause serious injury when they go flying out from under a lawn mower - and of course there's the leaves to rake up - but the colors! Sensational - especially to a girl who never realized such trees existed in San Jose.

Then we moved to the house we are in now - the tract trees are Chinese Pistache - again BEAUTIFUL! *And* we had two Liquidamber trees as well. OK, female Pistache drop these clusters of red nuts that squish at first but over time get dry and hard and kind of act like tiny marbles if you step on them - but the colors! Sensational.

One of my favorite sites in the Fall is the yellow leaves of what I think is an Elm tree against a blue blue sky. It's my neighbor's tree across the street. I walk out to my driveway and "Wow" - beautiful beautiful color.

Thanks to Greg we have some pictures of our Fall color.

Sunday Music

Amaryllis Update

We have a flower bud!!

What part do you play?

OK - I was watching the Star Trek Next Generation episode called Conundrum - beginning of the episode something scans the entire ship and everyone loses their memory of who they are and with that what their responsibilities are. But they don't lose their individual strengths and tendencies nor their skills. Based on where they're located at the time of being scanned, and to some extent what they're wearing they begin to figure things out.

So - if the world had been scanned today, would you have been able to figure out what your part is in your life?

I was thinking with families, families with small children, it would be easier to figure things out - maybe. But what about your work place? What if you'd been working out? Or at the grocery store? Or anywhere besides your home? What if you'd been at church? Would you be able to figure out your calling based on your strengths and general tendencies, or your talents and skills?

While watching, I kept thinking of a scenario a professor shared once. An alien, who knows nothing about our world, landed on the top of the Kimball Building (the tallest building on BYU campus - at least it was in '83) and watched students come and go from their buildings over along period of time. The alien observes that over the span of a few years, many of the students who were once entering other buildings start entering the McKay building - the college of education.

I wish I could remember what the class was. It was some education based class. And so strange how things affect us, that the point really struck me and I've thought of the scenario many many times since. I haven't just thought about the people choosing education side of it but just the idea of some alien observing. Someone who knows nothing about me, observing me for an extended period of time. What would they conclude about me based on their observations?

Just things to think about.

Pretty Neat, huh?!

Since I have no interesting thoughts of my own to share today, I went looking for someone else's interesting thoughts. After viewing a few things I decided this will do. :-)



"...everyone can make it to the healthy wealthy corner." I like that optimism.
I wonder what the last two years have done to change the stats?

Funny

Ryan shared this with me today.

I will always love cheerios

There are a few things that I will always love - things that I believe I've always loved

Cheerios, Hershey's with almonds and Rocky Road ice-cream.

If ever there is one of those "what's your favorite..." share questionnaires - those three things almost always end up in my answers. Even if I did't pick them the last time I'd bought a candy bar, or cereal etc. They just are the all time favorites and deserve the "favorite" spot.

I went to the doctor today

Was time for a yearly physical. Actually, it was past due but I had to find a new doctor and I postponed, procrastinated - all that - until I just had to bite the bullet and go.

I don't really like going to the doctor.

Today I had tetanus/pertussis boosters and my first flu shot (at least I think it was my first one). I didn't really want them but I figured, at least with the pertussis, I'd be responsible since that can affect other people. But man - I feel totally cruddy now!

Will be interesting to see how I feel tomorrow.

I hope everyone is healthy!

Sunday Music

Saturday Views

We went to the temple today. On the way, I wished I'd brought a camera to snap pictures of various sites. There would be stories in those pictures.

Then, once home, we made a quick trip out to Woodside. Again, I wished I brought a camera - for the same reason.

Now, trying to think what to blog about, I've decided I can grab some photos off the web. They're probably better than what I could have done from the car anyway. Let the stories begin...

We pass the two Solyndra buildings on I-80 - they're in Fremont. Greg always worried about the success of their business, he'd vocalize it every time we passed, from the day they started building to the day we learned about the bankruptcy. Now Greg doesn't say anything when we pass by. :-/


Many years ago this building used to be a Ford plant. Then it became Numi. Closing down Numi was very depressing but Eric saw the future in the site. He told Greg that he wanted to buy/lease the facility and start his own energy smart vehicle business. Probably within the same year news came that Tesla, the electric car company, had set up business there.


The Oakland Temple - always beautiful, even on a grey cloudy day like it was today. We were married here. :-)


The Stanford Linear Accelerator - SLAC. We saw this on our way to and from Woodside. I always try to look to both ends. I remember first learning about it - I knew nothing, and still know nothing, of splitting atoms - but I'm so impressed that it is a mile long. Actually it is nearly two miles. Always reminds me of my dad.


This is the Stanford Dish. It's been there forever - at least for as long as I can remember. I asked my dad why there'd be a radar in the middle of a field like that. It seemed so unattached to anything. Dad told me it was connected to Stanford and the radar was receiving information from celestial bodies. I laughed. I thought he was joking. Until that time I'd only associated the word celestial with the Celestial Kingdom. I learned that day that celestial had everything to do with our starry heavens. :-)


This is Maryknoll Seminary. It is near Los Altos - or maybe it is in Los Altos. I have a memory of going there with Alicyn Alger and her parents, but I don't know if that's where we really went. You can see the green square top of the tower when you're headed north on 280. The area around there is so beautiful. I've always wanted to go back - or go there for the first time.

Obviously, not a road side site but was the site this afternoon because Claire and friends were working on a project in the family room thus Greg and I parked ourselves in the living room.

And finally - something funny - from Greg. Better check your receipts ;-)

Greg wanted a $5 turkey but ended up with a $10 turkey. So he returned it. It rang up at $117! He thought "This will be good for the blog" so he sent me a picture. I thought he'd been charged $117 - still a good story regardless.

So - what stories go along with the things you see when you drive around town?

11/11/11 at 11:11am

Aren't we all wondering what each other was doing on this special day at this special time?
Here's what Claire and I were doing.
We were listening to the latest installment of Droidshark.



and Claire was wishing for something...


Can you tell what she is wishing for?


Let's hope she gets her wish whatever it is. I hear this day is supposed to be a lucky day. :-)

What were you doing?

Amaryllis Update

3 Weeks

Howling at the Moon

I did some indexing this morning and listened to a recent Droidshark podcast while I typed. I kept working and listened to some older podcasts, one which was about wolves (and thank you for the shout out Andy :-). At one point they were discussing wolves howling and people howling and it reminded me of a howling experience we had here.

I have to mention that I think the Alger's Howl at the Full Moon tradition is awesome! And it maybe that this situation happened at our house because we were discussing the Alger's tradition. But then again, maybe not, I don't remember when Alger's started the monthly howl. Maybe we were just telling stories about howling at the moon.

So -
The kids were little. I'm guessing Ryan was 5 or 6. We were in the car. It was dark but not late. There was a full moon. The kids were howling. Ryan was loving it the most. He kept howling and I said he needed to stop. We pulled into the driveway. I helped everyone out of the car and then Ryan let out one last howl. I got mad at him. And then realized I'd shut his hand in the door!

Poor Ryan. :-(

The picture - it's a 6 year old Ryan. And no we're not howling but I thought it was funny that it looks like we are! :-)

Comfort

What is your favorite favorite comfort food?
Mine is toast.

How about your favorite comfortable spot...
I have a few - my bed is number one. I like our brown couch (but it isn't good for posture) and I love a warm car if it's chilly out - you know, it's sunny but chilly and you get in the car and it feels so good. I can catnap on the couch and in the car (back in the piano lesson days, I'd sit in the car with a book and soon fall asleep) - but I don't nap on my bed. Go figure. Well, I probably could but I won't go take a nap. My naps are very spur of the moment events. Often, if I sit down in the afternoon, have the TV on the next thing I know I'm falling asleep.

How about your favorite comfortable thing to wear.
I do love to put my pjs on. I have a fuzzy bathrobe - I don't often wear it but I do often put it over me, a top layer over my blankets, when I'm in bed (winter time) I like it up around my face.

Do you have a comfort show/movie?
Mine is Sense and Sensibility - it's also my all time favorite.

Do you have a comfort activity?
I don't know if I have one right now. Before we had our yard landscaped, looking through gardening books used to be a comfort activity for me. I love walking but I don't really like to walk alone...

What are some other comfort things?

Time Change

It's not quite 6pm and it's dark.
I don't like that.
I look forward to the shortest day of the year because the next day will be a little longer.
I love Summer's long days.
It's the light I like.
If it's dark outside I think I should be in bed.
I don't do well with the Fall time change.

How about you?

Rice and Meatballs

When Evan was home during the break at the end of summer term, he shared with us his favorite recipe - Brown rice and meatballs. And beyond sharing, he even made it for a Sunday dinner! It was delicious. And we like it very much. We've made it a couple times since.

Today, I invited the Jensens to have rice and meatballs with us. Sundays are busy - schedules were hard to match - the meal started out with just Nancy and me. Scott came a bit later, and then Don joined us. Then Greg showed up. Claire missed out - she was off to choir the whole time but there are left overs, she'll have some another time.



Brown Rice and Meatballs -

Evan says it has to be brown rice.
We use Costco frozen meatballs.
We warm them in a crock pot covered in Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce. Regular barbecue or sweet barbecue - both are very yummy.

Thanks Evan. It's a favorite of ours now too.

Another question needs answering

I had lunch with Dr Oz the other day. I generally don't watch any of the "doctor" shows, but as I flipped through channels, to find something to keep me company while I ate my Healthy Choice soup, I heard something about "large behind women and large belly women..." It caught my attention so I tuned in for a bit.

There is a difference between fat stored on our backsides than fat stored on our middles - has to do with subcutaneous and visceral fat. Fat on our behind is subcutaneous - under the skin. Belly fat is often visceral meaning it surrounds our organs. Each means something different to our health. Down side of the fat behind - it is hard to lose - but the upside is it is not as much a health threat. Visceral fat is easier to lose but it is very unhealthy.

Why are we storing this belly fat? As always eating and exercise habits make a difference in how much fat we store. If we eat more than we burn, we'll store fat. Menopause is a big contributor as well. Stress. Stress is messin' us up.

Oz explained that stress is a huge factor in storing belly fat. Our bodies are wired to do so. Our "ancestors", in times of stress, needed to store fat. Stress hormone was released telling the body to store fat around our vital organs for survival through hard times. (hormone - thus why things rev up during menopause)

There was other info shared, healthy and fat covered intestines handled (was so weird looking), and how to dress our big behinds or big bellies demonstrated. I changed the channel around this time.

Today I am wondering "Why, if we don't have the stressful situations of our "ancestors" to live through, do we store fat in excess like we do?" I'm sure you can answer the question yourself, but I did a little search. The answer is simple. Our stress response has never changed but some of us live in a more constant state of stress.

What is stressing us out? What could be more stressful than worrying about where to get our next meal or running away from something that might eat us?! We live in safety and seems we have plenty to eat. But really, what is stressing us out?! Not having to chase our food is causing our bodies stress. Kind of ironic. And because we eat so much we stress ourselves by worrying about how much we eat and the belly fat it causes. Isn't is crazy that we've allowed our lives of ease to actually increase our stress - or decrease our ability to deal with stress? There is so much more to blah, blah, blah about in regards to stress. It is havoc on our bodies! What are we going to do about all this stress that makes us unhealthy?!

Does this stress you out?

Sorry.

What was for Dinner

We had missionaries to dinner tonight.

We had Taco Soup and Corn Bread. Was delicious. My friend Melanie shared the recipe with me.

1lb hamburger
1 package taco seasoning
1 can beans (pinto, chili or black - I used black)
1 can kidney beans
I can corn
I 8oz can tomato sauce
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 medium onion chopped
1 cup of water

Brown hamburger, drain fat, add taco seasoning. Drain and rinse beans - add all of the ingredients to large pot - no need to drain other items. Simmer for awhile. Makes enough for 6. I served it with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and Low Salt Fritos. (Did you know that they make low salt Fritos? - They do! Melanie suggested them)

Jeepers - the Sequal

A few years back, Greg acquired a jeep. Remember this - Jeep 2008

Well - here it is today!


Greg pulled it around town behind our big car Tuesday - getting it registered. It has a 1946 License plate. And just a few finishing touches and it will be ready for the road.

Thank you Uncle Scott!!!!

some fun from POM

This is for my sister Sandy. She probably knows how to do this already but still is something fun to share.

How to Open a Pomegranate in Six Movements from POM Wonderful on Vimeo.

Yucky Candy

We don't have many trick or treat visitors stop by our house on Halloween night, but I always buy a lot of candy, just in case. I usually buy yummy chocolate minis of some sort. I often break into the bags before Halloween and then since I buy so much for the "just in case there's a crowd" thinking there is a ton left over - and I end up eating it all.

Not this year! I punished the neighbors for my lack of discipline. I bought two big bags of "yucky candy". Claire was totally embarrassed by our offerings. And now we have a lot of yucky candy sitting about, but I have no desire to eat any of it! Not one single bit.

Sorry neighbors but thank you me. :-)