Timaree, Freebird Sings, posted this meme. Since Thanksgiving is one week away, and I feel unable to focus tonight on all the things I SHOULD be doing, here you are:

1. Which do you like better: Cooking at your house, or going elsewhere?

I never like to go somewhere else. We have our Thanksgiving tradition. I make the boys get up to watch the Macy's parade while I watch and get the bird going. We eat kind of later in the day, about 3:00. Its a quiet enjoyable day to enjoy with my daughter and her boys. Terry always helps me clean the kitchen, too!

2. Do you buy a fresh or frozen bird?

We buy the frozen birds that are on sale for $5-$7 at the grocery store. This year Walmart had them for .40 per lb, so I bought two and will probably make another for Christmas.

3. What kind of stuffing?

I make stuffing with onions, celery and mushrooms. Its the dressing that my mother always made and my family loves it.

4. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie?

We have pumpkin pie, always. Sometimes there are other fruit pies, but we ALWAYS have Pumpkin.

5. Do you believe that turkey leftovers are a curse, or the point of the whole thing?

We HATE leftover turkey, but we love ALL the other trimmings so I always make plenty to have the next day.

6. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu?

Polish noodles. Everyone loves my noodles, and even though I make them every month or so, they are expected to be part of the Thanksgiving meal.

7. Do you save the carcass to make soup or stock?

NO! We give away the left over bird. We really don't like turkey much.

8. What do you wish you had that would make preparing Thanksgiving dinner easier?

Nothing. I have done this meal so many times, its not a hastle at all. I wouldn't mind having the day before off to fuss with the house, but that's about it.

9. Do you get up at the crack of dawn to have dinner ready in the early afternoon, or do you eat at your normal dinner hour?

We get up at the normal time. Dinner is usually around 3 p.m. or whenever everything is ready.

10. If you go to somebody else's house, what's your favorite dish to bring?

We NEVER go somewhere else for a holiday dinner. We like the leisure of our own home and hate to rush to someone elses time schedule. However, when I go to someone elses for a dinner, I usually take a box of quality chocolates for the hostesss. She has her own menu so I don't take food.

11. What do you wish one of your guests wouldn't bring to your house?

Food. I would prefer they don't bring food. Just bring themselves!!

12. Does your usual mix of guests result in drama, or is it a group you're happy to see?

I don't spend time with people I don't enjoy. Never. I made that a rule of life 25+ years ago.

13. What's your absolute favorite thing on the menu?

Dressing and gravy. Its the meal for me!

14. What are you thankful for this year?

For my husband. He is everything. As long as we are together, everything is right.

If you would like to do this meme feel free to take it. Let me know if you do it so I can come read your answers!

Why.

Yesterday, a young soul left this earth.
Why was life so hard for him.
Someone may know the answer.
Maybe you will never know.
I wish I could help you, I can never feel your pain.
But if you read this, you will know how much I care.

Do You Know What A Kea Is?

If you know me, you know that I am a bird lover. I knew a Kia was a car, but I had never heard of a Kea.

My blogger friend in New Zealand posted about seeing a Kea. She has linked to THE MOST AMAZING video of how intellegent these birds are. Please visit her blog and take a moment to see the video. I guarantee you will be amazed.
http://stoneweaver.blogspot.com/

My Ear Hears Color AKA June 2009 BJP

It started as a phrase I say to my grandson often. "You only hear what you want to hear". Its not really what he HEARS, its how he chooses to interpret what I said. Which got me thinking about other ear phrases, or ear idioms.

Ever hear "Blow it out your ear!"? ~ Means leave me alone.

How 'bout "In one ear and out the other". ~ Heard it, didn't remember it.

Do you "Turn a deaf ear"? ~ Ignore someone who is asking for something.

The walls have ears. ~ Someone may be listening to your private conversation.

And this one is for me:
Be all ears. ~ Eager to hear what will be said.

So, I found this picture of an ear and thought I would bead it. Just for fun. Just because my May page was intense for me. The beads were simple, but the meditation was deep. So I promised this June page would be colorful. Its the page I mentioned in an earlier post that I showed my grandson when I explained that its OK to be your own person.

MY ear is colorful. It is seldom naked. It usually has big and bold earrings adorning it. I love glitz and color and bling!

MY ear hears wonderful music. Lady GAGA when I'm jazzed and Cody LePow when I want to be quiet and feel the blues. There's a whole spectrum in between.

MY ear HEARS what you say, even when you haven't actually spoken the words that are in your heart.

So, I present to you~~~~MY ear.

I AM NOT JUST AN EAR!

I am colorful.

I can bring the world to life.

I am silly.

I can make you laugh till you cry.

I am odd.

I hear the unspoken word.

I can make you wild when I hear music,

Or I can make you sad.

I am happy to be me.

BJP 2010

I am so excited. There will be another year of the BJP and registration starts tomorrow.

You may not know about the project.

Maybe you enjoy bead embroidery, but never thought about joining this group.

Maybe you thought the project is too big a committment.

Well let me tell you, if you are even a smidge interested in knowing what this is about, click here to find out about it.

O, I know, I haven't finished 2009 on time, but so what. Life threw me some curves this year and family was the priority for a while. But so what! I have plenty of time to finish before the next year starts. After all, this project is for ME and I love it. I have found great cyber friends, learned a whole lot about myself and found an outlet for my inner thoughts.

Just check it out. We LOVE new friends!

Grandparents have wisdom, sometimes!

This morning I overheard my two grandsons conversation as they were getting ready for school. Corey was kidding his younger brother, Ky because Ky played a game of Yugio (sp) with one of his friends. Apparently that is a GEEK thing to do. What I heard was the perfect moment to discuss being an individual.

They tell me all the time I think deep, and I do. I said just a moment, let me show you something. I got out my current beading project to show them. I held it up to show them how goofy it looks. I told them about the vision I had of this piece before I started it. I mentioned that I have so many beading friends whose work I admire and would like to bead just like them. Talking about my project again, I explained how I am realizing that I am developing my own beading style that will be like no one else's.

Speaking to Ky, I explained to him that its OK if he likes to play the game that his brother was kidding him about. There are things he likes to do. Things that he is good at and enjoys doing more than other things. If it makes him happy, then that is all that matters. I also mentioned that its OK for his brother to like doing things that he doesn't.

As Ky listened and nodded his head in agreement, his brother gave him a smile and socked Ky's arm. I think that is the male equivalent to a hug.

These are some of the moments I live for.

Indian Wisdom

Treat all men alike.

Give them all the same law.

Give them all an even chance to live and grow.

All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief.

They are all brothers.

The Earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.

Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself, and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.

Heinmot Tooyalaket ( Chief Joseph), Nez Perce Leader