Hey!

It’s been a while and I haven’t forgotten you.  Thoughts have been stewing and words have been gathering but the time hasn’t seemed right for putting them into stories. I have a few waiting to get from my heart and head onto the page and stay tuned for the unveiling.

I’m pretty good at certain mediums of creating.  There are others I can’t perfect to save my life, but I’m not beyond trying.

Years ago, back when there was still Sunday night church, we brought “quiet toys” with us in hopes that those few things would  keep the little ones quiet.  Of course the quiet toys needed to be transported somehow and Nano thought it would be a great idea to make special fabric bags for each child.  The Staley children  used those bags over the years to carry their Sunday toys to church, to a friends house, to school and some even kept precious keepsakes in those bags, safely tucked away out of sight.  Of course, I knew how to be quiet in church and did not bring toys with me, but there were other uses for Nano Bags.  Mine was/is blue with purple flowers on it and over the years, crafts and books and Bibles and pens and paper have found their way into that bag.  It has held knitting, needles and wool, crossstitch patterns and scissors and it has travelled far and wide, in cars and on planes.  Today I was getting some things gathered for traveling and there it was, that blue bag, with a long forgotten cross stitch pattern safely stowed inside.  I took the pattern out and checked the box of yarn and yes, it’s ready to be stitched.

We leave tomorrow for a few days away, across the pond, as the English say. Rob is golfing and I’m walking and looking and breathing deep and maybe writing. I have some knitting needles and wool stowed and sitting next to the suitcase is my Nano bag full of that pattern and yarn and I might even work on making it into a picture. I am well aware that traveling away is intended for seeing all there is to see and pondering. I aim to do that and it looks like the rain might be there with us and I’ll be ready if it is, to hunker down and keep busy.  Don’t hold me to it and there’s a chance this bit of handy work will come home as is.  Just in case though, it’s going to Scotland.  I think Nano’s “quiet bag” will come along.  It’s a nice neat and safe place in which to pack my Creating Cargo.

Last week there was a picnic in my backyard. It’s a small place with some flowers and a few shrubs. I prepared a table with napkins, a cloth and we sat around and ate and chatted. The chatting was no small feat what with the red winged blackbirds and the starlings fighting about squatting rights. It was at times not unlike sitting in a  restaurant with poor acoustics. One person speaks louder than the other and so on until you have a pretty noisy place and sore throats all ’round.  It was fun anyway and I believe I mentioned that we ate. As usual, the guests were guinea pigs since I made the recipes up as I went. What’s the worst that can happen? We end up with some dishes that are not worthy of a michelin star but are likely still edible and even tasty. That’s my philosophy.

It’s late. Too late for posting. However, I promised to put some of the recipes on the blog and here we go.

There was Rice and Sweet Potato Casserole/Salad which looked like this.↓

Let’s Not Forget

There was also the very popular

Some day I will tell you about the other items on the menu but for now, I will leave you with these three. Tomorrow is going to have way more than 24 hours in it and tonight is fast approaching morning.

This somewhat reluctant traveler who in actual fact is a contented kitchen dweller who enjoys dreaming up culinary creations, is off to bed.   On that mouthful I will wish you a good night.