Thanksgiving - "The Best Yet"

Since Joyce was due to attend a Thanksgiving Friday wedding in Northern California, it appeared as if their family was not going to be able to come for Thanksgiving this year.  I pulled out the stops in a campaign to change their minds, and in the end, Wade's family came to Columbia for an early (Tuesday, the 23rd) Thanksgiving.

They left Los Angeles Friday evening, the 19th, and didn't arrive here until about 2:00 Saturday morning and immediately hit their assorted beds.  They had only 4 full days here, but they accomplished quite a lot.  Wade helped his dad buy a Toshiba laptop and a wireless modum.  He also helped straighten out various technical problems and replaced the burnt out light bulb above the door on the front porch.  He even took an interest in replenishing our bird feeder on the deck.

Our neighbor had offered us the use of his family's basketball goal and driveway.   Zach and his dad played one on one, and I realized that Zachary was master of the outside shot.  When Cody arrived, Wade and he played against Zachary.

Cody rode our small bike with Joyce while she ran, and Zachary rode my lonely bike (I haven't ridden it since I broke my hip in the kitchen almost 2 years ago.) with Wade when he ran. On Monday the two families, Wade's and Steven's, went swimming at the ARC.



Left to right:  Zanib, Joyce, Zachary and Cody
play Sorry

 Youssef's cousin Zanib, arrived on Sunday - a happy addition to the social milieu.  She brought gingersnaps, glazed walnuts,  a pomegranate, a pumpkin cream cheese cake for Thanksgiving dinner and other good things.

Zanib, Joyce and the kids were soon playing Sorry. Later, I joined the game, and came in LAST.  What a surprise.  However, the game is mostly based on luck so I shouldn't stew.  However, skillful players can even turn luck to their advantage.

Thanksgiving Tuesday found the grand kids getting reacquainted with one another.  Here they're playing Pop Then Hop.

Thanksgiving dinner was a group affair.  I made the 24 pound turkey, getting it in the oven by 8:00 A.M.  Joyce made the sausage stuffing (a wonderful recipe with pecans, sage sausage, celery, and apples), and the sweet potatoes with marshmallows. Zanib was her trusty peeler and chopper.  Marjory brought mashed potatoes, steamed green beans with red pepper slices and pumpkin pie.  Shauna brought pumpkin cake bars that were a godsend, because the 2 kinds of pumpkin pie wouldn't have been quite enough.  Mary Sue brought yummy cranberry relish, a chex mix appetizer, and her daughter lovely daughter Suzanne.  Wade and Steven sliced the turkey, although  Wade served more in the advisory capacity. As we were getting the dinner on the table - the hardest part of any meal - there were 6 women at work in the kitchen.

Once we sat down, twelve of us,  I realized that there were 3 religions represented around the table:  Christian, Muslim and Buddhist.  (There may have been an agnostic or atheist in the group, too, but we won't go into that.)

Left to right: Cody (eating), Sarah, Sidney, and Zachary

The grands had their own table where they didn't have to worry too much about manners.

After dinner, the other five women washed and dried dishes and silverware, while I put things away.  Lovely arrangement!  Thank you, you beautiful ladies.


After dinner it was time for family pictures.  Surely, you know all these people by now, but just in case here they are:
Back row, left to right
Wade, Whitney, Marjory, Steven, Shauna
Middle row, left to right
Joyce, Youssef, Nancy, Mary Sue, Suzanne
Front row (kids):
Cody, Sarah, Sidney, Zachary

Wednesday morning was time to say good by.  This was when I was happy to hear Wade say that it was the 'best Thanksgiving  yet.' He and his family had a grueling few days ahead of them.  They would catch the plane from Kansas City in the afternoon, get into LA Wednesday evening. They would drive to Northern California Friday to arrive an hour or so before the wedding, just in time to change into their good clothes.  The next day (Saturday) they would drive back to Los Angeles.

Joyce knitted two mufflers while she was here, of which I was the lucky recipient. 

 On the right, I am modeling one of them.  The other one is ruffly, made with the same kind of wool. Very chic.  Yes, I know, I was being a bit silly in this picture.

Last photo.  Boo hoo.  Or nearly the last photo.  Believe me, I have more. 

Zanib left soon after Wade and his family.  She had slept 3 nights on the

couch, poor thing.  On the right, she

smiles her wonderful smile with Youssef and makes the best of it. 

Sidney and Sarah

Finally, I dropped in on Whitney and Marge the night before Steven and Shauna left, to take a picture of the only girl grands in the family.  I didn't think I'd taken a picture that had done them justice. I still haven't.  They had just gotten ready for bed. A perfect end to a perfect week.

Bragging Rights

If you can't stand bragging grandmothers skip this blog.

Zachary made the Junior National Honor Society at his middle school.  This was kind of a surprise since one of his best friends with better grades, did not make it.  We decided that Zachary's volunteer work with the Junior Optimists Club and his athletic record must have put him over the top.  I told Zachary he was the first of our family to receive such an honor.
Here you see Zachary and his principal and vice-principal.

When it became apparent that Cody had a talent for math, I began hoping that he would also have a talent for music.  Sure enough, after two months as a 4th grade flute player, he was assigned to Advanced (5th grade) Band. I took a number of pictures of Cody serenading the family, which he agreed to often. Tunes he played included Jingle Bells and Good King Wenceslaus.  No Mozart yet, but he expressed an interest in Mozart which warmed my heart. I took a number of pictures of Cody playing for an admiring mom, an admiring uncle, and an admiring - well at least an amused -  brother.  However, not wanting to upstage his JNHS older brother, I selected a solo photo.

Cody and Mom

Oh, nevermind, here are photos of
Cody and his 'groupies.'

Steven is Whitney son, so he may be Cody's 1st cousin once removed,
rather than his uncle.

Cody and Zachary

The Night of the Haunted Museum

Before every Halloween over the last few years the Art and Archaeology Museum has been converted into a Haunted Museum.  Between 6:00 and 8:30, the night before Halloween, the museum is decorated with cobwebs, stickers, crepe paper and posters to inspire awe, delight and amusement in both young and older visitors. So Saturday evening I grabbed my camera and went to take photos and enjoy a scare or two. My husband decided to come along in case I was attacked by a ghoul.   (Remember to click on any picture you want to enlarge.)

The front doors were festooned to welcome museum visitors.






This young lady handed out the tickets.


 The visitors received tickets for the approximately 20 minute tour through the art gallery upstairs from the ticket lady at right. This was just for organizational purposes.  The tours were free. Tour groups had about 15 visitors each and each group had a spooky name such as Ghosts, Werewolves, Vampires, Mummies and so forth.  While the groups waited their turns to be called upstairs, children could take in the Charlie Brown movie, or go into the Cast Gallery to color pictures, get a tattoo  or admire the snakes.

Happiness is......





Click to get a good look at the snakes and snake skins.





 This pygmy rattlesnake is native to Missouri. Yikes!



Coloring is an absorbing activity
even for a lady bug.

 Up in the Art Gallery many mysterious goings-on were taking place.  The reception desk was manned by the Phantom of the Opera.










Youngsters listened to a Lady Hamilton brag about the many portraits an artist named Romney painted of her.

On our left Cassandra blamed her brother, Paris, for starting the Trojan War, and above an Egyptian spirit waited for her audience.

The little group of four on the right patiently posed for this picture as they came down the stairs from their tour.  They are my neighbors and are used to my chasing after them with my camera.

A Greek naiad with her friend  (at left) and the talking portrait from a Harry Potter movie (at right) helped direct traffic and answer questions.

  This family posed for their picture as I found them discussing the headless statue of Nike, the goddess of victory in the Cast Gallery.  I wonder if we would find the statue so striking if she wasn't headless.  Perhaps without her head we are more aware of the sweep of her wings. 

Darth Vader, with his mom and sister, thought the evening was a great success. 

On our way out the door, I spied this little pixie reading a museum brochure. Her mom assured me that she just loves to read.  Well, I guess so! 

 What a perfect evening.

Rolling Bees Wax Candles

I am not crafty or artistic.  Therefore, three years ago,I offered my services in organizing and spearheading the church bees wax candle making in order to contribute to the annual Christmas Bazaar.  Of course there was much to this project that I had not anticipated.  First, in August, I inventory the candles left over from the year before.  Then I order the sheets of candle wax.  About 200.  Once the wax arrives, I count the order to make sure we received the number and colors ordered.  I have help and advice every step of the way from friends and former organizers. Those church members who have expressed the least little interest in rolling candles are on file in my Outreach Express.  I notify them of the day and times we are rolling.  This year we have alternated weeks.  One week we roll candles on Monday mornings; one week we roll on Wednesday nights. Remember to click on any picture to enlarge it.

Cutting board with cardboard template



Sheet of wax ready to be cut





Wisk is laid on the long edge.



Press the wick into the wax as the wax is rolled.

Rune cuts the wicks off the template.

The candle rolling is simple.  First each sheet of wax is cut in half on the diagonal, in order to make the candle taper, using a cardboard template. Wicks are cut, also using a cardboard template, from a huge roll of white cord.

 One sheet of wax makes two candles.  To roll the candle lay the candle wick on the longest edge of the wax sheet.  Getting started to perhaps the hardest part of this craft.  The long edge of the wax must be pinched around the candle wick. 



Now we're rolling!



Many candles are tied together in two's with pretty ribbon.  Sets of advent candles are bundled together:  three purple, one pink, and one white.



Denise ties the bows.





Sometimes choir boys display their own candle rolling talents.



Summer Retrospective

Summer is certainly over now.  I shouldn't complain about it's passing.  Autumn days have been cool and sunny.  We haven't had rain for two weeks.  After grumbling about rain throughout the summer, why do I regret its passing now?  I need to keep a record of the flowers that flourished and the rejects.

 Don't you just love vinca?  They bloom in all weather, rain or drought.  They love the sun, and bear up well in heat. They are still blooming as of today.  What a joy!

More vinca.  Pink and white. I planted them on either side of the steps leading up to the door.

Another winner is ageratum.  They are in their element in cooler weather, although they manage to survive the heat of summer, too.

Cosmos.  Beautiful, right?  Wrong!  What a fraud!  I planted cosmos in the front garden, thinking they would replace the cone flowers when the cone flowers began to wane in August.  These plants grew to enormous heights (over 5 feet) and flopped over.  Yes, they had some blossoms as you see on the left, but mostly their feathery leaves turned brown, shaded the ageratum border and covered the lawn.  I finally cut them down with grim disgust and put them in the trash.




Spring Pansies

Fall Pansies




I filled planters with scads of pansies in the spring.  I rooted them out in July in favor of the moss rose which thrives in the hot sun and endures both drought and rain.

Now I am pulling out the same moss rose, grown spindly with reduced sunlight and warmth, in favor of the delightful pansies again that flourish in the cool fall. 

Zinnias are hearty summer survivors.  I still have a few that haven't surcomed to rust or fungi; these few are still visited by tardy butterflies.  This picture of zinnias, however, was taken in August, and have since been dispatched with clippers.

Finally, last spring my neighbor gave me two English aster plants.  I put them in the front garden between the cone flowers and the now destroyed cosmos. She advised me that they wouldn't bloom until fall.  They grew long stems and fell over, and I viewed them with suspicion.  They looked like weeds to me.  I looked in vain for flowers or even buds.  September came and went and they continued to look weedy.  This week I ventured outside to see how the ageratum and  zinnias were doing and walla!  There they were, English asters:  a brilliant deep blue, even violet, maybe. Hurray!






The Way Things Go - The Art and Archaeology Museum

Allyson and Blondie

Cathy Callaway of the Education Department at MAA held a family event Saturday afternoon, September 25, inspired by the art film about kinetic sculpture, The Way Things Go. A number of families, including fathers as well as mothers, and children from the very young to pre-teens, came. We assembled in Room 106 of Pickard Hall in an informal atmosphere. Since Blondie, the miniature horse arrived in the parking lot, everyone went out to meet her and Allyson, her handler from Stephens College.  (Click on any picture to enlarge it.)





Tentative hands reach out to pet Blondie.



 
 
 
 
 

Some clients weren't at all sure this was appropriate behavior.

 

Some clients were willing to give it a try.

MAA has a new gallery exhibition on Equine Art that focuses on the human fascination with horses. 
 
Once back inside Pickard Hall, we watch The Way Things Go. This approximately half hour film keeps your attention as you see one
happening leading to another with a cause/effort relationship.  The unwinding of the tie of a trash bag begins the action (similar to falling dominoes) and moves through a rolling tire, exploding fireworks, rivers of soapsuds and clouds of foaming dry ice.  This all take place in what appears to be a warehouse, and should never be tried at home.  One comment I heard overheard was something like, "I wonder how many times they had to film this to get this effect."  The film can also be observed on You Tube.



Birds fly from this mobile.

 


Choices take a lot of concentration.

 Making mobiles was the next activity.  Allisa, an  MU art student had cut out little Picasso figures and new moons and she and Cathy demonstrated how they tied  objects to a wire coat hanger to make the mobile. We had many versions of the mobile.   

Whee!  Look at mine! It matches my dress.



I can see you, too.



Family members work together.

An artist must focus on his work.

This is a serious job.

One can work anywhere - even on the 'stage.'

Even the youngest artist makes her own selections.





Really, this was easy.

Finished!



Even Dad's can do it! (We are an equal opportunity operation.)

 Everyone seemed to go home happy.  Then it was time to clean up.  Cathy and Allisa did most of it.  I hung around for a while. It was nothing but pleasure for me.