News from the Nest, November 15
Happy Day, friends!
Last week at this time I shared with you that I was in Savannah with three of the four members of my blog Mastermind group. I started meeting with these four ladies over a year ago and we still meet weekly via zoom. We are all women who have had successful careers and raised wonderful families (one of us still has her nestlings at home) but decided a few years to become our own boss. Our blogs have given us the creative outlet and career that allows us to be our own boss, yet also be there for our families as needed.
But (and this is a big BUT) without each of you, reading and commenting on my musings on a weekly basis, I wouldn’t be able to (nor would I want to) continue this wee job of mine.
So, one week before our Thanksgiving, I want to take a minute and thank each of you for your support that allows me this career that I truly love. I wake up each morning excited to make and do and share with each of you.
And I’m thankful for my blog mastermind group that encourages and motivates me. Our group is not only filled with charming and supportive personalities, but we each bring strengths to the group and want to share what we’ve learned. One of our members, Chellie, is a talented photographer and shared her wisdom with us. The picture below is of Kathleen and I putting our lessons to use (and no…I am not taking a photo of Kathleen’s ankles!)
I’d love to introduce you to my blog friends! Kathleen shares her healthy kitchen fare at The Fresh Cooky; Chellie creates great food and takes lovely photos while wrangling four children at Art From My Table; Sheila, our cookbook author and group leader, whips up delicious, yet do-able dishes to be shared around the dinner table at Life, Love and Good Food; and Nikki shares her delicious recipes with Southern roots on her blog, Soulfully Made.
- NEW RECIPE ALERT! If your home will swell next week with the arrival of family and friends, you’ll want to make this Apple Cider Doughnut Bundt Cake to have at the ready. And just to save you the research trouble, it is equally delicious for both breakfast and dessert! Who knew?!
- You still have time to make this Turkey Stock! From my site traffic report, it seems that many of you are looking to make this recipe, which is the most important ingredient for the very best turkey gravy.
- Don’t forget to print off these Thanksgiving-themed Tags to attach to wine bottles for hostess/host gifts.
- And speaking of gifts, one of the best holiday traditions is the sharing of gifts from the kitchen! Check out these Homemade Food Gift Ideas.
- With a mom and a grandma who were kitchen pros, I guess it is not surprising that my brother loves to cook as much as I do, if not more! If you also have a guy who enjoys to spend time in the kitchen, you might benefit from the list of Gift Ideas for Foodie Guys
- If you haven’t started already, it’s time to start planning for Christmas. Having a plan will help reduce the stress that often accompanies the holiday. Check out these tips and print off the 2021 Holiday Planner.
- You have still have time for a few knit gifts! Honestly, these knit stockings work up so very quickly given the bulky yarn. You could easily start and finish one in one day. And, knit washcloths are ALWAYS a welcome gift, especially when paired with a lovely bar of soap or bubble bath.
- And don’t forget about these Free Christmas Knitting Patterns.
- One of my good friends is so very organized, especially as it relates to her recipes. Each time she makes a recipe, she notes in the margin when she made it and if she made any changes to the recipe. It reads a bit like a diary of the important events in the life of her family and helps her keep track of her favorite recipes and any tweaks to it.
Well, my friends, I am going to work hard for the next two days before we head off to Cleveland for a wedding! I have so many great recipes and crafts in the queue to share with you over the next few weeks!
Enjoy the week, take care of yourselves and those you love!
Hugs,
Don’t know how I came upon your weekly start to the week….but I am so grateful’ love your knitting patterns and cheerful outlook. Will buy apples and make your cider Bundt cake. Safe travel
Aw, thanks so much Barbs! You know, I really do love this wee job of mine and like I said, it wouldn’t be nearly as fun with out wonderful, engaged readers like you! I guess I’m cheerful because I have every reason to be!
I sure hope you enjoy that bundt cake! I’m excited not only for my kids to be home, but so that I can cut into the cake and other goodies I’ve been squirrelling away!
Have a wonderful week and thanks for writing in.
Hugs, Lynn
Oh Lynn, what a fun and sweet post! You are the best, and to hug you in person was an honor! I’ve been wanting to make that Apple Cider Donut cake, now I need too and I have that same cookbook and love how she’s used it as a diary, I do similar, but don’t put dates, love that idea!
Hugs to you, my friend.
Lynn, I have to tell you the story of my favorite cookbook, given to me at my wedding at age 20 in 1969! My aunt, who everyone says I’m very much like, gave it to me. I used it for decades and knew I could always find a recipe that was straight forward without a hundred ingredients. So when it began to fall apart, my husband and I taped it together until even that didn’t hold. I tried everywhere to get it rebound but I couldn’t find a book binder to do it. My lovely son took it to Seattle and found a place to rebind and refurbish the book! He gave it to me on my birthday this year. The book has never been reprinted to my knowledge but I am so thankful to have it intact again. You can bet I’ll be checking out the critical recipes for thanksgiving in the book. By the way, it’s the American Home Cookbook.
Penny,
That is one of the best stories and clearly one of the very best Birthday Gifts ever! A lovely son, indeed! I am not familiar with the cookbook and did just try to find it , but as you said, it doesn’t seem to be in print. I did find reference to one published in 1966…author was Habeeb. Is that the one? What a treasure for you.
Did you say you moved to NC or did I imagine that?
Thanks for sharing that lovely story and best wishes for a wonderful, family-filled Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Hugs, Lynn
Thank you Lynn! You have a beautiful and informative blog – full of so much seasonal info that helps me keep in the season.
You are so very welcome Deborah! And thank you for taking the time to leave that kind comment. You just don’t know how much words like yours mean to me. I do love this little job…but knowing that folks like you are on the other end of my musings and find some of it useful is the fuel I need. So, thank you again!