WHEN GRANDPA BOB IS AWAY HUNTING

Each year, for the past 29 years that we have been married, my husband takes up residency in his hunting cabin about 45 minutes away.  He use to stay for 6 weeks but now it is only a total of 4 weeks.  This escape from civilization begins the week prior to buck gun season.  He is a dedicated hunter.  He does come home for Thanksgiving dinner and then once a week to re-stock on food and wash his clothes.

The hunting season becomes my time to create the holiday home for our family. I make lots and lots of lists to begin with.  I am a micro manager of myself with lists.
I decorate the house, upstairs and down, as well as outside.  This year I had some assistance from 2 grandsons with stringing lights in the bushes and creating their North Pole in the woods.thanksgiving, christmas decoratinghunting season, christmas 2015, christmas lightsthanksgiving-fun-with-the-familychristmas decoartingchristmas decorating, hunting season

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FESTIVAL OF CHRISTMAS TREES

christmas trees, blennerhassett hotelThe Festival of Trees is an event held in our town to celebrate the Christmas season.  The trees and wreaths are decorated by people in the community and sponsored by different agencies.  They  are not only beautiful, but for a good cause.  They are on display for a few weeks and then there is an auction.  The proceeds go to the Easter Seals of West Virginia.

A friend and I went to see the festival of trees and then went out to lunch last week.  We are now planning on making this an annual get together.

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CHRISTMAS SHOPPING IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS

I always enjoy being a part of the Christmas shopping hustle and bustle but things seemed to have changed over the years.

I can remember going Christmas shopping with my mother and grandmother from the time I was a small girl.  We always shopped in our downtown.  There seemed to be so many stores to me.  I can still feel the chill of the cold air as we darted in and out of each store.  The snow was blowing in our face, Christmas music was playing over loud speakers on the street corners, and there were happy people every place. 
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MASCARPONE FILLED BREAKFAST ROLLS FOR 2

A delicious, easy brunch recipe. Refrigerated biscuits stuffed with mascarpone cheese, rolled in butter-cinnamon-sugar. Sprinkled with cranberries and nuts. Drizzled with a rich icing.

 

 

 

 

 

Mascarpone Filled Cranberry Walnut Rolls for 2..a delicious, easy brunch recipe. Refrigerated biscuits stuffed with mascarpone cheese, rolled in butter-cinnamon-sugar. Sprinkled with cranberries and nuts. Drizzled with a rich icing.

In 2008 I was chosen as a finalist for the 43rd Pillsbury Bake-off Contest.  I cannot even express how exciting this was and what an unforgettable experience. My recipe was Mascarpone-Filled Cranberry Walnut Rolls.

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THANKSGIVING FUN WITH THE FAMILY 2015

This year my North Carolina family was able to come to our house for a few days over Thanksgiving.   My husband came home from his deer camp for the day.  We had the traditional Thanksgiving dinner  followed by a lot of activities.

The weather was very nice so I took the opportunity to do some outside Christmas decorating on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  The boys (age 3 and 6) wanted to help me.  We needed to take down the fall decorations first so that kept them busy for a while.  The 3 year old wanted to get it done quickly, so he decided that he could do it by himself.thanksgiving, fall decorationsfall decorations, thanksgivingfall decorations, thanksgiving
 Whoops!!! They were a little heavy.
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