Emptyknitster

I was putting out Christmas decorations today and hung up the plate that I always do at this time of year. The plate was given to me by an aunt and is from my father's mother's family. They were German and I wanted to think that it came over from Germany with them in 1852. However, with the luxury of the internet, I found out this evening that it was made by a company in business from 1898 - 1902. The business was called J & C Bavaria. Jaeger started this company with Fritz Thomas but the partnership only lasted a few years. Even if the plate wasn't brought over from the old country by my family, it is still over 100 years old and I love it!

We traveled to North Dakota and had a great Thanksgiving weekend, just doing what we like to do...hanging out with family! We watched football Saturday...Quarterfinals for the Montana Grizzlies.Troy was able to hook everything up so that we could watch in the warmth of their new home. Griz played the South Dakota Jackrabbits. They began down one touchdown, Griz down two touchdowns, Griz down three touchdowns, Griz down four touchdowns, last quarter...... PRICELESS! Griz 61 Jackrabbits 48. Sunday's schedule was a Viking game, son-in-law ended up very happy! Ladies watched the Vikings a little and knit. Kiddos were downstairs watching TV... We ate, played cards, and put a puzzle together. Good times!

This weekend we had a wonderful time in North Dakota at Sarah and Troy's new home. It's lovely and seems to have been made for them, even though that was about 80 years ago. Or perhaps they were made for the house! As we walked in, it was instantly home. Sarah and Troy had a perfectly nice house that they loved. Frankly, I thought that Sarah would never be pried from the old one, that is until they saw this house. Everything literally fell together and they were destined for this new home. It is like their old farm house but bigger, warmer and sturdier. We love it. Over the weekend while we were putting puzzles together, it was easy to imagine we were at my grandmother's home in Boulder Colorado. When I was growing up, my mother shared with me that often on a Sunday afternoon she would have friends over and they would put puzzles together or play board games. Her mother would make peanut butter fudge and pop popcorn for them to eat. Mom would make the same Sunday treat ...

It has come to my attention that there are several family members making requests for knitting on Facebook. Although I am honoring this request for mittens, you need to know that I don't follow facebook and all future requests must come through this blog account in the form of a comment!! Jamestown North Dakota, where the mittens are knit big and the buffalo are gigantic! Pattern: Felted (Fulled) Mittens by Nancy Lindberg Yarn: Nature Spun Charcoal Amount: less than 2 skeins

We had a great few days visiting daughter number one and her little family in North Dakota. I promised her a great recipe for the leftover ham we brought. Here it is darlin': Famous Buckhorn Exchange Bean Soup: 1 lb Great Northern beans 1 oz chicken soup base 1 tsp. granulated garlic 1/2 cup diced onion 1/2 tsp. Season Salt 1 tsp white pepper 3 oz diced ham 1 tsp Liquid Smoke 1/2 gallon water ___________________ 1 0z. corn starch 1/2 cup water Place first grouping of ingredients in a large pot, cover and place in 200 degree oven for 8 hours. When beans are tender, remove from oven, place on stovetop and bring to boil. Add starch and water to thicken and let simmer for 15 minutes. The Buckhorn, Denver Colorado.

It was a very quiet Thanksgiving for me this year. Hubby was working and we won't see family until tomorrow. Can't wait to see them but I was thankful for a quiet day, only a few dirty dishes and lots of knitting time. (With Hubby's career one learns that when given lemons you make lemonade!) I was thinking about a particular Thanksgiving not so many years ago. All the family was in attendance including nephew John and Gramma Maida. We had just finished a great meal and were relaxing around the dining room table when I looked up over Gramma's shoulder, into the kitchen. There was Baby Kitty on the kitchen counter with her entire head in the tail end of the turkey carcass! I was shocked and a gasp escaped my lips. Gramma was in her 90's but her hearing was as good as the day she was born and she immediately wanted to know what was going on. She never did quite catch on. The rest of the family was quick enough to look at me and follow my gaze into the kitchen. Our ey...

Last Friday there was a friendly wager made between two friends. Tim and I agreed that the losing fan would wear a tattoo of the winning team. Thankfully, I didn't have to wear the bobcat tattoo! By the end of the day Tim and Monte were becoming fast friends. Monte even gave Tim a pointer or two about betting on the game of football - NEVER bet against the Griz!