Around the House

Thanksgiving was great in our new home in Grand Haven. It was just the two of us. Adam and Steph spent T-giving in Boston. I made three new recipes - home style meatless loaf, green beans and rolls. Probably not the best of ideas but I had a great time chopping and Jack was a big help. He did the green bean prep and kept up with the clean-up. We started the day with squash bread loaves. Those are not full size bread loaves. They are mini loaves. Two are in the freezer for future breakfasts. OK it was four new recipes. Squash loaves excellent - will come back again.

Table with the center piece I didn't know I needed until Dale at the local garden shop sent out an email saying they had center pieces.

Meatless loaf comes together.

Loaf recipe - excellent and a keeper.

Green bean casserole - not so good won't come back again. It wasn't Jack's help that didn't work. Just not the best.

Biscuits ready to go in the oven. They were wonderful. Nice and flaky, they will make a comeback.

Jack and I agree this is my best gravy ever.

Rounding it out, garlic smashed potatoes - no recipe needed. And of course, Jack's jellied cranberry sauce from the can - he won't eat fresh.

Thanksgiving evening we went out for a walk. It was in the low 60s. On Friday morning we had snow showers. Michigan, got to love it.

 Our Halloween/Thanksgiving decorations. Jack got the shovel ready a bit early.

Decorations as critter food.

Christmas decoration. We don't do a tree or anything. So this is it with a poinsettia for the house when the center piece dies.

New living room clock.

And we have a new Spike. I spotted him in the greenhouse when we bought the center piece. My plan was no house plants as we're travelling a lot now and didn't want to pay someone to take care of plants. But Spike 2 can live without water for a long time so no problem. Original Spike we got before Adam was born and gave him away when we moved from Illinois. He was about the same height as Spike 2 when we got him. He needed to be cut off twice as he hit the ceiling. We have nine foot ceilings here so Spike 2 will not need to be cut in our lifetime.

Happening Around Town

I've been busy with work since returning from our Dearborn trip. But we have had some fun around town. Jack helped out in the kitchen. He made tomatillo salsa twice and processed his horseradish. It was a small batch this year.

Then I used it in a variety of dishes. There is a Mexican market in Holland so I'll never be without tomatillos, peppers and beans.

Horseradish.

Gourd totem pole.

The Board of Power and Light had an open house at the diesel plant. I don't know what the workers get paid but it probably isn't enough. When they fired up just one it was deafening and the heat must really be something.

Really big tools.

On a nice warm day, we went to Kirk Park. Very pretty and off season very quiet.

Jack on bench.

Well that's what we've been up to. Now I'm back to work. Lots of indexing to be done!

Dearborn Road Trip

At  the end of September we took a four day trip across Michigan to Dearborn and back. First I must say the Michigan is a beautiful state. And in Fall it is the best place. The leaves were changing so each new mile brought beautiful new views into sight.  We took the northern route to Dearborn and the southern route on the way back - no expressways. It was wonderful. Jack has been doing a good job of supplying car pictures on his blog but the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village is so much more than cars.

There is a room full of timepieces.

Lots of planes.

There is lots of history.

Me in the same seat as Rosa Parks and Barack Obama. When I saw the picture of BO in the seat I assumed it was because he was president that he got to get on the bus. But no, anyone can.

Sewing machines all lined up.

A space saving sewing machine where the seat fits into the cabinet.

I've seen sewing machines but never one like this.

When Adam was young, no trip to a museum was complete until the MOLD-A-RAMA was visited.

Jack as farmer.

Jack as train engineer.

Needlecrafts - fun!

I want one of these.

I like my time spent in the kitchen. This one is a bit too primitive for me. But I like the spinning wheel.

I could probably work in this one.

About to get on the train.

Lunch time!

All good.

I think this explains itself.

Working farm kitchen.

Edison's lab.

Greenfield Village is very pretty.

Well there is lots more but you get the idea. It is well worth the trip. Our last night in Dearborn we ate at a wonderful local establishment with very good food.

On the way home we spent a night in Battle Creek and then went to the Gilmore Car Museum first thing in the morning. After Henry Ford, I wasn't expecting to be too excited. How could that be topped? Well the Gilmore is an amazing place. It is huge and has cars and makes I have never heard of ever. It has an expansive grounds and I'll say it again, it is amazing. I hadn't thought about cars as works of art before but I'm convinced. I don't think we do it anymore but there have been some great looking cars over time. Jack's been sharing car picks but I'll include a few here.

Hood ornaments.

Toy cars.

Taxis.

Wow.

All in all, a very great trip. On the way to and back we stopped in little towns for lunch and checked out a couple antiques stores. Michigan is great.

I'm sure Adam and Steph took great care of Sugar and she likes them. But Jack is her favorite human so he had to be greeted extra special upon our return.