In Case You Were Wondering...

The Artful Hawaiigirl is back!

 

It has been a month since I've posted

a word here so I'm starting with a visual

of what I have been up to. You might say

I took a Blog vacation. There have been

many stories in my head but blog block

had cast a spell on me. Not for long...

I left Maui in mid-October just as the

leaves were turning in California.

 Halloween came and went as I baked

festive cookies for the occasion!

 
Friends visited me in the mountains
of California to hike, cook breakfast,
share stories and I taught some how
to paint on tees in the watercolor
style.

 

With my mother-in-law in tow we
journeyed through the mountains
awed by the beauty of pine trees,
sage brush, fall color and astonished
at how cold it gets here at 5,800 ft.
above sea level.

My hubby primed and painted the
front of my house with the welcome
approval of my mom and sis.
 We visited local antique stores and
thrift shops to find treasures like
dishes by Mikasa and a Minnie Mouse
hat for Pam.

I have filled orders for t-shirts and
designed a special shirt for Cindy
Papale who wrote My Empty Cup
Runneth Over. We will be marketing
"Cindy's Butterflies and Roses"
together.

There was a fabulous high school reunion
near Universal City which was a pot luck
Christmas Ornament Exchange. So Fun!
Memories were made and I photographed
everything.

Every night and day my Mother-in-law
can only say "So cold!" And with good
reason. Last night the thermometer
dipped to 27 degrees. We run a little
water to keep the pipes from freezing.
 But it is cozy inside our big beautiful
home and it is so wonderful to be with
my family after one year never leaving
Maui.
 Now preparing for Thanksgiving in California,
I have baked pies, banana breads, cookies,
home-made pizza, made stews, chicken soups,
roasted red pepper soup that was divine and
was too pre-occupied to photograph it all while
I am taking care of 5 family members.
Some of you will say big deal but for me
it gets a bit overwhelming.

 

Yesterday I was Queen for a day!
My mom made breakfast, lunch and dinner
and said I wasn't to do any housework.
Meanwhile I was busy writing an appeal
for a referral that she was denied for a
medical specialist for the third time in
three years. So I am becoming a patient
advocate.
  It's busy here in the mountains though
we rarely leave the house. There is much
to be done. Lists to make, check them
twice, dreams to dream, beautiful fires
in the fireplace, books to read and review,
packages to be sent and friends to catch
up with. Haven't tweeted lately except
when I get down the hill to cell phone
service available from my iPhone. Then
I just post my pics to twitpic.
  So, I miss you all and will get back
to you soon with a month full of stories.

Have you thought about your life lately?
Are you thankful? What are you thankful for?

Aloha friends,

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

I'll be posting all the preparation of our Thanksgiving dinner starting the night before with my Portuguese Vinha De Alhos (Vinga-Doyzh) Turkey, American style turkey on Thanksgiving Day, (with stuffing, of course), Pumpkin pie cheesecake, stuffing with apples, walnuts, sausage, sage and raisins, gravy, homemade cranberry sauce, apple pie with crumb topping in other words

The Works!

Can't wait!

Then it's back to Maui just in time for the Christmas season.

Aloha
The Artful Hawaiigirl

http://www.amaryllisofhawaii.com/