pumpkin cheesecake

happy thanksgiving to you'all! above is my contribution to my neighbor's dinner we're attending this afternoon. i used an old stencil i had been given @ a food show but had not used . . . sprinkled powdered sugar & then lifted ever so carefully . . . phewwwwww - it came out great. it features a beautiful little chalet surrounded w/pine trees & mountains. i did practice a few times on the back side of a glass pie plate, lol! the top of this carrying case has a clear plastic window & showcases the stencil so nicely, however, those of you that know & love me know what a clutz i can be . . . right after taking the photo above my camera wrist sling got caught on the pull of my spice drawer & the camera landed on the tile floor from about a waist hight drop . . . i was going to take a photo of the stencil & the cheesecake in the carrier showing the window, etc. but wasn't able to once the camera broke . . . so far haven't been able to fix it . . . so if i don't blog for while you know why :O (

tulips & april cornell table cloth

i recently reconnected w/an old friend & helped her w/a tag sale a couple of days - she arrived for a visit with a gift of beautiful tulips! the tulips matched my april cornell table cloth that just happened to be on the kitchen table at the time - i couldn't help but take a photo - the tulips opened beautifully overnight . . . it sad they last just a few days . . . :O(

space shuttle launch from my back yard @ night

from the back yard you've all seen lots of videos shot during the day, however, this video is of a night shuttle launch @ NASA as viewed from the back yard. . . they are the most beautiful. my video shows several objects w/light - the one on the left is the moon w/palms blowing over it. . . but it's stationary, the one on the right is the shuttle & obviously moves, however, the moon does get blocked sometimes w/clouds & towards the end you'all will see a third light which is the fuel tank falling back towards it's final destination . . . a plung into the atlantic. the portion of the video that shows the shuttle is short as it was partly cloudy & it went behind the clouds w/in 1 minutes or so of take off . . . . another time i'll video a day launch. obviously, we live due east of NASA approximately 50 miles, however, w/the flat landscape residents inland also feel as if they're part of all the excitement a launch brings to the area . . a day launch is beautiful w/great smoke clouds that can't be seen @ night . . . but i still wanted to capture what i could tonight & share it w/you'all.

when the shuttle come home it travels right over central florida and we all hear the sonic booms - it's similar to the loudest car back fire you've ever heard multiplied a zillion times - you can feel it & hear it - a sonic boom is the sound the shuttle makes as it re-enters the atmosphere & it just happens they re-enter over central florida as the shuttle lines up to land @ NASA . . . it's really cool to experience it all . . . enjoy :O)

halloween sunset @ front yard

join me while i do a sound check in my front yard & visit my neighbor's front porch . . . every halloween i take my 90's boom box & play a halloween cd i've have for years . . . i open the front middle window & blast it way up high & set on repeat . . . i live @ end of a circle & it really does carry up/down the street . . . i was informed this year by a very serious sounding young man that "i have the best sound effects in the whole neighborhood" . . he made my night :O ) . . . . once traffic picked up several of us just stood outside w/the candy as when you answered the door it was obvious there were more soon to follow . . . very busy year & a definite local baby boom . . . didn't get photos as i felt the parents might not approve, etc. . . but trust me there was lots of them & we're SO cute . . . i take you from the front of my house to a view down the street showing the sunset, to my neighbor's front porch w/features their hard work earlier in the day . . . their pumpkins were all hand carved . . the treats shown @ the end are the "special" bags i prepare for the neighbor's kids that live directly next & across from me . . . i also make cookies to give to the parents as i think they should get something as well . . . this year it was fresh baked chocolate chip cookes . . . here's a tip for those who love home made cookies but want to bake only a small amount . . . i'll freeze the cookie batter so i can slice & bake whenever i want some cookies - just like the frozen cookie rolls in the grocery store. . . put a small amount into the snack size zip lock bags & toss into the freezer & use w/in month . . we only need a 1/2 dozen @ time so it works great for small/single families . . . hope you'all enjoyed your halloween as well :O )