Let’s start with a dolly picture right off the bat…Dorothy in PA sent me this picture… and said…
“Emily Louise (Emilou) is so happy that she has the winning dress. She has repeated this several times to her sisters.” (I LOVE THAT!) :o)
She is a Gotz Happy Kidz doll.
We had a big lunch today for New Years as Kristoffer and Rebecca were BOTH off! I cooked most of yesterday trying to get things done so I didn’t have to do everything today… My hubby gave me his wish list of what he wanted and we compromised a little bit… We had a nice lunch with pork tenderloin, green beans with bacon and baby potatoes, green bean casserole, hash brown cheesy potatoes, sauerkraut salad, cauliflower casserole, garlic toast, fresh apple cake and ice cream. Needless to say, I WON’T be weighing tomorrow! :o( I wasn’t very good today… The new year/new me starts tomorrow! :o)
Kristoffer snapped this picture of the table with his phone… his dog Aspen is photobombing the picture.
2 days ago my hubby and I raked gumballs!! UGH is all I can say… 4 hours of work…and blisters (even through gloves) and freezing cold fingers and toes. But it was supposed to rain so we had to get it done…
If you happen to have a Sweet Gum tree, you know the pain of getting all those gumballs raked up and taken care of. We should have done this a week ago, but noooo…we had to wait until it was a wind chill of 32 degrees to do it. It was FREEZING out there!
The Sweet Gum tree is mammoth and the wind generally blows them over and under the Magnolia tree.
The yard was covered with them, so we go to the perimeter of the yard where the gumballs begin to taper off and start raking them in toward the Magnolia tree.
Most of the pictures will enlarge if you click on them.
It’s easier to use the corn shovel and have the trunk of the tree to push it against and scoop them up into double bushel buckets…
Here is a close up of the gumballs…the little prickly things hurt if you step on them in your bare feet or try to get them out of the bushes with your fingers.
We ended up hauling 24 bushels of packed down gumballs, leaves and pods from the Magnolia…
The tree is still covered with them, but at least for now… we hauled off quite a few…
We hauled them to the back of our property and will burn them the next time the wind isn’t blowing.
Ahhhh…. all done!
I certainly got my steps in that day…15,307!!! Pictures by ME and Reuben was the SUPERVISOR!
Okay…now back to that voting I was telling you about… Since Kristoffer was here today, I asked him and his dad if they would come and look at some doll dresses on the computer and vote on their favorite for the 2020 year. They didn’t know what was in store for them. I handed them each a pen and a notepad and told them I was going to show them some dresses and wanted to see what a guy’s perspective was on them…
So I made the screen bigger on my computer so they could see them pretty easily and started rolling them down… calling out the names of them and telling them a few tidbits about the dresses and the dolls. Well, I got about down to five and Kristoffer says, “How many of these do we have to look at?” I just said a few more… Then there was lots of laughing going on behind my back…and my hubby said, “You don’t want to know what we’re doing back here.” I can only guess. I’m sure there was some gagging with their fingers in their mouths!
They were pretty tolerant and made it through the list with lots of laughing…wondering why some of the dolls looked like they were so sad or had just swallowed a pickle or had lost their dog… Kristoffer made his choices pretty quickly but my hubby narrowed his down to 5 and then had to look at them again to decide on his top three.
Anyway, I thought I’d share their choices with you…
Kristoffer picked Nyssa in “School Girl Charm” as his #3.
He picked Ten Ping in “No Easter Parade” as his #2.
And his #1 pick was “Spring Egg Roll.” (He meant Emmie in Springtime Delight!”
My hubby had similar choices…
He picked Noel in “Winter Delight” as his #3 choice.
He picked Ten Ping in “No Easter Parade” as his #2 choice.
…and his #1 choice was Nyssa in “School Girl Charm.”
I just thought it was fun to get a guys perspective…
Now, I’ve been working on my choices and will share them on Monday… I voted for the ones I wanted before you all did, but I’ve been asking myself a few other questions and wanted to answer them and share my thoughts. It’s REALLY HARD! REALLY HARD! That’s why I don’t have all my “data” finished yet… but I will Monday!
Have a wonderful first weekend in 2021 and I’ll see you soon,
Blessings, Jeanne
How nice to see the winning outfit on the auction winner’s doll! Congratulations, Emilou–you have good taste!!
Oh, my, Jeanne, all your food sounds and looks just wonderful!! How nice that both kids could be home for a meal with you and George.
But those “gumballs”…!! Well, I’m just glad that sweet gum trees don’t grow out here in the Seattle area! It looks like a real PAIN to get them all taken care of!! (And out here, we’re not allowed to burn anything outside unless it’s a charcoal grill.)
Oh, yes, guys just have a whole different perspective on dolls and doll clothes, don’t they? When I was taking pictures of my girls in their Christmas outfits, my husband was wondering why (and also where I got all those dolls!! Ha ha ha!!!!).
Oops, time for me to get to bed. I have to go to church and practice tomorrow, because it looks like I’m playing for church on Sunday!!
Happy New Year, Jeanne! Yes, I know it is January 2nd now, but anyway, it looks like you had a nice day to start out the year with your family! Good food and good company equals good times!
Sweet gum balls are the worst! We had a Sweet Gum tree in our front yard, along the street, but had it cut down before it became too much of a nusiance, although we did have the dang balls to rake up for a short time. The also fell in the street, and then we would have to sweep the street too or have cars run over them, flattening them, and then they were stuck to the pavement! Down that tree went, but was only maybe 10 years old. There are some places around here where planting them is banned, and I can see why! Boy, you must have been really cold that day! It has been really cold around here, and then yesterday with all the ice covering the trees! Beautiful, but dangerous!
Ahh, the men and their picks! They did a good job, although I’m sure they wanted to be elsewhere!
Wait a minute! Nyssa was my choice, too, for #1! I’m with the guys! Molly’s School Girl dress and Barely Beige rounded out my choices, so I guess I just confirmed my eccentricity. A Ten Ping came in 4th.
All of your food looks delicious. Glad you agree with getting a head start on it. Decades ago I thought everything had to be done the “day of.” Food really does eventually appear on my tables. Thanks for sharing the fun with us.
I forgot to mention Dorothy’s beautiful doll pictured with the books about her era. Congratulations on winning the dress for her. I do remember those awful gum balls.
Happy New Year 2021.
I’m glad that the beautiful Elizabeth won, I also have her among my girls. Please sew for her this year. I wish you luck.
About sweet gum trees….we have way too many on our 3/4 acre lot! We took all the pines out and the sweet gums flourished! They drop the balls and tons of leaves every year. However, they are one of the few trees that have fall color here on the GA coast, but small compensation for the mess. The only good thing about the balls is that you can spray them with silver paint and make ornaments or even wreaths from them. The wreaths make nice Christmas gifts, so maybe you will try that next year?
hugs,
Sissy
This is definitely making lemonade out of lemons. What a great idea! But I imagine a little hard on the fingers.
Wow! That is a lot of gum balls. We have a few trees in the back of our complex but the lawn men take care of them. I was thinking they would be a windfall for somebody that makes pinecone wreaths. Or as Sissy said a wreath made entirely of the gum balls.
Happy (Belated) New Year and your feast looks amazing. I should have came to your house for dinner. lol.
Dorothy’s Emilou is adorable. Great pose with the accompanying era books too.
Looks like that New Year lunch will be enough so you won’t have to cook today. I would say Yay!
Now, my titrate on liquid amber (Liquidambar) trees. Let’s call them by the correct name although they are called Sweet Gum, that is a nickname. There is nothing sweet about them except the resin they produce. When the bark is peeled, a pleasant tasting (I’ve never tried it) resin/sap is produced that was formerly used commercially in soap, adhesives, and drugs. That said, they are pretty in the fall if they are a variety (there are many) that turn color, but the annoying pods/seeds and leaves that fall for months in certain climates like ours, make them not a tree one would want anywhere near a home. They clog sewer lines and leach lines and are nearly impossible to kill. They develop new growth/trees along their shallow roots as well and also drop hazardous branches making them a horrible tree choice for anywhere near a residence. We have three at our other residential lot size home that I would love to have disappear. The neighbors hate them as well. We’ve had several removed already there, but other person likes them. I have no idea why. Any thoughts on removing your tree to eliminate the horrid seed pods? Perhaps planting a new different tree might be an incentive? And, just wondering if using a leaf blower vacuum might be easier to pick up the pods when you have raked them all into piles? I see folks around here using the vacs all of the time. I also see Reuben there in a photo. I understand that those pods are very bad for dogs to step on. Can cause paw injuries. 🙁 Okay, I’m done. Now, I need suggestions as to how to convince other person to change his mind about removing the annoying trees we own. TIMBER!
We are getting some sprinkles today. 🙂 We are so far behind on rain here though, this really won’t make much of a difference in our drought situation. But, we may get a little snow in the sierra which would be appreciated. 🙂
Rose wanted to know if you could eat the gum balls before she saw a picture of them. :). And she and Marion think your dogs are cute. 🙂
It was fun to read your description of the guys going through the dolls and their dresses. hehe. Happy New Year!
Oh Dorothy your Emilou looks so beautiful in her Jeanne Marie creation. I love the Gotz dolls. I don’t have any so I live vicariously through those who do.
Jeanne you do create delicious meals. Just looking at the pictures makes my mouth water. And how great everyone was available to partake. I totally understand how you can have mixed feelings about your mother’s death. So sad at the loss but thankful she didn’t have to go through COVID isolation. My mother lived with my sister for the last eight years of her life and for the past few months I’ve often thought about how she would have had family around her throughout, but I hear of too many giving up in despair. Way too much collateral damage in all this.
We had a couple days of pretty bad rain here and I discovered my sewing room still leaks. So frustrating because we think its fixed but can’t know for sure until it rains again. A new roof is not in our imminent future unless we should have a very windy hurricane. The new driveway is still a possibility but it depends on things up in the air.
I will definitely let everyone know the plans for David’s stent. He will probably find out Monday. We managed to make it to 74 before we really started needing repair jobs, but I imagine there will be more stuff on the way. Our fondue dinner yesterday was a lot of fun and I have enough cut up meat left for stir fry or I could add the chicken to fried rice.
It was so good to see Emilou in her winning ensemble, Dorothy. I too noticed the Pride and Prejudice related reading material you used as a backdrop. I examined the picture to see how many I had read. I got some titles I am going to look for so I can read them. Thank you!
Those gum balls look wicked! I wonder if historically they were ever used as caltrops around defensive fortifications? Caltrops were usually pyramid shaped so that however they landed they were always pointed side up. They were made of iron or similar and scattered outside a defended position so men and beasts could not approach by stealth. Anything stepping on one would be sorry! Sounds like a job description for those gum balls!
Dear Julia, we are big fans of Jane Austen in this house. Before I moved a few years back, I was part of a Jane Austen club in the town where I lived.
In 2020, I watched a series of programs called Staying Home With Jane Austen. They were made available through the Jane Austen Summer Program. They are free online. Here is the link for you:
https://www.janeaustensummer.org/staying-home-with-jane-austen
How lovely to see the winning dress on Dorothy’s sweet Emilou. Always neat when a sofa sister wins the dress. I see she is surrounded with all of Jane Austin’s novels, very appropriate.
I actually like sweet gum tress. Our neighbor has one and I pick up a number of the balls each year to spray silver and gold for my Christmas decor., just like Sissy commented. They put a tarp under the tree before the gum balls fall and have an easy time cleaning them up. The leaves turn a beautiful mottling of colors. I know you can also use a nut gatherer.as people do to harvest walnuts, pecans etc.
Kristoffer’s and George’s response is probably pretty typical. It’s interesting that they choose smaller dolls and not an AG among them. Looking forward to your perspective, Jeanne. Your vote counts the most as you were the creator of each gorgeous dress.
Jeanne you food looks great lovely to have your family for the day. It was interesting to see the guys take on the doll outfits.
That tree sounds a nightmare. I have never heard of it but will make sure I never plant it if I see one! Many years ago our next door neighbours had a tree that was nearly as annoying. I have no idea what it was called, I just heard it called the Kapok tree, might give you some idea of what it was like. In the spring it produced small catkins, half of which fell and covered the ground. Later the catkins left on the tree turned into fluff that was ankle deep in our driveway (obviously where it got its nickname) In the autumn it lost its leaves, then in early spring seedlings sprouted everywhere which had to be weeded out and then the catkins again!
I have what we call a cabbage tree but you probably know as cordyline (a NZ native). I had three but two were right under the bedroom windows which probably helped to keep the sun out a bit but made a horrible mess of the walls of the house. I kept one as it looks ok but the leaves are a nightmare. They don’t rot, can’t be composted and have to be picked up constantly. Just because a tree is evergreen doesn’t mean it doesn’t shed leaves!!! (just a by-the-way, all New Zealand native trees and shrubs are evergreen). The ‘flower head’ when it comes in spring smells like someone urinated outside my front door and makes me cough. Why do I keep it? Well the shape outside my front door pleases me, is that a good enough reason to cancel out the negatives? lol
Joy, our whole country had drought conditions all through last summer and the winter, the rain in some places has now all come at once right at the beginning of the summer holidays. Roads and bridges have been washed away down south and in the north and holidaymakers are struggling to get home. Not so good for those on holidays but Northland farmers are delighted, they haven’t had rain for months, Auckland has been on water restrictions for a long time so they are probably pleased too, so long as they weren’t in a camp ground! We just had drizzle all day. Hope it stays away today we have a cricket test match here in Christchurch for the next 5 days and we will need everyone of those days if we are to win. Unfortunately Cricket NZ sold the TV rights to a different company than the one I subscribe to so can’t watch it now, have to listen to it on my phone. I don’t think my budget will stretch to another provider!
Very interesting about the Kapok tree. Never heard of that one, but definitely don’t want one. I’ll have to look up the cordyline/cabbage tree, but probably don’t want that one either. 🙂 We do have a Catalpa which is also messy, but nothing like the dreaded Liquid Amber.
Sorry about your late rain, but then it sounds like some are appreciative. Bummer on the Cricket match.
Your Kapok tree sounds sort of like our cottonwood trees here in the US, Anne. We don’t have one, but we did have a madrona, which shed some of its leaves all year around, never all at once!! It’s gone now…..
I’ve seen gum balls here but they don’t seem common. They must have some virtue, but I don’t know what, so — surprise — I looked it up:
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is one of the most important commercial hardwoods in the Southeastern United States.[23] Its wood is bright reddish brown (with the sapwood nearly white) and may have black grain in the heartwood; it is heavy, straight, satiny, and close-grained, but not strong. It takes a beautiful polish, but warps badly in drying. The wood has a specific gravity of 0.5910. It is too liable to decay for outdoor use.[11]
In the carpentry industry, the timber is referred to as satin walnut[12] and is one of the most important materials for plywood manufacturers. It is used for furniture, interior trim, railroad ties, cigar boxes, crates, flooring, barrels, woodenware, and wood pulp.[24] It is also used for veneer for plywood. The wood is very compact and fine-grained, the heartwood being reddish, and, when cut into planks, marked transversely with blackish belts. Sweetgum is used principally for lumber, veneer, plywood, slack cooperage, fuel, and pulpwood. The lumber is made into boxes and crates, furniture, cabinets for radios, televisions, and phonographs, interior trim, and millwork. The veneer and plywood, (typically backed with some other kind of wood which shrinks and warps less) are used for boxes, pallets, crates, baskets, and interior woodwork. It was formerly used in the interior finish of railroad sleeping cars. Being readily dyed black, it is sometimes substituted for ebony for such uses as inexpensive picture frames.[11][25] The wood is also used to make chopsticks for the East Asian market, as it has a naturally light color with appeal to certain segments of the Asian market.[26]
It’s a beautiful tree, valued as ornamental, and I suppose with all those seed pods it is in no danger of disappearing. In terms of conservation, it is in the “least threatened” category.
Perfect end to the Liquid Amber trees here. Pallets. 🙂 Thanks for the info.
Hi Jeanne
It’s so nice to see this years winning outfit on Dorothy’s Emilou, she’s a very pretty girl. Thanks for sharing, it’s fun to see which dolls are in everyone’s collection. I’m not familiar with Happy kids but Dorothy’s girl is super cute.
Jeanne, your menu for New Years Day looked and sounded delicious… It’s almost like going out for a smorgasbord only better! Homemade yum!
Your fight with gumballs is an on going affair isn’t it? You’d think by January those pokey seed pods would all be off the tree. I think I would be tempted to put a free wood/you cut sign up and hope it disappears. I’m so glad they don’t grow in here Western New York!
It was very funny to read and then imagine your hubby and son rating this years outfits. My hubby and son are very patient men but I don’t see either sitting still long enough to rate 25 outfits. Nope not gonna ever happen unless perhaps golf clubs were somehow involved.
wishing you all blessings and a Happy and Healthy New Year!
hugs
Ingrid
Having both of your kids there for a nice meal is an awesome way to start the new year. That’s a lot of food, but I think you could eat all you wanted with a clear conscience after raking all those nasty gum balls. I was also happy to see a picture of Reuben. He is so cute.
Dear Jeanne, Emilou is delighted to be in possession of the winning dress. Now she is telling all of her sisters that she was featured on your site (laugh). She says “thank you” to all of her aunties who said nice things about her.
I love seeing your table piled with food. It makes me feel like the Sofa Sisters are joining you for a meal.
Emilou looks quite lovely on her “Most Popular Dress of 2020” I’m crazy about the jacket. It must have been more than the usual amount of work but it is so unusual and pretty.
Yikes….loved learning about the Gumball tree. So the tree is pretty in the fall and other than that quite the annoying tree? I have seen those little balls but had no idea where they came from. George needs to find a friend with a chain saw!🥴Sounds like there are so many uses for the wood.Thanks for all the facts about them Marilyn
Both George-and Kristoffer liking the dark grey dress on Nyssa cracked me up. Always thought guys liked pretty girls in feminine dresses and here some of their choices were a dark plainish color on an unusual looking doll. Hard to figure that one🥴
Just had dinner and looking at your table makes me hungry all over again!Everyone had a favorite…such a good Mom!