Sunday, September 1, 2019

Celebrating September's Eve!

I have had the very best September's Eve EVER!!!
 I was so excited about today that I woke up early and hopped right into the day.
One reason for my joy was that Summer arrived safely here at home from her trip to Florida that was aborted in Gulf Shores, Alabama due to the coming hurricane.
She had a harrowing experience driving back when in the late night she was going North bound and a truck was speeding past her going South bound - the wrong direction! She was smart and pulled close to the shoulder as he sped past her. She called 911 and they said they had received several reports.
At 11:30 yesterday morning she was at Gulf Shores State Park.  She was at our house at 10:30 this morning. Needless to say, she was exhausted! After a shower she went straight to bed and slept soundly for a good 6 hours! A lot of her pain may have been from the driving and the stress.
She was so disappointed to not get to see Rayne and Sabrina but circumstances change and we must roll with them.

While she slept and Louis Dean was working on the gazebo - I was happily cleaning house and preparing for my September First Family Dinner. This dinner is a first for me since it falls on a Sunday where my family can join me in my celebration.
Sometimes I spend the day by myself baking and doing all my little rituals and I love doing that.
But I am thinking tomorrow - which is now technically TODAY - will be the best September First EVER!


After Summer woke up refreshed and feeling so much better pain wise - she went with me to the Mexican Supermarket on O'Connor to get desserts for tomorrow.
My menu is Taco Soup - my sister, Nita's, recipe!
I am making a huge batch!


So I thought Mexican pastries would be perfect!


And they were on sale! Two for $0.88!! WOW!!


I loaded up!


Every one's favorite seems to be the sugar cookies with sprinkles and Amber asked for some extras for next week's school lunches!

I ordered candied fruit mix from Amazon Prime on Thursday and it was delivered this afternoon.


My special batch of Fruitcake Cookie dough - ready to bake up in the morning.


I added an extra country egg - it calls for three and I used four - and I added a bigger dollop of clear vanilla from San Antonio purchased on a Sibling Trip......and a splash of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum!! I even lit my Cook's candle to celebrate the moment!

I have the cheese, carrots, and celery cut up for the appetizer table and the crackers set out.
The cantaloupe and strawberries are cut up and the grapes have been picked off the stems so they can be eaten like popcorn. I roasted some hatch chili's for the Taco Soup and prepared the stuffed jalapenos with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon - ready to  cook tomorrow right before we eat.
It looks like there will be 13 people around 2 tables.
Yes, I have been busy all day but I have enjoyed every single minute.
The house is as clean as it has been for some time.
Laundry done. Bathrooms cleaned. Furniture polished. Clean sheets on the bed.
I have honey and pretzels for tasting out on the table.
And speaking of honey - I have 253 comments and will draw the winner first thing in the morning.
Plus I am going to draw a 'runner-up' just because!
The winner will get an 8 oz jar of Wildflower Honey from the ranch and the runner-up will get a 4 oz.

So I know it's late and it's actually already September first but I wait until the morn!!!


I will close this journal entry with an Ode to September written by a dear friend, Debbie.
She shared it with me this evening and gave me permission to share it with you......

 My Ode to September
Evening sounds fill the air. Cicada songs softly begin the chant.
I recall my joy at seeing a few colored leaves dotting the parched ground this last day of August. 
In the stand of trees at the fence line birds stop flight. It seems they are resting a moment. Their singing and squawking drowns out all other evening sounds.
Then, just as suddenly as the noisy song of the birds began, it ended. They took flight — headed to roost for the night.
Once again the cicada chorus filled the air, but only briefly. 
The last moments of August sunshine gave way to its last night.
Soon will come the first
 September morn!

20 comments:

  1. Carpe Diem! And enjoy the fruits of your labor!

    ReplyDelete
  2. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY SEPTEMBER MY GREEN EYED GIRLFRIEND!! I know how you enjoy this day!! the FEAST sounds amazing!! Especially those cream cheese pepper thingies!!--yum! Goodness gracious God was surely watching over Summer as she navigated those roads and that truck was being so so so dangerous. I'm so glad she arrived safely and hope that truck didn't cause any wrecks. Did this hurricane go through where Sabrina and Rayne are??--sorry---but I haven't been tracking it much until today. Hope they ok. We are on alert here....watching and waiting and doing our "procedures" because we never know if we will be evacuatated......or it could turn and go the other way----these dang hurricanes are so unpredictable. So we wait, and prepare what we can, food wise etc, plan to evacuate if we need to.........but hope it doesnt happen. Maybe it will downgrade. Anyway!!---September has arrived! Enjoy!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy September to you, Happy September to you, Happy September, happy September, Happy September to you. can you hear me singing? so glad Summer is home safe, that truck thing is scarier than the blowout... have a wonderful Family DAY

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Linda, Wish I could be there today. LOL I love that your family is going to help you celebrate this beautiful season. You certainly sound as if you are on top of it there. Thankful Summer is safe with you. I love the poem by Debbie. Wishing all of you September blessings, xoxo,love you, Susie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Enjoy YOUR day to the fullest!

    It sounds like you are ready! Glad Summer was save on her drive, it I know she was disappointed, too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You create the most delightful of days! Why am I grinning that Summer will be with her first family on this day? Perhaps God had a plan in it all in spite of disappointments. Is Nita sharing her recipe? I must scout around to see if it might have already been shared. Your friend did such a lovely job with the prose...made me think of our favorite—Gladys Taber. A blessed day to all!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Taco Soup on February 11, 2019. That was quick! Thanks! 😁

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy September! I'll be partying today too!. But my party will only have desserts. I have brownies, cupcakes, ice cream and all kinds of toppings for sundaes or cones. I got a watermelon too, but there won't be a meal, just desserts! Now I'll finally get a start on decorating. September is here ! The nice thing is they will last through November ! Enjoy your party! Happy September !

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am always excited about a new month! We are preparing for the hurricane but I'm getting my house in order which feels good. Enjoy your day and all those wonderful yummy goodies! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy September 1st Linda. We have a Guatemalan bakery in Dalton Ga where we like to pick up goodies. Have fun with your family.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I cannot think of a more perfec way to celebrate Sept. 1st Linda...have a lovely family gathering!

    ReplyDelete
  12. There is a saying that "life is a party" and you are a prime example of it. Happy Sept. 1st!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautiful post. I am so happy that Summer made it through safe and sound. That was scary about the truck going the wrong way.
    Happy Family Dinner Day-those Mexican goodies sound wonderful!

    I hope you have a blessed weekend. xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  14. Well those pastries look delicious - you have everything there!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Happy Sept 1! Enjoy your day today with friends and family :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. This is the day that the Lord has made
    I will rejoice and be glad in it.
    Definitely your theme song for this September 1st.
    What a delightful party you are having and the food sounds marvelous.
    Love the poem too.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Debbie's poem is very good! I know your fall party will be a huge HIT! Texas has the neatest things, I have never heard of a Mexican bakery! I don't even know if we have a Mexican grocery store, most of the foreign ones around here are Spanish. Might you be playing Nil Diamond during the party?

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a lovely post, Linda! I enjoyed seeing your dinner with your famiky anf grandchildren on facebook. Happy September!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh, those mouth-watering delectable pastries!!! I'm not much into sweets so my diabetes is never an issue, as far as I'm concerned, but boy oh boy.... it would have been if I had gone to this Mexican bakery with you!! :-D *haha* Love, Andrea xoxo

    ReplyDelete