Happy Halloween

{martha}

WHO GOES THERE?  

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE HALLOWEEN!

Floral Fridays

{bhg}

It has been a crazy week and will continue to be till about Thanksgiving.  Today is quiet and I'm trying to soak it up and regroup.  Have a beautiful day full of inspiration and beauty.

Problem Is. . . Jury Duty

I spent the day in Jury Duty. They didn't call our group in until 4:00 p.m. I don't mind fulfilling my civic duty in the least. I have a flexible schedule. The problem was, I couldn't take my knitting projects. No knitting, crocheting needles or any kind of hand work. WHAT?  

So, I raided my daughter's vast book collection for a good read. It was very late at night when I attempted this. Instead of bringing the first book in the series, I accidently took the second. I started it but was warned to not get very far and go back and begin the first one. Since I have to return tomorrow for actual jury selection, this is what I'm taking.  

I plan on knitting during the lunch break in my car.  Where there's a will, there's a way.

The Great Pumpkin Cheese Ball

Last night was my second attempt at making this adorable little cheese ball. That's the name of the recipe, it is not pumpkin flavored, just in case you wondered. He was very tasty and quite the hit with my guests.  There's probably only a third of him left. You can find the recipe for him in the Coming Home with Gooseberry Patch cookbook. I first attempted it here. Sorry, no photos of that one, it basically was a dip, not a pumpkin.

I also attempted baked Granny Smith apples, without a recipe. What else does there need to be other than apples, walnuts, brown sugar and a little honey? While they were good, they probably could've been so much better. Hmmm, I may have to try that again. What are you making today?

Floral Fridays

{better homes and gardens}

Here's a little beauty to begin your weekend. I think I'm going to bake an apple pie today. It has been FOREVER since I've baked, and not a for somebody else!  Of course, then we'll have to eat it. It just seems that Fall calls for warm apple pie. What are you doing this weekend? Stop by the Hooked on Houses Fall Homes Tour.  I joined in here.

Paperback Pumpkins

This is an unusual, creative and inexpensive idea for Halloween decor.  Thanks to Country Home for the inspiration.  You can find directions here. 

Faux Acorns

I've lived all over the country, on each Coast and several states in between. I've learned that every place has it's strengths and weaknesses. And everywhere I live, I miss something about the last place. I'm not even talking about people. I'm referring to nature. The beauty of the area, the hills, the wildflowers, the trees, even the rocks. Every place has it's own special beauty. It's in the Fall that I especially miss Massachusetts. Not only are the trees there indescribable, but there are the rose hips, the pine cones, the winterberry, and the bittersweet. In the Spring I would pick pussy willows. I could just go on a walk and treasures awaited. It helped that we lived quite far from the city.

I miss acorns from the Midwest. I picked some up recently when I went home. But, there are no acorns here in SoCal. I don't think Live Oaks have acorns. So, I had to resort to finding my acorns on Etsy. Love Etsy. Now real acorns aren't white and red and green, but that's the fun of felted acorns. You can find these fabulous acorns, here.  

Velvet and Cheese Pumpkins

{housemartin}

Aren't these velvet pumpkins beautiful?  I found these beautiful pumpkins here. When I was at a pumpkin patch recently I collected fallen stems for a recipe.  Now I wish I would've gathered a few more. I got one for A Great Pumpkin Cheese Ball.  

 It is found in this beautiful cookbook.

"Coming Home with Gooseberry Patch." 

You can find the cookbook here. I'm making the cheese ball tonight so I'll let you know how it turns out.  

Floral Fridays

Pretty pots, thanks to Martha.

I have a C R A Z Y weekend ahead of me.  I hope yours is restful and rejuvenating!

Quail Perch

I found the perfect spots to put my quail that I bought here.  They are happy quail now.  

Pumpkin Search

I went to Bates Nut Farm this morning, in Valley Center, California.

There were lots beautiful pumpkins to chose from.

Along with a lovely mountain view.

And adorable scarecrows.

I'd be afraid.  Really afraid.

Their gift shop has lots of yummy nuts, fudge, peanut butters, jams and apple butters, just to name a few.  There's a petting zoo.  Didn't pet anything.  Looked at them from afar.  If I had grandbabies, I'd take them to Bates Nut Farm in October.  

Little Details

I know you're probably saying, "this girl's gotta get a life" about right now. All right, all ready. I get excited over little things, okay? I love the last detail of adding the labels to the clipboards. We've been saving them for awhile. I didn't really know what for originally. I like the way we've used them. 

I have finished (finally) the clipboards we are making for our Women's Retreat next weekend. Our theme is What Not to Wear, as in the TLC show with Stacy and Clinton.  We found the idea here.  It's actually about the things we SHOULD wear as Christian women, especially in reference to Colossians 3:12-14.  

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."  

Colossians 3: 12-14

Floral Friday Diversion

Leave it to Martha and her talented staff to provide everything we need and then some for a fun Fall and Halloween.  You can find the instructions to make this adorable family here.  I hope you and your family have a wonderful Fall weekend together.

Comfort Food Weather

It is very rare here in Southern California that we feel like making "comfort" food. Even in October.  Usually salads, fresh fruit and grilled meats are more in line with our weather.  But this week, we've been blessed with actual "Fallish" weather.  So, I'm in a comfort food making frenzy.  First of all, yesterday, I made my Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup.  I posted the recipe here last February.  Today I'm eating leftovers for lunch.  

Since I'm heading for work in about an hour, I decided to make Crock Pot Mac and Cheese. This is not for the diet conscious, unfortunately. Is there a Mac and Cheese that fits that description? I don't make this often, but have tried different recipes in the search for the perfect Mac and Cheese. I don't think I've found it yet.  

Here's the end result.  It was good.  Not AMAZING.  I'm really not sure what AMAZING entails with regard to Mac and Cheese.  Does anyone have a recipe they'd be willing to share?  Here's this recipe:

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

1 16 oz pkg of macaroni, cooked and drained

1 Tbl cooking oil

1 13 oz. can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup melted butter

Lightly grease the crock pot and mix in the macaroni and oil together.  Next, add all remaining ingredients.  Stir, cover, cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.  

Knitting Distraction

This is Bridget, my MIL's new kitty.

Look at this adorable little girl.  She looks seriously innocent, doesn't she?

Well, don't let looks deceive you.
Knitting with four double points, yarn and a kitty on your lap can get seriously interesting.

And exhausting, I guess.

Jerry's and Garrity's

If you head to Atchison, Kansas to visit Nell Hill's you have to stop next door for lunch at Jerry's Again. I believe it is "all in the family" of Mary Carol Garrity.  Good food, good service and well decorated. Which, yes, is important.  (you're joking, right?)

At the moment Garrity's is decorated for Fall and Nell Hill's is decorated for Christmas. Garrity's is the furniture store, Nell Hill's has more accessories. See my last post for those details.

Mary Carol loves silver platters.  Here we see them mounted on the wall.  I just need an empty wall in order to do this.  

She had a couple of conservatories in the two shops.  Makes for some great impact!

Aren't the ceilings gorgeous in this old building?  We forgot to ask, but were guessing that it may have been an old department store.

Here is a HUGE birdcage used for display.  It would be so beautiful hung on a big wall.  I found lots of fun display pieces at Garrity's.  Now that I'm home, I just need to figure out where to put them.  Oh, the drudgery of it all.  ;-)