Amazing Autumn....

 Color blankets the mountains above town.
Clouds settling in.
Stormy weather.

 Rain, and rain, and more rain.
We were blessed with a wonderful Autumn rain storm.
The next morning... misty Fog.

Everything shrouded in the misty morning.

Storm clouds riding the sunset.

Pulling out the wool blankets.
I bought this blanket a few years ago at the thrift store.
The colors, Goldenrod, Chocolate, and Orange.
The price: $3.00

The surprise: The blanket manufacturer is featured in this months edition of Country Living.
Page 22... "Faribault Wool Blankets..."
The company is more than a century old.
I estimate that my blanket is more than 40 years old...
made sometime during the 1960's.

Warm glow of candle light, and candle warmers.

Yes.. Autumn is an amazing time.
My favorite season.

Attitude of gratitude:
~I am so grateful for Autumn blessings... falling leaves, crackling fires, hot chocolate... all of the things that make me feel so cozy, and turn our hearts to home.
~I'm so grateful that we were able to go visit our daughter . Even though she's all grown up, and away at college, we miss her so!
~I'm grateful for a wonderful, smart, capable, faithful husband. My best friend.
My partner in crime. My helper, dishwasher, fence-builder, chicken feeding, wood chopping, man.

Depression Glass

 Depression glass.
Three darling little plates, one pitcher, two cups, and a small cream pitcher.
Found them all at a yard sale.

 I just couldn't pass them up.
The lady told me that they once belonged to her grandmother, and she was torn about selling them, but she really didn't have room to display them, or store them anymore.
I'm not certain if they are truly Depression glass, or if they are reproductions... either way, they are so darling.  And, the price was right.
I just had to buy them.

 She also sold me this egg basket.
Love the red color, and even though, we will probably never have enough eggs to fill it, we are certainly going to put it out in the coop and enjoy it!

 Old milk bottles.
Another yard sale find.
As were the ceramic eggs, and the cheese tin.

 My butterfly house.
Spencer made this for me, quite a few years ago.
It needed a paint job, and then he will get it installed on the pole, and placed in the flower bed.
I am painting it golden yellow, with a brick red roof.
I wonder if butterflies like yellow and red.

 Another old cupboard door project.
I just wanted to make a 'Welcome" sign to hang on the porch.
I made it so that I can change out the little wreath to match the season.

Jack O' Lantern.
Little ceramic pumpkin pot.
He was a yard sale find too.
He has such a quizzical expression on his face.
Worry? Humor?
I'm not certain.
But, he's cute!

I am getting a lot of my project and organization list done.
Slowly, but surely.
I have taken time out for fun.
 Yard sales. Shopping trips. Rides in the mountains.
Balancing out the work with the fun.


Attitude of gratitude:
~I'm grateful for a gardening friend gifting me with dozens of chive plants.
We will plant them under our apple trees. It is said that they will keep deer away. So far, we have found that it works really well.
~I'm grateful for an up-coming luncheon with some women friends . Old friends and new friends.
~I'm grateful my rice bags... yep... they help me feel pretty toasty on these cold mornings.  I think it may be time to take the cooler out, and store it until next summer.

Cooking with fire.. getting stuff done.

 Yep..
I'm cooking with fire.
Literally, and figuratively speaking.
Using our vintage Wedgewood range, I'm cooking up filling for homemade hot pockets.
I'm making Chili-Cheese hot pockets.
Another item to fill the freezer.
 Working on that Fall list.
I found a great inspirational post about homemade hot pockets here:
http://www.faithfilledfoodformoms.com/easy-homemade-hot-pockets/

 Also.. I'm making up a couple dozen Homemade Breakfast Burritos for the freezer.
Our family loves them.
Super quick to grab and go, especially for Spencer as he heads out the door to classes.
His college is about 10 miles away.

 And.. thanks tons for all the suggested names for our crooked beaked hen.
It was unanimous.. we named her Grace.
One of the reasons is in the movie "The Long Long Trailer" , Lucy and Desi go to visit her family, and Lucy comments on her poor old maid of a cousin.  'Poor Grace'. Makes us laugh, every time.
So, Grace, or Poor Grace it is.

Have you seen "The Long, Long Trailer"?
Hilarious.
I can so see me having ideas like Lucy.

I'm certain that I've given my sweet husband a look like this.

So..

I'm busy; cooking, freezing, cleaning and organizing.
I've already re-arranged the living room and the dining room.
Done some painting .... doors and trim , of course.
Planned some crafts.
Etc.. etc..

Plus.. I'm thinking a lot about one of my favorite Halloween movies.

"Ichabod". ..  the Disney version.

A classic favorite.

I don't like creepy movies, but I love "who done it" movies, like "Rear Window", and the movie "Clue" is always fun to watch.

"Hocus Pocus" is another family favorite.

My all time favorite Fall movie is "Summer Magic".... after all, the movie ends with a great Fall party in the old barn.

 

Hope you're all having a great week, and hope you have a great weekend.

 

Do you have a favorite Fall or Halloween movie?

 

 

Attitude of gratitude:

~I'm so grateful for the downpour of rain that we received last night.

Everything smells so clean and fresh this morning, and the lawns greened up quite a bit.

~I'm grateful for a cozy home.

~I'm grateful for the beautiful candle sticks that my Dad made for me.

They are on our dining room table, to enjoy each day.

Wish he were still here. How I miss him.



That time again....



Time for Fall cleaning, and making preparations for Winter.

My Fall Cleaning List includes :
~Cleaning out cupboards and sorting .
~Organizing the storage room
~Organizing the granary
~Cleaning out and organizing the garage
*** etc.. etc..

Also..
~Making freezer meals, and crock pot meals to fill the freezer.
~Making and freezing breakfast burritos
~Organizing my canning shelves.
***etc.. etc..

Need to :
~cut, split and stack some more firewood.
~have chimney re-lined
~winterize garden beds
~ finish painting a few things outside

Etc.. etc.. etc..

I'm diving into Fall cleaning and organizing today.
I'm hoping to get everything polished, and sparkling clean, and organized, in order for our home to be cozy and comfortable during the cold winter months.

*Does everyone do Fall cleaning too, or just Spring cleaning?

Attitude of gratitude:
~I'm so grateful for the desire that I have for making our house a home for my family.
It's important to me to have our home feel welcoming and peaceful.
Call me old fashioned.... but, it's a nice feeling for me to have everything clean and organized.
When the snow starts to fall, I like to light candles, and click on lamps and have our home feel cozy and warm and welcoming. 
For me.. it will have that feeling, once I get everything scrubbed, put in it's proper place and organized.