Yay, it's Friday

 Happy Friday yall.  Welcoming the rain this morning.

 

Won't stop me from seeing some fall foliage this weekend hopefully in the mountain area of Virginia.  

 Few days ago and they are still blooming prettier than in the summer is my rose bush. Always prettier in the spring and Autumn time of the year.  Has a great scent also.

We take our large clippings and cut limbs from the yard to the landfill.  There I decided to pick some Yarrow.  I am guessing that is what it is called, not sure.  Weeds as Mom calls them.  I brought them home and put in a vase.

see those yellow flowers in the field there?

when they lose their color, I will probably spray them a color and use for a filler in an arrangement.

Some pictures of outside and some inside of decorations.  There are just a few this year.  I am looking forward to Thanksgiving.  

I decorated some areas with gourds I grew years back

The lantern has filler with some orange and clove oil I scented them with.  They smell so good with the heat from the candle 

Yesterday I made more Brunswick stew.   I am going to make chili I believe this weekend.  We like one dish dinners, especially this time of year. 

Evening pictures of Porch pumpkins

"There is magic in the night when Pumpkins glow by moonlight" 

Author is Unknown

bats on storm door

lights off downstairs with a lit ceramic pumpkin.

This pumpkin is glowing by a candle. 

Skeleton candle that changes color

With the rest of my apples picked from Paughs orchard in Quicksburg Va

I made an apple pie.  I purchased the store-bought crusts for this one.   I like cooking in my stone ware pie plate.   The crust is crispier, and I like the way it bakes a whole lot better and more evenly. 

Brown sugar, cinnamon and butter on top tossed and then into the Pie plate for oven

The only juice was the juice produced by the apples while baking. 

I sprinkled confectioners' sugar on top.  

It's all gone and didn't take a whole day to get rid of it even. 

Well now as I am finishing my blog post.

The sun came out.

Happy Friday

Enjoying the last of winter

 Time to bring in a little Spring.  Doesn't feel like it's getting close. Still very chilly at night and today misty rain on and off.  Very damp outside. 

Will change out my mantle from winter to Spring when it Spring. Not rushing the seasons, I enjoy all.   Still wrapping up in a blanket in the evenings with a fire going.

In the meantime 

Vases of flowers brighten the darkest of areas.  

Picked from yard a few days ago.  The baby's breath is from my Valentines Day arrangement. 

Hyacinth scents the bath upstairs

I have started a few seeds.  Didn't start early like last year.  They got too leggy before it was time to put them out in the ground.  When the ground is warm, the seeds take off better than started in flats inside. Some anyway.

 A few I ordered that I did put in flats are peppers and a few cukes.

I like this company and they put extra free packs in with this order, which I thought was nice.

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I first saw the Burr Gherkin on Thomas Jefferson's website.   The vegetable is native of South Africa. First sold by Minton Collins, his store in Richmond.  The west Indian Burr was grown by President Thomas Jefferson in his vegetable garden at Monticello.   President Jefferson is known for keeping a pickle barrel for guests at Presidents house in Washington. 

 I have read where pests like the tomato horn worm dislike climbing over the spiny vines.   I will plant and see how I like it.  Will be worth it if pests are kept away from vegetables.   1840farm.com - is a good site to read about it.  

Sunday was soup day here at home.   Lentil soup with carrots and flavorings.  I threw in diced tomatoes also. 

I decided to make an Easter bread from "Jenny can cook" site.  I like her recipes, simple easy with good tips about baking different dishes she shares.

 Raisins are mixed in the dough, rolled into 9 by 12 in rectangle. Slice three strips, patted butter, added brown sugar with cinnamon.  Pinched together the strips, braided, then let rise.  I brushed with egg wash before baking.

The end 😉

Good Monday

Children are here today and will be spending the night for a Huck Finn type fishing tomorrow morning at a local pond for k thru 5th grades.   They are so looking forward to it. Now on to today's lunch

I like giving them fruit for lunch and Genevieve always ask for fruit salad.  That is what she got with my pleasure. 

I picked a few dahlias and zinnias for the glass frog I found for a dollar at some vintage shop.

They seem to be everywhere now; at one time I couldn't find them.  I set it in a bowl, filled with water and added the flowers. Cheery, I think. 

 

Strawberries, cantaloup, red and white grapes and apples.  Apples are one fruit that is eaten every day here.  So, lunch is fruit salad, tater tots, chicken noodle soup and chicken salad sandwiches.  I always cut off the ends of bread for them. 

I can really make a mess when I am preparing meals. It all gets cleaned up in a jif though. 

Out to finish getting some order in the playhouse

Til next time, Betsy

Good Saturday

 Up early to can a few jars of apple butter with apples from Paughs orchard.  We go there every year for apples but sad to find out from him that this year he is selling his property.  Ready to let it go and relax more.  We sure will miss this journey to the orchard every year.

Made apple butter with some of them.

 I used brown sugar and very little because I like the tartness of the apples more than sweet.

  Cardamom, grated nutmeg, cinnamon and little ginger. The mixture cooked all night in crock pot and I canned this morning.

Had to have a cup of strong coffee with some frothed milk

Coming home last night after a few things to pick up from Home Depot, I notice the clouds shaped like a dragon.  Yes, I am a cloud watcher.

This morning the zinnias are still blooming pretty

Some I picked from our backyard sitting in window downstairs

Now I think I may make an apple cake.  Be good for dessert as I am making chicken and dumplings for dinner. 

Good day everyone.

Happy Friday

Warmer today in the 50's.  Setting us up for the big one I guess when it's this warm after some really cold days and nights.  I am still leaving this little tree up with twinkle lights and snowman skier.

After finishing my chairs.  I feel this room needs some updating.

I like the rose curtains but the border bugs me and a change is good.  My daughter usually likes to sleep in this room when she visits.  She said it's cozy.

You can see I took this while the  wreaths were still at the windows.  They did stay up a while.

Cuban bread.  I decided it was time to make cuban sandwiches.

Steve loves them.  This recipe was taken from    http://icuban.com/food/pan_cubano2.html.
This bread recipe worked perfect.  Follow instructions to the letter as it works.

I made mine into individual rolls.

When visiting Florida, the  place we like to go is a Cuban restaurant for the sandwich. 

I put a little pressure on the sandwich after assembled totoast on both sides in the pan.

Mustard, ham, homemade dill pickles, pork tenderloin and swiss cheese. ( marinated the tenderloin over night in orange juice, some apple, cumin, smidgeon of brown sugar. It didn't call for that but it was good.

Oh yes, Steve also wanted navy bean soup I made to go with it.  I cooked this in the pressure cooker with celery, onion, pepper and a bouillon cube with water.  25 minutes is all it took.  

Well off to get more done.  I am getting mighty slow it seems here lately.

Til next time

betsy