STORMY DAY

(click on picture to enlarge and see the leaves blowing around)

There's no doubt about it, Autumn is definitely here. It's about 55 degrees outside with a gusty wind and lots of rain splashing big drops everywhere. The leaves are dancing happily as the wind twirls them in that crazy dance of Autumn, and the maple seeds spin joyfully to the ground like hundreds of elfin helicopters. On days like this I shift into low gear and just sort of dreamily drag through the day, thinking of a nice nap.

My deck is getting a new pattern. Slowly the bright summer flowers are nodding their heads and closing their eyes while the orange, golds and browns of the leaves make their colors known. I can hear the sounds of the wind in the huge evergreen out back, and the soft whispering it makes in the maple. Are they telling secrets?



The willow tree by the shed is flirting outrageously with Mr. Wind, Dancing around like a fallen woman, lifting her skirts and bending too and fro in such a wanton way. And you can't imagine how improper the Hemlock is behaving. Why each time she tosses her long tresses or lifts her skirts he bows and waves his long arms frantically to get her attention.


When I was a girl there were two Horse Chestnut trees between my home and the school I attended. I can still hear the crunch of the crisp brown leaves as I ran home after school. I also remember the shock when I accidently went skidding on a hard, round chestnut and landed on my behind on the sidewalk! I immediately looked all around to see if anyone had seen me do something so ungraceful. Some things never change. That is one.


The sky is very dark with storm clouds, and it will soon be night time. The wind and rain will continue and more leaves will fall throughout the night.
Tomorrow the branches will be closer to naked, and old man winter will soon be on my doorstep.


I'll invite him in and we will have tea and hot gingerbread.


See, this is what stormy days do to me!

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THE MALLEABLE COOKBOOK

This is one of the pages in a cookbook found in my grandma's old suitcase. Grandma was born in 1891 and from the pictures I would think the little book was published around 1910 -1920. It's actually a book advertising the Malleable range, which was considered a state of the art cookstove. I love looking at these old sketches because it brings back some memories of my own wood cookstove. Boy did it ever bake some fine bread and biscuits!

This picture made me smile when I saw the scribbles of one of grandma's children. Mine used to do the same thing. See the pressure boiler to the left. Pretty fancy, huh? Mine didn't have that but it did have a hot water heater that looked similar. And notice the warming oven at the top. My cookstove had a warming oven too and it sure was handy to keep cooked foods warm while everything else was getting cooked, or to keep husband's dinner warm if he was late coming home.
I did not smile at this picture. See all the sad irons lined up on the side, keeping hot so the lady of the house could iron the family's laundry. Remember they didn't have wash & wear back then unless you wanted to wear very wrinkled clothes. Most clothing was made from cotton, linen or wool.

About the 'sad iron' When I was a child I asked mom why they called it that. She explained that the irons were very heavy and very hot making the women's arms ache and causing lots of burns. She said when they had to iron it made them sad and thats why they were called that.

I don't know if that is an accurate explanation but it works for me.

Here's a few recipes from this old book:

Maryland Chicken

Dress, clean and cut chicken in pieces suitable for serving. Season with salt and pepper and dip in crumbs, egg and crumbs, place in a well greased dripping pan, and bake in a hot oven thirty minutes, basting with one-third cup melted butter. Arrange on platter and pour around it white sauce, over which sprinkle chopped parsley. Old chicken should be parboiled before breading and baking.

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Strawberry Preserves

Wash and hull the berries, cover with an equal weight of sugar, and let stand until the juice may be seen through the top layer of berries. Put into a preserving kettle and bring to the boiling point, and let simmer from ten to twenty minutes. Pour into flat pans or dishes, not more than three inches thick, cover with glass, and let stand in the sun. If cooked twenty minutes it will require about two days to thicken up; if cooked a shorter time, more time in the sun will be required. Stir occassionally while thickening.

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May the good Lord bless you all with a very happy week-end, and the next time you take your laundry from the dryer and hang it in your closet, give thanks to the Almighty that laundry day doesn't have to be 'sad' anymore and your local supermarket has fifty-eleven different brands of Strawberry preserves!

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PRAYER NEEDED

In 1949 my parents purchased a little house at the end of a dead end street. They owned several lots, taking up over half a block on both sides of the street. I was ten years old. My two younger sisters and I loved running through the fields of tall grass and exploring the wooded hills behind the house.

The house itself was tiny with only one bedroom and another very small room which was used for we girls. I often wondered who had lived there before us and learned a man named Nolan had.

When we grew up our parents gave each of their daughter's three lots to put a house on so we could all be close together, and eventually that came to pass and it was absolutely wonderful with mom and we three sisters all in our own neighborhood.

day when I was doing yardwork a lady came and asked me if I knew anything about that little house. I told her I had grown up in it. She said that her ex-husband had also lived there and would I please send him some pictures and info about the little house.

I did, and forgot about it until several years later, her ex-husband, John called to thank me for the pictures. I learned that Nolan was John's stepfather and John, his brother and their mom had lived in the little house.

John and I have kept in touch by phone since then. He lives in Maryland and I'm on the other side of the USA, so we have not actually met.

However John is a Christian man so it seems we have a lot to talk about.

John was being treated for prostate cancer a while back, and I asked everyone for prayer for him. Apparently it worked and he was fine for quite some time.

John recently called, again asking for prayer. His test numbers have gone up again and his doctor has suggested he find a Chemo Specialist.

Our God is a God of Love and mercy. John and I, and many of you know that Heavenly Father has the power to heal us from our sicknesses. We have seen His power many times. So please keep him in your prayers.

Thank you and God Bless.

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ANOTHER PHOTO HODGE-PODGE

I don't remember where I found this picture, but I think it's so cute. Just look how proud Mr. Rooster is, strutting across the rickety plank bridge, showing 'his ladies' how it's done. The ladies don't look so confident.

I think I found the above photo someplace on the internet. Grandma teaching the dance. Isn't it sweet?

Flu season is coming and here's a new invention to help with those miserable sniffles. I wonder if there is a waste basket strapped to her waist?

This old picture was taken around 1944. I was about five and loved this swing in my cousins back yard. I seldom used it as 'normal' kids do, but I twisted around and around until my feet wouldn't touch the ground any longer, then let it spin. I usually got so dizzy that the world continued to spin long after the swing stopped. Sometimes it made me nauseous but for some unknown reason I just kept doing it.

This was taken around three years ago when my little boy dog, Sir Toodles Tutley (Tudie) was just a little puppy. I set him in a patch of Candy Tuft and took his picture. He has a white flower petal by his eye, but I think he's just adorable.

I hope you are having a wonderful week!

God Bless

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A BRAND NEW AWARD

Look what BigDadGib designed.

And he made me the very first recipient.

I am so honored!

Thank you BDG.

I hope you will visit his blog and see the nice things he had to say.

Sweet Diane placed the award in my side bar for me.

You are a precious friend Diane. Thank you.

I am going to have a wonderful day and I hope everyone in blogdom does too!

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SOMEONE VERY SPECIAL

All through our lifetime we meet those certain people who have a special way about them and they just sort of take up residence in our heart.

They come and go but like the saying goes, 'some leave footprints in our heart."

There is a sweet lady who has come to my computer dilemma rescue on more than one occasion. You know her too. She visits our blogs quite regularly.

lately I've been wanting to get the 'kindness matters' award into my side bar but didn't know how.

This sweet lady came to my rescue and guess what?

She put it there for me. Now I'm just like the 'big kids!"

She is a wonderful writer with a superb sense of humor and always has something interesting to say.

She has some incredible recipes to share also, so if you haven't visited her recently, you better get yourself over and say howdy to sweet Diane. Your mouth will water when you see what she's cooking for Sunday dinner!

THANK YOU DIANE!

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A THURSDAY BLOG OFFERING

Thank to both Merle and Always On Watch for giving me this pretty award.

I was given it once already and I sure wish I knew how to put it on my side bar. It's a keeper!

Here is lovely miss Victoria. She is six months old now and has two teeth. Her hair looks dark brown but in the sunlight it's auburn. Her eyes are a more clear blue than the picture shows. She's a little beauty!

I already told you that I put 15 gravenstein apple pies in the freezer. I also canned applesauce and in this picture is apple butter. It's sort of an old fashioned preserve that I used to make a lot of when I still had family at home. There's no way to explain the flavor except to say it's sweet, spicy and I like it on toast, english muffins and hotcakes. I'm wondering what it would be like warmed a bit and spooned over vanilla ice cream~~~~Kinda like apple pie without the crust, maybe.

I've used all the apples I plan to, so when this nice buck came to clean up the apples off the lawn I took his picture. He wasn't a bit afraid of me, but I stayed on my deck. Rutting season is here and those guys know how to use those antlers and hoofs. If his doe's were nearby I could be in trouble if I got too close to them.

Ok! I know this isn't the sort of thing I usually post, but I think it's funny. Well actually it would be a lot funnier if it wasn't so darn true! And do you know that my little grandma could tuck hers into her waistband in her older years. It was handy I suppose, but it did look odd to see two little bumps down by her belly button.

I can't remember where I found this. I hope it wasn't from someone's blog!

God bless and keep you all and please remember our troops and our country's leaders in your prayers.

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BIN LADEN'S CULT

OR CHRISTIANITY

THE ULTIMATE "NO BRAINER!"

I CHOOSE JESUS CHRIST, SON OF THE LIVING AND LOVING GOD AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR.

I pray my lord God will comfort all those who have lost loved ones due to the hateful acts of our enemys.

I know I'm supposed to be praying for my enemies too, so Lord please give me the inclination to do so.

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A KENNY DAY

Today I had my four year old great grandson for a short time while his mommy was at an appointment. We drove to the bay, which is only about five minutes from my house. I was hoping to show him some sea creatures but unfortunately we only saw a dead starfish, and billions of barnacles. He didn't mind, and with the enthusiasm of a typical four year old, he did what all little boys do best. He threw rocks into the water. Would you believe that he asked first if it was ok?! What a kid!

He was thrilled when two long trains went by. We were so close we could feel the vibration.

Here's the beach looking east to South Hill in the little town of Fairhaven

I couldn't resist getting a picture of this strange seaweed. I don't know what type it is but I think it's fascinating. Every rock on the beach was as covered with barnacles as this one is. I wonder if that means that the water is not as polluted as it is in other areas? Or maybe the barnacle's have just become accustomed to it.

I've been a bit behind with my blogging lately. Fall has fallen and there is always the harvest. It seems everything needs done at the same time. I cleaned out my freezer to make room for the 15 apple pies I made. I get the pies all ready to bake, then wrap and freeze them. Then on a lazy winter day when I'm having company, I can just make a few cuts in the top crust and pop it in the oven.

This afternoon I mowed the lawn, also picked more gravenstein's and blackberries. The berries will be frozen for some cold winter day treats and the apples will soon be sauce.

I'll get around to visiting your blogs soon.

Till then, God bless all.

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