FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS

I finished my latest wool patchwork project in time for some cozy Fall decorating.

 It's chilly in the Rocky Mountains today!!

Check out the following blogs for more Fall inspiration:

Creative Home Expressions for The Creative Home and Garden Hop Sunday

Better With Age for Give Me The Goods Monday

Dwellings for Amaze Me Monday

Cozy Little House for Tweak it Tuesday

Everyday Home for Homework Wednesday

Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
The Polohouse for Favorites on the First

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING

I've always enjoyed reading.  My mother worked and with no siblings, I had a lot of alone time -- reading was a great time filler!  Plus, we lived across the street from the local library, and my best friend's mother was the librarian.  We spent a lot of summer time in the coolness and quiet of that old Carnegie library -- nothing better in the heat of the day! 

In addition to the traditional Nancy Drew, Bobbsey Twins, My Friend Flicka of the 1940s; I even loved reading my mother's magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, etc.

When I married at age 19, I became even more interested in the shelter magazines.  Today, I subscribe to Country Living, Traditional Home, Better Homes and Gardens, House Beautiful, Southern Living, Midwest Living, Victoria, and Romantic Homes. 

Latest issue from The Cottage Journal

Also, I always pick up every new issue of The Cottage Journal (my absolute favorite!), Flea Market Style, Cottage Style, French Style, etc. etc. at the grocery store.  I read every word and go over every image of each and every magazine each month.
I also love a good book -- these days mostly fiction, but I also enjoy biographies especially about presidents, first ladies, kings and queens.

Image from amazon.com

This summer I have read three of Susan Vreeland's books -- "Luncheon of the Boating Party" about Renoir; "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" about Vermeer; and "Clara and Mr. Tiffany" about the Tiffany studios.  They are all wonderful, detailed, and fully researched novels.  I really enjoyed the one about Vermeer, as I had recently seen an exhibit of his paintings in Munich, Germany.  After completion of one of Vreeland's books, I always feel as though I have had a semester of art history.

I must read the rest of her books!

I, also, read a lot of fluff this summer -- five of Jan Karon's books in her Mitford series, a couple of Debbie McComber novels, and other assorted easy reading.

Image from amazon.com

This week I read "The Apple Orchard" by Susan Wiggs.  Oh, I would love to see a movie made of this book to bring her word images to life -- the house, the orchard, the food; and of course, who would they cast to be the Italian banker turned winemaker that lives next door?  What an enjoyable book -- I need to investigate to see what other books there might be by Susan Wiggs.

Every day I also read two daily newspapers, my bible, and anything else that peaks my interest (even the AARP magazine!!!).  And, of course, I'm addicted to reading blogs and news on the internet.

Is reading a big part of your life?  If so, what have you been reading this summer?

I'll be sharing my favorite reads on the following blogs:
Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday
The Dedicated House for Anything Blue Friday
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

IN PURSUIT OF A PATCHWORK PUMPKIN

A couple of weeks ago at the quilt store,  I bought this stack of 42 five-inch squares of Moda flannels. I had nothing in mind for their use -- just that the great autumnal colors and patterns attracted me.

Then, I had an idea in the middle of the night!!  

In the morning, I could hardly wait to get to my sewing machine.

I had no idea that I had been in Pursuit of the Perfect, Patchwork, Plaid Pumpkin.

I'm joining the following blogs to celebrate the beginning of Autumn:
Creatively Living for Monday Funday
Dwellings for Amaze Me Monday
The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday
Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursday
The Vintage Farmhouse for Creative Things Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special

THIS, THAT, AND THEN SOME MORE!

September 7th will be our 55th wedding anniversary, another milestone.  It seems like just yesterday I posted about our 50th and the celebration trip to London, Paris, Maine, and Nova Scotia.  Time flies.  I'm sure that when I was young there were more than 7 days in a week.  

No trip for us this time.  We decided to redo the kitchen instead.  Nothing really major; no wall moving!  It all started with a discussion about the need for a new sink.  You know how that goes -- "Well, we might as well do this, this, and this!!"  We'll see how far our budget takes us.  I see a lot of 'take-out'/ 'going-out to eat' in my future.  Does anybody figure that expense into a kitchen redo?  Maybe we should have planned another trip to Europe.

Back to the anniversary.  I was looking for a picture of our wedding that I haven't already shown you, and came across this 'going-away' picture. 

  I spent more time picking out this outfit than I did picking out the wedding dress (hanging in the background, never to be worn again).  Where did I think we were going away to? A hat and gloves?? -- remember it was the 1950s!  No honeymoon for us as we had to immediately get back to school and new jobs.  We left the reception at about 5:30, and headed to Pueblo, an hour away.  

We planned to stop for dinner before heading north on our way to school.  Upon arriving at the restaurant, I immediately went to the restroom to empty the rice from my clothes as it was really uncomfortable.  I loosened my waistband, and the rice poured out.  The little old ladies that were powdering their noses in the restroom got a kick out of my antics.  I received a lot of matronly advice, a couple of hugs and best wishes from these friendly strangers.  In the meantime, Bob was sitting at the table alone probably thinking I had bolted from the marriage for sure.  I was gone in that restroom for a REALLY long time!

I've been thinking about that going-away brown wool suit lately.  It's sealed up in the attic somewhere.  You know how I love to find wool clothes at the thrift store, deconstruct them, and use them in my sewing projects.  That suit is a lovely shade of brown - ummmmm.  It's safe from my scissors for now, as I recently found four nice wool skirts at four different thrift stores for a total of less than $10 for all four.

Well, since I don't have to cook dinner, guess I'll hide away in my sewing room away from the dust and destruction of the kitchen, and try to finish a couple of wool projects.  

Wool project #1 (in process)

Wool Project #2 (in process)

And here is the very beginning of the kitchen redo -- first thing, that curvy board over the sink is out of here.  New cupboard doors are being made; new moldings on the soffit are going up;  choices have been ordered for counter tops, etc.; paint chips abound!  Mess will only increase, I'm sure.

This rather wordy, long post will be it for a little while, as I'll be taking a blog break.  Hopefully, I will return soon with some blog-worthy projects, and with an update and/or reveal of the kitchen redo.

Please check out the following blogs for their weekly parties.
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday
Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home
Cozy Little House for Tweak it Tuesday
No Minimalist Here for Thursday Open House
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
My thanks to the above blogs for always hosting these fun events.

FAVORITE DISH PATTERN(S)

Alison at The Polohouse has challenged us to post about our favorite china pattern for her "Favorites on First" party this month.  Does transferware count as one pattern?  I hope so, as I couldn't decide among several patterns of transferware as my favorite.

I consider my red "Old Britain Castles" by Johnson Bros. as my 'good' dishes.  I always use them for the holidays shown here with the Christmas dessert plate that has the same border pattern.  

Charger-Mikasa "Italian Countryside"; Champagne glass-Grandmother's green depression; Ice tea glass-Mother's Fostoria "American"; Silverware-Oneida "Damask Rose" stainless

  The "Old Britain Castles" is shown below with Johnson Bros. "His Majesty" dessert plate that I always use for Thanksgiving. 

Silverware-Mother's 1847 Roger's silverplate; Goblet-Dollar Store

I love the intricate borders on transferware.  I have service for 16 of these Johnson Bros. dishes.  Actually, I have more place settings than I have room to seat people in our small house; unless it is warm and we can overflow to the screened-in porch!

 Then there are my Johnson Bros. "Friendly Village" dishes that I bought at an estate sale.  There is service for 12, but I have both the buffet plates plus the dinner plates -- 24 people for dinner -- probably not!

Glassware-Fostoria "Argus"; Silverware-Great grandmother's monogrammed sterling

 I bought my "Blue Willow" by Churchill everyday dishes at the grocery store about 15 years ago.  I figured I had to buy groceries, so I might as well get some cheap dishes with them.  I have servings for 12 plus lots of serving pieces in this pattern of transferware.  

Glassware-Dollar Store; Silverware-"Damask Rose" stainless and sterling

  Sixty-seven years ago, my parents had me pick out this sterling silver pattern, Damask Rose; and they gave me pieces along for my birthday and Christmas so that by the time I married I had my 'good' sterling.  Then, several years ago, Oneida came out with the same pattern in stainless, so I bought a service of 12 to use for everyday.  Can you tell the difference between the sterling and the stainless?  The soup spoon is the stainless and the rest is sterling.

 And, finally, I couldn't leave out the 19th century brown transferware.  I have picked up pieces along for twenty years, so I don't have a 'set'; but I have lots of soup bowls and bread plates in different patterns for a mix and match place setting.

Glassware-Mother's Fostoria "American"; Silverware-"Damask Rose" stainless; White dishware-Mikasa "Italian Countryside"

I do believe I'm ready in the dish department if I ever have to serve an army!
In addition to The Polohouse on September 1, I'm linking to the following:
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Sunday View for Vintage View Sunday
Creatively Living for Monday Funday
Better with Age for Give Me The Goods Monday
The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday Treasures
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Knick of Time for Knick of Time Vintage Tuesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
The Vintage Farmhouse for Creative Things Thursday
Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday

I NEED A HARD COPY - ENTER BLURB.COM

I admit the computer and the internet mystify me, and I don't quite trust it!  Being both old and old-fashioned, I've always been a fan of a hard copy -- just can't entrust what is important in my life to something so nebulous as the internet.  As a matter of fact, just last week; I lost my entire Pinterest account -- boards, pictures, and all.  It was probably through my own ineptitude -- but where did it all go?  

  I started this blog five years ago to document our lifestyle and some of the people and things that inhabit our home.  I wanted to leave something behind in words and pictures that might possibly be of interest to our descendants. I know I would love to have more documentation about my ancestors' lifestyles.  So, about 2 1/2 years ago, I got to thinking - will those grandchildren, great grandchildren, etc. be able to find out there in space all that I have labored over?  Thus, enter the hard copy and blurb.com.  Blurb is a company that prints books (one copy or more) from info that you have written through their software called Booksmart (it's free).  

BLOG BOOK ONE

In 2010, I did my first blog book that covered all of my blog posts from 7/22/08 to 9/23/l0, a total of 370 pages.  It is a fairly easy process as you are able to slurp your blog directly to the software.  You can print it just as is, or change it to more of a book format as opposed to a blog format by changing page and picture layouts.  This can become a bit tedious especially if you have hundreds of pages; but, to me, I enjoy this type of detail work.  The blurburati (tech support) is handy and prompt through email to help with any problems you may encounter, and stay with you until problems are solved.

BLOG BOOK TWO

This summer it was time to do another blog book that covers my posts from 10/2/10 to 6/18/13, that ended up being 292 pages.  The two blog books together contain about 2000 pictures. It took me several weeks of evening work editing; but once I finished, my hard copy showed up in the mail in five days.

DEDICATION PAGE -- BLOG BOOK TWO

I've done a total of seven blurb books now.  My 99 year-old mother-in-law especially enjoys the books I have put together as gifts for her of old-time pictures.  There are all kinds of possibilities -- recipe books, photo books, travel books; the cost is resonable.

The two blog books have already produced the intended results.  My grandkids don't always read my blog, but they have sat down and perused the books more than once.  

There have been comments from them about how they have changed and grown in five years.  I heard comments about remembering when they did the Halloween cupcakes; when they went to the go-cart track; wondering about where the antique child's rocker came from, etc. etc.

THE POST ON THE ROCKING CHAIR

I have not been compensated by blurb.com for anything -- I just enjoy their product -- a hard copy, in my hands!

THE END FLAP ON THE DUST JACKET OF BLOG BOOK TWO

I'm joining the following parties:
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Creative Home Expressions for The Creative Home and Garden Hop Sunday
Dwellings for Amaze Me Monday
Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Thanks to these bloggers for hosting these events!

KIND OF UGLY AROUND HERE

This week things are pretty ugly around here -- we are having a yard sale on Saturday.  It is time to get rid of some stuff and junk, so the kids don't have to at some later time.

We have things marked and piled in the house and garage before hauling it out to the driveway early Saturday morning.

But, I hated to start off this post with a messy picture, so instead here is one of a day's harvest from the vegetable and flower garden.

And now, the mess.  My sewing room -- time to get rid of linens I no longer use -- what am I saving them for????

Lots of nice vintage linens (cheap), plus a great wooden box and a vintage wire basket!

I know some bloggers that would enjoy some of this stuff.  Wish you could be here -- wooden boxes, tool totes, etc.

 Lots of crust and rust!  See that blob of red in the middle picture below - that's a nice metal tote.  Come Saturday a.m., I'm not sure I can give that up!

How about another pretty picture or two for this post -- our first batch of blackberries right off the vine and into a Blackberry Crisp.

Hoping for good weather on Saturday!

I'm linking to the following parties this week.  Check them out!

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks

Creative Home Expressions for The Creative Home and Garden Hop Sunday

Creatively Living for Monday Funday

Dwellings for Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday

Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home

Hickory Trail for Efforts and Assets Tuesday

Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday

No Minimalist Here for Thursday Open House

Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday

Thanks to these ladies for always hosting each week.

END OF SUMMER BREAK

It is almost the end of summer -- school will be starting soon.  Time for end of the summer excursions.  Our son, Mike, was home for a few days before he begins his 13th year as a high school science and math teacher.  Papa Bob, Wyatt, and Mike had been planning all summer to go to the top of Pike's Peak on the cog railroad -- time to get it done!

Waiting to board the railroad car.  A teacher is always a student -- he never goes anywhere without a math book and a notebook.  I sent our camera with them, but no one took a picture of Bob (just Wyatt holding Bob's cane!).

Getting close to the top of the mountain.

14,110 feet -- In their younger days, Bob and Mike climbed several four-teeners in Colorado.

A view of Colorado Springs from the summit.  Katharine Lee Bates penned the words of the song, "America the Beautiful", after visiting the top of Pike's Peak.  It was first published by her as a poem in 1895.

Caitlin and I left the high altitudes to the boys.  We planned a  shopping trip instead.  You mothers and grandmothers of teenage girls know how it goes.  Multiply the collage below by 50 and you know the drill -- cute top, but too short for this long, tall body to be school appropriate -- cute sleeveless denim vest (on sale for $10 - score!) will work to cover tanks and camis for school -- the vest even makes this dress church appropriate.  Yea!  We even managed to also find three pairs of jeans long enough, plus a couple of cute tops.

Success -- time to text friends to report about the loot and head for home.

All of us are ready for school to start!

I'm joining the following link parties:
A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday

GARDEN ABUNDANCE - A RECIPE FROM THE PAST

 The first of August is upon us, and that means an abundance of produce from the garden - at the moment it is green bell peppers.  This is a recipe from the 1950s that I use every year when the green peppers start to take over my refrigerator!  It also uses up extra homegrown tomatoes, onions, and corn.

STUFFED PEPPERS

4 large (or 5-6 small) green bell peppers

1/2 onion, chopped

1 lb. ground beef

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup corn, cut from cob (or use frozen or canned)

salt and pepper

fresh bread crumbs and butter

Remove tops and seeds from green peppers.  Brown meat and onions; add tomatoes, corn, and seasonings.  Stuff peppers; stand upright in greased dish and spoon remaining meat mixture around the peppers.  Top with crumbs dotted with butter.  Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

We had ours with a lettuce salad, a toasted bagel thin, and a slice of world-famous Rocky Ford cantaloupe.

 This cantaloupe was purchased at the farm stand where it was grown in Rocky Ford, our childhood hometown.  It doesn't get any fresher than that.  Just had a reminder from a blogging friend -- always wash your cantaloupe before cutting into it.
The last few days I've been searching autumnal decor ideas on Pinterest -- I'm excited.  Not too long now until Fall!

I'm joining the following link parties this week.  Please check these blogs out for a myriad of inspiration.
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday
Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday
Townsend House for What I Am Eating Friday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Creative Home Expressions for The Creative Home and Garden Hop Sunday
Creatively Living for Monday Funday
Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
A Stroll Thru Live for Inspire Me Tuesday
No Minimalist Here for Thursday Open House