The view from my balcony

Orange leaves in the background; our wild apple tree is in the foreground.

Late yesterday afternoon I found myself with some free time.  Leftovers were planned for supper and the laundry was all dry and off the clothesline, so I set up one of our camping chairs on our balcony and enjoyed the late afternoon fall sunshine while doing some work on my Sunday School lesson.

The beauty of God's creation surrounded me up there.  Here's one of my favorite little trees out back:

Love the contrast of yellow and gray!

And here's another.  Love that this has red, green, and yellow leaves all on the same tree.

Coffee flavored with pumpkin spice creamer, in an autumn mug, added to the atmosphere.
 
And here are some more looks at our foliage.  It's not as pretty yet as it will be, but nice anyway.

Looking out toward the road

More red and orange, plus some green and yellow

A bit of fall decorating

Here are just a few pictures of some of my fall decorating.  Some of it doesn't differ much from year to year, but this year I did a few different things.  I neglected to take a picture of the hutch in its entire fall glory, but will plan to do that before I forget!

The bottom shelf of the hutch.  There is my little "Give Thanks" embroidery project on the left, and a printable fall subway art design on the right.  The tiny painted saw in the front was a gift from my hubby.

This photo pretty much shows the other two shelves.  Many of the things are the same as usual, but I couldn't resist adding some; a favorite book on the left (a thoughtful gift from my daughter), a [faux] carnival glass chicken I've had for years, my old brown teapot and a nutcracker shaped like a pickup truck.

This shows the table with place mats, a runner, and my glass cake dome full of faux squash atop a homemade fall hot mat.  I had an orange plaid tablecloth on the table first (with the same mats) but it needed washing so I swapped the runner for it temporarily.

This year I tried dressing up my corner cupboard a little bit too.

A mini grapevine wreath hanging from a knob of the corner cupboard.  I trimmed it quickly and easily with a tiny wooden house and a scrap of fall fabric.

Hope you have enjoyed this peek at some of our fall decorating around here!

Getting the winter's wood in

The wood going in the cellar window

Every spare minute Mr. T has these days he is occupied getting the winter's wood into the cellar.  We have a wood furnace which, with ductwork, vents and forced hot air, heats our entire house.  He cuts and splits wood a couple of years in advance so it has time to get good and dry.  And in the fall, he moves the winter's supply into the cellar.

Granddaughter #2 driving the tractor

When the grandkids are around, he has plenty of help, especially since he devised the system of hauling the wood to the house using a lawn tractor and little trailer.  The photos are from last year, but they tell the same story.  You can see that these photos were taken on a  hot day though, in the summer since the garden is still in place and the girls are wearing shorts.  Not so with today's wood adventure; jackets are the order of the day, and the garden has been harvested due to impending frost.

Granddaughter #1 driving the tractor

Cheeseburger Macaroni

Photo by Kevin & Amanda

I have very little extra time today, but wanted to quickly post this recipe link: Cheeseburger Macaroni.  I tried this recipe, from Kevin & Amanda, on Monday and we really enjoyed it.

I've made cheeseburger macaroni recipes before, but this is the best of the lot.  The homemade cheese sauce that's stirred in, and the use of taco seasoning and diced tomatoes with chilies, sets it apart from any others I've tried.  I thought mine turned out just a tad too salty (I was using homemade taco seasoning) or too spicy, I couldn't decide which, but my hubby and granddaughters insisted it was just right.

Hope you enjoy this recipe if you try it.  I would say that almost any child would enjoy this dish, but adults will enjoy it too.  It is true comfort food!

More vintage treasure

Some time ago I posted about this fabulous vintage cookbook which a friend gifted me with, and I promised to share some photos of the inside of the book.  This is the 1963 edition of Betty Crocker's New Boys and Girls Cookbook.

I already owned the 1957 edition of this cookbook:

But this newer one is larger and my granddaughters and I are all enchanted by it.  Here's the back:

The book includes wonderful instruction concerning table setting, mealtime manners, etc.:

And here's a sweet depiction of all the utensils a junior cook might use:
 
And also some good measuring rules for cooks to follow:
 
Now, here are the gorgeous photos that divide the various recipe categories of the book:

Special Occasions

Breads and Sandwiches

Cookies, Cakes and Desserts

Meats and Main Dishes

Salads and Vegetables

Beverages

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aren't they wonderful?  I hope you enjoyed this peek into this vintage treasure!

Sharing a few links...

New Hampshire Troubadour September 1950

Good morning!  Today I thought I would share just a few links that have been inspiring to me lately. 

First up, a post from Carrie concerning the recent Ladies Retreat 2011 at The Wilds of New England.  I went to this retreat and loved it, but have not yet written the longer post that I want to.  Carrie has written a great account of our time there and has some nice photos too.  I promise I will still post about this, but in the meantime you will enjoy reading Carrie's thoughts, I know.

Next, a few posts from syds1girl at Daily Musings from the Hill.  This real-life friend of mine has a lovely blog and a wonderful talent for relating devotional thoughts to everyday life and the beauty of nature.  Check out these recent posts; you will be encouraged, challenged, and inspired!

Teach us to Number our Days
A Sweet Savor
Songs in Late Summer

Susan, at By Grace, is another writer who inspires me.  This post, Come, concerning the blessings of fellowship with our Lord, will likely inspire you too.


Mrs. Smith, at Sweet Tea and Simplicity, is new to blogging, but she is a wonderful photographer and an inspiring writer as well.  This excellent post, Frames That Count, challenges me to be sure I am spending my time wisely as God would have me to.

I loved this wonderful post that artist Susan Branch wrote about her dad:  The House that Jack Built.  If you are blessed to still have a dad in your life (or even if he has passed on) this post is likely to make you cry, but will surely encourage you to appreciate his influence in your life.

My friend Patty, at Beside Still Waters, has written a great post that reminds us all how important it is to Encourage others. 

And last of all, if you enjoy beautiful photography, fall decorating, and also want to be encouraged to have a thankful heart, you'll want to read Thankful Be, an inspiring post written by Aunt Ruthie over at Sugar Pie Farmhouse.

Hope you all enjoy these links as much as I did!

Fun little craft project for fall

Some time ago my daughter Carrie gave me this lovely little tea wallet:
 
Here is the pattern she used:  Little Birdie Tea Wallet

It is very handy for when we travel to our favorite getaway destinations and may have access to hot water for tea but not a variety of tea bags.  The little wallet means I can take along a small assortment of my favorite teas with me.  Carrie made one side differently so it holds index cards.  Very handy for note-taking or list-making on the go.

I'm planning a fall-themed giveaway soon and thought it would be fun to make the tea wallet with a fall theme.  Here's how the fall tea wallet turned out:

And here is the inside:

I also made one with a Christmasy look for a Christmas in July gift exchange:

Isn't it amazing how the look can vary with just a few simple color changes?

This pattern is quick, easy, and lots of fun.  And you will find many other adorable projects at Wee Folk Art!