Happy Halloween!!

I bought this Jack-o-lantern at a craft show years ago. It is painted on a tin can. I think it is so cute!

Thank you for your interest, please leave a comment! And please do return soon!
Katherine

Wednesday's "Worth a Thousand Words!"

My little grandson, Caden, is featured again in this week's "a photo is worth a thousand words." I just received this surprise in the mail! Caden is only 15 months old, and this is his art work he did last week in day care! He colored the witch page, and "glued" the paper shapes onto the other page! This grandmother thinks he's sooo smart!!!

Thank you for your interest, please leave a comment! And please do return soon!
Katherine

Pumpkin Bread weather!

We've been having a lot of rain here in Florida and much cooler temps! When cool weather comes I start cooking some of my favorite fall foods! I made this pumpkin bread to serve at my Faith Sharing Group meeting. They really enjoyed it, so I thought you might as well.

This is my favorite pumpkin bread, because it's made with orange juice, and it makes a lot, so can be used for gifts too. It also freezes well. Use a very large bowl to mix it up in. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

4 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 can pumpkin
3 1/2 cups sifted plain flour (*see note)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2/3 cup orange juice
1 cup oil
1/2 cup nuts (I add more)
1/2 cup raisins (I omit)

(*Note: I've been omitting some of the plain flour and adding whole wheat, oats, wheat germ, and milled flax seed to make it more healthy.)

Mix in this order:
Beat eggs, add sugar and beat. Add pumpkin and beat, add flour with soda and spices and beat. Add juice and oil and beat well. Last - add nuts and stir well.

Pour into three well greased/wax papered loaf pans (or a large bundt pan)

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven and for 1 hour. Test with a cake tester or toothpick.

I serve with cream cheese (you may also add a little orange juice or orange marmalade to the cream cheese.)

This recipe also says you can use four 1-pound coffee cans to bake it in (grease them well.) Good shape for gifts. I've never tried the coffee cans.

Thank you for your interest, please leave a comment! And please do return soon!
Katherine

Show and Tell - Lace Collar

Kelli at http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ is hosting Friday's Show and Tell. Go there to see many more! Today I'm sharing a lace collar I've had for many years. I love all kinds of lace and when I found this lace collar at an antique store I bought it. I used to sew a lot of my clothes, and I attached this collar to different dresses. It can be worn like this: The lace collar can be crossed with a brooch.

The collar can also be worn like this:

I haven't worn this collar in years, this is where I display the lace collar now!

This lamp is on the night stand in our master bedroom.

Thank you for your interest, please leave a comment! And please do return soon!

Katherine

Wednesday's "Worth a Thousand Words!"

I was thinking about doing a Wordless Wednesday, but this couldn't be "wordless" because it's about my 14-month-old Caden! When it comes to him I'm full of words! His parents sent me this photo recently, they know how I love photos and I'm making photo albums for both grandbabies.

Caden is walking and these little miniature saddle oxfords helped him to walk faster. I have such a fondness for saddle oxfords, because my children wore them when they were small. And because I wore them in high school (giving away my age??) Did you ever wear saddle oxfords? My daughters even wore them when they went to a 50's Party! Fun memories!

Show and Tell - Crystal Sconces

Time for Kelli's Show and Tell http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ Today I'm sharing two of my favorite items in our house. These matching gold-leafed sconces have little crystal prisms on them. In keeping with the fall theme I have added faux fall leaves of brown and bronze with the tips touched with gold glitter. I call myself a budget decorator, very frugal, who decorates on a shoestring since I either buy everything on sale, or from garage sales, etc. These were a little bit of a splurge since I fell in love with them when I saw them at an antique store several years ago. My sweet husband gave them to me for our anniversary!

I have added more fall decorations to our home and share them with you below. We have found out we're having our whole family here with us for Thanksgiving, including both grandbabies! This has given me more incentive for decorating for fall. After Halloween I'll start adding turkeys and Thanksgiving items.

Fall - in the dining room

In Florida we have to make our own fall! This is how I do it in our home!

I incorporated fall leaves into the top of the china cabinet vignette.The fall leaves entwined in the chandelier in the dining room.

Fall Leaves on the Chandy!

Flocked (velvety) fall leaves in fall colors, greens, reds, oranges and yellows. These are my favorites!

The falling leaves.....

You've seen some of these pictures, but now I have incorporated fall leaves everywhere. Since we have to make our own fall in Florida, this is one way I do it! The tea cart has sparkly brown, green, gold, maroon colored leaves touched with gold glitter.

The old sewing machine has maroon and green leaves.

The curio cabinet has orange and yellow leaves sprinkled around.

Breakfast Nook Chandelier

This is the chandelier that hangs over our breakfast nook table. A basket of sunflowers is the centerpiece on the table so I filled the center of the chandelier with sunflowers to match.

Screen door

Here's another little scarecrow! I bought him a few years ago because he is attached to a little screen door! I love screen doors! I have fond memories of screen doors, they remind me of my childhood. Back before air-conditioning almost everybody had screen doors. Some people had a screen door at the front and back doors. These screen doors had little hooks on them for locks, but people seldom locked their screen doors! Back then hardly anybody even locked any doors! And it was safe, everybody trusted their neighbors! Screen doors were a sign of friendship and welcome.

I still remember the squeak of the screen doors. This was the signal that someone was coming in, even before they gave a holler announcing their arrival! Screen doors helped keep bugs and flies out of the house. I remember my grandmother putting a wire around a tissue and attaching it to the outside of the screen door. This was supposed to scare flies away! It must have worked since she did it every summer!

Do you have special memories of screen doors? Did you mother constantly tell you to "stop slamming that door!" And try as you may, you would always forget and let it slam each time! I guess our children were spared of that!

I miss screen doors. I missed them so much I had my husband install one at our front door. It's not a pretty wood screen door with Victorian gingerbread trim, like I love, but it is a screen door! It is called a "vanishing" screen door because it retracts to one side when you open it to enter. Yes, that's a fancy new screen door.....but it doesn't have that familiar squeak that I would love to hear!

Halloween Duck!

How do you like this duck dressed up as a witch? She makes me laugh! When we lived in Indiana a few years ago, my husband was fascinated to see people had duck statues on their porches, and would change the duck's costume with each season and holiday! He always laughed about the different costumes, and I think he looked forward to seeing each new one! When I saw this little duck dressed-up, I had to buy her for Joe! We've had her several years now, but only have one costume, so she is only displayed at Halloween!

Keeping the Faith

Joe had his last radiation treatment last Thursday! We are so thankful for answered prayers for safe travel, for protection against side-effects, and for so many friends and family who are supporting us in prayer.

Now we are in the waiting period. We thought the daily 3-hour round trips to Mayo for over a month was hard, but waiting can be even more difficult. We at least felt like we were doing something when were traveling daily. Now we aren’t doing anything, just waiting! He goes back to see the doctor next week for a follow-up, but we will not get results for six to eight weeks. He cannot have a CT scan until the swelling goes down, so we won’t know if the cancer is gone until then.

This ordeal started last January when Joe was diagnosed a second time with lymphoma. He had chemotherapy for several months before the radiation. By all rights this has not been a good year - a family member, our little dog, died in July, in addition to the health issues. We are still standing firm in our faith! We see the Lord’s hand in everything in our lives.

When praying about what to write about on this subject, the following devotional came to mind. I’m on the mailing list for a daily devotional from Joel Osteen, and received this one last week. (BTW, Joel Osteen was on Larry King Live tonight! He has been on TV a lot lately and I’m so thankful the Lord has made this possible for him to get the message out)

Joel Osteen’s Daily Devotional
He Is Attentive to Your Prayers
Today's Scripture
“For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), and His ears are attentive to their prayer…” (I Peter 3:12 AMP).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Do you ever wonder if the Lord hears your prayers? There is Good News today—this verse promises that He is attentive to the prayers of the righteous! If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and have asked Him to cleanse you of your past sins, then you are righteous by the blood of Jesus. God longs to show Himself strong on your behalf. Your prayers open the door for Him to move in your life. You can be sure that He is attentive and listening for your prayers. Keep standing, keep believing, and keep praying knowing that God is on your side. He hears you. He’s working behind the scenes and orchestrating things in your favor. Thank Him today for listening. Thank Him for making you righteous. As you stand in faith, you will see God move in your life. Don’t shrink back—move forward in confidence knowing that the eyes of the Lord are upon you, and He is attentive to your prayers!

A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, thank You for making me righteous. Thank You for making me clean and new. Thank You for hearing my prayers today. I cast my cares and burdens on You knowing that You are working in my life today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. (Joel Osteen)

This devotional has helped me so much, to assure me He hears our prayers. He is attentive to our prayers and he is working behind the scenes. Praise God! Thank you Lord, for answers to our prayers, thank you for healing, for doctors, and for research!

Maybe someone else who reads my blog also needs to hear the words to the devotional above. I pray it will help you as well.

Katherine

Lady Scarecrow

Somehow I forgot to post this with my fall decor. I like the wicker pumpkin, this is the small one, there's another larger one. I found them at Walmart a few years ago. I like this little scarecrow lady, I found her last year at Hobby Lobby. These are on the round coffee table in our family room. I haven't bought a new scarecrow this year, not that I need more, but I like to find a different one every year.

Show and Tell - Fall pins and Fall Decor

Time for Kelli's Show and Tell http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ Today I'm sharing my fall decor throughout our house. I have been posting my scarecrow collection for two days now. First I want to share three special little pins I wear during the fall season.The little turkey pin above was made by my grandson, Tanner, when he was a little boy. It's a favorite!

Mr. Candy Corn above was purchased at a craft show several years ago. He has a few sparkles on him!

The little scarecrow pin, above, was also bought at a craft show years ago.

Please continue the posts below to see the fall decor and scarecrow collection in our home.

Fall Decor

Little curly haired scarecrow is among my fall decorations. I have my scarecrow collection throughout the house during autumn.

This little scarecrow has fallen down and can't get up again!

Three little scarecrows hang on the French doors in our breakfast nook.

Scarecrow on top of TV armoire in the family room. Old luggage pieces are on top of armoire.

Silk fall leaves are intertwined in the dining room chandelier.

Halloween Decor

I don't really like Halloween. I especially don't like witches and the horror stuff. I decorate for fall with scarecrows instead and don't use much Halloween decor. Last year I found the cute little witch boot (above) at Hobby Lobby along with the black cat below. I think they are cute (not scary!) The tip of the boot has a little candy corn hanging on it. This year in Mary Englebreit's Home Companion magazine she featured this cute little witch below. I do like this "cute" witch, and decided to frame her!

I just love what the verse says! "If the hat fits, wear it!" There's been days when I feel it would fit me! LOL!

The cute purple dotted black cat also enticed me to buy it last year at Hobby Lobby! It has a tiny jack-o-lantern hanging around it's neck!

I will be posting my scarecrow collection and fall decor all week. Please keep checking the posts below for this!

It's beginning to look like fall around here...

I am so ready for fall! Here is Florida we are still having 90 degree weather. We are promised a cool front coming this weekend! That means it will be in the 80s!! I'm ready for some cooler weather. I've been wanting to decorate for fall, but hubby couldn't get the boxes out of the attic until this past weekend. I'm now in the process of decorating and will share our fall decor a little each day.

I bought this new white pumpkin at Hobby Lobby this year. I already had the cake plate that just happened to match! I'm using this as the centerpiece on the dining room table with faux berries, and velvet leaves.

Only two more days of driving up to Jacksonville for Joe's radiation!! I'm so ready to get back to normal and stay home, so I can decorate and do other fun things!

Time for Fall

One of my favorite scarecrows! I have a collection of about 50 scarecrows that I display once a year. I'll be sharing most of those soon. Last year I shared each one on my blog. To see them individually, go to 2006 - October.

The candy dishes are filled with candy corn! I love the little scarecrow candy dish above!

Candy pumpkins on green leaf dish.

This new leaf dish is so much prettier than it looks in this picture. It is an iridescent orange color. I love Brach's candy corn, must have it each fall!

Sunflowers!

The sunflowers above are in a square egg basket. This is on our breakfast nook table. That's a little black crow among the flowers.

I like to decorate with sunflowers in the fall. I love sunflowers, maybe because they are yellow! Sunflowers make me happy!

Three little scarecrows and there's still a black crow in the flowers!

More Scarecrows

The scarecrow above is made from a block of wood!

This is "Patches" (above) He is a Puffkin scarecrow. Puffkins were popular when Beanie Babies were several years ago.

Scarecrows are tucked among flowers and plants in our house.

Happy Autumn!

I love these scarecrow (heads) above. The one on the left is a handpainted light bulb! The other two are painted flower pots. They just make me smile!

This little scareycrow is riding a pumpkin on wheels! He looks like he is having so much fun!

The little scarecrow above is made from chenille. She is hanging on the knob of the TV armoire in the family room.

The little scarecrow doll above is just sitting in the wicker chair in the family room.

This scarecrow is on the back side of the front door. His arms and legs are poseable and I like to change his pose often! He makes me want to kick up my heels!