Yellow Rose Arbor

Thursday

Show and Tell - Apple collection

It's time for Kelli's http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ Show and Tell. Visit her blog for many more interesting Show and Tell stories. Today I'm sharing several apple related items. First is a little basket of apples.

It probably won't be very meaningful to you, but the fabric apples are special to me because my mother made them back in the 70s! They are made of red gingham. She made all kinds of fabric fruits in different colors of gingham and calico fabrics. The strawberries she made were made from red with tiny white dots fabric. Limes from green gingham, lemons from yellow gingham, plums from purple gingham, etc. I used to keep a bowl of the fabric fruits on my kitchen table.

Several more posts below will show you a few apple things I have collected over the years.

I'm also sharing my Fresh Apple Cake recipe. I made this yesterday for my bible study group. Come on over for a cup of apple spice tea, and a piece of cake!

I hope you enjoy the apples! Thank you for your interest, please leave a comment! And please do return soon!

Katherine

Apple Decor

During the fall season I display this pretty apple plate and these two little "apple kids" in my kitchen.

Little boy with a basket of apples. I think of them as little kids sellling the apples.

This photo of the little girl doesn't show how cute she is. She also has a basket of apples.

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

Katherine

Fresh Apple Cake

When the cool weather comes I get in the mood for apple cake (as well as pumpkin bread!) This is the fresh apple cake I made yesterday and served my bible study group here. Everybody really likes it! It can be served with just powdered sugar on top, or Cool Whip, or a caramel sauce. It's very easy to make. Enjoy!

Fresh Apple Cake

Ingredients:

4 cups finely chopped, peeled apples

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 beaten eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Butter (or spray) a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.

Combine apples and sugar. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and soda. Add to apple mixture; stir until just combined. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bakeat 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Cool completely in pan. This cake is very moist!

*Note: To be a little more healthy I alway use half whole wheat flour, and add some milled flax seed. I also used half applesauce with half the oil.

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

Katherine

An Apple a Day!

My husband and I have been eating an apple a day this fall, since the apples are so fresh and good. We usually eat apple slices with slices of colby cheese, and nuts. I like walnuts or pecans with the apples. I also made an Apple Waldorf Salad with chopped apples, chopped celery, and chopped walnuts, mixed up with a little Miracle Whip salad dressing.

The nuts above, in the wicker apple shaped basket are macadamia nuts that we brought home from Hawaii last February! They are so hard it's too difficult to crack them! A special tool is needed to crack macadamias!

I hope you enjoyed seeing my little apple collection!

Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Thy wings. Psalm17:8

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

Katherine

Wednesday

Christmas magazines

Do all of you love Christmas mags as much as I do!! I just can't resist buying them! I save them too, from year to year!! I love to get out the old ones and browse through them each year. I love the recipes and dream of trying lots of new recipes, then usually end up using the same ole traditional recipes!

I do like to use the new ideas for Christmas decorating each year. I also have several hardback Christmas books that I look at each year, some are Victoria, Southern Living, Country Living, etc. Maybe I'll show those after Thanksgiving. I just wanted to share the ones I have bought so far this year. I subscribe to some, and even bought a couple on sale (40% off at Hobby Lobby!) Do you have any other Christmas mags you recommend to buy this year?

My husband teases me about buying so many magazines! I tell him they are my "cigarettes!!" He used to buy his first wife cigarettes, now he has to buy me magazines! (Wink!)

Thank you for your interest, if you leave a comment, I'll reply! Please do return soon!

Katherine

Tuesday

This and That....

Anybody watching "Dancing With The Stars?" I used to never watch it, but this season I'm really hooked! They are ALL sooo good! I can't even decide who my favorite is! I'm partial to Marie Osmond. I think she has a really cute personality. I love the way she is losing weight now, makes me want to start dancing!! She is going to sell a "Dancing with the stars" doll on QVC this weekend. I don't have any of her dolls, but I think they are cute, especially the ones with the "Marie" mole on the faces! They are her very own designs!

Do any of you ever vote for anyone on DWS? I don't know how to text message on my cell, so I haven't tried to vote! I'm not sure who I would vote for, Marie is pretty good, but so is Jane Seymore. They are all really good. Who is your favorite?

I had planned to start showing my Thanksgiving decorations today, but decided to wait until next week because Kelli http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ is going to feature a Mr. Linky for all of us to join in the share our thoughts, decorations, crafts, etc. all next week. Check it out here, there's also prizes!

http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/

I apologize because I'm technically challenged and don't know how to add Kelli's button so you can click on it, but just click on the url below, it should work!

Mary at http://maryswritingnook.blogspot.com/ has tagged me for a meme. Since I don't usually get tagged for anything, I'm honored that she chose me, even though I have to show a picture of myself.

Mary also has a Mr. Linky feature next week. Hers is to encourage those in our blogging community to start a sweet Christmas tradition, to get everyone involved, even the children, to be a blessing in Jesus name this year. You come up with an idea that will enable you to reach out to someone in need during this Christmas season. If you are already involved in some type of Christmas giving tradition, share about that too.

I've had snapshots of myself on my blog before, but those who didn't see them, here's another! This is about the only one I have on my computer right now, it was taken about three years ago, I like it because my fat and wrinkles don't show!! Yes, that's gray hair, I'm a grandmother, and I'm in my late sixties! Thanks, Mary for making me one of the chosen!!

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

Katherine

Monday

Autumn Village

I bought this little village when we lived in Indiana a few years ago. The reason I bought it is because the barn has "Drake's Barn" on it. Drake is my maiden name, I don't often see things with my maiden name on it! That's the reason it had to come home with me. My parents didn't live on a farm, but my grandparents did and I used to spent a lot of summers with them. I have good memories of being on their farm there in Alabama when I was growing up!

This little village is displayed in our breakfast nook. Below is a close-up of Drake's Barn.

(There's one more building to this little village, but I can't find it!)

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

Katherine

Sunday

The Favor of the Lord

Yes, the crisp cool air, the colorful leaves, hot apple cider, cozy warm socks, all can be considered small favors! In this month of Thanksgiving, let us count all the small favors as well as the abundant blessings!

And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And do confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands. Psalms 90:17

For he who finds Me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord. Prov. 8:35

A good man will obtain favor from the Lord. Prov. 12:2

Good understanding produces favor. Prov. 13:15

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

Fall is here in Florida!!

We are finally having some cool weather here in Florida! Lows in the 50s, high 70s!! No humidity! It feels very nice! It's ideal weather, I wish it was always like this!

I found this cute little figurine at Hobby Lobby last week, she was half-priced, so I added her to the collection.

Although we don't have many pretty falling leaves in Florida, it is still our "Fall!" Here's a favorite quote about fall time:

The leaves lay like hands

upon the ground.

When the wind rustles them

they applaud softly.

~~Laura E. Stevens

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

Thursday

Show and Tell - Beaded purses

Time for Kelli's Show and Tell http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ go there for lots more!

Today I'm sharing two little beaded purses. They both have chains for handles.

The little vintage beaded bag, below, was given to me about 25 years ago, by an elderly man in our neighborhood. His wife had died and he was giving away some of her things. She was well into her eighties, and I don't know how long she had the purse. It is very worn. The chain handle is dark and doesn't show up on the dark background.

I bought this little beaded purse (below) for my oldest daughter when she was about four years old. She is now in her forties! My youngest daughter also carried this little bag when she was preschool age. I display these little bags on a hat tree in the guest room.

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

Katherine

New Scarecrow

I didn't buy any new scarecrows this year, until last week. I was ordering nativity sets for the babies from Terry's Village and saw this cute scarecrow clock on sale, 50% off. He fits right in with all my other scarecrows! I like to decorate with scarecrows because after Halloween, they can remain with the Thanksgiving decorations. I'll be putting those up this weekend.

After Halloween I turn the Jack-o-lantern (above) around, to just a pumpkin! I removed the black cat, the witches boot, and the framed ("If the hat fits, wear it!") witch. The new scarecrow clock is at the end of the curio top where the Halloween things were.

The little girl scarecrow is incorporated in this vignette, above. I'll start adding pilgrims and turkeys to the fall decor this weekend, please return to see it!

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

Katherine

Little Slugger!!

Halloween is over, and I'm trying to think of something to post on my blog for November! I need to take a few pictures. In the meantime, I'll share a picture I received of little Caden in his Halloween costume! His parents are big Boston Red Sox fans. Now, how cute is that!

(Sorry, I didn't receive pictures of Elisabeth in her costume.)

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

Katherine

Wednesday

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

Monday

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

Thursday

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

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!

Thursday

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.