Autumn Aromas from A to Z

I found this in a 1983 Ideals book. This is by Carole Joyce Davis.

Apples...steaming, savory, spicy in a deep dish pie

Bonfires...burning leaves, smoke wisps in the sky

Clover...perfumed red heads, bees' nectar harvest

Doughnuts... sugared and warm, best with cider just pressed

Earth...arid autumn powder, stirred by the merest whisper
Frost...nose tingly invader, white landscape, crisp air

Grapes...scented purple cluster for good eating

Hay...sweet summer bales, animals' winter clothing

Indian summer...aromatic balminess, a season in between

Juniper...blue berried bush, pungent and keen cedar smell

Kerosene...oily whiffs, lantern shadows blend in disappearing light

Licorice...black confections goblins like at Halloween

Marigolds...golden-flowered garden beauties

Nuts...harvested from wooden shell, roasting hickory and hazel

Orchards...fruity apple fragrance, laden trees

Pine...blazing logs suggest a forest-scented breeze

Quince...strong astringent scent, yellow fruit shaped like a pear

Rain...dampened hillsides and paement, laundered summer air

Stacks...ax-hewen logs, corded winter heat

Turnips...robust root, often defies Jack Frost

Umbrella... trusty rain roof, ready for splashy days

Vegetables...earthy essemce of abundant crops

Wheat..."amber waves of grain", mean fresh baked loaves of bread

X...autumal equinox, frosty tang in days ahead

Yams...orange candied, syrupy slices in brown sugar dress

Zest...autumns spice, sachet of harvest bounty

Isn't that a perfect poem for Autumn ? Makes me feel warm and cozy just reading it!

The photos are of my Grandmother during a hike on their farm. I think they are just beautiful!

I love the Ideals books and buy them everytime I see them at yard sales or estate sales. I especially love the ones from the 1950's because they have such beautiful photos.

Have a blessed day everyone.

Friday Show and Tell

TGIF! And it's a holiday weekend!

Kelli at http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ is hosting show and tell, so click over and see everyone's treasures!

This week I would like to show you my caster or condiment set. These were used around the turn of the century and were a must on holiday tables.

A silver plated round holder, holds serveral bottles that are all shaped differently. From what I have been able to learn the bottles not only contained salt and pepper, but vinegar, something called "pepper sauce" sometimes ketchup, olive oil, etc.. I also spins so that you can reach the bottle that you want.

I have never used mine for anything except dispaly purposes, but I'm thinking I may use them for Thanksgiving this year.
Wishing everyone a fun and safe holiday weekend!

Blessings
Linda

End of Summer

Well, summertime is winding down here is SW Virginia. The children are all back in school, the leaves are beginning to turn red and gold, and today is rainy and cool. September can still be quite warm here, but at nights you can really feel the difference in the air. There is always just a "nip" to it.

Last weekend Yngwie had some of his friends down for some tubing and boating. They were so not ready to go back to school!

After a few hours on the lake, they decided to hit the pool and have some supper!

People jumping should be an Olympic event! I'm not sure who was crazier, the young man who is jumping or the three who stood there and let him jump them!

We haven't really firmed up our plans for the holiday weekend, but I am hoping for some time to get out to some of my favorite antique stores and maybe visit a town several miles away where I saw some really cool looking antique stores, but they were closed on the Sunday that I was there. Monday I will start pulling out my fall decorations, if I can still shimmy up that little opening to our attic!

Have a great day all!

Six Quirky but Boring things about me!

My friend Arlene over at http://agrimm.blogspot.com has challenged me to a new meme. Six quirky, but boring things about me. I could probably list 100!

1. I have to arrange colored candies, like M&M's by color before I can eat them. Then I eat the color with the most down to the color with the least. Sounds a little OCD, huh?

2. I can pick up things on the floor with my toes just as easily as with my fingers. That probably stems from being too lazy to bend over.

3. I love Halloween and go all out decorating for it.

4. I sleep with my window open just a little all year round. I like to hear the outside noises.

5. I once drowned a kitten, by trying to baptize it in a rain barrel. I got in huge trouble for that one. I was probably 5-6 at the time.

6. I was the "Arch" angel in the church Christmas pageant for years because I was the only one who could remember the "fear not, for behold" verses in the Bible.

7. I'm adding a seventh just because I can. I LOVE those cheap frozen pot pies! The ones that used to cost a dime when I was growing up. I could eat one every day.

I'm tagging anyone who would like to play along!

Have a great day!
Linda

Busy Weekend

First, thanks for all your thoughts and prayers with my family this past week. Our Grandmother was so special to all of us. Already I miss her so much. I had been going to the nursing home almost every day, and now I find myself wandering around looking for something to do. I almost picked up the phone Saturday to call and tell her about the watermelon I picked from my garden. She loved gardening and always like to be kept up to date about what everyone else was growing as well. Life will never be the same without her, but I know she is whole and well now and rejoicing with her Saviour.
The second thing I wanted to tell you about is a fantatic giveaway over at Linda's blog http://behindmyreddoor.blogspot.com/. She has a beautiful blog and her give away is fall themed, my favorite time of year!

Thursday I went to the craft store and bought supplies to make several projects I had seen in a couple of magazines. I'm glad I did as it kept me busy this weekend. I made several things, that I will put up in the next couple days.

The first is this altered notebook. I had seen a couple of these while surfing around the net and thought they were so cute. Let me tell you, this could become as obsession! They are extremely easy to make and I really like how it turned out.

Just using scrapbook paper, I covered the notebook on the front and back then added some decorative elements.

The little blue birds I cut out of a greeting card that my Grandmother had sent to my Dad when he was in the hospital years ago. I really had fun making these and I am going to pick up several more notebooks while they are on sale. These would make great garden journals, recipe books, etc..

This Jack o Lantern fellow was lots of fun to make as well. I found the pattern for him in last years Create and Decorate magazine. He is made of muslin and then painted. I think he's cute in a creepy sort of way.

This weekend my twin nephews decided they wanted to have their 12th birthday at my pool. Both of them are really into the "Civil War" so I made them this cake. The north on one side and the south on the other. Unfortunately, when the candles were lit, one of the union soldiers had a bit of bad luck. Opps!

Hope everyone has a blessed day.

Linda

My Grandmother

Yesterday morning my grandmother walked into the arms of Jesus, never to suffer on this Earth again. She was the most wonderful Grandmother anyone could ever have. You can read a post I wrote about her life here:

http://lbpsews.blogspot.com/2007/05/show-and-tell-friday.html

She fell and broke her hip in April and had to have a complete hip replacement. She came through the surgery well, but it took too much of a toll on her body. She went to rehab to try and learn to walk again, but each day she just got a little more weak. Last week was so hard for her, and for all of us who loved her. She was having terrible hallucinations, that were so real to her and she was terrified. She also developed a upper resiratory infection that went into pneumonia. She died in her sleep Saturday morning.

While we all grieve for her, we also know she is no longer in pain. And the thing that excites us the most is that for the first time in her 96 years, she will meet her father who died before she was born. Can you even imagine what a reunion that will be!!!

Thanks to all of you for your prayers for my family during the last few months. It has really meant so much to me.

Blessings

Linda

Friday Show and Tell

Here is SW Virginia it has been hot, hot, hot! However, today it's supposed to cool down to the upper 80's! (cool is a relative word!). So what have I been thinking about with all this hot summer weather everyday? Why Fall of course! The first project was a doll that came from last years fall edition of the Create and Decorate magazine. That is my very favorite magazine. It's a little hard to find, so when you do, send in your subscription so you want miss any of the great crafts!
Meet Autumn, my fall Amish doll! I never could find a good place to photograph her, sorry the photos are dark.
Her body and apron are made from an old flour sack that my grandmother gave me. I embroidered her name on her apron so none of the other dolls could take it!

These little Halloween ornaments were adapted from the new Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts magazine. If you love crafts, run, do not walk, to wherever you get your magazines and grab it. It is loaded with beautiful crafts!
My little witch shadow box is made from the top of a jewelry cardboard box. Just covered with scrapbooking paper and added some doo-dads and ribbon!
This little pumpkin sitter is also the top of a jewelry box and got some orangeish-gold glitter to give him some bling!

I loved making these and I will probably make a few more with Christmas elements.

For more show and tell go over to visit Kelli athttp://kellishouse.blogspot.com.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Linda

Summer's Bounty Continues!

My gardens are still thriving even though we have been going through a very dry spell. Luckily we live on a lake and can pump water to the gardens from there. But nothing is better for gardens than a full day of rain.Check out the size of these turnips! I would have loved to weigh it but it seems my scale sprouted legs and walked away, because no one knows where it is. (does that ever happen in your home?).
The little cherry tomato plants continue to provide hundreds of tiny, delicious, sweet, balls of taste! They are soooo sweet. We eat them like candy. Note to anyone who wants to plant cherry tomatoes: You only need ONE plant! Really. Trust me of this.
I can hardly wait for this little fellow to be ready! I have 3 of these little Sugar Baby watermelons.
I also have the motherload of banana peppers! I usually just slice these into rings and freeze them so that I can use them in Mexican dishes all winter long! In the fall these are so pretty as they start turning orange and red. They can be substituted for red and yellow peppers in most recipes as they are very sweet.
This butternut squash just volunteered to grow! I guess where one of my butternuts from last year rotted into the ground, the seed came up this year and I have a couple of butternut squash that will be ready soon. Volunteers are always welcome in my garden!
This is probably the vegetable I am most excited about! For the last 2-3 years I have had zero luck growing pumpins. They bloom then die. But this year I have 3 pumpkins on the vine and they are just starting to turn orange! They aren't real big, the largest being about the size of a basketball. They should be ready just in time for fall decorating! It will be so cool to have grown my own jack-o-lantern!

The green beans are just about finished. I was able to can 21 quarts from two small rows. I will pull them up this weekend and till for the fall planting which will be kale, mustard, and turnips.

The tomatos are still plugging along. I was able to can 1 pint, and 9 half pints of salsa this past weekend.

I really dread the gardening season winding down, but look forward to fall with it's cooler temps. We are supposed to be 98 degrees today with high humidity.

Stay cool and have a great day!

Linda

Friday Show and Tell!!

Kelli over at http://kellishouse.blogspot.com hosts Show and Tell each Friday. Head over to her site for more fun!


This Friday I would like to show you a couple teeny tiny dolls from my doll collection. I collect vintage dolls and my favorites are always the ones that are under 6" tall. I have always loved miniature things. These tiny little girls are about 1 1/2" tall. I love the pink bow on the doll on the right.The doll on the left is rubber and she/he is also about 1 1/2" tall. The tiniest doll I have is the one on the left. She is less than 1 inch tall!
Can you imagine crocheting a dress that tiny? Someone did!

I have tomatoes calling my name this weekend, so I will be canning salsa! YUM!
Have a great weekend!

Linda

Why lbpsews hasn't been sewing!

Tomatoes! Coming out my ears! I'm not complaining, I love tomatoes! But what do you do with bucketfuls of cherry tomatoes? I had no idea that I planted 6, yes 6, cherry tomato plants and they are very prolific. We have just been eating them in salads, by the handfulls, giving them away to friends and neighbors, etc...

The large tomatoes have been used for tomato sandwiches. EVERY SINGLE DAY! I eat a tomato sandwich, at least one, every day. So does Yngwie. Dear husband prefers them in a bowl with cottage cheese. No matter how you eat them, they are sooooo delicious.

This weekend I plan to make salsa as I have an abundance of tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos from my garden.

So sewing has been put on hold, temporarily.

How does your garden grow?

Busy, Busy as a bean, I mean bee

I stayed home almost all weekend because I had that wonderful eye problem called "pink eye"(conjunctivitis)! I thought I had just gotten something in it, but alas, it was pink eye. So early Saturday morning I went out in the garden and weeded a little, pulled a few ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers and then decided to pick the beans.

My garden is not too big. It's about 50x50 and I had planted two rows of blue lake green beans. The vines were full! I wish I had taken a picture. Anyway, I spent Saturday canning green beans. 21 quarts of them! There are still beans on the vine!
My flowers are still blooming despite getting little water. This tiger lilly grew to about 5' tall this year.

Our cat Midnight had decided that this garden bench under the sunflowers is her own special place. I have a feeling it is due to the amount of birds who visit the sunflower! My cat is very good at keeping the birds from eating my flowers.

By yesterday evening my eye was much better so I went to the nursing home to see my Grandmother who is 96. For any of you who have been following my story with her, she fell back in April and broke her hip, had a hip replacement and has been in the nursing home/rehab since. She has been steadily declining in her mental capacity. She doesn't always know who we are or what day it is, and imagines all manner of things. But yesterday I took her about 20 photos of my flowers in my garden and she spit out the names of the flowers like a pro! I decorated her bulletin board with the pictures because she liked them so well.

Hope everyone has a blessed day!

Linda

Show And Tell Friday!

Since I couldn't get my photos posted of what I was going to use for Show and Tell this Friday, I will use the post below to show you some of the great "treasures" I found last weekend. For more show and tell head over to http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ and join the fun!

Last Friday Yngwie and I went to a local estate sale in search of what they advertised as "vintage guitars'. When we got there, there was only one guitar and it was beyond vintage. It was just junk. After glancing around downstairs, I determined there was nothing I wanted and we started to leave. As we stepped in the hall I noticed some stairs and asked if anything was up there and the lady said "oh yes, lots" and boy was she right! Every room upstairs was filled with dishes, pictures, linens, old advertising signs, etc.. I bought a couple of items on Friday This gravy boat and creamer I loved as they are blue and white the colors in my kitchen! Then I noticed a sign that said everything would be half off on Sunday! So I waited until Sunday and went back. Some of the things I wanted had already been sold, but I was able to get a few things.

Isn't this little bird pitcher adorable? He cost $1.00

I guess I was in a pitcher buying mood, because I got this one as well for $2.00. I have a bowl that matches this already.

I got his pretty platter to give to my sister for Christmas. Our rule this Christmas is that it must be thrifted or homemade! So if I fill this with cookies, I have satisfied both rules! I paid $2.00 for this. I also got these two pottery shoes for .50 each and the When you Entertain book for $1.00.

I also got a couple of other things that I will share later on.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Linda

The Yellow Purse

I cut this purse out last weekend and have been piddling with it all week. (piddling, isn't that a fun word!). Finally last night I sewed the bottom in and voila! It's finished.

Well, almost finished. While I was serging the bottom the needles in my serger broke. Both of them at the same time. I must have been pulling too hard to make the turns around the bottom. So I will be off the the store this week sometime to get new ones.

I got the fabric and the pattern at the thrift store so this purse cost at grand total of 50 cents! (Plus two new serger needles). The button is just decorative as the purse closes with velcro.

This purse was super easy to make, and I can see more of these being made in the future! Hope everyone has a great day!

Linda

I Love Summer!

There is an entire meal, right there in that basket! Tomato sandwiches, squash fritters with jalapenos, and sliced cucumbers, ahhhh, it don't get no better than that. Oh yes it does! I just remembered! I have green beans ready to be picked!

Volunteer sunflowers! They look better this year than they did last year when I actually planted them!

Hope you are loving your summer too!
Blessings

Linda

Tilde Cone Angel

LBP Sews really does sew, sometimes. Just not very much in the summer. But, I did get this cone angel made from the Tilda Chrismas Book! She was so much fun to make and I like how she turned out. I had all the materials on hand to make her except the hair, which I picked up half price at Michaels.Her halo is made from a "stray" ear ring with no mate. I am going to fill them with lip gloss, small lotions, tissues, etc to give friends for Christmas this year. Then they can just put whatever they want in the cone and hang it on their tree. Two gifts in one!

Blessings

Linda