Hello, Pussycat

"Mom. I'm not a pussycat. I'm a Wildcat."

Oh, yes. I see that now. Most ferocious, indeed.

Happily Picked, Quickly Forgotten

Treasures at the Thrift Shop

After our Wednesday morning bible study, Jane and I often make a quick stop into the tiny thrift store over by our house. It's run entirely by volunteer grannies and I just adore it there. Jane heads straight for the scarf section of the store, for they are all priced at a dollar. Just in her budget. She'll then twirl for all the ladies and we'll all confess to being charmed completely.

This past week we found not only a scarf, but a glorious amber colored velvet alpine hat. It is in pristine condition and I fell head over heels in love as soon as I spotted it. The grannies told me it had just come in that very morning. For our annual family harvest party, I'm thinking of dressing up as Maria Von Trapp. You know the scene at the end of The Sound of Music where they are climbing the Alps and the hills are all alive? Yep. That's gonna be me.

We also found another treasure. A sweet little woman named Peg that we met while standing at the checkout. Peg had also found some treasures that day and was contemplating taking several trips to get all the items home. Several trips on foot. I figure Peg to be well into her eighties!

When we asked if we could take her home, she beamed and announced: "I thank the Lord, Darling. That would be wonderful."

On our ride home we learned that Peg dearly loves the Lord. She grew up in New York and can't help up giggle at her own accent. She taught English to foreigners which she thought was most ironic given her own dialect. Peg is a riot.

We exchanged phone numbers and she is contemplating coming to church with us. She claims we were her blessing that day, but I think she was ours. I love the treasures God brings to us when we least expect it.

A Supply in the Green Crate

My brother is a forester. He always has a lot of firewood on hand. And he has a woodstove. Which he uses. A lot.

Toasty warm in front of a crackling fire on these drippy days? He and his adorable wife have hot chocolate too, you say? Oh my. Now that sounds nice. I've gotta' get busy and finagle myself an invitation.

Brown Ticking and Vintage Zipper

The Foyer Gets a Makeover

I love decorating for fall. Of course, the rich colors and the splashes of gold are always a favorite, but what I really like most? The effort lasts from September all the way through November.  Apparently, this is where I now say, "Booyah." Or so Pops says.

This fall, I finished up the pillows and then let my decorating bug carry me into the foyer. Previously,  I had a dark burnished frame around the mirror, a black parsons bench, and a dark floral rug. I wasn't really into the look anymore, but had no real budget to work with.

On a whim, I asked Pops take the mirror down for me and I attacked it with some gold spray paint we already had. Don't get too perfect with the paint. I let the coats be slightly uneven in coverage so it would look a little less ... spray-painty. Start to finish? 15 minutes. I'm serious.

Next, I primed the bench and gave it a coat of Sherwin-Williams "Modern Gray - #7632." I am smitten with this gray. Such a soft, mellow gray. Once dry (I used a foam roller for the body and foam brush for the nooks ... super fast!), toss on a throw and pillow.

Finally, up came the ol' granny rug and down went a simple sisal floor runner, and then ribboned on an old wreath over top of the mirror.

The only thing purchased was paint and the rug. Total cost? About $35 dollars. Booyah.

Yet Another Use for Beloved Pumpkin

 

 To continue my seasonal obsession with all things pumpkin, I recently tried making ... Pumpkin Chili! It was actually really good. The pumpkin flavor was very subtle and seemed to make the chili very rich and moist.

There seem to be several recipes floating out there in recipe-land, but I basically took my chili stand-by and just altered it a smidge. Omit the corn and tomato paste, toss in a can of pumpkin. Only black beans, add yellow peppers. Swap ground beef for ground turkey.

Kind of a fun change. Especially when you pair the chili with buttermilk biscuits. Ahh, buttermilk. Another recent obsession ...

Fresh Bedsheets and Evening Light

A Little Bit of Sparkle

Little Jane decided we needed to accessorize the newly arranged coffee table. By George, I think she's onto something!

I'm always a touch nervous to add to many bibelots for fear that the whole scene will just look junky. But as I was previously lamenting, the table didn't look quite right. As soon as we gave a quick polish to a couple of pieces from Grandma's silver set, Jane and I knew we were onto something. We're still tinkering, Jane and I, but we've definitely determined that we are fans of a little sparkle.

My favorite accessory of all? The little bit of sparkle you see smiling in the background.

A Last-Minute Baking Miracle

I had an "Eeeks" moment this morning when I realized that I had completely forgotten to prepare the scones I'd volunteered to bring to morning bible study. I hate it when I do that.

I'd already spent my dawning hours racing around with a wet shower-head, making breakfasts, making lunches, checking homework, and frenetically telling kids to "Hurry, hurry ... Eat! Brush! Shoes! Get in the van!!" Not to mention snapping at my poor husband when he offered to make me coffee. Because really, I can't be expected to know whether or not I want coffee! Sheesh. Not one of my shining moments.

Fast forward through a carpool drop-off at school and spastic blow-dry session to fix my aforementioned shower-head ... I remembered. Scones. Bible study. Less than an hour.

After a quick mental inventory of what I had in the fridge/cupboards and a peek in my trusty cast iron cookbook, I managed to toss together a version of buttermilk scones. And when I say toss, I mean almost literally tossed together. It was slapdash blur of combining, mixing, and substitutions.

Had some chopped dates but not the currents. Had a lemon but not an orange. No time for rolling out and cutting, so just pat it into the pan. From first toss to pulling out of the oven? 30 minutes. Wowzers, I love this recipe! And I love my cast iron pan.

I yanked the crazy hot pan out of the oven and set it on the floor of my mom-mobile to cool as we sped off for bible study. Once we arrived it had cooled just enough to be cut into wedges right in the pan. Yippee!

Okay. I'm better now.

• Slapdash Buttermilk Scones •

Mix together:
3 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
2.5 t. baking powder
.5 t. baking soda
.75 t. salt

Mix/cut in 'til well blended:
.75 c. butter

Add:
citrus zest
.5 c. dates (or cranberries, raisins, currents, etc.)

Pour in and mix 'til just blended:
1 c. buttermilk (I'm sure milk would work fine, too)

Butter up your cast iron skillet and press batter into pan. If you've got it, sprinkle on some turbinado sugar for sparkle and crunch. Toss into 400 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes or 'til golden. Grab some pot holders, snatch out of oven, and drive off to your next event! Hurrah for baking miracles!