"It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas!"

Just a little quiet dinner last night,savoring turkey leftovers and reminiscing.

Saturday night I got out my Christmas decorations

and put them around. It's really tricky, in a new and smaller house

to know where to put things as you unwrap them, and I will not be able

 to use everything.   But, I love seeing  all my old things again. 

  I'm nesting!  I'm making Christmas in our home!

 Brings back memories,  makes me smile,  adds charm to my home. 

Last year,  I loved these on the kitchen windowsill.
 They looked so cute with my neighbor Violet's charming
 real house, just beyond in the snowy background. 

These little children are my favorites! 
They are ceramics by Lefton, from the 50's.

I thought I'd make waffles for breakfast Sunday.
I added 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin and 1 tsp. spice
 to the  complete  pancake mix.




Pumpkin waffles,  Mmm!

                                   Now, I'll start playing my Christmas music.



                                     Let the music of Christmas
                              fill your home and your heart!

                                                         Love, Linda

                                              Aren't these angels lovely?
                                         They're from Back Porch Graphics.

"Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King"

Burgundy

  
Burgundy---"Sometimes wine red or simply wine) is a shade of purplish- red associated with the Burgundy wine of the same name, which in turn is named after the Burgundy region of France.
The color burgundy is similar to other shades of dark red such as maroon. When referring to the color, burgundy is usually not capitalized.
The first recorded use of "burgundy" as a color name in English was in 1881."
                                                   ------Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
                                                                                          

I love a party!  Boy, do I have some burgundy!



Tommy stands on his tippy-toes at the burgundy front door,
 watching for his Mommy to come home.

-

I always told my children that if you learn to love reading,
 you can learn how to do anything, and you can go anywhere.

         A room without books is like a body without a soul. 
                                          ---Marcus Tullius Cicero

We marvel at the fall splendor we see on our daily walks. 
In every walk  with nature, one receives more than he seeks.
---John Muir

My sweetheart surprised me last week
with this lovely 1930's sofa for my new home!
I pulled together all the burgundy and pink decor
 I already had for my vintage  parlor!

Oh, Here's a little visitor, he can stay for Christmas and all winter long.
Isn't this burgundy upholstery pretty up close?
I think the burgundy will be a great color for holiday decorating!

More deep-red dishes

Here's a little tea and cookies,  using my
 burgundy china and glass in my old-fashioned new parlor.

Oh, Let's not forget the cranberries!
I sell vintage dishes, and this one is still in it's original box!

                May you be richly blessed as we celebrate
                Thanksgiving and start the holiday season!
                                                 Love, Linda

Thanksgiving Reflections

If the only prayer you said in your whole life 
                     was "Thank you"  that would suffice.       
               ---Meister Eckhart

How can we  ever thank Him?    For our very lives. Our sight, our senses-the tastes and sounds. Our minds and bodies.  Our families, our precious children and grandchildren and the love we share. The everyday sharing and caring that fulfills our lives. 

our granddaughters at  Ava's christening

The abundance of food we eat, our homes. All our earthly treasures,  joys and comforts, the beauty of nature in the world around us everywhere.
Friends and neighbors that add sweetness, good times and memories.   We are so blessed.

"For the earth in beauty dressed...", the words of a child's Thanksgiving song
 came to me, Can A Little Child Like Me  passing by Harper's Ferry on a recent trip

   Many  different thanksgiving days and festivals occurred through the years.  But our modern Thanksgiving  holiday was started in 1863, when  Abraham Lincoln said "It has seemed to me fit and proper that God's gifts should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged with one heart and one voice by the whole American  people ".   and so he  proclaimed a national day of  Thanksgiving,  on the fourth Thursday of November.
There is much more information about Thanksgiving origin, history, and traditions at http://www.apple4theteacher.com/.

"And our happy holidays, ....... Father we thank thee"
Family gatherings- celebrating birthdays- grandchildren

 Let us say thank you to our God, and to each other.
Thank you to our men and women serving in our military, so we can keep on enjoying our blessings of freedom this great land.

My granddaughter is writing a thank-you letter to a soldier.

 

"We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing"
 The hymnal displayed is opened to songs of Thanksgiving.

  Grace isn't a little prayer you chat before receiving a meal.
    It's a way to live.  ---Jackie Windspear

      It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.  
                                                 ---Psalm 92:1

Ah!  On Thanksgiving Day...

When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more.

And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled before.

What moistens the lips, and what brightens the eye?

What calls back the past, like the rich pumpkin pie?

                                                   ---John Greenleaf Whittier



www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18470/Libby'sFamousPumpkinPie




Lord God, heavenly Father,
Bless us and these Thy gifts
which we recieve from Thy
bountiful goodness, through
Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen




"And though I ebb in worth, I'll flow in thanks."   --- John Taylor

Love, Linda

http://www.magicmoonlightfreeimages.com/

Tea, Cake and Antiques

Oh my, what scrumptious goodies we served at the Women's Club Fall Antiques Sale last week.

 I just had to try a slice of pumpkin cake with my tea!.  Nancy, who served me, was the proud baker of the very cake I chose!  She  explained, "That is The Old Witch  And The Polka-Dot Ribbon Cake".
"Say what?   What is that?", I asked,  and she told me it was a recipe found in the back of a children's storybook.

                                                       

Old Witch's Magic Nut Cake
"When the kitchen is finally empty, Old Witch makes her magic nut cake
 to enter in the carnivals"s baking contest." the book says.

  This cake recipe is on the back cover and it is moist and delicious!
These vintage linens and dishes were typical items for sale in my booth.

" Wow!  It's delicious, now  tell me about this book", I said, and the next day she brought her signed copy and showed me the marvelous drawings. Nancy met the authors, went to many booksignings, has a  treasured collection of their out-of-print  books, and loves to read them to her third grade pupils, especially this title.
.

 This one  written in 1970 by Wende and illustrated by Harry,
 and is one of 21 children's books written by the Devlins.

The authors were husband and wife, Harry and Wende Devlin, from North Jersey. What impressed Nancy was the artwork in these  out-of-print children's  storybooks. There were lots of houses, and their own seven children beautifully portrayed in these delightful stories, published by Parents Magazine Press.  He was an award-winning cartoonist, architectural artist, and talented illustrator. and  she a portrait artist.  They combined their talents in 1963 to write the Old Witch series. You must visit their website to see more of their extensive work! www.harryandwendedevlin.com

 Now I know from personal experience as a mural-painter working with my partner that it's not always easy to create art together, when you have different styles!  I am very intrigued by this amazingly talented couple!   Parents of seven children!!!

Later a customer claimed that she makes the best cake ever,  a Paula Deen recipe, called , Gooey Cake".  There's a double-chocolate version and a pumpkin one.  Recipes are on her website, www.pauladeen.com, and www.foodnetwork.com.

Paula Deen's Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake, from www.pauladeen.com

But it seems that June's cake is the  Vineland Women's Club"s  all-time-most-requested-everyone's-favorite, the Italian Love Cake!   Layers of chocolate cake, mousse, and Mascarpone, I think.

June's Italian Love Cake

I told her she should serve it to some rich, handsome, eligible bachelors.  See if it works!

June was dressed-up for a Women's Suffragette's Parade in Woodbury, N.J.

  June once tasted this cake at the club  years ago.   She just loved it , but when she later asked about it, no one remembered it or who made it.  Then one day she saw an article in the Atlantic City Press about an out-of-business Egg Harbor Township restaurant who's specialty was this mysterious cake!  There was the recipe!  She was so excited!  Now she often bakes this cake, as her own signature dessert.!

My booth had lots of tea things, teacarts, linens, dishes, glassware, and other vintage treasures!

Joan's forget-me-nots  teacup,    made in England

Adderly teacup and saucer

My pretty hankies

Vintage Bakelite Radio

Cute little Chintzware Sugar and Creamer

Milkglass Hobnail Sugar and Creamer

 







I didn't make much money this weekend but I certainly enjoyed being with my friends and sharing tea, stimulating conversation, and eating cake! 

Happiness is not something you get, but something you do.                                          ---Marceline Cox


While there's tea there's hope.    ---Sir Arthur Pinero


"It's always teatime..."   the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

image from www.magicmooonlightfreeimages.blogspot.com

I am so thankful for all I have, and for my blogging friends. 

 I wish you a truly wonderful time of sharing Thanksgiving with your loved ones!

Blessings, Linda

I am building my nest again!

   I didn't mention it, waiting until I could speak of it with more grace, but I had a difficult move this past summer and am only now getting comfortably settled in.  I'm adjusting to a very modest home, but I am grateful that God has provided it and I am  determined to make it a love-filled, comfortable, cozy place, a warm and inviting haven.
 I am building my nest again!
 All the materials I'm using are: Love, joy, peace,  patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians5:22-23) *
  Also,  I must have flowers, music, books, and old things!

These are two huge, gorgeous Crepe Myrtle  trees
 next to my screen porch!
 Next summer,my transplanted hostas, coral bells,
 and other shade plants will be growing  along the side also.

 It has a really nice kitchen!  I love being able to cook for those I love.   I  have big plans to bake for and with my family, especially with the holidays coming up!  

I love my vintage brown transferware dishes for fall.
 It's Windsor Fruit, and it blends beautifully
 into my red and white kitchen color scheme. 

Isn't it fun to use pretty old china and glassware? I don't have this whole set, just a few pieces. But I like to use different table settings all the time.
  Just placed some pears and apples in an old amber Depression Glass bowl.

  Love baking those pumpkin muffins, pies, breads, and apple pies and crisps!
 So many great fall foods to make with the bountiful fall fruits!
  Ah, it makes it feel like home, the baking scents, the cooking aromas.

At least I found some of my cookbooks!
I still can't find lots of things!

Just draped a fall gourd garland around my chippy, shabby-chic mirror

A collection of old mirrors, an old chair, and bookcase, still evolving.
The wall was dark brown paneling, until I primed it
 and painted 2 coats of creamy white paint.

My old bookcase, made by Gunn Furniture Co.  in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from 1890-1920

This bookcase has lift glass doors, some are missing but I don't care!   I love to change up the collection displays, and  vignettes to go with the seasons.  I stuck some pumpkins and gourds on my green pottery collection.

This small plaque, from my daughter, Julie, says it all!

Not my Dream House!

This is not a lovely seaside cottage,  or a big old farmhouse where I could raise  some chickens and alpacas.  It's not  a character-rich Victorian where I could showcase antiques, and use my wicker furniture on the porch, nor is it a brand-spanking new house with the most modern, state-of-the-art fixtures and features.   But it's a good, sound home, that I could afford in a safe community, with good neighbors, and pretty yards. It's close to my kid's and grandchildren's  homes! 

 I will love decorating it and making it my home and I am so very thankful for it.  God is good.

 I wish you love, peace, and joy in your home!

Love, Linda

 

I  often visited www.littlebirdieblessings.blogspot.com,

 and read 2 books that helped me during my difficult move. 

  After The Boxes Are Unpacked, by Susan Miller and The Bible

 

He is happiest, be he king or peasant,

who finds peace in his home. ---Goethe

I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage,

with my books, my family and a few old friends...

letting the world roll on as it likes, than to occupy

the most splendid post which any human power

can give.                           ---Thomas Jefferson

'By the Bay'

  What has my friend Maureen been so excited about lately?    I had to go find out!   She has been spending much of her time working with a group that has been restoring a historic bayside area including the shipping sheds and wharves and  a 1928 oyster schooner, A. J. Meerwald, N.J.'s  Tall Ship.
She invited me to the very first "2nd Friday-'By the Bay'.  What a delightful evening! Mingling with local artists, tasting oyster stew and other seafood delicacies, and more delicious homemade refreshments! Enjoying folksy guitar music on the dock, and learning something of our rich  maritime history in South Jersey!

A model of the A.J. Meerwald in the museum.
 She wasn't in port, because she was in
a schooner race in the Chesapeake Bay this weekend!
for her history and details, go to www.ajmeerwald.org



Maureen in the museum shop, with lots
of  bayshore artwork,  local crafts
and pottery, and souvenirs

Ted  had a cup of grog

I saw exquisite artwork by Anthony Thompson and others.


  This is a painting of Eastpoint Lighthouse, in Cumberland County,built in 1849. It fell into disrepair, then was later restored 
 and is a very popular local artist subject. It is also a place where the Monarch Butterflies stop before their Autumnal Journey to Mexico, and this can be quite impressive to observe.  To learn more about the lighthouse history and tours, please visit www.njhs.org/links.html 
 or email the Maurice River Historical Society, at eastpointlighthousenj@yahoo.com

Photo from nrm.wikipedia.org/wiki/File oysters_in_circle_on_plate.jpg

 At the Raw Bar on the dock, we watched oysters being shucked and we could buy a plate of 6, for $6.00!  For more fascinating information on New Jersey oysters, visit www.cumauriceriver.org/downjersey/maritime , and www.jerseyseafood.nj.gov

Knot work being  taught by Horace Whitfield
 When I tried to make a square knot,
 He told me it turned out to be a "granny knot".
I thought he was kidding me!

A section of the lovely mural by Rudderow
in the museum


Each month there will be themed events, on the second Friday evenings, at the shipping sheds and wharves
 in Bivalve, Port Norris, N.J.
 They are also presenting children's programs.
Details and directions at www.bayshorediscovery.org
856-785-2060 ext 100

 That was a really fun and educational evening! 
 Who knew I lived near such an interesting place!
 Love, Linda