Sunday, September 25, 2011

Welcome Fall!

She is here at last!!! We welcomed her in with a quintessential Autumn day here in Nashville. Its cool, crisp and amazing!
 I am glad to be home from my travels and will tell you all about them as soon as I can. I prefer staying put this time of year, sans a trip to the mountain for some gorgeous foliage at the end of the season. There is just too many things to do around here to waste a single "perfect" day.....they are so fleeting :(

I leave you with a repost of an outrageous recipe that My Sweet Savannah posted from Pinterest today! I can not wait to try it! Drool.....








Ingredients

Bread
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Buttered Rum Glaze 

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp rum 



Directions

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn (turn black). Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk, return to stove and heat through. Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool so it is no longer hot but also not cool (about 100-110 degrees F). Once it has reached a warm but not hot temperature add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof. Then add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

While dough is rising, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well.** Making sure sugar evenly absorbs the butter. Set aside. Next, grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20x12 inch rectangle.*** Evenly sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into dough with palms of the hand. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares (cut in half then each half into thirds). Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.

In the meantime preheat an oven to 350 degrees. After rising in the pan bake for 30-40 minutes (mine took 37 exactly) or until top is a very deep golden brown.

To prepare the glaze, heat the butter, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and powdered sugar.





Get outside and soak up every minute you can! 

Happy Fall!

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Monday, August 22, 2011

A Revival



I stumbled on to another new blog tonight. I honestly can not even remember whose blog lead me over to it, as  I've been pouring over post after post with awe and delight and have already forgotten... Oooops!

It was the fancy rooster link button that caught my eye and I could  not resist checking it out....

I think you should too. As in right now....what are you waiting on? Go! Just follow that pretty rooster right on over....






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Friday, August 19, 2011

Creating Vintage Charm



One beautiful blog always leads to another......it's a never ending circle of loveliness! I get so excited every time it happens!

Darling Fifi O'Neil's  book "Romantic Prairie Style" has been featured in "Creating Vintage Charm". A magazine I knew nothing about until Fifi's post telling of the article. This of course lead me to their site where they are having a give away for a copy of the book! 

There is that circle of loveliness I was telling you about!

I can't believe I still do not have a copy of this book, but better late than never! This could be my chance.....or maybe yours! Find out how you can get your name in the hopper THREE...yes you heard me...THREE times Here!








Al Naturale


I've been bouncing this post around in my mind for days now....trying to figure out how to lay this out there. I haven't really come up with a way to portray this so that you don't think I was hit head on by a truck full of tree hugging environmental wackos.......so here goes....

We are going natural.

As in our life style and not by joining a nudist colony.

Did you know that  approximately 76 million Americans are sickened, 325,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 die each year from food borne illnesses?

That being said, I admit....it's going to be a process letting some things go....others (McDonalds!) not so much. But when it comes to what I am putting in my families mouth, thus their bodies....we are going whole hog, so to speak.

The first time I watched Food Inc was about 2 years ago. I was sick for days. I couldn't believe what the food that I thought was wholesome and fresh at my local super walmart actually WAS and WHERE it came from. 

I realized then and there that we weren't eating FOOD at all, but something that resembled food, created in a lab somewhere. I tired to start weeding out the GMO foods ect but got derailed by life I guess. 
Well, I have gotten back on the train.....it didn't take long after watching the movie again a few weeks ago.

I don't know about you, but if it isn't found in nature, i'm pretty sure it shouldn't be in our bodies. And if you stopped and read the label of everything you put in your cart....just how much nature would you find there? I think you would be shocked to know that answer!



It goes some much deeper than just whats in our food though. It's the way the system operates to get this "Food" to us. The treatment of the animals and workers is appalling to say the least. I am not going vegan on you. I believe God gave us animals to eat, but not to abuse in the process.

While we are going down this road, let me just say that I DO NOT in anyway shape, form or fashion believe in man made global warming.....its be proven over and over that the earth has gone through warming and cooling periods for thousands of years....long, long before mans inventions arrived on the seen. Do I believe we should be responsible and frugal with the earths resources?  Absolutely.

God asks us to be good stewards of the things we are given, and the earth is the first thing He ever gave to man. It should be respected and treated with care. 

We recycle, we give to goodwill.....use reusable shopping bags and open the windows in the house every chance we get. Does this make me a tree hugging hippie? I don't think so......it just makes me a good steward. Does wanting to eat naturally make me a health nut? Again, I don't think so.....it speaks of someone who cares enough about their families well being to not fill their bodies with chemicals and God only know what bacteria and disease from the so called "meat" we eat!

Wow...that was some rant....But SERIOUSLY....if you have an hour and you want to know where your food comes from....watch Food Inc. It can be played instantly on your computer via Netflix.

Afterwards, you might have a little different opinion of this post....

I'll be waiting to hear what you think......until then....I have some recycling that needs sorted ;)



Friday, August 12, 2011

Gettin The Itch


About this time every year.....the domesticated work force starts gettin the itch. The fall decorating itch that is!
It's still mid August mind you.....but something seems to switch in the air.... its still hot during the day....the garden is still growing and the leaves are still green.

Yet we know somehow that things are subtlety changing around us.....the mornings are cool....the leaves look as if they are tired of being green..the chipmunks and squirrels are diligently storing away theirs nuts...and of course the kiddos have started back to school. 

We go to the garage or attic and stare at the boxes labeled "Fall Decorations" ....we open them and dig around inside pretending we have some "forgotten" what we have.....we find ourselves looking at the date and wondering if people would think we were crazy if we go ahead and put the wreath on the door.....we find ourselves subconsciously driving past the road side produce tent that gives way to mums, pumpkins and cornstalks seemingly over night.....trying not to miss that magical moment the world says "It's okay! Put up those fall decorations!"

I think our anxiousness is not just that we are over the hot summer, but that in most places the fall season is just to short! This is especially true if we end up with an Indian Summer. Before you know it, you only end up with 2 good weeks of beautiful foliage and cooler temps. Then the leaves are gone and we start making that transition into winter. So we are just simply trying to make the most glorious season God gave us last just a tad bit longer....even if its just in our own eyes!

FYI: It's still too early ya'll, but a girl can dream right?














Thursday, August 11, 2011

Thrifting On Thursday



  Okay, okay.....so im cheating really....I didn't actually GO thrifting today...in fact not in the last 3 weeks! Today I worked my tale end off pulling weeds, pruning shrubs and raking decaying leaves that I left in a really stupid place last fall....

But Never the less......I shall share some thrifting finds with you from my last trip to my beloved and oh so hallowed GW outlet! I went 2 days in a row (God help...) and bought 50 lbs worth of treasures (Other peoples Junk says my DH) both trips! EGAD!!!


For those of you wondering what 50lbs of "stuff" looks like.......



This day I decided to let Bri get Barbies for the first time...we got a brand new Barbie Mansion 2 cars about 15 dolls and a carrying case for them! 

Here are few of my finds... all of them happen to be fall into the "lighting" category


Vintage black cast iron wall sconce.....the lamp shade is a lil too small, but I wanted to get it on the wall in the loft as soon as I walked in the door with it. So this one will have to do for now. I have my eyes open for a replacement!






This vintage Globe light is my favorite GW find ever I think...I know that's a not a casual thing to throw out there.... so you have to know I'm serious....ha! 

It has a small hole on the back/underneath side but you can't see it when it's facing the wall. The Britannica World Atlas is full of maps I have future plans to frame and the crate is an outlet find from last summer. I have used it several ways...it's serving as a side table to house the globe for now....till I get bored ;)










Wednesday, August 10, 2011

It Can't Be




We're all guilty of throwing around the saying "Time Flies" without really stopping to think about just that...time does fly...and our babies grow up too fast....

I was finally able to get Bri into an affordable preschool here in Green Hills. (A miracle...let me tell you) If you're lucky enough to find one with openings and not a waiting list, then it's most likely way out of your price range!

I have such mixed emotions about my lil girl going to Preschool. I know, I know.......it's just 2 days a week and it really doesn't count, but it will just make Kindergarten be here that much faster.

I am enjoying the school shopping........The adorable painted ponies backpack and lunch box combo from Garnet Hill.....the monogrammed apple shirt for the first day of school.....


I am excited that there will actually BE someone to invite to her Birthday Parties.......and of course that she will be making friends and learning!

But it feels like the beginning of the end somehow.....sigh

 Let the Games Begin!













Better Late Then Never

Due to the fact that the decks were being redone for the better part of two months....I have just now gotten to put planters out. 

Bri and I went to our favorite nursery to see if they had started marking things down.....

Not nearly enough.....so we didn't get much. I did splurge on a massive pot of Zinnias...


They are absolutely GORGEOUS.....makes me long for summer to hang around just a lil while longer......but the Fall bug has already gotten under my skin.....especially since the weather has cooled back off a bit!



I transplanted the green and purple potato vines I planted for Bill on the deck....turns out he doesn't like trailing plants so much. Most of them did great but the biggest green one hasn't perked back up yet....*tear* I don't think its gonna make it. 


This deck box was just suppose to have potato vine and lantana in it, but Bri decided we should have two New Guinea Impatients in there as well...one pink and one purple....lovely...lol. 
You can see i've tried to hide them in the back :0p

P.S. I've decided to quit saying I was starting back up with my blogging and just do it! What a novel idea! ;)
I've missed you all!




Sunday, June 19, 2011

Just busy or gone missing......

Well, maybe......or maybe life just got a bit out of control there for a few months.

At first it was just that I was busy with so much, but then had to stop decorating here for awhile and since that's the basis of my blogging....well.....

 I have however vowed to return to the blogging world and with that a return to finishing up around here. 
(Just in time for us to move back to our house im sure! haha)

I wish that I could remember even a fraction of the things i've missed blogging about over the last few months, but that's impossible! 
One recent thing I do plan to go back and tell you about is our trip to NOLA a few weeks ago! I also just finished the bathroom redo! Yay! 

Of course, none of this will happen until I get back from the World Tea Expo! We are leaving tuesday afternoon and I still have a million and one things to do! Aahhhhhhhhhh! 

So until then......

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Who Knew...

I'm afraid to even make this post......I fear it may bring hate mail...lol

I don't even want to really get into "Where I have been...." That would take too long....and why I dont even really feel I have much to blog about right now...I am going to start back. 

Wish me luck ;p