Just a Neighborly Visit

Our next door neighbors recently brought home these lovely young ladies (there may be a young gentleman in there, too – I’m not sure). They live in a coop across the “meadow” (our side yard) from us. When our neighbors are home, they let the girls out of the coop to free range and they invariably end up wandering over for a visit.

They seem to show up more often when we are outside playing – they act like they want to socialize – but when we get too close, they run away from us.

They love to peck around in the rose garden – must be some tasty critters living in there.

My neighbor has been apologizing for the girls’ forwardness in making themselves at home in our yard, but I love having them around. We would like to get some little ladies of our own as soon as we figure out how to convert part of the barn into a coop, so I consider these neighborly visits to be a welcome taste of things to come.

Blessings,
Nancy

Warm Caramel Apple Cake

This is a recipe that is in the Betty Crocker 2010 calendar for the month of September. It looked so yummy I had to try it. It did turn out to be quite yummy, and a wondeful addition to my Fall dessert recipe file.

I only took a few pictures of this one, after it was already baked and ready to eat, so I’ll just give you the recipe and then tack the pictures on at the end.

Warm Caramel Apple Cake

Cake Ingredients
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 large cooking apples – peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 2 1/3 cups)
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice

Topping Ingredients
2/3 cup Betty Crocker Whipped fluffy white frosting (from 12 oz. container)
1/2 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping
Caramel topping, if desired

Baking Instructions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In 1 qt. heavy saucepan, cook butter, whipping cream and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into 13 x 9 inch pan. Sprinkle with pecans; top with sliced apples.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and apple pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Carefully spoon batter over apple mixture.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan. Place heatproof serving platter upside down on pan; carefully turn platter and pan over. Let pan remain over cake about 1 minute so caramel can drizzle over cake. Remove pan.

4. In small bowl, mix frosting and whipped topping. Serve warm cake topped with frosting mixture and drizzled with caramel topping.

I did not use the white frosting in my topping, but rather I used the remaining whipping cream in the carton and whipped up some homemade whipped cream to serve on top. We also did not drizzle caramel topping on ours, but it would be extra delicious with it, I’m sure.

Blessings,
Nancy

The Simple Woman’s Daybook ~ October 25

Here is my Daybook entry for today ~

Outside my window. . .many of the trees have started to turn yellow in the yard. It is a “blustery” day today.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am thinking. . .about digging into my closet as soon as I can get a chance – it is woefully in need of a good cleaning out!
~~~~~~~~~~
From the learning room. . .the littles and I will begin a study of the FIAR book “Pumpkin Runner” by Marsha Diane Arnold. Some of the things we will be studying will be Australia, buoyancy, and of course, pumpkins. The olders are still finishing up Cells (pokey. . . pokey!) and will begin a study on the skeletal system next.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am thankful for. . .cool breezes and rustling leaves.
~~~~~~~~~~
From the kitchen. . .dinner tonight will be Ground Beef Stroganoff, a green salad, and Pumpkin Pie for dessert.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am wearing. . .navy shirt and lt. denim capris.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am creating. . .mending some dresses for the girls to wear to Reformation, and sewing a red satin sash to go with Tommy’s outfit for the upcoming ice skating competition.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am going. . .to have to get that blue and white quilt block sewn up this week, too – I will be picking up the next one before the end of the month arrives next weekend.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am reading. . .Fall books with the children.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am hoping. . .to get to the nursery to buy some daffodil bulbs soon – I planted some 4 years ago, and they only came up a couple of years and then stopped. I love seeing them pop up in the spring, so I need to get them in the ground now.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am hearing. . .children talking, the wind blowing in the trees, and the windchime on the front porch singing in the wind.
~~~~~~~~~~
Around the house. . .a new “papa bear” chair for Jeff in the living room (which we are all enjoying when Papa Bear isn’t sitting in it), a new bedtime routine for the littles is needed and will hopefully be put in place soon, the dogs have made a visit to the groomers and look and feel so much better! (Well, they didn’t actually tell me so, but who wouldn’t feel better minus long shaggy fur which covers the eyes and makes scavenging for food on the floor more challenging?)
~~~~~~~~~~
One of my favorite things. . .watching Tommy ice skate. (He is the only one taking skating lessons now, and is learning more every week!)
~~~~~~~~~~
A few plans for the rest of the week. . .a busy week around here – sewing, cleaning, ice skating, ballet, library, monthly Keepers Club meeting, a mall trip (for Tommy to practice on the competition ice), quilt store, and the annual Reformation celebration at church next weekend.
~~~~~~~~~~
Here is a picture thought I am sharing. . .

Warm Caramel Apple Cake ~ recipe coming soon!
~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to Peggy at The Simple Woman’s Daybook for this wonderful meme. Visit Peggy to find the October list of participants in The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

Have a lovely day!

Blessings,
Nancy

Blue and White Quilt

These beautiful fabrics make up a lovely blue and white quilt that I am slowly working on. It is a block of the month program at a local quilt store that I am participating in. The quilt is centered around twelve navy and cream blocks that are each different. Each month I make one of the twelve, and eventually I will get around to finishing the rest of the quilt. Here is a pattern diagram of the quilt design ~

My absolute favorite fabric in this quilt is the blue botanical print – I fell in love with it when I saw it, and it is what made the quilt irresistible to me ~

So far I have made six of the twelve central blocks ~

This is a Thangles quilt, which means that I use Thangle paper templates to sew the half square triangles on the machine and they turn out beautifully every time ~

I’ve got block #7 all prepared to sew when I get a few minutes to work on it ~

I can’t wait to see this quilt finished. Blue and White is my favorite color combination and I know that I will love this quilt when it is finished!

Have a nice day!

Blessings,
Nancy

Fall Decoration

We’re all decked out now in Fall decoration, so I thought I’d share some of them with you. The picture above was taken on the front porch. The white bench is one that I found this summer in an antique store. It is really special to me because it is just like one that my grandmother had on her screened porch. My cousins and siblings and I used to sit on it and play cards and visit. I was so excited when I found it! The pumpkins add a special touch of Fall to this special bench.

Next to the front door, I have placed my annual pumpkin in the ladder back chair. I just love the way it looks, and so I place a large pumpkin here every year ~

Around back I have placed two pumpkins by the white picket fence – another annual decoration ~

Coming in the back door ~ there is a new Fall rug just inside the door. I love the gingham and pumpkins on this rug ~

Here are a few pictures of the Autumn decorations scattered around the living room ~

Into the dining room and kitchen ~

And finally, you can even see a touch of Fall in my quilt basket – this fabric makes me happy!

How are you coming with your decorations?

Blessings,
Nancy

The Simple Woman’s Daybook ~ October 18

Here is my Daybook entry for today ~

Outside my window. . .the sun is shining on this beautiful Fall morning – a breeze is blowing the trees, which are starting to show a little bit of yellow. Some leaves have started falling onto the driveway in the front yard – one of my favorite parts of Fall; and squirrels are busy scurrying around gathering nuts and acorns.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am thinking. . .that there are way too many spiders around this year, and wondering why?
~~~~~~~~~~
From the learning room. . .finishing up our cell study with the olders, and also finishing up “When I Was Young in the Mountains” with the littles – bar graphs, painting, and a snakey art project.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am thankful for. . .my front porch.
~~~~~~~~~~
From the kitchen. . .still working on this one!
~~~~~~~~~~
I am wearing. . .pinkish purple polo shirt and dark blue capris.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am creating. . .still working on my Christmas quilt (when I have time!) and sewing up the monthly block for my blue and white quilt – pictures coming this week of this quilt.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am going. . .to be shopping for Reformation and Fall Festival costumes this week.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am reading. . .mostly just school books and Fall magazines.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am hoping. . .to get this post written and posted sometime today!
~~~~~~~~~~
I am hearing. . .children doing schoolwork, waterfall running in the pool outside, someone playing on the keyboard in the living room.
~~~~~~~~~~
Around the house. . .lots of toys and books on all of the flat surfaces, laundry and dishes to be worked on, windows open to let in the nice weather.
~~~~~~~~~~
One of my favorite things. . .Patty Melt Cheeseburgers – a cheeseburger with grilled onions served on toast.
~~~~~~~~~~
A few plans for the rest of the week. . .library, ice skating, voice lesson, ballet, cleaning, sewing.
~~~~~~~~~~
Here is a picture thought I am sharing. . .

~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to Peggy at The Simple Woman’s Daybook for this wonderful meme. Visit Peggy to find the October list of participants in The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

Have a lovely day!

Blessings,
Nancy

The Simple Woman’s Daybook ~ October 12

Here is my Daybook entry for today ~

Outside my window. . .beautiful Fall weather has been keeping me outside whenever I can manage it.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am thinking. . .many swirling thoughts.
~~~~~~~~~~
From the learning room. . .“When I Was Young in the Mountains” is our Five in A Row book for the week – we will be making bar graphs, painting from selected palettes, and discussing nutrition and snakes. The older kids are learning about cells and reading from Sherlock Holmes, Gentle Ben, and Anne of Green Gables.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am thankful for. . .pretty Fall leaves.
~~~~~~~~~~
From the kitchen. . .Beans and Franks in the crockpot with cornbread on the side.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am wearing. . .navy shirt and capris.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am creating. . .a Thanksgiving journal (long overdue) and I’m working on a flannel Christmas quilt.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am going. . .to be glad to drop off the rest of the garage sale stuff at Goodwill and have it out of the house.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am reading. . .“Farmer Boy”, by Laura Ingalls Wilder – and thoroughly enjoying it!
~~~~~~~~~~
I am hoping. . .to cut back on some of the “entertainment” around here and add in more productive things.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am hearing. . .children talking and playing, pencil strokes as Laura draws a diagram of a cell next to me.
~~~~~~~~~~
Around the house. . .the remnants of our weekend garage sale, floors to sweep and mop, a big basket of laundry to tackle, Autumn candles and decorations out for us all to enjoy.
~~~~~~~~~~
One of my favorite things. . .I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again . . . the changing of seasons is one of the joys of my life.
~~~~~~~~~~
A few plans for the rest of the week. . .ice skating, ballet lesson, voice lesson, eye dr. appointment, Stamp Club, and the family October birthday party.
~~~~~~~~~~
Here is a picture thought I am sharing. . .

Pretty flannels in my Christmas quilt.

~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to Peggy at The Simple Woman’s Daybook for this wonderful meme. Visit Peggy to find the October list of participants in The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

Have a nice day!

Blessings,
Nancy

Back to Blogging

I’m sorry for being absent for awhile – we’ve been quite busy and then we all came down with a stomach virus this past week – one way to slow down, but not a preferred method. I hope to get some posts up a little more regularly from now on – there are a number of things to share backing up – fall decorations, recipes, quilting pictures, and the always on-going adventures of each day around here.

Be back soon!

Blessings,
Nancy