Seeing is believing

Upon acquiring Mr. Putter, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Tasha Tudor books took on an entirely new meaning. We began truly seeing the many corgis in the pages of her books. Laughter and pure delight escaped us as we realized how well she depicted a favorite resting pose of this breed. Here is living proof. Corgis do indeed sleep in this position!



So cold and windy today. There is a call of frost tonight, therefore I expect all my remaining flowers to meet their end by dawn's early light tomorrow. I bundled up and took Mr. Putter for his daily walk. As I came up the driveway I could not resist picking the last spray of mums to bring inside and pluck into a vase. I shall remember the fading beauty of autumn as the winter's chill begins.

Riding Aside

Following along with November Saturdays and horses, today was the sidesaddle demo and tea. I am very satisfied that Rose is taking an interest in riding aside. It is classically graceful, ladylike, and elegant. Today's demo showed various forms of riding, the clothing, and the saddle types.

Now remember this was also a "tea"; a far cry from the one we attended at the fancy hotel, as this one was in a barn. Styrofoam cups with hot water and tea bag, black currant, worked for me.

A table was set with cucumbers sandwiches, that were excellent I might inject, sweet breads of carrot and zucchini, along a crisp ginger snap cookie.

The author of this book spoke about the history of sidesaddle riding and relayed a wealth of information on the basics of riding aside. And lucky Rose was the door prize winner of her book which will be moved to the top of our reading pile.I am hooked!

Yuletide Yo-Yos

Several years ago I was invited to join fifteen ladies in an annual ornament exchange. Since there happen to be some very creative women in the group, I have been a beneficiary to some absolutely outstanding ornaments that are treasures to be pulled out each year and hung on my tree.
Every year when the activity level in my family picks up speed, I find myself wondering how I will ever get my ornaments done. Fifteen ornaments seem disturbingly daunting. But thanks to an old age art and this tutorial I was able to whip up some lovely ornaments in no time at all. The fabrics came from here and the buttons were gathered from the trusty button box inherited from my maternal grandmother.

The girls and I enjoyed them so much we are planning to get some Christmas fabric and make them to grace our packages.

Horse Shows

For the past two Saturday mornings Rose and I have started out early in order for her to test her interest in the world of horse competition. One was a 4-H event while the other was held at an horse farm about an hours drive away.Nervousness made the events serious, but a relaxed pose should come with experience I assume.
But winning a blue ribbon for showmanship brought plenty of smiles.

The most fun was the 4-H costume event. In keeping with a patriotic theme since we have been heavy in studying Early American History lately, Rose chose to dress as Betsy Ross and ride sidesaddle. Her instructor has a sidesaddle and was more than happy to give Rose a lesson in this old-fashioned ladies style of riding. Actually we will be attending a sidesaddle demo and tea this Saturday afternoon. I am looking forward to it.
Even Riley must get into proper attire with a braided tail of red, white and blue ribbons.


An end never looked so good!

Fried Green Tomatoes

It is a fact. Summer tomatoes are probably one of my favorite foods. I can take a fresh, red vine-picked tomato and bite into it it just like I would an apple. Nothing tastes so much like summer, and the tomatoes found in the store in the winter can never compare with homegrown ones.

I would consider it offensive to disallow the ripening of tomatoes on the vine during the warm weather. Silently I suppress any thoughts of the tantalizing fruit in another highly favored form. Yet before the first frost, I can hardly wait until the last of the tomatoes are plucked green and firm from the overgrown plants. They are immediately bought into the house and battered and fried without any qualms whatsoever. After all one can not cook fried green tomatoes without frying them. However, I do use olive oil.

Served along with the evening's meal these tangy delicacies are meant to be a side dish. But to me they are the main course.

But then they are also the appetizer because I have never been able to resist eating some before they are arranged on the platter and set on the table....in the middle of the table. Like I said, the main course.


I do believe it is a good thing to have my computer back and running sufficiently once again. After all was said and done, everything had to be erased and reprogrammed ( but only after trying so many other things first). My virus protection had expired unbeknownst to me and Internet Explorer was having a big party. So now I have been given strict orders and" ground rules"...his words not mine. There are some glitches yet to be worked out in several areas and many places I can not visit until I find out how to access them properly and cleanly. And I do not like how my picture shows up on the comments I send! Sometimes I feel as if I am using an entirely different program altogether.

Hotel Tea

A windy Tuesday afternoon in autumn is perfect for taking tea in a fanciful hotel.
The miniature roses caught the mood for daintiness and girly things. The afternoon sun warmed us inside and out as the day had turned rather brisk for this time of year.
The food was brought out and set before us on tiers and each plate was passed. Absolutely no one forsook anything offered.
The girls languishing after imbibing pots of tea with sugar cubes. The treats of chicken salad, roasted pepper, and cucumber (of course) sandwiches, crisp cheese wafers, shortbread, fruit, apple cinnamon scones with Devonshire cream and jam, and a delectable chocolate truffle had long since been eaten and the plates cleared by our gracious server. Minutes turned into hours and no one desired to leave .
Giggling and grinning, the little girls delighted in the huge revolving door. I must admit I was watching the fingers!

This was a first time tea event for my girls at this particular hotel, and one that I know they will remember.

It has been a favored afternoon tea spot for my friends and me through the years as we have met and caught up with the happenings of our lives and enjoyed the sweet comfort of friendship shared. May my daughters too know such things.

Forced Computer Rest

Yes, I love technology....but there are times when I must say I can live without it

.......and I do.

But this time it was a case of forced hiatus. My computer must have caught some kind of horrible virus and suffered a terrible crash. It is presently "in the hospital". While I have missed blogging and reading certain blogs, I also realized that the times of going back to those days of the not so faraway past are over.....I most certainly rely upon this form of technology more than even I would like to admit. Emailing for upcoming horse shows, 4-H events where I am the one in charge of food, prayer news, etc. One must shout," Alexander Graham Bell arise! " Therefore, if my telephone did not ring enough with everyday calls and the recent deluge of political calls...now was added all the calls of missed emails!

So hopefully by next week I will have it all taken care of.....so stayed tuned. I have had a delightfully splendid week of an afternoon tea at a charming hotel, Christmas ornament making, horse shows......minus the extra phone calls. Thankfully my answering machine is working beautifully!

And the most thanks go to Alan for allowing me to borrow his laptop this afternoon in order to get this post out.

Twenty-six years

Turning twenty-six on the twenty-sixth....demands a yellow cake with a raspberry filling and an icing of whipped cream abundantly sprinkled with coconut.As tradition dictates, the dining room is decorated with brightly colored streamers. Even the "big kids" expect it and would miss not having this provincial form of hoopla awaiting them on the morning of their birthday. Many a birthday eve my husband and I have been up late hanging the twisted crepe paper streamers from the corners of the room.

My youngest and my eldest share the best kind of gift.....hugs and kisses. We laughed at all the funny expressions that ensued from Witt's face!

Witt attended college in the mountains, where it can get rather cold. Every Thanksgiving holiday we could expect him to arrive home with a beard. Now it seems that as soon as the weather starts to get cool, the beard appears once again. Now unless someone thinks I do not like beards.....my husband has donned one for over twenty-five years. Yes, I most definitely like men in beards....but this man is my son!

Keeping T cozy

Look what is keeping my teapot cozy, panoply for such humble duty. I knitted it from the wool of my Romney sheep which I dyed in this pleasing shade of purple.....perfect.

Daily Living Obsession

"I tried to advise her, "said Bella. " I pointed out that when we were young we broke away from this tyranny of domesticity," said Bella, her color high. "She said why? and I told her we wanted to live for bigger things: movements, ideas, causes."
"What did she say to that?"
"She said, That's just it. You had causes. You didn't live.' The girl is obsessed with living, daily living, that's all you can call it," said Bella, more than ever incensed.

China Court

Rumer Godden

That is what I have been doing these days. Living, daily living....that's all you can call it, and I love my obsession!

Corn Bread Muffin Prep

Promotion of the "stool" from the bathroom sink left this past used little stool just resting in my pantry.Usually the protocol for Charlottte helping to cook is to drag a kitchen chair across the floor. I absolutely loved seeing this stool in use once again and it was a perfect height for my now five year old baker.

Corn Muffins were on the menu to prepare to go along with a pot of chili being served at a basket making class I was attending- such Fallish comfort food should always be shared.

This old tin was a find in an antique store years ago. It has a deep burnished, well-worn look and makes the most fun autumn muffins.....can you see the leaf embossment on one row of the tins?

Corn Bread Muffins

1 1/2 cup cornmeal

3 tablespoons of flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups buttermilk

Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Beat egg and add to the buttermilk. Add this mixture to dry ingredients and beat well. Add the melted butter. Pour into greased muffin pan.

Bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until brown.

I prefer to crumble my muffin in my bowl of chili.....but you can do whatever suits your fancy.