My Cozy Home

so can we wrap up this summer thing yet?!

I do love summer, but around August 2nd I get this itchy, twitchy feeling.  I sort of glare at the waning growth of the flowers in our window boxes, with color draining, looking a bit limp - more leaves than flower buds.  I think to myself that I would much prefer to rip out the summer flowers and replace them with mums, gourds, and pumpkins.  I count down the days to September 1st, as I do believe that is when I have free license to drag out all my fall decorations and plaids, pumpkins, gourds, and all things Halloween - including Halloween trees with ornaments.  Yes, September 1st has been dubbed (by me) the official day of autumn decorating.  Of course for one full month prior to September 1st I pull out every September and October issue of "Country Home", "Country Living", "Home Companion", and Martha Stewart "Living" I have.  My eyes drink in the delightful pages of rustic decorating, the beautiful fall colors, harvest tables sitting outside with pumpkins and apples adorning their tops.  Usually there are tartan plaid blankets nearby to throw over one's lap as the air turns crisp.  I yearn for open windows, cool nights, corduroy and tweed jackets, jeans, turtleneck sweaters in shades of oatmeal and charcoal.  I love the trips to the orchard where we pick out our apples and pumpkins.  We are almost there, I can just about taste it - and speaking of taste, what says "fall" better than pumpkin pie, apple crisp, pork loin, and a big pot of chili with cornbread.  Yes, it really is my favorite time of year.  And so, because I just couldn't stop myself, I made two loaves of wonderful pumpkin bread today.  I wanted to share the recipe and a few pictures of the process and finished product.

I wish you could have smelled it baking - so wonderful, warm, and inviting.

It was so good.  Below is the recipe.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Pumpkin Bread - makes 2 loaves

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water

4 large eggs

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (8x5-inch) loaf pans.  In a medium bowl, beat pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. 

In a separate medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Gradually add to pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine.

Pour into pans, and bake for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool in pans 10 minutes.  Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.  YUM!

And, just a few little Halloweeny things that I picked up at Michael's the other day - waiting for September 1. Okay, so the crow is already in our family room.  I can't help it.  He just looks like he belongs.  Hope you're all doing well!!

 

haupt antiek market, candles, and a heart-felt thank you...

First and foremost I wanted to thank you for all of the comments that I received about my last post.  It really, really touched me and I'm so grateful for your kindness, support, thoughtfulness, and friendship.  Aren't we so lucky to have this amazing network of friends - it's a gift we keep giving to each other.  Thank you so much - I'm giving each of you a huge hug and blowing you a kiss.

                                                       THANK YOU!!!

Last weekend Steve, Evy, and I went to the Haupt Antiek Market in Rosemount, MN.  If any of you have the October 2006 issue of Country Living you will be able to see them featured.  It's a very fun place to go.  An old house, yard, and out building filled with wonderful antiques.  It's open once a month for four days, and each month there is a new theme and all new antiques.  They also contributed to the book "Celebrating Home", which I LOVE.

    

I only got four things as I am saving myself for September 7th when I will go to Junk Bonanza and to Buffalo, MN for the some major antiquing (will be primarily at Buffalo Nickel Antiques and Second Hand Rose).

I got the little clock, called a "Baby Ben".  So cute.

Below is a picture that I found at Haupt.  I love the colors and it matches the blue of our paint so perfectly.                                               

I got the little ink well next to the phone.  I wish it had the top to it, but maybe I can find an old pen that would look good sticking out of it.  I think my dad had one, I'll have to ask my mom.

 

I found this large cloche - I do love a good cloche ya know.  I have three now, small, medium, and large.  It works great on the cake stand.

And finally, I wanted to share with you a wonderful candle find - 1803 Candles.  They smell sooo amazing, are handmade, and are soy.  They are wonderful!!!  Here are the two that I have and I love them!!  You can order them online - I HIGHLY recommend them.

   

The packaging is so cute and uses regular canning jars.  Farmhouse is my favorite of the two, but I really like both of them very much.   

Evy and I are off to get her a hair trim at Kid's Hair, then to Michael's for some Martha Stewart supplies, and then to the mall to do a bit of shopping for Evy and I.  Sounds like a super day I think.  Then, for tonight, Steve and I will be watching "Midsomer Murders - Garden of Death" we just got in the mail from Netflix. Last night it was just party, party, party as we watched "Highschool Musical 2".  Pizza, popcorn, chocolate - a very fun night!

Thank you again for being my supporters, visitors, and friends.  We are all so fortunate to have this forum to share our thoughts, hobbies, and general goings on in our lives.

Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!!

my dad...

Today, August 11, would have been my dad's 60th birthday.  I want to share with you this special man who was physically in my life for such a brief period of time, but has been in my heart and in my mind every day of my 34 years.  My dad, Les, was killed in a car accident with two other people in September 1974, just a couple of months prior to my 2nd birthday.  He was just 27 years old.  It's hard to explain what it's like to grow up without a parent - thankfully I had my mom.  Not having my dad has been like a puzzle that I have tried to put together all of these years.  The puzzle pieces come from my mom, from my aunts, uncles, grandparents, my older cousins, his friends - anyone who is willing to tell me about him.  With this information I try to complete a picture of a person who isn't here to tell me and show me himself.  The pain and loss is so strong, not only for what I never would have, but also for what I never did have.  No memories, no first-hand understanding of who he was as a person, no advice, no memories of hugs and I love you's.  But I do know, without any doubt that my dad loved me and my mom very, very much, and I know they were extremely happy together on their farm in North Dakota.  Fortunately for me I had and still have a wonderful mom who always told me how my dad felt about me, and how he loved to play with me.  With every achievement and special event in my life, my mom would tell me how proud and happy my dad would have been.  We always thought that he was my guardian angel, watching over me and helping me along the way. 

When I was about 15 I received a set of letters that my dad had written to my grandparents when he was in the Army, stationed in Germany.  It was my first chance to see how he communicated, what he thought about.  I could tell right away that he was a person who cared about writing to his family - letters to my grandparents, his aunts and uncles.  And he was very interested in the German culture - sightseeing, and experiencing his surroundings.  He brought back wonderful gifts for his family - beautiful German clocks, crystal bells, carved candles, German plates.  I read through each letter, tears pouring down my face, rocking back and fourth, crying out loud "why, why, why".  Pleading with God to let me see him, please just once let me see him and know him - please let me touch him.   

I haven't been able to read the letters again since I was 15.  They are both comforting and painful at the same time.  I will read them to my daughter though, when she is old enough to understand, and as I try and help her put together her own puzzle of my dad.

                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                          

This is my mom and dad holding a very small Allison at my grandparents in 1973.  I'm loving my mom's dress and her hair.  She's adorable.  Not sure why the bottom of the picture is askew - must not have scanned quite right.

                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                        

This is my dad with our dog Jody.  My dad loved cats and dogs, and was an avid reader.  Jody lived until I was about 17 years old.  My dad's eyes make my heart melt. 

   

My dad cleaning fish - he loved to fish and hunt.  I think this picture looks like it could have been taken a year ago, not 33 years ago.

And so today is both special and sad as I think about an exceptional man who  I know and don't know all at the same time.  What I do know about him is what counts - he loved me, he loved my mom, he was helpful, kind, caring, a good friend and neighbor, a wonderful father,husband, brother, uncle, and son.  He gave to me a wonderful support system of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who I love so much.  Happy birthday Dad.  I love you and miss you.

oatmeal, chocolate, & donuts....

Just a few pictures of some of the more brown and neutral elements in our house.  I like color very much, and at the same time am so drawn to Earth tones; shades of oatmeal, carmel, chocolate, charcoal.  They make me feel enveloped in comfort and warmth.  The below is from our foyer - I can't resist vintage umbrellas and sporting goods.  During the winter I hang a couple of pairs of vintage ice skates on the basket - an adult and a child's pair.

                                                                                                                                      The below is in our family room.  The cute egg is one you may recognize as Carol's (I posted a picture of it when I got it some months ago).  The framed map in the back is from a vintage atlas- and appropriately is a map of Minnesota.

                                                                                                                                                   The kitchen table.  The runner on the table is a vintage flour sack.  I love the natural oatmeal color and blue stripes on the side.  I like how it pairs up with the ticking on the chair cushions.  That's K.C. sitting in the window.

                                                                                                                                           

Kitchen counter .         

                                                                                                                     This is another part of the fireplace mantle in the family room - next to the egg inside the cloche.  The little pouches next to the trophey were my dad's - they use to hold his pipe tobacco.  The little pipe next to the pouches was his. 

During the past couple of weeks there have been some very sad events going on around the country.  When I start to feel a bit down, I like to think about a song sung by Burl Ives called "Watch the Donut, Not the Hole".  Simply put, focus on what you have, not what you don't.  A simple message, but an important one.  Family, good friends, yummy food, the sun rising and setting, vacations, a hug from a child, lunch with a best friend, a furry friend sitting on your lap - the good things in life.  So, until I talk to you again, I'll be watching the donut - and it really is such a very good donut :o)

in love...with wellies, a skirt...a bag, shoes, another skirt, a cap, a shirt - oh the agony

As I was flipping through the pages of my new British Edition Country Living magazine I found an ad for a clothing company - one in England called Joules.  I was so intrigued by the ad that I had to look at it online.  As I perused the Internet catalog my heart began to beat faster, my pupils dilated, tiny beads of perspiration gathered on my brow.  I licked my lips and blinked quickly - my hand hovered over the keyboard, shaky and clammy.  I'm sure for my British friends this is nothing new - you snicker at my lack of quick access to this store.  Or, perhaps you just feel sorry for me.  I won't be dissuaded though, not sure what shipping would be, but I think I have to get something.  I wanted to share my find - such sweet, sweet eye candy.  Has anyone been to this store or ordered from the site?  The website is http://www.joulesclothing.com/JoulesSite/pages/home/default.asp

                                                                                                                                                         

             

                            

  These are just a few of the yummy things I saw on the Joules website - yum!

9 years of happiness & joy

Today Steven and I celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary.  Thank you Steven for being such an amazing man.  I've been so incredibly happy, thankful, and grateful for your wonderful love.  I love you very, very much.

 

                                                      

Such a blessing to be with this wonderful, caring man who knows and understands me so well.

                                           

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Happy anniversary Steven!!

** P.S. Folks have been asking if we are okay after seeing the terrible Minneapolis bridge tragedy that occurred today.  We are fine and have been checking in with our families as well.  It's hard to imagine something so terrible happening.  My heart aches for the people involved.