First Peek: Beds on My Lower Level

Yesterday, I put my vintage flannel fish sheets on the twin beds and covered the box springs too. The hooked rugs are companions. Long ago (2003) I bought these WOOLRICH items that are now discontinued and I am loving the look of a fishing lodge downstairs. The bed on the left is one small step down to the sitting room area opposite a large sliding glass door. The door you see in the hallway leads to the laundry room. I am still sorting linens and odds and ends in the part of this room you can't see quite yet. I am not planning on bedspreads, just blankets at the foot of the bed; I love the sheets too much to hid them. I have two pillows with matching fish pillow cases to pull out for guests. The large pillows there now are almost as wide as the mattresses and don't hide the headboards so they are out for the everyday look. My mother and I bought these painted iron beds from a farmhouse garage sale in Oldwick, NJ for a whopping $6.00 for the pair. She always brought me luck when we shopped together.♡

Christmas Books to Read Starting December First

I found a blog you will want to bookmark called TYGERTALE: A BLOG ABOUT BRILLIANT CHILDREN'S BOOKS. https://tygertale.com/

The illustration above is for reading on the 8th day of December:

Brambly Hedge: Winter Story by Jill Barklem 

There is even a delightful 25 minute animated movie of this story to watch at the end.

The entire blog post about Christmas stories to read each day in December leading up to Christmas Day is: https://tygertale.com/2020/12/25/the-best-christmas-ever/ 

Each recommendation has a link leading to the book with numerous illustrations. You will love it!

Enjoy and share. 

PS: It's okay to start early🎄

Latest Free Find for My Lower Level TV

I am still rearranging as I find new items to decorate my lower level! I found this small chest upside down at the recycling center after a night of rain recently. I thought the brasses on the drawer fronts were nice so I put it in the trunk of my car. The top was covered with all sorts of paint spots as if the previous owner had used it for as a painter's easel. I really wasn't planning to use it as a piece of furniture, I just wanted the brasses. BUT when I got it home, I realized it was the perfect size and height for the small TV I had in the attic and seldom used. After I touched up all the nicks and scratches with a small brush dipped in Old English Furniture Polish. After wiping off the excess, I put a small rug on top to hide the paint blobs, and it was transformed. It isn't old and many of the parts are made of "pressed wood" but it's perfect for all the other things down there that are either garage sale finds or curbside finds and it's the correct scale too. My mother sold all of her furniture when she sold her condo in Charlotte and came to live with me in 2001. We had such fun finding her new furnishings and now I am enjoying adding and rearranging down there. I never look for the things I bring home, they somehow find ME.

 

Have a great weekend and don't forget to set your clocks BACK an hour before you go to bed tonight. xo

 

My New Motto

NOW IS THE NEW LATER. It's true, isn't it? 

I have done so many things recently that I have been putting off until "later" and it has paid off. So many people I know have been doing the same thing. via

The Tattoo Artist by Norman Rockwell

This magazine cover and artwork is new to me. I grew up in a household full of magazines and eagerly awaited the arrival of new ones. The Saturday Evening Post was one of my favorites and I especially loved the covers by Norman Rockwell. 

The Tattoo Artist, Norman Rockwell, 1944, Brooklyn Museum: American Art Reproduced on the cover of “The Saturday Evening Post” (March 4, 1944). © 1944 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN. www.curtispublishing.com All rights reserved. www.curtispublishing.com Ó 1944 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, IN All rights reserved. www.curtispublishing.com Size: 43 1/8 x 33 1/8 in. (109.5 x 84.1 cm) Frame: 49 x 39 x 3 in. (124.5 x 99.1 x 7.6 cm) Medium: Oil on canvas. Photo and information found here.

Two-Toned Sheep

He's darling, isn't he? Don't you love his black face? via

Wonderful Old House with Steep Roof

I adore this house and especially the steep roof. It looks untouched and all the owners have resisted putting in dormers. There are no openings on the north side either. This house was built for cold weather and I wish I knew the location. It looks like rural New England. The rubble wall is wonderful too. Love it all♡. Found here.

Hello November and A Cabin Kitchen

So much to study in this photo of an untouched vintage cabin kitchen. I love the little stove and the wooden drainboard. We have all heard you are not supposed to have water pipes on an outside wall so look where the faucet is located! If there's ever a problem here, no pipes or wires are covered or buried behind walls covering the studs and rafters. There isn't any insulation either so this is either in a location with no cold weather or a seasonal getaway. 

I have done a lot lately getting ready for winter with my house and my car. I still have outside work but only a little. I dug my dahlia tubers in my front garden on Saturday and filled three dumper carts with hand-pulled weeds and cuttings. I cut my peonies down to the ground. I usually do that when they stop blooming but the dahlias were in the way and seemed to need the peony bushes for support. I am usually playing catchup this time of year but a long fall with no really cold weather in October has been wonderful. I have only turned on my heat once and that was just to test all my radiators! Today is November first and my weather app says there will nights in the 30s this week so I am almost prepared. xo

UPDATE: I just saw this on my Nextdoor App. Here's a photo of how a lady in Madison NJ handled her leftover Halloween Treats the day after Halloween! Made me laugh. 

Don't you love her presentation?🎃👻 

Click photo to enlarge!

Edward Gorey Halloween

H A P P Y  👻  H A L L O W E E N

Edward Gorey aka Edward St. John Gorey (American, 1925-2000)

Illustrations for Dracula. More pics from the book here.

He's the master of the macabre, agreed?

I love his short film set to the perfect music to introdce MASTERPIECE MYSTERY on PBS. Look for it tonight on GRANTCHESTER.

Website: https://edwardgoreyhouse.org/

I was thrilled to find Edward Gorey's Introduction for The Inspector Lynley Mysteries on PBS. I don't know if I ever watch that series. Now I must look for it. Enjoy! xo 

If you can't see the video above, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4502MXkb-Dc

My Afternoon Photos

Is this spooky enough for you on Halloween Eve afternoon? This is a dead tree near my house. I stopped to take a photo on my way home from getting my Covid19 booster shot. 

This tree is on the same street as the dead tree and the sun came out while I was parked. We are getting some great fall color and today turned out to be nice and ended with rain in the late afternoon.

The field behind this stone wall is full of cosmos that will soon be zapped with a killing frost. For now, it is an amazing sight with halloween pumpkins lining the wall. This photo only shows two of them. "Click to enlarge." See you tomorrow. xo

 

H A P P Y 🎃 H A L L O W E E N

HAVE A GREAT HALLOWEEN WEEKEND

The history of this image here.

Owl with Heart Designs on His Feathers

Spot-bellied Eagle Owl with heart-shaped spots on his feathers. Photographed in Corbett National Park, India. 🖤 Photo found here.

The owlets are adorable. Found on Pinterest.

This one looks like a live stuffed toy. The rare Spot Bellied Eagle Owl has feathers with heart markings. This owl is also noted for its strange, human-sounding call. It is found primarily in the lower Himalayas from Kumaon east to Burma.

Reading Room in The Bookshop, Wigtown Scotland

It couldn't be cozier, could it? The Bookshop in Wigtown is the largest second-hand bookshop in Scotland with over a mile of shelving supporting roughly 100,000 books. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it. Don't you love the quote by Sir Terry Pratchett over the fireplace? 

"Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life." Take an armchair visit to their website: https://www.the-bookshop.com/

Enjoy. xo

Gorgeous Small Bedroom in Black and White

I love it all. The black pelmets, the black lampshades, the black & white framed photographs, and the black and white wallpaper. The old spool bed too. Photo found here.

Small Honeycrisp Apple Galette

 

I really like this recipe. 

The ingredients are simple and you probably already have them on hand.

You will enjoy reading about this delightful recipe and 

see some pretty wonderful photos too. 

http://www.wrytoasteats.com/petite-brown-sugar-honeycrisp-galette/

Enjoy! xo

Grand Scottish Country House

So much beauty in one photograph. 

Read more on Instagram @peter.lyden 

This aerial view shows Kinross House and the patchwork of beauty that surrounds this grand Country Estate in Scotland.

xo

Would you like some tea?

I watch a lot of English programming on AcornTV and nobody ever says NO to tea. This cartoon made me laugh. Have a great weekend. xo

Image by Icelandic cartoonist Hugleikur Dagsson https://dagsson.com/

Amazing Bread Baked To Look Like A Pumpkin

It took me the longest time to realize this was pumpkin bread and not a real pumpkin. Sadly, there is no recipe for this ginger pumpkin bread but doesn't it look delicious. 

Photo found here.

!!!UPDATE!!!

King Arthur Recipe and instructions for making the pumpkin shape. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/ginger-pumpkin-braid-recipe

Thank you, Nancy🧡

Fountains Cottage - Yorkshire UK

 Photo by Daniel Casson. Don't you love the fall colors?

Found on Instagram @dpc_photography_

Balancing Act with Chestnuts

This goofy dog made me laugh out loud😂🐶🖤

Found here.

 

London Zoo 1927: Iconic Photo with Toy Elephant

The Authentic Photograph: A young visitor and her toy elephant find the Elephant House at the London Zoo closed for the winter holidays, January 1927. 

©Getty Images. Photo found on Flickr.

Popularized Version. Still adorable!

Unique Birdbath for A Tiny Bird

Read the charming story HERE with more photos of this tiny bird finding the perfect bathtub for her spa day. The photographer, Rahul Singh, calls this a once in a lifetime photo opportunity. He has other amazing nature photos on his Instagram page. I love the one of this bird soaking in this flower petal on her back! Who knew birds liked a good soak in the bathtub too? 

Thank you @rahulsinghclicks

Charming Southern Cottage

Photo found here, originally from Southern Living.

There are so many features to love in this house.

The covered porch and windows that go to the floor 

must help to keep it cool in the summer. 

I wish I could find the magazine article.

Maybe there are interior views.

xo

 

An Autumn Cathedral with Trees

This entrance was well designed so many years ago. The mature trees finally met in the middle to form an amazing natural archway. via

 

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. 

The second best time is now."

Chinese proverb

Dahlias Still Going Strong

Dahlias are nothing short of amazing. They are blooming their hearts out trying to keep the killing frost away, and succeeding! It is supposed to be near 80° today and tomorrow before it gets somewhat cooler next week. I haven't decided how to go about digging out the tubers. I suppose I will just wait it out and see how long I can hold out or just wait for the first killing frost and hope for the best. 

The Tale of Ginger and Pickles: Free Beatrix Potter eBook to read online

I have never read this story, have you? It is online for you to read to someone or just read yourself. It is the entire story with all the delightful pictures by Beatrix Potter. Enjoy!

Link here.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/14877/14877-h/14877-h.htm

Project Gutenberg's The Tale of Ginger and Pickles, by Beatrix Potter.  This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

My Living Room Rearranged: More Views

I was standing between my attic door and front window for this view. My TV and fireplace are to the right, shown below.

The promised view of the fireplace wall and my TV viewing area. Notice my "rabbit ears" on the mantle, the only negative of cutting the cord with cable, but otherwise so worth it.

I am concentrating on outside work for the rest of the week while the weather is still nice. I always give my grass a close cutting before the leaves start to fall so the wind will blow away and make any raking I might do easier. xo

Halloween Oreo Cookie Recipe

 These cookies are too cute, aren't they? 

They are healthy too.

Recipe & Instructions HERE.

Trick or Treat? These are definitely treats.

https://www.gutsybaker.com/post/halloween-oreos-vegan-gluten-free-refined-sugar-free