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

Duck Family

Proud mama duck and her ducklings. via I hope they all grew up and flew away for migration season. Too tired after mowing to work on editing my promised living room photo. Will work on it tomorrow. I am almost ready to jump in bed to watch Call the Midwife and Grantchester on PBS Video. See you tomorrow. xo

Lighthouse Cove (NH) Lake Cottage

Lifelong memories going to be made in this storybook rambling cottage in Wolfeboro New Hampshire. It's new but looks old. Cottage by TMS Architects. Click here for house tour.

Revamped My Living Room Yesterday, First Peek

I put the large coffee table in front of my comfy sofa, put matching lamps on either side of the sofa in front of the window, and did lots of deep vacuuming cleaning. I moved the comfy sofa closer to the hallway opening and centered the other sofa with the window after moving it a little farther back. I will show the fireplace wall next, so stay tuned.

Here is a previous post with the story of the coffee table base showing it in another location. The rearranging part of my brain is stuck in high gear but I'm still enjoying the challenge.😂

Lovely Watercolor

Lovely fall watercolor found here.

Have a great weekend! xo

French Manor House & Gardens

Manor D'Eyrignac 

Family-owned gardens for 22 generations, with sculpted box hedges, inspired by 18th-century designs. The website is amazing. The numerous photos are almost like being there.

Visit these French gardens here. xo

October Bluebird 2010

I took this photo October 24, 2010.

I honestly haven't seen ANY birds lately.

So this old photo will have to do

xo

Small Collection Atop My Miniature Chest

Just finished a new arrangement in my second bedroom that doubles as a dressing room / laundry sorting room / and a place for things in transition to the attic, the basement, or the trunk of my car for donating. It is never ending, but fun. xo

Vintage Sink Repurposed in A Laundry Room

This laundry room is small but mighty. I love the vintage sink finding new life here. I think it could be a bath room or powder room too. I love it! 

Photo found here.

Finally Found the Perfect Lampshade

I rewired a lamp for downstairs this morning shown below. It was originally for a clip-on shade and I found the perfect lampshade for it in the loft over my garage but it needed a harp. I took the lamp apart and added the harp holder and the harp and it looks so nice. In the process, I ran across this French Faiance lamp I have had for over 20 years and found a shade that is suitable that I made myself years ago. It is covered in marbleized paper and I think it looks very suitable. The light switch turns on this lamp and a floor lamp in my dressing room/guest room. The miniature chest is an estate sale find.

I am still working downstairs and yesterday spent the day cleaning the walk-in closet and finding more items to donate. I also pulled the refrigerator from the wall in the kitchen and did a deep clean there from the floor to the ceiling. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I slept like a lot last night and didn't get up until 9am this morning and that is super late for me. I earned a good night's sleep.

Just inside the back door. 

This is the lamp I rewired and added a harp.

The toile shade had black ball fringe and several were missing so I cut the remaining ones off.

The base is an old pewter tea container with a Chinese theme. I thought the shade was perfect because it had somowhat of a pagoda shape.

That's it for my Sunday playing around my house. Don't forget to watch or record PBS MASTERPIECE tonight. The new season of GRANTCHESTER begins. I will have to wait until Monday night to stream it via the PBS VIDEO APP. See you tomorrow. xo

Beloved Independent Bookstores

I've been in this one. Baldwin's Book Barn. 

You could easily get lost there.

Architectural Digest has an interesting article: Inside the world's most beloved independent bookstores. Read here.

October already?

October apples are my favorite.

I miss picking apples like these from a friend's tree. She moved away and she had the best "ugly" apples I've ever tasted. My mother and I used to go over and pick all we wanted and we always took plenty and went back for more. I have never been able to buy apples that good. Her house was built in 1900 and the apple trees were very old too. Heirloom apples are the best. I had another day in the salt mines cleaning out kitchen cabinets. I started another donate pile and I think I see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. xo

Surprise Salmon Dahlia

What a nice surprise today.

All of my other tubers turned out to be dark red.

Today I got one dahlia in salmon.

Isn't it beautiful?

September is over today and I have moved mountains.

Yesterday I washed all my outside windows on the lower level as well as the storm door and the main entrance. I did the sliding glass door a while back. I found more things to put outside for the annual trash pickup. Everything was supposed to be collected Monday but it hasn't happened yet. Most of the stuff I put outside was picked up by people driving by. I got several things myself from my neighbors' piles. I got a fabulous large step-on stainless steel garbage can for my downstairs kitchen. It cleaned up perfectly and I can't imagine why my neighbors were getting rid of it. I really needed it too. It doesn't take much to make me happy, does it? I've been cleaning out the loft over my garage too. It's just dry storage for stuff I don't need. I have slowly been weeding it out for a long time and it's looking better each day. Will I ever finish? I doubt it! I keep tweeking arrangements I've already done but that's the fun part. See you tomorrow. xo

Crustless Tomato Pie

This looks so good. If you are looking for ways to use your tomatoes on the vine that will soon be gone, you should consider making this tomato pic that is crustless.

Recipe found here.

Dahlias: Thriving On Neglect

I haven't done anything outside lately and this section outside my front door is full of weeds I'll attack one of the days. The dahlias don't care. They rise above to show off their beauty and continue to bloom prolifically.  They really are easy to grow!

EVERGREEN FOG: Paint Color of the Year 2022 by Sherwin-Williams

I really like this color on the walls of this living room. I don't think I have ever seen walls and windows with no trim at all but I like the look in this room. I am going to post the sage green paint photo I recently blogged about below so I can compare these two colors. The article about Evergreen Fog by Sherwin-Williams is here.

The colors are very similar but there is more yellow in this one I shall now call Lemon Sage. I like them both. My blog post about this color here.

Can't Stop Rearranging and Cleaning

My grandmother said it best:

"It's easier to keep up than to catch up!"

Not much has changed in this view except the pillows on the sofa but everything has been moved and cleaned under and over and up and down. I could have hired someone to do it but I really wanted to do it myself so I would know it was done right. It IS possible to catch up and I am determined to keep going until everything is in apple pie order. Have a great weekend, what's left of it. xo

Remembering Webster

Webster The Wonder Dog

He was a big part of this blog, wasn't he?

This is a Waterlogue edit of one of my favorite photos.

Happy Friday. xo

My Favorite Seasoning in A Spray Bottle

I forgot to mention what I used to season my quick stovetop "stew" made from a small zucchini, an onion, and fresh tomatoes. I have eaten it 2 nights in a row. I pour some avocado oil in the bottom of my vintage cast iron skillet and add the unpeeled zucchini sliced longways into thirds and cover. While that's cooking I cut up an onion and add it to the pan and re-cover. Then I slice up a big tomato or two smaller ones and add to the pan. Flip the zucchini when it's brown on one side. Then I cut it into diagonal chunks in the pan and the tomatoes too. Stir to mix it all up and spray with Bragg Liquid Aminos. I have a glass cover for my cast iron pan. It should be ready to eat now. Spoon into a big shallow bowl and enjoy. It doesn't take long to cook and tastes SO fresh. I also have a large bottle of Liquid Aminos for refilling my spray bottle and for using in soups. It has much less salt than regular soy sauce and it's made by the same company that makes the Apple Cider Vinegar I use. I buy the spray in my grocery store. Try it instead of salt. I love it. xo

More information here. 

I haven't tried this but will look for it.

More information here.

Vegetables and My Cookbooks

One of my girlfriends dropped off some veggies from her garden this week. She didn't know what the two large things were. I think the one on the left is a fat zucchini and I won't know what the green item on the right is until I cut it open. It's probably a squash of some sort. Last night, I sautéed a normal zucchini with an onion and one large tomato and had a delicious ratatouille for one. I used my iron skillet and some avocado oil. I might have the same thing tonight because it was quick and healthy. xo

New Kitchen Counter Arrangement in My Cottage

Sorry I missed my daily posting yesterday. I was busy scrubbing down the full bathroom in the basement. I did a lot and haven't finished quite yet but it looks amazing. I had an office meeting this morning and when I got home my electricians appeared just a few minutes after returned home and I parked my car. 

I had a list for them and they efficiently solved all of my problems in an hour's time. I had two GFI outlets in my kitchen that haven't worked for ages and I am thrilled to have them back. I had to completely rearrange the counter space to the left of my sinks and I am very pleased. I haven't had outside lights for almost a year and I kept putting off the repair. That was all fixed too. 

My basement door is just around the corner from the portrait you see on the left. The rest of my living room leads to the hallway for two bedrooms and a full bath. I am feeling good about my productivity this week and it's only Tuesday afternoon. xo

Brown & White Staffordshire Platter

This Staffordshire already had the plate hanging hardware attached so it was on my wall within minutes of bringing it home.

It's right at home in my kitchen nook.