~Autumn Home Happenings and Fall is Good~

AUTUMN Blessings to you.  Here we are at the last day of September with October knocking on my door.  A Wreath hangs on it.  Two BRIGHT yellow Mums rest inside urns on the Porch.  They BRIGHTEN my day when I see them.  I need brightened.

With Kitchen remodeling in the works and Hubby scheduled for thyroid surgery in a few weeks, I know it is for the best to not go over board on the HARVEST DECORATIONS.
So I won't.  Easy going. 

Appreciate PRAYERS for my dear Husband.  He has a large, hard mass in his thyroid that has to go.  I am praying that he gets through this and will be well.  Thyroid cancer altered my health three years ago and there are challenges to this day from it.  Thankful to be alive.  It's Hubby's turn for surgery.  I need my Husband more than words can describe.  I HATE CANCER.  Know what I mean.  

HOME HAVEN will just have a few HARVEST decorations and that will have to do.  I'm all right with that.  As I do my Autumn cleaning in preparation for the HOLIDAYS, I am thankful for my Home and my Family.  My Husband.  His job.  Food on the table.  A LIFE in a small Town. 

The Parlour Coffee Table has a Seasonal Centerpiece on it.  I've had this arrangement for a few years now and I so enjoy it.  Same with the Wreath on the front door.  I bought these maybe 4 years ago.  Haven't tired of them yet.  When the AUTUMN colors are displayed, it puts me in a special AUTUMN MOOD.  



Hoping to get a few REAL PUMPKINS to display on the porch.  A $1 THRIFT BUY Ceramic Pumpkin is sitting by the television.  Last year after Christmas I bought a HARVEST GARLAND for 75% off.  On the CHEAP.     

Thinking about HALLOWEEN CANDY that I want to get for the young children that come knocking on my door for Halloween.  Think I'll buy candy bars and call it good. 

In the MEAN TIME...Hubby got all of the Kitchen Floor Tile laid!!!  Soon he'll grout.  I caught him laying down on the job.  Can you believe it?  

He's priming the cabinets.  Soon they will be painted a nice white.  We'll be dancing on these tiles before Christmas. 

SAMPLE OF TILE

  

~AUTUMN CLEANING~

 A different picture hangs in the Parlour

above the desk where photos of the grandchildren sit.  

The picture was a THRIFT BUY for $28.00. 

The desk was $38.00.

  

~Messy to Marvelous~

My end table seems to catch all my junk.

I'm part slob.  Enough.

Replaced the Brass Lamp with a $4.99 THRIFT BUY Lamp.

The Medal Lamp sits on a Silver plated tray.

 

 

~Hello...are you there?~

 I am and I'm cleaning.

Placed the telephone on a silver plated tray 

with a silver plated cup to hold pens and pencils.

 Earlier in the Season, we saw a Blue Moon 
and for the first time in my 'ole life I believe I could see the face 
of a man in the moon.

Our camera didn't capture all the beauty,
but it was inspiring to see.

Vibrant colors for the HARVEST SEASON.

So glad you stopped by.
Love hearing from you.
Blessings,
d 
 

Decorating On The Prairie

~Welcome To Decorating On The Prairie~

As you scroll down this AUTUMN post, 

I hope you see something that sparks an idea and makes

HOME a warmer place.  

Wanting a slower pace LIFE with simplicity.

Pleasant thoughts and Blessings 2 u,

d

Thinking ahead for the Holidays......decorating doesn't have to cost a fortune.  Candy Canes turned upside down and placed up against the base of a candle on a saucer then tying a ribbon around it causes a pleasant sight.  Pretty simple and pretty to look at.  Festive!

Contributing post to The Christian Home Magazine

over at Laura's at www.daybydayinourworld.com 

Hello Heloise

Heloise Bowles Cruse (born Eloise Bowles, May 14, 1919 - Dec 28, 1977)

The Newspaper Columnist 'Heloise' was writing long before I became a HOMEMAKER.  Her earthly career ended when she died from heart disease in 1977.  Her real life daughter with a double major in Business Administration, Mathematics, and Teacher's Certificate took over her newspaper column as Heloise 2, but first thought she was too educated to be the new Heloise.  She has been the new Heloise for over 30 years.

Heloise Bowles Cruse with daughter, Ponce Kiah Marchelle Heloise Cruse Evans.

Heloise's Daughter

heloise.com

http://heloise.com/heloise-gets-the-hints.html

By 1977 when I was a young momma with two little boys, I had a desire to be a successful Homemaker and Family WOMAN.  I craved my Husband's attention and approval.  I tried so terribly hard to be top notch at this.  I worked at it to the point you could have ate off of my spic n' span clean floors and couldn't find any wrinkles on the bedsheets, because... I ironed the sheets.   

g r i n s.  Do you iron your bedsheets?  This has since stopped.  Not sure if I will   e v a h   iron them again.     

In 1977 we qualified for living on a shoestring budget.  It never occurred to me to cook a cheaper cut of beef with a higher priced cut of beef in the same pan at the same time so the two juices can mingle together giving both cuts of meat a DELICIOUS TASTE.   Also I did not know that allowing the meat to marinade over night in vinegar would make the meat when cooked so TENDER it would fall apart...just like you want it to.  Did you know this VINEGAR TRICK?

Heloise's Housekeeping Hints was published in 1962.  In 1963 it became one of the TOP 10 Best selling hard cover books.  

In 1962 I was only 7 years old and had no idea that in the future I'd become a Homemaker, Wife and Momma.  I liked playing in the DIRT with dolls, dancing, singing, and coloring.  Could you ever tell I would give this all up to grow up and be a Homemaker?  It was a long shot.

Recently I came across a good copy of Housekeeping Hints at the Goodwill store and have thumbed through it to gather some helpful HINTS.

Heloise, I believe you'd be pleased as coffee punch if I talked about your secret for making cheap cuts of meat taste delicious and oooooh so tender when prepared with vinegar and coffee.   

~COFFEE POT ROAST~

Heloise called it Peking Roast

Starting with a 3 to 5 pound roast, use a large knife to cut slits completely through the meat so they look like little tunnels.  Insert slivers of garlic and onion into the slits.  Can do without garlic and onion.  

Put the beef in a bowl and pour one cup of vinegar over it making sure that the vinegar runs down into the slits.  Place this in your refrigerator for twenty-four to forty-eight hours.

When ready to cook the roast, discard the vinegar solution and place meat in a heavy pot (iron if possible) and brown in oil until nearly burned on both sides.  Then pour two cups of strong black coffee over the roast.  Add two cups of water and cover.  

If liquid boils down NEVER add more than one cup of additional water at a time.  Make sure the lid is on tight.

Cook this slowly at a simmer for six hours on top of stove.

Do NOT season with anything else until twenty minutes before serving and then add salt and pepper.  

That's it.

Now, I have to try this.  BUT I will probably use my crock pot. 

Blessings 2 u,
d

Colossians 3:23

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;