The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

Thunderstorms are coming but this is going to be a beautiful day~~in more ways than one I hope :)    We have been experiencing a very hot Summer and the most humid that I can remember. Not used to it and not liking it! Bring on the Fall! PLEASE! The heat certainly has not slowed us down though. We have been busy and it has been a good Summer despite the temps. Today on this dark day I have a list a mile long of things I would like to do and things I SHOULD do. Hopefully I will accomplish some of each :)

Like Father, Like Son---My husband Billy and son Billy--that's my son in the workshop in the garage cutting out wood figures of all kinds. He has learned so much from my husband, and he has the gift of carpentry. He had been itching to do this for quite a while so my husband set him up and made it possible. Using some templates and also just designing items based on things around our house, he so far has cut out a pumpkin trio, a couple of Halloween scaredy cats, barn stars, hearts and lots of ghosts! They are ready to be painted and decorated! We had fun looking for "ghosts" in the leftover scraps of wood and you would be surprised how many you can see--some facing towards us, some turned to the side, others pointing at something beyond etc. And when they are painted they will be defined! He has had so much fun and I have too watching him. It was a joy to see him at home in the sawdust and shavings. Serene in his task as if it is what he is meant to do. How lucky if he realizes that the honorable profession of carpentry is what his calling is. He is his father's son.
We plan to paint or varnish the barn stars and hearts and either decal some or do some rub on transfer images., We might paint sayings on them. We purchased the paint for the pumpkins and ghosts. We are doing the ghosts eyes in black sparkle paint so they glow in the night and glisten in the day. We bought our rustic colors for the stars and hearts and Billy made a list of sayings he likes for them--Live Simply, Welcome, Home Sweet Home, Be Grateful-----and that also sums up his personality and feelings. If you knew him you would agree.
I have started working on my Fall decorating. A little at a time :)  Little changes here and there. The kids go back to school September 5th so I don't want them to feel I am wishing their Summer away!

By Labor Day I traditionally have my Fall decorations out and Halloween decorations displayed by the end of September. I have already checked the schedule for apple picking. We are trying a new spot this year just to change it up a bit! We have been to this place before but it has been many years. We are going to Applewood Orchards in Warwick instead of Maskers Apples in Warwick this year. We are also going earlier as well! So far they are saying macintosh and grannys will be at the end of September so away we shall go.

 My love for Autums encompasses so many things--first and foremost is the general feeling I get. The warmth of the colors-the oranges, reds, browns and tans. The homey feeling I feel about the season; that nesting urge, the abundance of activities that are outdoors for this time of year. The snuggleness (I made that word up) of sweaters and quilts, the comfort foods, the joy of trick or treating, raking leaves, and sitting down with my family at Thanksgiving dinner. It fills my heart like no other season.

But we are in August now and I shall tell you about what a nice August it has been. We finally managed to go away for a weekend that had been postponed from July. My husband is busy so the two nights/three days was such a treat for us. We headed to Pennsylvania to Amish Country and Philadelphia. In our Lancaster County we "ate ourselves full" as the Amish say. We enjoyed the scenery, the food, the shops, everything. I came home with some goodies too! No surprise there , right ;)  Plus, I brought some New York bagels to a shopkeeper friend of mine! I made some mental notes of a  table and a cabinet I want to buy next time. My husband had brought the measuring tape but we still decided to wait till the next trip. We did purchase a cool house for the foyer that lights up--picture posted  (My husband spotted it and said it was a must have; I agreed) and my son purchased the mounted birdhouse for our porch.  He surprised me with it when we were at a great store called Almost Paradise. As I was exiting the store and packing the car up with my multiple purchases :)   he said "Mom, what do you think of this birdhouse? Wouldn't it look good on the porch?" He was right--it would! He then told me he bought it was a family gift. My son sure loves his home and the things we decorate with. What a great husband he'll make someday.
The kids loved where we stayed--Caitlin REALLY loved the pools!Her swimming has really taken off this Summer so she was swimming underwater, jumping off diving boards--my little fishy. Whereas my son always loved to swim, she has taken it to a new level of excitement! Caitlin swims and jumps in with so much gusto! Oh my! She jumps in and keeps on going like the energizer bunny.

As we traveled around I photographed some lovely ideas to take home and copy! I always do that--I can't remember everything so my camera is my life. She (the camera) has  been giving me a bit of trouble lately but she gets the job done. I think I might need a new one under the Christmas tree!

On the last day of our trip, we went to Philadelphia and that was great too! We went to Besty Ross's house first. Caitlin had done her very first book report on her  not long before school ended. She was thrilled to go to her house! What a great little tour! We went to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and Ben Franklin Square. We are history lovers so of course we were in heaven. It also made us want to go back to Massachusetts! At Betsy Ross's house, "Betsy" spoke directly to you about her life and her shop that George Washington visited and showed her a plan for a flag he had in mind to represent our country. Upon looking at his ideas on scrap paper, Betsy told the respected General that she had a better idea of what the flag should like! Although they had similar ideas, he liked her design better and so the flag was born.  A great stop in Philly if you ever visit! I get goosebumps walking in Independence Hall and to the Liberty Bell knowing who also walked through those doors. The history just overwhelms me.

The Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest zoo in America and it was amazing. Although it was a hot day, most of the animals were active....except our favorites--the BIG CATS. Those lazy guys were sleeping and just a little twitch of the tail or an occasional short walk to another sleeping spot is all we saw. KIND OF LIKE MY CATS AT HOME :)     Oh yes, they did treat us to a few big yawns so we saw their teeth.  The giraffe were active as were the polar bears. All in all we had a great time viewing them all and it was a pleasant day.

Back home, as I said I am stealing some pretty ideas from Amish Country that I liked. I'm sure you have seen the idea of using a votive candle inserted into a larger clear glass container and the outer container is filled with unpopped popcorn. Pop in a Fall colored votive and it is finished. SO FAll-ish!  I loved that one. Saw that in the Old Candle Barn. I think I will make a cluster...
I also saw, but I forgot where, a very cute idea to recycle your tarts or old candles by melting them into mini rustic frying pans or metal receptacles and then before the wax hardens, you add wax stars or hearts or a few bowl fillers and then you let the wax harden around it. It is adorable! So I am saving my wax tarts to do just that! ...and I will be making more bowl fillers out of cinnamon this Fall.

That's my boy!

Scaredy Cats!

My Water Girl

Walking through the covered bridge

Betsy Ross House

Goosebumps I  tell you!

Love it and stealing the idea!Thanks!

Wax tarts

Billy's purchase for our porch

My husband has good eyes for spotting goodies

in the foyer she goes

the Halloween pussycat plate is out

leaves to be wrapped around the base of the hook and an electric candle in his mouth!

Other items I purchased on my trip--the star shaped orange pip wreath and every shop ther ewas had this pumpkin lantern on this hook! I loved it and had to have it for two reasons--it was adorable and everyone in Lancaster had it so I had to too :)   I also bought new pip berry wreath for my  kitchen table chandelier! Only $9.99 what a steal.

Before I end, I wanted to show you my  hydrangeas that have dried. These are just some of them. I have them in a vase in my parlor. I followed a method of drying that I learned from the internet---let them dry on the bush itself! Don't cut the flowers off and just keep an eye on them and when you see they have completely dried, cut them off! I did, it worked and I am happy!

Have a splendid day and if you have a chance please see my new friend Joyce's incredible blog that I have  added to my sidebar--October Farm! I have already made one of her recipes and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD!  Farfalle Pasta& Sausage-----heaven on earth!

Summer Projects & a lil' bit of fun

Mid -July already! Before you know it, it'll be time to take out the Autumn decorations; and don't think I'm not already thinking of them! I actually have some *new to me* Halloween decorations in my parlor right now! I acquired them from a dear friend who happily LOVES Halloween but sadly is in the middle of a divorce. She has a huge amount of old fashioned style and unusual Halloween stuff and must part with a good deal of it now that they are selling the house :(  So sad to see a marriage end. I thank God for what I have and the husband I love.

Anyway, she has been parting with some items from her home and giving them to me so I am in such a Fall mood even though it is VERY hot outside. She collected traditional Halloween (what I like) 
I am grateful for all the goodies. I want to start EARLY this year! I don't decorate for Halloween until the end of September but I do completely prepare my home for Autumn. My favorite time of year is Autumn--the colors, the smells, the things we do ---- my favorite time of year! I thrive in it! I want to prepare my centerpieces and wreaths and tablescapes ahead of time so that I can just put them out instead of just starting to create in Septemeber! We are supposed to have some heavy duty storms this afternoon/evening and that is going to break our heat wave so this is a good time for me to pull out my idea note books to find all the clippings and notes I keep for decorating and crafts and see exactly what I want to do this year! I love a good storm! But I didn't care too much for them Sunday night! We lost power for 6 hours and "Praise in the Park" was postponed. Our church was having a worship and praise event in Northport Village at the bandstand out under the stars....Postponed due to weather.

The sun hasn't stopped my son though. He may be only 13, but he has an interest in our home and yard like no other kid I know! As I always mention, one part of our yard suffered from extensive damage last year from Hurricane Irene. We lost 5 trees and it uprooted our large brick patio in many places and ruined bushes and plants. My son decided to fix the patio on his own (like Father, like Son) and that boy worked outside long and hard. No thought of going into our neighbor's pool even though he was repeatedly invited. No thought of coming inside to the air conditioning where I was :) nooooo he had to get it done and do it right and what a great job he did. He was beaming when his Dad came home that night and saw his work and complimented him! All those brickwork pictures...that's courtesy of my son's hard work.

I've been doing some little projects around here...I repainted and weathered the little chair I bought from Stormville. I haven't put it out yet but when I do I will show you! Billy and I cleaned up our old woodburning stove that we have for many years from Bird in Hand, Pennsylvania. We bought it at a salvage yard a good ten years back and it's very rusted as it has been outside for about thirty years! We transferred her to a garden bed after she was cleaned up. Next year I think I will have gerraniums in pots coming out of the open spots on top. Wouldn't that look sweet?  Originally we had planned to clean her up and use her as a table somewhere but when we placed her in the garden, she looked like she was home!

I made some chocolate bananas the other day! The kids loved them. I hadn't had them since I was about 5! I was buying fruit one day and some times the kids like strawberries dipped in chocolate. Then I saw the bananas and thought I will make chocolate frozen bananas so I bought the box and made them! Yummy! We had them when we came home from the beach and it was so refreshing. My husband has been working 7 days a week and when he came home one night he wanted to take his jet skiis out for a bit to cool down and unwind after a long, hard day. We went down to the beach which is the next town over,(literally 5 minutes away) and we had such a nice time. The kids enjoyed the water and then they took turns riding with their Dad.

We've also been moving my Mom into her new senior living apartment. That's been a long ordeal as my Mom is like me and has lots of stuff! It is taking a while but we are almost done.I borrowed some cookbooks from her from Bisquick. I  love "brand" style cookbooks...I have one that I love from Hidden Valley, Old El Paso, Hellmans and I subscribe to Kraft Food & Family. I look forward to sitting on my porch going through those Bisquick recipes! I know my Mom always made a number of their "Impossible Pie" recipes.

I sure have been enjoying Pinterest! How about you gals? Have a lovely day!

Connecticut!

I just couldn't wait to share my Connecticut photos with you.On Saturday night, June 30th, Billy and I and the kids went to Connecticut for a graduation party. My cousin Joanne and her husband live in Brookfield Center and their only daughter Emma graduated high school. They were having a graduation party at the beautiful Inn at Newtown. Connecticut is only 1.5 hours from Long Island so it's a pretty short trip for us; we used to go every month when my grandparents were alive. I have always loved Connecticut and it is one of the states I would consider relocating to IF EVER--Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. My cousin had asked us to stay over after the party, but we couldn't as my husband had a business appointment Sunday morning.....Anyway, the Inn at Newtown was lovely! A historic building that was very large! Newtown is the quintessential New England town. I had been there before but not in a bout 5 years. It was such a nice party, and it was so great to see my cousins. The next morning after my husband's meeting, we took  a nice Sunday drive......back to Connecticut! My husband wanted to ride around Newtown, New Milford, and other towns we always liked. We love our road trips! I photographed some of my favorite houses! Hope you like them too!
We went to Candlewood Lake which was so pretty and filled with boats and beachgoers. I had played in that lake as a small child when we visited my grandparents! It was very serene even though there were many people. How nice it would be to have a house along that lake. Years ago you could purchase those homes for a song...as I said "years ago".......My husband would love to put his waverunners in there and have some fun!

A Prim Beauty

We drove around some more, going through Danbury,  and I passed my grandparents' home and of course photographed it. It hasn't changed too much :)  However the metal milk bottle box was no longer on the front porch waiting for the milkman :(       Wish I had it. for my porch... I remember sitting on it in the Summer in my shorts waiting for my cousin Joanne to walk down the road to play and the box stinging my bare legs with Summer heat! My kids were excited to see Great Grandma and Grandpa's house. They lived on a  ridge and it was fun to walk and play up there! They both passed away in the 1980's.  I showed them the spot on the ridge that as kids we referred to as "Spooky Valley" and they were intrigued ;)  Good times were spent in Connecticut.
We continued to drive around New Milford and came upon a cool shop! THE RUSTIC COUNTRY BARN! They specialized in building furniture from old barn wood! It was beautiful but EXPENSIVE. Gorgeous dining room sets and farm tables. The store was decorated with everything I love :) but I did behave myself and only bought one thing---a wooden sign that I hung over my front door (outside) that says "WELCOME TO THIS OLD HOUSE"...now I know my house isn't old...Billy built it in 2008....but we built it to LOOK OLD! so shhhhh! No one has to know she really isn't old!
Back to the shop, I wanted to smuggle out this old stove (and everything on it too) but that wouldn't be nice :)  I loved it sooooo much and was thinking where I could I put it????? until I saw the price tag and said "maybe another time :(     and Billy said maybe in the future...WAY WAY into the future at that price .....I know you can still pick up the old stoves in salvage yards...heck, my sister-in-law Kathy has 3 that she picked up in Pennsylvania over the past few years. I think I'll get the hints out to her.....Christmas is coming, Kathy...I would like that under my tree PLEASE---- and thank you!
 The whole shop was nice and we loved looking through it. My son loved this pillow with those lovely words and I photographed it so I would remember them and I could restitch it myself onto a pillow or a picture.
After New Milford, we went to Stew Leonards. Stew Leonards is a big food store that is very unique. It is sooo fun to go there, and we try to go every time we go to Connecticut. You can eat there (The Hoedown) and you can food shop. You can also buy plants and flowers! What is so fun about Stew's is that it is so animated! You are entertained while you shop and they also have little sample tables set up so you can taste the products! I LOVE THAT! I had a hard time prying my husband away fromthe cheese table. He kept disappearing to get more. Then Caitlin found the baby back ribs booth,  and she was in heaven. My baby girl loves her ribs! My son was loving the banana smoothies! The bananas sing to you and do the Chiquita banana mombo dance, the chicken trio cluck to you a lively song about the barnyard, the butter sticks are thrilled you've come to shop there--they say so  ( and I believe them) ---and there is a whole Dairy band made of butter sticks, smiling milk cartons and eggs. I LOVE SHOPPING HERE! Caitlin made friends with the roaming cow. What a fun place to visit.
Caitlin was a little freaked out when we went passed the salad bar area and she saw the sign that said "bunny salad"......the look of horror on her face was priceless until she read the rest of the sign and saw there were no actual bunnies used to make the salad~~just the veggies they to eat in your garden!

Stew Leonards is just a lot of fun. We had lunch there and saw the animals at the petting zoo and did some shopping!

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July. We went to my sister's annual 4th of July bbq and had a relaxing fun day with wonderful friends and relatives. My sister has a great pool with the best diving board, and Caitlin learned to jump off for the first time. Everyone was cheering for her. My son and daughter are real pool lovers! I can't swim at all :(   We all had a great time and just lounged in the yard watching the pool fun, eating and playing with the various puppies that are both in residence at my sister's house and those that were visiting! After we got home that night, we just  enjoed the fireworks in the sky!

My stove--I wish

so sweet

Candlewood Lake

singing bananas

UH OH!  Bunny Salad!

My Big Girl!

Time for me to get rolling here...I have to change our reservations for our trip as my husband is too busy to leave for the days we were going to PA...that's fine; I'm used to doing that! Thankful he's busy and in demand! Today it's house cleaning and some food shopping!  Have a terrific day!

Wishing you a Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July everyone! Hope you all will enjoy a wonderful day doing what whatever your heart desires. We are heading to my sister's house later on for bbq and pool! Just a lovely relaxing family day. Enjoy! How blessed we are to live in a country like the USA!God Bless America!