Love.

 

The two pets who have surprised us. One just showed up.  The other was a surprise from my husband. Both fit in perfectly and we're all smitten.  

Good things.

 

It's November. I'm wearing my smartwools and harvested this from my garden today.

 I'm gradually going through the squash.  If you saw my basement, you would see there's still so.much.squash.  Blessed.

 And transferware. Doesn't everything look better served in vintage trasnferware? I think so.

Home.

I turned around and looked.
I couldn't help but stop.
This home sweet home is mine.
Living in that house are the husband and children I wanted.
Living in all of the buildings are the animals I dreamed of raising.
Who I want to be, I'm working on becoming.
What I want to do is a work in progress. 
I have the life of my dreams.

Thrifted

My husband was talking nonsense yesterday.  He was saying something about having enough stuff from the thrift store and I didn't need to keep going.  Nonsense, I tell you. Of course I need this stuff. Okay, maybe not need, but I big puffy heart these lots.

 Two small, two medium and one larger piece of transferware, a waterbottle that looks new and actually fits in my son's John Deere lunchbox (priorities), a bit and bridle shirt (yee haw), a fabric waterproof mattress cover (which I had in the wash at that moment) and that shrinkydink packet.  $4.50.

Two vintage aprons, ballet shoes, The Cookie Thief book (which *must* be written about my husband), three, yes THREE, yards of camo and a silly sandwich book for work (speech therapists can always use another little something for working on those /s/ sounds!). $4.25

No technology

Access to the whole world, no technology needed.  One can never have too many books.

Newly Stitched Patio Couch

Oh, this patio set. That's a story. When I was in grad school, I went out for a morning run. Found this with a 'free' sign on it.  I was hauling it into my car and up 3 flights of stairs before 7am.  It still had it's "Pier One" price tags on it.  I made cushions for it and it's been very useful.  Here's the 'before' pic.
But those cushions were 12 or 13 years old now. Dingy looking.  I found this vintage fabric at a yardsale in a grab bag. Probably cost a quarter with all the other treasures.  A new cushion and I stitched a couple bandana pillows and it's a whole new set.



It's a fave spot for our feline friends.

 This little spot is our fave book reading nook too.

 

 

 

 We took the floor to ceiling screens out and put the walls and windows back in. Time consuming, yes (takes the better part of a day), but the windows keep that room useful this time of the year.

 I'm pretty sure this room is my most favorite in the whole house.

Honey Oat Buttermilk Bread (Jackie Original)

When the buttermilk keeps piling up, might as well create a new recipe.  I just adapted our staple bread and came up with this.

Honey Oat Buttermilk Bread

 ¼ C. warm water with 1 tsp sugar and 1 TBSP yeast
2 C. warmed buttermilk
¼ C. honey
1 tsp.  salt
 2 TBSP gluten
2 C. oats
3-4  C. white flour

Toppping

2 T butter.

1 tsp honey

oats to sprinkle

Wisk water, sugar and yeast with fork.  Let set 5 min.  Add honey, salt.  Add gluten and oats.  Add the remaining flour one cup at a time (amount changes depending on humidity).  Knead for 8 min. 

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.  Put dough in bowl, then turn over (so top of dough is covered with cooking spray).  Dampen cheese cloth and put over bowl.  Let rise in warm place for one hour.  Bang bowl to punch down.

Separate dough in half (this recipe makes 2 loaves).   Place in greased loaf pans.  Let rise for 1/2 hour. 

Mix honey and melted butter. Brush on top of loaves with pastry brush. Sprinkle oats0

350 for 30 min. Turn out of pans immediately onto wire racks to let cool.