Late Summer Mantel Before and After

Hello everyone,

We actually are going to have a cool down in the weather this weekend. I will be in the garden weeding and cleaning until it's finished. While the weather was hot outside I cleaned the whole house inside and changed the mantel for the next month or so...I can't wait to put my pumpkins out this year.

Since the first of the year I've been using plates as the main interest on the mantel. Go Here to see the Before post. My green plates with bird accents were so delightful all spring long. And now I have some new birds.

I love wildlife photography and artwork (Go here to see my favorite piece) of any kind. I found these  beautiful duck plates at Tuesday Morning and in the basket they went. 

The plates have a Mallard Drake and Mallard Hen swimming in a beautiful pond.

The Mallard Salad plate is Queen's Made in England. The White china dinner plate is Ralph Lauren. Hurricane candle holders have been around since the early 80's. The little wooden duck I bought from a little Mexican boy on the street in Mexico while traveling to the Panama Canal.

I found the metal basket at the thrift shop for $5.00 dollars. I was going to hang it on the front porch, but I love it in the living room decorated with some feathers and bittersweet.

When I was a young girl my dad would go duck hunting every fall and early winter. He would come home with Mallard, Wood duck and Spoonbill. I would help him pick the feathers until the birds were plucked clean. Then my mother would roast the ducks in the oven on Sunday. What a delicacy to have roasted duck on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon. 

A mosaic to pin

Thanks for visiting me today and I hope you have a great week.

Joyously,

Betty

Linking to
The Tray of Bliss for Five Star Frugal

Rustic and Refined for Table It Link Party - Sunday 

Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

Hello everyone, 

I promised Apple Crisp in my Apple dishes and here it is...A few days ago I posted
 'Apple Tea Time' Go Here

Yum!! I warmed the Apple Crisp in the microwave and put some whipped cream on top. So good♥

My 'First Love' silverware with the harp shaped fork tines.

The hydrangeas are so colorful...

I found this tea towel at the thrift store. Apple Crisp is kind of  like Apple Pie, but without the crust.

The dishes are a clear glass button salad plate, yellow salad plate from the Dollar Tree and a glass apple dessert dish from Tuesday Morning.

PRINTABLE RECIPE Go Here

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

or Apple Crumble

Place in greased 8" square pan...

4 cups sliced, pared, cored baking apples (about 4 med.)

Blend until crumbly; then spread over apples...

2/3 cup to 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/2 cup sifted flour

12 cup rolled oats

34 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/3 cup soft butter

Bake until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with whipped cream.

TEMPERATURE: 375 degrees (quick mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 30 35 min.

AMOUNT: 6 to 8 servings.

(I use more butter in this recipe)

This recipe is adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook 

1956 edition

A mosaic to pin

Thank you so much for visiting me today. I love to cook desserts. I hope you enjoy the photos and the dessert.

Linking to

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday

A Delightsome Life for Home and Garden Thursday

Katherine's Corner for Thursday Favorite Thing 

No Minimalist Here for Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

 My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday 

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes 

Apple Tea Time

Hello everyone,

I shared some beautiful apples in my Produce stand post HERE. I was inspired to make some Apple Crisp and serve tea. I found these adorable apple napkin rings at Tuesday Morning on the clearance shelf a couple of weeks ago...and I was off to the tea table.

While working at Tuesday Morning in 2011, I would have a great time finding so many cute dishes and table linens. The glass apple plates and clear button salad plates were brought home to make a sweet tea time tablescape. To see the apple dishes in last year's tablescape GO HERE 

I have a passion for green depression glass. I found these tea cups and saucers at an antique shop.  

My silverware is 'First Love' a gift to myself many years ago.

Red Apple Napkin Ring

I picked a few hydrangeas blooms and I'm hoping they will dry naturally. 

The light is so beautiful shining on the glassware.

Of course some delicious apple flavored tea steeping in my vintage yellow tea pot.

The hydrangeas are drying as I write this post.

A Mosaic to Pin

I'm off to serve the warm apple crisp with some delicious whipped cream. 

Come back soon and pick up the recipe.

Joyously,

Betty

Rustic and Refined for Table It Link Party - Sunday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage 

A Return to Loveliness  at A Delightsome Life 

Tuesday Cuppa Tea at Antiques and Teacups

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday  
Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday

Hello Autumn!

Hello everyone, 

Last week I shared my produce stand GO HERE I had some pears I received from a friend and I used them to make this delicious Pear Chutney. If you happen to have a pear tree or have come into more pears than you know what to do with, pear chutney is your solution. 

Even people who never thought of putting up anything at all, or just once made a few jars of strawberry jam, might be lured by pear chutney. It makes a great holiday gift. You can stir it while on the phone with a friend, and you don't have to worry about setting points.

PEAR CHUTNEY
 is foolproof and friendly. 

Printable Recipe HERE

PEAR CHUTNEY

Sterilize eight 8-ounce jars 

(If you're not sure how to sterilize jars,

 My procedure is under HOT WATER BATH)

Cook 3 pounds firm-ripe pears, cored (but not peeled) and chopped, 2 big cloves of garlic, minced, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons hot paprika (or cayenne to taste). 2 teaspoons ground coriander (use whole coriander seed and crush them yourself), I cup vinegar or lime juice or a  combination of both, 1 1/2 cups raisins and 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (or 1 tablespoons ground dried). When the pears are tender, stir in 1 cup brown sugar. If the chutney seems too thick, add about 1/2 cup water. Then cook it down for around 10 minutes-until it is sludgy but not liquidy.  Put it in the sterilized jars, fill the sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of the tops, seal the jars, and process them for 10 minutes. (using HOT WATER BATH) instructions. Keep the jars for a few months before opening. 

Suggestions for uses of  Pear Chutney

My favorite is to serve it as an accompaniment to pork roast, pork chops, chicken, turkey and lamb.

How about a ham sandwich with havarti cheese, sliced apple and the chutney?

I love making pear chutney and my whole family loves it too. When I serve it at the table sweetheart will take a spoonful of it and just savor it alone in his mouth. He just loves it.

Because I only make six jars I put it in the refrigerator and we have it gone in about three months. 

A mosaic to pin

Thanks for visiting today and I hope to see you soon.
Joyously,
Betty
Linking to:
A Delightsome Life for Home and Garden Thursday

Katherine's Corner for Thursday Favorite Thing 

No Minimalist Here for Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
 My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday 

Scottish Tea Cozy

Hello everyone,

Wow, these weeks just fly by. While sweetheart and I were on our trip to the coast I found a wonderful shop in old town Eureka. The shop sells beautiful clothes from Scotland and Ireland and other specialty items. I was so excited when I spotted this adorable tea cozy. I love going on trips and finding  wonderful things that I can enjoy long after our trips are just a memory.

I also found a tea towel with four different symbols representing Scotland's heritage.

The Lion Rampant is referred to as the 'Royal Flag of Scotland'

I set the tea table with some shortbread, fruitcake and raspberry filled cookies from Tuesday Morning. 

Celtic Cross

A Scottish tea cup

My Thistle tea cup is such a traditional symbol of Scotland

The Thistle is the National Emblem of Scotland

T

The bagpiper of Scotland

I picked my zinnias and blue delphinium for this bouquet.

I love my flowers...Even when the weather is so hot outside you could fry and egg on the sidewalk the little darlings just keep blooming. I think this photo looks like a watercolor.

The white tea cozy is made of wool and the pom-pom on top reminds me of the pom-pom on the top of my Scottish tam. The beautiful cable design is amazing.

A mosaic to pin

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you have a wonderful week.
Joyously,
Betty
Linking to:

Rustic and Refined for Table It Link Party - Sunday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage 

A Return to Loveliness  at A Delightsome Life 

Tuesday Cuppa Tea at Antiques and Teacups

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday