From the Antique Store | Six Finds and a Bonus!

A few weeks ago (eek . . . it was actually in September!), I showed you some things we purchased on an antiquing outing, along with how I chose each item, what it cost, and how I planned to use it. Some of you enjoyed this little "behind the scenes" kind of post and asked for more, so today I'll share the treasures I brought home on Friday when my friend Barbara and I visited two antique stores. 

{one} green-glazed yellow ware bowl

This was my favorite find of the day. I have a pair of reproduction green bowls that I use all the time, but this one is authentic . . . and big! I considered it a good price at $22.00. I can easily picture this bowl heaped high with the Thanksgiving mashed potatoes next year, but for now it is on my kitchen counter filled with apples. 

{two} a pair of star candle holders

These little candle holders were only $2.00 each, and I can use them anywhere, singly or as a pair. Today they are on my kitchen island holding beeswax tapers.

{three} pewter chamberstick candle holder

Pewter always catches my eye! A chamberstick is a piece I did not have and it was only $5.00. I put it on the desk in our bedroom. The desk is going to be replaced with a bookshelf in the future, and then I'll find a different home for the chamberstick.

{four} a pair of tin molds

These look like cookie cutters to me. But they would make ginormous cookies and the label said "molds" so we'll go with that. They were $4.00 each. Barbara said that her mom had a pair just like these hanging on the wall of the kitchen in her former house! I thought about hanging them, but I'm not sure where. I put them in the pie safe in my kitchen, but they probably will not stay there. If I were to leave the doors open, they would be fine, but with the doors closed, you can hardly see them. And I can't leave the doors open because the pie safe is in a narrow traffic path between the dining room, kitchen, and master bedroom. So it's back to the drawing board on these. 

Molds on the middle shelf . . . 

. . . molds on the top shelf . . . 

. . . molds with the door closed. (Where are they?) 

{five} brown transferware plate

I love brown transferware! I have a nice collection Friendly Village dishes and a set of dessert dishes in another pattern and a few serving pieces in more patterns. But I rather like the "collected" look, so I decided to bring this lovely plate home to use as a serving piece. It was $7.00. 

old bowl alongside new-to-me plate on right

{six} Putz sheep

I have to say, I'm not sure whether this little Putz sheep is an antique or a reproduction, but I'm happy with him and his price ($8.00). 

{BONUS} lunch at Barbara's house!

After shopping, we enjoyed a delicious lunch, a special Christmas dessert, two cups of coffee, and lots of time to talk. It was a delightful day! 

I know you'll enjoy a few peeks at Barbara's lovely table and her beautiful home dressed for Christmas . . . 

Barbara is a dear friend and time with her is a gift! 

Thanksgiving 2020

We were blessed to gather our four households to celebrate Thanksgiving! 

Here's a quick peek before we turn our calendars over to December . . .

printable placecards from Nora Murphy Country House

This year’s “servants “: Maddie, Bekah, and Kristin 

Behold Our God

 

Yesterday, we made pies and sweet potato casserole and made place cards, all while singing along with our Thanksgiving playlist!

There have certainly been some hard things about this year, and your year may have been much harder than mine! But when I behold Him -- when I consider His greatness and His goodness -- I cannot help but praise Him!

Who has given counsel to the Lord?

Who can question any of his words?

Who can teach, the one who knows all things?

Who can fathom all his wondrous deeds?

However you're celebrating today, I hope that you are able to pause and behold our God and praise Him. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you, my friends! 

Loving and Linking . . .

I thought I'd share a few "loves" from this past week.

(On Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, I spent time with precious friends which I loved, but of course there are no links for that. Oh, but I wish I could link you up with some heart-filling friend time! It is good for the soul.)

November is not time to put away autumn decor at my house. Rather, it is time to get out a few turkeys! This Primitive Tom is one of my favorites. I made him years ago with instructions I found ~here~. 

I enjoyed this Autumn Chopped Salad this week. It had been a while since I had made it, but I love the flavor of the chopped pears and dried cranberries and blue cheese. Yum. 

Also "yum" was this frittata recipe by the Pioneer Woman. Mine had potato, onion, mushrooms, and kale, but you could add any veggies or meats that you like. It's an easy, but flavorful weeknight supper. 

These thoughts on the election by author Lynn Austin may be the best thing I have read on this topic! She published the article the day before the election, but the ideas continue to be relevant. 

A dear friend posted this beautiful song on her Facebook. Oh, what a message! Take a few minutes this weekend to listen and ponder I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow .

Starting a New Row!

 
Do you remember this post about a year ago? 

Twelve Blessings!!

Well, we're starting a new row! Oh joy! 

Yes, there's a new baby girl coming in March to Ryan and Sarah's family! The gift of parenthood is an amazing privilege and a sobering responsibility, and it is a gift from the Lord. We are so grateful for this new little gift and can't wait to meet her!

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, 

The fruit of the womb is a reward. 

Psalm 127:3

What Does the World Need?

 

Since the pandemic began back in March, I have found much of online world to be a place of discontent and angst and even anger. My response has been to pull back. Blog less frequently . . . read fewer blogs . . . engage less.
 

But what the world needs is not more complaining, more politics, or more temporary and worldly solutions. 

What we need is an eternal perspective. We need words of eternal truth. We need hope. We need Christ. 

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

II Corinthians 4:16-18

Those words from II Corinthians? They are truth. Truth that does not change, no matter what is happening in our world, no matter what the political climate, no matter how you feel or how I feel. 

Did you notice the words light affliction and but for a moment? Oh, our troubles don't feel "light" or "momentary" when they are happening. But in the light of eternity . . . everything else is infinitesimally small. 

This poem by Amy Carmichael challenges my "silken self." Maybe it will speak to you too. 

FLAME OF GOD

From prayer that asks that I may be

Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,

From fearing when I should aspire, 

From faltering when I should climb higher,

From silken self, O Captain, free

Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,

From easy choices, weakenings,

(Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified.)
From all that dims Thy Calvary,

O Lamb of God, deliver me. 

Give me the love that leads the way,

The faith that nothing can dismay

The hope no disappointments tire,

The passion that will burn like fire,

Let me not sink to be a clod

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

 

Have I posted a pumpkin recipe every fall since I began blogging? Maybe not, but I have posted quite a few over the years. I am a pumpkin spice girl! 

So when we decided to make ice cream for our Anne of Green Gables movie marathon day, I hunted for a pumpkin ice cream recipe and this is what I found. If you're a pumpkin spice girl too, I think you'll enjoy it! (And it only takes a few minutes from start to the freezer!) 

PUMPKIN PIE ICE CREAM 

original recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

dash of ground cloves

Directions:

Beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form.

Turn mixer to low; drizzle in sweetened condensed milk.

Fold in remaining ingredients.

Pour into freezer-safe container and freeze for at least four hours or overnight.

For more pumpkin goodness, check out these recipes! 

Five on Friday | Sweetness

Yes, it was a sweet Friday. There was sweetness of all kinds! 

{one} a sweet treat

Sarah and the children arrived bright and early with . . . 

These are all seasonal donuts at Dunkin' right now: spiders, pumpkin, and the brand new ghost pepper donuts! We had had a long conversation about the new donuts on our family group chat, so those of us here today were willing to sample them . . . for research purposes, of course. 

We each braved a small bite of the ghost pepper donut. And we survived! Yes, it was hot, but it was balanced by the sweet strawberry icing. I wouldn't eat a whole one, but it was a fun flavor experiment. 

And, although I observe Halloween not one little bit, I can definitely eat a spider made of a glazed donut and a chocolate Munchkin. 

{two} a sweet story

Today was the day of our Anne of Green Gables marathon. Could there be a sweeter story? I have seen this series so many times, and I never tire of this wholesome, inspiring, well-told story. 

I have so many favorite scenes. When Matthew and Anne make their first drive to Green Gables, Anne chattering away, and then is overcome with the beauty of her surroundings. When Matthew has a heart-to-heart with Anne and persuades her to apologize to Mrs. Lynde. Anne's tender farewell to Marilla and Rachel as she leaves to take a teaching job at Kingsport Ladies' College. 

This is another one, at the train station as Anne has just left for a year at Queens Academy: 

Marilla: I'm afraid for her, Matthew. She'll be gone so long. She'll get terrible lonesome.
Matthew: You mean, we'll get terrible lonesome.
Marilla: I can't help wishing that she'd stayed a little girl.
Matthew: Mrs. Spencer made a lucky mistake, I guess.
Marilla: It wasn't luck; it was Providence. He knew we needed her.
Matthew: Even with her queer little ways.
Marilla: I loved her for them.

{three} a houseful of sweet faces

{four} sweet photos from afar

Kati send a few pictures of our five-month-old grandson Caleb. He is starting to sit up, and as of today, he has two tiny teeth poking through his gums!

{five} another sweet treat!

For our Anne of Green Gables Day lunch, we had chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, and chips, with ice cream for dessert. 

Diana Barry: "I wish I were rich, and I could spend the whole summer at a hotel, eating ice cream and chicken salad." 

I decided to put an autumn spin on our ice cream and I found a recipe for pumpkin pie ice cream. If you are one of those "pumpkin spice in the fall" people (I am), then you'll probably like this sweet treat! I'll share the recipe on my blog next week. 

Five On Friday | From the Antique Store

We've been on Staycation this week, getting this and that done around the house and yard. 

But yesterday was FUNday! We took a little road trip, visiting a wonderful coffee shop in the morning, a Mexican restaurant in the afternoon, and antique stores in two different towns. (Yes, that's what we do for fun!)

For Five On Friday, I thought I would show you the things that I purchased while antiquing, tell you how I chose each item, what it cost, and how I plan to use it. I love to see the thought process behind what people purchase for their homes. Maybe you enjoy it too! 

{one} silhouette

I have been keeping my eye out for some colonial silhouettes. I had one in my hand not long ago, but it felt a little too Victorian for my taste, so I left it behind. This one was just right . . . and so was the price of $18.00. So begins my collection. 

I hung it on the small wall near my front door where it will live with a sampler from my Great Aunt Minerva's home and a scherenschnitte by my artist friend Kim. Until it moves. (It could.)

{two} wreath

I really didn't need a wreath for my back door. I had a basket that I liked which just needed to be filled with something fall-ish. So when my eye was drawn to a couple of pretty wreaths in the first store we visited, I decided not to purchase. But this one said "fall" without screaming it, and it cost $7.95. I love how it looks with my green back door! 

{three} lemon squeezer

Ron loves gadgets old and new! This old lemon squeezer (on the left) joins other recent purchases of a pasta cutting wheel (we think!) and a jar lifter. It was $9.00.

{four} Early American Life magazines

I purchased these magazines for inspiration. I've already thumbed through them and have taken note of a few ideas to try. Well worth the 75-cents apiece price tag! When (if) I am finished with them, I will pass them on  or take them to recycle. 

{five} bundle of wheat

I saw a picture on Instagram last week that inspired thoughts for my Thanksgiving table this year. I love the simplicity of the white plates, white pumpkins, and wheat. It would be a departure from the bright colors I used last year, but I like to change it up a little each year, so I am considering a similar theme. I have three bundles of wheat in pots that I could use on the table, but when I saw the bundle of wheat for $10 in the antique store, I knew I could deconstruct it to have sprigs for each place setting or to strew among the pumpkins. We'll see. 

~ Farmhouse Pottery ~

 

Have you made any fun or exciting purchases lately? Gotten any bargains? Do tell! 

Welcome, Autumn!

Oh, it is such a lovely first day of fall! The weather is glorious, doors are open, and Ron is off this week tackling projects around the house. I am praising the Lord for His faithfulness as evidenced in the return of the seasons year after year after year.

"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,

winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease."

Genesis 8:22 

Here are some glimpses of autumn in my world today . . . 

Three small one-dollar mums plopped in an old bowl.

Yes, I have been eagerly awaiting Autumn! 
I wait for it all year. There are things that I love about every season, but fall is my favorite.

I have been saving this beautiful mug that my sister gave me for the first day of fall. 

I love it (thank you, Linda!) and I celebrated by having two cups of coffee this morning.

At the back door.

This could be the first time a tractor came to our small neighborhood at the edge of town!
Ron borrowed his brother's tractor to level out the ground by the new fence.

I called out the back door, "Who is this farm boy in my back yard?"
He laughed, but he really is a farm boy at heart!

Some of us are working hard. Some of us are not.

Not sure where this pumpkin will land, but it's here on the kitchen island for now.

I love a green pumpkin, but I have had trouble finding them this year.

At the front door.

But, actually, this photo is already outdated because, as I type, Ron is installing a new full-view storm door. We also have plans to replace the iron railing with a colonial-style wooden rail later this fall.

Yes, fall is my favorite, but some of my people are hating to say good-bye to summer. 

What about you? Which season is your favorite?