leaves are so.....

plentiful. I am dying! Scott was out there using the blower for two hours before I went out to help. Took another two hours before it was done. There are leaves falling as I type - arrrrgh!!!  I didn't take any pictures but this is from a year ago - still the same!!

This is just training for shoveling season which is sneaking right up on us! We went to Anderson Apple Orchard and got our annual apple slushie, caramel apples and Winesap apples. I love going there - last year we picked raspberries - doesn't seem like that was a year ago.
Scott framed my Renato Parolin Easter tree - I absolutely love it!! He found the frame at Hobby Lobby - original price was $187.00 - he got it for 90% off!! Great price because the frame is perfect! Scott had to cut it down first - turned out FANTASTIC!!!

I was looking at a new Renato Parolin pattern I wanted to do and I asked Scott what he thought - because it matches one I did earlier this year and he noticed that on the one I did earlier - I missed the outside back stitching! I'm upset because it looks better with it - not that anybody will notice - and it's already framed so I wont be taking it apart to "fix" it. Grrrrrrr. I just realized this isn't on my finishes page (fixed!)

 Anterselva di Mezzo - Renato Parolin

missing edge grrrr

I am almost done with Rosignano Monferrato by Renato Parolin - I will show you next time. Scott has another fabulous frame he is working on. I was hoping to show it this time but he is not happy with it so he might change it - I can't wait to show you because it is a great frame!! In the meantime I have another finish

Victoria Sampler Gingerbread Church

 Attaching the steeple to the church was a little tricky. I am a member of Victoria Sampler CHAT group on Facebook. I read back through the posts and saw that a woman named Wendy Welsh used a curved needle to attach hers - and also the front part of the haunted house so I tried it. Working with a curved needle is hard and weird but it makes it so much easier to attach these pieces!! Thanks to Wendy for the curved needle idea - made my life easier!!

the latest Sunset magazine had two recipes I wanted to try - the first one is Boozy apricots

Boozy Apricots

2 cups Riesling
2 cups brandy
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 lb dried apricots
Mix first three ingredients until sugar dissolves. Pour evenly into two mason jars. Add half a pound of apricots to each jar. Shake periodically for three weeks. Then you drain off the alcohol and store it in the fridge - apricot liqueur. You can dip the fruit in chocolate. Makes great Christmas gifts according to the article.  Now I have to wait 3 weeks - exciting!!
The other recipe they had was roasted beet hummus - usually Sunset magazine is great about posting recipes online but I wasn't able to find either of these to link to. If you would like the beet recipe just email me and I will send it to you. It is pretty good but the most fun part was the color!!

PINK!!! I love it!! If you like roasted beets and tahini you will love this recipe. I also made the newest soup on Skinnytaste - Blissful Butternut Squash  I used leftover butternut from my freezer - also used curry instead of nutmeg - delicious!! I served it with super healthy (not) sausage and homemade pierogis - perfect Fall dinner!! Scott actually finished the soup and cooked the sausage and pierogis!!

The bread is a new recipe for me too - Fresh Baked Italian Bread   I had some trouble with the recipe - you have to use a lot more flour than it calls for. You just have to make it the way she says and be prepared to add more flour. I think I added over a cup more - and could have added a little more! It tastes good though so I can't complain!
The wind has covered the yard with leaves again - oh bother. I'm too sore to care right now though!! The next place we buy will be a condo - no yard work!!
Hope you have a perfect Fall week - with only a little raking - just to get you ready for shoveling haaaaaa!!!

October.....

Where does the time go? I waited two months for my family to show up for the visit and they are already gone!! That went quick!! I think they had a good time. They saw something every day!! We went to the covered bridge festival - what a crowd!! We only went to Bridgeton because every stop was PACKED!!! I could not believe how many people were there!! We saw the mill and the bridge and then got out of there!! Brian got us in to see the mill - they usually don't take tourist down there but Brian always makes friends!

Mom and Brian

Bridgeton Indiana

I had to go to school two of the days they were here. They went to Indianapolis to see the Speedway, the other day they went to Nashville and Columbus Indiana and saw some covered bridges without any crowds!! We went to the Bluespring Caverns and took a boat ride into a cave - very cool!!!

A cave lizard

 We took them to see the West Baden hotel in French Lick Indiana - also went to the winery!!I didn't get any pictures of the hotel this time. The blog post from 2014 of the hotel can be seen here.We went to Jasper Indiana and ate at the Schnitzelbank

Joel and Carol

The food is good but the gift shop with German chocolate and coffee is the place to go!! I bought both - delicious!!  They left Friday morning - see how quickly that went!! It was nice to see them. They brought with them a trailer full of furniture. Some of it I wont be posting - some of it you wont see until it's been refinished. There were a few things that got cleaned up and put in the house right away. My mom brought me the deacons bench from my grandmother's house. I am going to buy a braided rug type seat cover for it but for now...

My uncle Joel and aunt Carol are going to downsize because they are going to travel more so Joel is loaning me the sewing machine cabinet from my Gram's house. Gram refinished it long ago.

front

back

drawers inside

 the slits in the drawers are where the locks slide in - very neat!! 

 The sewing machine part gets pulled up by this neat pulley system - the pulley is made of leather

 super neat wheels underneath - isn't that cool!!!

It's in my bedroom!! Speaking of my bedroom I am delighted and embarrassed to say that we bought a quilt from a department store. Shame on me - I know but it is so pretty. None of my beautiful homemade quilts are big enough. Yes, I should make one but I would rather cross stitch than hand-quilt a quilt big enough for this bed!!

the angle makes it looks small but that is a king sized bed!!

Mom also brought a dresser and side table that we put in Ryder's room

Mom brought 2 rockers

3 stools but I am only showing this one

this fun German silhouette candle holder!!

pretty painted stool

 Joel is also loaning me one of the quilts my Grandmother made - hand-quilted!! It is beautiful!!

 She also made these two pillow cases - the one on the right has to be retired. It had two major parts that needed repaired but the repair makes it look like I sewed the mouth shut on one - and the button I had was a tad bigger - so I put it in the closet. I don't want it being damaged. The other one is on the guest bed now.

Joel and Mo seeing what is in the fridge

Mo misses his grandma and Joel - the guy who sneaks him lunch meat!! Naughty!! So, that's it - the whole trip went quickly. There are several pieces to refinish - exciting!! My next post will be about a cross stitch finish and some frames Scott made - I'm really excited to post them - fantastic frames!!! Welcome to my newest follower!! I now have 34 - yay!!
Hope you have a good week - thanks for stopping by!!

WOOOOOHOOOOOOO

I got accepted to both of the nursing programs I applied to!!!! I will be choosing Bloomington! I don't start until January but it's very exciting!