A visit to the city...

Small town shops...

Last week we drove up to Washington DC to attend a wedding reception and visit relatives.

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We went through Historic towns on the way...
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In one of the antique shops, upstairs was packed w/ beautiful fabric...with bundles only $1.60 ea.

I look forward to sewing soon!
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^Photo courtesy of Allposters^

When we arrived in DC, the next morning we boarded the subway.

My sister brought her crochet project of course ;)

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My family walking towards the Washington Monument.

The weather really was beautiful, making it easy to tour and walk to the various sites & Museums :)

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The local officer on horseback

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City Gardens

As we walked down the road, what a sweet surprise

to see areas of flower & herb gardens.

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Kitchen Inspiration

In the Museum of American History, we visited 'Julia Child's Kitchen' which was a great exhibit; since I tend to like the domestic side of things! Not to mention I met and conversed with many food/kitchen enthusiasts which I found encouraging :)

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Another view of Julias kitchen....
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"If I can influence Americans to keep in the kitchen and make it a real family room and a real part of their lives, I will have succeeded beyond hope." --Julia Child
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At the Museum of Natural History,
I ran into this couple who were refreshingly old-fashioned :)
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On our last night in DC, we walked through a Historic part of downtown.
Heading straight for their local bookshop, we relaxed and enjoyed our time there.

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A Blessed Week
A young Mother in our church just delivered a newborn, so I had the opportunity to spend most of the week at their home, managing the house and caring for their other children. It was a lovely experience, especially just watching her bond with her baby. I'm thankful I had the free time to devote to being a help to their family :)
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This weekend, I sang and played guitar in my dear friends wedding. It truly was a beautiful event, and I loved the Autumn colors...

The Bridesmaids

I've had such a full weekend, y'all! I hope you enjoyed this update, I know it's been a while :)

Up next is the picnic this Saturday...bring your lunch and feel free to join us!

A quiet week.

I love how misty our road looks in the morning.

My sister and I got up early to work in the garden before the sun came out, and enjoyed the cooler weather.

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My Dad started a fall garden; uprooting our old tomato vines and other plants,

and made beds for the seedlings.

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SecondHand Treasure

While my family and I were out at a second-hand shop, I found a lovely set of dishes at a bargain price :)

When washing china/fragile dishes, I put a thick hand-towel in the bottom of the sink to prevent any casualties :) I also used a crocheted washcloth. (If you make your own, be sure the yarn is 100% cotton!)
~This year my sister started playing violin--and figured it out rather quickly since she knows how to play piano/read notes. So I'll get out my guitar & we'll play songs together often, which is a fun time.

~We love to collect vintage music books :)

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Our last big harvest of basil!! Now I know the best way to preserve basil is by making a pesto, then freezing it. I found Basil doesn't dry "pretty" like other herbs :)

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Our last pepper plants are continuing to produce...

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Native Pokeberry plants came up voluntarily this year...

the juice makes a wonderful ink for writing or a radiant dye for homespun projects.
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It's always fun when we spend time together outside around a small bonfire.

In the evening we'll spread out quilts, talking and gazing at the clarity of the stars--since we're far away from city lights, it really is brilliant.
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Also, we will be having the old-fashioned picnic at historic Indian Springs State Park on October 2nd. 11-3 pm. This will most likely be our last hosted event, so if you can come, let me know--and we look forward to meeting you :)

September

The cool breeze seems to whisper that Autumn is just around the corner.

"Cottage schooling" has begun, and homemaking continues :)

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My sister in the kitchen

Kneading bread dough

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Breadsticks are an easy appetizer to a meal.

ah, the smell of fresh baked bread is a delight!

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Our Pear tree is heavy laden with fruit!

To me, there's nothing like picking fresh fruit--still warm & sweetened by the sun :)

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I didn't weigh how much my sister and I harvested for that morning, but I ended up peeling, chopping and blending up the pears for jam. (8 cups of pear puree)

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Along w/ jam, I made Quince Jelly for the first time! For Spiced Pear Jam I just added cinnamon, cloves and a little ginger to the fruit puree. Ah, it cooked like a warm spiced applesauce..really a great way to begin anticipating the Autumn season!

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We've really enjoyed having hens, they're so simple to care for...and the reward of fresh eggs everyday is wonderful!
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Heartwarming Oat Scones

*1.5 cups flour, *1/2 cup Oats, *1/3 cup sugar, *1 Tbsp baking powder, *1/2 tsp salt.

*1/3 cup melted butter, *1 egg, *1/3 cup milk

Mix together ingredients...
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Pat dough out to a 7-8 in. circle, about 1/2 in. thick.
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Then spread 1 TBsp softened/melted butter across the top...
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Cut halfway through the dough into triangle sections...
Then sprinkle w/ Cinnamon sugar topping
(1 TBsp sugar & 1/4 tsp cinnamon)
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 mins.
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While waiting for the scones to bake, I finished up my laundry.
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Gathering favorite books to read...
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On the front porch, I set up a small table complete with tea, scones, pear jam...
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The scones turned out wonderfully!
Not too sweet, the topping added just enough spice so as to compliment the jam.
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My family came to join me for tea...

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As we ate, we skimmed through the books, sharing enlightening quotes we came across or a favorite topic :)
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A beautiful event....

This morning we attended my dear friends wedding!

It was an 1860s themed event, in an old church tucked away in the country.

Sweet, simple, Inspirational.

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"...And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee."

Isiah 62:5