GOT A MINUTE OR TWO

  Made a stop at Trader Joe's on my way home from my eye appointment.  I can't believe all the things "pumpkin" that just jumped in my cart!! Pumpkin Bisque soup, Pumpkin Ravioli, Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps and of course Pumpkin Bread!! Tried the soup yesterday and it was delicious with a piece of crusty bagette. "Pumpkin" says Fall!  I was disappointed that the Pumpkin Patch I always visit this time of year is "GONE".  Someone bought the property and are using it for something else.  Will have to look for another one!

  I mentioned a few post back that I had been "chopping" on my hair for a long time and it was really getting in bad shape.  Well today I bit the bullet and made an appointment with Maria!  I told her do whatever you must to repair the damage.  We decided on a type of Pixie!  It will be easy care and will grow out evenly!!!  We already made an appointment for December so I don't get impatient and start chopping again. Came home and was hungry ~ so made a "mini" crustless quiche.  I had some onion, bell peppers, olives and cherry tomatoes so toss them all together with a handful of cheese!

Click on photo to see my work station.  I love my little kitchen.  This morning I opened the Kitchen window and how nice to feel the cool breeze. Before "Covid" I was known as THE COOKIE LADY to all the children at the Villa.  However, as you all know, Covid brought many things to a halt!  Including cookies for the children who spent hours at the Playground just below our balcony.  It was almost an every day event, but mostly on the weekends when school was out.   This past week I have had several children (especially little boys) knocking on my door to see if the Cookie Lady has any cookies.  So this morning I decided it was time to keep the cookie jar full and go back to my "Cookie Lady" ministry. I'm going to have my camera ready when they show up so you can see the sweet faces and big cookie smiles.

  My dearest had a surgery on his face to remove a skin cancer Tuesday morning.  The doctor said he would probably get a black eye!  Because he takes blood thinners they really put a hard pressure bandage on to prevent further bleeding.  We get to take the bandage off tomorrow.  The stitches are disolvable so he doesn't have to have a follow-up visit.  He's doing really good and no pain which is a blessing.  I sent this picture to our kids, and a couple of them have a sense of humor.  Myk ask if his dad has been in a bar brawl!  HaHa, and Julie wanted to know if Rocky won the fight!!  Gotta love our kids and how they love to joke with their dad!! Since Michel lives very close to the hospital where Don had the surgery, we went to her house for a few hours so dad could rest and have lunch. While we were there she told me to look through a box of Fall decorations that she wouldn't be using, and I found a string of Fall Leaves with lights....

Pretty much a tradition at our home is Pumpkin Bread and muffins when the cooler weather comes.  This time I got "lazy" and bought a "Libby's Pumpkin Bread Kit".  I always use Libby pumpkin so thought I'd save myself a step.  When it said it made two loaves, I didn't calculate that they were talking "large" loaf pans and mine are medium.  My recipe works perfect.  When I had the mix and added ingredients, I had enough batter for two loaves and a dozen muffins.  (You only see 11 in the photo as I ate one!  HaHa) After I poured the batter in the muffin tins I added some candied pecans and cranberries to the top.  Of course, you know I'm the "Queen of Drizzle"! Began my study in the Pursuit of Holiness this week as we had our first meeting on Tuesday.  I loved getting back into a regular routine of Bible Study.  Lessons like this keep you focused.   I was able to get a shot Tuesday morning to show you how excited we are to have 60 la...

Several of you seemed surprised that we find Bibles at the Thrift Store.  I wanted to share just how many Bibles, Study Bibles and Comentaries we have found over the past 9 years that we have lived at the Villa and visited this Thrift Store,  This is one of our book shelves.  I had to move more of my kick kacks to make room. As you can see I still have a few on the top shelf.  And there are more books on the bottom shelf from our own collection.  And of course my dearest has more bookcases in what we call our "media" room.  The desks, TV, recliner and my rocking chair. If you click to enlarge, you can see our "Thrift Store Treasure Chest".   This is the Bible you see lying on it's side on the second shelf in the photo above.  Don loves this one as it has extra wide margins on each page, leather cover and two ribbon markers.  Another find under $5. Another "Providence"!!  What is the likelyhood that we would meet a couple at church who ha...

I truly love candles!  And one of my favorites is the "Sand and Fog"!  Of course being an Ocean and Beach fan it would only be natural!  They always remind me of the ocean and they are inspired by a some gals on the California coast.  Wonder if you have them where you live. Yeah! Since my cateract surgery I don't have to wear distant glasses! When I see a picture of myself without them, I do a double take and remember I don't have to wear them anymore. My blog friend Linda, was sharing her long hair and she looks so cute with it.  I wore long hair for years and finally after the red was gone and the grey was in decided to wear it short! A WONDERFUL find at the Community Thrift Store last week.  A beautiful leather bound NIV Bible in pristine condition!  No marks in it....But as you can see, I've only had it a short time and I can't help but underlining when I reading!  This Bible has so many notes, and insights that I'm just loving it.  I ha...

  In my last post I mentioned that I woud be making homemade soup to fill the pretty Pumpkin Tureen.  This moring I made my dearests favorite, Miniestrone!  It looked so pretty in the Tureen I needed to take a picture. It's such an easy soup to make as it's basically vegetables, beans, tomatoes and broth.  A few pasta curly to top it off.  It's the italian seasoning that give it that wonderful flavor and I always add extra cabbage and onions, just because thcat's the way we love it. Another one of my loves, in fact more of a fettish ~~ Cloth napkins!!  I have loved them since childhood as my mother used them every day.  When I saw these gray and sea green pumpkin napkins, they jumped in my cart at Home Goods! The other day in the Laundry Room I decided to take a picture of most of my cloth napkins that were in the laundry for that load.  The napkins for Valentines, Spring /Easter, and Christmas are packed away in the appropriate bin.   C...

  A quiet Fall morning with the lighting of my first Fall candle. My "Fall" flag in the window.   A hot cup of coffee in my "Hello Fall" mug. A few splashes of Fall on the counter. My window frame mirror a favorite in any season. The coffee table during the day takes on a different look than my early quiet time. My pumpkin pillows on the couch. Love Fall in  my kitchen.  I bring out my butter dish, pot holders and kitchen towels. It's like getting them brand new. I like to see Fall when I'm at the kitchen sink!  My pumpkin hand soap holder and my Harvest Sign are favorites.  If you have followed me for very long, you will recognize my Pumpkin Soup Tureen! Soon it will be filled with some nice hot soup!  One of the things we love about Fall.  Homemade soup. I kept the decorations to a minimum this year, and the only thing I couldn't get a good picture of is the decorations on the shelf above the cabinets.  Should have taken the picture wh...

    The Quest where my doctor wants me to get my bloodtest is in the building where his office is.  There is a Quest closer to our home but it takes several extra days for him to get the results.  He gets the results the same day if I take it there. The nice thing about getting it there is that there is a Panera Bread right across the street. So we made a Lunch Date out of it!  Don had the brocolli cheese soup/sandwich and I had the french onion soup and salad.  A nice cup of Hazelnut coffee and a park in the shade! Getting out, if even for a bloodtest was a nice time together. PS ~ I got my Fall decoration out and up!! Yeah! Some pictures soon.