I will be down a few days...

Hello dear friends....I have sat down long enough to type up a quick post to say I will be away from my blog for several days. I had to be rushed to the emergency room Thanksgiving night and was diagnosed with kidney stones. To quote my doc..."they're bigguns."
Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers and know I will be back as soon as I can. Sincerely, Barb

How Much is a "Smidgen"..and my fave chutney!

Here in the South, we give out directions about as clear as we give out recipes. If you are looking for 123 Smith Rd, you're probably gonna get something like..."turn down by ole' man Ralph's place, keep going a ways until you reach the Butler farm, but don't turn there - keep going yonder pass the big walnut tree and turn right by the picket fence. "

Well, that's kinda how we give recipe amounts, too...."add a smidgen of this, add a dash of that, throw in a few piches of this...."

So I was delighted to one day run across these measuring spoons. Now I can accurately measure out a smidgen. :-)

Fall Harvest Chutney

The day before Thanksgiving, I prepare as many of the side dishes as I can in advance. It makes cooking on Thanksgiving faster and smoother. I just got thru making this chutney. It's so easy, and has very few ingredients. I call it my Fall Harvest Chutney. Here's what you need:

1/2 apple (I know - more apples!) - chopped fine

1 can mandarin oranges, rough chopped

One large can whole berry cranberry sauce. (I told you this was easy)

*(If you really want to, you can cook your own cranberries in water, salt, sugar and orange juice until done. But, if you don't want to go thru all this - no one will ever know. I'll never tell! :-)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (opt) or your fave kind of nut

Then, add a "smigeon" of lemon juice (about 1 tsp) and a "dash" of honey (about 2 Tbs)

Stir it all together, taste - add more honey as needed if you like a sweeter taste.

I like to serve my chutney in this vintage glass container. I have several of these. They are bins from an old hoosier. I love that they have a handle and make for easing passing at the table.

This is a great dish for Christmas, as well. I have even baked this mixture in small tarts and added marscapone cheese. Yummy!

My Thanksgiving Tablesetting....finally!

I know, I know - I am late. Most people already have their Christmas china out, and I am just pulling out my Thanksgiving gear. LOL But, we are having dinner here tomorrow...and I am too disorganized to celebrate more than one holiday at a time. But trust me - the Christmas decorating bonanza begins as soon as everyone leaves tomorrow. Until then, I wanted to share my finished table with you. It took me about an hour to set. I used the fabric from last year - nothing special - just used pinking sheers on the edges. I have a set of Johnson brothers transferware plates I purchased at a flea market in London. They feature wildlife - pheasants, mallards, deer and turkeys. I pair these with gold chargers and a plain white plate. I used a burnt red napkin for a pop of color, and various stemware to include the gold rimmed crystal I picked up for a song in Budapest. I mentioned the ceramic pheasants below in the centerpiece post. Love these! Other items: a compote dish filled with a candle and kumquats, small leaf plates purchased end-of-season for 75 cents used as a bread plate; an antique pickle jar for bread and butter pickles...and wire pumpkin name cards I just bought on clearance at Pier 1 for a few bucks.

So - that's about it. Its not my best work as I was trying to set the table, rewind Ice Age (for the 80th time), watch the cornbread in the oven, answer the phone (work never stops)...well, you get the idea. So is life!

I hope you enjoy this "start to finish" presentation of my Thanksgiving table...

Thanks for letting me share! I would like to wish each of you a Blessed Thanksgiving.

Please remember our Troops who are serving so far away from home. They are why we are allowed to celebrate so freely.

From My Family To Yours....Peace and Goodwill,

Barbie

My Mountain Sojourn: Part III - Mountain Apples 'n Roses

(this one's for you KD! )
So to end my 3-part series, I am sharing with you my so-easy-to-duplicate floral arrangement, where I used some of the mountain apples we brought home with us. These small Gala apples are perfect for this type of project, and fruit lasts a long time and helps stretch the flower budget. (works as a great filler!) I have arranged this centerpiece in three stages...Roses only...roses and apples only...and roses, apples, kumquats, mums, rosemary...well you get the idea.

( Note - I have included pics with both flash and no flash. These roses are not as white as they appear in some of these pics.)

I started with an ordinary waterproof container. I have a cabinet full of all types of urns and bowls that I have picked up at yard sales, end of season sales, etc. When choosing a container for your centerpiece, you want to make sure that the finished arrangement is not so tall that your guests have to stand up on their tippy toes to converse with each other across the table. Not a good thing! (Martha would slap you on the hand!) You might want to place the container on the table, and actually sit down to test if it will impede a guest's view of other guests.
The overall height of the completed arrangement should be about 1/2-3/4 the height of the container. Any taller, and the balance will be off.

You need to purchase a block of floral oasis, and soak it in cold water at least 15 minutes to get it good and saturated. Cut the foam so it is slightly larger than the container, then force it in after it has been soaked. This will keep the foam nice and tight inside the container.

I start with an outer liner of greenery. I am using dried oak leaves because I had these on hand, but I also like to use fresh - such as larger leaves like Magnolia. I also like to use herbs or a ring of ivy.

Prep your roses and put them loosely in a container of cold water. These roses are the ordinary grocery store variety, which are generally cheaper. Make sure you cut the stems at an angle as this aids water absorption. Remove all but one or two of the leaves. Too many leaves will start to clog up the oasis and make it harder to push in flowers and greenery as the container starts to fill.

Place your first stem right in the center. This placement will determine the highest point, so the 1/2-3/4 tall rule we talked about above is what you need to pay attention to. Adjust the height accordingly. This stem is generally your tallest flower. Next, add stems on each side, about half the height. Think of a clock - add flowers at 12, 3, 6, and 9 - around the middle rose. Next, add a bottom layer (closer to the container's rim) at 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, and 10:30. (Chart this out and I promise it will make better sense)

This is how the end result should look. Keep in mind that it should be just as pretty from one side as the other. I like to make flower arrangements on a Lazy Susan so I can turn it easier. Just make sure you keep looking at it from all angles throughout the process.

Now, I could stop here. It's pretty as-is and showcases the simplicity of white roses. But, if you are here at my blog, you have most likely seen my home. Does it look like I am someone who knows how to stop? LOL

Moving on....

Pretty in soft light.....

I love to combine flowers and fruits in my arrangements. There's something about roses and apples that make the perfect combination. Above, you can see where I began adding small gala apples - the same apples I bought waaaay too many of in the mountains. :-) I have also tucked in some extra stems of the dried oak leaves. Again, keep in mind how it looks on all sides. I use wooden skewers cut to size, pushed into the apple, and inserted into the oasis. These small apples generally only require one skewer each, but a heavier apple might require two.

...another view...

Again, you could stop here. This is certainly pretty enough for any table. But....nope, not me...

Moving on....

I removed the apples. Using a very inexpensive bundle of Fall flowers, again from the grocery store, I started adding mums. I cut the stems individually instead of using them in a cluster. The purchased bundle included two large spider mums. These went right in the center on each side of the tallest rose. I scattered the yellow and rust colored mums around the arrangement evenly.

Almost there...just a few more touches...

It's getting there....and yes, you could stop here. Keep in mind that floral arranging is like artwork. Everyone has different tastes, and only you know when it is your style. If you get to this point and you are happy that you have gotten this far without drawing blood, then by all means stop. You will still have an impressive centerpiece. But, if you still have 10 healthy fingers and feel adventurous lets......move on!

I added the apples back in....

Who said apples were just for pies......? Next, I added one of the cutest little fruits I have ever seen....(and I do NOT know what else you would do with them)...

Kumquats! Even the name makes me happy. Kumquats!
(I need to remind myself to Google this fruit one day and see just what you really do with them.)

Pop these on the end of some skewers. Finally, you can add some greenery. Life is not just Kumquats and apples you know. I have an abundance of rosemary. Its one of my favorite herbs both in the kitchen and in floral arrangements. Its beautiful and airy and you can't beat the aromatic bonus, either. Just a few sprigs here and there.

Tomorrow morning, I will set my table. I have a pair of beautiful ceramic pheasants, and small dishes I have picked up her and there which look beautiful with my Johnson Brothers brown transferware plates. Until then....if you run out to get those last few items at the grocery store...pick up some flowers...any flowers...and some fruit. You can make this simple arrangement in between basting the turkey. Your guests will be super-dooper impressed.

Have a great day before Thanksgiving, my Friends!

Blessings, Barb

Oh Don't EVEN Pretend Like You Can't Relate....LOL

&

My Mountain Sojourn: Part II

Almost every time we go to the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, I insist on visiting Waynesville. Waynesville is a short drive from Asheville, and is a quaint mountain town featuring a main street filled on both sides with charming shops and cafes. This side trip has become a ritual. But of all my favorite shops, I have one favorite - Mast General Store. It is a beautiful two-story building with squeaky wood floors and is chock-filled with everything - well, General Store-ish. Beautiful women's clothes to include some of the prettiest sweaters I have ever seen; penny candy in huge wood barrels, old-time toys, jams and jellies and old-fashioned foods; and decorative items of all sorts. Every nook and cranny is filled with something interesting. At the front of the store are some rockers and an old wood stove. Best of all, is a vintage lift-up lid Coke cooler, with small Cokes in little glass bottles and orange and grape flavored Nehi sodas. Why does it seem like they taste different? :-) If you ever get the chance, stop by Waynesville and enjoy a visit to the Mast General Store. There are several other locales, as well. I hope you enjoy this cyber visit!

Main Street Waynesville, NC

Main Street Waynesville, NC

Beautiful Women's Sweaters and Clothes

Men's Department - "manly" clothes, no button-downs here! :-)

Grandpa and Cole ... Waiting for Grammy to Finish Shopping!

I love all the wonderful antiques that line the tops of the shelves throughout the store!

Needless to say, we had a hard time getting Cole away from this section! I would be lying if I said I did not love this area , as well. It's filled with lots of the hard-to-find old penny candies like Mary Jane's, Nekko, Mallo Cups, etc.

This is another one of my favorite areas. I like to stock up on homemade jams and jellies to keep as gifts for my clients.

This is where I get my molasses for my homemade gingerbread.

Well, it tastes like....jelly! But it provides a good laugh when you give it as a gift.

I love this old cook stove. Their display items are different and unique.

Someone discovered a new friend!

Comfy rockers are provided up front near the old wood stove. These are generally filled with men! My husband and dad included! :-)

I had never seen these before I started visiting this store - rocking foot stools! Cole decided if MeeMaw could have one, so could he!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to a mountain General Store.

My Mountain Sojourn : Part III will conclude with a floral arrangement made with red mountain apples and white roses for your Thanksgiving centerpiece.

Until then.....Blessings to You and Yours, Barb