Scavenger Hunt~ 11/11

This Weeks Items:  Nature, Vintage, Whimsical, Cooking, Weeks Best

 

Nature

There is one lone Calendula plant hanging on in my garden. Everything else has been frosted completely off.  But, this bit of sunshine just keeps hanging on!

 

 

 

Vintage

I have a couple of vintage metal picnic baskets. One was my grandma’s ( yellow and black) and the one in this photo belonged to my mother-in-law, before it found its way to my house. I was going to set up a shot with the old books, picnic basket and apple, but then I had a volunteer… and I couldn’t resist!  So I have a beautiful little model showcasing my vintage picnic basket!

 

 

Whimsical (i.e. playful)

We have some pretty funny hens at our place.  As soon as we step foot outside they come to greet us.  I knew we would have to work fast before the girls got interested in what my daughter and I were doing. Six of them followed us out to the field.  Thankfully they got distracted by some weeds and began scratching around just out of frame.  Then we had one become curious.  She was just sure the apple was something for her to eat. She pecked at it a couple of times before she figured out it wasn’t the real deal, just a fake, and she strutted off.

 

 

 

Cooking

My men love mashed potatoes and would probably eat them every meal if I let them!

 

 

 

Weeks Best

It has to be one from this afternoons photo shoot.  It was sunny, unseasonably warm and I was hanging out with my favorite girl!

 

 

 

Linked up with Ashley:

Scavenger Hunt~ 10/21

This weeks items:  Orange or Pink, Faceless Portrait, View From the Top, Cozy, Stacked

No time for new photos this week, I had to go to the archives.  BUT, these are all pictures that I edited just today, specifically for the hunt.  I’m sure that counts for something, right?!

 

Pink

 

 

Faceless Portrait

 

 

 

View From the Top

This was the view from the top of the log slide sand dune on our September vacation.

 

 

Cozy

In the cooler months the favored cozy spot for Mack is the southern facing sliding glass doors. Nothing is better than your favorite rug and warm sun streaming through the windows.

 

 

Stacked

These sunny flowers were stacked one on top of the other in my dad’s field.

 

 

 

Linked up with Ashley:

Cookin’ Up a Taste of Autumn

 

 

When the clouds scud across the steel gray sky and the wind brushes noisily past the windows and the beauty of orange, yellow, and red twirl and float across the Autumn sky, it’s time to bake!

 

 

The other morning it was gray and cold. I couldn’t resist.  I just had to have a warm breakfast even if it meant we started school later than usual.  I had been wanting to try a Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal recipe for a long time.  The moment just presented itself perfectly for whipping up a warm, filling, tasty breakfast.  And I must say this recipe did not disappoint!  My children LOVED this, as did I.  It will definitely be put into the cold months breakfast rotation!

 

Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal (adapted from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures)

3c quick cooking oats

1/2c brown sugar

1c milk

2T melted butter

2 eggs

2t baking powder

3/4t salt

2t vanilla

1/2c peanut butter

3/4c vanilla yogurt

Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl. Spread into a greased 9x13 in. pan.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 20-25 min or until moist crumbs are left on knife that is inserted near middle.  Serve with a sprinkle of brown sugar and top with milk or half and half.

 

I’m on the hunt this afternoon to make some wonderful bread and baked goods. I haven’t pinned down what I’m going to make yet, but I will.  Then I’m going to top off my baking spree with a Down Home supper of Salisbury steak (made with ground venison), mashed potatoes, sweet corn, and a loaf of hot homemade bread.

I can’t help myself.  This is what is urging me on.

 

 

 

BEAUTY.  CRISP AIR.  BRIGHT FIRE FILLED COLORS.    BRISK WINDS.  SUN FILTERING AND SETTING THE EARTH TO GLOW.  PINK CHEEKS.  COLD FINGERS.   PERMEATED WITH THE PUNGENT SMELL OF DRYING LEAVES.

Scavenger Hunt~ 09/30

This Weeks items:  Yellow, Getting Ready, Bright, Teeny Tiny, Connections

 

Yellow

Linked up with:

 

 

Getting Ready

My girls are getting ready to lay eggs. The past couple of days we have found one little egg in one of the nests in the chicken coop.

 

 

Bright

The sun was sparkling so bright off the water of the lake.

 

 

 

Teeny Tiny

Teeny Tiny hairs on soybeans

 

 

Connections

My daughter has lost the connections of her front tooth!

 

 

Linked up with:

Scavenger Hunt- 11/27

This weeks items: Waiting, Foliage, Candid, Knife,fork & spoon, Rule of thirds

 

Waiting

 

 

Foliage

 

 

Candid

With a busy week preparing for Thanksgiving I reached back into my photos from a couple of weeks ago. This was a totally candid shot of my daughter exploring down at our little pond.

 

Knife, Spoon, Fork

 

Rule of Thirds

The fork in this photo follows the Rule of Thirds.

 

Linked up with Ashley:

 

It’s Dreary Here Today, So Let’s Talk Cooking

 

If your like me, this time of year makes you want to cook! I love that about autumn. The cool temperatures that make your cheeks pink, the gray skies that make you light candles, the fact that your spending a bit more time indoors than out.  All these things make me want to whip up big batches of bread, baked goods, and my favorite winter time meals.

Pure Comfort!

One of my favorite fall recipes is:

Stuffed Green Peppers

 

4-5 large green peppers

1 lb of ground sausage, ground venison or ground beef (I use a combination of sausage and venison)

1/2 c  onion, chopped

1 15oz can diced tomatoes

1/2 c  long grain rice

1/2c  water (or enough to make 1 c liquid when combined with tomato juice)

1/2 t  salt

1/4 t  pepper

1 T  Worcestershire sauce

3/4 t  dried basil, crushed

3/4 c  shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack

 

Halve peppers lengthwise, remove stems and seeds.  Immerse peppers into boiling water for 3 minutes.  Remove, sprinkle insides with salt. Invert on paper towels to drain well.

In skillet cook meat and onion to brown. Remove any fat.  Stir in undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, Worcestershire, basil, water, salt and pepper.  Bring to boil; reducing heat. Cover and simmer for 15-18 min. or till rice is tender. Stir in 1/2c of the cheese.  Fill peppers with meat mixture. Place in greased 9x13 pan with any remaining meat mixture.

Bake 375 for about 15 minutes or till heated through.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4c cheese. Place back in oven till cheese is melted.

Serves 6

(altered from recipe in Better Homes in Gardens New Cook Book)

 

And while your whipping up some super, scrumptious, stuffed peppers you better make a loaf of

 

Poppy Seed Braid loaf

Combine:

1 T yeast

1 c warm water

1t sugar

Let these set until the yeast is proofed (bubbly).

Stir in:

1 egg, beaten

1/4c oil

1t salt

Add:

4-5 c flour

Stir in 3 cup of the flour beat well.  Add in as much of the remaining flour as you can with the spoon. Then knead in remaining flour. Knead for about 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours).

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Punch down dough and gently knead for 2 minutes.  Split into 3 pieces and make into 15” ropes.  Braid.  Let rise 30 minutes.  Brush loaf with milk and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

(recipe taken from The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking)

 

What are some of your favorite fall recipes?

Scavenger Hunt~ 11/06

This weeks items:  Food, Purple, In Disguise, Shapes, Photographer’s Choice

 

Food

 

 

Purple

These Alyssum are the last flowers alive in my garden. They just keep hanging on through the hard frosts. I’m so glad for the bit of color they bring!

 

In Disguise

This Liatris is in disguise!  Next spring it will once again will bloom with beautiful purple flowers.

 

Shapes

This country girl likes the shapes within this ear of corn.

 

Photographer’s Choice

My precious sister, brother-in-law, and my beautiful nephews and niece!

 

And because I just couldn’t help myself….

 

Linked up with Ashley:

Now That It’s November

Now that it’s November, I should most definitely write a post about the first of October.  Goodness, I wouldn’t be behind or anything…just letting all the words and posts float around in my brain till they are perfected (rolling of eyes).

 

We had a glorious week and a half of Indian summer in October, which more than made up of the rainy, cold, end of September.  One afternoon when everyone had finished school, I sent the two oldest boys to mow at Great Grandma’s house and I took the youngest two out behind our house for a nature walk.

When I was a little girl and we visited my grandparents, my sisters and I would spend hours playing in the pasture where Grandpa grazed his cows.  I would have never guessed back then that someday I would live right next to that piece of land that holds so many wonderful memories for me.

These days there aren’t any cows, my dad owns the property, and it has grown thick with Junipers, trees, and grasses, but it is still magical.

 

There are many places to explore.  Hidey holes created by low lying trees.  Streams and swampy areas.  Places so thick you have to crawl to get through them. (No easy feat for a momma totin’ a camera and who has a few inches more height to her person.)

 

 

Lots to discover.  Animal prints and dens.  Flowers and rocks.  Leaves and moss.

 

 

And much to admire.

 

When the trek and exploration of the “pasture” is accomplished you always end up at Great Grandma’s.

 

Emptying boots is required!

 

 

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Kimberly at A Fresh Perspective is starting a Wednesday meme called Wild and Wonderful Wednesday:

Kimberly says: “To play along all you need to do is link up your wild and/or wonderful photo(s) from the past week or so. Wild could be some beautiful flowers, a gorgeous landscape, an adorable critter, or even your wild and crazy kid(s)!  And wonderful could be anything you think is wonderful.  As you can imagine, I'm pretty flexible.  I just want you to show off your incredible photos!”

Here’s my photo….I took this back in the beginning of October during those gloriously warm days.  I loved the life and bright color in the Morning glories contrasted by the dead seed heads of the Coneflowers.