mama's own...

Ya know, every now and then, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do....
Fall is falling all around and as sure as the seasonal shift, a girl's desire for a new bag occurs.  Remember the Daffodilly Bag back in April http://sonowiknow.blogspot.com/2010/03/daffodilly-spring-bag.html?  Well, the same focused intensity for a new autumnal purse hit me recently.  On vacation, Crazier Don informed me that I needed a great statement of a purse, one that says, I Make Purses.  One that people will notice and comment on.  So in the time that I have returned from Vacationland, my Autumnal Designed Bag has been overtaking my brain.  When I walk the dogs, when I lie in bed in my menopausal insomnia, whilst I cut vegetables, I think of what is the best way to cut my favorite upholstery fabric that is left over from Faithful Friends purse from last fall.http://sonowiknow.blogspot.com/2009/09/miserable.html.  I have doled it out carefully since it came from an tiny upholstery shop up in Indy and not exactly re orderable.  It's small amount was untidily tucked into a corner of the endless rolls of upholstery/drapery fabric.  But my hands found it.  It is soft yet sturdy.  Woven carefully and brilliant as a Joseph's Coat bush in late fall.  It says ME.  That's precisely why I made Faithful Friend's bag from it last year; we are kinda intertwined, picking up where the other left off, so it was only fitting that I used my favorite material.


For this bag, I utilized those interesting giant curtain grommets (isn't that a fun word, 'grommets'??)(Probably why I like Wallace and Gromit so much! :Dhttp://wallaceandgromit.com)  I tucked it up a bit to cinch it around the opening so things do not escape.  I added a zippered pocket (something I do for others but not for myself) and even attached an old Baby Girl earring from her bohemian days (that was before she was a Pregnant Bohemian; different but the same!) for a zipper pull.  I added a pen/pencil pocket because I despise searching for a pen in my purse.  I usually have many floating around in my purses so not to be able to find one, is very irritating.  Not so any more!  All my new designed bags have pen/pencil pockets!  A mama's collection speciality of sorts.  My lining fabric is a cotton paisley from four years ago from Walmart of all places.  Our local Walmart removed their fabric section recently.  Granted, not too much to choose from but every now and then, I could find a nice upholstery piece.  So I haven't spoken to Walmart from some time now anyway, especially when this spring's floral assortment was so lame.  And their aisles are smaller.  The list is building of just my own beefs never mind the global things.


But I digress.


To summarize:  The purse is huge, noteworthy, soft, sectioned and I think what Crazier Don had in mind when he wanted me to create a Statement Bag.


Happy mama.


Now is time for a favorite activity of most women:
Changing To A New Purse!
Seriously, isn't that the most fun?  Taking the time to go through the old, discarding gum wrappers, placing receipts in their right place, finding those rascally pens and organizing the stray papers, is really very cathartic, almost euphoric but that is just me....Or not?


Off to reload the new purse with all it's handy pockets and soft externities......
Watch for it.....!

Randomness

In a recent blog, soulemama shared the love of the way the light during this time of year, colors her home in a golden hue.
I agreed.
The autumnal light goldens up the home and gifts you with that glow for the shorter days of winter.
When I took this photo of my dining room, it was to try to capture the warmth that enters, usually while I"m making supper.
It's like a beacon, beckoning the family to gather and report in with each other at the end of another day....
Love it...

On a completely different note, the photo above is of my dear cat, Stella.
Stella's story is comical enough for a blog of it's own. Sufficient to say, this photograph pretty much sums up Stella. She loves to sit in my fountain when it's turned off, hoping to catch a thirsty bird. Not too obvious, huh? She also thinks that she is totally invisible. She 'sneaks' up on birds in a densely thick green garden hide out, convinced that the birds cannot see her. There has been occasions that I have heard flocks of birds snickering at her.
Now that the fountain is closed for the winter, Stella is non plussed. Even though she has her pick from countless comfy, quilted, pillowed cushions, the Silly Thing is perched, for the whole afternoon, in a tarpaulined concrete fountain top.
Stella.

Upon a visit to our local laundromat, I came across this warning.
I love living in a small town where there is no end to handmade signs like this. I actually have enough photographed to make a small book.

And speaking of laundromats, do you know what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving? That I own a washer and dryer!
Whenever I have to visit a laundromat, I am made aware, again, how quickly I take for granted the incredible blessing that such appliances afford.
Thank you God. Let me not take these things for granted.

And last, but not least...
Miss Kitty, our 15 year old cat who has a mild case of dementia...
Miss Kitty now forgets where her litter box is.
Sometimes she forgets that she is not allowed to jump on the counter tops and lick thawing chicken..
The other day, she was MIA for over 12 hours. Very unlike my little homebody. I was weepy and remorseful for pitching her out after peeing in the dining room. I just knew she had met her demise, lonely and sad...I was bereft...
Then, leaving for errands, she prances in the front door, hollering at me for her dinner/breakfast/lunch....
Oh, Miss Kitty.....My little Phoenix......

Button Up Time!

Sunny Saturday in October.
Time to Button Up for Winter.

1. Clean gutters.
2. Mow grass for last time?
3. Clean storm windows.
4. Put on storm windows.
5. Drain radiators.
6. Drain fountain and cover.
7. Drain bird baths and cover.
8. Take down patio umbrellas and put away.
9. Bring in window boxes and other potted plants.
10.Decorate front door for fall.

Finish it all real well then go to the Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department's Annual Fish Fry with friends! Sit in the fire house and eat all the fried fish you can with a wonderful assortment of desserts, WITH your coat on!

Good Button Up Day!

It's Time

The Autumnal Shift has occurred.
It comes late here in Southern Indiana but when it does it's unmistakeable.
I find myself shuffling leaves when out walking Dixie.
The song of the locust is waning and the bird's songs are less frequent.

And I start making soup......

In my later years, I must have accumulated enough recipes that coming up with new ones, seems to be no problem. Have I possibly lived long enough to have mixed everything up together that I now know instinctively what works and what doesn't?

Recently, Eldest Son and Lovely Wife joined us for supper and I wanted it to be special.
The dinner won considerable kudos especially from me! Only I know how really surprised we all should have been that it all came out as well as it did!
And I want to share my new favorite recipes.....

(This first recipe, the soup course, was not my own invention...Wish it was...it was awesome!:D It is courtesy of a Dannon Yogurt ad in a Sunday supplement...)

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
1 3/4 cup Dannon all natural plain yogurt
2 TBSP. canola oil
1 large sweet onion, sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (ED NOTE: I parboiled the potatoes to make prep work easier; just slip off jackets and cube as required without all the hard work!)
1 1/2 Qt. chicken broth
2 TBSP chopped parsley or cilantro
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

1. In a soup pot heat oil. Add onions and cumin and saute 3-4 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup 20-25 minutes.
2. Puree soup with 1 1/2 cups of yogurt and parsley or cilantro. Serve each portion of soup with a dollop of remaining yogurt and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Makes 12 servings

Mustard Crusted Pork Loin

3 lb pork loin
4 cloves of garlic (peeled)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 Dijon mustard
2 cups seasoned salad croutons
Canola spray
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Use a roasting pan with a rack. Spray the rack with the canola spray. Place the pork on the rack and make four deep slits with a sharp paring knife, evenly spaced. Place the peeled garlic in the deep slits.
2. Sprinkle the pork with the salt and pepper and pour the oil and vinegar over it all.3. Place pork, uncovered, in the oven for 15 minutes
4. Remove the pork and reduce oven temp to 350
5. Spread the mustard over the pork evenly, covering it well...
6. Crush the croutons (place them in a bag and roll over with a rolling pin) and sprinkle over the pork evenly
7. Place in the 350 degree oven for 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees. do not overcook....

Mixed Baked Squash

Mix a variety of squash (I used patty pan, summer, zucchini, some unknown reddish orange squash I bought from the Amish at the Farmer's Market)

Cut open the squash that need it and remove seeds.

Place the sliced/cubed/quartered squash in a pyrex casserole.

Place butter pats on random squash pieces.
Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar.
Chop 1/2 cup of pecans and sprinkle. Can also add raisins or other dried fruit. Live dangerously.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 30 min or until squash is tender...

Burn some vanilla candles and decorate with gourds that grew in your garden because you threw some out last year and the seeds just planted themselves.

Enjoy the new season, okay?

Off to the sewing room....