SECOND ROUND OF 18th CENTURY COLONIAL FRUITCAKE

 Today I decided to bake a second round of the 18th

Century Colonial Fruitcakes that I have made for

years.  This recipe made 8 mini foil tins when I made a 

batch Monday and again today today the recipe made a

 larger size

 Bundt, a medium tube pan and also 2 mini

foil ones.  They are still in the oven right now.

This photo above is from last year so you

get the idea of the mini foil pans.  The next photo

is some of the ones from last week which I am

brushing each day with rum.  I had 8 but already 

gave one to neighbors and we have consumed 2.

If you think Fruitcake is awful - please try this recipe

which will change your mind.  I don't suggest eliminating

any the assortment of candied fruits and nuts because that is

what really makes it:  red and green cherries,  golden

raisins, walnuts, almonds, citron, lemon peel and

watermelon rind pickles.  Yes, this is a bit costly 

to make.

We are bringing some deserts to share at a

Thanksgiving meal near St Louis so I will take the

larger bundt for that with some other items.

Here is a peak inside the oven today:

And here is the RECIPE!

And just outside the window here I see

the robins are eating the juniper berries off

the tree:

And the bittersweet has popped open:

AND NOW COOLING ON THE

KITCHEN TABLE:

NOVEMBER THANKSGIVING TABLESETTING

 I am sharing my Windsor Ware Harvest Fruit dishes by Johnson Brothers.  I started out years ago with some plates and

have added to my collection when I have seen them at a

decent price.  

Speaking of prices, I recently found a real bargain at

a local resale shop.  Last year Victoria Magazine featured

the most gorgeous cake dome and stand in the Christmas

issue.  I just looked and the replacement business that

everyone talks about had one for over $400.00 but I got

mine for $40.00.  I was so excited.

As you can see to the right, I do have a dome which

had no stand that  I purchased last year so now I have 

2 of those.  I also found some more of the

crystal etched glasses which I mix and match on my

table.  This one is called "June Night" and is beloved.

I broke at least 2 of these over the year so having

extras is a good plan - especially when I see

them at a good price.  They are from the 1930's-40's.  

And I say "oops" to that vacuum

 cleaner wand to the right!

I have been enjoying Instagram so much

and would encourage everyone to look

at it for "whatever" interests you.

The punch bowl above was purchased at the

Salvation Army resale store in Old Colorado City

many years ago.

I make the same comments every year:  I wish we celebrated Thanksgiving earlier so we had more time before Christmas.

CLARK, AMISH COUNTRY AND APPLE PIE

 About 30 miles from where we live is an Amish

community called Clark.  It is a great

place to purchase seasonal fruits and vegetables

and plants.

I really enjoyed the peaches we got here a while

back and now of course, we went to buy some apples.

If I can just get ambitious, I would make some

pies to put in the freezer or I will at least make

a couple.

The Amish homes are certainly large, similar

and very neat and tidy.

I am sure you know they do not have electricity

so firewood is used to heat and cook.  The Clark Amish community

is made up of over 200 families with 5 to 9 members

in each family.

There were numerous logging businesses.

Beside the houses were their buggies and horses.  We

passed quite a few on the roads too.  They are friendly

and always wave but no photos please!

I have never been to their auction house but hear that

is where you can really get the bargains.

I purchased some vegetables, fruits and canned

pickles and beets at a few of the stores.

I was excited to make some Apple Pies and I always

like the recipe where you put a carton of Aspen

Mulling Spice in the pie.  My Victoria magazine came

today so maybe that would go lovely with a slice

of pie.

BUSY ALL THE TIME

Just like many of you, I stay busy.  Where does time

go and go?  I bake a lot but mostly we eat it ourselves

and share with family and neighbors and forget about

 posting the results here.  I made Pumpkin Raisin Cookies, 

then a Lemon Pound Cake, followed by Zucchini Walnut 

Bars and twice I made Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 

(2nd time was earlier today)

I have worked in our yard so much this summer.

We have a second pile of limbs on the driveway that

our son will eliminate this weekend.  We pruned the

evergreens up on one side of our house.

  In August

it was the 2nd driest on record so the Fescue grass

died in areas where as the neighbors Bermuda grass

moved in on both sides of our house.  This is a battle

that I hate which has gone on for a long time.   This

is one of those things you don't care about until you

are a senior and even then many don't care about.  So I

 have kept my mouth shut about my complaint and

 do not express my views about the lawn.

I moved some more hydrangeas bushes to the

back yard this summer.  They had to be watered

daily to survive but seem to all be fine.  I am

moving toward knowing that in the future I will

be older.  I am told that's how it works and since

I am 76 I think I better be thinking of ways to

reduce some of the work of having a flower garden.

This year I did something totally different.  I planted

tomatoes in our full sun front yard, in with the

zinnias and hydrangea bushes.  This is the kind of thing

I would criticize someone else for doing.  The results

have been tomatoes for neighbors, family and others.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

HARVEST FRUIT WINDSOR WARE JOHNSON BROTHERS

 

When we move toward fall I enjoy changing

 my dining room table about 3 different

times with various fall toned transferware.

If you love table setting

like I do, you will understand

that this is a hobby.

This set pattern  is Johnson Brothers

 Harvest Fruit Windsor Ware.  

Over the years I have added to

my set but I rarely see the matching

teapot.

I love this tablecloth so much, I think I have been showing

it to you over and over.  It is a vintage alencon French 

lace and a favorite of mine.  The napkins are point

de Venice from Italy.

We have enjoyed such colorful zinnias

and they will last quite a while.

We had the 2nd dryst August on record and our

lawn turned brown.  I have been watering and

it is coming back a little better.

I have watered my garden quite a bit this

summer.  The hydrangeas must have water

to bloom and look revived.

I wish I had more of this velvet

 fabric but years ago

I found just a scrap.

I hope you have time to do some

fall decorating to enjoy!