Harvest Time!

However you celebrate today...
May you stay safe and enjoy!

Autumn Is In The Air & Pumpkin Cookies Everywhere!

Every week we have been watching this tree in our back yard.
It is really awesome to see the changes trees make during different seasons.
Whenever we think of these wonders, it brings us closer to God
and His remarkable creation, which we are truly blessed to have.
It amazes me every day!

I wish Autumn could last forever...
but then again, I enjoy every season God has made.
Though Autumn is my favorite Season...
hands down!
It is also my favorite time to cook and bake.
I have been using my slow cooker quite
a bit since the beginning of the season.
There is nothing like comfort food on a cool, crisp day.
We love to bake all those scrumptious baked goodies
you find in the Fall time as well.
One favorite of ours is pumpkin cookies.
Mr. Darling calls them little cakes of heaven !
Today, I am sharing the recipe to these little delights!
Let me warn you though...This recipe makes dozens...
and will take an afternoon to bake them all...
unless you save the dough for later...So here it is!!!!

~Pumpkin Cookies~
1 1/2 Cups butter
4 Cups sugar
3 eggs
1- 29 oz. can pumpkin
3 tsp. vanilla
7 1/2 Cups flour
3 tsp.baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. nutmeg
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. chocolate chips
( you can use butterscotch chips and nuts too...optional of course)

*Directions*

Use you largest mixing bowl...
mix together butter, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla.
Add in baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt....
slowly add flour...mix together well. Lastly, mix in chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drop by the Tablespoon...
Bake for 12- 15 minutes until golden brown.
Ovens vary...Mine baked in 12 minutes.
Keep an eye on them.
They will be puffy sort of cookie cakes...
and you won't be able to eat just one!

Enjoy!!!

Corn Husk Dolls

Freckles is continuing her studies in American History.
She has been studying The American Girl, Kirsten during 1854.
We decided to make corn husk dolls.
Of course I had to make one with her too!
These dolls were made by Indian& Pioneer children.

~Directions~

Pick up dried corn husks at the super market in
the Mexican food, produce section or craft store.

Soak the dried corn husks in warm water for about
10 minutes to soften them, then blot them dry.

Take four corn husks and place them on top of each other.
Tie a piece of string

about 1 inch from the flat edge of the corn husk.
Round the flat edges using the scissors.

Hold the tied end and fold the husks down over the knot.

Use a piece of string to tie a neck about 1" below the fold.
This will be the head.

Roll another husk, lengthwise, to make a long tube.

This will be the arms.

Tie the ends of the "arms," about 1/2" from the edges.
That will make the wrists and hands.
Slide the arm section up under the neck.



Tie a string tightly below the arms to hold them in place and to make a waist.
Place 5 pieces of corn husk around the dolls waist with the straight edge up.
Tie the corn husks close to the top around the doll's waist to make a skirt.

If you want a boy doll use only four pieces around the waist.
Then divide the hanging corn husks into two parts.
Tie three pieces of string down the corn husks to form legs,
one piece at the thigh, knee, and ankle.

Now, your child has a sweet dolly to play with.
Freckles played with her doll in her doll house.
They are quite happy in their new home.

Have a Happy Fall Weekend!!!

Apple Day Apple Sauce...

We are celebrating Apple Day this month
along with my dear friend Clarice of
Storybook Woods.
I told her at the beginning of the month
that we would also join in...
so here we are.
This week we are makin' Apple Sauce!



We bought some delicious Honey Apples Crisp
apples to make our desserts.

I couldn't believe how many different apples there actually are.
Here is a very long list of
Apple types
for you.

Miss Freckles got her Autumn smock on just for the big event.

It was easier for her to peel, cut and core the apples
using this type of apple peeler.
You can get a lot done using this tool!

She then cut them up in chunks
before putting them in the pot.

After cooking them down.
She started the laborious work of
putting them through the sieve.

It was truly a magical sight!

She put her apple sauce in a big jar,
with pretty paper and string.

This jar of Apple Sauce didn't even last a day in our house.
We had a lovely pot roast dinner then
ate the apple sauce for dessert.
It was a delight to the palette!

Apples, Strawberries & Pumpkins ..."OH MY"

We had the most fun time at The Farm over the weekend!
The setting was a perfect day for our History loving children.
(Maestro, my son age 15, My daughter Freckles age 9 and my Nephew Doonie age 8.)
The Farm is nestled in the hills and filled with history,
from The Colonial period to The Civil War.

We had lunch in the Hawkshead Publick House
and ate Chicken Pot Pies, Soup in a bread bowl,
homemade chunky applesauce, freshly baked bread
and drank from heavy mugs.
Not to mention we got up with the band that was
entertaining us and played spoons
& sang along with the guys there!

The kids had the opportunity to pick a basket of
strawberries from the patch and played Graces,
Trap-Ball, and Hoop and Stick.

They had a blast putting apples through some sort of apple cider mill...
it was quite crushing to the poor apples... but oh, so fun!

The day was like walking back in time.
The younger kiddo's
( Freckles & Doonie)
played in this little house for a really long time,
just pretending they were there in those days.
Freckles was keeping house while Doonie
had an adventure with his musket.

They even met a Colonial Gentleman who
played Yankee Doodle Dandy on his little flute.

Next, came the Hay ride to the Pumpkin Fields.

But first stop was to the General Store for some candy!

Freckles paid 20 cents for licorice.
Meanwhile, Doonie was occupied in another adventure!

How cute is that!

Ahhh, here is my little Prairie Girl in the fields...
trying to pick a suitable pumpkin.

They found their prizes and rested under a shady tent.
I think the day has come to an end for our little explorers.
A whole day spent with adventure and frolicking in
the fields was enough to give them a nap!