Autumn

One of the great things about living in Texas is the change of seasons. For me, by the time cooler weather comes, I'm ready. And the same goes for warm weather. Even though it gets pretty darned hot in the summer months, I can manage it better than the frigid cold winters further north.
I love the clean, crisp air that Autumn brings. I love the changing colors of the leaves. I love the smells of spiced cider and baked banana bread. And I love to pull up my cozy, warm, snuggly patchwork quilt and watch a good football game on the tube with the Mister.
Most of all, the first day of Autumn begins to usher in another great holiday season! Time to decorate! Pumpkins, pansies, and pattypan squash pepper the landscape in old wagons, wheelbarrows and bales of hay.
The next fun thing: Oct. 2 I'm headed out to Canton with "the girls" and look forward to finding some treasures and enjoying the milder weather after a long, hot summer. In the meantime, enjoy this festive snapshot to help get the fall mood flowing...

~PM

Came and Went

Whoosh! There went the month of January like the loud crack of a pistol at the beginning of a race. As excited as I get about the New Year, I have to admit that I'm feeling a little sluggish and I need to get my act together. I've made a list of all my little projects and prioritized them. First on my list: the kitchen. Nothing can be too simple when I'm involved so it should be understood that all my projects are combinations of smaller sub-projects. "The Kitchen" will likely take the whole year to complete and it's likely that some things will still be on my 'to do' list this time next year. Hey, we have to start somewhere, right? Right. So I will start at the beginning.

1. Organize all cookbooks and recipes

2. Buy a new dutch oven

3. Install corrugated tin above doorway to laundry room

4. Paint pantry door

5. Refinish header above doorway to dining room (a project using vintage yardsticks)

6. Install new light fixture/fan in breakfast nook

7. Hunt tirelessly for the perfect chairs for breakfast nook (galvanized french cafe style, kinda like the one above)

8. Clean out jelly cabinet and begin using for purpose intended: jelly

9. Paint doors to studio

10. Try one new recipe every week

See what I mean? -Paula

Yummy Monkey Bread

(overnight pull-apart version)

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 pkg. frozen dinner rolls

1 small pkg of butterscotch pudding mix

6 tbsp butter

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

Spray a bundt cake pan with non stick cooking spray. Layer pecans evenly in bottom of pan. Place frozen dinner rolls in a single layer in pan over pecans (may only use 18-24 rolls depending on size). Sprinke butterscotch pudding powder evenly over the rolls. Melt the butter. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to butter and drizzle over the pudding/rolls. Cover with lightweight towel and allow to sit overnight. Bake the next morning at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn pan upside down to remove the monkey bread.

You might not believe how good this is with me just telling ya, so go on and make some for yourself. - Paula