Witches, Pumpkins and Bats - Oh My

I went to the basement and pulled the storage bin marked "Halloween" down from the shelf, so I could put up a few decorations. I have not put out any halloween decor for several years I was quite surprised with the content of the bin.

Which one of these door decorations should I use?

I have already eaten half of the halloween candy

that I bought on sale, so I could save money. UGH.

With one of theses on my front door, no one will

even approach my house to trick or treat.

Here, are my decorations for my couch and end tables.

Let's take a closer look...

Oh my these are rather spooky looking.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out why 

I purchased such scary looking decorations.

Oh yes, now I remember......

I went to several Lang Company warehouse sales!

Sweet Milk Lassies

While reading These Is My Words, by Nancy E. Turner, I came across the term sweet milk lassi. When I am, reading I have my laptop or my i Pad close by so I can look up words that I am not familiar with. I like to use The Free Dictionary by Farlex, not only does this dictionary give you the meaning, but if I am using my laptop, the program will pronounce the word for me. I also do a google search for images of items that I am reading about. For example, I will type in saguaro cactus into the google search box click search and in the upper left corner click on images. Now I can see what this cactus looks like.

Type in the item that you want to search for.

Click on images in the upper left corner and 

you will see pictures of your searched item.

I was not familiar what a lassie was, specifically a milk lassi from the early 1900's. Google to the rescue. I was able to find out that there are many versions of this drink from different cultures. I wanted a recipe that would have been used during the early 1900's by the pioneers. 

I found that a sweet milk lassie is cold or warm milk with some sort of sweetener that is mixed or shaken with clotted cream on top. Here, is a recipe that I thought perhaps would be used during that period of time.

Sweet Milk Lassi

Ingredients: 
500 ml. - just a little over 2 cups very chilled pasteurised whole milk
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
2 drops vanilla essence

I am feeling a little under the weather but plan on making one of these sweet milk lassi for myself as soon as I am up and about.

Books are portable magic.~S. King

The weather has been a little chilly and wet around here, so I sat myself down with a cup of coffee and a wonderful book.

These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner

"These Is My Words uses the love of learning as a major plot element in a story inspired by the author’s great-grandmother, Sarah Prine. It is set during a time in Territorial Arizona when life was hard and tenuous. The story is a portrait of the courage and perseverance of one woman, and a love affair that will never be forgotten."

I usually like to read books with nice covers as I explained in my July 26th blog about two other books that I enjoyed reading, but I am very happy that I broke my own rule with this book. This book was a quick read that my held interest. I was able to read this book in two sittings. I drank coffee from my new thrifted mug and snacked on a Honey Crisp apple that I picked last week-end. 

I am now reading book 2 titled Sarah's Quilt: the continuing story of Sarah Agnes Prine and I am enjoying this book, as well. If you are looking for a something to read perhaps you might want to check out These Is My Words I'm glad I did.

Thrift Finds

What a beautiful fall weekend it was for hunting thrift treasures  I hope you had great weather and found wonderful things to share I enjoy seeing every one's thrifty finds.

We had two estate sales in our area this weekend, and of course, I took a few minutes during the week to shop the Goodwill and St. Vincent DePaul's.

On Friday, my youngest daughter called me and asked where I was. "In my living room", I replied. My daughter said, "I thought you would be at this estate sale off of 60th Street."  Twenty minutes later I was walking up the sidewalk toward the estate sale.

This sale was professionally run, but the items for this sale were so eclectic and didn't match the house.  For example, canes, walkers, hunting equipment, depends, and a heating pad. Remember the Sesame Street song, "Three of These Things Belong Together..." While looking in the basement, I found a rather new clothes pin bag with wooden clothes pins for $7.00. That was not a good price for me and so I inquired if things were gong half price on Saturday. One lady said maybe, and the other told her no we'll just take the stuff to the next sale. Now I understood the mix of items.

As I was leaving I spotted a red bowl with a lid. It looked like it was plastic, but it was red so, I reached over several taller items and picked up the bowl.

It turned out to be a vintage piece of Pyrex with a lid.

It has a few scratches and baked on gunk, but in a 

blink of an eye, I remembered my mom had a bowl just

 like this, minus the gunk and the lid. It was mine. Now I need to scrub it clean.

This Pyrex refrigerator dish with a recessed handle, and was found

at the GW in the isle where they were displaying jewelry/music boxes.

You never know what you will find or where! 

Something old and something new. My grandchildren play fall league soccer, 

and it gets pretty cold and windy out on the field. So when I spotted this vintage 

Wool O The West, 100% soft wool stadium blanket I scooped it up and put 

in my basket. The market basket was brand new and priced at $2.99.

I don't know if I should paint it or just leave it alone.

I like the wear on the needlepoint where someone

has rested tired feet. St. Vincent's had this priced at $2.99.

I can't wait to fill this  49¢ mug with flavored

coffee and curl up with the book I am reading.

I am linking up with, Her Library Adventures on Sunday, for:

and Southern Hospitality for:

and  Hey What's For Dinner Mom? for: 

and with Apron Thrift Girl for:

It's Apple Picking Time ~ Honey Crisp

Saturday morning I was up and ready by 5:45 A.M. waiting for my friend to arrive so we could go apple picking, Honey Crisp apple picking.  These apples are so popular in our area that people line up, in their cars for, over two hours to pick these apples before they are gone. We arrived around 6:30 A.M. to be car number three.

Many, many more cars were in line around 

the bend and out on the county road.

We came prepared for a long wait with coffee, books, and of course, we talked and talked and talked. The time flew at 9:00 A.M.  we headed into the orchards.

This orchard had many different types of apples, but 

Saturdays pick was just Honey Crisp.

Honey Crisp apples are sweet and crisp with a hint 

of tartness. They keep for a long time in a cool place.

These apples are selling in the grocery store for $2.99 a pound.

The tress were full and ready to be picked.

Red and ready to be plucked from the tree, yummy.

My friend Nancy picking her first bag of apples.

The people, the apples, the fun!

We picked five bags of apples each bag is a half bushel.

I took two, and we split one bag.

Each half bushel bag was $30.00. Between Nancy 

and I, we spent a $150.00 on apples.

It took us 15 minutes to pick two and a half bushels of apples. 

When we were leaving the orchard was buzzing with people and 

more, were entering the area. The orchard was expected to 

be picked clean by 11 A.M. 

The early bird gets the best apples! 

Thrift Finds

 I hope everyone had a wonderful week of thrift shopping I look forward to seeing what everyone found.

This week I enjoyed the hunt for treasures but only purchased a few things.

Christmas card holder made of black metal decorated with gold flecks.

I wrote a blog about this item Thrusday: Vintage Item or Not?

This beautiful night gown came from an estate sale and was only $4.00.

Delicate cap sleeves adorned with beautiful lace.

Embroidered in  the center of the bodice is Lousie. 

A person's name or a brand name?

Just as pretty in the back.

This 1960's Hazel Atlas milk glass pitcher was $1.99

at St. Vincent DePauls. The pitcher stands 

5 1/2 inches tall  and is perfect for grandchildren's 

hands that want to pour juice or milk.

I am linking up with, Her Library Adventures on Sunday, for:

Southern Hospitality for:

 Hey What's For Dinner Mom? for:

 Apron Thrift Girl for:

Thrift Store Becoming Pricey

The grocery store that I shop at is right across the street from a Goodwill store and I find it difficult not to stop and take a quick peek. Today was no exception. While quickly walking around my favorite isles, I spotted this child's desk.

Child's desk that was waiting for someone to buy it and give it a good home.

I have a larger version of this desk that was stored in my Aunt Stella and Aunt Vic's attic. They were kind enough to give it to me when I got married in 1973 and I have loved it ever since.

This is the desk given to me by my aunts.

Here are a few more photos that I took with my 

new iPhone so you can see all of the desk.

Side view

Inside of the desk.

The price tag.

As much as I loved wanted this desk, I did not bring it home with me because of the price point. Do you think it was priced too high? Did I make a mistake not purchasing it? Maybe I am just cheap!  Would this piece have gone home with you, please let me know.

Am I the only one that thinks the prices in thrift stores have gone up, and sometimes things are overpriced? I can remember the good old days when I could buy a vintage apron for 49¢, and handkerchiefs were sold for 10¢ a piece. Ah I miss those days!