Now and Then by Nancy Kline: JANUARY CALENDARMaud Humphrey was a commercial ill...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: JANUARY CALENDARMaud Humphrey was a commercial ill...: JANUARY CALENDAR Maud Humphrey was a commercial illustrator, water colorist, suffragette from US, and the mother of Humphrey Bogart.  S...

JANUARY CALENDAR

Maud Humphrey was a commercial illustrator, water colorist, suffragette from US, and the mother of Humphrey Bogart.  She was known for her paintings of children and often used her son for a model.  Her calendars with pictures of children from different countries were absolutely beautiful.

I have twelve framed lithograph pictures with children from different countries.  I bought the collection several years ago and do not think the pictures were from the same calendar year but they are really outstanding. Each one represents a month and a country. January's child painting is a Russian.  It is from the late 1800s.

Maud Humphrey was born in 1868 and passed away in 1940. 

 

 

                       Happy 2019 From My Wall To Yours!

 

Now and Then by Nancy Kline:  THE BLUE ROOM Husband asked how long painters h...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline:  THE BLUE ROOM 
Husband asked how long painters h...:    THE BLUE ROOM   Husband asked how long painters have been in the house. Seems like forever!  Well, I counted the weeks and it has...



 THE BLUE ROOM

 

Husband asked how long painters have been in the house. Seems like forever!  Well, I counted the weeks and it has been THIRTEEN.  They will finish this Friday and we are looking forward to that day.  Living with three painters in every day at 8:00 in the morning is getting old.  They are finally finishing the last bath and closet.  I really believe it has been worse than completely moving because you have to live in the mess with stacks of boxes every day and night.  Everything had to be emptied from all cabinets and walls. Curtains had to come down and washed and window cleaning was not an easy task. Then there were all the dirty light fixtures and chandeliers that had to be cleaned. Trying to decide what to keep and what to get rid of is not easy.  If you know me very well you know that I don't get rid of stuff too rapidly.  But I did part with a few things.

The good side is that we feel like we have a brand new house again.  To make things simple I used one color for the entire house and went with white woodwork and cabinets.  I have enough colorful "stuff'" so felt like a soft white would do the trick and then I can change out accessories whenever I want.  But, I think I have had enough changing to last me awhile and time to move on to other things.

This bedroom is one in the basement and is the only room without a window but it does have French doors so that helps. 

It has a really clean look with the blue bedding and rug.  It has been so much fun finding forgotten things in the attic like my blue hobnail Fenton glass.  No telling what else I might find as there are still boxes and boxes of stuff unpacked that have been in the attic for years.  It's like having Christmas every time I unload another box. 

As I finish doing each room I will take pictures to put on my blog.

 

Painters will be back in the Spring to do some outside work but for now we will take a much needed break!

 

ADVENT WREATH

 

 

 

Advent Wreaths are an old Christian tradition working up to Christmas and celebrating the wonderful things happening before the birth and the birth of Christ.  It consists of five candles, four which are in the circle of the wreath and then the center candle.

Advent is the season for Christians to make spiritual preparation for the coming of Christ.

The circular garland of evergreen branches represents eternity.  Each candle represents an aspect of the spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus.

The advent season starts about four weeks before Christmas.  The first candle is lit which represents "Hope" for the Messiah as prophesied in the Old Testament.  The next week the second candle is lit which shows "Love" and is sometimes called the Bethlehem candle. The third week candle is "Joy" that the shepherds had on the news that the baby Jesus was born.  Candle four is "Angels" which were celebrating the birth of the Messiah in the heavens.

The candle in the center which is always white represents Christ.  Christ brings us "Hope, Love, and Joy" and we celebrate each year just as the angels did when Christ was born.   

This is a way for Christians to celebrate Christ and his birth on this special day.  It is a simple way to teach children what the true meaning of Christmas is.

 

Christ is the Reason for the Season ! 

 

 

 



Now and Then by Nancy Kline: GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO Angels we have heard on ...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO

 Angels we have heard on ...: GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO    Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o're the plains And the mountains in reply Echoin...

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO

 

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o're the plains

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains

 

Shepherds why the Jubilee

Why your joyous strains prolong

What the gladsome tidings be

Which inspire your heavenly song

 

Come to Bethlehem to see

Him whose birth the angels sing

Come adore on bended knee

Christ the Lord the newborn King

 

See Him in a manger laid

Whom the choirs of angels praise

Mary, Joseph, lend your ear

While our hearts in love we raise

 

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH !

 

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO!

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: OH CHRISTMAS TREE,OH CHRISTMAS TREE! What would ...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline:   OH CHRISTMAS TREE,OH CHRISTMAS TREE! What would ...:     OH CHRISTMAS TREE, OH CHRISTMAS TREE !   What would Christmas be like without a Christmas Tree.  This is one of my trees put u...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: OH CHRISTMAS TREE,OH CHRISTMAS TREE! What would ...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline:   OH CHRISTMAS TREE,OH CHRISTMAS TREE! What would ...:     OH CHRISTMAS TREE, OH CHRISTMAS TREE !   What would Christmas be like without a Christmas Tree.  This is one of my trees put u...

 

 

OH CHRISTMAS TREE,

OH CHRISTMAS TREE!

 What would Christmas be like without a Christmas Tree.  This is one of my trees put up this year.  It is my Bird Tree.  It is literally covered with birds of all sizes which are mostly pink, white or gold.  The white peacocks are my favorite and by the way Bella loves them too.  She usually ends up killing at least one each year.  So far this year they have escaped her hunting spells but she still has time left before the tree comes down. 
The history of the Christmas Tree is interesting but my thoughts go back to my childhood days when we used strings of pop corn, bubbly lights and lots of icicles that glittered.  The trees were not so pretty but in the eyes of a child they were beautiful.   

Memories and More Memories!



Now and Then by Nancy Kline: THE PINK INVASIONThe dining room chandelier has...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: THE PINK INVASION


The dining room chandelier has...: THE PINK INVASION The dining room chandelier has been taken over with a bunch of little pink birds.  They couldn't find a vacan...

THE PINK INVASION

The dining room chandelier has been taken over with a bunch of little pink birds.  They couldn't find a vacant branch on the Bird Christmas tree so they landed all over the chandelier.  They seem to like it up there so guess we will let them stay perched for a few weeks before they migrate back to the attic for a long winter's nap.  Maybe they are watching the Bird Christmas tree to see if any of those big birds will fly away before Christmas. As you know,  "Birds of a feather flock together" and this is exactly what they have done. 

 

Tweet Tweet !





Now and Then by Nancy Kline: CHRISTMAS CAROLERSIt is beginning to look a lot l...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: CHRISTMAS CAROLERS
It is beginning to look a lot l...: CHRISTMAS CAROLERS It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Kline's.  The Christmas Carolers have come down from the at...

CHRISTMAS CAROLERS

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Kline's.  The Christmas Carolers have come down from the attic to greet everyone.  The candle lantern is lit for all the occasions that will happen in the next few weeks.  It is a gift that my dad made for me many years ago.  The little white choir people were painted by me when I was twelve years old.  There are five of them and they are beginning to show their age along with the other two singers that were part of my mother's Christmas décor. This goes to show that keeping things you love is well worth it.  The older they are the better!

 

Who knows what else will come out of the attic real soon! 



Now and Then by Nancy Kline: PINK ROOMAs the year is closing in on us I will be...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: PINK ROOMAs the year is closing in on us I will be...: PINK ROOM As the year is closing in on us I will be proud to finally get through painting every room and cabinet in our house.  We have...

PINK ROOM

As the year is closing in on us I will be proud to finally get through painting every room and cabinet in our house.  We have three rooms left to do and the painters have assured me they will be finished by the end of 2018.   I chose one color for the whole house. For the walls it is Behr's White Veil and the for woodwork and cabinets it is bright white enamel.  After the painting comes the decorating.  So far I haven't had to purchase anything and am still finding pictures and "whatevers" in the attic and closets.  This has been quite a project but the end results will be worth it. 

This picture is a finished bedroom in the basement.  I had plenty of pink stuff stored up but locating it all was the problem.  I did find enough to make this bedroom pretty.  I still will add a few more pictures as I find them. 

These pink lamps had been hiding in a closet several years and believe it or not were still in good condition. 

I found this little cabinet at a flea market and painted it white.  It was also hiding in the attic waiting for a place to call home.  It looks really dainty with the white hobnail glass displayed on each shelf. 

The bed and dresser were hand me downs from our daughter's in laws.  I mixed up my own white chalk paint and gave them a good covering. 

As the painters finish and Christmas decorations come down I will post more of the redone rooms.

 

Looking Forward to Finishing all the Rooms 







Now and Then by Nancy Kline: REPAINTING AND REDOINGDoing some major house make...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: REPAINTING AND REDOINGDoing some major house make...: REPAINTING AND REDOING  Doing some major house makeover in "This Old House".  One bunch of kids lived with us for six years ...

REPAINTING AND REDOING

Doing some major house makeover in "This Old House".  One bunch of kids lived with us for six years and then another bunch moved in.  What did we get in return?  After the first ones moved on we were left with a very old but well loved cat.  His name was Stripes and he gave us many reasons to love him but as the world turns so did Stripes.  He passed away in his favorite warm spot in the garage.  After the second bunch moved on we were left not only with one cat but two.  Princess and Spicy are now lifetime members of the garage and yard.  Not only did we get left with cats we also have some of the most wonderful memories with which we cherish  enjoy looking back on.  Both families have moved on to their own beautiful new homes and we have the great opportunity of repainting the whole house and unloading the attic of the many treasures we forgot we had stored for so many years. 

These pictures are the "After and Before" shots of one bedroom in the basement of our home. 

We have been busy since October 1 trying to get everything finished by the end of the year.  So far the basement floor and the main floor are completed and we are now going into the top floor. 

 

 It has been fun but we are ready for some of the fun to leave.  It is really amazing how much stuff you can store in closets and drawers. 

Every picture removed from the walls and every cabinet emptied is a lot of work but the end result is very rewarding. 

Will try to show every room makeover on my blog as we finish in the near future. 

 

Getting back to the Basics of Life!

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: POUND CAKE AND BRANDED FRUITA delicious pound cake...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: POUND CAKE AND BRANDED FRUITA delicious pound cake...: POUND CAKE AND BRANDED FRUIT A delicious pound cake with branded fruit is hard to beat any time of the year.  Not only is this cake eas...

POUND CAKE AND BRANDED FRUIT

A delicious pound cake with branded fruit is hard to beat any time of the year.  Not only is this cake easy it is very pretty and so good with branded fruit.

 

Recipe for cake:

 

1 yellow cake mix

6 eggs

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

8 ounces sour cream

 

Mix for four minutes and bake at 350 in greased and floured bundt pan

 

Branded Fruit Starter:

 

3/4 cup canned peaches drained and cut up

3/4 cup pineapple tidbits drained

6 maraschino cherries cut in half

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 package dry yeast

 

Combine ingredients.  Place in glass container with loose lid.  Stir several times first day, then once a day for two weeks.  Let ferment for two weeks before eating after making starter or adding more fruit and sugar to it.  To add more fruit and sugar use 2 cups starter, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup fruit.  Let stand another two weeks, stirring once daily.

 

Branded fruit is also delicious as a topping for ice cream.

 

Warm up your kitchen with this pound cake!  You will get warm responses!

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOWThe North wind doth blowan...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOWThe North wind doth blowan...: THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOW The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow, And what will poor robin do then poor thing?   He&#...

THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOW

The North wind doth blow

and we shall have snow,

And what will poor robin do then

poor thing?

 

He'll sit in a barn

and keep himself warm

And hide his head under his wing,

poor thing!

 

 This is a British nursery rhyme probably from the 16th century. 

 

As the North winds blow on us here in the Ozarks we may need to take warnings seriously and maybe stay inside.  The older I get the less I enjoy cold nasty weather.  Thankful to have a nice warm house to keep me warm for the winter.  Thinking maybe to do some baking for the holidays that are nearly upon us. 

 

Remember the wild birds as they get hungry too!

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: STRAWBERRY CAKE Put a little Spring into the cool...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: STRAWBERRY CAKE 
Put a little Spring into the cool...: STRAWBERRY CAKE   Put a little Spring into the cool Fall days with a quick strawberry cake.  This one is very simple and so deliciou...

STRAWBERRY CAKE

 

Put a little Spring into the cool Fall days with a quick strawberry cake.  This one is very simple and so delicious.  It will definitely warm you up on a cold day.

 

Recipe:

1 box white cake mix

l small box strawberry jello

Mix above ingredients well and add:

1 cup oil

4 eggs one at a time (beat well)

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

 1/2 cup mashed strawberries (fresh or frozen)

 

Bake in well greased bundt pan at 350 for around 30 minutes.

 

For topping I make a glaze with powdered sugar and

1/2 cup strawberries.

 

Looks beautiful served on pink depression glass.

 

MIX, BAKE AND ENJOY !!



Now and Then by Nancy Kline: LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE by: James Whitcomb Riley (1...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE  by: James Whitcomb Riley  (1...: LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE    by: James Whitcomb Riley  (1849 - 1916)     Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay, An&#3...

LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE

 

 by: James Whitcomb Riley  (1849 - 1916)

 

 

Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay,

An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away.

An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep,

An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep;

An' all us other children, when the supper-things is done,

We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun

A-list'nin to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about,

An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you

Ef you

Don't

Watch

Out!

 

Wunst they wuz a little boy who wouldn't say his prayers,--

An' when he went to bed at night, away up-stairs,

His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl, 

An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wuzn't there at all!

An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press,

An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'-wheres, I guess;

But all they ever found of him wuz jist his pants and' roundabout:--

An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you

Ef you

Don't

Watch Out!

 

An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin,

An' make fun of ever' one, an' all her blood-an' -kin;

An' wunst , when they was "company," an' ole folks wuz there,

She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care!

An' then as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide,

They wuz two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side,

An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about!

An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you

Ef you

Don't

Watch

Out!

 

An' Little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue,

An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo!

An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray,

An' the lightenin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away,--

You better mind yer parunts, an' yer teachers fond an' dear,

An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear,

An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about,

Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you

Ef you

Don't

Watch

Out!

 

This is a poem that all the little girls in the Kline family had to memorize.  It was handed down from one generation to another.  I remember listening to all the little nieces and my daughter recite the poem way before they were three or four years old. Their grandmother taught it to them just as she had learned it as a child herself.

 

Have a Delicious "Candy" and Safe Halloween! 

 

 



 

 



Now and Then by Nancy Kline: HIDDEN SECRETS I had two antique dressers that wer...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: HIDDEN SECRETS I had two antique dressers that wer...: HIDDEN SECRETS   I had two antique dressers that were in storage several years. Both needed painting and a few other things to bring ...

HIDDEN SECRETS

 

I had two antique dressers that were in storage several years. Both needed painting and a few other things to bring out the beauty of these old treasures.  They were moved to my garage to be cleaned and repainted.  The time came that I needed to get to work on them as the painters who were repainting the inside of my house got a little bit ahead of me.  So the project began.  The drawers were removed and the paint was going on.  I decided to go ahead and paint the outside of the dressers.  I lifted one of them up by the corner to put some plastic underneath so I would not get too much paint on the garage floor. This dresser is not pictured.  It had three mirrors, a large one in the center and two side mirrors that are on hinges and can be angled.  Lo and behold the whole dresser fell over and the big mirror was shattered while one of the side mirrors fell out but was not broken and glass was all over the garage.  My husband gladly had a solution to the project.  Just haul both of the dressers off to the dump.  He is not too fond of old things anyway.  I was certainly not in favor of getting rid of them.

My solution was to go to the glass company and inquire as to whether or not new mirrors could be cut for both dressers.  The mirror in the dresser pictured was not broken but had several very ugly spots on it especially around the edges.  I had gotten by for several years using artificial flowers to cover the bad spots.  I thought maybe I might be able to get new mirrors if there were two projects for them to work on. The glass company said they could consider doing the mirrors and came to the house to measure. 

The glass man decided to just take the mirrors off the dressers and take them in to his shop to get the right measurements on both.  When he took the big round mirror off the dresser pictured there was a tiny picture of a little girl that had somehow gotten behind the mirror.

My daughter had bought the dresser at a garage sale in Shreveport, Louisiana about thirty years ago.  When she tired of it she gave it to me.  The picture is real tiny, at 1 1/2 by 2 1/4 inches in size. 

We have no idea who this adorable little girl is but she surely was cute and must have been greatly loved by whomever had owned the dresser many years ago.  Would love to know who she is.

 

By the way, both dressers have new mirrors and are relocated in bedrooms but still do not have that fresh coat of paint as yet.  Will get to that some day. 

 

You Never Know What You Will Find in Old Furniture !







Now and Then by Nancy Kline: Wandering JewMy grandson and his wife gave me a s...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: Wandering Jew
My grandson and his wife gave me a s...: Wandering Jew My grandson and his wife gave me a start for my Wandering Jew several years ago.  Every fall when the weather starts to...

Wandering Jew

My grandson and his wife gave me a start for my Wandering Jew several years ago.  Every fall when the weather starts to cool down and we get frost warnings I take a few cuttings from my plant which I keep on the deck and place them in water in a canning jar and keep until spring comes. I like to keep my Wandering Jew on the deck so it can get sunlight and is easy to water without making a mess in the house.  I am not much on indoor plants anyway since I have ruined carpet, floors, tables and other things with watering them.  Wandering Jew comes in many different colors and variations. The purple one is pretty but I prefer the green one as it looks so good against the pink on the outside of my house. 

These are the cuttings I have in my kitchen.  It is so much fun to watch the little roots form in the glass jar.  By the time spring arrives the jar will be filled with the little white stringy roots that are so easy to insert into the soil.  I have gotten in too big of a hurry to start them outside only to find another freeze sneaking in.  And then there I am out on the deck in my pajamas trying to cover the little cuttings with a blanket or towel.  For several years though I have been lucky and kept the plant going. 

Once There Were Three Wandering Jews!





Now and Then by Nancy Kline: Lemon SquaresYour Old Jolly Blogger has been taki...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: Lemon Squares
Your Old Jolly Blogger has been taki...: Lemon Squares Your Old Jolly Blogger has been taking up Room and Board with Urgent Care and The Dentist for the past three weeks.  Thre...

Lemon Squares

Your Old Jolly Blogger has been taking up Room and Board with Urgent Care and The Dentist for the past three weeks.  Three rounds of antibiotics and a pulled fractured tooth makes sinuses and tooth pain go away.  Happy to be feeling normal again and back to baking goodies.

This recipe is one I have had for over thirty years. A very dear friend shared it with me and it has been a favorite of my family and friends.  Easy and quick to put together!

Recipe: 
1 cup melted butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
Mix and press into bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes

4 eggs slightly beaten
2 cups sugar
6 Tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or in the bottle)
If you use fresh lemons you might want to add a little ground lemon rind
Mix and pour over the baked crust and bake for 20 minutes at 350.

Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top and cut into squares

Something To Warm You Up On a Brisk Fall Day!



Now and Then by Nancy Kline: FROSTING ON THE PUNKIN CAKEAfter baking this pumpk...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: FROSTING ON THE PUNKIN CAKEAfter baking this pumpk...: FROST ING ON THE PUNKIN CAKE After baking this pumpkin pound cake I decided to put a little color in the frosting.  Woops, a little too...

FROSTING ON THE PUNKIN CAKE

After baking this pumpkin pound cake I decided to put a little color in the frosting.  Woops, a little too orange for me.  So I mixed up a little white frosting and dribbled it on top of the orange frosting and the result was "Frosting On The Punkin Cake". 

 

When the Frost is on the Punkin

 

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,

And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,

And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,

And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence:

O, it's then's the times a feller is a-feelin' at his best,

With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,

As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

 

James Whitcomb Riley


Now and Then by Nancy Kline: FOG There is something enchanting and beautiful ab...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: FOG There is something enchanting and beautiful ab...: FOG   There is something enchanting and beautiful about fog as well as something a bit eerie and frightening.   This time of year in ...

FOG

 

There is something enchanting and beautiful about fog as well as something a bit eerie and frightening.   This time of year in the Ozarks we wake up to dense fog on many mornings.  The sun usually burns its way through in an hour or so but until it is gone we sometimes just sit back and enjoy.  And so the fog comes and the fog goes.

 

FOG

 

The fog comes

on like little cat feet.

 

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

 

Carl Sandburg

 

 



Now and Then by Nancy Kline: OLD FASHION OATMEAL COOKIESNothing smells as good ...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: OLD FASHION OATMEAL COOKIESNothing smells as good ...: OLD FASHION OATMEAL COOKIES Nothing smells as good as cookies baking in the oven.  Oatmeal cookies are easy to mix up and delicious to ...

OLD FASHION OATMEAL COOKIES

Nothing smells as good as cookies baking in the oven.  Oatmeal cookies are easy to mix up and delicious to eat.  My recipe is really good and just about right on the "chewy side". 

Recipe: 

1 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups uncooked old fashion oats

1 cup raisins

 

Mix first five ingredients together, add oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla

Beat until smooth

Stir in oats and raisins

Drop by heaping spoonful onto greased cookie sheets

Bake at 350 for 12 - 15 minutes

 

and Remember:

 

Mares eat oats

and does eat oats

and little lambs eat ivy

a kid'll eat ivy, too

wouldn't you

 

And a kid'll eat oatmeal cookies !

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: FALL IS HEREFall has arrived in the Ozarks with co...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: FALL IS HEREFall has arrived in the Ozarks with co...: FALL IS HERE Fall has arrived in the Ozarks with cooler weather, rain showers and the very tips of trees beginning to change colors.  A...

FALL IS HERE

Fall has arrived in the Ozarks with cooler weather, rain showers and the very tips of trees beginning to change colors.  At the same time that the leaves begin to fall things are falling out of my attic that have been stored there for the past year.  Most of my "treasures" are beginning to show their age but with a little fluffing, cleaning and some glue they will just have to get by for another year and probably the next several years.  

My favorite fall decorations are scare crows, pumpkins and yellow flowers.  Orange is not one of my favorite colors to use but I put up with it for a few weeks every year just to fit in with the rest of the people.  Just remember that orange and pink make "peach" and we all love peaches.

We can now enjoy shorter days which means less work in the yard and garden.  We can also enjoy seasonal cooking such as good old apple pie and pumpkin cake.  The flowers are also ready for a long rest from all their hard work in spring and summer and we too are happy to see refreshing changes.

 

The melancholy days have come,

 the saddest of the year,

Of  wailing winds, and naked woods,

and meadows brown and sear.

 

Bryant--The Death of the Flowers

 

Remember to make hay while the sun shines!

  

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: LEMONADE CAKEDelicious lemon cake to finish off t...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: LEMONADE CAKE
Delicious lemon cake to finish off t...: LEMONADE CAKE Delicious lemon cake to finish off the summer's heat and bring in the cooler fall.  This cake is a big hit every time...

LEMONADE CAKE

Delicious lemon cake to finish off the summer's heat and bring in the cooler fall.  This cake is a big hit every time I bake it.  It is simple to throw together and super moist.
Recipe:
1 lemon cake mix
1 lemon pudding/pie mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/4 cup oil
Mix all together, blend well then beat at medium speed for four minutes
Bake at 350  in bundt pan until done
Cool in pan 5 minutes then punch with ice pick to the bottom of pan
Glaze:
1 6oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate thawed, omit water
2 cups confectioners sugar
Blend well
Pour over cake
Cool 15 minutes before turning out of pan
Sprinkle a little confectioners sugar on top if desired

I used pink lemonade as the store was out of plain and it was beautiful.  This cake did not last very long and got lots of compliments.

Mix, Punch, Eat and Share  !

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: PAINTED VICTORIAN CLOTH DOLL This beautiful lady ...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: PAINTED VICTORIAN CLOTH DOLL  This beautiful lady ...: PAINTED VICTORIAN CLOTH DOLL     This beautiful lady properly sits on a chair in my upper hall.  I found the pattern and directions...

PAINTED VICTORIAN CLOTH DOLL

 

 

This beautiful lady properly sits on a chair in my upper hall.  I found the pattern and directions in a magazine back in the 1980's.  The magazine is gone forever as the way of magazines goes. I made several of them that sold quite well and decided to keep one for myself.  Sadly somehow during our transition from Louisiana to Missouri she was lost.  I searched through all my belongings for several years and finally decided that the only way to recover her was to find the pattern and make a new one. 

As I have always been a seamstress I had several hundred patterns to go through before finally finding her pattern neatly folded and labeled in a white envelope.  I could hardly wait to start making the fabrics come alive in the form of this outstanding Victorian doll.  She is made out of all white fabrics and then painted with craft paints. 

She sits very quietly outside my bedroom in a chair and watches over everything that comes up and down the stairs.  She is not all that old maybe seven or eight years but is a very wise one for her age.

 

Pattern for Painted Victorian Cloth Doll

 

Don't Throw Away Your Old Patterns !

     

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: JAR SALADSWe take our lunch to work everyday and ...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: JAR SALADS
We take our lunch to work everyday and ...: JAR SALADS We take our lunch to work everyday and usually eat a salad.  Over the weekend usually on Sunday afternoon I cut up the vegg...

JAR SALADS

We take our lunch to work everyday and usually eat a salad.  Over the weekend usually on Sunday afternoon I cut up the veggies and place them in canning jars and they stay fresh all week.  Lettuce of different varieties and sometimes spinach makes the foundation.  The beautiful colored bell peppers in red, orange, yellow and purple add a lot of color as well as chopped carrots.  Celery and cucumber are added and fresh herbs such as basil, parsley or whatever looks good that day.  Sometimes I put in some chopped cabbage.  If there are any cherry tomatoes or small varieties they can be added but not cut up ones as they are too juicy to keep with the other things so I cut up the larger tomatoes and keep them in a separate container and add them when we eat the salads. 

We have a small refrigerator in our office so we leave the dressings every day but put the salads in each day and can hardly wait for lunch to arrive.  The salads will keep very well in an insulated lunch bad with a freezer cube in the bag.

 

Chop, Jar, Eat, Enjoy !!!



Now and Then by Nancy Kline: CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE A good way to get your ve...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE A good way to get your ve...: CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE    A good way to get your veggies eaten is find cake recipes that call for them.  This chocolate zucchini ca...

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

 

A good way to get your veggies eaten is find cake recipes that call for them.  This chocolate zucchini cake is "sooo" good and it practically melts in your mouth.  It is pretty easy to mix up and so far I haven't had any complaints about the zucchini in it.  Most people can't even believe that it even has zucchini in it.  It is really moist and the frosting is absolutely delicious by itself.  I always raise more zucchini in my garden then we can possibly eat or give away so I grate all the extras up and keep in the freezer for baking cakes and bread all winter long. 

Recipe:

1 stick melted butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

4 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix and pour into prepared 10 x 15 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes or until done.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 sticks butter softened

16 oz. cream cheese softened

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat until fluffy and spread on cooled cake.

 

Eat Your Veggies One Way or Another !

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: PURPLE HYACINTH BEAN Several years ago a friend ga...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: PURPLE HYACINTH BEAN Several years ago a friend ga...: PURPLE HYACINTH BEAN   Several years ago a friend gave me three bean pods from this plant that she had gotten from a friend of hers in...

PURPLE HYACINTH BEAN

 

Several years ago a friend gave me three bean pods from this plant that she had gotten from a friend of hers in Arkansas.  I had never seen any of these vines or even heard of them until then.  I put the three pods on the counter in my wash room to save until spring when I could put them in the ground.  Somehow all but one of the bean pods got misplaced during the winter but thankfully I found the one that was left that had fallen into a drawer. 

When spring came around I took the beans out of the pod and planted them in a sunny spot where they could grow on the fence.  They did come up and now I save several of the pods to plant each spring. 

These vines start off slowly but once the weather starts getting warmer they take a growing spurt and you can almost see them growing daily.  They  don't start blooming until August in my yard and by September they are in full bloom.  The flowers would remind you of sweet peas but they don't have that sweet scent.  After the blooms start falling the pods begin to form and they are really beautiful.  They love full sun and some water.  Thomas Jefferson planted them in his gardens and therefore some people refer to them as Jefferson Beans. 

My vines mingle with the red cypress vines and blue morning glory vines that climb on the fence.  I save several of the pods just to make sure I have some the next year but they usually come up voluntarily.  The beans are edible but have to be cooked a certain way because they are poisonous. They look real pretty in flower arrangements when added to other cut flowers or sometimes just by themselves.

Plant, Watch, but Don't Eat !!!



Now and Then by Nancy Kline: PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES Starting of school year was ...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline: PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES Starting of school year was ...: PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES   Starting of school year was always a wonderful time for me.  With four kids in the house all day everyday all...

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

 

Starting of school year was always a wonderful time for me.  With four kids in the house all day everyday all summer I was ready to welcome the first day of school.  One of the sweetest memories was having some home made cookies waiting for that after school hunger.  Nothing better than a few peanut butter cookies and a glass of milk to fill up empty bellies and then go outside and play in the neighborhood until "supper".  Supper was the time of day when daddies came home from work, kids came in from the neighborhood and we all sat together and ate and discussed family topics and who had homework.

If there were any cookies left over they were put into the lunch boxes for the next day's lunch at school.

You probably have a good recipe for peanut butter cookies but in case you don't here is mine:

1 cup shortening

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons soda

1/2 teaspoon sale

Roll the dough into little balls and then press a fork  on the top and make the criss cross print that is famous only to peanut butter cookies.

 

Mix, Press Eat and Enjoy!!