My Soothing Waterfall & Pond!!!!

My soothing noise maker......I love the sound of the waterfall!!

When I am in the gazebo I can see and hear the falling water...The gazebo has a hanging chandlier and there are lights on the pond, so sometimes I am out there late at night enjoying my books, music and the waterfall!!!

I will also enjoy talking to my friend Carla, in WV as she is a night owl just like me...One of the nice perks of living in a small town....

You can see that fall is here and of course here in Minnesota the pond plants and fish must be brought inside so they don't freeze....
I have my tank set up and ready for the fish to be brought inside....The plants will be clipped back and then put into plastic bags and stored in a small room under the basement steps.....I drain the pond, catch the fish and then fill the pond back up and put a pool mattress into the pond and a blue tarp over that, to keep the fall & winter debris out of the pond....Dakota, my lovable Lab, will do you know what there, when it freezes and this keeps her off that area....It is just closer for her than going to the back yard....I

t looks so bare when the gazebo and pond are done for the summer...and it also brings thoughts of shoveling snow...My granddaughter's husband Kevin keeps my driveway plowed during the winter...such a nice guy!!!

My Gazebo That Brought Me So Much Pleasure!!!!

Next week I have to pack up everything that is in the Gazebo....store for the winter and then take all but the frame down and store it till next April, or if the weather was like it was this spring, till May....

I hope my ferns live inside, but I doubt they will....I know as soon as the fronds start to lose their leaves and make a mess they will end up outside to freeze....

It isn't even down yet and already I am missing it.....I spent many a morning having my coffee, reading and watching the birds...Had a beautiful flock of Orioles eating the grape jelly and orange halves, they brought me so much pleasure.....Well they have been gone for over a month now, the geese are flying south, nuts and leaves are falling, the nights are getting cooler...so time to part with this bit of pleasure for this year.....Till next year..

Pumpkin Facial Mask & Pumpkin Sugar & Spice Scrub

Autumn can play some nasty tricks on your skin with its winds and chilly weather,and since I am on this PUMPKIN streak I thought I would give you these great treats using pumpkin.
The perfect icon of the season, to help nourish your skin beautifully, sloughing off dead cells to reveal the fresh new skin underneath.
Pumpkin, after all, contains lots of anti-oxidant vitamins A and C, as well as zinc and beneficial alpha-hydroxide acids.
Here is how to make a nourishing facial mask and a sugar and spice scrub using Pumpkin!!!....

Pumpkin Facial Mask:

2 teaspoons cooked or canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon milk (or whipping cream, if your skin is very dry)
1. Combine ingredients and apply to a clean face with gentle circular motions, avoiding the area around your eyes.
2. Allow mask to remain on skin for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water, pat dry, and apply your usual moisturizer.

Pumpkin, Sugar, and Spice Scrub:

1/2 cup cooked or canned pumpkin, pureed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Combine ingredients in a bowl.
2. Stand in a tub or shower stall and use a damp washcloth to scoop some of the mixture up. Apply to body, starting with your feet and working your way up, but avoiding your face. Scrub gently using circular motions.
3. Rinse with warm water and pat dry

An Easy To Make PUMPKIN CORNBREAD!!

The onset of fall has got me on this pumpkin kick. So I was looking for different pumpkin recipes the other day and came across this one in the Country Living Magazine....Once I saw it I just had to try it. I've never even heard of pumpkin cornbread before, so my curiosity was definitely piqued.

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Corn Bread!

Indgrents:
1 box cornbread mix (8.5 oz.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup can canned pumpkin
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 x 8-inch square pan or 8-inch cast iorn skillet.
Mix the cornbread, following directions on the box.. Add vanilla then nutmeg. Mix together. Add pumpkin to mixture then pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
Makes 6 servings

BIRCH BERRY FARMS NEW SHOPPE!!!!

My good friend Renee, of Birch Berry Farms has opened a shoppe!! Three drum rolls please!!!!......This month she is featuring BURNISHED Sliver and has some exceptional pieces with great patina, to delight your eyes...Be sure to visit her shoppe...Just click on Birch Berry Farms to go there....

SLOW COOKED PUMPKIN BUTTER!!! YUMMY GOOD!!

If you have enjoyed pumpkin butter from farms stands, and wanted to make your own, but thought it might be too difficult; guess again!
These step-by-step directions will make it so simple, anyone can make better pumpkin butter and at a much lower cost.

Now, with a crockpot, it's easy!

A side benefit is that your house will smell wonderful while it is cooking - much better than potpourri!

Ingredients

8 cups canned pumpkin
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
6 tablespoons of lemon juice

Directions

Add the lemon juice to the pumpkin and spices.
Set the crock pot on low or medium heat.
Cover it loosely or use a large pot splatter-guard. It will spatter as it boils slowly, so I also cover nearby surfaces with towels. You don't want to seal it tightly because you want the steam to escape so it can reduce in volume and thicken.
Leave it to cook for 6 - 8 hours. How long depends on the size and power of your crock pot, and how thick you like it, If you want to stir it occasionally, that's fine but not necessary.

Spoon hot pumpkin mixture into sterilized, very hot, pint or half pint jars , filling to within 1/4 inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands.

This is like eating Pumpkin Pie on toast….

***Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of 6 months in the fridge. Note that it should NOT be stored on the shelf, unrefrigerated!!

Halloween Came Early For Me...Just Look At What I Received Yesterday In The Mail!!

My good friend Renee, from "Birch Berry Farms" sent me this gorgeous knitted wool pumpkin, that she knitted and then needled felted, a bar of her Pumpkin Soap that she hand makes (check her soap out on Etsy), and some luscious smelling potpourri in a silver antique soap dish...It came wrapped in orange tissue paper and inside a large cellophane bag tied with raffia...I was so surprised when I opened it and saw this lovely gift from Renee....She is just the best....You can find her on Ebay, Etsy and of course the
WSOAPP SHOPPES
..Be sure to look at her goodies and her soaps! You will be glad you did...Just click on the words Ebay, Etsy and WSOAPP SHOPPES to go there!!!!!