Closing this blog

Farewell friends. This blog of mine is closing this weekend. I plan to start a new blog in the near future but have not decided on the title just yet but it will be similar I am sure. Thanks for stopping by and leaving comments. This first blog was fun to create and learn from.

Best Wishes to All~ The Cottage Girl

More Autumn Pictures

The Autumn plaque was purchased from a craft vendor
at last years
Craftsman Show in Richmond.

My favorite wax jack-o-lanterns have these comical faces.
Even better when lit!
I added fall mix to my longaberger basket.

More Beeman pinecone candles.
These I will never burn, I love 'em so much!
The garland is tissue paper. I can make you some if you like!

The wax Jack-o-lanterns look great
with a tea light inside when not stacked
or the battery operated light could be used if stacked.

The candle shade and the above jack-o-lanterns were purchased seven years ago from Illuminations where I
worked for a time before they closed at our local outlet mall.

The mantel in the den comes alive with the fall color. The Atlas jar is filled with faux pumpkins and gourds. The candles came from the dollar store as I don't intend to burn them. I added fall picks to the boxwood in the pitcher.

It's Autumn Around The Cottage

The front door has a garland lighted with acorn shaped bulbs for a soft glow at night. I bought this from Plow and Hearth a few years ago.

I made the little mat with crochet trim.The pinecone candles are made by TheBeeman in North Carolina! The hurricanes came from
www.williamsburgmarketplace.com

Click on picture to enlarge photo of my deck dining table.

Willie goes crazy when I am taking pictures. Here I got him to settle down, but he gave me a wink that it wasn't for long.

In my front hall is this table with the 3 tier stand filled with potpourri. I simply changed the vine around the handle and added some small faux pumpkins. The crow silhouettes are from Martha Stewart bought at Michaels. I made Fall Greetings tag that was grudged to smell like cinnamon.
Another Beeman pinecone candle.

New this year is this lovely pumpkin head doll I bought at a crafter's mart in Yorktown called Granny Lou's on route 17.

This three tier planter was filled with flowers.Now it has fall leaves, real gourds and mini pumpkins. I added pip berry sprigs here and there in between.

Wrought iron plant stands make the perfect landing place for the pumpkins. These are fake. I have had problems in the past with squirrels eating holes right into real pumpkins. How do you like the pansies and kale?

Pumpkins greet you on the steps, here is one of them.

Now for real pumpkins and also mums which must be kept watered.

Lavendar Harvest

A bounty of blooms.
The lavendar is about three years old and potted in a large planter snug in the garden bed. The wind blows the lovely fragrance up onto the deck area far enough away to avoid the many bees attracted to the scent.

Willie and I are inspecting the lavendar to see if it is ready to pick. These stems are long and the buds are not quite open yet. Willie loves to stiff at the frangrant flowers!

Picked in the morning. I used the kitchen scissors to get a good clean cut.

Each stem is stripped of the buds.

My hands smell like lavendar.

I wonder how much this would cost if I had to buy as much?
This can be used for drawer sachet, the bath water, potpourri, candle or soap making
and lots more uses. I'll keep it in a tightly closed jar until needed.
Why don't you plant some lavendar yourself?

Bunny In The House

Valentine, our 5 year old rabbit is too hot outside in her hutch. She is in her temporary quarters in my craft room where we have another cage for her. We bring her in when it is really hot, or when it is freezing outside in winter.
She is allowed to run free inside for some exercise under our watchful eye and with gentle herding by Willie our Shelti. Don't worry, we don't leave her out alone!
Val can jump on the couch and onto our laps. Then down again. If she is nervous or startled she will make a loud thump on the floor and scurry away!
Why have a rabbit? Well she too has her job around our house. The plants are treated to rabbit pellets to enrich the soil. Valentine is not the cuddliest bunny, but she is ours and we love her!
She was a gift from my daughter on Valentine's Day.

FATHER'S DAY FRENCH TOAST

LEMON FRENCH TOAST

Secret ingredient-freshly grated lemon rind. I am using my new zester from Williams & Sonoma- worth every penny. It has a built in tray to hold the zest until you dump it into the bowl. It gives you a good grip in the hand. Really, every kitchen should have one!
I use Egg Beaters brand or a similar type that is sooo handy to have on hand ready to go in the refrigerator. You just can't tell the difference! Just shake the carton, pour as much as you want into a flat bottomed bowl. Add some milk and beat a bit to combine. I will be using our family's favorite bread- Oatnut. It gives a really nice texture.


Sprinkle in some cinnamon and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Soak the Oatnut bread, flipping it over once in the egg mixture.
Put into a preheated pan that has been lightly greased with butter.
Flip one time, cook until done. The photo came out slightly darker but it was really a nice golden color.
Enjoy with warm syrup, some juice, and good conversation with your family. The lemon zest really enhances all the flavors!

JUNIOR PROM

Handsome Son His Beautiful Girlfriend

He asked her to the prom, she said yes!

A wrist corsage for her, and flowers for his lapel.

Photos is front of her home.

Family Pets

Here is Willie our 6 year old Sheltie.

His full name is Sir William of York and he is a purebred

Shetland Sheepdog.

Allie (Alice) and Andy

13 2

Willie walking the beach during winter in Yorktown, Virginia.

Williamsburg Farmer's Market

Here we are at the Farmer's Market in Merchant's Square. Held Saturday mornings throughout the summer, it's more than just vegetables...come take a look with me! (click on images to enlarge)

First up. I bought two Hollyhocks, and a Foxglove plant. The Cottage Guy

carried them all the way back to the car for me.

I have tried to grow these from seed unsuccessfully.

What is a Cottage Garden without Foxglove and Hollyhocks?

This is the place to walk your pure bred dog, and see all the other breeds too. We didn't bring our own dog Willie, a sheltie, because he has a limp lately, however we did see some other Shelties. Above is the back side of a Cairn Terrier (like Toto from the Wizard of Oz). He turned away. Darn, so cute too!

This place is a regular dog show!

These two Westies remind me of my sisters two dogs. Adorable!

This happy Pomeranian loved the attention and was all smiles and bright eyed.

The Spaniel is sweet and well mannered.

The impressive Russian Wolfhound!

His owner was visiting all the way from Baltimore.
The dog's name is Blue or Lou for short.


These two were busy moving around making it difficult to photograph, but I did!
There were so many more breeds walking around without any fighting at all.

There are several artists taking in the street scene translating it onto canvas.

Look at the color variety of these Americana eggs.
I am told each hen
lays her own particular color.

Of course there are vegetables!!!
Lots of different farmers from
around Williamsburg and all over Virginia.


There's music too!

Here is what we are after-STRAWBERRIES- to make freezer jam.

We only bought four containers this time.

Fragrant herbs...I bought Rosemary, Tarragon and dear hubby snuck in a

Habanero Pepper plant at the pay table.

For fun we stopped to look at a booth with Everlastings! The dried florals were so colorful and arranged in a huge variety of little containers like sugar bowls, soap dishes, tiny tiny children's tea set pieces and large wreaths and fan plaques. Then my eye caught the soap display...

Wonderful fragrant and colorful soaps! I had to have some but I couldn't make up my mind.

Finally I chose 1-Almond Oatmeal, 1-Apple Spice and 1-Rosemary Mint, a gardener's soap.

The Cottage Daughter and I both favored the Apple Spice because it gives the best fragrance to the room! I also like the soft red which is my favorite color.

Thanks for coming along to the Farmer's Market.

Please support your local Farmers!