Chit Chat

What a glorious day it has been.  I woke this morning to the lovely sounds of rain.  We so much needed the rain.  Everthing is so desperately dry around here.  The rain also cooled things down and I was able to open all the windows and just let the autumn air flow through my little palace. 

And what better way to celebrate this day than with a some nice autumn comfort food - Chicken and Biscuits. 

A simple recipe from Kraft Foods. It's made with cooked chicken breasts (mine's came from a can), frozen mixed vegetables, sour cream, condensed cream of chicken soup, shredded sharp cheese, and for the biscuits - Bisquick, more sour cream and milk.  I made this for the first time last year and fell in love.


For dessert I baked peanut butter cookies. 

I am going to enjoy snacking on these with a cold glass of milk while watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition.  Tonight's show is a home built here in Baltimore. 

Decorating

For weeks I have been getting my palace ready for my favorite season: Autumn.  Today I must say it doesn't feel like fall.  It is hot as heck here in ole Maryland. 

In decorating for Fall, I tried to do things a little different this year.  For instance I bought a new shower curtain and bath towels for the bathroom. I love this new shower curtain (from Ross').  It looks so rich.  I was surprised to find such a nice shower curtain.  I usually buy curtain panels because most shower curtains I see do not appeal to me.   I want to repaint the walls but haven't found the color I want yet.

I found this poster in Dollar Tree a few years ago.  I love it in the bathroom because the colors go great with my fall decor.  I recently got the frame for it in KMart.  The frame was on sale at 2 for 1.  I paid $10 for two of these frames.  The other one is in my guest room.

In the master bedroom I bought a new comforter set.  I love my new comforter.  I looked for over a year for the right style, fabric, texture and color and finally found it in a store I rarely go to - Macy's.  It was so funny when I saw it in the store.  It was like all of a sudden everything around me went dark and it was just me and a light shining down on the comforter.  I've only had the moment one other time and that was when I bought my first car. Heehee

I love having the curtains going all the way across the wall.  It adds color to the room and makes the wall look taller than it is. The big plus is in winter, it blocks out the cold.


I also dressed up the mantle.  I love candles. I have them everywhere in my little palace. 

The fall topiaries sit on my tall dresser chests.  Last year I had them on the mantle but thought they look better here.  (I hate that antenna.)

In the livingroom I tried to added more color.  I replaced my old and worn white lampshades with burgundy ones and bought toss pillows for the white sofa. 

And of course... More candles...



I brought this table out from the guest room. I really like it here next to the chair.  Plus it gave me a place to put my pumpkin arrangement.  To think it was on its way to the dumpster. 

The dining room has had some changes too.  I got rid of the glass curio and bar that sat in the corners.  I had to make room for the buffett that I'm getting from IKEA. 

So that it doesn't look so empty in the corner I moved the plant stand from the foyer to display a vase filled with twigs and candles.

The dining table too soon will be replaced, however I still wanted to dress it up for the season.  I even purchased some new glass goblets for the table.  They are so pretty. I got them from Dollar Tree.  What's more is they are not thin, flimsy glasses at all. 

I won't put on the burgundy chair covers until it gets a little cooler. 

My palace isn't yet quite complete. There are a few more things I need to do.  So this weekend, if the weather cools down like the weather people say, I'm going to set up a display outside my front door. 
I cleaned the balcony a few weekends ago and it too is ready for decorating. 

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF FALL!!!

A Beautiful Day!

Slept in this morning a little too long.  A result from being up late the night before.  So I didn't get to do my morning walk.  I have all the windows open and the breeze feels so good flowing through my little palace.  I'm sorry I didn't go walking because it is so beautiful outdoors.  I like to get my walk in before everyone gets out on the road.  Right now the nearby school's track is being redone so I walk around the neighborhood and the sound of cars disturbs my mood when I'm walking.

For dinner tonight I'm made golden crusted pork chops with green beans.  And for dessert an apple pie.  It's my very first time making one from scratch - crust and all.

My little palace smells yummy-yummy.

Name Change

I've decided to change the name of my blog to Falling for Fall.  I think it fits better than The Harvest.  What do you think?

My Neighbor

This morning while my boyfriend and I were taking out an old computer chest, I noticed one of my neighbors has started putting up some of their Halloween decorations.  It made me smile. 

I have been putting out my fall decor inside my home. After seeing my neighbor I put out my fall doormat and hung my decorated grapevine wreath on the front door.  No pumpkins or scarecrows arecoming out til October 1st.

Halloween Costumes

The other day I received an email from Martha Stewart.com discussing homemade Halloween costumes and it got me thinking,"What am I going to be this year for Halloween?"

Menu Planning

Last year I vowed to start cooking at home more and taking lunch to work everyday.  So on September 1st, I began and I loved it.  I would cook meals two days a week - Sunday and Wednesday, have leftovers on Mondays and always made some kind of seafood on Fridays.  Saturdays were anything goes (usually takeout), Tuesdays and Thursdays were some type of sandwich or salad.

To get ideas of meals that were quick and easy I searched the web.  Boy did I find a lot of ideas.  My favorite sites are Kraft Foods and Better Homes &Gardens.  I also like Cooks.com, Land O Lakes and Taste of Home. 

Planning meals was fun and plus it gave me a variety as opposed to always wondering what I want to eat and wound up eating the same fast foods.  It was an opportunity to try dishes that I would never thought to try. 

Well once the holidays arrived I fell completely off course.  I tried to get back in to it the first of the year but couldn't get motivated and so I stopped.  Then I tried it again in the spring.  Well needless to say, it was a losing battle.  Once summer came and the cookouts started, I threw up the white flag and admitted defeat.  Now that the cooler temperatures are once again upon us I have made the committment to plan meals at home.  So far so good.  And this time I am determined not to let the holidays throw me off so I have come up with a plan.  Some  time in November I am going to have a mini cooking session.  Once I have the menus planned for December (actually starting Thanksgiving weekend), I will purchase all the ingredients and cook my meals in advance and store them in the freezer.  So all I will have to do is see what's for dinner that night and head straight to the freezer.  I really want this to work so ya'll pray for me.

Well it's nearly lunchtime and today I brought in chicken salad. 

A Beautiful Morning

I think Fall is finally here to stay.  It felt great driving in to work this morning.  We could use some rain though, as it is very dry here.  The weatherman says we should finally get some Sunday. 

Today is a Jewish holiday, so many of the judges are off.  Plus the schools in my county are closed.  L'Shanah Tovah - to my jewish friends.  Because it will basically be a quiet day I decided to treat my coworkers to breakfast.  I brought in my George Foreman grill and made Eckrich sausages.  Another coworker brought in fried potatoes.  So far the morning is going along nicely.  Later during my break I plan to take a short walk - soak up some of that sun and cool weather.

Also today, is my mom's 60th birthday.  I have plans to take her out later - maybe somewhere to eat or shopping or both.  Whatever her heart desires. 

It's That Time Again!

I'm back and ready for Fall. This summer has been a doozie and I for one will be glad to see it go. I'm so ready that I have started putting up my fall decorations.  As I type this post I have some autumn scented candles burning.  They are a new fragrance by Glade called Cashmere Woods - mmmm, delightful.

In addition to putting summer behind me, my friends and I over at MHH have started the HGP and HHP countdowns in preparation for the upcoming holidays.  We're in week two.  I am following the HHP focusing mostly on the holiday prep.