Autumn Decor & Outside Chores

                     One of three pumpkins from my big pumpkin crop this year. No one had a good year here because of a heat blast that came in spring.  

                         Sitting on an old milk can that my mother had outside her shed.  Think of her every time I look at it.
 

Down to Earth's pumpkin crop, much better than mine!

                          Only at $25 for a pumpkin (see that tiny 25 on there?) I think I'll pass.  Fun to look, though!

     Autumn afghans.

     A few autumnal touches inside the farmhouse.

    Mr. Ayers came and cut and split the downed tree! Only took six months! He said he believes it's been down about 20 years.  I would say it is ready for the fireplace.

                              He left a jar of chutney with peppers, onions and the pears from his pear trees.  We had it on Cajun beans and rice and have enough for another round.  Very tasty!

                   Front path laid to the parking area.  Gravel coming soon or so I'm told.  Tomorrow my bushhogger will be here, I think he grades and gravels, so going to be talking to him. Tired of the cat and mouse game with Dennis, I don't think he's ever coming.

               Painted the ugly propane tank off the kitchen.

                                  I'm pleased.

                         Another stone path will be laid where Timber is with ferns, hellebores, white bleeding hearts, tiny iris and hostas being planted along the sides.

             Food crops were awful this year, but oh the camellias!!

                           Local antiques shops decorated for fall.  One of the local attractions to this area.

                      The fields have patriotic hay wraps.  Love it!

              I've followed a blog named The Grower's Daughter for years.  She now has an instagram page, had renovated a cottage much like our farmhouse for airbnb and is getting a lot of attention from the instagram posts.  I decided to do the same, but my page name was taken.  The name I chose is "Tiny Foothills Farmhouse", and I kind of like it.  That will also be the name when listed on Airbnb.  We'll see what comes of it!

The Completed Cupboard

 All cleaned up and stocked with antique glassware and dishes!  Took so long, so many coats of paint, but well worth the work.  

                     This cupboard was housing all my items for my Etsy shop, so I had to go through all of that, find places for it all until sold and I did sell a few items right away. Some things went to the church.  I kept a lot of old platters and bowls, and the milk glass that my mother collected for me.

                I will need to stock up with things like a broom for this closet and items needed for guests.  

  I wanted to keep the vintage farmhouse feel even with the dishes and tableware.  If an item gets broken, no big deal.

Most of these items were estate sale finds or things I have had in cupboards for years and now can become useful.

   I lined the shelves with glasses with a vintage plastic tablecloth piece.  Remember these from the past?  I know I'm showing my age, but I remember my mother having these plastic tablecloths.

 If you didn't know better, you would think it was lace.

     When my mother was sending me the milk glass dishes, I started collecting white embossed glasses.  None are a full set, but I like that you can mix and match.

   My favorite are these thick glasses with white swans.

I had two sets of vintage silverplate utensils, one set with a pretty design on the handles and the other is plain with a gold tone.

   Placed in a vintage wooden carrier, I will have a stack of hand embroidered napkins to go with.

    Lots of old trivets.

    Yes, it's fall and the pasture is teaming with fall wildflowers.  Now is the time to move outside the farmhouse, where I have so much work to do before it gets too cold.  

I have already placed stone paths that need to be dug and set.  Pots of ferns, hellebores, hostas have been sitting in pots waiting for me to place them permanently.  I need to do some painting outside, clean windows, still need to oil the porches.  We are still on hold for the grader to come bring a truckload of gravel and the gutters to be placed.  I painted the ugly propane tank.  We have been spending weekends clearing where the walkway to the parking area is.  I think that will be a job that lasts a long time.  

   Mr. Ayers who was to come in April finally made it here in October to cut the downed tree and split it into firewood. That opened up a big space that we worked on yesterday, and I planted snowball viburnum and azaleas.

The tithonia are still blooming, the hummingbirds are still here and very fat! It still has not been cool enough to have a fire in the fireplace, but it's coming!