sheppard girls

Happy Halloween

Raccoons

Seriously, what kind of freaky nature unit are they having at preschool?  Last night the little one came into our room because she was "scared of raccoons, because they are nocturnal and can open doors and windows".  This morning I asked her if she had a dream about raccoons?  She said no, "not a dream, raccoons are real in this world and they are nocturnal and they can open doors and windows."

Rubber stamp image from this seller on Etsy.  Isn't her work charming?!

Friday facts

 

I have been very much charmed by the grey, blue and yellow pillow collection at Anthropologie this summer and early fall.  I just learned that many of them (maybe all?) come from Dwell.  Oh so pretty.

I have to make an "egg bake" for a brunch at church tomorrow.  It seems that everyone, even people who don't cook much, have a favorite recipe.  I have probably made two in my whole life, and they weren't very good.  It might be too late, but if you know of any recipes, let me know.

In the family pictures we took last weekend, I wore the same sweater that Angela wore last night on The Office.

Hannah!

Who is a super nice mom?  A few more tickets were released this afternoon, at realistic prices, and a friend with quick dial fingers got us tickets.  I better go get the CD, because I honestly only know the first couple of lines of the show theme song.

Friday facts

1. I always find myself in charge of the school Halloween party craft, because "you're crafty, right?" and let's be honest, I am way too controlling to sit by and let someone else do it.  Each year it gets harder.  Third graders are not as easily impressed.  I am relying heavily on Martha Stewart, and this post.

2. On the radio, a few days ago, someone was talking about Nick Hornby, who wrote the book High Fidelity, last night the dad came home with the movie for us to watch, and when we finally went upstairs to go bed, John Cusack was the guest on Conan!

3. While we were watching the movie, we ate, what was described as, "the best dessert [I] ever made"

Rum Raisin Apple Pie from Gourmet November 2006

3 tablespoons dark rum
1/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 medium apples, ranging from sweet to tart (2 1/2 lb) 
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons milk
1 tablespoon sanding sugar

Directions: Bring rum with raisins to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour.

Put oven rack in middle position with a large heavy baking sheet on rack and preheat oven to 425°F.

Rub together brown sugar, flour, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt with your fingers in a large bowl until no lumps remain. Peel and core apples, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges and add to sugar mixture, tossing gently to coat. Add raisins with any liquid and toss until combined.

Prepare a double pie crust for a 9-inch pie plate (4 cup capacity)

Spoon filling evenly into shell, then dot top with butter. Brush pastry overhang with some of milk, then cover pie with pastry round. Trim pastry flush with edge of pie plate using kitchen shears, then press edges together and crimp decoratively.

Lightly brush top of pie with some of remaining milk and sprinkle all over with sanding sugar. Cut 3 steam vents in top crust with a small sharp knife.

Bake pie on hot baking sheet 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes more. Cool pie on a rack to warm or room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.

4. We are having family pictures taken tomorrow.  I have the good sense to realize that it is probably too late to begin making skirts for the girls, but I am still determined to make some, with the help of the gals at Grand Revival Designs.

5. The little one has the learned the following things in preschool:

how to write upper and lower case letters A-E

how to ride a scooter

that badgers eat skunk babies

Ole!

   

Ten years ago, approximately today, the dad and I got engaged after eating a wonderful lunch of Taco John Potato Oles, while sitting by the river.  They've had a special place in my heart ever since.

Edited to add - the dad and the oles.

blogs!

Sometimes new blogs come into your world and you think to yourself "how did I miss this before?!"  "WHERE have a been?"  "He/she is a genius!"  Earlier this fall I discovered:

Liesl Gibson - lordy, she creates patterns for Purl Soho and has just begun a partnership with Moda. 

Lisa at Pink Lemonade Boutique - Her purses are amazing and the sweet booth she created for a craft show, makes me so happy.

Tanya Whelan - who designs fabric for Free Spirit, one of which may make the perfect roman shade for our playroom. (see above)  If only I were brave enough to attempt a roman shade.

Just today - The Amateur Gourmet.  It seems that he is regularly on television, and he has a book, so I am clearly late to the party.  But he loves food and The View.  Oh sweet goodness.

glitter

Much to my disappointment, I don't get to see the Martha Stewart show very often.  Our local station moved her to afternoons, which doesn't really fit our schedule and when we are home, the little one has no interest in watching.  We are usually home Friday afternoons, and she was a bit more interested once she saw that Martha was making glitter pumpkins too!

A prayer of thanks

Thank you God, for people who do things that I am unable to do, like trim trees, deliver gravel, drive bobcats, install new storm doors, and bake pretzels.  May they enjoy their work and the time the spent with us today.  Amen

Inside box number one

 

In this instance, the box actually contained vintage fiestaware plates I bought on Ebay.  Most of our everyday dishes are vintage fiestaware, not the old stuff, just the really pretty shades of aqua that were retired a few years ago.  I have been collecting it for years.  Doesn't it drive you crazy when you think you know about something, and then you discover "there are fiestaware plates with AQUA DAISIES on them?!"