Well Sugar Pies, it’s hard to believe that it’s time to say “farewell to fall”! Here in the Ozarks the color was so vibrant, so gorgeous! This is the view from my backyard. This heaven-sent, love-drenched, beautiful landscape is a reminder of God’s faithfulness and goodness. I’ve taken some time to reflect on those words “faithfulness” and “goodness”. I personally know so many people that are going through tough times, myself included. Whether it’s financial, a health issue, a relationship problem, a loss of a loved one, a bruised and broken heart…if there is one thing I know to be true, God is faithful and good! His mercies are new every morning!
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is His faithfulness;
His mercies begin afresh each morning.
Lamentations 3:22-23
“I would have lost heart had I not believed
that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13
No matter what you may be going through, please know that we have the truth and the hope that God loves us and will carry us through the hardest of times. He hears our prayers and is working “behind the scenes” to work out all things for our good. I remember when my hubby and I ran a live music theater here in Branson, Missouri, I had the opportunity to stay back-stage during one performance. What an eye opener! While the stage itself was empty, waiting for the next act, the performers back-stage were in a flurry, changing costumes, moving props, humming a tune to find the right key, rehearsing a line, fixing a broken shoe lace, getting in position to enter the stage to go on with the show. Little did the audience know all of the commotion that was being orchestrated behind the curtain. The same is true with us, the Word of God tells us that prayer changes things, (The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16) So when we pray, change begins to happen. God is orchestrating things “behind the scenes”. In His time, His plan is revealed. In the meantime we must wait with faith and a grateful heart. We need to remind ourselves that this is just a season…because of Jesus’ love for us everything is gonna be alright…the best is yet to come.
“‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future’.” Jeremiah 29:11
Even in the midst of difficult times it’s so important to stay positive, to look around and see the goodness of the Lord! Let’s not miss every day miracles! Let’s be thankful and say so! Thankfulness is the key to keeping our joy. Do we ever feel good when we are complaining? No way Ho-zay! Doing so steals our joy and the joy of those around us! That’s why the Lord tells us to guard our heart! So, do things that hug your heart! Do things that hug other peoples hearts!
I had a birthday in October and my sister-in-law Linda hugged my heart by taking me out on a junkin’ adventure! We decided to head to a darling antique shop that we’d been to a couple years ago, Pappy’s Antiques & Cakery. It was still as cute as ever! We enjoyed the farm scenes along the way as well as the junk!
We passed by this very old and chippy house and thought it was a hoot that some mama name her kid Fred-Tom! Linda and I were bantering back and forth about all the things his mama would have said to him in her southern drawl…”Fred-Tom, it’s time to come in and wash up fer supper!” …”Fred-Tom did you git yer chores done?” Lol! Then we drove a little closer and saw that the “&” had faded between “Fred” and “Tom”. Fiddles, I liked it better when we thought it was just one name! Even so, our ribs were tickled as we imagined the ordinary adventures of Fred-Tom!
We drove into the quaint little town square of Bolivar, Missouri.
We needed cake! Hooray! We got to The Country Hearth Tea-room just ten minutes before they closed for the day!
We found a few more antique shops on the way home. This is a typical scene…a pair of good ol’ boys waitin’ for their wives!
On another day, my daughter Summer and I headed to the Ozark Fall Craft fair. It was a cool crisp day and a lot of fun! She was a trooper helping me carry a few treasures home!
The leaves swirled through the air every time the wind swept through the trees. They fell and rested in a clutter of golden color.
What is fall without football games? Here’s my darlin’ Summer cheering for the Branson Pirates! I love seeing her confidence! When I was in Jr. High and High school I was too shy and a bit of a wallflower to try out for something like that!
My son J.J. came in from California for the weekend so we headed to Kansas City for the Charger/Chiefs game. Good times! Especially since the Chargers won!
My three older kids are married and have, from time to time, lived in other states (J.J. is living with his wife Tiffany in California), so it’s not often when we all can get together at once, but when it happens it’s so precious to this Mama’s heart!
I am so thankful for my family! My kids and hubby are my dreams come true! Another dream come true is that my daughter Ashley and Dusty’s wife Kimmy are both expecting again! That will make 4 grand-babies for me!
Here is a peek at my itty-bitty booth at Spring Creek Tea-room in Ozark, Missouri, all dressed up for fall…farmy style!
I found this darling little wood stove at a flea market. I tucked a string of red flickering lights inside to make it look like it had a cozy hot fire burning. On top I placed my 1803 candles with the perfect fragrance titled “Wood Stove Pie”. It also was a sweet spot to place my vintage silverware magnets.
I forgot to take photos of my booth at The Feathered Nest. If you are ever in Ozark, Missouri please stop by, the shop is a wonderland of beautiful things to cozy up your home!
I want to thank all of you who purchased my fall e-book Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides! I’m so excited to be able to share part of the proceeds with
Samaritan’s Purse (they offer relief to disaster victims all over the world and currently on the East Coast helping those affected by Hurricane Sandy) and
Feed The Children!! If you didn’t get your copy yet you still have a little time left. November 30th is the last day to purchase it. You can click the button on the banner at the top if you want one!
Well, fall flew by like a whirlwind and now can you believe Christmas is just around the corner? My amazingly talented friend
Heather Bullard (who has one of the cutest chicken coops in the world) just came out with her gorgeous and inspirational e-magazine featuring fresh and sparkling ideas for Christmas! Click
HERE if you’d like to check it out!
Photo source: unknown
I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving y’all!
It truly blesses my heart to hear from you!
Please leave a comment and say hello!
I pray for each of you by name as I read them!
God bless your darlin’ heart!
Sugar Pie hugs!
Aunt Ruthie
Yes-sir-eee! Sugar Pies!
Have I got a treat for you!
The secret is out!
I’ve been as “busy-as-a-bee in a field of clover” the last several months pouring my heart into Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides…
my new fall e-book! Woo Hoo!!!
It’s a wagon-load of fall wonderfulness!
Take a lookie at my grand-babies Kade and Johnny…the two farm-boys on the front cover!
Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides is everything I love about fall…
…the beauty!
The glory!
…the starry-eyed passion I have for gathering autumn goodness
to adorn my home and making my nest warm and cozy
before the blustery winds of winter chill the air.
Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides is a celebration of God’s blessings and goodness to us! It’s jam-packed with 96 pages of dear and sweet blessings from the Lord that are meant to warm your heart…to make it swell with thankfulness & joy and put a twinkle in your eyes. My hope is that this e-book of fall wonderfulness would make you feel delightfully and joyfully domestic as you cozy-up your home so you and your family would wholeheartedly enjoy this delicious fall season!
Throughout the book I’ve sprinkled old time photos and images…
what I call “vintage eye-candy”.
Images of the “good ol’ days” to remind us of the goodness of old fashioned fall fun…
…images that will hug your heart with the comforts of hearth and home!
Darlin’ it’s drippin’ with nostalgia like sweet golden honey from a hot buttermilk biscuit!
“As mama hens, we love that feeling of being prepared, having all of our needful provisions stocked and ready in our snug homes. And when the icy frost sparkles on our windowpanes, we’ll be simmering hearty soups, and baking old family recipes; scrumptious cookies and delicious pies to bless and nourish your family and mine.”
– Excerpt from Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides, by Aunt Ruthie
Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides is divided by chapters,
each focusing on a theme to get you down-right giddy
about celebrating this glorious time of year!
I share tips for getting your home tidy and smelling sweet to welcome your family home…
…simple and delightful decorating ideas…
…ideas for preparing for Thanksgiving Day…
I’ve also included lots of heartwarming Harvest-time quotes!
It’s chill November weather,
the firelight’s on the wall.
Home, dear home, is best of all,
Let’s thank God together.
~ Henry Alford 1850
Oh, but there’s more!
I’ve included several recipes under “The Dinner Bell” chapter… yummy fall country fixin’s! There’s not a sweeter sound on the farm than the Dinner Bell a-ringin’! It means supper is on the table and its good ‘n hot! This collection of recipes is a “cream of the crop” sampling of my home cookin’ during this chilly fall season.
- Hot ‘n’ Savory Artichoke Dip
- Mama’s Warm-Yer-Tummy Cold Day Soup
- Thanksgiving Cranberry Salad
- Sugared-Pecan Sweet Potato Bake
- Granny’s Secret Apple Pudding Cake
(That is Granny’s Secret Apple Pudding Cake, pictured above. This dreamy recipe came from an old newspaper clipping. The day I made it, my daughter and I took a bite of the sweet-warm-gooeyness and together our eyes got big-as-saucers and our mouth’s squealed! Oh. My. Goodness! I think I know why Granny kept this a secret…it’s fabulous! It’s worth getting the book just for this recipe alone!)
Also included is Grandma’s Praline Pumpkin Pie …
I can’t wait for you to see all of the ideas I’ve gathered to bless your heart!
There’s lots of family fun ideas too!
The chapters “Harvesting Joy” and “Harvesting Comfort” were meant to hug your darlin’ heart. To open your beautiful eyes to see the love that God has for you! To see and cherish His blessings. To fill your heart with thankfulness…for that is the key to joy!
“May I encourage you Sugar Pie, in the midst of the flurry of your Thanksgiving celebration that you take a minute to step back and intentionally savor the moment. By that I mean, take a minute to stop and look around you…take note of your loved ones…their faces…their smiles…the sounds…the aromas…the blessings…breathe in the beauty and the wonder of the moment. You know, each day is precious and life itself is a gift. So stop and smell the pumpkin pie…stop and listen to little girl giggles…stop and hug grandpa a little longer…stop and breathe in the sweetness of a newborn baby…stop and thank the Lord for His blessings. Let’s make sure these sweet moments of our lives don’t become just a blur when we look back, but will glimmer as treasures in our hearts.”
– Excerpt from “Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides” by Aunt Ruthie, Sugar Pie Farmhouse
I think you’ll enjoy seeing several never-before-seen- photos of my family fall memories!
I had some interesting back-in-the-day hairdo’s!! Oh dear!
Here’s what a couple of my dear friends said about Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides:
Cat from the Vintage Housewife said: “OH MY WORD!!!!!!!! I can’t hardly stand it…. This is like the biggest Christmas gift under the tree …it’s like blowin’ candles out on your Birthday cake…Good golly can you see me running all over the room clicking my heels?!!! Oh my word, could this book be any more adorable?! Um…NO! For sure it’s the most wonderful thing ever!
Melissa from Huckleberry Prairie said: “Oh my goodness, I pretty much lost my marbles for your new ebook. haha Literally. I am telling you, God has blessed you with such a beautiful gift and you are glorifying Him by sharing it with all of us. What a blessing you are! Shining like a big ol’ light on a hill… such refreshment for the soul. :) I cannot wait to blog about it, facebook, instagram, tweet… (haha!) because I think this is the very encouragement that homemakers need. In a world that likes to distract and scatter your attention every which way, minimizing the role of “homemaker” as just something you are when you aren’t busy being everything else…it is SO refreshing to be encouraged that our role as a homemaker IS important.That home is the foundation for security and comfort, love and memories…and we have the privelidge of facilitating this for our family. What an honor God has given us! Now, it certainly didn’t hurt that this ebook was full of pumpkins and pie (and pumpkin pie) and all of the goodness that Fall is. ;) All of your images alone made my soul as giddy as a schoolgirl! I really am looking forward to sharing it!”
Maryjane from The Beehive Cottage said: “Oh my, I am so excited! I am half way through reading it but had to stop for a moment to write you. I LOVE it to pieces! You never disappoint in making…being a woman, wife, mother, sister and a friend a blessing! Your uplifting words of wisdom just make ya want to be the best Mama/Grandma ever!!! Thanks for all your tips, recipes and praises to the Lord. Everything a gal needs in these times. The pictures are beautiful too!”
Lisa from The Warming House said: “Thank you for sharing your delightful new book with me! I adore the precious autumn vignettes throughout the pages of “Pumpkin Pickin’ and Hayrides.” Love the “Home Sweet Harvest Home” vignette; the vintage towel draped above the jars of beans with pumpkins on top; the clothespins hugging colorful leaves onto the line; the lantern, crow and pumpkin on the rustic table . . . and on and on. Your artwork, photos, recipes, quotes, and scripture references are absolutely charming. And, of course, I appreciate the endearing way you continue to refresh our souls with encouragement and inspiration to be better homemakers – and remind us of the significance of that essential role in our families. The warmth and coziness of this book made me want to crawl inside and live there!”
When you read Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides on your computer you’ll be able to view two pages at a time, just like a book. Each time you click the “down” arrow it will automatically switch to the next two pages.
You can also read it on your ipad or Kindle. You’ll see one page at a time but it will be crystal clear! You can also print it out if you prefer!
So Sugar Pies, pour yourself a mug of something warm and yummy to drink. Relax and settle yourself into a comfy spot as you embark on this armchair adventure filled with delightful vintage charm and old fashioned fun!
I’m so happy to tell you that a portion of the proceeds from this book will go to “Samaritans Purse” (A relief organization founded by Billy Graham’s son Franklin Graham) and “Feed The Children.” What an incredible opportunity to help support these two amazing organizations in their efforts to relieve human suffering around the world.
25% Discount to all my Sistas!
For a limited time only, I’m going to give all my Sugar Pie Sistas a 25% discount on my new eBook, Pumpkin Pickin’ & Hayrides. This discount will be available during the next 5 weeks and will expire on November 30th, 2012. To get your copy and to receive the 25% discount click here or click the giant button below. Once you’ve purchased the eBook, you’ll receive an email with all the download instructions.
Just so there’s no confusion, I want all my Sugar Pie Sistas to know that this is a PDF document that you can download, view and print on your computer. This is NOT a printed book that you’ll be receiving by mail. Due to the fact that this is a digital download, I won’t be able to accept any refunds. If you have any questions about your download you can contact my son at (auntruthie @ www.sugarpiefarmhouse.com). Understand that he has a full time job and fatherly duties. He will answer your emails as quickly as he can.
Happy Fall Y’all!
From yours truly, (and a wee bit silly!)
Aunt Ruthie
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