Barn Chicks Meeting This Friday...

Everyone had sooo much fun at the first Barn Chicks Party that cute Karen, (who I have named the Barn Chicks Queen), hosted at Brayton Homestead Interiors, that she is hosting another Barn Chicks Meeting... this time it's all about beautiful barns, apples, apple recipes and Autumn...


Hope you will join us... it's going to be so much fun!... xoxo

It's a Good Thing! ...

I LOVE Autumn and I LOVE Halloween...I start decorating early for both, as they seem to come and go sooo fast!... today I bought this wonderful new magazine by Martha Stewart called the Best of Martha Stewart Halloween Handbook... I save all of my October issues of Martha Stewart as I think she puts out one of the best Halloween inspired magazines of all, and many of her fun decorations are available at crafts stores locally...


So, it's a rainy, dark and stormy night here tonight... perfect for sipping on something yummy to drink and seeing what is in store this Halloween... Martha Stewart Halloween Handbook... It's a good thing!... (Sorry Martha, I just HAD to say that! You don't OWN that or anything... do you???)... I'm just certain she follows my blog... tee hee hee!... xoxo

Autumn Bliss... My Vintage Victoria Magazines...

There are so many beautiful magazines out there these days, but I must admit, my very favorite magazine of all time is Victoria...especially the original Victoria. I am thrilled that it is once again being published, however there is just a certain charm about the original ones... I remember the day I purchased my very first Victoria... the Premier Issue in Spring of 1987...I thought surely this magazine was written just for me... I fell in love with it, and took hours pouring over each page, cup of coffee close at hand... through the years, I continued to subscribe and to this day, have ALL Victoria Magazines, both the original and the newer ones, with the exception of just a few... I had them all at one time but apparently loaned several out and did not receive them back... I am determined to obtain those few missing copies one day...perhaps at an estate sale or online... I obtained an additional copy of the Premier Issue several years ago in a junk shop for a mere $2.00!... I thought it might be fun if I showed some photos from some of the September issues from years past...

I reached into my stash and picked a few of my very favorites... here is September 1989...



September 1990...




September 1993...






September 1996...





I love to bring out past issues for the current month of the year, and reminisce with all of the beautiful photographs and enchanting articles... what I find is that Victoria never followed fads or trends... all of these old magazines feature classic furnishings, clothing, gardens, recipes, beauty tips and more that are just as relevant and lovely today as they were back when...I love that they featured the finer things in life, like the art of a beautifully handwritten letter, homes filled with memories, flowering friendships that last a lifetime...and finding the quiet center of one's life... I read one of my favorite quotes for the first time in one of these old Victorias... "Because Nice Matters"... it still does... xoxo

Homemade Applesauce...

Autumn is my favorite time of year for making yummy things to eat... one of them is applesauce... here is a no~fail recipe from one of my favorite Autumn cookbooks I use that is super yummy!...

4 lbs tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1/3 cup granulated sugar
grated rind of 2 lemons
grated rind of 2 oranges
juice of 1 orange

Put the apples into a heavy pan with a little water. Cook over a gentle heat until soft and mushy. Mash to a smooth pulp. Add the sugar, grated rinds and orange juice and continue to cook, stirring until the sauce is smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Makes 4 1/4 cups. We love to eat it with a toasted English muffin!... xoxo

Do You Love Apples Like I Do?... and Yummy Apple Recipes?...

Who doesn't love apples! I don't know anyone who doesn't... and as Fall is nearing, soon yummy apples will be everywhere!... Karen, my friend at Brayton Homestead Interiors, who I have named the Barn Chick Queen, and who hosted our recent Barn Chicks Party post is up to something fun again!... we all had such a marvelous time at the Barn Chicks party, Karen is setting up monthly meetings... alot of the ladies, including myself have already signed up... the next meeting (post) will be Friday, September 3rd, and the theme this time is "Barns and Apples"... everyone will be posting more of their favorite barns, apples of all sorts, and LOTS of yummy recipes using apples... what could be more fun!...(this is my favorite little fruit and veggie stand in the photo below... I can walk to it!)...

So, git out your boots... I shall wear my black ones this time I do believe...

And put on your hat...


And join the party!... you don't have to post a barn, maybe just your favorite apple recipe, or apple collectibles or such... hmmm... I am already thinking about MY favorite apple recipes and can't wait to share them with y'all!... Be sure to sign up on Karen's blog (linked above) for another fun day in the country!... xoxo Barn Chick Julie Marie

Blissful Lingering Days of Summer... and Gifts From the Heart...

This darling little Native American handcarved burnished cedar bear is a gift to me from my niece Liz... in Native American belief, the bear is a symbol of strength...isn't that the cutest little bear face you ever saw?... thanks Liz!... I love him!...and I know he will help me keep getting my strength back!...

As the days of summer are waning I am savoring every moment of the sunshine and blue skies... my flowerbeds are in a state of change themselves... summer blooms are beginning to fade as Autumn's Chrysanthemums are covered in rusty~orange buds, just waiting to burst open in a glorious Fall display...subtle changes are everywhere... like many of you, Autumn is my very favorite time of year...so many beautiful things to look forward to... and so many wonderful friends to be thankful for... today I received several packages delivered to me... the first one was from my dear friend Celeste of Celestina Marie Designs... I have posted often, most recently in my Barn Chicks Party post, about "my" barn... (it's not really mine, but I pretend it is! We walk past it each morning on our Nature walk)... Talented Celeste took an image of my photo of "my" barn and created the most stunning heart~shaped treasure box for me...all hand~painted with gorgeous leaves and vines and apples in front... I am overwhelmed!... Celeste created this just for ME!... knowing how much I love this old barn, and how much I also love her creations!...Karen, who hosted our Barn Chicks Party, is having another Barn Chicks meeting post coming up on September 3rd, all about Barns and Apples... I can't wait to show off my exquisite treasure box in that post as well!...

Celeste also sent me a pretty card by my favorite Nature artist, Marjolein Bastin, a wonderful little book entitled "Words to Warm a Woman's Heart", this darling little birdie demitasse set...

a beautiful silk bouquet, with a little tag that even has "my" barn on it...thank you so much Celeste... I am truly speechless...

I also received a package from another dear friend, Tracie at My Petite Maison... Tracie sent me the most wonderful book called "The Heirloom Tomato Cookbook"... Tracie and I both love yummy fresh vegetables and healthy food and I can't wait to try some of the recipes... the book is also full of wonderful photographs, gardening tips, wine pairings and tomato lore... one of the little presents said "For Julie and Jack" and inside was this fabulous cd called "Music for Two Hearts" that is from a winery she used to work at... I can't wait to play it!...

And knowing I am French, and loving EVERYTHING French, dear Tracie sent me this beautiful little Virgin Mary from France...oh Tracie, this is so very dear to me and I shall cherish it always... Tracie is one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met, like Celeste, and they are always thinking of others...Merci to you too sweet Zeke!... and big doggie kisses!...

Fairly recently I met another new friend, Sheila from Blessed and Distressed...I found Sheila's blog through Kelly's blog at Farmstead Lifestyle when I bought my gorgeous vintage white cowgirl boots... Sheila gives classes at some of the workshops at the Farm... I ordered one of her beautiful "Faith" stamped metal art pieces that she was doing an upcoming class on... when it arrived, I was so excited, it is gorgeous!... Sheila sent me some wonderful little gifts as well... vintage seed packets, vintage Bingo card, vintage lace, and beautiful beaded earrings she created... thank you so much Sheila!... you are so kind...and I love everything...

All of these gifts came to me straight from the heart of these caring ladies and I love you all!... I am doing much better after my surgery and getting back to my old self...Merci! for all of my get~well wishes and gifts!... xoxo

Ooh la la !... Madeleine L'Amour...

Bonjour!... I am so excited to tell you all about a beautiful new shop that will be opening soon... right here in my little town of Centerville!... close enough for me to walk to!... (I shall, however, take my SUV most days, plenty of room for carrying home all of my tresors I plan on purchasing!)...Madeleine L'Amour is the dream creation of two dear friends of mine, Jeni and her mom Elaine...Jeni and Elaine have the most exquisite taste, as you can see in the little peek inside their boutique below... each time I have gone to Jeni or Elaine's homes, I feel like I am in a magical fairyland... everything is dreamy and romantic, with vintage and French touches everywhere... just like the tresors they will feature in their shop...

Besides having their shop in Centerville, they will also have an online boutique featuring the same gorgeous items... I am so happy it is all coming together for them, and can't wait for Madeleine to open... I hope you will visit their blog as they prepare to offer you the most exquisite gifts from around the world... please tell them Julie Marie sent you!...

I also want to say "Merci !" to Jeni and Elaine for the beautiful soft, cozy comfy throw they brought for me yesterday to snuggle in while I am recuperating... I love it ladies!... I wish you the very best on your exciting new venture!... xoxo

Thank~you's are in order...

So many thank~you's I need to say... Filly and Ellie, thank you so much for the sweet card and my adorable "Happy Bear"... he looks so cute on my Nature shelf!...

Jill... thank you and Wes for the pretty card and for my beautiful mustard seed "Faith" pendant... I love it, and will cherish it always... just like I cherish my precious family...


I love you all... xoxo

Sincere Pumpkin Patch...

Took a little shorter version of our walk today, and spotted this beauty in a wonderful vegetable garden down the lane...

Love the sights of Fall approaching! ... xoxo

Feeling grateful... thinking positive... and looking forward to Autumn...

Hello, I have missed visiting you all... today is the first day in well over a week that I am finally feeling a bit better... I don't want to go into all of the details of my surgery, (who wants to hear all that? I don't!) so will just say it has been a LONG week for me... I am not one to lay around and let others wait on me... but have had to... so, today I am feeling grateful... grateful to God and my guardian angels... to everyone... all of you for your nice emails, comments, thoughts and prayers... my family for taking care of me and never once complaining... I am grateful to the doctors and nurses who took care of me in the hospital, well, except for ONE... she would have made a better prison warden than nurse, but, hey, I will still say something grateful about her... I am grateful she did not have to come home with me and be my nurse! tee hee hee (who would have thought asking for a banana in the hospital was a big deal???)... I am thinking positive about getting better and telling myself my next visit with my doctor will be a good one and he will tell me how to better take care of myself so I don't go through this again... I eat healthy, don't smoke or drink, and I walk so much every day... not sure what more I can do, but I am sure I can make some positive changes for the better...

With that said, the other thing on my mind today is Autumn approaching... Fall is my very favorite time of year and I am excited for it... the photo is of my Honeycrisp apples from last Fall that will arrive shortly at my little fruit stand down the lane... they are just the yummiest ever and make the best pies!... I love the colors of Autumn, and always love to decorate with Nature's bounty, including pumpkins, Indian corn, gourds and such... the air is just crisper in Autumn and the sun's rays seem to have a magical glow about them... Jack and I call it "sweatshirt weather" when the cool morning air on our walks is perfect for a cozy sweatshirt or sweater... I love the smell of woodburning stoves filling the air... my little summer Hummingbirds will be leaving in a few weeks for their long journey South for the winter... I will say a little prayer for their safe return and blow them a kiss goodbye till next Spring... my winter birds will begin to arrive who I love so much too, and our beautiful Bald Eagles will once again migrate back to the Farmington Bay in the Great Salt Lake close by...I feel like today is sort of a new beginning for me in a lot of ways... for these things and more, I am grateful... xoxo

And the greatest is love...

My niece Filly, my sister Jill, and my niece Liz... my real life guardian angels... today I got to come home from the hospital, still in pain and still really nauseated... these three never left my side... my two "nurses" Filly and Liz attended to my every need, and my sister gave me so much moral support... like only a sister can do...and my darling brother~in~law Wes (Jill's husband) who I adore, came up to be with me as well... I am blessed with the most wonderful family in the whole world!... Jack was there the whole time too, of course... I have not slept in four days, other than the sedation, which was really not a good sleep... so I will just do a short little post for now...

I know my sister and the girls and Wes and Jack know how much I appreciate everything they do for me, but I want the whole world to know how much I love them!... I am also so appreciative of all of you ladies, and your comments, thoughts, prayers and support... my doctor said it would be "a walk in the park"... not sure what park he was talking about, but I don't want to go back there... turned out to be alot more involved that he first thought, and I have alot of healing to do... those of you who have had a kidney stone know about the pain... mine was a 6.6 stone (sounds like an earthquake, huh?) which is really large and had to be blasted... ladies, it was not fun... I was supposed to go home early yesterday, but well, you don't always get what you want... in re~reading this post, it sounds like I am rambling some, don't do well being on any meds... so I will close for now and just say thank you so much to everyone! xoxo Now Jack has the fun job of taking care of me at home...(I am not a very good patient!)...Sorry Jack! ... xoxo

This wasn't what I had planned for this week...

I had alot of fun things planned for this week, but going into the hospital for surgery tomorrow was not one of them... I spent most of the day yesterday and way into the night in the emergency room for a kidney stone... they doped me up and sent me home, said they hoped it would pass... but to see my urologist...

Turns out it is huge and will not pass on it's own, so I am set for surgery first thing tomorrow morning...I am not ashamed to say I am scared... I have never been put out, so I am not sure what they will let me wear, but I want to wear something that belonged to my mama and daddy, my guardian angels... I know they will be there with me...sorry I can't go shopping with you on Friday like we planned Jill... but we will go as soon as I can!... talk to you all soon... xoxo