Smokey Mountain Eye Candy

My mission today is to document some of the fall decorations around our favorite getaway vacation spot.  And don't worry....this message will not self-destruct. 

Scarecrows are everywhere and just like we human folk, they come in every shape and size.

Check out these scarecrows at the Dixie Stampede....I love the horses...If  they get hungry, they can just take a bite of each other.

My man, Mike has been a great sport all day by stopping everytime I yell that I need a picture.  It's time to feed him...he loves wings and this place has some really yummy ones...so, in we go. 

Go Vols....these scarecrows know how to stay true to Rocky Top.

What is not to love about fall?????

This pumpkin is huge....the farmer had to build scaffolds in order to tend it.

More travel pictures tomorrow.  It will be shopping day and a visit to The Incredible Christmas Place.

All the best,

Have Laptop Will Travel and Blog

The Man and I are on the road and headed to our favorite getaway in Pigeon Forge.  Now that I have a laptop, I will be able to post on the go.  I'll provide some eye candy as the town is decorated for Fall , from what I hear and there are a couple of "dish barns". 

All the best,

Tex Mex Stew

This dish is quick, hearty and delicious and is made from items you most likely have on hand.  Give it a try.

Tex Mex Stew
1.5 lb ground chuck
1 cup rough chopped green and red bell pepper
1 15 oz can black beans, drained
1 4 oz can green chilies
1 11oz can corn nibblets, drained
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 packet onion soup mix
2 1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp ground Cumin
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp salt
In large dutch oven or stock pot, brown and drain ground chuck.  Add peppers, beans, corn, chilies, soup mix, 2 cups water, cumin, salt, oregano and cayenne.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir in 1/4 cup water mixed with 2 Tbsp flour and add to your pot.  Simmer additional 15 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips and top with cheese, green onions and/or sour creme. 

All the best,

Witchy Weekender

I just received my invitation to the "What Makes A Witch Wicked Conference 2009' being held at the Double Bubble Toil and Trouble Bed and Breakfast in Salem.  I'm so excited....got to pull out my luggage and get my packing done.  These just won't do...a wave of my wand will fix these plain and dull bags.

Let me see - Eye of bat, sweat of a crowd.  Transform this luggage and make me proud. 

POOF!!

Much better....

Spiders are a Hag's best friend.

I couldn't resist a little self-portrait.....That should knock old Cordella the Crone off her throne....She really thinks she is so hot, just because she won last years Cackle Karoke Contest.  Wasn't it just amazing how her cackle was not in sync with her lip movement.....I'm just saying.

I'll need my formal robes for the Freaks Are Divine Fashion Show and my pillow as I really detest sleeping on a hotel pillow...they just don't have enough bugs and worms and I can't get my ugly rest.  I also need my facial cream, specially formulated with blackhead blobs and sunblock with an SPF of minus 1000.  A gal can never be to safe when it comes to the sun and this should keep my complexion tough and leathery (just the way my boyfriend, Evil Edwardo, likes it).  A little secret that I'll share with you here, I call him E to the Second Power, if you know what I mean. 

I'll need my spellbook and skull for the Bag of Bones Potion Trials and my leggings for the Knobby Knees Are You Beauty Contest. 

I hope I've packed everything....I don't want to be low witch on the totem pole this year. 

Double checking my list to make sure that I have everything.  E to the Second Power told me to be my ugly, rude and obnoxious self and everyone will hate me, just like he does...he is so putrid, isn't he and it's good advice that I will try to follow.  I think I'm ready to load up the broom and wait till Midnight to head out for a horrible week of agony and despair...I can't wait!!

I'm linking to Shocking Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for her Met Monday party.  Go over and check out all the ghastly things that other creatures have conjured up.   Have a nasty and disgusting time, won't you. 

All the best,

Happy Fall Ya'll

The frost will soon be on the Pumpkin

Hope everyone is enjoying this first day of Fall. 

I have not yet gotten out most of my Fall and Halloween decorations.  I have a few things decorated around the home.

I recently purchased these florals and have not yet determined where I will need them.

Here is where my decorations are currently residing....This weekend, I'll have the hubs start pulling down boxes and the decorating will begin in earnest.

Still working on my Halloween suitcase stack....I might actually be able to finish them up tonight.

I love the use of the check and stripes in Halloween colors used in this display and the stack of fruit in the tiered bowls.

All the best,

Fall Is Now Boarding On Here I Come Ready or Not Airlines...And a Project Update

The clouds continue to weep on this last day of summer.  Looking out my backdoor this morning, I noticed how quickly the leaves are changing on this Sweet Gum tree.

One of my Crepe Myrtles is also looking a little less green.

Can you see the leaves on the ground already.  My husband is going to have fun this Fall, keeping all the leaves cleaned up...it is definetly a full time job for him every year.

Fall has boarded the plane and arrival time is 12:00am....hold on to your hats.

I did not have as much time to paint this weekend as I had hoped....the call of the Grandbabes is too much for this ole girl to resist.  I did get my black basecoat on all 3 suitcases and some of my next coat on 2.

The large one is definetly in need of a couple more coats....the hard thing about painting is that the paint has to dry...and when you want to get on with it, how aggravating is that?  Maybe I will be able to get super busy and complete these after work tonight so that I can show you how they turn out....As long as the Grandbabes don't call out to Jammi, we might get something going here. 

All the best,

Brilliant Idea is Forming

It's still a rainy day here in the South....I'm not complaining. I'm actually one of the small number of people who actually love rain. We have had rain every day this week. As a result of the rain today, Alden's soccer game was cancelled. My daughter Tiffany has a sales party coming up later today, so I'm finding myself in that in-between situation where you don't really have time to do anything before you have to go do something else.

What to do...what to do....catch up on blogging of course and getting used to my new laptop. I finally had to replace my old faithful desktop...she has been trying to die for a few weeks now, so I decided to go with a peaceful putdown.

Reading through posts from old and new alike, there is a lot of inspiration bouncing around out there inBlogland. I'm looking at my stash and thinking what can I create and I'm thinking Fall and Halloween and looking at these........

Yes, I can see the idea forming now. Even witches, ghosts and goblins have to travel don't they?? More to come.

All the best,

FREE BOOKS for Thrifty Thursday

Not the usual Thrifty Thursday post, but if you like to read and/or you are addicted to the series Romances, Harlequin is offering free eBooks that you can download here. There are 16 title across their various genres to choose from, you can download 1 or all 16.

Did I mention these are Free...if you download all 16, that's a value of $60.

Join Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for other Thrifty Thursday finds.

All the best,

Chocolate Deliciousness

Updating post to add to Foodie Friday. Thanks to Gollum for hosting and you can find other great recipes on her post located here. This recipe is for a delicious chocolate cake , made simple by the use of a boxed cake mix.



Oreo Cookie Cake

1 pkg Chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients as directed on the package)
1 8oz pkg cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups thawed Cool Whip whipped topping
12 Oreo Cookies, crushed
1/2 stick butter, softened
3 Tbsp Cocoa
2 cups confectioner sugar
3-4 Tbsp Heavy cream

Bake cake according to package direction, in 2 - 9 inch cake pans. Cool completely.

Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until blended. Gently fold in cool whip and crushed cookies. Stack cake layer on plate and cover with cream cheese mixture. Place second cake layer on top and with broad knife, smooth cream cheese frosting around the edges of the cake.

Beat softened butter, cocoa, and about half the confectioner sugar and heavy cream. Add remaining confectioner sugar and enough cream for the right consistency on the frosting...need a good stiff frosting. Cover top of cake with chocolate frosting.

Store cake in refrigerator. Makes 16 servings



All the best,

It's a Cloche Party at Marty's

I'm joining the cloche party at A Stroll Through Life. Thanks to Marty for hosting such a fun event and please check out the other beautiful cloches here. Since both myself and my computer have been under the weather for the past few weeks, I did not have time to get all my Fall and Halloween decorations out, so I'm displaying what I could get to easily. Enjoy.

A large clear jar keeps towels close at hand.

Jump in the Haunted Taxi and take a ride to the Halloween Fall Festival.

A quick, easy and inexpensive way to add color to your display....shredded tissue paper displayed in beautiful apothecary jars.

You can't truly celebrate Fall without at least one Sunflower.

I love the cloche displayed on a bright yellow plate....looks like a big ole Harvest Moon.

See my little bee. Isn't he cute.

Hurricanes filled with Fall goodness and used in a Halloween display from years past.

Fall yummies

Thanks for visiting. It was a hoot having you!!

All the best,