Welcome, glad you came to visit. Check in periodically to find out about specials at Patricia Rose, to share some herbal information I have learned about and a recipe here and there. Let's just enjoy a nice chat together. Looking forward to seeing you frequently!


Monday, October 26, 2009

Doot, doot,doot, doot, doot Out My Back Door


Sorry, gotta love Credance Clearwater! So today I am showing you out my back door. It is so beautiful right now, just have to share with you all. In addition to across the road, which is equally lovely! Don't you just love the Colors of Autumn? And isn't this just the sneakiest little segway into telling you about this week's Make Mine Pink Friday? Just so happens, this week's theme is Colors of Autumn! Ta-da! Please join Patricia Rose and all the participating Little Pink Boutiques for this fun themed shopping event.

My sons have been busy at work getting wood ready for the coming cold weather. You know what they say about heating with wood. It warms you twice - once while you're cutting it and once when you burn it.

Glad I don't have to do that any more! But I will sure appreciate their hard work in December (not that I don't now). One son managed to get a case of poison ivy that put him out of work for a few days. Have I ever mentioned to you that the best way to avoid getting and/or spreading poison ivy is to take a warm shower with liquid Dawn after you've been exposed to that rascally vine? Cuts right through the oil from the plant. If you should develop the rash, jewelweed is a great antidote to the burning and itching. You can usually find jewelweed growing fairly close to where the poison ivy is. Jewelweed has a pretty orangy-yellow flower and when it is 'ripe' and you touch it, the seed just shoots right out. You'll have to try and find it and try that next year, it's kind of funny and kids just love shooting the seeds (so do I, guess I'm still a kid at heart). Isn't it amazing that the antidote for many things are found growing right next to the offending plant?

The cold and rainy days this past week had me working in the house. I want to share this easy way to clean your silver. As I was doing it, I made myself a note to share it with you. It's non-toxic so you don't have to worry about using it on flatware or serving dishes. In a large flat bottomed pan, take a piece of aluminum foil approximately the size of the pan, crinkle it up and then open it back up again. Lay this in the bottom of the pan. Then add some water so it will cover what you want to clean. For very large pieces, you can do half of the item at a time. Now, set this on the stove until simmering (not too hot, don't want to be melting the silver), sprinkle in a teaspoon or two of cream of tartar and stir around a little. Add your silver pieces and the tarnish magically falls off your silver onto the aluminum foil. It's a truly amazing little bit of chemistry!

Have an absolutely wonderful, wonder filled week,

Hugs,

Pat

14 comments:

lisa said...

Pat

Love your pictures, gorgeous. Thanks for the silver cleaning tip too.

lisa
palepinkandroses

Carolee Crafts said...

Thank you for your tips Pat and I love your photos, I too love the autumnal colours, always think winter is the time to catch up on all that reading and stitching.

Lynette Larson - Campbell said...

Pat, I remember those great days of wood heat when we were still farming...nothing like it!

Poison Ivy cure -- I have had that too, using the "woods" as my bathroom when in the field cutting weeds out the soybeans. I will have to pass that on!

I can't wait to try your silver cleaner!

Dena said...

I love the rich, vibrant colors of fall. Our trees are filled with colors of red, orange, and gold. Of course, the ground is also becoming covered in these colors too. LOL

Marie said...

HI Pat,
What a lovely fiew you have. Love your tips. Dawn is one of my favorite products.
Marie

Susie said...

Hi Pat! Fall sure is a beauty right now. You have me excited about cleaning silver you little rascal you! I have to get cream of tartar first. I have a bowl that needs a good shining up. Stay tuned...
Susie
The Polka Dot Rose

Tedi said...

Yep, I love your fall colors too! I grew up in poison ivy. Thankfully, I could roll around in it naked and not get it. Wonder if that still applies now that I'm older? Love the Dawn tip,thank you! Hugs, Tedi
www.PetiteBookstore.com/blog

Miniature Patisserie Chef said...

Hi Pat,

Thanks for sharing those wonderful pics of your backyard, the view and scenary is so beautiful, and I wished I could be there to see!! I hope you get lots of wood ready for the winter!

Have a great week!

Pei Li

gail said...

Hi Pat,, I love your photos. Its so nice to see the pretty fall weather and colors. We dont have that here. So thanks for sharing:) I cant wait to try that silver polish! Just what I like,,,,easy !
Have a great week, enjoy the gorgeous colors of fall. (()) gail

Francie...The Scented Cottage Studio said...

It IS beautiful out your back door ! and Creedence was one of my very favorites, along with the Eagles.

Ah Poison Ivy (every hear that song?)
do you know that goats loove to eat it?

(())

Cathy said...

Hi Pat,

You are so right girlfriend. Always gotta have glitter. I even have it stuck to my underwear. lol

Hope all is going well. The season is approaching fast. OMG!!!!!! I can't believe how fast our "non-summer" went by. Rain, rain, cloudy and rain. As a matter of fact, it's pouring out right now. What else is new?

xo Cath

Anonymous said...

Great silver tip Pat. I was delighted you visited The Vintage Nest blog. Your comment came in just as I was sitting here at the computer admiring the gorgeous fall day outside. The leaves are just swirling and dancing and skittering along the ground. And it's a pretty sunny and warm day after fours days of cold and rain. We have tons of poison ivy around here. Some of it is even growing in the gutters. I guess from seeds the birds drop. But I never heard of the jewel thing. I will make a point of looking for it. Hope you are having a super great day. xo Lynn

Carolyn Kocman said...

wow...that IS interesting, hon. i'll have to try that sometime.

it's great to see the colors of fall...which is, btw, my favorite season. i hope you are enjoying!

carolyn
theoddsparrow.com

Amore Artisan Boutique said...

I love that song and your backyard is beautiful I love this time of year the colors are unbelieveable!
hugs sassy gail