Sunday mornings at home
Happy Sunday, all! Welcome to Sunday Mornings at Home…a lifestyle post of this and that.
Today let’s call Sunday Mornings at Home…Fall is in the air!
Even in south Texas…fall is in the air. I have to laugh that we get so excited over temps dropping to the low 90s!
But, I think we lived so long in triple digit heat that this is amazing. Mornings have actually felt cool this past week and raindrops did fall.
So, since fall is in the air, allow me to show you how I began to celebrate it further this week.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: LITTLE TOUCHES OF FALL
This week I added more little touches of fall.
For morning errands, I began to wear a light weight blazer with my jeans, and loved adding my gold rhinestone brooch.
I think it is great that all ages of women seem to love brooches. In the past, it was considered an accessory for older women…now even 20-somethings like to add several brooches to a look.
But, it is this mirror that I really want to discuss on Sunday mornings at home…because it fits alongside the Friday Post, 4 WAYS TO COMBAT INVISIBILITY AFTER RETIREMENT.
I have been looking for a long time for what I wanted to put on this wall to upgrade the look of our entry way.
When I saw this mirror at Magnolia, the Archer Metal Framed Mirror, I immediately thought it would work for what I desired to accomplish with this wall.
I liked it, but Mr. B did not …his reason?…”I don’t want to see that much of me?” He confessed that as he ages he is beginning to hate mirrors.
I understand. I have been there. But, finally reached a point where I saw the danger of looking into mirrors with negativity and the mental games it takes me into that are not healthy.
So now, I look into this mirror and ask if my outfit communicates my messages…and then go out with a smile.
I am looking forward to Christmas lights reflecting in this mirror…this little touch brings me joy and I hope some day it will for him as well.
Don’t give the mirror the power to ruin your life.
(And yes, that is my one gold pumpkin!)
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: FALL IN THE KITCHEN
Since fall is in the air, it is definitely in my kitchen.
Last year, I decided to start making my own pumpkin spice concoction…especially, since I cook often with pumpkin.
This year, I am trying a different recipe because I like the addition of the black pepper to it…it really makes great flavor.
.
This is so easy…3 tablespoons of cinnamon ( I like the intensity of Saigon Cinnamon); 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg; 1 teaspoon cloves; 1 teaspoon allspice; and….
A pinch of black pepper.
The actual recipe is HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE.
Pumpkin scones are in my future.
Mr. B was gone for eight days to England, so I gave myself a challenge to only eat what was on hand either in the pantry or refrigerator
It was a fun challenge and I was able to get pretty creative. But this picture is a simple one.
I take a can of pinto beans and add FIESTA PINTO BEAN SEASONING…which is so good and makes a huge difference in pinto beans.
I took a cornbread mix and added some chopped Hatch chilis and a dash of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: FALL DECOR COMPLETE
I completed decorating my home for fall and it feels so cozy and warm. Love it!
In the middle of these pumpkins, I have been adding a pile of acorns I gather on neighborhood walks.
Love combining the faux outdoors with the real outdoors.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: FALL OUT THE DOOR
That hint of fall in the air got me out and about in many ways this week.
I discovered this colorful leaf on my walk with Tux…it just shown in the grass.
And on one of those walks, I heard hoofbeats behind us…and a doe came running by.
I think she was enjoying the hint of fall as well.
Then I headed over to a nearby nursery and purchased a few plants.
It has been awhile that I was motivated to get outside and plant something…because now I know It will live for awhile.
I also decorated our upstairs balcony…because it is time to enjoy again.
That balcony does receive full sun in the afternoons, so these three plants are fake…but they look good.
Most of you know that fall and Christmas time are my favorite times of the year…loving it all.
Speaking of Christmas, the new gingerbread collection at Pottery Barn is sooooo cute and fun.
Let’s end today with more fun…a few seasonal brooches I found online in a slideshow…little touches of fall…
We are celebrating with family at lunch today. Celebrating Mr. B’s big trail run in England…quite an accomplishment…hope your day is also full of joy!
I have so much fashion fun for you this week…hope you join along…thanks for being here for Sunday Mornings at Home….
KEEP SMILING!!
SHOPPING NOTE: JC PENNEY’S HAS A FALL FASHION SALE IN PROGRESS THROUGH THE END OF TODAY (AND LIZ CLAIBORNE IS 40% OFF)
By Pamela Lutrell
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A quick good morning, and I enjoyed the entire post. How much fun to celebrate Mr B’s success. Plus, he arrived home to his lovely house that had changed seasons. My mom always had a mirror by the front door, and I carried on that tradition in each house that we have had. It is handy for a quick check when either I am on my way out or answering the bell. Plus it reminds me to smile. I keep a lipstick tucked away under mine!
Good idea…I will tuck away lipstick in that top drawer today, Deborah! I hope you had a joyful birthday weekend! One of the first things my husband said when he walked in was…this is a different house! I love this time of year.
Your Sunday mornings are like a warm hug…and now flavored with pumpkin spice aroma! I will be making that “recipe” and giving some to each daughter-in-law who is a big pumpkin spice enthusiast. When you show us recipes that you have created or simply added ingredients to, I’m always impressed. With my chemistry background I suppose I think of following recipes as if I were doing an experiment…which essentially cooking is! I’m so careful to follow exactly, and rarely ever deviate or add anything on my own. Yes, we have that touch of fall with slight drops in temperatures here in South Georgia so we too are feeling more energized to get out and enjoy nature. Hope your family has a wonderful time of celebrating Mr. B’s accomplishments.
I love that Sunday mornings are like a warm hug, Celia! In my style choices and with cooking, I love to experiment and embellish. I rarely follow recipes exactly, but always find myself adding a little touch of something else. I wanted to share this one because the black pepper is not found other places and Sally is right that it brings out the other spice flavors. Happy Sunday!
A happy Sunday to you too, Pam! It’s cool and fall-like here too and I just completed a two mile walk. Its been a couple of months since I’ve ventured out that far ( no humidity!) Yay! I’ll be back at it every day working up to my previous 3 miles, hopefully.
Hurricane Lee brought a bit of rain and wind but nothing we Southern New England coastal states can’t handle. Feeling fortunate!
Your home is lovely all decorated for fall which reminds me I owe our local nursery a visit! Time to change!
Fall is definitely in the air! I’m loving the cooler nights with windows open. I am on day 2 of putting away summer and getting out my fall decor. I love the idea of picking up acorns and incorporating them with the faux items…great tip! I will be searching for some when I’m walking. Not sure how long it typically takes others to get their fall decor out and on display but this year it seems to be taking me forever. But following your suggestion I’m savoring it and trying to make it fun and not a chore! Your positive attitude about everything always gives me a lift!
Happy Sunday!
Linda
I understand about “fall”, here in Tampa we get excited about the high 80s!!!
Pam, I always look forward to your Sunday Mornings post. I get so many good ideas from it. Definitely going to make the spice mix.
I like the mirror it is a good idea and looks very nice. The mirror needs to be our friend.
Happy Sunday to you too, Pam. Its been raining steadily here since the middle on the night so I’m actually wearing a sweater for the first time in many months. Your home looks beautiful, warm and inviting. Perfect for today’s welcome home family gathering. I’ve just begun my fall decorating with my glass pumpkins on the mantle. When the rain stops I’ll take down the summer wreaths that flank the front door and replace with the autumn wreaths. A wren made a nest in one of the summer wreaths and I hope I can keep it intact. I’ve always had a mirror in my entry. Thank you Deborah for the suggestion to keep lipstick in a drawer there. Good time to clean the drawers! I haven’t worn a brooch in decades but I’ll be wearing blazers again this year so its something to consider. Looking forward to more fall fashion styling ideas. BTW, the brown ruched sleeve blazer is perfect!
Yes! Time to change…and I am so envious of your 2 mile run. I so hope this foot surgery can get on the calendar soon and I can get back at it. Thanks Paulette…enjoy the nursery visit.
Happy to bring the encouragement…I love these decorations so much that I want them up as long as possible. Christmas usually goes up after the big Thanksgiving meal. Fall decor is so cozy even in warm climates.
I will take those 80s….hope to see them soon.
Yes it does and we need to treat it as if it is our friend. Everyone here is a blessed creation made by God!
I did not mention brooches on Etsy, but there are lovely ones there and also at Kohls.
Happy Sunday, Pam. Thanks for the beautiful post. A mirror by the door reflects the entry and is like a welcome to your home. I love brooches. They add personality and pizzazz to an outfit. I have a few of my mother’s, and one my daughter gave me for Mother’s day when she was 5. Very special.
I have had other women share with me their stories behind brooches…there always seems to be special ones. Thanks Marcia.
Going to mix up a batch of your spices today. Around here we like to let a block of cream cheese come to room temp, then whir it up in the mixer with several tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice, and squeeze a mandarin’s juice in to thin slightly. This makes a delicious spread to set out with apple slices, carrot sticks, and wheat thin crackers.
I love to wear a cluster of brooches, and also pin them to my sleeves at times (cuff or shoulder area). I used to pin a dragonfly one to the back of my shoulder as if it were landing on me. I will have to try that again. That pumpkin pie spice looks great. I too make my own, and add it to my coffee along with some fat free half and half and some stevia. It’s a great fall treat.
Thanks for sharing your coffee, Linda. I also like the Plant Based Coffeemate caramel with the pumpkin spice in it!
I have several brooches and almost never wear them. This post is a good reminder to take fresh stock of what I have. I had planned doing fall decorating, but on Friday we took a long walk with my daughter and her dog. At the very end, the dog lunged at another one, hit me, and I broke my ankle. NOT the way I’d planned to spend the next several weeks. Such is life, I guess. Anyway, I’m enjoying your decor vicariously. Happy Sunday.
Noooooooo….I am so sorry, Maeve. I hate to hear this, but don’t let it rob your fall joy. I understand the discouragement…I will know this week about my surgery time…we may have legs up together.
So enjoy your Sunday at Home posts. A mommy and baby deer greeted me this week when I was walking early week, I even got a picture of them, such fun. I’ll be using your recipe for the pumpkin pie spice mix. Thanks and blessings
Love your posts and love fall
Trying to eat healthier and watching this series called the healing kitchen
Got the fall decor out and love seeing yours . Wouldn’t it be great if we could each share a pix of fall in our hiome or area . Thanks for your uplifting posts . Hope your hubby enjoyed England . its such a lovely country . .
Pamela, you look wonderful in the mirror!! Always good for that last glance before you go out the door.. I have a small three door chest in my entry. I keep last minute lipstick, perfume and the other two drawers hold scarves. and gloves…I’m going to dig out my brooches, and start wearing a few…they do make a blazer pop. Congrats to Mr. B, wishing you a wonderful week ahead…
I simply adore the picture of the first orange pumkin with the beautiful gold vine pattern!!!
I’ve been sick for several days so I’m catching up today on several days of your posts, which is a real treat. I love your Sunday musings and today’s edition is no exception. You’ve reminded me that I still need to find a mirror for my entry hall, and that I need to finish the fall decorating I began last week. You’ve also given me a great idea for how to use some fancy cinnamon I recently received as a gift. Hope your family celebration of Mr. B’s huge accomplishment leaves him feeling as loved and respected as I know he is in your family! As a foot surgery survivor, I understand how hard the waiting for scheduling can be. Mine was postponed several times due to COVID. I hope it’s soon behind you so you can regain full mobility before the Christmas season!
I would add mace and just a bit of cardamom — Swedish ancestry perhaps!
Pam, that pumpkin in the first picture is exquisite! Where did you find it? You may have mentioned and I just missed it, but it’s so pretty that I had to ask.
Hi Yvette, sorry for the late response…I am pretty sure I found it at Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago. I was not looking to add another pumpkin, but that one just captured me.
Thanks for the suggestions, Lois.
I am so sorry you have been sick and hope you are on the road to recovery now!
I like how you make your own spice mixes. I do too. The current one I’m using is apple pie spice. I add to our morning oatmeal or quinoa while it’s cooking. Then, top the oatmeal with toasted pecans and thinly sliced apple. I also use it in muffins, scones and apple crisp. I prefer to buy whole nutmeg and grate it on a microplane. It improves the flavour a great deal! When the nut gets too small to grate, I put it in my potpourri burner, along with cinnamon, cloves, etc.
Hi Carolynn, I just began to grate the nutmeg. Love enriching the flavors. Would you email me you apple pie spice combo? And my I share it with the other readers…even better send a picture of the spice combo along with it to over50feeling40@gmail.com. I love to share reader recipes!