Tuesday Tablescape

It's always enjoyable to use my sunflower dishes this time of year. I find them so cheery!

Green glassware and linen napkins are the same hue of as on the plates.

We are appreciating a stretch of lovely autumn sunshine and very warm afternoons. You could say that rather than sweater weather, we are back to sweaty weather. 😉 Truly, though, the lack of our typical humidity makes a huge difference.

A vintage watering can filled with a seasonal arrangement was made by a friend many years ago. 

I  hope your day was cheery and sunny! 🌻

Welcome, Fall!

Even though fall is my favorite season, I am not quite ready for it. I think it's because summer seemed to fly by! Still, I prepared my front porch for the new season a few weeks ago so it was ready for the first day of fall.

Welcome, fall!

A Little Pumpkin Project

Quite some time ago, I read about a quick way to enhance an inexpensive faux pumpkin for your autumn décor. When I happened to see an endcap display of these Styrofoam pumpkins as I ran into my Dollar Tree for something, I snatched one. This seemed the way to experiment since I would only be out a dollar if it failed! 😊

 

Using any brown shade of folk art paint, you can make a pumpkin look much more realistic. In addition to the paint, you just need paper towels and a little water. Easy-peasy!

 

I had this copper paint on hand and decided to use it. With just a tiny dab on a paper towel, you rub a section at a time. Then follow that same area with a slightly dampened paper towel so that the brown paint is in thin streaks (to your liking) on the flat surfaces and remains in the crevices.

 

I lightly painted the stem with my paint and added some artificial leaves and made a pumpkin “vine” from thin wire we had in the workbench. Overall, I was happy with the quick and simple project. You are able to observe the foam texture and that does not thrill me, but it was fun to do and I will certainly use it as I decorate for fall.

 

   ‘Orange’ you glad it’s pumpkin time?

Missouria Indians

Last week we spent a few days exploring Van Meter State Park in west central Missouri. Spanning 1,105 acres, this absolutely gorgeous park is adjacent to the MO river in Saline county and contains wetlands, bottomlands, woodlands and prairies.  A very interesting cultural arts center within the park offers a great deal of Native American history.

What is now the park is known to be the earliest home of the Missouria (Missouri) Indians. The French called them Oumessourit. I took a photo of this Missouria chief from one the park's storyboards. 

They were the first known residents of the area, predating all other tribes in the general region. When the Europeans were moving westward, the Missouria were the first people they encountered.  

The canoe is on display in the center.

The name Missouria means “people of the dug-out canoes” and referred not only to the people, but later the name of both the river and our state. Thriving in what is now Van Meter State Park, the land provided everything needed. Missouria grew corn, beans and squash in the bottomlands. They hunted bison and other animals in the area and gained building materials from the woods.

A replica lodge is on display, showing how the
 interior may have looked when occupied.

Both garden and household tools were constructed by these
resourceful people.

In the early 1700s the Missouria Indians were profoundly affected by European diseases, primarily smallpox. The illnesses coupled with warfare (among other tribes) greatly reduced their population. Early on, there may have been 5,000 Missouria Indians, but the population had been reduced to 750 by the mid-1700s. By the time Lewis and Clark passed through the area in 1804, the few  remaining Missouria had joined the Otoe tribe where they continue to reside in Oklahoma. There are no full-blooded Missouria alive today, but Van Meter State Park is doing a wonderful job of telling their story.

Happy Labor Day!

 We wish you a happy and safe Labor Day weekend filled with cheery blessings!

Blooming Beauties

Happy September!  A few summer annuals are beginning to fade and so I thought this was a good time for a garden walk.

See the slender green pods on the milkweed? Before long, they will split open and spread dandelion-like seeds (at which time I plan to harvest and dry the entire pod for decorative purposes). The butterflies and I love the bright orange flowers which have graced the plant all summer. 

Rudbeckia, zinnias and snapdragons are still going strong! They make great cut flowers.

We mix annuals and perennials in some of our beds.

These two pictures were actually taken last month when the red and purple bee balm (above) and daisies (below) were in their full glory. They have now faded.

The shade gardens are still happy!

These petunias  looked mighty full and vibrant when I snapped this picture, but the late August conditions have zapped them. If you were to see the planter in person today, you would agree that they are past their prime.

Marigolds and salvia have no issues with this time of the season!

Since this picture was taken, the hydangeas have begun drying in place. In fact, it's time for me to begin snipping blossoms to use in the house.

We have many varieties of coneflowers in the yard, but I especially like this small, but mighty one which has bloomed all summer! 

The large heron (visible in the left upper corner) is a metal yard sculpture that my parents gave me many years ago. We store him over the winter months, so he has held up well.

With some extra loving care, the containers are doing pretty well. 

See the cute little bee visiting the trumpet vine flower? This plant is from a start that came from my grandparents' yard 30 years ago!

                      Have a blessed day!