Fall Has Arrived!

It's here! You can feel it can't you? There is a nip in the air a cool crisp feeling!  The chickens are roosting earlier, the dog is bedding down earlier snuggling with the cat more and even the cat is out exploring earlier in the night in search of who knows what. While he is away the 'possum' will play and eat all of the food!

Speaking of food do you bake during warmer weather?  I do but my grandmothers didn't they would save most of their baking until cooler weather. Fall and Winter were the main baking times. It was probably because they didn't have central air conditioning and had to keep their homes cooler. I guess the cooler weather does make one want to bake for the warmth anyway. I felt like a chocolate cake the other day and it was good.

What are you up too in the cooler weather? Today I am sharing fall in photographs.

Tomato Pie

Today I'm sharing my recipe for tomato pie that I like.  It really is delicious.  Who doesn't like tomatoes? Oh alright, my grandpa was allergic to them, they made him break out in a rash. I love them. So Chuck just walked through here and said he really isn't a fan of tomato pie. Who knew? More for me yeah!

My daddy called my husband of Italian-American heritage a mater masher translated means tomato masher. He was funny like that and in WWII that's the nicknames they gave the Italians. They also were given nicknames. Daddy was called piccolo meaning small to them. He was small in stature but in fighting strength he was a giant. A friend Mr. Wheeler said that name stuck with him throughout the rest of the war too.

Enough talk now for the recipe. It's pretty good too (even if I say so myself)!

Aprons, Aprons, Aprons

Listing aprons this week!

Aprons made with family heirloom patterns

These were made with Cora pattern I adjusted for a larger bib area

A little more coverage than the original pattern

Hope you enjoy the newest additions to our sewing room

Website:  dolly's designs

Pear Preserves

Some of my fondest memories are of eating some with one of my grandmama's homemade biscuits. I liked them a lot! Funny thing is in all these years I've rarely made them. 

This year I'm excited to have a bumper crop of Kieffer pears. They are a rather hard pear at first. Actually, they are ready for picking before they ever turn soft. You have to pick when ready and place in cold storage until ripened. This took a few weeks, sorry I didn't time it but some were ready in a couple of weeks sitting in front of an air conditioning vent. I'd move them around separating and removing some with overripe spots. 

This post is how I made the preserves and there are many ways to make but this is how I remember the grandmother's making theirs with one big exception. It seems they simmered theirs forever until canning This is simple just combine sugar with fruit put in the fridge overnight and make preserves the next day.

Lobster Apron Anyone?

A wider bib Cora Apron 

Adjusted from an antique family pattern

The original pattern used in the family for over one hundred years!

One size fits most

Original one-of-a-kind

You can read more about it at dolly's designs blog

or 

See and purchase if you desire at ETSY Shop

or
Visit Handmade Artists Shop dolly's designs