Vintage Treasures

Hello everyone! It is a beautiful sunny day out there but quite cool.

October was a beautiful month at Green Gables, when the birches in the hollow turned as golden as sunshine and the maples behind the orchard were royal crimson and the wild cherry trees along the lane put on the loveliest shades of dark red and bronzy green, while the fields sunned themselves in aftermaths. ~ Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery

It has been cold here on beautiful Prince Edward Island. A gardener-landscaper we know said it has been the coldest Autumn in ten years. 
In any case, we are trying to enjoy the show that nature is putting on. 

A drive in the country on an old clay road.

A walking trail close to our home.

Now that the cooler weather is here, I'm in the kitchen more. The other day I had a craving for war cake or boiled fruit cake as some call it. I looked through 'search this blog' on my sidebar and I don't think I've ever shared this recipe before so I will today.

I have my Granny's recipe and my mother's. There is not much difference between the two recipes except my mother's recipe has more spices in it so that is the one I use.

What Keats aptly called 
'the season of mellow fruitfulness'
is the season for simmering pots on the stove,
pies in the oven,
canning jars in the cupboard,
and trusted family recipes
on the kitchen counter. ~ Celebrating Home

This is my Granny's recipe book which she started when she was probably about thirteen. I am the proud owner of it now. The book is over a hundred years old. The pages are worn and fragile, and soiled from all the baking my grandmother did in her day. It is precious to me just as she was! All of her recipes were written with a fountain pen.

I love things that bear the touch of time; chips and all - they're more beautiful than perfection. - Victoria magazine

This is Granny's War Cake recipe.

The recipe I use is one I copied from my mother's recipes. I should have added 1/4 tsp ginger when I wrote it down but I always remember. Call it baker's intuition.

I'm sure most of you know that War cake, Boiled Fruit cake, or Boiled Raisin cake is a depression cake which was baked avoiding ingredients that were scarce or being rationed for the soldiers in the war. It was egg less, butter less, and milk less which also earned this cake the name Poor Man's Cake. No matter what we call it, it is a wonderful dense cake filled with spices and raisins; sending a delicious aroma throughout the house while it is baking and cooling.

I baked the cake on Friday evening and I let it cool over night. Then I wrapped it in wax paper and tin foil to sit for a couple of days before slicing it for tea. 

Boiled Fruit Cake or War Cake
2 cups white sugar
2 cups raisins
2 cups water
2 TBSP shortening
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
Mix together above ingredients and boil for five minutes. Cool completely.
When raisin mixture is cool add:
3 cups flour
2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
Pour batter into a greased long loaf pan and bake at 350 for 1-1/2 hours.
I used a loaf pan 16 inches long x 5 inches wide x 4 inches deep.

It makes enough for two loaves if you cut it in half after baking. Half you could freeze or give away. I think next time I will bake it in a ten inch tube pan for a change.

I brought out this beautiful and rare CL Oxford China England teacup and saucer. It is vintage, circa 1930s, with rust coloured swags and cobalt blue and gold. I looked it up and it sells for $73.78 on Etsy which means I got mine at a bargain price of $12.99 at the Seventy Mile Yard Sale several years ago. The pattern is Imari and very striking.

Now, it's time to enjoy a cup of tea and a slice of this delicious cake. Yum!

May your days be steeped with joy
And warmed with love. 

Have a wonderful new week, dear friends, and God bless you! 

I am joining the following parties as well~

Share Your Cup
Home Sweet Home

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

Pumpkin Tales

Fall....the time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale. ~ Lauren DeStefano

Welcome, dear friends! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so I am sharing some pink today.

This is a long post, so pour a cup of your favourite beverage and join me, won't you?

I like the softer side of Fall and I love pumpkins. I especially like the white ones because they are so wonderful for decorating with. 

I have painted a few Baby Boos over the years.
Of course some of the wee ones have to have a little sparkle like this pink one. Glitter makes everything prettier, don't you think?

But there is some orange around too. Our bird bath has a pumpkin squatting in it as is the norm this time of year.

I came across this little quote this morning which I thought was cute...

Advice From A Pumpkin
Be well-rounded
Get plenty of sunshine
Give thanks for life's bounty
Have a thick skin
Keep growing
Be outstanding in your field
Think big! ~ Ilan Shamer

What is it about pumpkins that fascinates us so?  

Could it be that deep down, it is our love of Cinderella? That sweet innocent fairy tale that lives on inside of each of us since we were little girls. At least for we girly-girls, I believe that to be true.

Courtesy of the Internet

I watched Disney's Cinderella movie again the other night and once again found it simply charming! Hubby watched it with me and we both really enjoyed it. Downton Abbey's Rose, played by Lily James, was simply delightful as Cinderella!


I still love the story of the young girl who was orphaned then forced to become a servant to her wicked step-mother and step-sisters. 

Courtesy of the Internet - Disney's Cinderella

Before her beloved mother died, Cinderella promised she would always "have courage and be kind." Because she had such a kind heart, she was adored by all but her step family. She had a very special rapport with all the little critters too and they were the best of friends. 
  

These are my niece's three adorable baby hamsters. She carved the pumpkin for them to play in. They are so tiny that all three of them can fit in your hand. I know Cinderella would have loved them and I thought how serendipitous it was that my niece posted this picture while I was getting this post ready.

....Getting back to the story, one day Cinderella had a visitor who transformed a pumpkin into a beautiful carriage. 

Courtesy of the Internet

The carriage whisked her away to the castle to attend the Prince's ball. 

When she arrived at the castle, all eyes were turned upon her including those of the Prince.

Courtesy of the Internet - Disney's Cinderella

The Prince and Cinderella only had eyes for one another and they danced away the evening until the clock began to strike midnight...

Courtesy of the Internet - Disney's Cinderella

As we know, Cinderella had to leave the gala quickly and while fleeing to her carriage, she lost one of her glass slippers.

Courtesy of the Internet - Disney's Cinderella

The Prince looked high and low for the maiden who had lost the glass slipper until he found her. Of course the slipper was a perfect fit. 

She forgave her step-mother for her treatment of her and as the story goes, the Prince and Cinderella fell in love, got married, and lived happily ever after! 

I thought Cinderella forgiving her wicked step-mother was a wonderful lesson for all of us.

All stories should have such a happy ending! 

Every second brings a fresh beginning,

Every hour holds a new promise,

Every night our dreams can bring hope and

Every day is what you choose to make it. ~ unknown author

Do you have time for tea? 

This is my Cinderella. Well, we'll pretend she's Cinderella.

This Royal Dalton figurine used to be my mother's but she gave it to me and it reminds me of Cinderella so she is joining us for tea today. As you can see her frock is the Royal Albert Lavender Rose pattern.

A Dream is a wish your Heart makes. ~ Cinderella

I am using my Royal Albert Flower of the Month teacup; the Cosmos to display my little golden bejewelled Baby Boo in. Kind of reminds me of Cinderella's coach.

The tea party is a spa for the soul. You leave your cares and work behind. ~ Alexandra Stoddard

For tea time, I am using my Aynsley teacup. It is a favourite because I love the crocus shape with the pink roses sprinkled all over the cup and saucer. The roses inside the cup add a little something special too. 

My Royal Albert New Country Roses teapot which was a Christmas gift a few years ago, holds our tea.

The tea is David's Tea Pumpkin Chai.

It is a black tea with cinnamon, cloves, lemon peel, squash, carrot, caramel, and wee pumpkin candies. The perfect tea for autumn and dare I say, Cinderella?

I have home made Cranberry muffins. The crunchy sugar topping makes them a sweet treat with the tart cranberries. 

The vintage butter knife is part of a set that once belonged to my mother.

Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude. ~ Denis Waitley

To all you beautiful ladies who have survived breast cancer, to those of you who are living with breast cancer, and to those of you who have lost a loved one to breast cancer or any cancer, my thoughts and prayers go out to you. God bless you all!

Thank you for stopping by today and I hope you enjoyed my post. Some of it is a re-post that I added to. I consider you my friends and I thank you for keeping me company for just a little while. Have a beautiful day everyone!

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer. ~ An Irish prayer

 I am sharing this with ~

 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Share Your Cup

Home Sweet Home

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi