NO, WE ARE NOT TURNING AMISH

No, we are not turning Amish. Just don't let your husband go to an auction by himself. You never know what he'll bring home. I have to say this charming little Amish buggy is a "keeper." No horse, thank you very much. Just a conversation piece.  Tom and I always love going to Holmes County and taking in the buggies and thinking life would be much simpler in a less progressive community. However, I am partial to modern perks like electricity, indoor plumbing, washing machines, and getting in my car and driving to town in a matter of minutes, not hours. I do love the buggy though.

Mickey just walked through the flower bed to inspect the buggy

Check out my books on Amazon - Three Moons Over Sedona, Chasing Joe, and Island Passage

GARDEN CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY - UGLY SWEATERS CONTEST NOT SO UGLY AFTER ALL

OUR SUPREME HOSTESS, BEVERLY RIGGS

 An annual event - Four Seasons Garden Club Christmas Party at Beverly Riggs' beautiful home in the country. Bev goes all-out in the gorgeous decorations throughout every nook and cranny of her house, including the bedrooms! She's amazing, articulate and a great cook!! Bev is our Hocking Hills Hostess Supreme!

Note: Be sure to scroll all the way down to the end of this post where I have placed photos of an old cabin that Bev and her husband, Bob, reconstructed on their property. Stepping inside the doorway will take you back in time to a place where there is no electricity, no running water, and only the warmth of a fireplace to fight the chill of a frigid winter night.

99 YEAR OLD MIDGE - BEV'S MOM

 The holiday guests were greeted at Bev's front door by her mother, Midge, who will be 99 years old in March. Midge is a very tiny (I think she only weighs like 78 pounds!!) woman with a great big heart and friendly smile. Midge is absolutely adorable!!

BEV'S DINING ROOM FIREPLACE

BEV'S AWESOME MANTLE DECORATIONS

 THE GUESTS BEGIN TO ARRIVE

NEW ARRIVALS AT THE PARTY

LINDA WEAVER KING  READY TO PARTY

MEMBERS - DEE MCCLAIN AND NANCY GREEN

THE UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER CONTESTANTS ARRIVE!!!

Libby is de-LIGHTED to be at the party!

Carol Showman  is ready to Party

NINA AND CHERYL IN THEIR UGLY SWEATERS

NINA'S  BACK-VIEW CONTRIBUTION TO THE UGLY SWEATER CONTEST

CHERYL IS DRESSED IN UGLY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HER TIPPY TOES (NICE SHOES CHERYL)

Debbie and Evelyn - The Twin Ugly Sweater Gals

LET THE PARTY BEGIN!!!

LOTS OF CHIT-CHAT AND PHOTO TAKING

OF COURSE, THE FOOD!!!

BEV'S LOVELY DINING ROOM READY FOR THE GARDEN PARTIERS

CHRISTMAS AUCTION FOR SCHOLARSHIP FUND

THE WINNERS!! UGLY, UGLIER, AND UGLIEST CHRISTMAS SWEATERS

I stole a quiet moment and walked over to the old log cabin and took some photos. Bev and Bob really created a truly authentic step-back-in-time. 

BEV AND BOB'S LITTLE LOG CABIN

A COZY DINING TABLE - IMAGINE HAVING NO ELECTRICITY

THE CABIN FIREPLACE

An added room for guests - Don't ya just love the decor???

A GOOD DAY IN THE WOODS!!!

Rocky the Squirrel

This morning I had a little greeter outside the bedroom window. This little guy was eating the dogwood berries left on the tree limbs. He gave me a disconcerting look and then a brush of his tail as he scooted down to a lower limb.

Morning coffee. The morning light was fantastic, begging for photographs. Inside the cabin, couldn't resist taking a photo of the ridge pole and beams, the light giving the beams a golden hue.

The morning light was so inspiring inside the cabin

Mickey staking out his winter rocking chair by the fire

Cash in his usual in-the-house pose

Garden Cabin - ready to clean and prep for next guests

Ohhhh the laundry - bedding and towels

The Garden Cabin emptied out this morning, so that means a "clean" to get ready for a new set of guests tomorrow. Stripping off bedding and towels, putting them through wash and dry cycles. Dusting and mopping, putting dishes away. All in day's work during the cabin rental season.

Chicken broth ready for chicken and veggies

Cooler weather means soup on the stove. We decided on making a chicken/rice soup. Dropping the chicken into a stock pot, Tom seasoned with creole seasonings, onion and a couple of hot peppers. We let it cook on the wood stove for about an hour until the chicken could be taken out of the pot and cooled. I sliced peppers, carrots, chopped celery, minced some garlic, then added to the simmering broth while the chicken cooled enough to take the meat off the bone. After this, I added the chicken to the soup, along with some cooked brown rice.

And, a special treat: Shiitake mushrooms harvested from our "plugged" logs.

The soup simmered the rest of the afternoon, adding the Shiitakes to the soup about an hour before we ate dinner.

Tom begins stacking the dried firewood for the winter

Cash and Brutus out for a romp

Don't ya just love fall colors? 

Mickey, too

Also, this is really cool!!! Last weekend Tom bought an old deck chair from the antique mall. Obviously, it had once been on an ocean liner at some point in time. The chair was a dreary weathered gray, but all in all, in good shape structure wise. Tom convinced me that he could have the old deck chair looking beautiful again.

Well...he did...and it is gorgeous. Look how the brass shined up!! Amazing. I'm especially partial to the little brass plate that says 'FIRST CLASS ONLY"

I told Tom that the chair probably fell off  the Titantic when it went down, then floated in the water until it came to shore somewhere, and now it sits in Ohio!! Okay, I might be exaggerating just a tad, but it's a good story anyway, don't ya think?

Just look at how that brass shined up!!

Okay, this sold me the chair: First Class Only

Glass of wine before dinner

A glass of wine before dinner, and then....

Soup and salad - who can beat that combo? 

PIÈCE DE RÉSISTANCE, 

Sherry is the author of Three Moons Over Sedona, Island Passage and Chasing Joe,

 Sherry Hartzler's books can be found on Amazon.com

GARDEN CLUB AT THE WINERY - OH YEAH

Outside seating area at the winery

Our Four Seasons Garden Club met today at the Hocking Hills Winery ! The winery is relatively new to the Logan area and the Four Seasons Garden Club met there today for our October meeting. As you can see, there is a great outdoor area with a fireplace. The winery does not serve food; however, you are welcome to order a pizza or pack a lunch and eat on the winery grounds. So, if you happen to visit Hocking Hills, stop by the winery, relax and enjoy the scenery. Good selection of wines.

A great way to spend a Thursday afternoon with the "gals"

Beautiful lunch prepared by Bobbi Bishop and volunteers

Janet Bower - This lady knows her chocolate

Our guest speaker today's garden club meeting was local entrepreneur Janet Bower, owner of Wren Valley Truffles, Janet explained that each Wren Valley Truffle is a careful blend of rich chocolate, fragrant spices, nuts, florals, artisan extracts, liqueurs and many unique locally sourced ingredients. AND we were invited to sample a variety of the truffles she'd so graciously brought with her for our enjoyment. And enjoy, we did. Janet is very passionate about her truffles, and after you listen to her explain the process and preparation of these heavenly treats, you'll appreciate every bite.

Note: Janet's truffles are available at the winery.

YUM and Double YUM

Janet's presentation of her truffles was amazing!

10# bar of chocolate that Janet buys in bulk from Wilburs in Pennsylvania

Janet showing us a few tools of her trade

Nancy Rathburn and Evelyn -  Evelyn is a local, while Nancy and her husband, Larry, are from Fort Wayne, Indiana and annual guests at our cabins. Our group made her feel right at home. We think we'll keep her!

Evelyn and Mary

  

Sue Karshner and Donna McKnight - Growing up in Columbus, they were best friends, and then lost touch. Years later they met at a party while living in Hocking Hills -  It's a small world, isn't it. 

Libby, Jenny and Sarolin - We all have a GOOD time together! 

Debbie and Nina - Two of my favorite people

AND...THE LADIES OF THE CLUB

INN A CABIN
Sherry Hartzler