Still Woods Farmhouse

Happy Thanksgiving friends!  The turkey is in the oven roasting to golden perfection or at least that's the goal!  I am sitting here with a cup of coffee and wanted to share a post from several years ago.  It's a few vintage Thanksgiving greetings and magazine covers.  While you're waiting for the turkey to come out of the oven, relax with a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy these images from yesteryear. I know this mamma is happy to have her sailor home for Thanksgiving! Please say it isn't so!  I confess...I did love these Banquet dinners when I was little.  Whenever we had them, they seemed like such a treat.   A simmering-talking pot! This adorable girl is eyeing the turkey! I am curious about the article by Demaree Bees listed at the bottom of the cover! Vintage cards are always wonderful expressions of art.  This one is no exception. Wonder what this little Pilgrim is telling the chicken? Another nostalgic Saturday Eve...

If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner, I imagine that you want your entryway to look festive and welcoming.  I love the colors of harvest time.  There is such warmth and beauty in the hues of fall.  There is still time to jazz up your front door before your guests arrive! There is an old English proverb based on Matthew 6:22 which states the "eyes are the window to the soul".  I think it can also be said that the front door of a home is the window to the soul of the home.  The front door and surrounding outer entryway is the first impression for our guests.  Fall entryway decor can be a fabulous way to make that first impression a lasting one.  With the abundance of mums, pumpkins, gourds, and other fall flowers available this time of year, you too can welcome your Thanksgiving guests with a festive atmosphere.   I thought I would put together a few fantastic examples for you to peruse, maybe with a cup of hot cider by your side.  We wil...

It's the second in the series of the Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies!  Today, I am featuring a brownie or bar cookie. You will thank me for this recipe.  It's that good.  We may even become "bestest" of friends! You will want to know what else is in my Christmas baking arsenal!  You might even volunteer to help me bake! Let me introduce to you Red Velvet Brownies.  Look at those delicious layers of red velvet, then cream cheese, and lastly red velvet swirled on top!  These are best eaten without the interference of coffee or milk. Just take a bite and close your eyes...let the flavors mingle in your mouth.  Groaning is acceptable when eating these brownies! I bet your ready to bake a batch.  Let's take a look at this easy recipe: Red Velvet Brownie Layer: 1 stick butter 1 cup of sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla 1/4 cup of cocoa powder Pinch of salt 1 tablespoon of red food coloring 1 teaspoon of vinegar 2 eggs 3/4 cup all purpos...

Welcome to Still Woods Farmhouse and the Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies!  I am so exited to bring to you a little of my passion at Christmas.  Each Christmas, I put on a cute apron, turn on the Christmas music, and head to the kitchen to begin whipping up batches of cookies.  It's in my genes!  I come from a long line of bakers.  As small children, my sister and I would eagerly await the packages of goodies from our grandmothers.   With my dad in the military, we lived far away from our relatives.  A box of homemade Christmas treats were so special to us.  One grandmother made all kinds of cookies and pies, while the other made delicious candy and cakes.  I take after my paternal grandmother, the cookie baker! My mother is also a Christmas cookie baker.  She has a long list and makes everyone's favorites.  She often bakes over 13 variety of cookies just at Christmas.  Everyone loves her homemade goodness! Who doesn't lik...

One of the wonderful benefits of being newly retired is that I had the opportunity to thoroughly organize our home.  I am like a mad woman on a mission when I begin a task related to organizing.  My mom would call and say "What can you possibly be organizing today?" and I always had an answer.  One of my favorite places to organize is the kitchen.  With holiday baking right around the corner, I appreciate neat and tidy drawers and cabinets. Benjamin Franklin must have been an organized man.  After all he said, "A place for everything, everything in its place".  He was on to something! I know everyone has their own method of organization, but if you are looking for a few suggestions, I'm here to help! Today we are going to tackle the bottomless pit known as the kitchen drawer! These two drawers are used often when I am baking.  I won't bore with you all my other drawers! 1.  First, measure the inside of your kitchen drawers and head to your lo...