Sunday, October 30, 2011

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Want to go for a Drive?

 Here it is... the final week in October.  Mom and I headed out this morning in pursuit of a little of the final fall color...  We stopped at our favorite Crossroads restaurant for an early lunch...  chili was ready, so we decided to celebrate that first hard freeze of last night with a bowl of their famous chili and batter dipped cauliflower buds...
 Instead of our usual trip through Amish country, we headed west and back north through what I think is beautiful "fall road."  Of course, the bright blue skies and bright noon sun helped accent the leaves in these hills...
 Huge papery-thin leaves floated across the road, sashaying back and forth to hypnotize us with their final shouts of glory...
 Every tree is just one huge autumn rain away from losing these leaves, and that is as it should be for November's advent...



 We ran by this sign...  How clever and kind of sweet....  It truly makes me think HIgbee must love its children!
Winding our way back home, we talked about future ideas to move some of our garden furniture around...  (It's always way more fun to plan than to actually maneuver...)  Now we are back ready to make some Halloween cupcakes...  Our treat bags are waiting for future little trick-or-treaters, and I am busily trying to wear my three Halloween sweaters during these spooky weekend days...  Have a lovely holiday!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Morning Magic



So yesterday I lingered along the highway to say hello to the autumn sun behind Mom's house and Gramma's barn...



Sunday, October 16, 2011

Fall Breakfast at the Lake...

 Saturdays are usually reserved for Mom, so when this Saturday had some other things going...  such as my girls at school playing in the State Sectional Softball tournament (They didn't win. but we were so proud of them for getting this far!)---  I left Mom a note in the night to hold off on her breakfast..  We headed out at just after sunrise to get a bite of breakfast and search out a pretty place to have it.
 There is a certain glint of light in the morning..  No wonder photographers are traditionally early risers...
 This year the trees in Missouri have a coppery tone, the leaves more fragile due to no rain...  but beautiful, I think.


 One of my favorite corners on the Lake Road has these beautiful trees who have spent their days reaching for the sun...


 Some rich homes line the opposite side of the lake....

We always drive by this house to see what kind of display they have for the season...  Look at the details of the sunflowers, too...  I love it!

Kids coming for lunch today...  I need to get busy!  Have a good week.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

A Day Off...Practical Magic!

 It's here!  October's magical spell---
 A favorite fall indulgence....  "In this house we have chocolate cake for breakfast!"

So, feeling a bit under the weather for a few days, I took a day off....This beautiful doll house reigns supreme beside my bed, and I often park my cds dvds and books in the yard for my late night rendezvous.  Since the first time I slipped off to the movie to watch this, the house, the aunts....  the love story....  they have me enthralled.   I fully expect to see all six witches jump off the dollhouse roof any night!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Getting the horse before the cart...

 More shots of another Saturday trip...  This beautiful team was "parked" outside a farm house where we bought a quart of fresh molasses..


 Home made bread...  and another cart with some festive pumpkins.


And finally, this  miniature pony and cart...  It was adorable.  I don't suppose Amish horses mind being in a picture.  I never take photographs of any of the people...  I have to stash those in my memory.

Here is a recipe for some wonderful Apple Butter.  My Aunt Hazel made this often, and I made it at home.  If we get to an orchard, this will be on my to-do list..  Right now, I would say it is "cart before the horse" as my gramma used to say.



Aunt Hazel's APPLE BUTTER


6 lbs. apples
1-2 quarts sweet cider (Grandma used 2, I use 1 because I can cook a shorter time. Grandma thought longer was better)
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves





Cook the apples in the cider and press through a food mill or sieve. (I just mashed with potato masher).   Mix in sugar and spices to taste. Pour pulp into a non-reactive pan (I use an old enameled roaster) and bake at 250, stirring every hour or so, until "thick enough". If I'm in a hurry, I start at 350, then turn it down after a couple of hours. I usually double or triple the amount, so mine takes a long time to cook down. This amount will still take several hours.
When it's "thick enough", pour into hot jars and Boiling water bath 10 minutes for half pints or pints, 15 minutes for quarts.  Seal.  If you want to skip the seal step, this will freeze or keep in the refrigerator for a long time.