Thought it would be fun to talk about AUTUMN ARTS today — with ✳prettiest❊ MUSICA — October starts TOMORROW, so here are lots of ideas and fun for your Home Sweet Home because . . .
MY HOME SWEET HOME
One of the things I love most is a walk in the woods when the wind is blowing and the leaves are falling. See that road? I know just where it goes, I know how it sounds, and how it smells, I’ve been going here almost every day for the last twenty years . . . Our leaves are very wet today and have a way to go before they’re this colorful . . . we’re in no hurry! I want this season to last as long as possible, but this is what we have to look forward to . . .
While we’re out here, we gather foliage to make bouquets when we get home . . .
And make a batch of hot cider . . . to warm and scent the kitchen with apple and cinnamon . . .
. . . and to drink while we play with all the goodies we found, free from the woods!
A little thread, a few leaves, and voila! Home Decor!
We bring home crooked branches of leaves and bittersweet to decorate. Because it’s
. . . we are vagabonds, and our Gypsy Blood is astir . . .
Overcome with “pathological enthusiasm,” out comes all my old wooden candlesticks and bowls and baskets . . .
This time of year, a basket of crisp apples is as pretty as a bouquet of store-bought flowers, and has a lot more going for it (besides the obvious rosy redness): they cost less, smell good, are very useful, taste delicious, and last longer than flowers!
Leaf garlands over windows and mirrors adds lots of color.
And this. Night time by the fire is the perfect time for my my delicious Corn Chowder — which, if you haven’t tried, you really should . . . just click there for the How-To and Recipe and have it bubbling on your stove in no time.
Put a leaf between your diary pages (especially the one you caught and made the wish on) . . . write down what fall looks like in your neck of the woods and include your favorite family memories and traditions. (BTW, It’s OK to tell wishes to diaries, in fact, writing down dreams is one well-known way to get them to come true. ♥)
Decorate with candles and books for extra homeyness . . .
Hanging fresh laundry to blow in the wind is one of the prettiest things to do on a crisp fall day . . .
As the days get shorter, the last of the tomatoes will have to come in from the garden to ripen on the windowsill . . .
I’ve been washing feather pillows and airing quilts on the line . . . which I do in the fall to get them ready for a long winter’s nap!
It’s a good time to gather a little tablescape of things for the season . . . how cozy will your table be this year?
Filling your house with lovely baking smells . . . such as this delicious Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, is just the right thing to do. Invite your girlfriends for tea, cider, cake, and girl talk . . .
Hunker down with a bowl of Corn Chowder and a slice of sticky pineapple cake while watching the wonderful old movie Random Harvest . . . (click there to see a trailer)
Something else that goes really well with old movies on these first chilly nights . . . knitting! You should know, in case you want to knit but you think you can’t, honestly, anyone can knit a scarf. I am living proof.
Part of my decorations . . . must have my tissue pumpkin … and btw, I know they’re sometimes hard to find . . . so we found them for you — they’re in our shopping store! Trees, and wedding bells too! And all kinds of other little fall treats . . . ♥
Farmer’s Market is where these came from . . .
I find this growing wild on the far side of our barn . . . Birds love these berries; I don’t eat them, but I love them too! I don’t know the name of this gorgeous plant . . . Do you girls know? If you do, tell me, and I’ll put a link here for it (update . . . lots of you are saying viburnum opulus . . . what do you think?).
Have I ever shown you the Farmstand I used to have in California? Well, here it is!
Here’s the inside . . . It had an old Dutch door we found at a flea market that Joe put in; we had firewood, old baskets, oil paintings, pottery bowls, vegetable seeds, bee skeps, bouquets of herbs and flowers, bundles of lavender, apples, lemons, pears, walnuts and onions from our garden . . . it was a little market too, so we had cream, bacon, pancake mix and maple syrup. That red fire bucket now hangs on the rafters of my pantry here.
This is a painting a friend did of my farmstand . . . now it hangs in my studio here on the island . . . there it is, right over there! Such a nice memory!
Here’s how it looked up at the counter . . . see the little small Lady Apples? Aren’t they cute! We planted a tree out there . . .
Farmstands have so much to offer this time of year . . .
Love to see dried corn on the kitchen door . . .
We wrap store-bought (Michael’s Crafts) leaf garlands around branches, and mix them with the small pumpkins on the ledge over our front door . . .
Soon we’ll have a garden full of big crunchy maple leaves to kick into the air!
Of course, we need black cats, especially now ♥. One year ago, we visited our local shelter and found this sweet little character with the twirly mustache; we scooped him up because we knew he would help make our house even more of a home, how could more love not grow from this! So this month, all posts will include, for your (and my) enjoyment, the CHILDHOOD OF JACK. Here he is on our first day together . . .
Home Sweet Home, Girlfriends, it’s a dark rainy morning here, very cozy inside, but no Harvest Moon for us last night! I hope you got to see it! Enjoy your day ♥ Happy October to us all! XOXO
Susan, your post was inspiring! How did I miss the movie “Random Harvest?” Watched the trailer and figured that, if it were even available, it would only be on videocassette. Much to my surprise, the Cape Library network (CLAMS) has 3 copies on DVD. One was just checked out from the Oaks Bluff branch (hmmm….?), but 2 more were still available and one now has my name on it. Looking forward to watching it with a big mug of hot cider and a fire in the woodstove. We spent all Saturday getting the wood split and stacked before the rain today, so now we are ready for the lovely cool weather!
I was taking a break from bringing up fall decor from the basement. Imagine my surprise to read this blog from you today. Fall is just the best. Leaf bouquets and apple crisp are such a gift to give ourselves. When I retire next year I hope to experience a New England fall. Although Indiana is beautiful too! Little Jack looks so tiny. Hard to believe it’s been a year! Enjoy the season!
I love how you get us all astir for fall! Love the music, and I’ve never seen Random House, going to check my local library! Fall is such an exciting time of year! Our 41st anniversary was the 28th, went out for a nice dinner at Fig in Biltmore Village, hadn’t been there in years, had a wonderful dinner, fall is starting to paint the leaves here, it’s going to be so beautiful! Little Jack as a kitten, looks so sweet and innocent doesn’t he! Ha ha! Susan, I have been making corn chowder forever, just love it! Now my daughter-in-love makes it as well! And, pineapple upside down cake is my hubby’s favorite! Guess I’ll be making both this week! Yum! Your roadside store looks awesome! What a nice picture your friend painted of it! Fun fun fun! Have to run to Michaels, saw the fall leaf garland when I was there last, don’t know why I didn’t get them then!
Hugs to all!
Jeannie
Tweet tweet!
Each morning now when I see the hummers still here, I look a little longer and give a little prayer for their safe journey! Will miss them sitting outside my kitchen window giving our Sammy cat someone to watch!
Thank you, Susan, for your inspirational posts. You always make me want to quit whatever I am doing and redecorate my house. I love changing everything for the seasons. Jack is such a “cutie pie”, he’s so lucky you found him. Love, love, love the mustache! Enjoy the season!
beautiful post filled with so much happiness.
The music was so pretty and perfect for today. I found out Raylene Rankin passed away from cancer. so unbelievable that such a great lady is gone from us. The music fits perfectly <3
I have thos esame leaf garlands, but must find them in my storage room/attic this week. I forgot i had them. they'll go perfect with my ights above my windows 🙂
It's still raining on PEI… time for some sun lol
Nice sitting on Sunday with you Susan 🙂
Your posts always make the day cheerier <3
Love,
Denise
Enjoyed your post! I believe the berries are from Viburnam Opulus. We have these around our pond in Minnesota. Moth & butterfly caterpillars like these leaves. The Harvest Moon was spectacular in Minnesota last night. Happy Autumn! ~♥~
I put a link to viburnum opulus up…this seems to be the consensus, at least so far! Thank you Shelley!
Ashoakan Farewell was so heartbreakingly beautiful, I immediately had to find the guitar chords and lyrics, and spent the morning working on making an arrangement and learning it. I haven’t been so inspired since Bella Luna (still in the works). Your wonderful and broad taste in music has been a real shot in the arm for me (quite literally) to pick up the guitar again and learn new songs, and, realizing how much I have missed it while I’ve been neglecting it, I can’t thank you enough! Also lately watching a BBC version of Vanity Fair, a story with which I wasn’t familiar (don’t know how I made it this far in life without reading it, but you can’t know everything, or much of anything, really, all things considered…) and the song seems to fit with parts of it. Since it’s still in the 80s here in California, putting the fall wreath on the door is as far with the decor as I’ve gotten: still seashells, the sandcastle candleholder, and the seaglass tealights. But I’m vicariously relishing the fall season through your wonderful posts, and stories from the girlfriends. Recipes, as always, sound wonderful and will have to put them on my list of things to try (it’s a very long list). And thanks for mentioning knitting. A perfect thing to do while listening to books on CD. (I have difficulty listening to books on CD because I don’t know what to do with myself while I’m listening, and knitting is perfect!)
Jack sure has come a long way, baby, all the way to the top of the ladder at only a year! He’ll probably be swinging from a chandelier next year.
Last night my neighbor and I were howling at the wonderful moon, not too loud.
A very joyous autumn to all!
I’ve always loved different music, have had Shirley Temple albums, Marilyn Monroe albums, Jimmy Durante, of course . . . then got settled into the 30’s and 40’s … and now, I’ve discovered the electric violin, which pierces my heart, makes a tear come. And now Irish music. SO happy to hear that you like it . . . I love music that takes me to the moon, almost literally. Elton John singing Rocket Man does that to me too …. have to turn it up really loud for the guitar riff just before “and I think it’s gonna be a long long time…” Don’t know why I love it so much! So it really doesn’t matter the era. I can’t play an instrument though, that’s so lucky you have that talent!
For me, the best place for books on tape is when I’m exercising, or driving a long way. I “read” Pillars of the Earth and All Creatures Great and Small going round and round my California property (9 times around equals 3 miles!), they will always be tied together with that walk for me!
Yes, completely understand the “…think it’s gonna be a long, long time….” Certain parts of songs can really strum on the human heartstrings. Talent, I’m not sure, is as significant as desire and hard work. I took up guitar when I was 30, following a divorce (excellent trade off), but I’m not a great performer, I just really love to play and sing. Fortunately, the neighbors seem to enjoy it. The true performers I know thrive on audience and applause. I’m like Jimmy Buffet, “…strumming my six string, on my front porch swing…” But yes, there is so much wonderful music! Love the Musica…always a joy to have my horizons broadened, and they do here in so many ways!
Nice to have you here . . . funny “excellent trade off!” LOL! xoxo
Oh, and all the photos are amazingly gorgeous of amazingly gorgeous….that road, I just want to climb right into the screen and go walking down it! Thanks so much for sharing this amazing place you live, and inspiring us all to find the amazing in our own lives!
we must be in sync…Friday all the VERY SUMMERY pink dressings to our front door ie pink garden flags and pink geraniums were removed…out came the cornstalks, Fall leaf wreath, yellow~maroon~and combo Mums took over…tomorrow is October 1 for goodness sakes!! IT IS TIME!! think I will go find the items for the cider you suggested and make it for my ladies tomorrow night…perfect timing…I love Fall homemaking…like I said,we must be in sync!
It’s rainy here too and oh so Autumnish. :)Love it.
Susan, your home is beautiful all decked out for fall. The corn chowder and pineapple upside-down cake looked amazing! Loved the farm stand…I thought I saw some bee skeps on the floor. I wish we had bittersweet growing wild here; I don’t think we do. It’s really is perfect for a little fall decorating. My fave thing of all (besides Jack, of course 🙂 was your natural leaf garland! Love that! I may have to borrow that idea for my home this year.
Hugs,
Susan
Be my guest Susan!
Me too! I LOVE that idea of stringing the autumn leaves along valances, window and doorframes. Such a simple, easy idea but one I’d never seen anyone else ever do before. I may have to borrow that myself! :>)
I wish I could find bittersweet too!
Autumn my favorite season. Last year the leaves here were as colorful as yours but not this year. We have just passed our second month of no rain (well just a drop) and I guess it is not cold enough as the maple trees have not even started to turn color. Very strange for this time of year. Oh my! I had forgotten how tiny Jack was when he moved in, that is such an adorable photo of him and he is still adorable. Your corn chowder looks delicious and easy to make and that is a recipe I am going to try soon.
judy, we have some color here, the cooler nights and cool mornings are doing the job here. our maple is starting to turn colors, and we are seeing trees all along the roads here that turning colors, mostly yellows and some reds. we don’t really get the glorious colors until mid-october to november.
I love all your posts but this one has to be the best one yet!!! I might just print it out and hang it in my kitchen to look at every day…Thank you 🙂
Thank you so much Brenda!
Happy weekend Susan – I have always loved your blog and your work just keeps getting better. Your Autumn post is so wonderful and your home so warm and welcoming. One of my favorite books of yours is Autumn and I look forward to unpacking it (moving Oct. 17th) and all my treasures once again for the season. I adore and love any and all Jack pictures and so glad he found his happy and fun home with you and Joe. Loving the the crisp and colorful days of Fall right along with you. Hugs to you – Judy C .
I really meant to say your art work is more beautiful and better than ever. The written word !!! Judy C
THANK YOU!♥
Wow, a year already you’ve had Jack. What a sweet boy he is too. Greer Garson, what a beautiful woman and great actress!! Apples, leaves, knitting, I think you are making me want to hunker down and enjoy the cool weather. *L* I am going to make your Corn Chowder!! Yum. I was thinking about making soups and stews just yesterday. It’s gray and dreary here today so we went to the movies and saw the new Clint Eastwood movie. It was great, a must see. Thanks for putting me even more in the fall mood. Hugs to Jack and all at your house.
Great post Susan….love the autumn tour…..I think those berries are “high bush cranberries”…thanks for sharing Jack’s Anniversary pictures….LOL
blessings,
Cindy♥
Even though I love Summer…Autumn and October are mine. I wish I was up there.
Thank you for the lovely Autumn “welcome home,” Susan!! We just returned from a dream-come-true trip to Germany to celebrate my retirement from teaching! Our first destination was the beautiful, medieval town of Bacharach on the Rhine River. It truly felt like we were living in a fairy tale! The buildings in this walled town dated back to the 1300s. It was surrounded by vineyards, with a castle, towering above the town. Boats and trains helped us to explore the beautiful Rhine Valley and the amazing castle, Burg Eltz, on the Mosel River. Then we went on to the Black Forest. We rented an apartment in Karlsruhe, where we spent our days with so many dear German friends. Each evening, we were blessed as different friends invited us to share their family dinners. It was so wonderful to share their lives, families, Autumn traditions, and recipes! It’s hard to believe that just last week, my friend, Sabine, was teaching me to make her recipe for Pumpkin Soup in her cozy kitchen! I brought home many special German recipes to try this Fall and for Christmas, too. The little towns we visited in the Black Forest are so charming. My friends even surprised us with an afternoon trip to France, too. We are still on cloud nine, just remembering all of the heartwarming small moments that made this trip soooo special. This was my very first chance to travel in Autumn. So, I noticed all of the pumpkins, gourds, mums, and colorful leaves everywhere. Susan, I often thought of you, and all of the Girlfriends, as we traveled. I wished I could share all of the beauty with everyone! Now I’m looking forward to journaling and scrapbooking all of our memories, as a chance to relive all of the wonderful moments! Thank you for sharing your beautiful Autumn thoughts and recipes, Susan. Your home is a breathtaking celebration of Autumn!
Warm hugs,
Dawn ♡♡
It sounds just magical Dawn! I can picture it all! Welcome home, and happy fall!
Dear Girlfriend Dawn,
Congratulations on your retirement and thank you for sharing about your beautiful trip to Germany. I took 4 years of German in high school and still remember a lot, well okay, some of it to this day. Enjoy your time journaling and scrapbooking about your travels! It’s fun to anticipate things, but reminiscing and recording your memories will be very sweet also.
Hugs back to you,
Linda
Hi Linda,
You are so right! The months of planning and the reminiscing afterwards make traveling extra sweet! In school, I studied French. As an adult, I took a few German classes to make traveling easier. This trip was also a celebration of 34 years of friendship with my dear friends in Germany! We have known one another, visited back and forth, and traveled together during our entire adult lives. Since my last visit, I have gotten married. So, I was overjoyed that John could finally meet all of my faraway friends! Letters, emails, and phone calls are wonderful, but being together is the BEST celebration of all.
Linda, enjoy every moment of your special weekend ahead! What could be more fun than your birthday and your son’s wedding on the same weekend? I’m sure your home will look lovely for the rehearsal dinner. An Autumn wedding sounds so beautiful. You will have to tell us all about it! I’ll be thinking of you this weekend. Make lots of sweet memories!
Dawn ♡♡
Congratulations on your retirement from teaching! A very worthy profession! And thank you for sharing some highlights of your trip to Germany, I very much enjoyed reading your post!
Many thanks, Victoria! I have so many special memories from thirty-five happy years of teaching! ♡♡
Love seeing FALL beginning as we are in a heat wave here in LA! Wish your store was still here but I think you have found the right place. We had a wonderful evening last night with friends sitting out by Santa Monica Bay. The Full Moon came up over the Palisades Cliffs….totally gorgeous. Wish you could have seen it.
I got a good picture of it but not sure if I can post it on here? Will send you a picture on FB maybe?? or email. My husband’s birthday is on Halloween so I’m getting out all my collections of decorations! Our #7 grandchild was just born 2 weeks ago (5 weeks early). Since we have 4 in college, and one in High School and his brother who is 3, it was a big event 9-11-2012 (also one of our Grand Daughter’s birthdays…she turned 21. This will be the end of grandkids so now on to Great Grand Kids! My husband and I turn 76 this month so we are soooooo lucky!!!
Ritchie Saunders…..Pacific Palisades CA
Congratulations on your new baby! Can picture that moon over Santa Monica!!!
It’s hard to believe that Jack is one year old! Such a confident and happy catperson… Today it’s going to be over one hundred degrees! So for a little while yet, it will be summer. Soon we will be going up into the Sierra foothills to little apple stands to buy our apples, cider, pumpkins and whatever else the farmers have seen fit to grow or make. I, too, air our feather pillows and quilts for the “long lying in” as winter has been called. I hope that autumn will quickly descend into our valley soon…
Howdy and thank you for the Corn Chowder recipe!
I turned the a/c cooler and spent the afternoon in the kitchen with some food prep for the week. Added in your Corn Chowder and it was easy and well received by the family.
Yum – maybe the pineapple upside down cake is next??
Happy to hear it Jackie!
Dear Susan…
All of your blogs are special but THIS one has touched me like no other! And it’s especially bittersweet listening to this glorious and comforting music!
You see, our daughter, Sarah, fought a two-year battle with cancer and October is the month of her birth. It’s also the month God chose to take her home to Heaven. Eleven years have passed, but it seems like yesterday.
We enjoyed Sarah for 24 years and the legacy she left with us of her deep & loving faith fills our hearts with the promise of a sweet reunion one day!
Thank you for pulling at my heartstrings. And thank you for reminding me that “Home is Where Your Story Begins”, but Heaven is where it ends.
Sending you my warmest (((hug)))!!!
Bunny <
Oh Bunny, what a beautiful memory; made tears in my eyes . . . xo
Dearest Bunny,
Thank you for sharing this special close-to-your-heart memory with all of us. Memories can be very sweet and can bring us close to those who aren’t with us anymore. But the best BLESSED HOPE we have is that heaven is our Home. Separated for a time, but together for eternity.
Your Girlfriend forever,
Linda
Thank you for sharing such a precious part of your experience with us. It reminded me of something I read recently: “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey. ” ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
So beautifully said …
Oh, Bunny. I know something of how you feel – although I can’t even imagine how hard it must be to lose a child. My mom was born and also passed away in October, and although it’s always been and always will be my favorite month – there’s always the sadness there too. Keep those memories around you like a spiritual shawl and they’ll keep you warm. I still “talk” to my mom all the time – share my day with her – tell her when I find a recipe I know she’d like or something funny one of her grandchildren did. Just because she’s not physically here in the room doesn’t mean she isn’t listening… God bless.
So wonderful to see the beautiful Autumn posts…my favorite time of year too 🙂 Our leaves are going to be beautiful here in East Tn this year…we have had perfect weather this summer; plenty of rain, etc. to get in our gorgeous leaves this year! Are you and Joe planning a “leaf peeping?” I have been spreading the word on S.A.D. (have been re-reading the old blog posts) and I think I am going to try the Vit. D and maybe a light box. I am pretty sure I suffer and if it can be helped, I think I should do it! Heck, I think we should all do it! Who needs unwanted, un-needed sadness? Anyway, I was wondering if you per chance remembered where you got your beautiful wrought iron girl and boy candle stick holders? I have always envied them from all of your posts featuring them 🙂 Just love the season change, and am so looking forward to all of the posts of the coming holidays!
No, sorry Lisa, so many of my things were antique store finds; I just don’t remember where I got them! Yes, Joe and I are going next week, north, to see some leaves!
Susan,
Please, please take us with you…we will be very quiet and just observe the Beauty….
Carol O. in Southern Cal..
I Know how good you can be!!!
Just when I think your posts can’t get any better,,,they do! Thank you for today’s lovely post. Enjoy each day!
Hooray! Hooray! Thank you for this post! It is so beautiful in words and pictures. I adore Autumn and have been feeling the urge to pull out the fall decorations but knew if I did, that I just might be rushing the season a little bit. Now that you have so beautifully welcomed October for all of us, I feel that I can start decorating “officially”. The island looks so lovely. Is Fall a good time to visit or are things shutting down? Hard to believe you’ve had Jack a whole year. Love Jack AND Girl Kitty. Enjoy these lovely days to come!
Ohhhhh it all screams home! I just love it! We did get a glimpse of the Harvest moon last night. It was magical as always 🙂 It is a rainy day here too but I must say I really do love it. Thank you for all of the yummy recipies 🙂
No Harvest Moon for us in Louisiana either – too cloudy and rainy. I love the Autumn/Fall/October post – so colorful, so many ideas, so much beauty. Thanks!
Loved this post! Perfect for this time of year! It got down to 38 degrees here (in western Wash. state) last night! I need to pick my tomatoes, too, to ripen on my kitchen windowsill. The garden is winding down. Just picked the last acorn squash for dinner last night. Yum! There’s something about this time of year that inspires me to want to get creative and make something by hand. I just bought a twig wreath to decorate for my front door, but I’m not very crafty when it comes to this kind of thing. I was thinking of decorating it with fall leaves and maybe a small sunflower or something. Wish me luck! I’m not a knitter, either, but I felt inspired to buy some flour sack dishtowels to embroider! (found them at Joann Fabrics). I haven’t embroidered since junior high school! When I showed them to my grown daughter, she remarked, “You do embroidery??? I’ve Never seen you do handwork!!” So it Has been a long time!! LOL! Thanks for your added inspirations and recipes!
Loved seeing Jack’s “baby picture”! He’s so adorable! Can sure see how he captured your heart and why you brought him home!
P.S. didn’t know you once had both a store And a farm stand! How Fun!!
SO fun, but I discovered that making a store, decorating a store, shopping for a store, all was much more fun than actually trying to make money in a store! I liked the giving part of it, but it is a very expensive hobby if you don’t figure out how to pay for it!!!
How good that you are feeling creative, something about this time of year! . . . have fun with it Laura!
Sigh! Love everything about this post. Yay! I can’t wait to see more pictures of Jack’s childhood. Can we see a picture of Girl too when she was little?
Girl was born before I had digital camera!!! So I would have to scan her photos, which right now, I just can’t take the time to do … and I have some cute ones too … her little face in the star-sheets! But it will have to wait!
Was Girl Kitty the inspiration for the cat standing on hind feet looking at the quilt illustration? Or was that another kitty?? That is my all-time favorite illustrations that you’ve created! Still have the notecard with that illustration plus the kitty curled up in the basket of quilts!! 😉
That was actually Man Kitty! Kitty curled up was William T. Aristocat the third.
Thank you Susan! What wonderful memories for you and lucky for us too!
Thanks Susan for a wonderful post on a restful Sunday! Fall is my favorite time of the year…but here in Southern California it is over 100 degrees! (sigh) Not quite fall weather yet…but I know great weather will be here soon. I really enjoyed seeing the pictures of your central coast farm stand you had! I just love it up there. I was up on the central coast in Cayucos last weekend and the weather was beautiful, very fall like! We will be heading back up there soon to hit the local farms again for apples, pumpkins and cider! I also love to see the beautiful fall pictures of Martha’s Vineyard..my husband and I look forward to a fall “leaf trip” next year 🙂
Susan, thank you, thank you, thank you…….what a wonderful post on Autumn. While I was reading I could almost feel the cool crisp air I miss sooo much. Please inhale a deep breath for me! My little dog Chloe’ and I would love to romp in the leaves and take a long walk with you and Jack. (if Jack goes outdoors).
You ALMOST make me wish I were home, Susan! We’re on a motorhome trip and are now in Presque Isle, PA. The leaves here are farther along than back home in Knoxville so We’ll get to move through Fall for our whole trip. Yesterday we were in Lebanon OH and went to the Apple Festival–fritters, cider, apple pie—–! Also picked up some hand made quilted decorations for Fall and visited neat little antique shops. Did not come away empty handed there either! Left my house already decorated for Fall but your blog got me excited about getting home and playing house with my new old stuff! Home Sweet Home–on wheels or not!!
Oh that is going to be fun, taking home all your treasures!
Carol, glad you enjoyed the Apple Festival here in southwest Ohio. It has been a favorite of mine for the last 10 years. We had a very nice day for it. So many cute shops there too!
Thanks, Susan, what an awesome post about our favorite season! Loved seeing the cute decorating pictures of your house and the farmstand. I love stopping at the stands throughout the countryside now. The trees are getting quite pretty here in northern IN–and I love every minute of it! I’m glad you showed your knitting, because every once in awhile I have wondered how that project was coming that you started on your ocean voyage! I have at least two knitting projects going! Its the right time of year for that now!
Such an easy thing to have a long-time project of knitting … easy to get it out and easy to put away! So the moment you have an urge for coziness, you are ready!
Autumn on your Island is futher along then here in PA., though it is fast arriving.
Susan where do you get all your energy?Wow! Your home isn’t small and it takes a lot of care on a weekly basis.
Thanks for the recipes that makes our mouths water and we need to go and make them.
I have Autumn in my kitchen all year round. Over the doors are garlands of(silk) fall leaves and hanging on the wall is a wooden corn dryer where I have dried Indian corn on its spikes. I collect pumpkins and they are out there and through the other rooms in the Autumn season. My kitchen never changes, pumpkins all year round and I have a few pumpkins in the dinning room year round.
I too have the very same recipe box, given to me by a class mate. We have remained friends since 1964.
Love wrapping green tomatoes in news print and have tomatoes till in January.
Can’t say for sure but the berry looks like a bit like a “gooseberry”.
Oh, a photo of Jack just makes your blog even better.
The Harvest Moom was out tonight. We sang “Shine on Harvest Moon” on the way home from church this eveing. “Happy Autumn”, to each and everyone……:)
I believe I detect a whole lot of energy in this comment too Betty! xoxo
Woops… Moon…not Moom Type “O” that got away from me…….
Betty Marie, you do sound very energetic. What do you do with your tomatoes that they keep in news print until January? I’d love to know. I just emptied my garden and all these tomatoes are sitting on the windowsill in my kitchen. Happy Fall!
Hi, You just wrap them in a sheet of news print and put them in the basement or a cool dry place. Do not use color print.
No kidding! I never knew that about tomatoes – what a handy tip! Thank you kindly, Betty Marie. :>) Every single post I learn something new, not to mention useful. I JUST LOVE IT HERE! :>)
We love you here too!
Betty Marie, I have Autumn in my kitchen year round, too. The colors just work!
Oh , how nice…..
My wall color is called Callalilly from “Bhar paint”. Below the chair rail and the chair rail is white. The Callalilly is just a (tint) of yellow color. Pumpkins are on the shelves that are the same shape as Susans by her stove, except mine are made to be nick-nack shelves at the end of my cupbords. My house is 100 years old.
Hmmmm…the berries remind me of the pyracantha (not sure of the sp) berries We played with growing up in S.Cal. The adults warned us they were poisonous to people and made the birds “drunk” – but they were fun to crush with a rock and pretend we were Indian maidens. I don’t remember the connection – on of those vague memories triggered by seeing something familiar.
Since my comment hasn’t shown up yet I am reposting it . . .
Oh my, Susan! What a wonderful post! Love “pathological enthusiasm”!!! I know that when I start feeling that feeling, that if I don’t rein it in, it’s going to cost me money—and on things that a year from now, I’ll wonder whatever possessed me!!!
Since autumn is my favorite season, I have quite a lot of decorations and I too think it is time to bring them all out. I have been doing a little autumnal cooking as well, even though we are still in the 70s during the day. BTW, baked apples done in the microwave turn out very well and are easy to make on the spur of the moment! I think I will make the Corn Chowder and Pineapple Upside Down Cake the old-fashioned way this week, Susan. Sounds Yummy!
I see that Random Harvest is available on YouTube. I just put “You Tube Random Harvest Full Length Movie” in Yahoo’s search engine. If you haven’t watched movies on You Tube before, each movie is divided into approximately 10 minute segments. But once you have watched the 1st segment, several more little screen boxes will automatically appear on your computer screen. If you slide your mouse over the boxes you should see one with the title reading 2/?. This designates Part 2 of however many segments there are.
Love the farmstand and how wonderful to have a painting of it!
BTW, your home looks as though it has had successive additions over the years. I think that is so charming! Has it or was it designed that way?
Hi to everyone and have a great week! See you at the movies!
Kathy
When this house was built there was no electricity or bathrooms, people cooked in fireplaces . . . which tells me it’s changed a lot . . . there used to be a huge Victorian tower on the back of this house . . . which made no sense architecturally, but we can see it in a photo we have, and other houses in our neighborhood still have them. Thanks for the youtube movie-watching info Kathy!
You’re welcome for the You Tube info. I watched Random Harvest last night—finished at 11:30—a late night for me. What a splendid movie! Garson and Colman did a wonderful job of acting as they matured from youth to maturity. I got started watching Segment 1 and heard both English and Asian speech! At first I thought I must have another window open that had started a commercial or something. But when I looked at the Comments for the movie, I saw that someone had written that it was dubbed in Korean—and the movie was posted by someone with an Asian name! Can you imagine listening to a movie in English & Korean at the same time? God bless that person for loving the movie so much to watch it all the way through. But I quickly saw that someone else also posted the movie—fortunately it was just in English! You just never know what you’re going to come across in your travels, virtual or otherwise!
Someone or someones finally did a wonderful job on the additions to your home. Everything seems to me to be in perfect proportion. It’s no wonder that Joe wanted to take his time and paint every nook and cranny and polish all the door knobs. When one has the good fortune to have a home such as yours, one cannot help but want to know it intimately. It truly reminds me of a movie set from those wonderful romantic movies from the 40’s. But it’s not virtual, it’s really yours!!! What fun!!!
I think those movies are the thing that got me here! Glad you enjoyed Random Harvest, Korean and all!
🙂
I love your Autumn post. My husband and I rearranged our screened in porch and kitchen today to make it ready for Winter. Then I relaxed with your blog and you are doing the same. What is it about October that makes us get out Kerosene lanterns, cookbooks and candlesticks. I look forward to some long baking days and enjoying your blogs and books. Happy Gotcha Day to Jack and I know he has made your home happier with his antics and happy face.
You have such a beautiful heart and soul and your home and posts reflect it! Your farm stand is one of the many mysteries we get to read about in your rich vibrant life. Thank you for the joy you share!
Happy Autumn Days ~ Kari
That was so nice of you Kari! Happy Autumn to you too!
It has been raining all weekend in Plano, Texas with the sun coming out briefly late this afternoon. The wind has been blowing and I wished I had a cardigan with me today! I think because I was born in September is why I LOVE Fall so much! Seems everyone else does too! What’s not to love, really. You are the best inspiration for us as you know just how best to describe everything, it certainly makes for fabulous reading and dreaming! Your posts literally “make my day”, I have to go and get a cup of tea and just enjoy. All my aches and pains (arthritis!) go away for a little while, so I thank you for that! I made your Cranberry Apple Crisp for the first time this weekend and am in Love! It has all my favorite flavors wrapped up in one dish. Absolute heaven!! Thank you so much for this recipe. Loved the tartness that the cranberries gave it too. Your Autumn Post Susan has got to be one of my favorites and I love the idea that you should have a heading on your blog of Autumn, with access to all your Autumn posts…you absolutely should! Your “To-Do List” must be a mile and a half long at least!! Love you, keep the ideas, warmth and inspiration coming………
It is … my focus button has to be hit constantly … I used to write books in pure quiet, no computer, no Twitter, just me and book. This is harder! I need to put away my summer clothes, and bring out the winter clothes, and then we are having a big clothing swap with everyone on Martha’s Vineyard who’ve had their colors done . . . turning in all the colors that aren’t “ours” to exchange with the ones that are! That will be an interesting job! Which is why I always wish for cloning! 🙂
WHAT an excellent idea! :>)
I’ve always loved your books, calendars, everything about you ! Today though, really took me back to my childhood . Seeing that Tissue Paper Pumpkin was something my mother bought when I was a little girl. She knew I liked it and she surprised me by buying it. The Pineapple Upside Down Cake looked just like my mother’s did. She made it so often for dessert, now my husband and daughter love that cake also ! You are all about family, warmth, coziness, happy times and enjoying the simple things in life. Thank you for being you and sharing it with us ❤
Thanks for visiting Gloria!
Susan,
I thought of you and the other Friends while lifting my glass under last night’s SUPER Harvest Moon! (For the first time in almost 20 years, northern autumn is beginning on the night of a full Moon. It won’t happen again for another twenty years.) I hope you all had a wave wash over you of complete content, an all is right with the world moment.
Autumn is my favorite season for all the wonderful reasons you shared above. You are inspiring me to try my hands at knitting! It warms my heart that you, Joe and Jack found each other. Who could resist that sweet little mustached face? Thomas and I are in the process of adopting a 2 year old Cairn Terrier that was abandoned. He’ll be joining our Rat Terrier, Scout, our indoor Siamese sisters (Puter and Mishka) and a feral cat (Puss).
Have a wonderful, productive week, my friend. There is magic in the Autumn air!
Deborah
One of my best friends has two Cairn Terriers that have turned her into a baby-talking grown up woman! She was just here, visiting from California, and I heard her talking to them on the phone! Congratulations on your new family member!
We had a Cairn Terrorist for 14 years. He was born on Halloween — the original ‘Devil Dog’! 🙂
Cairn “Terrorist” !! Cute! :>)
Susan, love your Autumn post…quite possibly my favorite time of the year! And, pineapple upside down cake…quite possibly my favorite desert…today -smile-.
Today’s post is so cozy, warm and welcoming; it stirs in me the need to de-clutter and prep my home for winter. Thanks!
OH…and my good news…bought your 2013 calendar yesterday…OH HAPPY DAY! Now, to sip a hot cuppa and read it through. I always do that, read my calendars through before I use them. Do you?
I do. I am never a good one for waiting!
I have made your Spiced Cider for years. My children have come to expect it from now on, all the way through the end of the year. I make it in a crock pot…ummm the smell!
Thank you for helping me make a tradition.
Thank you for telling me about it! xoox
Oh, Dear Ms Susan, is that heisey glass I see on your lovely table??? You can set one fabulous table!! Were I to be your guest, I would certainly feel quite special with a beautiful table such as that set before me.
I’ve been thinking of you lately for 2 reasons…. 1) Tomorrow is the first day of October- the day I pull out your Autumn book, make a cup of hot tea, give my kiddos extra free-reading time (a delight of homeschooling), and pour over every single page. and 2) My mother has just moved to Burlington, Vermont! It’s only 4ish hours to Martha’s Vineyard? I may finally make some traveling dreams come true and see your beautiful neck of the woods! So excited!!!
I just LOVE it when a family member moves to somewhere wonderful! I would like to put one in Paris, One in England, One in the alps, and . . . you see what I mean! How nice of your mom!
Yes! It’s quite ironic- always been MY dream to move to Vermont, not my tropical blooded Momma’s! I did tell my dear hubby that I would miss him so when Momma moves to Vermont! ;o) I finally get to see it the end of this month! Anything I should absolutely NOT miss in my few days of no kids and just Momma?
Susan-I never stop appreciating this blog, and how generous you are to share so much with us. I enjoy them all, but this one was WONDERFUL. I think my favorites are the ones of your Home Sweet Home. I’m sure it has been fun decorating, especially after redoing your kitchen – it looks great. I have been cleaning too, and just finished painting a wall unit in our family room. I am anxious to put things back on the shelves – including some new little treasures I just found. I also love getting into fall baking and cooking – it just goes with the cooler weather and being inside more. The four seasons are such a blessing, but Fall seems to be a favorite of many. Thanks for the recipes, your continual inspiration of hearth and home, and for passing along your appreciation of the simple things in life. Happy October to you, too.
Autumn is a time for comfort food . . . AND this particular blog I will call a “comfort blog!” It just hit the spot! From corn chowder and brownies to quilts airing on the line, what could be better? Well, a baby picture of Jack! Bentley hasn’t seen this one yet. He has been wild over the many pictures of Jack on your blog this past summer. He really thinks Jack lives in my laptop. Very cute. A real love story! The leaves are really lovely in southern NH right now. Don’t forget, if you go antiquing in NH, stop by New Hampshire Antique Co-op in Milford to say “hi”. We have a few Peter Rabbit figurines . . . plus much much more!
You are tempting me!!! 🙂
Hi~
Speaking of Peter Rabbit ~ I read in the Parade new paper insert that Emma Thompson is celebrating the 110th anniversary of Peter Rabbit by writing a brand new book ” The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit”. It is illustrated by Eleanor Taylor.
You can enter to win a copy signed by Emma Thompson at Parade.com/win.
~newspaper~
Hello All, just wanted to wish everyone a HAPPY OCTOBER…..Susan, this blog was so inspirational and I am going to try the Corn Chowder soon. We went to the Fall Festival Saturday and it was such a beautiful Fall day and there were craft booths galore…we had pulled pork sandwiches, spiral fries, pineapple whip icecream, but no caramel apples to be found? Your home looks beautiful and it is so very sweet of you to share all of your decorating tips with all of us.
I love this wonderful fall post! I recently hosted a fall tea party and served corn chowder. I was a bit disappointed in it and now I know why . . . I didn’t have your recipe! It sounds delicious, so it will be on my next menu. 🙂 My husband surprised me with a fall color drive this weekend. We had a double bonus of spectacular fall colors AND the beautiful full moon. Love this time of year! Thank you for all the great ideas and the dose of “happy”.
Be brave with this recipe, people will love it, and so will you!
The Harvest Moon was absolutely gorgeous in Indianapolis last night, we had a perfect fall evening, just right for a drive in the country with the windows down.
That’s what I was wanting . . . but it should be beautiful for our drive through New England this week, and still a bit o’ that moon left!
Loved all the great ideas for autumn. Our leaves are just beginning to change last week it was a little nippy.
Susan, you have outdone yourself. This was a wonderful update to your blog. I love the idea of stringing up leaves for the window. And a picture of Jack on your first day together, oh my! I can’t wait to try the corn chowder. Thank you.
Susan, the weather in Indiana today was beautiful; very thankful for that. I can read your posts, and it lets me concentrate on the beauty of it all, in spite of anything else going on in my life. Your creativity is so inspiring, and I am continually appreciative to you for sharing! I always get ideas from your posts. Thank you, as always! I have my (your) “Autumn” book on my kitchen counter and look forward to getting into it again! Enjoy October and the week ahead…
Yes, the big gorgeous Harvest moon is smiling down on central California. Susan, how did I miss your Farm stand on my trips to the coast? What a lovely looking little venture! You are one brave gal. Truly, I covet your “let’s do it” gene. Who is that from? Mom? Dad? The faries? You have figured out how to know your own needs and to implement these creative outlets to foster more creativity. Well done, you! This post does really have it all; the plaintive, mournful, yet uplifting, Ashokan melody; tasty recipes, quotes to keep my soul smiling, homey decor tips, fiesty felines, ephemeral landscapes….I must stop, but I could keep listing the genuine joys you’ve selflessly shared. I always know it’s October when I begin to smell my night blooming jasmine shrubs sending out their heady fragrance….and only at night. Such a special treat along with the cooler evenings and the full moon. (Sigh….)
I am sending you and all of the girlfriends a big (digital) piece of the prune cake with glaze I made to welcome October. Nestle in and enjoy!
P.S. I concur……plant looks like the lovely viburnum.
“Who’s that from?” Curiosity, ignorance, rose-colored glasses, quest for beauty, and my parents saying, “You can have anything you want if you make it yourself!”
I think this is a wonderful thing your parents did for you. They may have said it for financial reasons (with 8 children!), but it obviously encouraged you to discover and use your many talents. Whenever I’ve examined the lives of artists and writers the common thread for their success it seems has been their need to earn a living. You can ask for an easy life or an interesting life. If we’d just realize we can’t have both, maybe we’d all be more accomplished and happier to boot!
I wonder if anyone ever really has an easy life? We all have to live with ourselves, and that can’t always be so easy!
I agree! No one really ends up having an easy life. But there are SOME people who think to be happy they have to do everything they can to make life easy, and miss the living of it along the way. I’ve finally learned to embrace the not-so-lovely along with the lovely because I can see the bigger picture now. I’m going for interesting now.
Smart girl! Guardian angels don’t always wear white!
Susan,
I agree, each of us is struggling to some degree, just as we all have joys to celebrate. Some just focus too hard on the struggle and miss the joy.
Regarding your parents and my own, the best thing parents can do for their children is teach them to do for themselves.
Have a splendid day. Soak up some autumn!
You too Deborah … we leave tomorrow to soak up a little traditional New England, 5 days of wandering. That ought to fill up the autumn inspiration cup!
Dear Susan,
For it is in October that I have been both a vagabond and a gypsy…a princess, a cat and a court jester….a pirate, a witch and a movie theater floor…..but if my heart must be true….I would just love being you! This Posting has inspired all of my senses! It has given me new music to hum at work tomorrow and answered the question, “what’s for dinner?” And I will never stop dreaming of having a dutch door….it has been a dream since I was a little girl watching Petticoat Junction. Or was it Mr. Ed? No, it was Petticoat Junction. oH Susan, I saw about 30 minutes of Random Harvest on Saturday (love Greer Garson)…..it looked so good and I was trying so hard to figure out what the storyline was….I started to watch when he was going to marry a young woman and ended when they found the unclaimed suitcase in the London hotel… well, today I went to Barnes and Noble to buy that movie….and look forward to watching it from begining to end! Why won’t she just tell him who she is? Was that a key on a chain in his suitcoat? I will look forward to finding out the answers soon! I think I will make some of your gingerbread and lemon sauce to munch away while I watch…..then Bret (for sure) will watch with me! I do love the picture of darling Jack and look forward to his stories. I always love everything here and all the girlfriends. We are so lucky that you grew up to be YoU!!! Have a wonderful week and enjoy all those crunchy colorful leaves on your leaf peeping tour! If you really really want the colors to pop! you can borrow my sunglasses that I borrowed from my Mom this weekend….they just gave everything a little extra titch of glow! But, who needs sunglasses when God already made everything perfect! Enjoy everything Susan and have such fun with your guy Joe!!!.xoxox
There are many questions in Random Harvest, you put your finger on the big one, “why won’t she just tell him who she is?” But then there would be no movie … so this is one you just have to take on faith, and enjoy that spring blooming tree (new beginnings) in front of the cottage at the end! I think Bret might run . . . this is one of those chick flicks that try men’s souls!
hmmm….well, maybe this would be a good one to watch alone this weekend, as it is supposed to be cold and rainy…just me, a glass of wine, and a cozy blanket. I think I will suggest to Bret that he run to Home Depot….and to just take his time…..as that place has tried my soul so many times! 😉
Gee, Dawn–if you make the gingercake with lemon sauce, I’ll come watch the movie with you!!!! 🙂 (Dawn lives in the far south part of St. Paul/Mpls. and I live in the far north part. We have met for lunch and become friends via Susan’s blog!) Just call me when you’re ready to watch the movie! 🙂 LOL!
Well Pat …that depends….are ya gonna make me knit through the whole thing?! 🙂 Remember, I told you that I am a social knitter 😉 and I know, I know, I need to send those slipper patterns…but I only knit in straight lines….so I am a little bit worried about the curved toe part?!!
🙂 I just realized that ALL the girlfriends may not know the fact that YOU are thee most Beautiful knitter!!! And you believe that Everyone can knit beautifully too…..even me. I am still amazed at what you can create from some yarn, some sticks, and your fingers….truly truly magical!!! Oh Talented One You Are!!!! 🙂
Okay Dawn–let me tell you a secret: There are FAR more advanced knitters than I! LOL! 🙂
The fact is that it is kind of like that saying “If you can read, you can cook”. If you can read, you can knit. It helps to have a good basic “Learn to Knit” book that doesn’t throw too much at you, too soon. (just like we all probably started with a “Learn to Cook” book or had someone teaching us step-by-step!) You just have to start out by learning the basic “ingredients” which are knit and purl– they serve the basis for anything else you do with knitting. Then the one other “ingredient” is that you have to not be afraid to try. And one other suggestion I’d make is to knit something you really WANT to knit, that you are inspired to want to learn to knit, and use good yarn so that you have invested enough money in it that you won’t find it easy to give it up! And then persistence–“If you don’t succeed at first, try and try again”! 🙂 I’m really looking forward to you coming for your “knitting lesson” and tea sometime this fall! 🙂
This is so true. I learned to knit from a Norwegian women when I was in 2nd grade. She was good, and I remembered what I had learned, but I didn’t keep up with it. At that age I was outside more than inside… It was Pat who encouraged me to start knitting again, maybe in our early 20’s (?) Anyway, I haven’t stopped knitting since then. I love to knit. When I still lived in MN, she guided me thru knitting a hat with a pattern! I might also mention that she is a weaver, and weaves beautiful items with wonderful patterns…
I’m a lover of summer and always mourn its passing but you make autumn look so appealing, I could almost like it. (If it wasn’t followed by winter, that is.) I may have to go get a pot of yellow chrysanthemums and a pumpkin for my front steps.
I am sure you have instilled in all of us a little extra excitement over the arrival of autumn, it is such a beautiful time year and your garden is so beautiful and natural looking. I spent the day with my daughters three children at a beautiful park called Rivermeadow, we had a picnic lunch under a grove of trees and the kids were collecting leaves and sticks and rocks, etc. – we went on a nature hike through the woods and we had such a good time, it really felt like fall. – sooo- we are going back for another picnic tomorrow, life is good and so much fun too. Happy October, happy walking in crunchy leaves, happy windy days,happy clouds blowing across the sky, happy geese flying overhead, happy apple cider and crunchy apples, happy pumpkins, happy beautiful fall days to all you sweet ladies.
Thanks for including baby Jack. I have grown to love him so much.
I think of him just as much a part of you as Joe and The island.
I’ve enjoyed your fall adventures too. Always love your blog, no matter what it’s about.
Sad to say, it was too cloudy here in Tupelo Mississippi to see the moon.
Your blog is simply gorgeous! This post on October is so uplifting – all the good things about autumn with beautiful photos, quotes and words. Beautiful!
I really enjoyed this post as Autumn is my favorite season! I also love that Musica–I bought the sheet music for piano when Ken Burns did the Civil War show. The music is a “little” more advanced than my piano-playing skills 🙂 so I learned the beginning of it but didn’t finish as I got too busy (is this confession time?) so I think I’ll pull it out and see if I still remember it and can get any farther through it! I get the melody in my head and hear it the whole day long–really love it! Also, thanks for reminding me of the corn chowder–what a perfect fall meal! Will make it from the sweet corn a friend and I froze from the wonderful sweet corn they grew at their farm! And for the wonderful cider recipe again which tastes so good but also makes the house smell good, too!Enjoy your leaf-looking jaunt–we’re enjoying the beautiful fall leaf color here in Minnesota this year as I’m sure the leaves will be gone by the time we head to Door County. Each season has its own beauty but Fall’s burst of warm color is so welcome after the hot humid summer we had!
I remember the barns on our drive through your area….so gorgeous!
Hi Pat~
I will be in Door County this weekend and will give you a leaf peeping report!
When are you going??
You guys could meet for Butter Burgers! 🙂
Or Swedish Pancakes!!!
Yes, I’d go for the Swedish pancakes at Al Johnson’s restaurant right now–or anytime for that matter!!! Or we could meet for dinner at the Shoreline Restaurant at the tip of Door County at Gills Harbor…that is one of our favorite spots to watch the sunset! Or we could meet for cherry french toast at the White Gull Inn!!! (Gosh, I think I just gained 5 pounds just THINKING about this!!!) LOL! 🙂
Lynn–Thanks! Where do you live? We aren’t going until more near the end of October–this is the latest we’ve gone. We purposely wait until the Pumpkin Festival and the Fall Festival weekends are over to avoid the crowds. Are you going for the Pumpkin Festival? I’ll appreciate the leaf report: npmofjeld@comcast.net but I’m pretty sure the leaves will all be gone by the time we go. Last year it rained every day we were there but we still had a lot of fun. Walked in Penninsula State Park with our raincoats and umbrellas–schnauzers in their raincoats, too! The weather doesn’t bother us! Today is sunny blue skies here in St. Paul but windy and the leaves are flying through the air. Our ash tree leaves have turned completely yellow and are really blowing…
Hi again~
I live in Racine. My son went to school at the U of M and met his wife ( a Minnesotan) there so we have been to the Twin Cities a lot!
We will be missing the Pumpkin Festival which I have been to before ~ way too busy. We love Penninsula State park and even spent part of our honeymoon there! It always seems to rain when we go too but that’s part of the adventure right?
Rather cloudy here today but nice. I harvested the hops today and saved some to make a garland~ now I smell like a brewery!
I will email you with the report~ may be even send a picture~ that is if I get to town and use the internet. Otherwise I will email you Sunday night or Monday. ~Take care~
Lynn
We spent part of our honeymoon there, too! 🙂
Pat,
Jim and I had the Corn Chowder last night for dinner. 5 Star!
PAT….Your trip is Soon! and it will be such a relaxing time away! I agree with Susan….You and Lynn should meet for Butterburgers! I remember my visit to Door County and loved how they decorated for autumn…..especially the pumpkins, just scattered about the lawns and leaves! And hearing….”FISHBOIL!”
I had the most wonderful fish chowder there and have the recipe if you ever want it. You can borrow my Mom’s sunglasses too, if you want to add a titch of glow….but then Norm wouldn’t see your eyes when you wink at him! Have SO SO SO Much Fun you lucky duck!!!!Take Care!!!
Dawn, I’d love the fish chowder recipe! Actually the Fish Boil IS part of the Door County experience! (that and cherry pie!!) 🙂
Hey you guys!!! WHAT are Butter Burgers?? Besides something that sounds utterly delicious… Everyone’s talking about them today. :>)
Hi~
Hopefully this will work~ their website~ better than I can explain it culvers.com/
Bet you will be hungry after that! Btw they have pumpkin shakes now~ there goes the waistline!!
This was one of the most dangerous places in Wisconsin!
OMG! I’m just back from the “Butter Burger” website [and much obliged for the info, Lynn]. Wow! The burgers – and all those ice cream flavors! Dangerous is the word, all right! But then, what would be Life be without a little butter-toasted risk now and then? Let’s see – Lansing looks closest… if I get in my car right now, I wonder how soon I could get there? :>)
You lucky Mid-Westerners!
I so needed your post today with all the lovely pictures of fall. This is what I saw this morning: “Hot weather continues for northern California this week.” Yikes!!
We were in New Hampshire and Vermont back in 1993 in the fall. Besides being a memorable trip (that’s a whole ‘nother story), it was the first time we had ever experienced a New England autumn. As we drove up from Manchester, NH to St. Johnsbury, VT we were inundated with color. Every turn on the freeway the landscape was so amazing – we never got tired of the view. I’m hoping that we will get to come back some day soon. I need that soul saturation of autumn colors, scents and sights!
So, thank you, thank you for the wonderful pictures in this post, and all the ideas for decorating and keeping our hearts happy in our homes! Love to your Girl and Jack and thanks to Joe for sharing you! =^..^=
P.S. The chowder is delicious – I’ll be making it again soon. And this week I’m making your cinnamon ice cream sandwiches for our monthly women’s activity. They will love it!
I think they will, good menu!! I grew up in California, and remember the first steamy days of Back to School! Sometimes it would be so hot they would send us home . . . in the spring too!
Really enjoyed your post today Susan. I love Autumn. Sunny days remind me of going to my grandparents where we would fill up the old tin bath out in the garden and wash all the flower pots ready to put away for the winter. We still do that now, there’s just a certain kind of day that is flowerpot washing day 🙂 We did see the Harvest Moon, smiling down on us. We’ve found a few conkers on the floor after the windy weather we had last week, and we’re hoping the leaves are pretty when we go up to the Lake District in a couple of weeks time.
Now you are making me crazy. I can only imagine what it’s like in the Lake District in the fall. Is it getting chilly there? What’s a conker?
It’s really pleasant in the sunshine but getting chilly, especially at night. A conker is a horse chestnut, the lovely shiny wooden nut that’s inside the prickly horse chestnut shell. Did you ever put them on strings and then play the game where you hit your opponent’s conker and the winner is the one whose conker survives the longest. Also if you put them on your window sills they are supposed to keep spiders away. Doesn’t seem to work in our house!! 🙂
Oh yes, those wonderful trees I fell in love with over there . . . we actually have one in front of the church across the street from us . . . but I hadn’t heard the word conker! Now I know! No conker games, does not sound good, sounds like bad ending could result, much like game of “feet” my brothers and sisters and I used to play. A conker seems like the perfect home for spiders! 😉
Pam, I know “conker” from the Miss Read books that I love and read often. The children were told to put their conkers on the nature table when they came in the classroom so they wouldn’t be tempted to use them! Now I have a better idea of what they did with them. I’ve never heard of anyone playing with them as you described.
What a memory! First you have to borrow your mother’s metal meat skewer to make the hole before threading the string (and remembering to return the skewer). LOL Perhaps you can help with another memory….what are those tiny little nuts, smaller than hazelnuts, often found at base of trees. Are they beechnuts? Love the Lake District!
Hi Elizabeth, not sure if they’re beechnuts or sweet chestnuts, but I know the ones you mean.
Hello Susan,
Before this weekend, I read your blog and about the “Harvest Moon”. Well, we just did the first aid for 5,000 Boy Scouts out here at Beale AFB….and while they were on their hike back from a performance done for them at the flightline…….they did go by that “Harvest Moon” and I thought of you and this lovely blog. I got home yesterday to start thinking about ways to decorate for October. I already found a couple mini pumpkins and have plans for leaves….but alas, we don’t have any turning just yet….still hot. The corn chowder is definatly on my mind though. Looking forward to the pics of Jack as he grew up this last year. I still chuckle when I see him on the top of the ladder. He is so sweet.
Thanks for the wonderful ideas.
Cheers
Jan from Northern CA
so after reading your post this morning, I have ran out and have gotten all the things to make corn chowder and pineapple upside down cake, which I have made before and is my all time favorite! my Husband called and I told him, he is so excited to get off work and have a bowl of it! house smells of bacon, yum yum! Thanks for the recipes!
You’re so welcome Peggy …. from your kitchen to mine, I can smell it too!
‘Sweet Susan’, thank you for the prelude… Our eye’s do feast, just our hearts sing in joyful praise at God’s bountiful beauty. Have a most blessed day! Oh! and what a way to christen the kitchen!
Sumerduck, Va. girl
Susan, I’m SO grateful that you gave dignity to the paper pumpkin……yay!!! I have two as well as a yellow haystack also made of tissue. I always felt like I was being tacky in my decorating by putting them out but because they remind me so strongly of my grandmother, I didn’t care. Now I can be confident, knowing that my grandmother had exquisite taste in decorating! 🙂
By the way, be careful when gathering leaves! My husband and I took a walk around our property yesterday and I picked up several beautiful leaves and almost brought them into the house. For some reason, something made me stop……and as I looked up, I noticed that they came from a HUGE poison ivy vine wrapped around a tree!! They were beautiful and red but NOT something I want in my home! 🙂
We have them all the way out to the water, along the road on our walk … and they make the woods GORGEOUS, but I have learned to leave them there! Modern decorating is wonderful and whimsical, but Grandma decorating has a little heart in it, wrapped in memories.
Rabbit, rabbit! Love…..your pilgrim candle holders, bittersweet (use to hunt that out in the fall with my 80 yr old German neighbor lady:), chowder soup, cake, sweet baby Jack (smooch) and … I walked into your picture of the rainy path in the fall. Love those fall days when there has been a rain and it is still cloudy ….everything is so vivid cause the rain has washed the dust from the air…kinda like cleaning dusty windows. Some of my greatest pictures of fall were on a cloudy, just rained day:)
I used to make apple cider in my old 20 cup? electric coffee pot (the one you would pull out for showers, etc). Put one thinly sliced lemon, two 3-inch cinnamon sticks, 1 1/2 tsp. whole cloves and 1/4 c packed brown sugar in basket of coffee maker. Put 2 qts. apple cider and 1 1/2 qts cranberry juice cocktail in bottom. Perk:) serve warm 25 (1/2 cup) servings. Smells delish and so easy to pour from the little spout. Enjoy the beauty up there you lucky leaf peepers:)))
Thank you for the recipe Judi! Love the cranberry juice in it!
I am going to try this recipe, Judi – thank you! I have a smaller pot, maybe 10 cups? But I’m sure it will work just as well if I adjust the recipe a bit for the smaller size.
Me too, Judi. I love ANYTHING cranberry so I’m sure I’ll love this. PS – are you the same person who posted the sandwich idea of raisin bread, cheddar cheese, apples etc? If so, forgot the Olympics girl. Turn pro – you have some serious talent! Sue’s rubbing off on you in the Yummy department. :>)
Judi, your apple cider sounds indeed “delish!” and in the upcoming days I will have so many, many leaves to rake and bag up…..I wish I could send some to share with You and Everyone!!! 🙂 As I am raking, and raking, and raking, and raking, I will remember your words….that “I am a lucky leaf peeper!” We really are so Lucky aren’t we?!! Thanks for the recipe!
It is yummy. Dawn it’s from “more cooking in minnesota” from twin city home economists in homemaking, 1983 🙂 Susan, I WILL make your corn chowder but….will probably wait until we get a little cooler weather…or 🙂 crank up the air conditioner as one of the other girls from FL mentioned.
I know that whenever I stop by here, there will always be loveliness. 🙂 I don’t care for fall, but this post is changing my mind! After reading it, I decided I am taking my camera out today and taking pictures of the beauty all around my yard.
It is fun to read all the comments, too!
Thank you for sharing your neck-of-the-woods with us, Susan. It is a beautiful place.
Thank you Robin!
Hi Susan~
I was at an estate sale yesterday and bought a large bowl~ very similar to your Grandma’s Bowl~ except it has only red stripes~ $4.00 what a find!
They had one exactly like your grandma’s but someone snatched it up before me~ darn!!
Any idea who the maker is? ~I would love to get more!~
Thanks!
Red stripes, $4? Fantastic!!! My Grandma’s only says USA on the bottom …. hope that helps!
Thanks! No markings at all~ I love how it looks like it was lovingly used~ just enough!
Thank you Susan, for such a lovely post. Autumn is what brought me to you in the first place. It is my very favourite time of the year and your Autumn book is the first one I owned. Your post has cheered me up and given me some energy(I am not very well at the moment) the musica is also wonderful – sounds like a film soundtrack. I will hunt for the film too. My husband has a projector, so we get to watch in our own little ‘cinema’ – read sofa!
All best wishes and looking forward to your new book.
Hala (Peasedown St John, Nr Bath, UK)
The music is from Ken Burns, the Civil War — a wonderful documentary about the American Civil War … you can find more info on Youtube. Nr. Bath? Lucky you!
thanks for tip! x
Yesterday, I sneaked a peek of this blog, and could hardly wait until this morning to relish it & the beautiful music!! I feel very chatty today & it’s hard to not comment on every picture & every GF’s comment – good thing I’m quiltin’ & chattin’ today with some very dear friends! I missed visiting your store & your farmstand, so sad. Thank you for sharing them with us, they were wonderful!!! Still HOT here, will have to wait a few weeks to serve Grandkids’ soccer team your delicious Hot Cider recipe. Loved this blog! Time to go switch my SB calendar page & that’s always a delight!! Thank you! Exclamations, !!!, I like them!!! XOXOXO PS Happy October to all!
I am in the mood for October! I love the idea of threading together fall leaves. I’m going to look hard for those precious colored leaves here in Santa Barbara County, CA while out for walks so I can string some too! My husband and I just returned from an east coast vacation–we visited Cape Cod, including Martha’s Vineyard. My sister-in-law and her husband are leasing a home in Cotuit for off-season…and they have a wooded conservation area behind the home that looks just like your walking path. I fell in love with the Cape and the Vineyard…so incredibly beautiful…I am sure we’ll be back! Thanks for the inspiration today, Susan. I love your blog, your books, and YOU!
Leasing a home for off-season on the Cape! Such a wonderful idea!
I think so too…they are Californians, newly retired, and have been traveling all over the U.S. since February. They wound up on the east coast in June and fell in love with the Cape. So they decided to lease a home from Sept. to May as a home base during the fall and winter, and will then return to CA in time for our daughter’s wedding in May. I would not be surprised if they wind up as semi-permanent Cape Cod residents. It is so so so beautiful there! And the Island. OH MY! I loved it.
I won’t be surprised either, it’s so interesting to have seasons, especially when you aren’t used to them!
I woke up on this first day of October to see that the high temperature here in southern Cal will be … 100 degrees. Okay, take a deep breath, it would appear that they will (finally) be dropping soon. I will have my fall decorations up by the end of this week. And then … then … I will make soup.
Thank you for lowering the temperatures for me even today ~
Mary
I can’t believe it’s a hundred there! I think I’ll go call my mom and see if she’s wilting!
Ohhh Susan. That is the BEST post ever. I loved that it had links to other posts, so it made this one last a good long time! Where do I begin, first I love the little leaf garland on the kitchen window; so beautiful and FREE! Thank you for the recipes ( I haven’t got to page 72 in the Autumn book yet) I am savoring each page before it goes back to the library :-(….may have to renew it! We took a ride Saturday to leaf peep and was amazed that even though the summer was hot and dry, we look to have a beautiful display this fall. Lots of reds already. Stopped by our Dairy Queen because they have PUMPKIN ICE CREAM!!!!!! yum yum. Thank you, thank you. I am going to go foraging for decorating items very very soon!! Hugs!
If you haven’t gotten to page 72, then you don’t know that there are Pumpkin Lattes in the back of the book!
ohhh dear, Pumpkin Lattes??? That may become a breakfast staple for the remaining of the month! I am surely renewing this library book!!!
P.S. I saw your honeycomb pumpkin!!!
ooohhhhh i love pumpkin pie ice cream, my favorite treat this time of year. yummmmmyyyy!!!!! have to go over to the Dairy Queen tonight and see if they have it yet….. 🙂
Pat: If your Dairy Queen doesn’t have pumpkin ice cream yet, I found out that ours carries “Velvet” brand Pumpkin Ice Cream. Its amazing!!!!
We had pumpkin lattes and your cream scones for breakfast Sunday morning. Yum Yum. I made ours into orange cranberry and used the orange glaze in the recipe. They were wonderful!
Hi Susan!
Do you know how you feel when the doorbell rings and you open it to find a friend standing there with arms outstretched holding a warm apple pie that is sending up the delicious fall aroma right up to the tip of your nose? Well that is really how this post is recieved. It makes us feel so warm all over and so wishing we could feel that way forever. However, like autumn, it will pass only to be a gift for the present time. And this is why you write books and we don’t. this is why you paint and most of us don’t or if we do not quite as well as you do, and this is why you were given a very special gift to develop for others. What else can I say beside thank you so so much for your gifts and for sharing them and for inspiring so many of us in our days in life. Thank you for being you!
That was very sweet Paulie! Now please go eat lots of that apple pie! xoxo
Dear Susan (and all my sweet GFs),
HAPPY OCTOBER! October is my b’day month as well as the wedding of my son! And both happen this coming weekend–5th, my birthday and 6th, the wedding. And right now the sun is streaming through the sun room windows where I have just read through your blog and everyone’s comments.
Ahh, can I just say “thank you”, Susan, for having the ability to know just how to find the “sweet spot” of blogging? As I scrolled down, I kept finding more and more to love. How did you know I would love to see your outdoor autumn goodies spread out on a newspaper? And the pineapple upside down cake! Your farm stand! And Jack! (okay, well, Jack is a no brainer. We all love to see him. But the idea of showing him every day in October! What a birthday present!)
I am so thankful for the little thing in life and the ability to find pleasure in them. On Saturday I drove around the twisty, windy back roads of the country side to find some of my favorite farm stands to gather pumpkins, gourds, and mums for the rehearsal dinner we will be having at our home on Friday evening. Everything about Saturday was so fallish even without the sun shining. One farm stand was complete with birds flying in and out of the barn; horses shyly gazing at me over the door; and the most adorable baby gourds (5 for $1!!) which I plan to place in a glass hurricane vase.
Thank you, dear Susan, for getting my creative juices flowing. And now it’s time to get on with the day!
Lovingly to all,
Linda
Happy Birthday Linda!!!
Thank you, Susan!
Happy Birthday to YoU Linda! And I hope someone requests the song,
“Happy Birthday” at the wedding dance! What a fun weekend you have coming up and so filled with the best present ever….LOVE!
Have a WONDERFUL Birthday and wedding weekend:) My daughter puts candles in hurricane glass containers filled with cranberries to hold the candles – fun/lovely.
Happy Birthday Linda and have a wonderful, wonderful time at the wedding! Wish we could see the photos – because I’m sure it’s going to be just beautiful! :>)
Thank you, Janet, for your kind words. I, too, wish many times that I could see “pictures inserted” of many places and occasions that everyone describes. I’m getting so excited b/c the wedding is getting closer! Yay!
Happy Birthday, Linda and have at great time at your son’s wedding!
Happy Birthday Linda!
Have a wonderful Birthday filled with fun and laughter!
You are going to have such a special weekend…..two such joyful events….and a Fall weddings is magical, heartfilled, and memory making….especially when it is your son getting married. Enjoy every minute!
Deb
Dear Dawn, Judi, Chris, and Deb–all Girlfriends to me!!
Thank you for your sweet words and wishes for a great weekend! I can’t begin to tell you how “warm and cozy” I feel when I read your messages to me. I will be sure to get in the moment and relish each and every special part of these next few days. I’ll tell you about everything as soon as I can.
Hugs to all of you (and I really wish we could have REAL group hug!)
Linda
Getting over a cold(coff, coff, sneez!) did must do yard work yesterday, thinking Oh, Poo, first of the month, turn mattress, pay bills, clean.
‘puter acting up, could not get my banking done like I wanted, have to take van into garage this afternoon (making clanging, grinding noise) AND its the end of a green warm summer, time to get out the warm woolies.
Then I turn to Susan befor I log off.
YOU realy turn my day around! and I LOVE U for that. Yes the sun is shining, and the colors are beautiful and dear SB writes the most wonderful Post to remind me how wonderful lifes simple pleasures are **** THANK YOU!****
And we are the luckiest people in the world! 🙂 I hope you are feeling better, cold wise, too!
Wonderful decorating suggestions…thank you Susan…for your “sharing” you and Joe and your dear “furry” family…Autumn is my favorite season, the beauty of the landscape gently changing daily, the wonderful smells; mulled cider, smokey wood fires, soups simmering on the stove, the sounds; the leaves falling only to be crunched underfoot….a wonderful assault of the senses….today is my best friends birthday….happy birthday to her….tomorrow is my birthday…. so October has always been a great month of celebration…we are blessed to live in wonderful areas for “Autumn” She in beautiful NH and me in beautiful western NC…. I thank you also for giving a “voice” to so many women who are inspired and motivated by your blog…nice to know the “Heart is in the Home”….how simple and how true….
Happy Birthday to you Mimi! And to your best friend! How fun you have them together!
Love the Autumn Arts post!! Can’t wait to see a review of the Childhood of Jack – he has NO IDEA how special he is, and how adorable and lovable. What a darling cat! Enjoy your beautiful October mornings! Saturday I bought heirloom pumpkins, Rouge Vif d’Etampes & Musquee de Provence, and also a green “iron” pumpkin. My patio is looking SO seasonal. We have felt a gust of north wind, it came in late yesterday, and my husband said, “we MUST go outside and listen” the perfect sound of October rushing in! Hope your day is wonderful : )
Mine has been terrific. I painted all day. I have to say, I am loving this book! Painted a red English phone booth today, it was so much fun to do!
Oh, made me think! Do you have a favorite book of your own? Or is it always the one you’re working on at the moment? Or is it like you always hear…. that an author couldn’t name a favorite book anymore than a parent could name a favorite child? :>)
My baby of course is my first one . . . But you can get away with having a favorite with books! My real favorites are Girlfriends, Autumn, Summer, Days, and Baby Love. 🙂 Yes, I guess I love them all.
I Love, Love, Love your “CHRISTMAS From The HEART OF THE HOME” book! Just would not be Christmas morning without your Christmas Coffee Cake YUMM!!! That book is sprinkled with so many stories and really great recipes….and the cutest-as-can-be-elf waving on the back book cover! 😉 *
I know that’s how I’d feel too.
PS – here I always thought I had ALL your books but turns out I was missing the Christmas one [had the keepsake “Christmas Joy” but not the standard-size “From the Heart of the Home” one. Discovered this shocking fact while cataloguing my books on a spreadsheet. But as Luck would have it, there was one in your store that I grabbed right quick [I was meant to have it] and it is – at this moment – winging its way to me. And I love that it’s vintage and already well-loved – so I can pretend I’ve have it all along. :>)
Perfect Janet! All things at the right time!
Susan, you have such an awesome way of making everything right with the world no matter how chaotic it seems you bring us back to the simple pleasures of life. Thanks for all you do on this journey called life.
xoxo Shirley!
Good morning Susan!
This lovely post greeted me this morning, the first day of October. The Harvest Moon followed me and my dog Daisy as we walked the leaf-strewn roads last night and it was so beautiful.
I have had your Autumn book on my nightstand for over a month. I savor each and every word and all the lovely watercolored art. Tonight’s baking project is the Gingerbread Crisps. Can’t wait for the smell of ginger to waft through my house, and I know my husband (married 35 years this month!) will love it.
I have the same little mechanical robin that is on your mantle. When I switch it on, it makes little Daisy go bonkers! She thinks it is real; it’s such a fun sight to watch her adorable antics.
Thank you for this blog full of gorgeous color… Autumn is like opening a new box of Crayola Crayons and seeing all the vibrant hues burst forth!
Perfectly said Patricia!
turned your calender last night before bed! My 9 year old Daughter looks at this morning a with great love of your art and say’s ooooh October is so beautiful! Thank you for your art it brightens our life here at the Allen’s house!
Have a breezy day!
My pleasure! Please tell your daughter I said a special hello to her!
You made her day, year, life!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!! I hope you know how special you are! Because you are!
Have a lovely day!
Love, Sydni 9yrs and Kimberly Allen
XOXO!
good morning susan, everyone..Happy October!!! whew i’m late i know…been working all weekend long with hubby cutting, splitting and stacking firewood from a huge tree that a neighbor brought down on our property. they had to do that to keep it from falling either onto their garage or the next door neighbor’s house. we didn’t mind and we get the wood so we were out there like busy lil beavers cutting and stacking that firewood to dry and season for next fall, good to get a headstart on that. i love the decorating you do, i make wreaths with silk leaves and they come out different each year. love Jack’s baby picture, do you have any of Girl Kitty to show??? those berries look like elderberries to me, good for making into a wine. but i could be wrong. but they do look very similiar to them. well off to go feed the poultry and then take Tabitha to the vets..nothing serious, just her booster shots. have a wonderful day everyone. Happy October and Happy Fall. hugs…. 🙂
I have lots of photos of Girl, but all the ones when she was a baby were done the old fashioned way, with camera and film! So I would need to scan them first . . . but it just takes so long … after the book is done!
i would love to see them sometime..when you have the time to scan them into the computer of course. but Jack is soooo adorable and so is Girl Kitty, i look back at Tabitha’s baby pictures and its sooo hard to believe she grew up so fast. and the rest of them, they grew up too fast, want them all to be kittens again. but then there are days when i wish they would stop behaving like kittens, like when they help with the decorating..i decorate and they investigate. well time to go find the spider that Midnight stole from the lamp, he does this every day and i get to go find it. the fun never stops around…..LOL!!! hugs…. 🙂
Susan,
Thanks for sharing all the beautiful autumn pictures. I really enjoyed them and I still miss autumn after living in Florida for 26 years. It is nice to enjoy it through your eyes. Bet you miss the farmstand. I can tell by the pictures that it had your wonderful touch. I’d love to be able to walk through the woods and enjoy the autumn leaves again and pick some bittersweet berries. They cost a fortune here, if you can even find them. So I usually go with the artifical ones. Even though we live in Fl I still get anxious to get out the fall decorations and do some nesting in our home.
Sue in Fl.
Hi Susan!
I so loved reading the Autumn post. Autumn is my favorite, but has been very slow in arriving here at the toes of the Sierra foothills where I live. It has been in the high 90’s. teetering on 100, so I plan on reading this post over and over until Autumn finally arrives. Maybe if I do that, like Dorothy clicking her heels together, magic will happen.
Hi Susan and Happy October!!!!
I started reading your post yesterday, and it was so “delicious” I just had to save some for today!!!!! I don’t know if you really realize just how wonderful your blog is and i often wonder what i would do if i didn’t have it!!! You just give so much, brighten alot of my days….and I could go on and on, but i just want to say thank you for creating such a happy place to be!!!!!!!
Thank you so much … I do feel so connected to you all — I enjoy it as much as you do!
What a fabulous post, Susan! I have enjoyed it so much. Here in Warwickshire, we call the plant Guelder Rose. Often seen in the hedgerows and woods.
Such a totally delightful post, today!!!! I’m inspired to get out my Autumn cookbook of yours. Groceries tomorrow, so I can make out my list today! Your home and property is so lovely and I love the Fall, for my favorite. All the pictures are gorgeous, as usual.
Thank you! <3, Kate
Hi Susan, fall has ‘fell’ in Seattle too & thankfully the rains haven’t yet begun. I especially enjoyed seeing your A.G. farmstand since I soooo miss those places where I grew up in SLO Co & moved from in 1989. By the way, I’ve been meaning to write you a ‘real’ letter since you first started being published in Country Living (way back when) because we ‘know’ each other 🙂 I used to deliver your mail (late 70s early 80s) to your sunny aerie in SLO & remember seeing my first Dick Blick catalog & boxes of art supplies….and picking up cute little outgoing envelopes with neat handwriting & small bits of artwork & thinking, “I sure wish I knew THIS customer better”. And now I do! Have you abandoned the Central Coast as a home & become a full time islander?
I’m full time here, but I will never abandon California . . . we have a house there, and my mom lives in Seal Beach, so there’s lots of heart tugs that go on … but right now, I need to finish my book before I can go west!
OMG – this was one of my favorite blogs! I can hardly wait for Fall. Today in Paso Robles it will be 105 and not even close to Fall! Hopefully next week will begin to cool down so Fall came enter our world. I have placed Fall items around my house, hoping that it will make my inside world seem like Fall. I thought that was a good idea!! The pics of your walking area made me home sick for my cabin in Washington. I am preparing my home to bring my husband home from the senior home he lives in right now – I want his last days to be at home so we can be together. Those last days are not here yet, but I anticipate it will not be far off. Will hire some full-time to help me – in fact, it is the person who is caring for him now. This is a huge adjustment for all of us – but I am sure it is the right one. I should have lots of time to walk around the block and enjoy the Fall weather and maybe it will even rain!!!! And believe me, I WILL walk in the rain!!!! Thank you again for sharing your world with us. It means so much to me. Continue with a Happy Fall! Thanks for the suggestions on decorating – I will use them – went to Michael’s just yesterday. XXXXOOOO Pat
Stay cool Pat! Can’t imagine 105 right now!
Pat… What a gift you will give your husband 🙂 Sending {{{HUGS}}} for your journey ahead. Love will light the way.
Georgie (NJ)
“We are Vagabonds and Our Gypsy Blood is Astir”! Happy October Sweetest Sue…This Blog is Filled with So Much Autumn~Magic! Yay! 🙂 Thank You for Making Me Smile Today & Every Day! 😉 I Read & Re~Read Every Word & Savored Every Photo! Beyond Wonderful! I Need to Make Your Autumn~Cider…Scrumptious!….ok Stay Warm & Cozy….as We Twirl into This Wonderful Magical Enchanting Month! May it Be Filled with Lots of Fun & Frolic! xoxo Boooooooooooooo! 😉 (& always a Poof!) ♥*¨`*.✫*¨*.¸¸.♥*¨`*.✫*¨♥*¨`*.✫*¨*.¸¸.♥*¨`Kitty~Kisses to Jack & Girl~Kitty! Meow & Purrrrrrrrr ♥ 😉 & Hugzzz & Love to You & Joe! (& Everybody!) ♥*.✫*¨
♥*¨`*.✫*¨♥*¨ So True Angie ♥*¨`*.✫*¨♥*¨ So true. Susan shares Happiness with every word. As we read, we think we are really there too (and we really are…) You add MAGIC too with your Pixie Dust!
Georgie (NJ)
Every year I tuck some “vintage” Halloween cards behind mini pumpkins on my kitchen windowsill. One of my favorites is a Susan Branch card from 2000,
Halloween Ghost! So darn cute! Enjoyed your Autumn post.
I’ve saved a few cards too, and do the same thing with them!
Susan and Girlfriends,
Here’s my Harvest Moon report from Southern California: Knowing it was going to be scorching hot at my inland valley home the past weekend, I ran away to coastal Ventura and spent two days in an inn right on the sand. The weather was just right for viewing the full moon in all its glory. Equally special was watching the sunset from my balcony each evening–most of all, the people lined up on the sand, silently watching the sun glide into the ocean–many people taking photos with their cell phones.
Today’s post is so, so special–I’ll definitely be trying the recipes soon–and the Fall decorations will go up this week, even if our weather doesn’t fit.
Must have been beautiful…I know Ventura a little bit, perfect for moon watching!
Oh, Susan, what an absolutely WONDERFUL post! A very Happy Autumn to you!
Hello Susan,
wow….I loved this fabulous Autumn Blog….everything looks so good….and right with my style….I have it all out as well….but have to buy things at Michaels, no woods around me in Southern Cal, near the Beaches in South Bay area…and 100 degrees today…
the house looks good, and thank you for reminding me of all your fun recipes for this time of year….I have them all,ofcourse. Tell me, where do you get all your Old Movies? I would love to see Random Harvest, and have not noticed it on TCM channel, I bet it was a good read also…but you always have the best movies….I just saw Anna Karenena…OMG….the book was really hard to read, but I tied it all together when I saw the movie staring Vivian Leigh…they made an updated movie, staring Keira Knightly, coming soon…fyi…
My Fall is up and out, and I love it…even though like I said, its 100 outside, or so. My Christmas Village will be up in the next couple days,so I can enjoy it for 3 months….you probably would enjoy doing that as well….
thank you Susan…have a good week.
Carol O. in So. Cal,in San Pedro…(with your toile gravy boat….and oh…sorry,
what memories it brought back seeing the Branches Farm Stand …How I remember it so well…and so cute and fun…I was sorry to see that and the store down the street go, but understand.
Your post was just simply delicious today. All my senses are now at full attention, ready for action. This time of year certainly does bring out the gypsy in me. A husband wrote about his wife in a magazine one time that she could spot black and orange at 500 feet in a sandstorm. That’s me when this time of year arrives in all its glory. So thankful that I get to experience all the seasons here in the maritimes that you write about. We live in a subdivision that was built in an old growth forest, and our property has many old maples on it. (One of the nicest in our city, I’ve been told). Every fall leaf is just starting to dress for the season. I feel very fortunate, very easy for creativity to blossom here. We even tap our maples sometimes and make our own maple syrup. Easy to look back and see how Jack stole your heart. He’s so beautiful. I have a dog, but I’m really thinking I’d love to have a cat now. Enjoy your fall/Christmas decorating! Do allow yourself to enjoy the excitement of the moment of the magazine opportunity and do some Christmas dreaming too.
Oh Susan, what a wonderful blog entry!! Fall is my all time favorite season, and I am very much missing it this year. We moved down to Florida with the military and it’s just not the same. I miss the change of the seasons and the crisp fall weather. Your post was so delightful and made me feel like I was right there in Martha’s Vineyard. Love it! I love your journal idea too. I’ve been keeping a journal for some time and my dream is to someday settle in New England. Funny enough though, I’ve never written that in my journal. I guess I need to. : ) Thanks for the beautiful photos and the wonderful reminders to enjoy life to it’s fullest.
Hi Susan! I walked with you today… lagging behind a bit, but taking in every leaf, feeling the breeze, delighting in the sights and sounds of the woods in fall. When I returned, my mind was filled with wonderful thoughts of tablescapes, friends and laughter. It was a wonderful escape for a few glorious minutes…
Then I looked up and realized I was at work, sitting at my desk with employee reviews, system estimates, file layouts, all demanding a different type of creativity 😉
Your Farmer’s Market was a feast for the eyes, a true visual treat. I sense it was a true labor of love, and very hard to let go of. How wonderful to have had it for a season.
Ah… and dear, dear Jack. He is a true bundle of furry JOY!
Thanks again for the walk… some day, I am determined to walk that path for real!
xoxo Georgie (Yardville, NJ)
P.S. Corn Soup is on the menu this weekend. It’s a real winner!
This may be the first post where I’ve saved EVERY single photo. I always save a few but there wasn’t one today I didn’t covet! Now I have lots more to use for computer wallpaper [I use one picture centered in the screen “framed” by the plain color of the desktop]. The hard part is choosing but since I usually use a new one every day I should get the chance to use them all. Whenever I use one of yours, I KNOW there’ll be at least one comment from a co-worker and usually there are more… Have you ever thought about a book of just photos? Uh-oh, here I go again. :>)
I love that pewter or Armetale pitcher you have the sunflowers in. Is that something new or one of your flea market/vintage finds? Now I have to have one too. Would be perfect in my house. And it’s unbreakable. And it would be beautiful in any season. Just love it!
Goodness, was Jack ever that small? Guess he was, cuz there he is! Cute, thy name is Jack!
Hi Susan, What a pleasant surprise to see your tissue pumpkin on your table. I have mine on my table as well. Mine has to be at least 30 or more years old. I love the look of these pumpkins, must take good care of it so it will last! My little scarecrow on a tricycle, on my lawn, has a new outfit this year. A pair of jeans and a flannel shirt, out grown by my youngest grandson. I get great joy out of moving him around my yard. The little pleasures of life that make me happy. Don’t you just love the leaves blowing in the wind. Enjoy your Fall walks, Marion