I’ve got some good things for you Girlfriends!!! MUSICA
Oh, how I’m loving October! 🍂 Weather has totally changed on the island, summer is a thing of the distant past. We’ve had two Nor’easters recently, wild wind and rain out of nowhere . . . ferry boat was stopped, we’ve been cut off, out here alone, leaves flying by the windows. My favorite. Light the candles, make a fire, cook, and cozy-in to the quiet. With Jack. And Joe.💞
Look at me! After three months of an out-of-order broken wrist, I’m painting again!
I wasn’t sure I’d still know how! I’ve started working on the 2021 calendars (yes, 2021 😜, try not to think about it). As you can see Jack has been lending support. I’m still going to Occupational Therapy once a week, working to get all that luv-lee flexibility back. But I’m sooo much better. Lifting little weights! See that writing up there? Now look at this:
This is a shopping list I wrote with my left hand a couple of months ago! I told my brain, “MAKE A ‘G'”, but my brain said, “Is that a right turn or a left?” This took HUGE concentration! I kind of liked it!
Still eating healthy, and still loving it. Doesn’t that look delicious? Well, it was! Best words I ever told myself about losing weight? “I don’t care how long it takes, I’m doing it.” Very powerful. As they say in the Biz, “It’s a Lifestyle Change.”
Here’s a wonderful little healthy snack. If you are a homey cottage-cheese lover like I am (and many aren’t for good reason ➡️), there is nothing nastier than the milky wet cottage cheese you find in so many grocery stores. So I have something new for you to try. Look for Friendly Farms Cottage Cheese. It’s heavenly. Sturdy and creamy. Not drowning in milky wetness!! Available in tons of places. Perfect to put on crackers, or, like above, on buttered, toasted Ezekiel Bread, sprinkled with seeds, nuts, salt and pepper! Sprouts taste good on it too. It’s a treat!😋
Yes, it’s that time of year for Carrot Cake! Lots of Birthday’s around here lately . . . and Saturday is Rachel’s Birthday! 😘😘😘 Sending love to you Ray ~ I really wish you could help yourself (all of you!) to a piece of this! I won’t be a bit surprised if they figure out how to do that someday! Wish they’d hurry! You can wish Rachel a Happy Birthday here in the comment section, OR, write her on Twitter, HERE!❤️
You’ll recognize the recipe for the three-layer carrot cake I took to Jaime’s house for a birthday party . . . I forgot how good it is! Everyone loved it!
If you’ve never tried to make a carrot cake, you really should! It comes together so easily, and it’s filled with fruit and nuts! Right, Jack? Right!
Here I am at the party, sitting on the floor in front of the fire, among my oldest and dearest, toasting Joe through the crowd as he takes a nicely blurry photo of me!
In this one, I have the camera, so you can see what my view was from my floor position. People putting their rings around the candles, so everyone gets to make a wish.
My cake came in last and I was too busy cutting it to take pictures! I’ve made it lots of times, but usually, I just 
put frosting between layers and on top. This time I made extra frosting and did the sides. Decorated with chopped (green) pistachio nuts, a marigold from the garden, and strips of carrot peel I rounded at top with a knife, and made pointed at bottom. Isn’t it cute? I thought it looked like a happy circus cake! There were zero leftovers, no crumb went unattacked! You could do this!!!😘
The fans would love it! This recipe also makes amazing cupcakes. You can tint the cream-cheese frosting if you like.
All home-sweet-home this time of year. Hovering between 50º and 60º most days now. See our wisteria, so insidious, sneaking its way around everything, will crawl under a window and into the house if we aren’t careful! But very gracefully!
I love being a homebody. Garden is changing so fast . . . but we still have a few herbs, some nasturtiums, kale, lettuce, and a couple of tomatoes growing. A few rose buds and marigolds. No freeze yet, so we’re milking the garden for all it’s worth.
The wind blew our yard full of leaves . . .
And, btw, that Carrot cake recipe (and cupcakes) is in the book on the table! (Heart of the Home 30th Anniversary Edition.) If you make it, cool the cake before you put the frosting on!
Look at this! Fun with food! Joe cut into this radish and look what he found! Good enough to sell on eBay! (No, we won’t😅) Had to take a picture of it! Love the tail! Crazy radish bug!
And yes, Casper is back in his high spot, in the guest room on the second floor . . . looking out . . .
Over the neighborhood . . . he’s become a tradition, lighting up this window every October for years.
Cheering a stormy day, a harbinger of Halloween . . . he’s got a perfect view.
I wob him. When we go into downsize mode someday and sell this house, I hope the people who buy it will want Casper too! Because I know he will want to stay.🎃
There is something in October . . .🍂🍁🍂
Out on our walk, the bittersweet is wild!
Such a magical vine . . . invasive, they say, but what a way to go! We’ll be decorating around our front door with it!
The woods are prettier every day . . . we’ve had lots of sunny, crisp, and breezy days . . .
And the rainy days just make it better!
We just make a fire! Last night, girlfriends came over after Mahjong, we sat on the sofa and talked in the quiet, listened to the fire popping, clock ticking, wind blowing outside . . . 🍂🍁🍂
What’s up at the Studio? We’re getting new things all the time, I can’t quite keep up. Doing our best to make our web store one-stop shopping where you’ll find lots of little special things filled with ❤️ ~ with the holidays coming up so fast, it’s that time again!
Just in ~ our brand new Winter Dream Charm ~ like any starry night, you can make a wish for dreams come true.
And these too, precious house cut-outs ~ one of which is now sitting on my stove shelf. I tried it all over the house, on a window sill with my rusty birds, on the mantle with a candle behind it, there’s no bad place! It’s going to be gorgeous with my white Christmas trees!
SO, something else . . . There’s a new article featuring guess who? Me! in Edible Vineyard (the 2019 Harvest Issue), a wonderful island food magazine produced through the Martha’s Vineyard Times. It’s available everywhere here on the island . . . and I have to say, every article in it is interesting! Really well-written. Kind of like the New Yorker of food! I don’t know if the paper is selling them, but I’m sure you could ask.
On October 26, I’ll be speaking and signing books at the 
newly renovated and beautifully restored Carnegie Library on North Water Street in Edgartown, MA, from 2-3 pm, sponsored by the Vineyard Trust and Edgartown Books. It’s free! And they have a gift shop! 😜 I’ll bring signed copies of Edible Vineyard to give out! Come join us! And guess what? Kellee and Sheri will be there (Joe too!). They’re coming to stay with us for a few days next week, to get a little taste of New England fall!🍁 💃
The Edible article was beautifully written by Alisun Armstrong, photos by Lexi Pline. Quotes from the Fairy Tale Girl and Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams. Recipes from the 30th Anniversary version of Heart of the Home and my Autumn Book.❤️
No reason for this photo, just loved the colors!
This too! I told you it was a huge Birthday Month . . . I also had a Birthday Party for Martha . . . this was the table setting. Very simple, purple flowers (Johnson Brothers WindsorWare plates) and plaid napkins on old bedspread, with hydrangeas from the garden.
Colorful! Girl Party! This whole lunch was scarily done without a recipe. When we were in Hudson, I tasted some fantastic things, spicy 
sweet-potato fingers with minted lemon sauce and a Coconut Cilantro Chutney (with hot peppers and garlic and ginger). I wrote down what I could, so I could try making it at home. I was nervous, realizing too late that this might not be the smartest way to do a birthday lunch, but it turned out GOOD. I served it with deviled eggs, minced red onion, and smoked salmon, and toasted walnut bread ~ with homemade Basil Ice Cream and Lemon Polenta Cake for dessert. My wrist allowed me to do everything except Joe chopped the onion and got that pretty green ice cream out of the freezer container! Pretty darn good!
And then there’s this! Because I couldn’t find them on the Island, I had to make them. Since they’re not here, I imagine you may not be able to find them either, so I thought this recipe could come in handy, for Apple Cider Donuts! They’re easy! They bake in the oven like a cake! You have to have them!🍁
So Here’s what I did . . . first off, on the stove, out of sight, is a pan filled with Apple Cider (the plain, non-alcoholic kind) boiling down to a syrup (don’t worry, I’ll put the recipe at the end of the post). Then I buttered the donut pans with melted butter and set them aside. Don’t have donut pans? Stay tuned . . .
I lightened the flour by stirring it with a whisk so I wouldn’t have to sift it. Then I measured it out lightly and put it in a medium bowl . . .
and whisked it together with baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
In another large bowl, I whisked together egg, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
whisking . . .
. . . adding in the reduced cider . . . whisking until it was blended.
Then, because it’s too difficult to get the dough neatly into the tiny donut pans with a spoon, I poured the batter into a plastic bag …
. . . then squeezed the messy thing down to get most of the batter in the bottom of the bag,
then I twisted it up at the top, and cut off a tiny bit of corner, so the batter would come out in a controllable manner.
. . . and Voila . . . into the oven they go!
While they baked, I melted some butter and mixed together sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon for coating the donuts when they were done.
And here they are, hot from the oven. I slipped a tiny spatula around them and they came out like buttah.
I dipped them, tops and bottoms in melted butter, and laid them into bowl with the sugar and spice . . .
Spooned over sugar, pressed it in, until they were well coated. Pushing Joe, get away. no touching. Oh, poor baby, okay, eat one. Gimmie a bite.💋
I wrapped the rest of them in an old linen bridge-table tablecloth, put them in a basket and walked over to lowely’s for Mahjong . . . we start with tea, and yesterday, with donuts still warm from the oven!
The recipe made six large donuts and ten small ones. So, who wants to make donuts? Leave a comment, we’ll have a drawing, and the winner will receive the exact tins I baked these donuts in! Two tins, used once only, they’re festive, they have red bottoms, together they make six large donuts and a dozen little ones . . . there are more in our web store, just in cases. And I’m including a package of holiday recipe cards!
I’ll toss in a signed copy of Edible Magazine too…
So that’s it . . . sunshine through blowing leaves, through kitchen windows, sliding across the stove, weaves through sugar-donut fragrance, skips along the floor, over the table, dancing fairy-like over a bowl of apples, and shimmers onto our walls.
Our world sometimes feels upside-down, we can feel overwhelmed by daily happenings, making ends meet, meeting the needs of our beloveds, drains energy, there’s no rest for the weary or the worried! Dreaming of a better tomorrow? Let it show in everything you do. Let the things you value in life shine through, home, family, friends, the little things that make life sweet. Do stop and smell the flowers, run and catch a leaf in mid air. Watch an old movie with your petty pet. You’ll feel better, I promise. Kisses and blessings on you and yours. Take a deep breath . . . ahhhhh.
Don’t forget to leave your comment for the drawing! HERE is a little chart that shows you how to sign up to get this BLOG delivered to your email address.❤️
A P P L E C I D E R D O N U T S
Makes six large donuts and ten small ones.
Set out 1/2 c. whole milk and one egg to come to room temp. Slowly melt 1 1/2 c. (12 TB. or 1 1/2 sticks) butter (you’ll ned some to grease the pans, some for donut batter, and some for the topping). Put 1 1/2 c. non-alcoholic apple cider in small saucepan. Bring to boil, then simmer until liquid reduces to one-half cup. 👀 Watch it. Takes about 15 min. Set aside to cool. Use a pastry brush, butter the donut cups.
Preheat oven to 350º
- 2 c. all purpose flour, whisked to lighten, then measured
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 egg, room temp.
- 1/2 c. whole milk, room temp
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 TB. melted butter
- 1/2 c. reduced apple cider
- 1/2 c. dark brown sugar
- 1/3 c. granulated sugar
T O P P I N G
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- the rest of the butter, put in shallow wide dish.
Preheat oven to 350º. In a med bowl, whisk together first 7 ingredients. Set aside. In large bowl, whisk the egg, then whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet and whisk until smooth. Fill a large plastic bag with batter. This is messy. Once filled, hold it at top and squeeze batter down, twist the top so batter is pushed into bottom. With scissors cut a tiny corner off the bottom of the bag (not too much, you can always cut it bigger). Squeeze the batter into the donut cavities, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 10-12 min until they spring back when you poke them (I baked the small donuts slightly less time). Let cool 5 min in pans, Use a small spatula to loosen each one and turn them out onto tea-towel-covered cooling rack. While they are baking, make TOPPING: in a small bowl, mix together first 3 topping ingredients. Put the rest of the melted butter in a shallow dish. When donuts are cool enough to handle, dip tops and bottoms in melted butter, put them in the sugar mixture and spoon over generously, patting them so the mixture will hold on. Eat! Lovely in a cloth covered basket to bring to tea! Excellent with a cup of coffee!
*You can make your own PUMPKIN PIE SPICE for the topping, just add 1/2 tsp.nutmeg, 1/4 tsp.ground ginger, and 1/4 tsp. ground cloves to the cinnamon.
Oh my gosh, I love this post! And I love cider donuts! You are just the best, and I’m so happy your wrist is better so you can paint again!
What you said there about when we are overwhelmed by daily happenings? That my friend is why you have always been so important to me. All I have to do is look at ANYTHING you do and I remember whats important. I slow down and get things back in perspective. Thank you for that. I’m so happy you are healing well and sharing things with all of us.
Dear Susan, it’s been ages since I wrote my last comment on your blog. Life just happened, but I still faithfully follow you and am always delighted to read about your life. I’m also happy that your wrist is doing better. Kind regards from your Hungarian fan girl…
Love hearing from you Eszter! Hope life is being kind to you . . . xoxoxo
This warm and cozy fall post inspired me to try your carrot cake recipe. I’ve downsized my baking pans so I baked two layers and six cupcakes. I put them all in together at 325 degrees for 40 minutes ant the results were amazingly delicious. Two single layer snack cakes (one to give and one to keep) and six cupcakes for the freezer. Happy Fall! 🍁🍃🍂🌾
Perfect! It’s a lot of batter, no reason you shouldn’t shoot the moon!
Absolutely love your blog! Makes me so happy reading about such comforting sweet things. I have all of your books. They are my “go-to” when I need a smile. Thank you!!!
Susan, nice to hear from you again! Glad your wrist has healed so well (and I am impressed at how clearly you’d written that list with your non-dominant hand!). Thank you for sharing – pictures, news, recipes. Happy October!
Hi Susan! My mouth is still watering after reading your blog!!! The doughnuts look yummy!! I love this time of year also! Our weather is still Indian Summer and loving it! But not long now it will turn a little crisp and I will see the first flock of Snow Geese flying over my house ! Or hear them fist, then I know fall is here and baking your doughnuts will be a must! I love being a guest in your home as I read your inspirational blog! Thank you lifting all the hearts of your many friends!😊💕💕🍂🎃
Dear Susan,
I love reading your blogs, they are so inspiring. I am around your age, and retired (from a computer job), and love old things, cooking, and art. Taking watercolor classes has been my retirement reward! These days I’m adding researching the family history to my day as well. And I love cider donuts! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing with us, especially the donut recipe! Can’t wait to try them. Happy fall, Happy Halloween, and Happy Birthday to Ray! 😘
Those donuts look amazing! Love all the fall pictures, we don’t get much fall weather in Florida. Glad your hand is doing better 🙂
Oh Susan,
I envy you your beautiful Fall days. It seems like the East coast may be the only place to see them in their gorgeous oranges, yellows, reds and varieties therein anymore, When I moved back to the Midwest 11 years ago from 53 years in Southern California I was so looking forward to 4 seasons, mainly Fall and Spring, but they are fast disappearing out here. Today is a wonderful Fall day but we have had a precious few, mainly gloom, rain and temps 50 degrees and below. Oh climate change how I hate thee! We only have a precious few years to try and change it around and I pray that we are able to. It will take a village and a world to do it and we all need to take part. So goes my sermon for the day except to say that us adults need to bow at the feet of Greta Thuneberg who is an amazing 16 year old from Finland who is leading the charge along with many other courageous teens. They truly deserve our respect and our attention.
So glad that your wrist is bettah (now include that in a sentence with buttah and we may have a new and improved song for Streisand). It doesn’t seem fair that as we age our bodies should turn on us – shouldn’t they be rewarding us instead for lasting so long? Maybe like “Benjamin Button” but not going back quite so far as infancy. Speaking of Brad Pitt (we were weren’t we?). I know that punctuation is horribly wrong but my proper punctuation brain cells have gone the way of the slinky I fear. Anyway I digress, but speaking of Brad Pitt did you happen to see “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”? He has managed to age quite brilliantly (well he was Benjamin Button after all) most especially in a shirtless scene. A girl can dream can’t she? Also “The Art of Racing in the Rain” is a ten thumbs up for animal lovers (both the book and the film). Speaking of books, I would like to recommend 2 of my FAVORITE authors. I think I already spoke, wrote, emailed about Louise Penney and her Inspector Gamache series but now I must add William Kent Krueger. He lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota and writes a series set in the upper Northern part. The main protagonist is Cork O’Conner, a former sheriff. He is 3/4 Irish (bet that was a surprise) and 1/4 Ojibwe. They are mysteries and include the Ojibwe reservation in one way or another. I admire his writing style, the current issues he deals with and the way he depicts his characters so completely. He just gave a talk in Decorah on behalf of Dragonfly Books (our lovely independent bookstore) and he was very good and very approachable. Sorry for going on and on jibberjabbering about books, it’s just that I love to read.
Anyway, thanks for the scrumptious sounding doughnut recipe. I have to say “sounding” because I can no longer taste or smell (real bummer hunh?) but I can imagine how they would taste. Thanks for sharing your world with us and also for sharing Joe and Jack. I will share my sweet Olivia (cat), twinkling Bixby (dog) and my dream of a shirtless Brad Pitt with you.
Happy Birthday to Rachel and happy Fall to you and yours.
Much love,
Patricia
Yes, I heard someone say Brad Pitt on the roof was worth the price of admission! 😁👏 That movie clung to me, thought about it for days afterwards! Sign of a good one. Couldn’t agree with you more about the quest of Greta Thuneberg. I still dream that Gore won the election, we’d be 20 years ahead of this thing now. Scary everywhere, floods and fires, and we feel it too, here on this little island. No storm is normal anymore. Blessings on you and your wee petty pets! xoxoxo
Hi Susan, Always look forward to your blogs and recipes. And have the books to look them up in I have all of your books I think. Met you in Austin Texas on your book tour in 2018 enjoyed every minute. Hope to visit Martha’s Vineyard in the new year. Will be making donuts soon.Hugs JoAnn
I love welcoming autumn with you!
Another great blog post. The cider donuts look wonderful!! Thanks for the recipe can’t wait to try them. and they’ve got to be better for you cuz they’re baked instead of fried. Happy fall! -Biz
Wow! So many beautiful autumn photos! We aren’t having much of a fall here in Alabama so will happily live vicariously through you! So glad to hear your wrist is getting better! The apple cider donuts look absolutely incredible- I can almost smell their delicious aroma from here! I’ve always been intimidated by donuts but after seeing your step by step, I feel emboldened to try them! Love that these are baked and not fried! Truly obsessed with pumpkin spice. Better Homes & Gardens’ magazine has a wonderful recipe for a homemade pumpkin spice latte. Throw it in the blender for instant froth- no need for Starbucks! Thank you for all the lovely inspiration!
Me, too, me, too! I have a Pumpkin Latte in my Autumn Book! Thank you Amanda!
Oh my goodness, I have to try your version! Thank you, Susan!
What do birds give out for Halloween?….
….’Tweets’!!!
Happy Autumn!
👏🤣🍂
Happy Birthday Rachel,
Question: Which type of birthday candle burns longer, a red candle or a blue one?
Answer: Neither, they both only burn shorter.
Q: Which birthday party game do rabbits like most?
A: Musical hares.
Q: What has wings, a long colorful tail, and wears a bow?
A: A birthday pheasant.
Q: What goes up and never comes down?
A: Your age!
Q: What looks like half a birthday cake?
A: The other half.
Q: What do clams do on their birthday?
A: They shellabrate!
Q: Why did the girl feel warm on her birthday?
A: Because people kept toasting her.
Wishing you the biggest slice of happy today.
Cheers!
😆😘
Oh dear, I’ll have to say ” duh”, I reread the post and when you said “don’t have donut pans? Stay tuned…” I thought it meant you were going to tell us how to make these without a donut pan. Now I realize that one of us will win one! But, I did look online to see if making donuts without a donut pan is possible, and it is. Just wad up parchment paper in a small ball and set it in center of a muffin tin. Since most of us will be losers (again, LOL), this is a simple solution. All of us can make these. There’s even a recipe for making them with a sweet potato, hmm this also sounds yummy.
p.s. – Joey, I did see one donut missing from the photo.(teehee)
You can also just pipe out donut holes! I should have said that! Good eye, He got one!
Susan,
Was thinking (well … obsessing really) about those cider donuts when you first mentioned them in a previous post. And there you go cracking the recipe code! Regardless who wins the donut pans you made all of us girlfriends winners when you posted the tutorial and recipe. Thank you!
Hi Susan, As I woke this morning I had a feeling that you would be in my in box with lovely news and “normal” happenings to share !! The day did not disappoint! I will be making the donuts tomorrow and remembering my childhood treat that my mother made!
My grandfather used to get up at 4:00 am every morning to make donuts for his restaurant – all deep fried. I can hardly wait to try these baked cider donuts. Happy that your wrist is on the mend. Thankyou so much for your books and blogs.
Those cider donuts look yummy! Would love to smell them baking!
Happy Fall ! Have a great week ! Great blog as usual!
The doughnuts sound wonderful but alas I am unable to see the pictures. About half the pictures of each blog do not come through! No clue why. ??
So glad your wrist is about back to normal. Congratulations on taking good care of yourself.
Refresh the page . . . they should come back! Thank you Marie!
Is there any way to buy the magazine if you don’t live on Martha’s Vineyard? I would love to have a copy!
Try giving a call to the Martha’s Vineyard Times . . . I’m not sure how they handle requests, but why not try!
Living in the Fnigerlakes with many apple tree farms around, apple-cider donuts are prolific! One needs a lot of self- control! But, nothing is better than making them yourself and filling the house with the fragrant aroma of baking. May we all enjoy this colorful time of the year!
Some places have an embarrassment of cider donut riches, and then, others are a desert!
So glad to see that your wrist has healed and that you’re back to painting and coking. We’ll be waiting to see the results!
[email protected]
Dear Rachel (Sugar Moon Mama),
Hope you had a wonderful Birthday on Saturday! Only wish Susan and Joe could have been there to help you and Paul celebrate it!
I second that!
Really enjoy your posts and accompanying pictures. This is such a great time of year for color, pumpkins, squashes, (All fall foods),weather, and entertaining. Susan I have a few of your books and love them. The recipes are great but the graffics are the best. Thank you. Patty McDonald
Thank you back, Patty!💞
Thanks for another wonderful post!!
Just yum and thank you!
I just made a pumkin chocolate chip snack cake and it is wonderful!! The leaves are starting to change in NWest Indiana and they are soooo pretty!! Keep your blogs coming !!!
So glad to hear your wrist is better! I can’t wait to try your cider donut recipe. Being a southern girl, I have never had one before! It is actually on my bucket list! Thank you for your lovely post!
Happy Fall! I would love to make your donuts!!!!
I so enjoy reading your blog and seeing all your watercolor paintings. The doughnuts sound splendid. So glad I discovered your website! Thanks so much for sharing with us.
Definitely going to make the donuts for my five girl’s!
I really enjoy your blog and your watercolors. The doughnuts sound amazing. So glad I ran across your website. Thank you for all that you share with us.
Carrot cake AND apple cider donuts — YUM!
Yum! Everything you made looks so yummy. So glad your wrist is healing well and you’re painting again. Loving the fall weather. Take care.
Every fall I try to remember to freeze small containers (1/2 c. or so) of cider to have throughout the year when making recipes (veggies, desserts, etc.) that call for it. I suppose it’s possible to find store-bought cider after autumn, but we get some wonderful cider from local nurseries/farm markets around Rochester, NY and other sources seem to pale by comparison.
Thanks for encouraging us to eat apple cider donuts!!
Happy Fall! I’m thankful your wrist is healing. Love to read the stories about your baking and your friends!
I love apple cider donuts. Would love to win the donut pans. Thank you for sharing all of your recipes.
Thanks for the inspiration and opportunity Susan! Love everything you do.
Your blogs are always a joy to read!! So glad to see your wrist is healing as it should, and you are able to use your hand again. Had to have been a challenge for you as you love to cook, bake, be creative and write. Thank you for your wonderful insights on life itself and sharing the thoughtful lessons we learn from each other by being kind.
Love freshly baked Apple Cider donuts. so will try your recipe. We are lucky to have places in Connecticut that sell them in the Fall. We go apple picking at the Orchards or go for fresh Apple Cider at the mill and eat their donuts. A lovely way to enjoy all the fall has to offer.
Love this time of year as well. So glad you are able to paint again! We would all be lost for sure without your calendars.
Happy Fall
Kim Allen
Would love to make these! Thank you for sharing all of your inspirations!
Good riddance to summer! I love fall. The cooler temperatures, sweaters, crunchy leaves, pumpkins. Thanks for the news letter and the recipe. Island life sounds wonderful. My mom makes orange date muffins that she dunks in melted butter and then a cinnamon sugar mixture that makes this crispy crust. They’re unbelievably good, so I’ll be definitely be making these donuts.
My grands would think those donuts were a special treat! I’m going to have to try them… for THEIR sake, you know. 😉
Yes, you are too good!🤣
Oh, my! Over one thousand comments! See the power of doughnuts? You are a marvel, Susan. I can’t wait to make these (I have a large 6 pan) and love apple cider. The weather in Oregon is changing. The trees are beautiful. Thank you.
I just finished dinner yet I am wanting a donut. I can smell those things here in AZ. I love the bedspread idea as a topper (and those plaid napkins, oh my) and also the quilt draped over the chair. Your ‘eye’ is spot on and I so appreciate your sharing.
Hi Susan! and happy fall, my favorite time of year. Glad your wrist is better. The donuts look yummy. Thank you for sharing.
Blessings to you Susan. Seeing the picture of you with brush to paper brought tears to my eyes. After an injury it’s always scary not knowing if things will ever be the same again. But by the looks of it, you appear to be well on your way to a full recovery. So happy you are back in the studio creating a better world through your lovely art and positive, heartfelt stories.
Trying! Girlfriends definitely help! xoxo💋
Happy Autumn! You never fail to delight. The last paragraph touched my heart and this line is on repeat in my mind: “Let the things you value in life shine through, home, family, friends, the little things that make life sweet.” Thank you!
I am writing to say how grateful I am for your blog, and celebration of the warmth of home, garden, family, friends and more. I am finding these dark days, and it is good to know others are doubling down on kindness and creativity and also hoping that this, too, will pass. Merry Fall.
😘 😘 😘
Love love love your blog and everything about it…your positivity, your photos, your artwork and your recipes! Thanks for a bit of relaxation and sunshine when life gets overwhelmingly busy.
Yum yum. Thank you for sharing your cooking adventures. I will try the donuts. And glad to hear that your wrist has healed so well.
Gosh, I have been thinking how much I would like to figure out how to bake some apple cider donuts, and then the recipe fell into my lap(top), hee hee! Thanks for the recipe, can’t wait to try it. Also thanks for the chance to win the lovely prize! And, last but not least, Happy Birthday to Rachel!!
What a wonderful blog! I couldn’t get to it till today, so hope I got here in time for the donut pan drawing 🙂
Loved the first few pics of Jack sitting with you while painting!! How cute is that! Loved all your gorgeous fall photos too! It’s the prettiest season don’t you think?! Your carrot cake looked so delish, and so creative with the carrot strps along the side! Nice to see your wrist is healing nicely!
When I read you blog or your books, I feel like I am home. I have been drifting the last year and in a temporary home and reading your words keeps the dreams alive and hope to find my place again. Thank you.
Oh yummy, cider and donuts in one treat…please enter me for the drawing! I can buy cider donuts here, but I want to make some too. I love how you’re sitting on the floor…people always try to offer me a chair, or ask if I’m ok…I taught preschool for a long time, and I’m just comfortable on the floor, lol. And “homebody” is a badge of honor…I also refer to myself as a “nester”. Autumn has been beautiful here in Western NY…we had a Harvest Jamboree at our church yesterday, spectacular weather, my favorite season. Now that I’m home, I can buy cider ALL YEAR at Wegmans, wahoo! Thanks as always for your posts! Off to feed the 5 boy kitties…
Apple Cider Donuts…….be still my beating heart!!!! My taste buds are falling all over themselves in anticipation!
So glad your wrist is healing! I’m sure you’re happy to hold art supplies again 🙂 Your posts are always so …cozy… to read. I love them every time!
Those donuts look easy, and amazing! Now if it would just decide to be Fall here in CA. 93 degrees in the San Fernando Valley today. Just a note, went to Trader Joe’s today to buy more Ancient Grains. So good on avocado toast, but they have been discontinued, at least here. Will have to try to recreate it with it’s separate components because it was so good.
Terrible news!
Thanks for the yummo donut recipe. Need one of those pans! Glad you’re back to painting!
Susan, i broke my wrist 1 year ago so i know exactly what you’ve been through. I’m so happy for you, your wrist seems to be healing well. I’m from Wisconsin and our cool crisp fall weather is inticing me to bake some of your cider donuts. Thanks for the recipes in this blog post! XOXO
They said complete healing will take a year. . . so what do you think?
I love Your ghost in the window!!!!
It’s so lovely to hear from you!!❤️ (Like a good dose of home.) Life CAN be so overwhelming…it seems like lately I need to clone quite a few of me. So many new widows I just can’t catch my breath and be everywhere at once. At least I’ve learned you have to live every day as though it were your last…. On a cheerier note..I LOVE your yummy butter colored mixing bowl. My cousin just gave me a wonderful large light blue one. It’s perfect for my husband to make his famous blueberry pancakes for all our grandkids when they visit!!! As for selling your house at some point, can’t you add on a downstairs bedroom??? Your house is so charming and it’s just ‘you’!!!!! So glad your painting again😘
I’d hate to disturb the equanimity of this house of houses by stealing a purposed room for a bedroom and bathroom. I COULD ruin the dining room, but I really couldn’t! No, it has to go as is, and us too, not yet, but one day.❤️
Excited to try your Apple Cider Donut recipe. My girlfriends and I love to go to Oak Glen, CA, in the fall for everything apples – apple tasting, apple picking, apple cider, apple pie, caramel apples and apple cider donuts! Now we an make our own donuts – thanks so much for the inspiration and the recipe!
I’m not a big donut fan, but these sound divine! So glad you’re recuperating nicely. Thanks for the bits of cheer! 🍂
Susan…Thank you for making my day brighter and sharing your life with us. So happy that your wrist is doing so much better. The donuts look delicious! Love seeing your blog in my inbox.
I have made your carrot cake so I know how good it is! Can’t wait to try the doughnuts – it’s not autumn in Australia but anytime is doughnut time I reckon!
So glad your wrist is better – must have been awfully tedious.
Happy Fall, Susan! The carrot cake and donuts look amazing 🙂
I’m happy that your wrist has healed and that you’re back to painting!!
Dear Susan,
Though I have enjoyed your posts for many years now, this is my first time commenting. This purely a reflection of my shyness and introversion. It is not indicative of my indicative of my interest. I LOVE your blog, your work…you! You are an inspiration to us all and most importantly you help me to remember to dream and keep whimsy a part of my life for which I am eternally grateful. These baked cider doughnuts look scrumptious! Just in time for a seasonal treat, thank you for sharing.
So nice to hear from you Jessimer! That’s okay, you can read and say hello if and when you like! Thank you for your kind words! 💞
Thank you for taking me back to my New England roots! I look forward to reading your blogs and literally drop everything to read it start to finish. I also enjoy your photos and especially Jack💕
Jean Giuggio
Big Canoe, GA
Every once in a while I begin to fear my blog posts are too long ~ so that’s nice to hear! xoxo Thank you Jean!
Hello from the Hudson Valley apple region ! Now is the time for apple picking and the trees are loaded this year. Just wanted to stop by and say how enjoyable it is to read your blogs, it makes my day to see your lovely drawings too. I’m busy trying to button things up outdoors before the winter comes and I do think we will be getting snow early this year, I just have that feeling. Thanks Susan for letting me know how to leave a comment, I didn’t scroll all the way down to see, but now I know and it is sooo easy, guess my brain wasn’t working that day. I will have to try the donut recipe, nothing better than the smell of something baking in the oven! Stay cozy.
Glad you found it Carol. I feel the same about an early snow this year. Probably just hopeful thinking!
Oh those donuts look so good! I was wondering if you had bad weather. Since I visited in September it is great to visualize how the island looks. I want to come back sometime.
Love the pictures! I hope I win! I did contact them to try and buy a magazine of the latest one. I would love to read your article!
Happy fall Susan! The donuts look amazing. So glad your wrist is better.
I love the fall. It is never long enough in the northeast! I wish October was twice as long!
What a wonderful, cozy post! Thank you, Susan! Your joy and love for autumn is contagious.
I just adore your blog. It inspires me and fills me up, ready for another day to look for the beauty in my world. Thank you also for being so generous with us. You are too kind.
Guess what? After being inspired by you and others, and feeling bloated with fingers that feel like sausages, I’ve ditched the sugar! I am nervous and excited all in one. I puts lots of reading inspiration on my “to be read” list. Right now, reading A Year of No Sugar by Eve O. Schaub. I’m gonna need everyone to keep my going, especially with all the sugar goody times coming up!
You’ll see, it’s MUCH easier than you think. When you eat healthy, cravings go away!
Kiss kiss!
Oooh, cider donuts! Years and years ago, i actually made fasnachts but the cider donuts look a bit easier (no yeast!) and sound yum! So i think i’ll give your recipe a shot! Thanks for sharing!!
I loved this! Fall looks gorgeous where you are! I think a big part of that is that you take the time to NOTICE it. Thanks for sharing all of these wonderful ideas and images. It makes my day to get the blog.
This was a beautiful post that I needed on a Monday morning. Those donuts look amazing!!!! Can’t wait to make them!
Oh my goodness, what timing! I have been craving apple cider doughnuts (although I cannot tell you the last time I ate a doughnut – years ago!). I would love to win YOUR doughnut pans. How fun would THAT be?
As usual, your post put happy in my heart.
Nothing like a popping fire while the wind blows outside! Love it!
Nothing like girlfriends and celebrations of all things big and little!
Nothing like sharing good recipes, kind words, beautiful pictures.
Encouragement and Hope comes in all sizes…
Thanks again, Susan!
OH,and if you do downsize…I think your Stove needs to go to The Smithsonian!😉
😘
Another great blog!! Thank you!
A beautiful post about the most beautiful time of the year! Thank you for sharing your Apple Cider Donut recipe. Yum!
My favorite post, so far! I can actually taste those delicious donuts and the carrot cake. Your description is so complete that I can smell your kitchen! Thanks for the great “fall” start to my work week.
Hi Susan!
I’m so happy your wrist is feeling better! And yum, those cider doughnuts sound amazing! We have lots of beautiful fall color here in Idaho to enjoy & lots of apple cider too! Must try…..All the best!
Sharon
Wonderful – love fall too. Love the cozy photos.
Love the idea of making the donuts without frying them! Beautiful time of year to make them! Glad your wrist is healed.
Great Blog post. I have never ever had a cider donut, but they sound amazing especially since they are baked. I will give your recipe a try. Happy Fall to you and Joe.
Hi Susan, I would love to make the Cider Donuts but of course need a Donut pan!! Maybe (keeping my fingers crossed). When I was a young girl, my grandmother would come to visit us from Winnipeg and always made donuts. We would come home from school and come into the most amazing yummy aroma. Then we would sit down with a glass of milk and devour as many as we could or were allowed.
🎃🍁🎃
Happy Fall! I have made your carrot cake from the original Heart of the Home (I now have both, the Anniversary edition I actually purchased at Bunch of Grapes in Vineyard Haven when I was there a few years back!) This is the best carrot cake I have ever had and I get requests for it all the time. I make it into cupcakes as well, still delicious! Even though I can get cider donuts here in Northeast Ohio, I am still anxious to try the cider donuts recipe. Always better homemade! Thanks for your wonderful recipes!
So glad you are feeling better, I love your blog and look forward to it.
Happy Fall!!
Glad your wrist is all healed. And a Happy birthday to Rachel!
I would love to make the cider donuts! What a nice give-away!
Susan,
Another delightful, yummy blog! I haven’t made Carrot Cake in years. It was always a favorite and as you said, not a crumb left!
Thanks for sharing your fall with us who haven’t seen much at all! We are ready for cooler temps here in TX! So glad your wrist is healing nicely.
Beautiful blog post Susan. I love the fall. Takes forever to get here in Southern California. People think we don’t have seasons, but we do, you just have to look for it. The subtitles of it makes you slow down to appreciate it. Those donuts look & sound so good & I know a couple little donut lovers who would love to try them. May have to try them this weekend. ❤️
I found it in the wine country, driving through the fields, rows and rows of grapevines, turn subtle colors!
Susan:
Wonderful post! I am so happy your wrist has continued to heal and you are getting things back to normal and painting. I love fall. I’m a California girl so we don’t get much fall here, so when you post about fall ~ I’m in heaven!!!!
Hi Joe! Happy belated Rachel!!
xxoo
Happy Birthday to Rachel! Enjoy the splendor of the Autumn Earth everyone! Thank you, as always Susan, for a blog that captures the heart of IT=Life
I love cider donuts but never thought of making them because I thought you had to fry them. Thanks for showing me that I dont need to.