Susan Branch Blog | Susan Branch Blog

F A L L D E C O R A T I N G There’s a hurricane threatening the south, we might be getting rain next week, but this morning at 9am, it’s clear, no humidity and a beautiful 65 degrees! We’ve been very productive lately, getting ready to head out to Minnesota and points west. We’re putting the house in order before we go, so I thought I’d show what we were up to this weekend. First thing, in any case of house cleaning, of course, is to preheat the oven to 325°. Rewards for hard work are going to be necessary.

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While Joe went out front to work on the house, I went upstairs to begin bringing down the quilts that have been folded all summer in heat and humidity to hang them outside on this beautiful breezy day (which I’m going to show you in just a moment) to give them a breath of fresh air. (I could watch quilts flap on the line all day, I could sit, drink tea, and watch them blow, glide, dance in the wind.) Pure poetry in motion.

Such a perfect day, I also brought down the feather pillows to wash (with Woolite, on gentle cycle, in cold water 🙂 ), figuring they would like an airing on the clothesline also. So into the washing machine went the first two.

Back to the kitchen to start preparing the reward . . . baking brownies (because I am thinking fall!). Got out my trusty recipe book (the one that works every time 🙂 ) and buttered up my “Bake King” pan.

I melted the chocolate with the butter . . .

Then, turned off the flame and beat in the egg and the sugar. What I love about this recipe is that it’s all made in one pan! It comes together so fast, in case someone is outside on a windy day, climbing tall ladders and putting the newly painted shutters back on the house, he might come in to chocolate baking in the oven and feel that it is all worth it after all.

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See all those walnuts? Just part of the reason I think this brownie recipe is the BEST. Not that I would have distain for any brownie anybody wanted to set in front of me. To me brownies say Back to School, but I still like them the way my mom made them, chewy, bendy, chocolaty and very walnuty!

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So then you do what comes naturally, you pour the batter into the pan, spreading it with a spatula, and pop them in the oven for a half hour.

Feather pillows go into dryer with tennis balls

While they’re baking, it’s back to the laundry, time for the pillows to go into the dryer with a couple of tennis balls to help get them back to “fluff stage” — they don’t look so good right now!

Then I had to go outside “to see what the quilts are doing” (we substitute procrastination for cleaning kitchen); must run back to get the camera because the quilts were doing this:

(One of my very short 20 second videos of the wind in action.) The creative mind can always figure out ways to procrastinate further. So next, I go check on Joe and tell him how wonderful he is.

Look at that good boy! Up and down that ladder! He took them off last fall to paint the house; we sort of liked the house all white and plain, didn’t hurry on getting them painted and back up . . . but we began to miss them (they’ve been on the house since 1849!), so now they’re back! House is saying “thank you!”

Love coming back into the kitchen full of Brownie smells! Five more minutes until they come out of the oven — I get the pillows out of the dryer, because they now look like this….

All plumped and fat and fresh and ready to get some good windy-day air into them . . . make them smell like the ocean . . .

Out to the line they went to finish drying — another quilt added to the line . . .

While the brownies cool, I put down my hooked rugs, pull out fall dishtowels, start cleaning out some cupboards, getting my kitchen in order so that when we get home in the middle of October, we can slide right into fall, and not miss one beat of this wonderful time of year. The brownies get cut into squares when they are completely cooled . . .

Finally, they’re ready (because they’re much chewier when they’re cool!) to go on the cake stand . . . A doily gives the whole scene that “professional” look, and of course we do want this to look professional!

Although at this point do we really care about professional? No, we do not, we care about yum! ♥

Voila! Kitchen looks like fall, brownies are ready for my guy, I’m feeling all happy because even though it’s August (rude reminder), my kitchen is ready for Autumn leaves.♥ I hope I’ve made you as excited as I am about fall and the change of seasons. It would only be fair, I’d hate to be in this alone. But just in case you need more decorating enticement (which, knowing you, I don’t think you really do!) . . . We’re having not one, but two new drawings! Your Willards started going out this morning; that’s where I told you all about them. You have until midnight Sept. 11 to enter by going to the top of this page and signing up where it says “subscribe, click here” (that’s where there’s a “random chooser” that makes all the decisions about who wins the prizes!) If you’ve already done that, you’re automatically entered! Here’s what we’re giving away . . .

This print of my original watercolor (you can read more here) called Grandma’s Bowl (because it was!) — comes unframed or matted, so you can pick out something that matches your own decorating, but it’s on very thick watercolor paper, you’ll love it! I hope you win! The other drawing will be for this …

One of my (100% wool, hand-hooked) rugs . . . ♥

Just a small token of my great affection for all of you and the very kind comments you have been leaving for me.♥ I read every single one of them! It’s my favorite thing about having this blog! I can’t quite express my gratitude, it’s been a bit overwhelming, but you’ve made me think that blogging is perhaps the best possible thing a person could ever do for fun and relaxation! When I started, I was afraid I would feel like I was talking to myself, but it hasn’t worked out that way at all! Thank you! ♥

I Like Jars ♥

Small things can be important anyway. ♥ Gladys Taber

Good Morning girlfriends! What are you up to today? I’m doing “fall cleaning” around here, because Joe and I are leaving soon, and we won’t get back to the island until the middle of October! (I’ll tell you all about it in the new Willard which starts going out tomorrow morning.) Have to redecorate and get the house ready, so it’ll be all perfect and cozy for the season when we get home. Was cleaning out my kitchen cupboards yesterday; wiping off what has turned out, after all these years, to be my “collection” of old storage jars and thought you might like to see them. ♥

It all started with this salt jar. I got it when I was in my twenties; I was looking for one with a wide mouth that I could dip a teaspoon into for recipes. I went to a stationery store and bought plastic sticky letters, picked out “SALT,” stuck them on, and they’ve been on there ever since, including trips through the dishwasher. This little salt jar knows all my kitchen secrets. It’s been on top of every stove I’ve ever had.

Found this one →, in an antique store . . . it’s my cinnamon-sugar shaker for toast; it has the word “Handi” in raised letters on the side and the lid says “Pepper.”

The one in front is probably an old salt shaker, but I use it for vanilla sugar (that’s a vanilla bean in there). Old jars have a charm to them; they’re handy too; you can see what’s inside and how much is left; plus they make the inside of my cupboards look good! Also, I can get a full-size measuring cup into the wide opening of the sugar and the flour jars. They’re good for keeping nuts, granola, rice, brown sugar, cookies, crackers, just about any loose thing you have, coffee, tea bags — and everything stays fresh. Collecting them slowly, piece by piece, when I see them, when they aren’t too expensive, has been fun; because of that, they each sort of carry their own little memory, reminding us of the times we packed up the van and went out “meandering.”

No better time than fall to drive the back roads, let the leaves fly up to greet your car; stop at old houses for soup and sandwiches, pick up a pumpkin at a roadside stand, see what treasures the old barns and antique stores have in store for you. ♥

We’re all collectors at heart; everyone has their own style, their own collections, and their own way of arranging their kitchen cupboards; BUT if you are in the mood for a really nice jar with a ← red lid that screws on smooth as glass, looks old but is actually new . . . then I can help you. We found a source for them and put them in our web store. Just a little thing, but you know . . .

Those little things can just make someone’s day. Fill one with Butter Croutons or Ginger Crisps (both recipes are in the Autumn book) give it to a friend, and there you are!

Back to work for me! Have a wonderful day! ♥ xoxo

Brownies, Quilts, and Shutters . . .

I Like Jars ♥