Good Things

It's been a busy week since I've been home, with doc appointments almost every day. And the rest of the time? Bringing my house up to "code" -- it's amazing how many spiders start webbing when you aren't there for a huge chunk of time! And, a groundhog has dug two holes under the house. Now looking for a compassionate way to get him to leave!

 

Postcards From the Lake: A Fond Farewell and a Recipe

All good things come to an end. After all that glorious color, those crisp days and crispier nights, it was time to wrap up our summer -- and early fall -- at the lake.

For me, that meant a final trip to the farmer's market.

Southern Exposure: Hops and Bittersweet Swag

It was an unexpected surprise. My friend Jan couldn't attend her scheduled Southern Exposure workshop (Hops and Bittersweet Swag) so I was able to go in her place. With all the rain we'd had, Kate and I were worried we might not get a good garden walk but the weather turned and we saw Southern Exposure in its fall glory.

Well, almost! No turning trees yet, but the flowers were still lovely.

And the bees were making the most of them!

While a huge number of blooms had bid farewell, there was still plenty of color.

Does anyone know what these are? They seem to be like spiky little red balls.

And it looks like it could be a good holly crop for future holiday workshops!

The cows were in the pasture...

...the chickens in the coop.

Frogs and fish were enjoying a warmer day in the pond.

This fellow was handsome!

I'm trying to recall when I saw so many frogs at once and so many different kinds!

And while you may remember my post about the fungi up north? Well, I never saw anything as large as this! At first I thought it was a lawn ornament!

The herb garden was being carefully guarded.

This is truly a garden bed!

 My favorite area here is the greenhouse and it was well decorated.

This globe was rather perfect.

And I really liked this mini barn door, covered with leaves.

The yellow blooms in the pot were so pretty I thought they had to be "permanent botanicals." Nope, the real deal!

Inside was beautifully decorated as well. (Yes, when I came home I put some leaves around my chandelier!)

And of course the fireplace mantle looked perfect.

We started our delicious dinner with a hot drink and since our project had hops, this one included some beer and cider, lots of juices and spices. It was terrific!

Usually we go to the craft tent for our project but for the first time since I've been there, the workshop was far from full so we had the pleasure of starting our swag in the same room where we dined and where all our materials were laid out for us. In addition to wire and scissors, we had broom corn, Indian corn and some "permanent botanicals" of bittersweet and hops, along with a large piece of burlap ribbon.

Here's the finished product!

And here it is on my door!

When we return to Southern Exposure it will be on October 20 to learn more about Christmas cookies.

The gardens will probably be pretty much put to bed for the season. We might see some fall in the greenhouse to take us to November, but maybe not.

So, this is what I will hold in my heart during the cold winter months to come.

It's the herb garden and "flower bed," ending the season.

Sharing with:   All About Home Link Party     /     Tuesday Turn About    /      Let's Keep in Touch    /     Best of the Weekend     

A Little More Fall, In and Out

Well, autumn is officially here. I see it at the farmer's market with the shots of color: pumpkins, tomatoes, zinnias. (Oh, and because so many of you asked, camera info at the end of this post.)

And a row or two later, I am blown away by this gorgeous bunch of fungi.

I see it branded into the sidewalk as I move toward the Ditch, imprints of fallen leaves, leaving their mark on the cement.

I see it in the sumac and the astors.

I see it at Kohl's. And by the way, why anyone would spend 15.99 or 23.99 for these pumpkins when you could cover a faux pumpkin with artificial leaves, probably from Dollar Tree at best, a little more at worst, is beyond me. They're really cute. And all it would take is a pumpkin, leaves and a glue gun. You're welcome.

I see it in the falling leaves.

And I see it through the bare branches -- a spotted fawn on the Deer Island at the Ditch. I never would have spotted him otherwise.

It smells like fall, too, at least around my house! Heat up the oven -- make this simple chicken casserole and serve over wild rice.

Basic ingredients -- I use chicken tenders instead of the breasts the recipe calls for. Any dry white wine will do.

The joy of this is that you can make it up early in the day and later, when it's nearing dinner time, pop it in your 375 degree oven and in 45 minutes it's on the table. (Maybe a bit longer if straight from the fridge.) That's just about how long it takes me to do my wild rice.

Remember that farmer's market? Well, I bought a quarter bushel of tomatoes and so guess what!

Yup! Loads of batches of pasta sauce starter with onions, garlic and tomatoes. (One batch had artichoke hearts and mushrooms, too.) We'll dress it up with extras (olives, sausage) later! I took the immersion blender to one batch and it was the best tomato soup ever!

I've been making pesto, too. And I can't resist caramelizing a few more onions than I need while I'm doing the sauce!

You knew I had to add a little to the house, didn't you. Mostly, it's a few botanical elements, dried and faux. I love these leaves in the tin pail. That's one of Carol Gillot's (Paris Breakfasts) watercolors beside it. Pears are perfect for fall!

The china cabinet top got a bit of an upgrade.

And a few branches in the big vase with battery lights by Lizzie's bowl.

A quick peek at the other cabinet -- outside...

...and in.

I love this corner with my Stickley lamp, a few leaves and a photo of the Eiffel Tower by my friend, author Judy Winter. Can't wait to see it in person again!

A number of you asked about my new camera, what model and make. It's a Canon SX730 HS and has a 40x optical zoom (which stretches to 160, although at that full zoom, it's hard to steady.) It's reasonably lightweight (not as light as my earlier model) and fits easily into my purse. I got the little kit which included the memory card, battery, mini-tripod, card reader (disappointed my old Canon cord didn't fit) and a little cleaning kit. I found it on Amazon through a seller called WhoIsCamera. So far, I'm impressed, although I have to say, looking at these photos enlarged, they seem a little soft. That could be operator or setting error. We'll see.

 I guess I'll be putting it through its paces in October and look forward to sharing with you!

Meanwhile, enjoy some magical fall!

Sharing this week with:    Let's Keep In Touch     /   Pink Saturday   /     Thursday Turnabout

Leaf Porn

Leaf porn.

Really, what else is there to say?

I join with all the other bloggers who have been posting the most glorious color in sharing some of the splendor from Otsego Lake and northern Michigan.

This was our last trip up north as we closed the cottage for the winter. And it couldn't have been more lovely, with temps hitting 70!

We did a little meandering while construction people were working on the house, heading north on Old US 27 with a stop in Mackinaw City. We enjoyed looking across Lake Huron toward Mackinac Island.

And toward the Mighty Mack!

 

Rick tried to hold the Mackinac bridge in his hand but the photographer didn't get it right!

There were a few lovely "drive-by shootings."

Sometimes the sky looked a little threatening, yet it added a completely different dimension to the color.



One of my favorite spots was shooting at Michawe, a golf course a few miles away. I loved their bridge -- and the stark contrast of the white birches against the water and the color.


The lake was impossibly blue making the color all the more vibrant.

And everywhere you looked it was orange and gold.

              

Our tree life has been odd this year. Usually by the latter part of October the color has peaked and the leaves are as much on the ground as the trees.

This year is different. There is still plenty of green -- not to mention the brilliant colors.

It almost looks like a bargello pattern!

As for me, I'm clinging to every bright moment, holding it in my heart through what will probably be a long, white winter.

They always are...

Grab that sunny day! If you live in our part of the world, they are dwindling down to a precious few!