October 30, 2020!

No, it's snowing!
October 30, 2020!

It is pretty outside!  However, it is toooo early for snooow to bring a smile to my face.

Not Enjoying!

 

~October ~

An earlier visit this month to Meadowbrook Farm.

The beautiful month of October is here!  Every day the colors of the leaves on the trees change a little bit more.  Some leaves have floated down from their branches. 

Autumn is a beautiful time of year.  Especially this year, it is really great to appreciate the scenery!  Our Rose Bush continues to add color to our garden!

Enjoy!

An October View

A quick glance!

Every year this is the scene in October whenever we take a quick glance out of our kitchen window!  The golden yellows, the rusty browns and bright red leaves against the backdrop of green pine needles and other leaves.  Even on an overcast day the colors are beautiful.  This is one of the views of New England that is always a keeper!

Enjoy!

 
 

October Scenery 2018

October brings beautiful colors to New England.  It's always a treat to drive on our streets and/ or take the daily walk and admire the sometimes pale, sometimes bright colors.  I've been enjoying the scenery in my yard and neighborhood, but the Red Sox and the World Series playoffs had me preoccupied!  

The leaves turned color a little later than usual this October, but now we see the change everywhere we look.  The autumn colors in our yard are beautiful!  

Mums beginning to open.

The back perennial garden.

Sometimes, the gorgeous view is ahead.  Other times, we look up to see that leaves have changed to shades of golds, oranges and reds.

Another view!

Autumn in New England is picturesque! 

 

So many visitors come to enjoy the scenery, but we are very fortunate.  The beautiful scenery is in our backyards!

Enjoy!

October 31-

Happy  Halloween!!!

Enjoy!

 

October Color

On the daily walk in our neighborhood it's always great to look- up!  Suddenly, during the month of October the leaves begin to change!  Now, the beautiful colors of autumn are becoming visible.  The golden yellows, the rust colors & the subdued reds along with orange leaves on trees.  All colors are mixed in with many shades of green. 

Every day it changes, just a little.  Everything is a little more colorful. 

The brilliant colors appear & before we know it, they change color, again.  The dried leaves start floating downward.  Autumn in New England is beautiful!

Enjoy!

Halloween Sherbet Punch!

The time is near!  The Halloween party for the goblins in your family/ & friends.  You might be planning it for next weekend!  If you are searching for a beverage that has a yummy, yet creepy look, Orange Halloween Sherbet Punch is great!  It's easy to make & is a treat at this time of year.  This punch has always been a family favorite for us.

It has 2 ingredients!  How easy is that???  When they are combined a frothy brew can be enjoyed by "children of all ages".  

Halloween Sherbet Punch 

Ingredients:
 For each 1 Quart of Orange Sherbet
 Use 2 Bottles 7Up - 2 Liter size bottles (refrigerated)

Method:  

1.  In a large punch bowl place 1 Quart Orange Sherbet.
2.  Pour 2 bottles 7-Up Soda in punch bowl, pouring some over Sherbet.
3.  Stir a little to mix.  Results in frothy, softened Sherbet on top.
4.  Ladle into cups adding some of the Sherbet.
5.  Replenish the 7UP + Orange Sherbet, as needed.

The disposable cups will soon be filled with a frothy orange brew!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

~Reminders of July~

Halloween candy is advertised & on the shelves in our local stores.  The leaves are changing colors & with a gentle breeze, some are falling down from the tree branches.  The calendar reminds me that it is the month of October!   But, looking at my front garden, I may forget for a moment.

The Stella D'Oro Daylily & the Rose bushes are enjoying the weather.  A Rosebud, a blossoming Rose & a Yellow Stella D'Oro are enjoying the season.

What a beautiful time of year!

Enjoy!

A Fave Fall Foliage View

Puffy white clouds floated in the blue sky last Wednesday!  We were driving north on Rt. 116 toward the center of Amherst, MA.  My passenger side window was unrolled & I was waiting- ready.  Ready to see one of my fave Fall foliage views.  Suddenly there it was, so I snapped a photo!  Oranges, maroons, reds & yellows along with shades of green.  My childhood memory revisited!  Every autumn this is a spectacular sight!

Enjoy!

      

Halloween Sherbet Punch

BOO!!!

Halloween!!!  It's the time of year when imaginations rule.  Spooky!  Scary!  Squirmy!  Decorations are appearing along with the pumpkins! 

If your family's  Halloween Party is this week, a beverage for "children of all ages" is Orange Halloween Sherbet Punch!  It's an orange frothy beverage that contains only 2 ingredients.  Orange Sherbet & 7- Up.  (Diet 7- Up works just fine).  What could be easier?  This brew is very tasty & very colorful.  Put those 2 ingredients on your grocery list!  Remember disposable cups, too!  Now find your punch bowl & ladle!
   
Halloween Sherbet Punch

Ingredients:
 For each 1 Quart of Orange Sherbet
 Use 2 Bottles 7Up - 2 Liter size bottles (refrigerated)

 Method:

1. In a large punch bowl place 1 Quart Orange Sherbet.
2.  Pour 2 bottles 7-Up Soda in punch bowl, pouring some over Sherbet.
3.  Stir a little to mix.  Results in frothy, softened Sherbet on top.
4.  Ladle into cups adding some of the Sherbet.
5. Replenish the 7UP + Orange Sherbet, as needed.

My family has enjoyed this brew for over 20 years.  Yes, raspberry & lime sherbet also make a very tasty punch in the hot summer months!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

 

Happy Halloween!!!

          

Craisin/ Raisin Apple Crisp

Needs a small scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Autumn!  Apples!  October!  Cooler nights!  Wait, wait...I need to go back to apples!  This is the season when biting into a fresh juicy apple is such a treat!  Sure, I like the summer fruits like strawberries, blueberries & cantaloupe that are easily available, but an apple...oh, yum!  Not only are there many varieties, but they can be enjoyed fresh or baked in a goodie.
One goodie that my fam always enjoys is Craisin/ Raisin Apple Crisp!  This baked dessert made with fresh apples has a few Craisins & Raisins sprinkled in & and tastes so good with the oat topping.  That topping has Nutmeg & Cinnamon, too!  In the produce area of my local grocery store I see a commercially packaged dry mix to make the oat topping.  The thought passes through my mind:  "How hard is it to make an oat topping?"  Not difficult at all!  Below is my very easy recipe!  Try it, you'll see!    

If you've never tasted this yummy dessert- bake one & the aroma from your kitchen will get you hooked!  Yum!

Craisin/ Raisin Apple Crisp

Oven Temperature: 375°F
Time: 45 - 50 Minutes

Ingredients:
 6 - 7 peeled sliced large apples - I use McIntosh, Cortland
       &/or Empire apples
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/3 Cup + 1 Tablespoon softened Butter or Margarine
1/4 Cup Craisins
1/4 Cup Raisins

Method:

1.   Preheat oven to 375°F.
2.   Spray PAM in 8" x 8" glass baking pan.
3.   Rinse apples under cold running water & dry.
4.  Peel & slice apples. 
5.  Place peeled sliced apples in pan. 
6.  Add Craisins & Raisins and mix in. 
7.  Thoroughly mix remaining ingredients together in small bowl.
8.  Sprinkle over apples. 
9.  Bake 45- 50 Minutes or until apples are tender. 
10.  Serve warm or chilled with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. 
11.  When cool, cover & refrigerate any leftovers.

This weekend I baked this Apple Crisp using a combo of McIntosh & Cortland apples & it was a great treat!  We always enjoy this dessert with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!  So good!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

~Early October~

Autumn is a beautiful time of year!  Early October brings cooler weather & the scenery in our yard changes every few days.  Soon, an abundance of oak leaves will be floating downward.  That always brings on the Fall yard work.  However, it's great to enjoy the scenery!

The pot of yellow Mums brightens up our yard even on a cloudy day!

Close-up of Mums

 Our Zebra Grass has tassels every Autumn!

 

The Hydrangea has lavender blossoms.  All summer they have been blue.

Every yard needs at least one scarecrow!

Enjoy!

Apple Crisp with Craisins/ Raisins

Small scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream will be added!

Columbus Day Weekend!  I hope that you have enjoyed it.  This holiday weekend came quickly!  October is a FuN month - filled with fam birthdays, football games and produce of autumn. 

Last weekend we ventured west on the MA Pike and then on to upstate NY to attend a beautiful wedding.  Driving on the highways between gorgeous trees that were beginning to change colors was so sweet - shades of greens, yellows & reds.

    
On the return trip home we not only viewed the colorful foliage, but at a rest/food area there was a Farmers' Market.  An abundance of the fresh local apples from the nearby orchards were available to purchase. Cortland Apples!  Cortland will always be my fave eating & cooking apple.  The contents of a  fill your own bag of these juicy tasty pieces of red fruit is now in our fridge.

My plan?  Bake Apple Crisp with Craisins/ Raisins!  A crunchy oat topping covers slices of fresh peeled fruit in this yummy dessert.  The apple slices are also surrounded by sprinkles of Craisins & Raisins.  Add in Cinnamon & Nutmeg = Yum!  It's extra easy, because no pie crust is required for this tasty dessert!

Apple Crisp with Craisins/ Raisins

Oven Temperature: 375°F
Time: 45 - 50 Minutes

Ingredients:
6 - 7 peeled sliced large apples
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/3 Cup + 1 Tablespoon softened Butter or Margarine
1/4 Cup Craisins
1/4 Cup Raisins

 Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray PAM in 8" x 8" glass baking pan.
3. Rinse apples under cold running water & dry.
4. Peel & slice apples.
5. Place peeled sliced apples in pan.
6. Add Craisins & Raisins and mix in.
7. Thoroughly mix remaining ingredients together in small bowl.
8. Sprinkle over apples.
9. Bake 45- 50 Minutes or until apples are tender.
10. Serve warm or chilled with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
11. When cool, cover & refrigerate any leftovers.

This is definitely a family fave apple dessert here! 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

 

Power is BACK!!!!!!

View from Kitchen Window a Week Ago

WooHoo!!! Now my DH and I know how dependent we are on electricity! The nor'easter slammed into Western MA and our power was out for 6 days. We are thankful for the hard working men/women from all over our country who are helping our state. We have power back on our street!

JG

11/8 - Update:  Yesterday AM (11/7) our Internet + t.v. service was restored!  My son and his gf welcomed us back to the 21st century and to the internet!



Hubby at Work!



The Debris Pile Gets Taller

Halloween Sherbet Punch

During the daytime red, orange and golden colored leaves confirm that October is here. Then, cold, and dark nights hide the beautiful scenery of late October. Halloween is just around the corner. It is time for Halloween Sherbet Punch!

Halloween Sherbet Punch

Ingredients:

(3) 1 Quart containers of Orange Sherbet

(5 –6) Bottles of Diet 7-Up Soda (refrigerated)

Method:

1. In large punch bowl place 1 Quart of Sherbet.
2. Pour (2) bottles of chilled Diet 7-Up in punch bowl, pouring some over sherbet.
3. Stir a little to mix ingredients.
4. Will result in frothy top and softened sherbet.
5. Ladle into cups, adding some of the softened sherbet.
6. Replenish the Diet 7-Up and sherbet, as needed.

The goblins in your family and friends will enjoy the beverage you have brewed!

Happy Halloween!!