One Season, Two Parts

There seems to be two parts to autumn. First there is back-to-school, apple picking, the garden harvest, pumpkins, and Halloween.

After that it's all leaf raking, gourds, baking and, of course, Thanksgiving. I can't decide which I like better. Both parts evoke such strong feelings and memories.

What better way to celebrate this, our second phase of autumn, than with a little turkey and some pumpkin pie?

Crochet patterns found here

Pumpkins!

Last week we were (happily) up to our ears in apples. This week? Pumpkins!

Our visit to Nihtila Farm was a filled with all things fall: pumpkins (of course!), corn stalks, apples, gourds, hay bales, and plenty of great photo opportunities.

More fodder for the freezer—this time pumpkin puree

The crew hauling their loads

Roasted pumpkin seeds

And a couple of big ones ready to be carved

Happy Pumpkin Season!

Apple Mania

The apple pickers brought home a multitude of apples this weekend, and so the fun begins. I am licking my lips just thinking of all the apple sauce, pie filling, cobblers, and muffins (and I think I need to find a good cider donut recipe this year) we will be feasting on soon.

I know so many of you are enjoying apple season as much as we are, and here's a little more apple mania to eat up:

The apple peeler/corer/slicer. Seriously, what did we do before this?

I thought a few crocheted apples would help celebrate our abundance. (As you may already know, I'm crazy for these crochet patterns—this one is by Amy Gaines. I have mentioned them a couple times before: here and here).

Plenty of applesauce, ready for the freezer.

And some more of those caramels, because caramels should never be too far from so many apples.

The World's Biggest Apple?

A few images worth sharing with you today:

Mud puddle fun!

A little project I have been working on. I'll show you more, including what's inside, soon. (It's a gift, and I have to give it before I can fully share it)

And, quite possibly, the world's biggest apple. It measures six inches in height and 13 inches in girth (yeah, I really did measure it). Do you think this apple alone could fill an apple pie?