Gathering

i went out yesterday looking for bird seed for my gold finches and some Christmas bulbs...

i got a giant amaryllis bulb called RED LION.....

i stuck it in this old cast iron urn...all i have to do now is fill it up with more gravel and water....

i got a sack of paperwhites...it just wouldn't be Christmas without these in the house...

i stopped by the GOODWILL store to see if the had anything vintage for Christmas...and came home with these cordial glasses...for a dollar.

found this cute cookie cutter at Cost Plus...

came home and got my Thanksgiving plate off the wall... i will use this as a serving dish...

got into the box of my old Christmas aprons and tablecloths..this is an apron..complete with red bells on it...

an old tablecloth...

another old tablecloth....looks like i might be doing some ironing....

and a jar of Stonewall Kitchen Sugar Plum Jam...sitting on my windowsill...waiting for buttered toast and tea....

A November Saturday Morning

the turkey from my childhood...it was ALWAYS on our Thanksgiving table...i don't have any idea how i have kept it for so long...move after move...house after house...it escaped packing boxes being thrown out by accident, it escaped being smashed, ripped to pieces or just plain old lost...grammy and grandpie had Thanksgiving every year at their house...and ALWAYS with the turkey in the middle of the table. and now it is on my table....it has survived 54 years...and i am grateful to have it....

somebody got a new bag of chewies yesterday...and this morning was like Christmas morning for Teddy...to tell you the truth..he had more fun with the bag..than the chewies...we let him have his way...he ripped into the bag and scattered them everywhere...but the green shopping bag was his MOST favorite..not the chewies. we don't care...just as long as Teddy is HAPPY.

a flat of red and white pansies to be planted by the kitchen door this afternoon.....

my old vintage Thanksgiving candle...and a few battered paper mache ones....they have seen a few bumps along the way....

last night as the sun sank, i played Christmas music and got out my collection of Steiff woodland animals and arranged them on the piano...with a few olive branches from my tree...more of this to come....

teddy waiting for mama this morning....

and waiting....my sweet little boy...

i got out my Garnet Hill grandma moses "going to grandma's house for thanksgiving" sheets yesterday.....so cozy and snuggly...

there is where Teddy sleeps...right in the middle....

wishing you all a wonderful November weekend...and sending love.

Last Horse Show Of The Year

Isn't she beautiful...she is the official barn cat out at Hidden Springs Farm in San Luis Obispo

this is my best-friend-since-we-were-ten-years-old daughter, Isabella. Danali is her horse. and he is a beauty.

molly, my dearest and oldest friend and i showed horses together as teenagers. and we LOVED it. we had the trainer and the whole deal. we traveled up and down the state of California..from the earl warren showgrounds in santa barbara to the cow palace in san francisco and everywhere in between showing our horses....and we had a ball.

molly's husband, greg is in charge of the bbq.and he does a great job. check out these offerings. all cooked over oak wood too....

another participant...all saddled up and ready to go...

that's Harley...the great dane. always looking for a piece of steak or chicken to come his way....

the big guy is KING...he is a gentle giant...and one of my favorite horses...well, they are all my favorite i guess. i have always loved horses and riding....just haven't done it much lately...maybe it's time to get back in the saddle....

HOME

we thought about moving. but decided to stay. for now. it feels like Big Sur in here at night as we watch the days grow shorter. we lit the whole house by candles last night, played Christmas music, warmed ourselves by the woodburning fire, smelled oakwood, listened to the crackle and pop of the fire and the creak of the stairs...the same creak they make every night at sunset. i always wonder why...and smile. we sipped pinot noir and nibbled on nuts. we wrapped ourselves in sweaters and scarves and strolled up Chorro street....listening to the hoot of the owl that sits in the pine tree by our kitchen door, we slipped inside MEE HUNG LOW for a bowl of warm noodles. jazz music floated in the air. a band was playing up in the loft. jazz in a chinese restaurant. we didn't ask. we listened. people had their dogs with them . on their laps. feeding them noodles. it made us smile. we wished we had Teddy. next time. we walked home in the dark. we saw 3 houses with Christmas lights. we smiled... again ....as we strolled towards HOME.

Was That A Witch?

that glare in the window is the sun strating to set out here in california last night in my kitchen ...

i may have mentioned this before, but this TARTINE cookbook is one of my favorites. TARTINE is a wonderful bakery up the road a ways in San Francisco.

I have been making their pumpkin tea bread alot this fall. i made some late yesterday to take to teddy's groomer today. teddy is at The Golden Paw right now getting all ready for Halloween...

i added some candy corn and this little rat to make it a little more Halloween-ey...

the bread is easy to make...and it smells so good baking in the kitchen.

i just had to show you this...it borders on vintage. i have had it for so long...it is a witches cauldron and when you plug it in...the white material "flames up". i really can't beleive it still works. i got it at michaels about a zillion years ago. and i still love it. it just wouldn't be halloween around here without the "cauldron".

Pumpkin Tea Cake

adapted from :Tartine

serves 6 to 8

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cinnamon ( this seemed like alot, but it works )

2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoon Pumpkin puree ( not pie filling )

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/3 cups white sugar

3/4 teaspoons salt

3 large eggs

2 Tablespoons white sugar for topping

my own addition is 1 cup chopped walnuts

In a bowl mix pumpkin puree, oil, sugar,and salt with a mixer

Add eggs one at a time mixing well

Scrape down sides and add flour, baking powder, baking soda cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves. add walnuts, if desired

Do not over mix or you will end up with a coarse, tough crumb

Transfer the batter to a buttered 9 by 5 loaf pan ( i know they call it a tea cake, but they make it in a loaf pan ) Smooth the top with an offset spatula and sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake about an hour. I check it at one hour and i always need to let it go another 10 mintues or so or till a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes then remove and let cool on a wire rack

Serve at room temperature

Because this cake is not too sweet, a dollop of sweetened whipped cream is nice and you can sprinkle the cream with some raw pepitas ( hulled pumpkin seeds ) for extra crunch.

One Week To Go

one week till halloween and we are still going over here... loving our dinosauer costume

my brother, mark made his skeleton crudite plate....

that's you-know-who.... your hostess...

made one more round of the caramel apples... these were a double delight..we dipped them in caramel and then bittersweet chocolate...

halloween wine, naturally...

some of our halloween cupcakes....

more cupcakes...these were tiny ones...

just a fun saturday...

making cupcakes...

on a rainy Fall afternoon...a week before halloween.

Teddy * October 22, 2010

i got out my old flannel camp blanket that i got in maine for teddy today. i threw it over the couch for him to get cozy in tonight. October 22, 2010. Full Hunter's Moon. My beloved Teddy.
6 months today he has been with me. filling our home with more happiness than we could have ever known after the loss of our precious Buddy.