Thanksgiving Eve Greetings From Farmhouse

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, dear friends. I've made the cranberry sauce and am off to pick up a few last minute things for Thanksgiving. I couldn't leave without wishing all of you a peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving Day with your family and friends. All of you have given me so much pleasure over the past few months with your visits and inspriation. When I started this blog last July I had no idea how much it would open my world to meeting so many wonderful new friends from all over the world.But it has. I am so lucky to have met all of you and I look forward to the Christmas holidays. I am thankful for each and every one of you and I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving..California-Style

Most of you who read me know I wish I was in New England...so yesterday for me was not my favorite sort of day.I'll just say it. It's hot out here in California.We took Buddy to Burger King for a double cheeseburger. He loves the drive-thru down in Arroyo Grande. Then we drove along the Pacific into Pismo Beach..checked out all the surfers, beach goers,and assorted dog walkers in the sand. After that we made our way to Avila Beach. Buddy loves the little playground there. I however do not. But I do it for him. People were actually laying out on the beach. On Thanksgiving. And they love it...but to tell you all the truth, it was putting me in a really bad mood.Where are the falling red maple leaves,the woodsmoke curling from chimneys,big overstuffed couches piled high with wool plaid blankets, apple cider simmering on the stovetop? It was smoothies and sunscreen here.KSBY T.V. was on early this morning. Did he just say we will reach a high of 81 degrees on Thanksgiving? He did. I heard him. 81 degrees. As I write this all the doors and windows are wide open and Buddy is panting. I may have to get the fan back out. And I wanted to put on my flannel Santa sheets today. Maybe not today.

But it is Thanksgiving..and I have alot to be grateful for. So I told John I'm done complaining.The weather should be the least of my problems... so now I feel greedy and petty for ever even saying anything. There is so much worse that 81 degrees. Way worse.So I am letting it go. I am thankful for the turkey in my refrigerator, the big sack of brown russet potatoes on my drainboard,the bakery box of rolls,the fresh green beans,the cranberries and the little carton of cream,my bag of walnuts from farmers market and the Limbertwig apples from Gopher Glen. My crock of fresh butter with sea salt.My soft warm bed upstairs,my garden, my kitty Whiskey sleeping happily in that red plaid chair,getting to take Buddy on his walk, what was left of my walnut bread to have toasted this morning with my "JOY" tea.The goldfinches tweeting at the feeder, my family....and all of you, my dear friends. I am thankful for you... Happy Thanksgiving.

Walnut Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I decided to start a new tradition this year here at Farmhouse. The weekend before Thanksgiving I thought it would be nice to bake some breakfast bread to have in the morning with our coffee and tea. So I got out my "Bread Baker's Apprentice" by Peter Reinhart and flipped through the pages the other night. That's it. That's the one. The Walnut Cinnamon Raisin bread. Had to make a quick run to Scolaris in the morning for the raisins, but other than that I had everything in the pantry. I mixed all the ingredients in the morning..it has yeast so it needed time to rise. After it rose in a couple of hours I flattened it out and pressed on the cinnamon sugar, rolled it up,placed it in the pans and let it rise again.It was getting late in the afternoon and my kitchen was getting dark, so I turned on the oven and in went the bread. While it baked I went outside...Christmas music playing....and got out my outdoor lights.I had John move a Christmas Tree that I have had in a big clay pot for years by the french door going out to the garden...and this year it will get lights. Later this afternoon John and I are going out to Baywood Park for farmers market...there is an italian man there that has the best old variety grapes. I want some for Thanksgiving and some for my cranberry and Limbertwig salad.It felt so Thanksgiving this morning on our walk with Buddy. The liquid amber on the corner of Church and Morro Street is bright red now. We call it the Thanksgiving tree. And it did not dissapoint...it was stunning this morning as the sun rose over Terrace Hill, the cold late November winds blew and the dark clouds floated through the sky.

Late this afternoon we are going to take Buddy for a walk. Saturday evening we hit the Motherlode of nature world. 2 barn owls. High up in a cedar tree. One took flight soaring quietly off towards that sliver of a moon against the dark inky sky. The other one stared at us...and Buddy. Big flat white face...orange eyes..and then, we heard them..hoooo hoooo....hoooo hoooo....going at 5 tonight to see if we can see them.....I'll let you know.

Helen - Entrepreneur Age 5

Her name is Helen, isn't she cute? Yesterday my sister-in-law and I loaded up and headed over the hill to make a run at Target. As we were leaving the neighborhood, we rounded the bend..and there she was. With her little Lemonade Stand and Bake Sale. How could we possible pass her by. So we pulled to the curb, opened the door and surveyed the offerings. She had a nice selection of cookies, brownies and even some chocolate dipped marshmallows.She said it was a fundraiser for Heifer.org. A worthy cause indeed. So we bought some cookies and headed out on our way. I wonder how she did?

I'm Dreaming of This

There it is...My dream....isn't it adorable? It is here in San Luis Obispo. I can't stop driving by it. We (John) is going to TRY and see if we can come just a LITLE bit close to this here at Farmhouse. He is going to put on the little shed roof and we are going to plant a Virgina Creeper to grow over it. I have it bad for that vine-covered cottage thing. When we moved here 2 years ago the garden was a concrete driveway..the downstairs, well, I can't even talk about it, it was that bad. We pretty much have the inside done...( 2 years of living in a remodel with 2 cats and a blind dog, thank you.)Now for the outside. We need to plant some trees. Turning the whole thing into a vegetable garden was just too much.
We are going to get some liquid amber trees and plant, plant, plant. I don't know how close we can come to this dream..but we'll try. Wish us luck. We're gonna need it.

Eggnog Scones...The Recipe

I love collecting old books...these are a few I have gathered along the way...now...wondering to do with some of that leftover eggnog...well, make eggnog scones. These are perfect for Thanksgiving morning. You can make them the day before and freeze them...then in the morning just put on a pot of coffee or some tea and pop them in the oven to nibble on while you cook and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The colder they are before you bake them the better.

Eggnog Scones
Farmhouse Kitchen

Recipe adapated from King Arthur Flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Ingredients:

Dough:
2 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup cold eggnog

Topping:
1 Tablespoon eggnog
2 Tablespoons sparkling white sugar or cinnamon sugar

Directions:

In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients. Work in butter till crumbly.
In a seperate bowl mix together egg, vanilla, and eggnog.
Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix together till moist and holds together.This dough is easy to work with.

On a parchment lined baking sheet place dough and pat into a 10 inch circle. Score it in wedges like you were cutting a pie. (Mine never scores very well.)

Brush with eggnog and sprinkle with sugar.

For best texture and highest rise place scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered while oven is heating. Bake at preheated 425 degrees for 20 mintues or till golden brown. I had to really watch the last of the cooking. Make sure a toothpick comes out clean before you remove from the oven. Scones are best served warm with jam or butter. They can easliy be reheated.

While Visions Of Drumsticks Danced In Our Heads

Aren't those sheets just the cutest? I got them years ago from Garnet Hill. I have never seen them since. I put them on my bed every Thanksgiving. Reminds me of Grandma Moses. The oak tree sits right outside my bedroom window and at Thanksgiving it turns the color of gold. I wait for it all year..the way the early morning sun coming up over Terrace Hill catches the light on the leaves just right. The little wood stove is called "Squirrel" because on both sides it has squirrels.It is so cozy when John makes me a fire in it upstairs at night...while the cold winds blow through the old oak tree. The little ladies rocker is from Castine, Maine. It used to sit in the Castine Inn. Life is very strange...I got the rocker many many years ago, and by chance I have become friends with the lady who ran the Castine Inn. She now lives in Santa Barbara...about an hour and 15 minutes south of me here in San Luis Obispo. Julie and I were lucky enough to stay at The Castine Inn when we went to New England. I wonder if they have room for us at the inn this year for Thanksgiving?