fall — pleasure in simple things

Tag: fall

not your grandma’s pumpkins

October

If you’ve shopped for pumpkins recently, you know the pumpkins available today are not your grandmother’s pumpkins!

The basic round orange pumpkins I knew as a kid have been replaced with endless varieties of pumpkins and squash. A trip to a local farm stand can be as aesthetically stimulating as a visit to a museum!

With the weather in Connecticut starting to get crisp, I spent part of a recent day off checking out such a museum – a local farm! I wasn’t planning on buying anything – just checking out what was on display!

I’m sharing some of what I saw on my visit – probably my last farm stop of the season – though I may make a stop at the one that serves apple cider slushies!

I hope you are enjoying some of what fall has to offer near where you live.

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on not your grandma’s pumpkins | field trips

oranges and reds in nature

October

I don’t know about you, but I still don’t feel safe working out at the gym since Covid-19. I’ve transitioned to my home and the outdoors for my workouts.

At the gym there are plenty of distractions – televisions set to the news, gym outfits to check out, conversations with the regulars and the trainers, etc.

Outdoor workouts are so peaceful and much less distracting. The spring and fall each created some interesting spectacles for me to admire – everything blooming in the spring and the changing leaves in the fall.

Recently, I started documenting the beautiful fall leaves by color. If you know me, you know how color obsessed I can get! (You may have seen the ‘study in yellow’ on my Instagram.)

The photos here are some of my favorite fall leaves in oranges and reds.

We change the clocks this weekend – a signal that fall is not around for much longer. I hope you are enjoying the beauty of fall in your surroundings while you still can.

Thanks for stopping by.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on oranges and reds in nature | inspiration

autumn in connecticut

October

I know I complain about the end of summer but it is only because I hate to see my favorite season end!

Fall though, certainly has some redeeming qualities…

I was able to appreciate some of them this weekend!

I spent some time with family and when we took the time to slow down a little bit, we were able to reflect and appreciate the outdoor beauty of our state at this time of the year!

Driving anywhere here in Connecticut right now is truly breathtaking.

These few photos were taken just walking from lunch…

I didn’t even grab any photos while we were driving – it was too spectacular to hesitate for a photo! But I loved these groupings of pumpkins!

And, I loved to see how some of the flowers are still hanging in!

I can’t believe these cosmos are still around!

It seems our leaves are at their height of color right now – they seem mighty late this year!

I hope you are inspired to find some beauty in the season where you live.

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on autumn in connecticut | garden, inspiration, style

apple pie fudge

September

Recently, while in Mystic, CT, I bought some ‘flavor of the day’ fudge which happened to be the flavor of apple pie. “Interesting.” I thought. I figured fudge is like cheesecake. You start with a basic recipe and then alter it according to taste. I can honestly say I never thought of making apple pie fudge, but it sure sounded very seasonal. It tasted seasonal as well – very much like an apple pie!

About a week after I had tasted the apple pie fudge, I decided to try making some myself. I knew mine would taste just as good based on seasoning alone. I only use Penzy’s brand seasonings because no other brand is as flavorful! (So, if you decide to make my recipe and you don’t use Penzy’s, you may have to adjust the seasoning!)

So, I looked at as many fudge recipes as I could and adjusted by adding apple pie spices and some apples. I decided fresh apples would be too hard so opted for the apples from canned apple pie filling.

I was planning on making a gingersnap base, but without any artificial color, the fudge was very light in color and that made me decide to put the gingersnaps on top instead to add a little variety in color.

I think my apple pie fudge came out better than the inspiration fudge! Try it yourself or be inspired to come up with your own flavor!

Apple Pie Fudge

3 cups sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
½ cup canned apple pie filling
3 cups white chocolate – chips or broken into small pieces
18 gingersnap cookies, crushed into small pieces with a rolling pin

Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.

Measure out ½ cup of apple pie filling. Cut the apples into small pieces and remove most of the ‘liquid.’ Put into a heatproof bowl with the chocolate and set aside.

Heat butter, cream, sugar and spices in a large pan over medium heat while stirring often.

Bring mixture to a rolling boil and continue to cook, while stirring constantly, for 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour immediately over chocolate chips and apple pieces. Stir until chocolate is melted.

Pour into the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the gingersnap pieces over the top and press down lightly to set into mixture.

Refrigerate overnight. Cut into small pieces to serve. Tastes best when eaten at room temperature. Store with a lid in fridge.

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on apple pie fudge | diy, food & festivities, recipe

change of season

September

It’s funny how much I love the change of season when it is becoming summer…but, when summer is leaving – not so much!

Nature is starting to send some subtle signs of the approaching season and it makes me feel sad…

Today on Friday field trip, the photos I am sharing are from my Labor Day weekend in New York state.

I hope yours was as good as mine!

Have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on change of season | field trips

inspiration to kickstart fall decor

September

Since I have gotten a little bit of an itch for fall décor this week, I am resharing my 5 easy tips for fall décor for today’s Friday field trip.

Click here for guidelines to kickstart your fall décor planning!

Have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on inspiration to kickstart fall decor | garden, inspiration, style

getting in the mood

September

I am doing my best to get into the fall mood. This year, it seems particularly difficult for me to welcome the new season.

I decided to use a couple hours of free time to visit some local farms; hoping to shake off some of my resistance to the change of season.

Okay – it was nice to get out and get a little fresh air, but I am still not feeling fall! How to you get into the spirit of autumn?

I have one last idea to help change my seasonal outlook – a trip on Saturday that is sure to push me over the edge into fall mode…I will share that with you next week! ;)

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on getting in the mood | inspiration

keeping it neutral – white party pumpkins

October

White pumpkins are the best pumpkins. I think so anyway! Never a big fan of orange pumpkins, when white pumpkins started showing up on the scene, I took notice!

Every fall, I use tons of mini white pumpkins in my decor. And, every fall I change things up a little. Today, I am sharing a few of the white pumpkins around my home this year so I can show you how easy they can be adapted to a fall party or get together.

SET THE TONE. Since small pumpkins only cost one or two dollars, they are an extremely inexpensive way to decorate. If you are putting together a fall mantel or buffet table, a group of white pumpkins can add a lot of impact and create a wonderful fall atmosphere for very little cost.

Try to find pumpkins with interesting stems to add some real character to your display! :)

Here I put some white pumpkins on the mantel with some acorns I collected. A great way to add a sense of warmth is to add a scarf to the mix. Using one I already had, the total cost of decorating the mantel was only a few dollars. Isn’t this an elegant way to decorate for a fall get together?

BY THE NUMBERS. If you are hosting a shower or other large party this fall, white mini pumpkins are the perfect way to display a table number! Or, use a cluster of number pumpkins as a centerpiece. A permanent marker is all you need to create these typography inspired pumpkins!

Even if you are not hosting a party, they look great in clusters around your home! Most of us have numbers that hold a special significance…add them to a pumpkin! A wedding date, jersey number, or house number are other numbers you can add to mini pumpkins. Don’t you love the black against the white?!

I love adding hollowed out pumpkins with votives inserted to add some additional atmosphere for an evening get together…they add such a nice glow! With so many colors and scents of candles, it is possible to get really creative. I don’t like scented candles near food – but elsewhere think about the many possibilities – maybe a black candle scented like licorice! On the buffet table, you can also serve your condiments inside hollowed out mini pumpkins.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR…party favor, that is! Okay, so I mentioned the low cost of mini pumpkins. How inexpensive is a mini pumpkin used as a favor? You can add any embellishments you like. This pumpkin happened to be created as a special remembrance for a friend, but could easily be used as a party favor.

I just added some ribbon and a little sand dollar…so sweet!

I hope you are inspired to use white pumpkins in the decor for your next fall party! Please share your pumpkins on Instagram with hashtag #pleasuregram! Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at The Shabby Nest, Craftberry Bush, Finding Silver Pennies, Sand & Sisal, and Elizabeth & Co.

6 comments » | food & festivities, inspiration, style

antique school desk redo & fall welcome

September

This year’s start to the school year was very sad for me – no one to send off to the first day of school! Luckily, I found a distraction! I renovated an old school desk. I found the perfect way to welcome the new school year and the new season!

This old wooden one-piece school desk was in my friend’s basement and it was just crying out for some attention. I decided to try Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint since I haven’t yet had the opportunity to do so. I used a color called grain sack – instantly my favorite in the line… it is a wonderful neutral. I was hoping to create a real chippy looking finish, but that wasn’t in the stars!

Mixing the paint myself, I thought if I skipped adding the bonding agent that helps the paint adhere to the surface, I would get tons of chipping… that didn’t happen. I guess the surface of my piece was too porous? Any experienced milk paint people willing to contemplate the lack of chippyness? I guess I need a little more experimentation with the paint to figure it out.

So, without the chippyness, I decided to distress the finish. And, even though the piece didn’t chip, I love the way it came out. Of course, this old desk wouldn’t be complete without adding a chalkboard finish to the writing surface! After I finished waxing the rest of the piece, I used chalkboard spray paint on the desk’s writing surface – carefully masking off the finished sections of the piece.

Can’t you just hear the school bell ringing? I can also hear the whisper of the new season in the air. The kiss of autumn has already started turning the hydrangeas a subtle color of pink.