Tall Tales from Kansas

a 4 legged shark with a tail

The farmers market season is winding down here in Lawrence.  Only a few more weeks left and then the season ends.  Sniff, sniff.   This made me really glad to see there were still some flowers to be had today.  Along with roasted chestnuts, squash, and a ... beauty school drop out. I think that's what she said she was. 

I bought apples, resisted the apple cider doughnuts, discussed what in the heck you do with black Spanish radishes, and just as I was leaving I spotted a 4 legged shark - with a tail.  Which of course means I slammed on the brakes and got out of the car. 

Oh dear.  Poor little doggy was not sure what to make of that fin on his back.  I hope he got a really nice treat at the end of the day. 

I know I did.  Get a really nice treat I mean.  In the form of flowers and produce.  Happy Halloween everyone!

my lack of understanding does not detract one iota from my enjoyment

This is the bougainvillea on my deck out back.  The one that used to be a beautiful fuchsia color.  With the dropping of the temperatures it has changed to this amazing shade of deep fall red. I have no idea if the process that makes leaves turn colors and this are related.  I don't think so since I don't think the flowers have chlorophyll in them like leaves do.  My lack of understanding does not detract one iota from my enjoyment though.      

Brother, as a biology major, if you have any light to shed on this subject do enlighten us in the comment section. 

take my word for it, I tried enough of them to know

The pumpkins have been arranged out back, the rabbit and basket are holding their gourds, a jack-o'-lantern with crows has been added to the pea pod boy-marigold tableau, and I have put all the wartiest pumpkins by the front door. 

All of this means we are ready for Halloween.  Which for some reason I thought was Friday night.  Which it most certainly is not.   Is this not the best EVER super cool gross warty pumpkin?  I had to fight a lady for it at the pumpkin patch but I though it was well worth the indignity. 

I tasked Chris with going and getting Halloween candy before all the good stuff was gone.  He did a fine job selecting a nice combination of browns, and yellows, oranges, and tans. 

Don't bother buying any of those little snack bags of bite sized Kit Kat's.  They are horrible.  Dreadful really.   Take my word for it.  I tried enough of them to know. 

six pumpkins and a big bag of gourds and 3 party pumpkins later

We almost didn't make it out to Schaake's this year.  So much going on at this time of year.  Things to do.  Places to go.  People to see.  But the call of the pumpkin patch is strong. 

I told Chris we would make a very quick trip.  I think I said "we'll just go really early on Sunday and I'll grab some gourds and the pumpkins that are already picked, we don't even have to go out into the fields."

But then we got there and I said "well maybe we should just look at the fields and get one from there".

It's a good thing we did, because if we hadn't, I would not have overheard the 5 year old girl trying to convince her dad that she neeeeeded a pumpkin to keep in her bedroom.  And them him trying to tell her why that was not a good idea.  And her asking "but why?" after each argument he laid out.

Six pumpkins and a big bag of gourds and 3 party pumpkins later, I was loaded up and ready to go.   For the record... a very good time was had by all. 

2.2 trips from new york to chicago

Dottie and I got in lots of steps while we were down at Big Cedar Lodge.  Wide paths with pretty trees, narrow paths by the lake, paths in the woods that were rocky, and paths with benches for sitting and listening.  To the sounds of nature all around. 

It was just one year ago that Dottie told me about the free Pedometer app on the iPhone.  In that time I have taken 3,934,857 steps.  That is 1, 176.2 miles.  Or, put another way, 2.2 trips from New York to Chicago.   Just goes to show what you can do putting one foot in front of the other with the added incentive of green confetti showering down on your screen when you reach your goal. 

I am looking forward to whatever the world has to show me on my walks in this coming year.   It's hard to predict what might be in store for me.   I am going to do my best not to mess things up by guessing. 

my idea of a perfectly perfect Sunday

We got home from the Ozarks just in time to see the fall colors at their peak in Lawrence today.   In addition to the beautiful color there is also the intoxicating smell of the leaves.  

After our drive, I drained the fountain on the front porch and had a visit from one of the Harvey boys. 

Then Chris went to the store, came home, and announced he was making Ina Garten's roast chicken for dinner.  My idea of a perfectly perfect Sunday.  

I used all my skill and cunning to take first place

 A contingent of the Moss clan made our way down to the area around Harrison Arkansas these past few days to say Happy Birthday to Ray and Angie.   Once again, the trees at the Maple Leaf cemetery put on quite a show for us.

With the leaves crunching under our feet and swirling around our heads we each did our part to spruce things up. 

There was a nice dinner out in honor of Dad, a cut-throat Mexican Train dominoes tournament which mom would have loved, and plenty of bourbon, bloody mary's, wine, beer, and popcorn to go around.  

There was time for coffee on the deck, morning walks, and remembering the time when dad made a meatloaf with cheese in it and biscuits the size of our heads for supper. 

I got confirmation from Ray and Dottie that it was indeed whole cumin seed that mom used when making her spanish rice and we discussed how Garrett, Gavin, Griffin, Allie Grace, and Katherine Ray are such amazing and gifted children (even if Allie did just cut her own hair on the night before school pictures were to be taken).

We also competed in the Big Cedar Ray and Angie Miniature Golf Invitational. 

It was a fierce battle, and I used all the skill and cunning at my disposal to take first place.  I will be holding it over my brother's head until he wins next year.   Or Dottie.  She made quite a showing herself.  As for Chris and Cheryl, those two knuckleheads were in it strictly for the goofing off. 

conrad and the suzuki strings concert

The Maple Leaf festival in Baldwin City last weekend was everything you might expect from a fall arts and crafts show.  Banners, music, rides, hooked rugs, turkey legs, cotton candy, quilts on display, a beer garden, and beautiful maple trees. 

What I did not expect to see however was this little miss. 

She was part of the Suzuki Strings concert.  Who knew there was such a thing?  Not me.

They alone are a reason to return next year.  That and the pretty trees. And Conrad.

Conrad, the shuttle driver.  Who was probably 80 and seemed to know every single person in town, including a couple of real cute giggly 10 year old girls who made it a point to come over and wave and say "Hi Conrad!" And now I can not for the life of my stop singing "we love you conrad oh yes we do, we don't love anyone as much as you, when you're not with us, we're blue, oh conrad we love you".   If this reference is not familiar to you I recommend highly that you watch Bye Bye Birdie this weekend. 

hooking is a very hard habit to break

The story of the making of hooked pumpkin #2 in nine pictures. 

And just like that we now have 2 hooked pumpkins in this house.  It is very possible that there will be another jack-o'-lantern made this year. 

It might have something to do with the fact that I saw some bright orange wool strips for sale on etsy.  Or just that hooking is a very hard habit to break.  Thanks again Mary for the inspiration and the instruction.

some kind of wonderful

This week, in between cutting lots of flowers to bring inside before the temperatures drop, I planted bulbs.  This past spring I saw the most amazing display of muscari bulbs and vowed to have some of my own next spring.  

When I was ordering them I might have spotted some ornamental poppies with my name on them.  A few tulips ended up in my basket as well.  You can never have too many tulips.

I cleared a spot in my blue/purple bed for the muscari.   In about 6 months I will know if I did everything right.  Same with the poppies.  I haven't planted bare root perennials before. 

I also moved some coneflowers that were standing in for the cherry tree that died this year, and did some general flower bed clean up.  As my hands were aching and my knees were creaking I kept telling myself how glad I was going to be to have done this already come spring. 

My favorite part of the day was watering in the stuff after all the planting was done.  Oh, and then taking advil and sitting on the porch and drinking a glass of wine and wondering why gardening is such hard work at times. 

I love the melting of one season into another.  End of the season flowers, plus pumpkins, on a sunny afternoon is some kind of wonderful... to borrow a phrase from Carole King.

I have been known to go as high as 1:4 depending on the time of day

Consider this your reminder.  If you have not yet taken down the "official" Halloween candy container, and filled it with the requisite autumn sugary/salty treat... it's time. 

If you wait much longer, the candy corn in the store will be past it's "best by" date which will lead to an inferior end product.  And do not be tempted to get the pumpkin spice candy corn to use in this mix.  At best, it is ok on it's own, but is not the perfect complement to the salty peanuts that the regular candy corn is.   

I stick to my recommendation that the ratio of candy corn to peanuts should be a 1:2 mix but I have been known to go as high as 1:4 depending on the time of day.

There may also have been a few times when I put it in my mouth so fast that I lost count of the ratio.  I try not to let that happen too often. 

P.S.  For the record I would like to point out that we made our first batch of this highly addictive combination last year on September 20th.  That said, I feel a lot better about my little binge episode this afternoon. 

like a popemobile, but with comfy seats and good cup holders

As if Glass Beach, tide pools, headland hikes, amazing sunsets, rocky coastlines, ocean views, and the redwood forest were not enough reasons to go on your own Grand Tour of California... there are also towns to explore. 

Houses to look at, garden techniques to copy, coffee shops to try, and yarn to be touched.   We will have to go back to do justice to Santa Cruz, Castroville, Pacific Grove, Carmel, and Cambria.   I am a firm believer in leaving some things undone in order to have a reason to visit again.  We are going to get one of those cars that drives itself on the next trip.  With a glass top and windows on all sides.  Kind of like a popemobile, but with comfy seats and good cup holders.   

And thus concludes the posting of stories and photographs from The Grand Tour of California - Part I.  Thanks for coming along for the ride. 

a story that won't make you afraid to swing your feet over the bed in the dark

If you are looking for a book to take with you when you go to your great uncle Frank's house for Thanksgiving, this is it.  Something to read while you are snuggled underneath the down comforter, in the double bed, of the guestroom up on the 3rd floor.

This is a story that won't make you afraid to swing your feet over the bed in the dark because you have to go to the bathroom.   It's about a man trying to go on in the world after the death of his wife.  A man who has a hard time with change.  It will make you smile, it may make you tear up a bit, but mostly it's just a nice little read.  Perfect for the holidays.

sinking down into all the spaces around the apples

You remember those apples I bought last week at the farmers market?   I told you I was going to make a cake, and make a cake I did.   But not just any cake.  I made an Old Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting.  

I love apples.  They are often my lunch at work.  Plain apples.  Apples and peanut butter.  Apples with some pretzels on the side.  But these apples wanted to be elevated. 

I saw a recipe a few weeks ago on Instagram and it stuck in my mind.  I tried my hardest to shake it out but it wouldn't go.  What could I do?

I wondered about this recipe because there is essentially no liquid in it except for the eggs and the juice that comes out of the apples. 

However, as it turns out it was so moist and juicy I could have eliminated the frosting.

But it was brown sugar frosting.  So I decided to follow the instructions precisely the first time around. 

Lord almighty.  It clung to the cake, sinking down into all the spaces around the apples. 

I now find myself in a bit of a dilemma.  Should I eat pumpkin pie for dessert every night until it's gone and then have apple cake every night until it's gone?  Or, should I alternate between the two each night so I don't get tired of one or the other?

Such a problem to have.    Here's the recipe in you want to have the same trouble.  

what is so gratifying about sifting through bits of tumbled glass

Way back in May of 2012, I made a list of 52 things I wanted to do before I turned 53.  Item #28 was "collect sea glass on a beach".   I crossed it off this September while on the Grand Tour of California.

Prior to going, I heard lots of "things" about Glass Beach.  Why there is glass there, that you can't take it, how it got there, etc. etc. etc.  Today I am going to give you my version of all that; based on my visits to the beach, the sea glass museum, and the publication by Capt. Cass Forrington (who is apparently a local "expert" on the subject). 

The first trip we made to the beach in Fort Bragg I ran down at the first access point I saw.  I was excited.  Christmas morning excited.  I couldn't wait to see what was there.   On subsequent visits I walked further along on the headlands before climbing down.  There are multiple beach areas with glass.  Some are more challenging to scramble down to than others. When two hands were needed, I made a deal with Mary Ann that if she held my camera I would get sea glass for her. 

From far away it was hard to tell just what I was looking at, but as I got closer there was no mistaking it. 

I expected there would be hordes of people.  There were not.  It felt like I had the place to myself at times. 

Once you start looking it's mesmerizing. 

As for the legality of collecting - those beaches that are not part of MacKerricher State Park have no restrictions on taking sea glass.  That said, I only collected the small amount you see below plus a little for Mary Ann and Pam.   



Sea glass comes from bottles, pottery, and other glass items that used to be disposed of into the ocean.  It has been tumbled around in the salt water making it smooth over the years.  The coastline around Fort Bragg has rock formations that create wave patterns which keep the glass from washing away. 

You know how sometimes you are disappointed by an experience when you have been wanting to do it for so long?  Glass beach was NOT one of those times.  It was everything I expected and more.   It's hard to put my finger on what is so gratifying about sifting through bits of tumbled glass.  But it is.  Deeply satisfying.   

this moment. right here. right now.

In case you didn't know it, October 14th is Fall Hike Day.

Depending on where you live, and what time it is there, you might still be able to get one in as soon as you finish reading this.

Watching leaves fall all around me while exploring on a trail is good medicine. 

As soon as I breathe in that unmistakable smell of fall I am filled with the feeling of happiness.  In the moment.  This moment.  Right here.  Right now.

In addition to trees, leaves, squirrels, and birds, I saw a woolly worm, an abandoned shirt, and a butterfly masquerading as a leaf. 

I collected leaves to draw tonight and then went and had my first pumpkin spice latte of the season.  It was time.  High time. 

I read somewhere this is a new recipe, and there is "real" pumpkin in it.  All I can say is mmmmmmmmmm.  That is 10 m's.  My highest rating for a pumpkin treat. 

if you got married in the early 80's

First of all I would like to say that the title of this post has nothing to do with the year this nice couple got married.  I don't know what year they got married.  I don't know their names.  I DO know they look perfect for a fall farmers market in their hats.  I was getting ready to leave the market on Saturday, flowers in hand, bag full of produce, camera put away, when I spotted them.  I stopped in my tracks, set everything on the ground, and asked to take their picture.  They were kind enough to oblige me. 

I also spotted some good looking greens, root vegetables, and pawpaws for sale this week. 

Have you ever eaten a pawpaw?  Me neither.  I just looked them up and read ... "the flavor of pawpaws is forceful and distinct".   Maybe next year I will be braver.

I do happen to have an apple cake recipe that I have been waiting to try so I bought a few bags of apples from this fellow who is from way up around Hiawatha.   

If you got married in the early 80's, chances are good that you have a corning wear dish just like this with a big lid.  It's great for roasting beets.  No need to spray, no foil to waste, and it cleans up with minimal scrubbing. 

By noon the apple cake was in the oven (more on that later), the beets were roasted, and the flowers were on the table.  

Karen is a flower arranging virtuoso.  I love the unusual things she puts in her bouquets.  Does this bunch not just completely capture all the best of fall? 

I got on a fall-themed decorating kick

This morning I got down to business and finished the banner.

I pinked, positioned, pressed, and sewed.

I hung it in 16 different spots in the house before settling on the mantle.  Once I hung it up, I got on a fall themed decorating kick.  I have a feeling there are more sewn banners in my future.   So many ways one could go with it.   

In the meantime I am pleased with this one.  It did however work up a powerful hunger, which led to the making of the ham and cheese hash brown waffles for breakfast. 

They were delicious.  A nice change up for Sunday breakfast.  This recipe made 8 waffles.  Chris thought they had too much thyme.  I thought they were perfect.  If you have an all clad electric waffle iron like I do, eliminate the step of buttering the waffle iron.  It's not necessary, they don't stick.  To the waffle iron that is.  They do stick to your ribs.  Which is helpful when you have 8 things still on your weekend "to-do" list and 4 hours to do them in.  

 

Last year on October 11th.

since a Halloween banner has a shorter shelf life than a pumpkin

On my way upstairs today to get the wool to make the pumpkin to put on the mantel in the house that jack built in the living room, I decided instead to do another project. 

That's just how my mind works.  No straight pathways.  Many crooked side streets.

I saw this ridiculously cute banner hanging up in Sara's Fabrics downtown a few weeks ago and decided to make one myself. 

It came with all the components except directions, so I had to wait to talk to my sewing mentor Mary Joan, before I messed up the whole thing because I have never used fusible web before. 

Since a Halloween banner has a shorter shelf life than a pumpkin, it seemed only right to get this done first.

What is it about a banner with cute Halloween fabric that is so irresistible?  If I figure it out I will let you know, but I think you will understand when I show you the finished product.  If it turns out according to plan that is. 

he must have a companion

Happy Friday!  I am not sure what you have planned for the weekend but here are a few of the things I am thinking about.  Farmers market visit.  Making some hash brown waffles.  Planting bulbs if they come in the mail.  Making the final arrangements for our Palm Springs art retreat house and cleaning up some photos on my hard drive.  Which led me to these dahlia photos that I feel you need to see.   

I am also going to draw the design and get my wool strips picked out for the Mary Stanley hooked pumpkin I am going to make this year. I set this guy out on the mantel the other night and decided he must have a companion.

If you are doing something that I may need to add to my list... do tell. 

how they know the route to take or when it's time to go

While we were making our way along the California coast last month we bumped into a band of migrating monarchs that had also stopped at Ragged Point, just past the Henry Miller library, for a short rest.

We speculated that this group was part of the Western North American population that overwinter in California, but they could just as easily have been heading on down south to Mexico.

We had a lengthy discussion about the whole migration thing.   How long it is,  where the butterflies sleep at night,  and how they make it across water.  Honestly, I can't remember the answers to most of those questions.  What I do remember is that no one knows for sure how they know the route to take or when it's time to go.  All I do know for sure is the whole thing is pretty amazing.  And mysterious.  And beautiful.

If you find yourself driving through these mountains along the California coast, Ragged Point is worth a stop.  If the butterflies are not migrating you can still walk through the gardens, lay down on a tree, and have a fine view over the water. 

goat hi-jinks and fields of lavender

In addition to seeing animals on the farm tour last weekend, I glimpsed an amazing tree, and overheard the 62 questions a curious little girl asked her mama.

There were some ladies spinning fleece into yarn at the alpaca farm and I met a 9 year old boy who knows how to make brooms. 

You knew there would be some pumpkins, but I did not expect to see bee's.

I witnessed some goat hi-jinks and got to see fields of lavender.

I also made it out to Madeline's place.  I have been buying her zinnias for 3 or so years every summer at the market.   The time for a good photo of her fields has long since past for this season, but it was fun to see it anyway.

If you are in the area you will have to visit their website and be watching for when it's time to pick strawberries out there in the spring.   They are the best.  If tomatoes are your thing... you can pick those too.  

The Kaw Valley Farm Tour is always the first full weekend in October.  You may want to pencil it in on your calendar for next year.   It's a great way to spend a weekend. 

thank you Mrs. Pillsbury for having it available

Between the farm tours this past weekend I managed to peel, chop, simmer, and essentially immerse myself in the kitchen for a few hours.  This means I will have butternut squash soup all week for lunch, a roast beef sandwich for dinner sometime with spicy tomato jam, and.... (drum roll please) pumpkin pie.

I cheated and used Pillsbury crust.   Thank you Mrs. Pillsbury for having it available so I could go visit farms, do the laundry, and still get pie made.   This is the 3rd year I have used this recipe which is from America's Test Kitchen.  It's a winner. 

The roses and zinnias are still going strong.  I am enjoying cutting them and bringing them in while I still can.

Isn't that little white vase from Sweden just the cutest thing you ever saw in your entire life? 

when there are baby pigs to talk to

This weekend I did not make it to the farmers market.  I was otherwise occupied with getting to know some baby pigs.   

Four Yorkshire cross baby pigs.  Meet Coffee, Smalls, Luke Skywalker, and Omelet. 

I also made the acquaintance of some jersey cows, a goat, chickens, alpacas, and a teeny tiny horse who used my leg to scratch his neck.

It was all part of the Kaw Valley Farm tour.  Where all the farmers invite you out to their places instead of bringing their stuff to town.  It was a perfect fall day in Kansas.  Blue skies.  Sunshine.  Temperatures in the low 60's.  Such nice people inviting us all out to their farms to catch a small glimpse of what they do.  These photos are from Saturday.  There will be more in the week to come. There were 32 farms that participated in the event.  Chris and I only made it to 6.  I like to take things slow.  Weekends are not for scurrying, especially when there are baby pigs to talk to.    

 

Photo credit:  Window with one red flower by Chris. 

the hilarity that ensued as we followed the instructions

In no particular order, what follows are the last of the sketchbook exercises from the Grand Tour of California.  Starting with Mary Ann sitting across the table from me and then moving on to car sketches of houses, gulls, seascapes, wine glasses, the garden at the house we stayed in, and the master bedroom chair.  Everywhere I looked there was something to try and draw.  

One of the most fun things we did was watch a YouTube video of a painter showing how to "add people to your landscape drawings".    You can imagine the hilarity that ensued as we followed the instructions and painted along.  

the only thing that can explain it

I have a serious case of fall fever.  Symptoms include the desire to leave work at 1pm to go and buy mums AND the beginning of pumpkin cravings so strong I woke up at 2 o'clock this morning wondering if it was too early to bake a pie.  These are all indicators of serious illness, but the cardinal sign which confirms the diagnosis,  is when you go to pick up binding clips for your next quilt and come home with a "pea pod boy". 

It's really the only thing that can explain the purchase.   

glass slipper girl telling pink sweater girl...

While I was messing around in California, the summer farmers market in Lawrence Kansas has turned into the fall farmers market.   Complete with tall jack-o'-lantern material, pears, rust colored flowers in black bike baskets, apples, and warty pumpkins.  I adore pumpkins with stuff growing all over them.  The stranger the better.  Oh autumn, I have longed for your arrival.  Butternut squash bisque is on the menu this week and maybe a side of spaghetti squash.  Sigh.  

My favorite thing at the market last Saturday was pink sweater girl telling glass slipper girl she liked her shoes, and glass slipper girl telling pink sweater girl "tell your mom to buy you some". 

One year ago at Tall Tales Headquarters.