Fall Decor

 I realize it's a bit early and I,like you, want to savor all that is left of summer, but now is the time to shop  for fall! Much like Christmas, fall decor sells out quickly, so when I see something I like, I buy it. Usually, I'm the type that sees something then goes home to think it over. I've learned over the years that this is not exactly the best method because when I go back to make the purchase, the items I loved are usually gone. Now, I try to pick them up when I see them, because if I decide I don't really like something, I can always return it.

Today I am sharing some of my recent fall finds.

While perusing the aisles at my local Home Goods store, I came across the cutest haunted houses,but I didn't buy them right away...I waited a day! When I went back,I couldn't find the house I liked and was kicking myself until I spotted it! They'd moved it to a different section,but I found it. When I went to pay, the cashier told me there was another smaller house inside,and another smaller one inside that one! Naturally, I took all three, along with this cute Trick or Treat bag and these adorable pumpkin canisters. I remember seeing the canisters on someone's Instagram feed last year and loving them. I was never able to find them in my local store, but I just happened to see them on this trip. Win-win for me!

  

Over the years I've purchased pretty items from Kristen's Creations  shop on Etsy, however, when this lantern topper arrived,I was floored! It is so full and beautiful! I absolutely love it.
  

I'm a sucker for table linens. I'm also a sucker for plaid prints and all things fall. Sure, I can use a table runner, throw in the napkins and placemats as well.....what can I say? I love it all.
  

I found this adorable farmhouse bin at my local Kirkland's store. It is perfect for holding a cozy blanket. Typically, I am an earth tone type of girl, but I really liked the muted coloring on this one,and I figured the bold color of the blanket would make for some great contrast. The blanket is from Nordstrom.

  

Anyone who knows me knows that I love visiting farmer's markets. There is something about the fresh fruits and veggies along with all of the artisanal products from all of the vendors that makes me happy. When I saw these two items, they just had my name on them,so I ordered them. I'm thinking of filling the   galvanized pumpkin bucket with hay and ,of course, pumpkins, and using some fall leaves with some small lights for the  galvanized milk can. I'll post them again once I've decorated my home. Cannot wait for them to arrive!
  

  

This one was a no brainer. I bake, it's what I love to do, so I need this pie sign in my kitchen.

This rug was definitely an impulse buy, but it is so well made and is truly beautiful. I'm going to be using in front of my kitchen sink because all the boys tend to stay away from doing the dishes! It's my way of ensuring it stays clean! Ha,ha! Sadly, it is sold out now.

As I was scrolling through instagram the other day and came across a link to this shop. I only ordered one so I could see how they were made, but I am definitely going back for more(if they are still available)! Not only is this pumpkin adorable, the creator sent along a beautifully hand - written thank you note as well! Love the pumpkin and the shop owner! She also has some other beautifully crocheted items in her collection.
  

One of my favorite finds is this set of  letter tiles and cute embellishments from Adams & Co. Such a cute way to add a little fall fun to your home.Check out Krumpet's for more of the line.

Well,those are the fall goodies I've treated myself to so far. I will be sure to post any new finds that I think you may be excited about as I come across them. I hope this gives you a bit of inspiration as well as a head start on the fall decor shopping!

Favorite Tomato Recipes

  

I've posted a lot this week about our garden and more specifically about heirloom tomatoes. Today I am sharing some of my favorite ways to use them . I hope you have a chance to try some of these recipes before all of the beautiful fruits are gone!

 The flavor in this dish is amazing. It is easy and quite delicious!

Panzanella is one mouth watering dish that is simple to prepare and sure to please everyone at your table.

Another way to incorporate tomatoes into your meals is to saute them along with other fresh vegetables such as onions and zucchini or any other squash. I cook them together in a little olive oil, with salt & pepper and the mixture creates it's own sauce. I then spoon it over some pasta, add a little freshly grated parmesan and chopped fresh basil.
  

Ina Garten's Vegetable Tian is always a great way to use tomatoes,potatoes,squash and fresh herbs from your garden or local farm stand.

This recipe is my all time favorite way to eat heirloom tomatoes. If you haven't found this blog yet, please take a look. Her recipes are delicious and her step by step photos make cooking a breeze. This tomato tart is a must have in my summer lineup. It is my favorite tomato recipe by far. Thank you to Simply So Good for sharing this recipe with all of us. It is divine!

 

Enjoy your tomatoes, these recipes and your weekend as well!

  

 

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

It's that time of year when the tomatoes are abundant in our gardens as well as at the local farm stands. Here is a quick,easy recipe that highlights the flavor of all of those gorgeous tomatoes. It is typically made with a loaf of french or italian bread,but  I've changed it up a bit by using garlic flavored bagel chips. . Feel free to use toasted bread if you prefer, but this is a very simple twist on a favorite appetizer. Measurements are all approximations..use however much you like of each ingredient. When the ingredients are fresh and delicious, the recipe need not be complex.

Ingredients:
Mini heirloom tomatoes(approx. 1 lb.)
3-4 fresh basil leaves,chopped
1 clove of garlic,finely chopped
1/4 c. good olive oil

   Slice the tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Mix with the other ingredients in a bowl,cover and let sit for approximately one hour.  Spoon on top of toasted bread or garlic flavored bagel chips.( I use New York Style Bagel Chips).

Another delicious way to enjoy this recipe is to add a slice of  FRESH mozzarella..not the packaged stuff from the supermarket. The real thing makes a big difference when it comes to taste.

Your mouth will be watering. Enjoy!

I'll be back tomorrow with more ideas for your tomatoes!

Our Vegetable Garden

One of our shared interests as a family is our vegetable garden. Some of us love the planning,planting,tending and harvesting. Others enjoy the eating! We've had a fairly good season this year, had a bit of blight on the tomatoes that we seemed to have conquered, and are currently planning and planting our fall garden. Here is a bit of what has been happening in our yard this season.
    A few years ago, my husband and son Timmy built a new raised bed for all of our vegetables. This year we added some pea gravel in the walkway. Next year, I'd like to add a beautiful fence, gate and lighting, but for now, it's chicken wire that keeps out the unwanted guests. My son started most of our plants from seed early in the year. By late March, we were ready to direct sow any vegetables that we hadn't yet started inside. This included peas, beans, arugula,kale and a bunch of other lettuces. Thanks to the cool weather, our greens took off and were beautiful and ready to eat in no time at all.
   

We also harvested some beautiful peas and multi colored beans.
 

Our chives grow back each year and show off their colorful blossoms in the spring.
 

Once again, I tried broccoli and cauliflower. We did okay, but not the amount that I'd hoped for.
  

We planted both Red Russian and Lacinto kale.

Once the warmer weather arrived, we transplanted all of our tomato plants outside. By early summer,our garden was looking lush and gorgeous.
   

Then tomato blight hit.I was worried we would lose all of our tomatoes, but since learned that a combination of  1 gallon of water, 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil, a few drops of Dawn dish soap and 2-3 Tbsp of baking soda can help fight and prevent the disease. We bought a sprayer from Amazon and went to work. I sprayed every few days for about two weeks, then went to spraying once every 2-3 weeks. It worked very well! I will use it as a preventive measure in the future. Works on squash and cucumber plants as well.
   Once we took care of our blight situation, we began to see our gorgeous tomatoes bursting with color! Here are some of our plants and our picks.

Aren't the colors beautiful? They were sweet and delicious as well.
   Rather than the usual purple globe eggplant that we usually plant, we opted for a smaller,thinner white Japanese variety.
  

  Zucchini,cucumbers, melons,carrots and potatoes rounded out our lineup this season. The squash is slowly emerging, no sign of melons yet, so that's disappointing, and we did harvest a few carrots,which were delicious!
  

Every year, we love to try something new. Purple brussel sprouts were the latest addition to the garden. They are growing nicely, and the plants themselves are really stunning. Cannot wait to try them!

We've also had a few fails this season. Peaches were non existent, the nectarine tree died, and I believe my Gala apple tree needs another season before I will see any fruit. We did manage to grow some blueberries,blackberries and we have a few lemons that will hopefully make it to harvest.
   

That's what is happening around the garden this summer. If I am successful with the squash, melon and potatoes, I will be sure to share. We are now hoping that the pumpkins we planted will be a success, as well as the beautiful victorian pigeon ornamental kale..if they grow, I will have a gorgeous display for the front yard this fall!
   Check in tomorrow and I will share a recipe for all of the beautiful tomatoes that are currently available.
Have a great day!