A Yawn from The Wonder Dog

Webster is ready to call it a day and so am I. We had the plumber here today and all went well. He will be back when the part he had to order comes in. It's so nice to have all my faucets working nicely without dripping. I had most of them turned off entirely. The furnace has been checked and serviced and it was fine. Webster and I are taking care of Henry, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel and he went to bed long ago. We have worn him out completely. The house is being power washed tomorrow so I guess the painting will start next week. This week I've had electricians, a plumber and a gutter repair person who knows what must be done but hasn't started yet. My punch list is slowly shrinking. Yay. Good night. We'll see you tomorrow.

The Leaves Are Falling All Around

The autumn leaves are falling

Yellow, Brown and Red

They patter softly like the rain

One landed on my head.

But when the sleep of winter comes

They settle down to rest

And Mother Nature tucks them in

with snow

As she thinks best.

That was the first poem my brother had to memorize in first grade and I helped him learn it. For some reason, I've always remembered it. My mother remembered it too and we would recite it together every fall. image source

Classic Deep Dish Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Fall and Pumpkin Pie are perfect together. I love the oak leaf and acorn cutouts made from piecrust scraps on this one.

Photo and Recipe from Williams Sonoma

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
2 cups pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup milk
Pre-baked and cooled deep-dish piecrust (Click here for recipe.)

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 375ºF.

In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cream and milk and whisk to combine.

Pour the filling into the pre-baked piecrust and bake until the center is set, 60 to 65 minutes, covering the edges of the crust with aluminum foil after 30 minutes if they brown too quickly.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. Serves 10.

Williams-Sonoma Recipe Kitchen.

To add a fanciful finish to this pumpkin pie, use decorative cutters to create autumnal shapes from rolled-out pie dough. If desired, use the tip of a paring knife to create details on the cutouts, such as veins on the leaves. Then bake the cutouts and place them on the baked and cooled pie. When preparing this pie, be sure to use a deep-dish pie dish.

Perfect Porch with Fireplace

WOW, some of my favorite things all in one place. Woolen blankets, a covered porch, and an open fire in a proper raised-hearth fireplace instead of a pit. What a great spot to rock and read and enjoy the outdoors while warming yourself. YES. via

Chestnuts

My driveway is full of chestnuts. I've always wondered why they grow in such a dangerous and painfully prickly package. Anytime I see Webster limping this time of year, I know he must have stepped on one. He usually avoids this side of the house entirely until they have all fallen and been raked in a big pile. I've been picking up the loose ones for roasting later. When I have on thick leather gloves, I'll pick up the ones still in the pods. They are very messy trees to have as close to your house as mine is. Earlier in the year it dropped tassels on my roof and filled up the gutters. Grumble, grumble.

Webster's Sofa Bed

He sleeps here every night. He thinks I don't know.

I hear his feet hit the floor just after mine do in the other room.

Tonight I put a blanket there for him. He was surprised, but thrilled. Good Night, Everyone. I'm getting ready to tuck in too. I hope I can stay awake for tonight's episode of Broadchurch on BBC America.

An Amazing Lake House

Is this a dream? Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? Some people are beach people, preferring the ocean, and some people are mountain people, loving a lake. I honestly haven't had that much beach experience in my life. I didn't even see the ocean until I was in the 4th grade. We always went to the mountains. I have fond memories of cabins and waterfalls and I think this scene looks absolutely heavenly. via

A Great Place to Sit and Enjoy Fall

I have never turned on my heat in September but I was tempted to break my rule this morning. Wouldn't this be a great place to sit and enjoy watching the fall colors come and go? via