Sunday, September 21, 2014

An Early Autumn Day...


These early autumn days have been incredibly beautiful here in Michigan.
Crisp, cool nights give way to cool, sunny mornings where the sunshine lasts all day long.
Days when you can tug on jeans, pull on a long sleeve tee, and slip into a pair of comfy, worn boots.
Days where you can almost watch the reds and gold tinge the tips of the trees.

I wake to another glorious morning,
push the Husband out of bed to get him on his way,
and make plans to begin my own day.





With a list of chores stacked like cord wood in my head,
I was anxious to get started.


All of my outdoor work had been completed the previous day.
Hostas were moved and roses and hydrangeas were planted in their place.
I planned on working inside this cool day ~
in a kitchen filled with bright, cozy sunlight.

Freezing more sweet corn was first on the list, using the four minute microwave method.
I still can't get over how much easier this is and how well it turns out.




Next up: Butternut squash, which didn't perform quite as well this year in the garden, 
but I did manage to freeze enough to get us through the winter months.
I baked it for about two and a half hours at 250 degrees,
scooped it out into a bowl, added a touch of butter and salt, 
and then freezer bagged it.

(It's a great substitute for mashed potatoes if you're watching your carb intake,
although the butter and salt I put on it probably cancels every good thing out.
And no....I don't like sweet squash. It's got to be savory for this farm girl.)




Spaghetti squash, which is my favorite, was next on the agenda.
(I chopped off the stems to send to a Sandy at Wayside Treasures
who creates sweet fabric pumpkins to sell in her Etsy shop.) 

Now, slicing into any type of squash is not easy and can be a little intimidating.
I stick my knife in and cut in down one half,
flip it around...
and then grabbing the knife by its handle,
slam the whole squash on the counter til the blade goes through.

Barbaric...(sigh)....yes, I know.
But it works for me
(and gets the neighbors wondering what in the world is going on over here, I'm sure).


Getting ready to slam.

After laying them face side down in jelly pans with a bit of water,
they baked slowly at 250 degrees for about two hours,
filling the house with a wonderful autumnal scent
(and sets my hunger bells madly ringing). 



I like to under-cook this type of squash a bit so that it doesn't get too mushy when its rewarmed,
and then scrape the "noodles" out with a big fork.





This is a healthier way of eating 'pasta'
when that spaghetti craving hits me like a Mac truck this winter....
and I know it will.

(My stomach is about comfort food, you know...
however my PiYo coach tends to differ.)

It's also very good with some butter, a dash of Himalayan pink salt or Herbamare,
and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese ~
(or swimming under a pool of marinara sauce).
We've also used our own canned tomatoes poured over it which, of course,
 is healthier yet.

The next project on my list was repainting my craft cabinet
with a layer of ASCP 'Antoinette' lightened a shade with 'Old White'

(Yes, I know.  Some days I'm just all over the place...)



As much as I adored the turquoise blue I had originally painted it,
(which you can see here)
I felt like it was taking up too much "visual space" in my small studio.
This pale pink lends a much more quiet, spacious feel to the room now.



Bits of blue showed through after some light distressing.




A vintage French altar candelabra with pale purple bisque flowers found a place on top
next to my new favorite rose, 'Faith'.






Thank you, Heather, for this amazing treasure.
I love it.






The petals on the 'Faith' roses don't even look real.
So very perfect in every way.
And they bloom out into a huge mass of full, blowsy, ruffled femininity.



So, as the sun slowly bent to kiss the horizon,
feeling tired but pleased with the day's work,
I kicked off my boots
and collapsed into a fresh, sweet smelling bed of RASCC 'Rosabelle' linens...








and thanked the good Lord for sunny autumns,
productive days,
and a cozy, blessed home.


~  Eucharisteo  ~



Linking to the linky parties on the lower right of my sidebar.




43 comments:

  1. Oh sweetie, yes, you indeed just described the perfect sunny Autumn day... productive... inside a cozy blessed home... what could be sweeter... LOVE all kinds of squash, and I too freeze many for the winter, and store some in our cold garage to use sooner... I make a stuffed spaghetti squash you would love love love!... so nice to have these yummy veggies ready to pull out during our long cold winters... your weather in Michigan is much like ours here in Utah... harsh winters we don't like to think about right now!... also love your Faith rose... Faith... one of my favorite words... your crafts cabinet and treasure~inspiration board are gorgeous... and your bed looks so comfy... love your boots too!... and love you!... xoxo Moi

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  2. PS I have one of Sandi's fabric pumpkins on it's way to me right now... she does such exquisite crafting!... how nice of you to save your stems for her... she is a doll!... xoxo...

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  3. How wonderful to get those amazing veggies from your garden! We love spaghetti squash in our home too.Never thought you could freeze it though....good to know! Love your RA linens.I have been longing to buy those,but I keep stopping myself because of the price tag,quite high for a king size bed.

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  4. You are very productive on these cooler autumn days!
    Love those roses....I have not seen them at garden centers here.

    Enjoy your week!
    Carolyn

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  5. Laurie,
    Love all your labours in the kitchen as your freeze the bountiful harvest for Winter's keeping, dear friend!!!
    Reminds me of all the canning and freezing my beloved Mother~in~Law did while on the Family Farm.
    Love, LOVE, L O V E the new hue of your cabinet!!!
    This piece makes such a nice blending in your studio space.
    The candelabra is exquisite!!!
    Faith rose bushes! Absolutely gorgeous!!!
    Have a wonderful week ahead.
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  6. All your veggies are making me crave them--I need to get some more spaghetti squash! I loved your cabinet in it's new color--loved it before too. Giving it more layers of paints just makes it look more like it has a story to tell :) Your photography is beautiful--enjoyed your post :)

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  7. Thanks for sharing your lovely homey day and freezing tips!

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  8. I love squash any kind ! RA is having n amazing Sale right now :) I love your cabinet and I get what you mean I painted one of mine at the beach an aqua and it does stand out nice and bold lol . Always enjoy My visits over here.

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  9. You made me feel as if I were right there in your sunny kitchen with you! Bring that summer freshness in this cold winter...I hear we are in for another bad one.

    Your bedroom looks so sunny and cozy! :)

    Jane

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  10. Wonderful post. You really have had a blessed day. Was glad to see you posted today. Was beginning to worry about you.

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  11. It's been cooler and sunny here too, gosh I just love it. I am so much more productive in this weather. My day starts with one project and wandered to another and then I forget about the first one and find I'm on the 3r one? I've been doing a lot of canning myself. Mr. C won't eat squash so I don't freeze too much. Did your Mom can? Mine did and whenever I do I always feel connected to her. Your bedroom is lovely, my Mr. C would NOT sleep in the bed, he says I'm getting so "feminine". The other day he asked me if we had any sheets that didn't have roses on them, I said no, and said I'd be happy to make the guest bed without them and he could sleep there. Well that didn't work, and he hasn't said anything about the roses since. Sorry I kind of rambled. Have a great day!

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  12. Oh yes Laurie, it's a harvest of beauty here, and good eats for winters coming. I love that you softened the cabinet...I have painted pieces that had an original paint on it in a darker shade or a dark wood piece so it would fade away in the room, a softer look to the pieces in the room allowing the space to not compete with the piece with all it's boldness.

    Love all you have inspired us with, it's like visiting a country B&B :)

    Xoxo
    Dore

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  13. Your autumn day does indeed sound perfect. I can smell the squash from here. Thanks so much for sharing it all with us. xo Laura

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  14. Dear Laurie,
    All this in one day? Wow! Wow!!! I love popping by to visit you. It's always inspiring and beautiful here.
    Sending hugs,
    Lin

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  15. Sigh...beautiful! Just beautiful:) I'm in awe of you being able to cut the squash in half by yourself. I gave up on doing that after almost breaking my wrists. Now I bake it whole and it works out well:) Thank you for sharing all this gorgeousness with us!

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  16. Missed me your lovely words and beautiful pics,now I'm back :) Love your new color on cabinet-its very lighty and pretty-I'm thinking about painting my cabinet on pink a long time.Love your new candleholder too-i'ts amazing piece sweetie !!! And your bedroom-LOVE !!!!
    Have a wonderful new week Laurie,hugs !!!!xoxo Vicky

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  17. What a great garden you have, love butternut squash. Sounds like a beautiful autumn day with beauty surrounding you.

    Cindy

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  18. Oh Laurie! You are so sweet!! I am sure there was more in this post , but all I saw was that you are sending stems to ME...little ole' ME...haha! Must go back and re-read the post now. ha!! Happy Fall dear friend!!
    Blessings~

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  19. Just re-read the post and it is lovely as always! Your home is so beautiful!! You should see my house right now. I can't hardly breathe! :) We are having new carpet put in the living room this week and stuff is EVERYWHERE! This house is small to start with and then to have to move everything out of one room...oh my, oh my. I will be so glad when it is all done so I can move furniture and things back where they belong. EEK!

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  20. Hi Laurie, so fun to read all you are up to for the fall season. I love the squash too and putting it up for the winter. Love the light steaming through your windows on the perfect fall day. Your home like you is lovely.
    Enjoy and be blessed.
    Hugs

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  21. Just like a breath of fresh air this evening my friend! You are amazing! xoxo

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  22. Your house looks beautiful Laurie!! Love that cabinet :)

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  23. Your photos are like eye candy for the soul. :) Lovely!

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  24. Hello Beautiful! I am back from my long, summer vacation and have just been, once again, enthralled with the beauty of your writing and your style. Everything is just so beautiful, as always!
    Hugs to you!
    JP

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  25. I love productive days. Some days I just seem to spin my wheels though. You accomplished a ton and I love the soft pink cabinet. After a day like that you deserve to crawl into such a lovely bed. Sleep tight!
    Hugs,
    Deborah

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  26. I love autumn and love to see the pictures on your page. Your pictures are so relaxing. Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop! I hope you’ll join us again next week!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino
    The Chicken Chick
    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

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  27. Something about this weather that makes most of us want to DO things...be productive...enjoy nature...just 'be' and take in the beauty all around us.

    I cut butternut squash the same way. That stuff scares the bejeebies out of me :/. And like you, I pretty much negate any low cal goodness after cooking, but unlike you, I add some brown sugar.

    (Stopping by from TFT's)

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  28. what a "belle journée" as we say in French that means what a beautiful day ! Just a little tired reading you just after my first morning tea (it's 6 a clock here in PARIS) lol ! I love to plan my days and like you so happy at night when everything went OK. As every year on september I try to have new projects : this year I'm learning italian (may be next year I'll try to improve my english level, so sorry for the mistakes) and it's such a pleasure for me to read your lovely words, they are as nice as your pictures !

    xoxo

    Joëlle

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  29. Laurie, that looks like a pretty blissful Autumn day. Thank you for linking it up at FineCraftGuild.com. BTW. I learned that of organic squashes, you can eat the peel as well! Do you?

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  30. Laurie, it appears as though you are beginning to heal. It's such a long journey, and your poignant posts are so beautiful to read. I pray for you daily, and am enjoying my dream catcher made with such love, as well as my heart. What a productive day you had. It feels good, doesn't it?

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  31. Laurie,
    I'm sure that lovely made bed with soft, pretty linens felt like heaven after your accomplishments of the day. Autumn is my favorite season and your sunny kitchen with your preparations of harvest to be enjoyed during the next several months was soothing inspiration. Your nurturing, your beautifully written posts, your friendship your artistic talent ... Laurie I love to sit down at leisure and read your posts. Your cabinet looks pretty in pink in it's feminine softness.
    Sending love,
    Vera

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  32. I love your post and the beauty of your home and charm of your kitchen. Thanks for sharing with the Thursday Blog Hop!

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  33. Wish I could cook so yummy! I'm in love with the comfy bed Linens :) Can I please order the dream catcher just the same as the pink one in the front on in the top of the post an one of your sacred hope hearts in the sweet pink please.

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    Replies
    1. My Email Michelescottage.etsy@gmail.com
      Thank You!!!!

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  34. So wonderful see this post from you my friend. Filled with promise and little bits of happy. I shared my box of spaghetti squash too. Love that stuff. Thank you for sharing and for linking up to the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop. xox

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  35. As a fellow Michigander, I agree it's been lovely here! Fall is done right in our state! I love squash too; you will enjoy it this winter. And your bedding looks so feminine and comfy.

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  36. Hi Laurie, so nice to revisit your post once again. So inspiring. Thank you for stopping by and your kind comment. Wishing you a wonderful week.
    Blessings and Hugs

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  37. Perfect and productive beautiful Autumn day Laurie! I too am loving this time of year. Didn't plant any winter squash this year, so just enjoy it for now. Will be jealous when you are feasting on it in the summer. My hubby doesn't care for any, only summer squash. Can you believe that? I will be freezing grated Zucchini so that I can make some bread during the cold winter months. Your dresser turned out so soft and pretty. Enjoy this glorious time of year! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  38. I always enjoy visiting you at Heaven's Walk Laurie. I felt like a friend sitting down for a chat with you in your kitchen while you went about your chores. I'm glad you are having such a lovely fall season sweetie.
    Hugs - Kerryanne

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  39. I do love spaghetti squash! I also love to make Butternut Bisque. I made it this weekend, oldest son had wisdom teeth removed and it is his favorite soups. Have a great weekend Laurie!

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  40. what a great post Laurie.... I too have been cooking and preserving from our allotment garden ....the freezer is packed full of summer goodness ! I love the bedding ...not sure if we can buy it over here but it sure looks good ! happy weekend ....Gail x

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  41. Laurie I love the sweet candle holder!!! and the spaghetti Squash looks Yum!! Have a great weekend Keep inspiring us girls!

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  42. Happy beautiful Fall Laurie,

    Ok I have been meaning to stop by to let you know that I purchased "DAPHNES DIARY"
    At our Barns and Noble book sellers store, and yes it's in English and I adore this magazine, I have purchased a few before finding it to feel like a paper doll book :)

    I love the captions on your photos, a need for peace, crockery in an open cupboard, petticoats, and happy...
    It would be so cute to blow up a couple of pages and frame them for you guest room or sewing arts and craft studio, the pages you are featured on are so paper doll cute, I love the sweet feature, and your home of rooms invite a closer look into every little picture.
    Wonderful feature, sooooo deserving.

    Beautiful fall to you!

    Xoxo
    Dore

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Bless you and thank you for visiting! I read each of your comments and treasure them all. So, please make sure your settings will accept emails, or leave your email address so that I can reply! ♥ Laurie