THE VILLAGE VOICE

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion." ~Henry David Thoreau Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen, Voices whisper in the trees, `Tonight is Halloween ~ Dexter Kozen “Men are like pumpkins. It seems like all the good ones are either taken or they've had everything scraped out of their heads with a spoon.” 'Self portrait' Franklin Cider Mill

"A garden really lives only insofar as it is an expression of faith, the embodiment of a hope and a song of praise." ~ Russell Page "We only part to meet again." ~ John Gay Oakleaf hydrangea ( Hydrangea quercifolia ) Autumn's fine colors (Hydrangea - Heuchera) Golden days (Hosta) Fine autumn faces ~ whose friends have gone to bed (Toad lily, Pansy, Coneflower, Heuchera, Autumn daisy, Hydrangea) _______________ "To cultivate a garden is to walk with God" ~ Christian Nestell Bovee

"From morning till night, sounds drift from the kitchen, most of them familiar and comforting... On days when warmth is the most important need of the human heart, the kitchen is the place you can find it; it dries the wet sock, it cools the hot little brain." ~ E.B. White A day at the lake (Hint of a rainbow and remains of the day) Autumn glory _________ MUGSIE'S WILDCAT STEW ~ So easy, so comforting, so good 5 lbs. lean beef stew meat, in 1-inch cubes 6 onions (med) cut into wedges 12 carrots, sliced in big chunks 2 (28 oz.) cans tomatoes (one diced and one stewed) 2 cups chopped celery 2 heaping tbsp. brown sugar 2 tbsp. salt 6 tbsp. minute tapioca 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs Mix all together and bake at 325 degrees for 4 hours. Note: Thanks Kelly for sharing the delicious and now favorite family recipe. 'Cooling the brain'

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." ~ Stanley Horowitz FALL ABSTRACTS (AUTUMN LEAVES) _____________________ PEAR TARTE TATIN ~ Delightful and easy autumn dessert from A Taste of the Canadian Rockies Cookbook (Lake O'Hara Lodge, Yoho National Park) _________________ 5-6 peeled, cored and sliced pears 4 Tbsp. butter 1/4 cup sugar cinnamon to taste nutmeg to taste 12-inch pie pastry (1/8 inch thick) Whipping cream On stovetop , in an oven proof skillet, melt butter. Add sugar and caramelize (be careful as sugar burns very easily). Remove from heat. Add pears, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover with pie pastry and with paring knife stab vents through pastry top. Bake 10 minutes in preheated 400-degree oven, then reduce heat to 375-degrees and bake for 20 minutes. Using oven mitts on both hands, remove from oven, invert large platter over skillet, turn skillet and platter over together sot that tarte ...

"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October." ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne Up driveway and overhead sky (Click on all photos for larger view ) 'Wa-gi-daa-king' Autumn South shore drive South Shore view West Branch River West Shore Drive Tamarack Island Old Marina Down hill Mt. Maria view Down hill Mt. Maria Remains of the Day (October Sunset)

"October is a symphony of permanence and change." ~ Bonaro W. Overstreet Autumn Abstract ____________ CHICKEN PECAN QUICHE ~ Symphony of flavors, perfect for an autumn brunch (adapted from Jan. 1999 Southern Living ) 1 cup flour 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 3/4 cup chopped pecans 1/2 tsp. coarse salt 1/4 tsp. Hungarian paprika 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup organic chicken broth 1/4 cup good mayonnaise 3 large lightly beaten organic eggs 2 - 2 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken 1/2 - 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/4 cup minced onion 3 drops Tabasco sauce 1/4-1/2 cup pecan halves Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Combine flour, cheese, pecans, salt, and paprika. Add oil and stir well. Press mixture firmly in bottom and up sides of 9-inch deep dish quiche or pie plate. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool completely. Combine sour cream, chicken broth, mayonnaise, and eggs. Stir in chicken, cheese, onion, and Tabasco. Pour chicken mixture over prepared...

'In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends." ~ Kozuko Okakura Oncidium excavatum (Hollow excavatum) _____________________ Oncidium excavatum Intergenerics are a large group of cool growing South American orchids. Many sizes, colors and shapes of long lasting exotic flowers Light: Bright filtered light. No direct sun Feed : Twice a month with half strength balanced liquid feed Water : Keep evenly moist ____________________ Here is an good link for beginners ~ basic care and identification of orchids. ( http://www.aboutorchids.com/identify/index.html )

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” ~ George Eliot October Garden Abstract ( Toad Lily ~ Echinacea ) Echinacea (faces still shining early October strong) ___________ BABY GREENS with CHICKEN, DRIED CHERRIES, PEARS & PECANS ~ Memorable autumn flavors blend together like perfect plants in the garden ... a taste of autumn at its best ( Fine Cooking - Oct 2008 ) ____________ 1 medium garlic clove coarse salt 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1 tsp. fresh thyme freshly ground black pepper 1 peeled, cored, diced firm-ripe pear 1/3 cup dried tart cherries ( Michigan dried are best ) 8 oz. (8 loosely packed cups) mixed baby greens 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (Rotisserie chicken easy and tastes great) 1/2 cup toasted pecans Gorgonzola or Feta cheese Chop garlic, sprinkle with salt, and mash to paste with flat knife side of chef's knife. Put paste in large se...

"Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter." ~ Carol Bishop Hipps AUTUMN MUM ________________________ DEEP DISH DUTCH 'SPY' APPLE PIE "Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness." ~ Jane Austen ________________ (October is the best month for apples ... do yourself a favor and make a pie. If you choose, omit the crust and make apple crisp .) 1 10-inch unbaked deep dish pie shell Topping: 1 1/2 cups flour 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 2/3 cup unsalted butter Filling: 7-9 large baking apples (Northern Spy best) 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 3 Tbsp. flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 heaping tsp. cinnamon dash salt dots of butter Make topping : Combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture is consistency of coarse cornmeal. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400º. Make filling : Core apples and pare, slicing into large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice. C...