Monday, September 21, 2020

Autumn Magic

 


I had such a lovely weekend. No alarm clock, just time to lie quietly and wake up slowly. Leisurely meals. Clear skies. I spent some time in the garden, clipping flowers and gathering tomatoes, beans, zucchini, berries, and squash. The zinnias are magnificent, as are the few dahlias I planted. Rich shades of pink, magenta, fuschia, crimson, orange, gold, and fire-engine red. Rich shades that I plunked into vases and placed around the house. 


The grapes are ripening nicely and I have a recipe for roasted grapes with balsamic vinegar that I want to try soon. How beautifully the clusters hang from the vines, half hidden by leaves moved aside for photos. 


On Sunday afternoon we walked at Tod Inlet. The sun's warmth was just perfect and the light shimmered on the water and shot the changing leaves with gold. A long skein of Canada Geese trailed across the sky in a ragged V formation. 


Arbutus trees shed their bark in curls of papery red to reveal smooth, pale green trunks. 


After descending these stairs I turned around for a photo and it was only then that I noticed the tree curving in an arch over the path. It seemed to me almost Narnian - one of the dryad trees, perhaps, leaning to protect something unseen. 

We wandered off the main path - to look at the stream, virtually dry just now - to explore a new view - and we dawdled in the loveliness, a bit unwilling to leave. 


Home, finally, to bake a Peach Custard Tart. It was so good. Some family joined us for a light supper and we devoured most of the tart. The peaches have been spectacular this year, full of summer sweetness. I adapted a number of recipes for this tart and I'll try to write down what I did so that I can post it on my recipe blog to replicate another time. 

And now Monday is gone - a busy but satisfying day at school. I'll close with a line from Emily of New Moon, a Lucy Maud Montgomery character who is not as well-known as Anne of Green Gables, but equally lovely and incorrigible. 

"Good-bye, and may you always see a happy face in your looking glass." 

Happy days to you all. 

29 comments:

  1. Your photos of nature are always so gorgeous, Lorrie, they give me a real feeling for your part of the world. I'm not showing interest in the peach pie, I have a horrible feeling that it is already gone and no slices left.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a lovely weekend. Your photos have started my day well. Have a good week. B x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Stunning photos taken on your walk, what a magical place to spend some time soaking up nature's loveliness. Your harvest this year has been prolific, the peach tart mazing!
    Hope you see a happy face in your mirror every day.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My husband and I visited Cavendish, the home of Lucy Maud on Sunday. You live in a setting for novels too by the look of these gorgeous photos.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lucy called last night. I have to pick her up from treatment today, anytime between 12 and 1:30. Then we’re going for lunch if the weather isn’t bad.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Please ignore the previous comment. Old age...

    ReplyDelete
  7. It sounds like it was a wonderful weekend. Love that picture of the tree and stairs!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your flowers are beautiful and those grapes are simply amazing! Love the capture of the tree over the steps and that peach tart looks delicious! Have a wonderful week :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Those dahlia colors! What a nice weekend you had. I've never seen an arbutus tree, thought it was only a flower, lovely picture of the shedding bark. Oh, that is definitely a Narnian setting!

    Your "we dawdled in the loveliness" is truly a Lorrie-esque phrase!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ahhhh...lovely...yes that path looks just like Narnia. Are you sure it wasn't? Happy autumn 🍂!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Gorgeous walk and a delicious pie

    ReplyDelete
  12. I get a sense of peace and calm as I read your blog. Beautiful images.The Peach cobbler sounds wonderful , of course made tastier by tree ripened peaches.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The Dahlias are stunning and the picture of the grapes is calendar-photo worthy.
    Your peach tart looks delicious but first I'm planning to make your date loaf.It looks so easy and simple to make....my favourite kind of recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  14. The dahlias and that curving tree! Narnian indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Such a lovely post full of gorgeous photographs.
    The dahlias are so lovely and your peach tart looks and sounds delicious.

    Wishing you a good week.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lovely photos. That peach custard tart is calling my name. Happy Fall to you!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Magical, it is! Happy autumn to you and yours!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Magical autumn indeed!
    The flowers are wonderful and your baking always delicious.
    The shedding bark looks interesting and the Arbutus trees (googled :)) have often a lovely form.

    ReplyDelete
  19. How nice to wake up in your time and then take a stroll through natures beauty. The dahlias look amazing with such a wide array of colour. The peach tart looked amazing, yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  20. My grapes are at the same stage as yours, look forward to seeing your recipe for them roasted with balsamic - sounds intriguing.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh the peach dessert looks amazing. I just ate some peach slices on my oatmeal. Do you not peel your peaches? I never thought about baking with the skins on them. I wonder now why I never thought of it. lol That DOES look like Narnia. I need to get that movie out and watch it again. Or read the book again. Enjoy your week and the nice weather. Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lorrie, this is an absolutely beautiful post. I felt as though I was walking with you. I can also taste those beautiful vegetables from your garden, as well as your scrumptious peach tart.

    When I was growing up my mom had a grape arbor with Concord grapes. She made juice and canned quarts of it for the winter, as well as jam and jelly. All of it was wonderful.

    Our zinnias are doing well also, but your dahlias are stunning. You have inspired me to plant some next spring.

    Again, a lovely post. Enjoy these wonderful days.

    ReplyDelete
  23. So good that you turned around to photograph those steps as that photo is amazing!
    Your peach custard tart sounds and looks delicious. You have a gift for making food look so attractive.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Emily of New Moon. I haven't thought of her in a long time. It all looks wonderful. Have a lovely week. Kit

    ReplyDelete
  25. So much rich and beautiful color in your photos here! God created such beauty in this world . . . and you have eyes to see it! Your peach tart looks yummy and I'm sure it was even better shared with your dear ones. Still love that photo of the mossy tree that frames the stairs . . .

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oh that bark shed is amazing! Im just excited that we have a new wildflower in our woods: Boneset. It is lovely. Green leaves, and a flat white flower head with some spikes. It is a long known cure for many ailments and was used by witches and by Native American's as a tea. I'm just happy the non native buckthorn is held back a bit after all of our burning. I never expected a pretty new flower to thrive int he woods=!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Lorrie - you write so casually about that tart, and yet it looks SO professional. Magnificent! And the grapes - a miracle of nature, to be sure! I hope you can enjoy all your weekends as you did this last one!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Lorrie, I always feel such peace and serenity when I visit you, your thoughts are always inspiring and the photos are spectacular.
    thank you for sharing.
    Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to leave such sweet thoughts.
    Sue

    ReplyDelete
  29. The peach custard pie looks great!

    I loved the Emily of New Moon book. I found these books were darker than Anne of Green Gables or the Avonlea books.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment. I read and value each one, cherishing the connections we can make although far apart. Usually, I visit your blog in return, although if you ask a question I try to contact you directly.

Life These Days

  I only listen to the radio while driving. Occasionally I'll sit in the driveway for a few moments to finish a segment. Last Saturday I...