Cape Cod in the Fall

Although summer is over and the last days of warm weather are upon us, the Cape is still a wonderful place to be in the fall. I was finishing a scrapbook this morning of sketches and photos of summer and the girls on the Cape, and went to mark my calendar for upcoming events. The fall is always so incredible here in New England, and the beach towns along the cape are no exception.

I discovered a nice site called Cape Cod Today and learned all kinds of information about what is going on this fall on the cape. I noticed they have a blog on there called blogchowder. I have really come to love New England calm chowder, although I occasionally make Manhattan clam chowder to remind me of home. I still cannot pronounce "chawda", like the homey's say, but they ignore my New York accent when I honor them by ordering their specialty.

There is this incredible restaurant here called Legal Seafood and they clearly have the best New England clam chowder I have ever had. I found a link to the recipe for their chowder and I have successfully made it a few times now. The restaurant is so good that it is mentioned in the book 1000 places to see before you die. A book I bought my husband for our wedding anniversary, because I think he has probably been to most of the places metioned in that book.














I know that the blog Just be Connected is having a weekend of events for bloggers, and a special Creative Bazaar on Saturday from 11 A.M. until 6 o'clock P.M. on October 13, 2007 at Four Points by Sheraton in Hyannis, Massachusetts. When I found out that Kari known in blogland as Artsy Mama was going to be there, I marked my calendar.


What a lovely occasion to visit all those incredible artisans I visit in blogland. Artsy Mama was featured in the first issue of Artful Blogging magazine and I truly love her blog. When I received my copy of this magazine I carried it around with me for days so that I didn't miss a page. It featured so many of the blogs I love, as well as introducing me to new ones. I read yesterday on Artsy Mama's blog that her work was also featured in Romantic Country magazine. She is always connected to special events in blogland and hosts quite a few herself. She has information about the latest swaps and has her own Etsy store. I look forward to visiting the Creative Bazaar and hope to meet her while I am visiting all the booths.

Well, I have marked my calendar for day trips to the Cape and to enjoy every moment of this glorious season. I wanted to mention that there is a fabulous bike trail from Falmouth to Woods Hole that we really enjoy. My husband and daughter Ashley did that one summer and then hopped onto the ferry to Martha's Vineyard from Wood's Hole. What a lovely place. A great place to take the bikes and ride along the ocean as you head towards the charming town of Woods Hole.


Well, I am back to finish up a scrapbook page or two before I leave the house to do some errands. I will take my camera with me of course in case I see a flickr moment to capture along the way.

The music for this post is Day At The Beach by Brandon Cameron.

Autumn in New England

Autumn in New England, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

Taking A Drive

I am a New Yorker through and through...I love Long Island, Jones Beach, Coney Island french fries, roasted chestnuts being sold on the street corners on a cold winter's day in Manhattan, ice skating in Rockefeller Center and taking in the view from the top of the Empire State Building, a ride through Central Park in a horse driven buggy, and a walk through FAO Schwartz. The skyline from the FDR Drive at night still takes my breath away, and driving over the 59th Street Bridge gives me a thrill.



Yet I have to admit New England has really grown on me. Now, I am not saying that I am ready to stop being a Yankee fan yet, but there is something incredibly charming about Fenway and the team spirit for the Boston Red Sox is equally as inspiring.




I took a ride today to my favorite farm stand. As I drove down winding country roads with leaves falling from the trees and the colors changing I felt happy to be here. I thought that I would share some of the sights from today for those of you who might visit New England someday. For you, who lived here once upon a time I selected music to serenade you as you walk through your New England memories.


The song for this post is Anna's Song.

Knock, Knock Karen Who?

digital scrapbook page, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

Every seven years it seems that I must reinvent myself. Be it from a major move, or because I am in the midst of a life changing event. Today is a day rich with familiar feelings and circumstances that are steering me towards being reinvented yet once again.

"Creativity is really the structuring of magic" Ann Kent Rush

During each chapter that I was required to become something new, I have been thankful for the gift of creativity. Creativity always assisted me with the arduous task of becoming something different. I just keep taking all that I have accumulated over the years and restructuring it into something new. The magic always follows after the painful task of changing. I look forward to the process of reinventing myself, I always learn so much. After the stage of insecurity, and missing the chapter that came before, with a little faith I always find my way.

The outcome always reminds me how much our life is just like a huge tapestry. A masterpiece of all that we have been before sewn together with all that Gods knows we can become. Isn't it nice to know that God thinks that we can change and become new again? When I think about it, Autumn is the perfect time to join the cycle of change, afterall the leaves on the trees are a reminder of how each season is represented by the colors of change.

"To bluest skies that arch the way
I lift my thankful eyes today.
The sunlight pours a golden tide
O'er airy forest, green and white;
Pure odors drift the mourning through,
And God has led me hitherto.

Sweet flower perfumes thrill the air
As if from censers swung at prayer;
And sweeter fragrance fills my life,
With all my Father's goodness rife;
He give me roses after rue
And He hath kept me hitherto.

What bliss to take His guiding hand
To trust, if not to understand;
To rest through change and toil and tears
Oh Him whose grand eternal years
In ever living youth are new
And cry, "He leads me hitherto."

From a wonderful old treasure called Winsome Womanhood by Margaret E. Sangster 1900. To think that one hundred seven years ago the spirit of a woman was just as it is today, always changing under the guiding hand that leads us still hitherto.

Well, after a period of great mourning over saying goodby to yesterday's chapter, I am ready to accept the challenge of Changing my tune and magically the music for this post is a Gershwin melody.

The Art of Apple Picking

The Art of Apple Picking, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

Apple Picking Season

Today I remembered that "Apple Day" was being celebrated at one of my favorite farms in Princeton, New Jersey this weekend. Springridge Farm in Milton, Ontario sent me their latest newsletter and put me in an apple picking kind of mood. I took a drive to Tougas Farm in Northborough, Massachusetts picked some wonderful apples, and brought them home to make a pie. Of course I took a bunch of photographs because the images were just too sensational not to memorize. Tougas Farm have over twenty different kinds of apples, can you imagine?

Watercolor Sketch

I have always loved apples, and especially when they were baked in a pie by my Grandmother and served hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. My Grandfather preferred his piece of apple pie served with a chunk of cheddar cheese. Either way, the fall, always brings back the memory of the smell of apple pie baking. Macintosh was Grandma's preferred ingredient, I love the way Gala apples make a pie taste and sometimes I like to make a pie using several different kinds. Cortland, Gala, Macintosh, and a nice big Granny Smith apple thrown in for a little tartness.

Over the years I have found some wonderful farms where we could pick apples. When we lived in Lawrenceville, New Jersey there was a wonderful place called Terune's in Princeton. The girls loved the place because in addition to the fruit trees and wonderful farm stand, there were always a dozen kittens to play with. In fact, we found our cat Mittens through Terunes Farm seventeen years ago.







This weekend is the Apple Day celebration at Terunes, and if you are near Princeton, I would recommend you go there to enjoy the fun.

One of my favorite recipes from Terunes was their Apple Cream Coffeecake.

Apple Cream Coffeecake

½ cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Granulated sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 apple

In small bowl, mix nuts, cinnamon and ½ cup sugar. Grease well 9-inch angel food pan. Heat oven to 375°.
In bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat butter creamy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, while beating mixture until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl and beaters occasionally with spatula. Add eggs one by one then vanilla, beating until blended. Sift flour with baking powder, salt, baking soda; then at low speed, beat this into batter, alternating with sour cream. Spread half of batter in pan, top with pared, cored, thinly sliced apples. Top with half of nut mixture, rest of batter, then rest of nut mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until cake tester comes our clean. Remove cake from oven. Let stand in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Loosen cake from pan and let cool.


Living in Ontario was such a treat, and my girls were little but old enough to enjoy Springridge Farm. Ashley was seven and Sarah was nine when we lived in Oakville. Springridge Farm had this wonderful wagon ride to the fruit trees, escorted by a tractor, which really enticed my daughters. Their fruit stand, bakery and gift store is amazing, and my mouth waters as I remember their fruit tarts.

They also had wonderful Apple Streusel Pie, which I found the recipe for on their web site:

Apple Streusel Pie

½ cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp flour
Few grains salt
6 cups pared and sliced apples
½ cup flour
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter
Mix together sugar, cinnamon, flour and salt. Toss with apples: place in unbaked, unpricked pastry shell. Combine sugar and flour; cut in butter to make crumbs. Sprinkle over the pie filling. Bake at 425F for 35 to 40 minutes.

As I write this post I can smell the aroma of apple pie baking, and I am on my way into the kitchen to do just that. I hope you enjoy this season, whether you are near an apple farm or can purchase fresh crisp apples in a store nearby...Happy Apple Pie.

The song for this post is Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree by the Glenn MIller band.

tougasfarm

Adventures in Blogland

Oh, what resources exist in blogland for all of us to enjoy. Not only do I love to read blogs but when I discovered the land of podcasts I really felt inspired. There is something so enjoyable about hearing a human voice narrate a good book, tell a story, conduct an interview, or give a sermon. Podcasts are now available on many blogs, magazines, ministries, and web sites.

I received my Home Companion magazine and starting devouring all the wonderful treasures inside. I recently went on Mary Engelbreit’s web site and discovered that they now have podcasts containing interviews with some of the people that they feature in their magazine. Recently they interviewed the woman who owns and operates The Tinsel Trading Company. You have got to see this place to believe it, the selection and inventory is enough to make a creative feel like they died and went to heaven. I immediately went on-line to see the web site.

Another favorite podcast adventure is the Creative Mom Podcasts which I discovered through Kathleen York's blog. The Creative Mom Podcast is like listening to a creative muse whispering all kinds of fun and inspirational tidbits. She also includes some creative challenges for those of us who would like to participate. Amy tickles my creative spirit every time I listen to one of her episodes.

I discovered Just One More Book when I was researching children’s books. Three times a week Andrea and Mark meet in their favorite coffee shop to discuss one of their recent favorite children’s books. This wonderful couple conducts interviews with their favorite writers, publishers, and illustrators, as well as conduct reviews of their favorite Children’s books. I just love them, and I have learned so much from the wide array of interviews concerning everything to do with Children’s Books. Their web site has so many resources concerning Children's literature.

Kaari Meng of French General talks about her business and how she got started on the Hallmark Inspiration By Color video which is on her web site under Radio and Video on the sidebar. The beautiful French General web site is full of exciting eye candy. There is also a radio interview with Martha Stewart.

I just adore resources, and the Internet keeps evolving into a mecca of information. What I really enjoy is all the neighborhoods that are popping up forming wonderful networking opportunities. There are groups for artists, scrapbooking, crafters, new moms, stay-at-home moms, grandmothers, photography, home-making, cooking, news, sports, business women, writers, support networks, journaling and travel.

Many times during my adventures in Blogland when I visit places down new avenues in this wonderful new land, I feel a little bit like Alice, discovering new places that exist in this magical and abstract wonderland. So, the music I chose for this post is called Alice In Wonderland. As always, I've stayed much too long in Blogland and I am late for a very important date.

I'm late!
I'm late!
For a very important date!
No time to say
"hello", goodbye!
I'm late!
I'm late!!
I'm late!!!

No, no, no, no
I'm overdue!
I'm really in a stew!
No time to say "goodbye", hello!
I'm late!
I'm late!!
I'm late!!!

Leave, leaves, leaves

Leave, leaves, leaves, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

The music for this post is the same as the previous post...I just can't get enough of Frank Sinatra singing Autumn in New York.

The Berkshires

Yesterday was a glorious day, cool sweater weather with a blue sky and big puffy white clouds floating about. My daughter, Ashley's friend suggested that we take a ride to the Berkshires. It's about an hour and a half away, but I was so thrilled once we arrived. We found a beautiful mountain park to drive through. With cameras in hand we went down trails, took in breaktaking views and found lovely lakes reflecting the blue sky above. My daughter, Ashley is a Junior in High School this year and is studying Photography, so it was a wonderful opportunity for her to take photos. She really is a natural. She took this macro of some flowers we found along the nature trail and this wonderful bridge near the lake.




Whether you are enjoying a lovely concert at the famous Tanglewood in the middle of summer, hiking the mountains to take in the breathtaking views of fall leaves gracing the mountains, or skiing the mountains in winter, the Berkshires are always a good place to go. The events calendar says it all.

The Berkshires are home to lots of shops, museums like the Norman Rockwell museum, Tanglewood and incredible nature trails.

Fodor's online has great information about the Berkshires, where to stay, things to do, and places of interest. The Berkshires, a lovely place to visit, and if you live close by it is a wonderful day trip like the one we took yesterday.

Autumn Celebration

Autumn Celebration, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

Although I live in New England, and it is glorious here this time of year, my heart belongs to New York. Walking in New York in the fall whether out in Long Island, or Manhattan brings back lovely memories. Frank sings it best. The song for this post is Autumn in New York, sung by old blue Eyes himself.

Fall notes

fall notes, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

The cool crisp air today made me want to go and pick apples to bring home and bake a pie. I love Autumn...sweater weather, beautiful fall leaves falling along country roads. The pumpkins are in the fields waiting to be brought home, and the scenes in the northeast are stunning. It is an early fall season this year, but it never comes too soon for me.

Pumpkins in Concord

Pumpkins in Concord, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

fall notes

Sweaters, home made apple pie, leaving the windows open and breaktaking backdrops of fall scenes.

The Window of God's Grace...

"Yes, God will give you much so that you can give away much, and when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will break out into thanksgiving and praise to God for your help." Corinthians 9:11

...leads to the gift of being an artist

There is a place deep within my soul where the gift of creation lives, dreams kissed by images too enchanting to leave behind. As I awake from a deep slumber, the images of the night greet me and lead me to the canvas or pen and ink. I find that when I let go of my surroundings and the characters in my play, I find His presence waiting for me like an old best friend. Spending time with Gods’ voice, I can retreat into the deepest part of my spirit. When I wander deeper still the muse of my heart gives birth to beautiful images, He is there and He always leads me to the window of my soul. That window is the entrance to heaven, where all beauty is born.

To be an artist is a gift, an ambassador to recording the images of Gods’ creation. When I am surrounded by the stillness and surrender to His will, I can capture the beauty I see, and create its’ memory. I wish I knew the path to Gods’ grace, so I could find my way whenever I pleased, so that I could create in the presence of His glory at my will. But being inspired is a gift painted by Gods’ Grace and given to us only when it is His will.

Deep within my suffering at times, He paints His beauty within my soul. As if He reminds me, you’re almost there, remember heaven awaits, your hope lies in your salvation. He whispers “I am with you always in your pain, using it to paint your life’s canvas and to write the poetry of your life.” I see myself sitting high on a mountain top, as Jesus stands by my side. I am seated at an easel as He points to something beautiful and instructs me to look beyond my circumstances and paint what I see.

Whether I paint what I see or place words on a page to recapture the beauty of the moment, He is with me, showing me the way, dancing with me as I try to find meaning in this life. There is a place deep within my soul where the gift of creation lives…but only my Savior can lead the way.

I chose this song this morning because the words are a prayer. When Josh Groban sings this song, these are the words in the lyrics...to his song, The Prayer.

I pray you’ll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don’t know

Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
To a place where we’ll be safe
La luce che to dai

I pray we’ll find your light
Nel cuore restero
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarchi che
When stars go out each night
L’eterna stella sei
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c’e
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace

Give us faith so we’ll be safe.
Sognamo un mondo senza piu violenza

Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace e di fraternita

La forza che ci dai
We ask that life be kind
E’il desiderio che
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amore
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a se
Another soul to love

Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Just like every child

Needs to find a place,
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe
E la fede che
Hai acceso in noi
Sento che ci salvera


The song for this post is The Prayer, a piano tribute to Josh Groban.

Tea Parties for Children

Is there anything more exciting than having a tea party for little children? Over the years we have had so many parties for teddy bears, dolls, friends and puppies. This photo of my daughters Sarah and Ashley was their first of many tea parties to follow over the years. I found this glorious web site that has all kinds of wonderful ideas for tea parties for children. On the Tea Parties for Children site there are party themes, menus, and things to do.

One year for my daughter's birthday party I bought enough straw hats for each little guest and had so much fun decorating them to look like hats that ladies would wear to a proper tea. We had toy tea sets on the table and each child had their own miniature birthday cake with a candle, so that they each had a birthday wish. If you want a real treat, I recently discovered an adorable place on the internet to teach you how to have a royal tea party for young children.


My favorite tea for children is the Teddy Bear tea of course. Not only is the idea so enchanting for the little ones, but it fills our hearts with child-like wonder as well. Needless to say, I await the day I am a grandmother and I can begin my adventures again with teddy bear tea parties. Ashley still loves cucumber sandwiches, here is a recipe I found for wonderful tiny teatime sandwiches.

The music for this post is The Teddy Bear Picnic of course!

Welcome to day two of the Virtual Tea Parties

Happy Monday, originally uploaded by bluebirdsandteapots.

The Table is set for tea and you will find recipes, poems and links as you browse through the post. The Home Journal magazine post leads into the Tea Parties for children and finally Learning About Tea has lots of links and information about tea.

When you are finished having your tea at my place, there are many more virtual teas to visit all week. Stop by Make Mine Pink and you will be escorted right to their doors. Thank you for stopping by.