I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Sunday, November 6, 2011

Indian Summer / Beach Days




When November is good, it is very very good here at the beach!
Warm dry sunny days,( 60's); brisk crisp nights. Scent of woodsmoke mixing with the salt air.


But the star of Indian Summer is the beach itself. This post is for M F and everyone who loves my beach photos....



















                    







busy flocks of pink and white
 snow buntings in the dunes
he is center , a third of the way down

snowbunting, just at very top right,
you can see how he scurried away!

my little friends, waiting paitintly for their bread and fruit.
I bring their dinner every day.
Now they follow me, like a seagull parade!

Hope you enjoyed your visit to my beach!

love
           lizzy


gone to the beach....

                      

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Farmers Market: The Harvest




The farmers market has been a delight these past few autumn weeks.

Gone are the limp lettuces and hot tired bored sellers. Everyone seems rejuvenated by the golden sunshine, brisk breeze and salt air.


November is the final harvest time...the apples and pears are bursting from their bins. All these rare old varieties to try....and yet Golden Delicious remains my fav.

Add a chewy fresh baguette and some artisan goat cheese and it makes a lovely light supper or "cocktail time" snack.


The winter vegetables are in.



Look at this dinosaur spine!


Nope, nothing exotic, just the fun of seeing brussels sprouts in their natural form.



Of course I brought one home. Very crispy sweet little sprouts, briefly sauteed with caraway seeds and a smidge of sweet market butter...


And look! Purple, uh...broccoli?


Or is it cauliflower?


The guy selling it smiled and shrugged, said try it. It tasted great, sweet and savory, sprinkled with parm and black pepper.



Not so sure I love, love, love pastel food though.
What so you think?
Must broccoli stay green and safe or can it be fun?


Here's the dinner ..sesame teriyaki chicken, brown rice pilaf, and vegs. 


I haven't had a working oven since last Christmas! But a new one is to arrive in Saturday. I am really looking forward to making brisket with tiny autumn carrots, or a lentil-sweet -potato-apple soup. A friend just emailed the recipe, sounds so yummy for a cold winter night. If I have an oven I cook these onepot meals in my big blue leCreuset dutch oven, 350*/ 3 hours. Saves them from my talent of scorching on the stovetop...(No, I don't own a CrockPot.)

And oh yes! Simply roasting and loving all the winter squashes. So rich, so healthy! Yum.



Good news is---the market may be getting winter quarters!

A heated tent in loan from a wedding supplier? The [very small] lobby of City Hall? Wherever it is, I hope the market continues here all winter. No fresh veggies, but staples like apples and squash, cheeses,  pickles, wursts. Breads. Moon pies and shoofly pies from the Amish guys from PA. And maybe a yarn seller? Oh boy! How fun. I am also hoping for a Holiday bazaar thing in December....if not this year, maybe, next? I'll tell you all my ideas someday soon when we have a moment for Maybes and What ifs...

      love

                     lizzy




...gone to the beach (which, PS, has NO snow! just diehard beach lovers and their beach chairs today. So fun!)




Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!



Hi! The snow storm raged...but then it was gone, now the beach is just expecting early frost on the pumpkins. Brrr! instead of Boo!



Some fun stuff from around my little beach cottage...
Hearts of course!



A spooky greeting...


and more beach weeds...



My best cheddar quilt!


Bowls of pumpkins...



large.....




small.....



And stripey!
This one's from a favorite vendor at my farmers market. I just loved the yellow and orange  stripes, the wartiness, the red and green "freckles"...I try to find a unique pumpkin every year.


He's gonna stay for Thanksgiving, not be a jack o'lantern...


This is a new folkart piece I've been working on for---years! He's a bobble doll, a nodder. The spring and base are beachcombed finds...

 .

...and here's an old favorite, made when my kids were very small. (their papier mache ''jacks'' ---uh---didn't survive!)...




Happy Halloween!




love

             lizzy

              gone to the beach!