Fresh Bread...hot from the oven

I'm on a bread making kick...something about crisp fall days that does that to me. Anyway, I found a wonderful, EASY rustic Italian bread recipe that is very popular in my house. You do need to be 'in the kitchen (or house) for several hours during the day for this to work as it rises 4-5 times, each for about 1 hour. And you start it the night before...putting the biga into the refrigerator overnight. Check it out at http://www.cookography.com/2008/rustic-italian-bread# Giulia looks for bread when she comes home from school for her after-school-snack. So, instad of cookies, it's a bread break. (Now, can I try to sneak some pureed vegetables into the dough?)


Our weather has been wonderful, and the foliage is the best in years. The colors have been vibrant, and on sunny days the hills look like they're on fire. (I'd rather have this kind of 'fire' than that which is happening in California, sorry Isabelle.)
Our temps have been consistently in the 50s (more or less) with nights in the 40s. We have had a frost, so the gardens are done. Today is windy and we're seeing a 'rain' of leaves...that, too, is so pretty. I hung clothes on the line this morning, and the wind has dried them within an hour.

We're still awaiting the finishing of the upstairs lavatory...plumber is next.

We're ready for the goblins tonight. Sacks of peanuts (in the shell)...our own tradition...the neighbor children look for these. One year when I deviated, there were moans of disappointment from many, so I went back to the peanuts. We generally get only about 12-14 children each year...just the children on our side street.
Now can it possibly be November already?????

Why I love living in New England!

Our weather has been glorious! ! ! ! Temps in the 60s most of the time, with a day or two dipping to 40s (with nights in the 30s) to remind us that winter is on the way. Today is one of those 60s days. I took some pictures of our spectacular color...this is probably the last weekend to enjoy this as we are "at peak" and by next weekend the colors will be browning, leaves will be dropping. What a joyous way to enter the bleak of winter.

Tree house resurrected

After a couple of years of discussions between Grandpa and neighbors, the tree house is finally re-built...in the same trees, with the same bell (which has been imbedded into the tree after all these years.) With the help and collaboration of another neighbor, who is a contractor, the frame is solidly built with heavy beams. A declared that this was the best birthday present ever ever ever! ! ! ! C declared it his personal property, and K has planned to sleep out there soon. Many hours of play fun are in store for this fall. Of course, we reminded them that when the original was built, it was deep in the woods...now it's just a few feet away from the swimming pool. How time has changed the surroundings.