FUN with Family Harvesting Fresh Pears

I am not an expert in harvesting pears, however, can share only what I have learned over the years. To tell you the truth I have only been participating in this fall family activity for the past four years. 

Most of what I have learned comes from my brother, he has a D'Anjou pear tree orchard and has taught me the basics. Unlike other types of pears the D'Anjou does not change color when it ripening, instead, it stays green but does get dull color, not as shiny. He said to check the pears to see if they are ripe by pressing down by the neck of the pear, if there is a slight give, then it is ready to be harvested.

Another thing my brother taught me is when to harvest the pears. He suggested that I choose a day after a hard rain or harvest on a breezy day. His reason is that it is easier to pick the pears off the ground than it is to take them from the tree branches.

Harvesting pears is a fun activity for families. The kids love to gather the fallen pears, the parents and other adults will climb the trees or go up ladders to harvest the fruit off the tree branches. 

Products Needed

Harvesting pears aren't difficult to do as long as you wear garden gloves to protect your hands. A long sleeve shirt to protect your arms from getting scratched from the tree branches. 

I bring along a branch cutting shears/pruner to remove the pear from the tree branch. This hand tool is helpful when harvesting pears from the tree branches.    

Know that a crossover bag does come in handy. For me, it is easy to pick the pears and put them into the bag. When the bag is full I lower it down to be emptied. This eliminates going up and down ladders.

No Pear is Wasted

All of the pears are divided according to how ripe they are and put into cardboard boxes. None of the pears are left behind if they are too ripe we will take and add them to the compost

  

Easy to Make Pumpkins in Wheelbarrow Decorations

One of my favorite outdoor decorations for the autumn season is the wheelbarrow planter. This decoration is fun to put together, you can make it with your kids as an afternoon autumn activity.

There are no rules as to how to put this outdoor decoration together however you do need to be creative and have fun.  Here is an outdoor display that I designed  I hope that it inspires you to make your own outdoor decorations for the autumn season.  

Directions for Outdoor Autumn Decorations

1. Shop for nursery-grown potted mums but instead of setting them in the wheelbarrow in the plastic planter, buy a decorative pot, I like the metal ones because they are more interesting, and give the planter a “farm look”. If you have clay pots then use that.
2. Buy an assortment of mum colors like yellow and burgundy or orange flowers. Buy a variety of real pumpkins choose small , medium and large. You may also want to buy a white pumpkin for contrast and interest.
3. Set up your wheelbarrow as a feature in your yard. When you determine the location I recommend that you put a rock in front of the wheel so that it does not move forward.

For wheelbarrow, flowers do the following

• Start with your tallest plants in the back and work forward. Separate the plants with pumpkins, add pine cones and autumn leaves to your display. Even cut sunflowers will add to the arrangement. Sunflowers that are dried do not lose their color, or you can add silk flowers and leaves, do this if your wheelbarrow is protected from the rain.
• Buy a hay bale and set it next to the wheelbarrow. Decorate the hay bale with the remaining pumpkins or buy an outdoor scarecrow to sit on top of the hay.

Flowers in Pumpkin Base Autumn Decor How To

When it comes to decorating my home for the autumn season  I use fresh pumpkins and create floral arrangements for my tables. I prefer to use natural products for my centerpieces including the flower insert but have used silk floral arrangements also.

Fresh pumpkins are not expensive considering you get a fabulous decoration and get to make pumpkin pie with the puree.  Here is an art set that I designed that will inspire you to make your own flowers in a pumpkin autumn decoration for your home.

Autumn Floral Arrangement by sgolis 

How to Make Flowers in Pumpkin Decorations

1. Shop at the pumpkin patch or at your locally for a medium rounded pumpkin with a stem. 
2. Look the pumpkin over by checking it for bruises to the flesh or discoloration. You will need a nearly perfect pumpkin for this seasonal decoration.
3. When you get the pumpkin home wash the outside it to remove any dirt. 
4. Set the pumpkin with the  stem facing upward. determine how big the opening should be to hold a potted chrysanthemum plant. 
5. Cut the pumpkin to allow an opening for autumn season flowers.
6. Remove the seeds and the pumpkin pulp. Keep the seeds because you can roast them. Keep the pulp to make puree for pie or other baked goods; cookies or muffins.
7. Wash the inside of the pumpkin. Make sure the strings are removed and that surface is clean. There should be no pulp remaining, you want a clean pumpkin shell.
8. Let the pumpkin dry thoroughly. When the pumpkin is dry you would then set a potted chrysanthemum into the pumpkin. Or make your own bouquet; buy a variety of silk flower stems from the craft center like Hobby Lobby or Walmart.com.

Tips remove the real plant from the pumpkin to water. Let it drain thoroughly before putting back in the pumpkin

Fresh Apple Pie Recipe

My husband picked up a bushel of Gala apples from the organic food market and I thought I would make a homemade apple pie. My mother used to make from scratch apple pie when I was a kid and remember coring and peeling apples with her. Making fresh apple pie does take time, but one bite and you know that it is worth the effort.

Normally apples are harvested at the end of summer and you can put up the fruit for pies throughout the fall months. Apple filling can be used for many recipes; cobblers, turnovers, toppings for pancakes. You can also make applesauce or apple muffins. Growing up in Illinois we always had apples to be served throughout the fall season and were delighted if apple cranberry pie was served on Thanksgiving day.


For fresh apple pie, you will need to remove the skin from the apples, then slice away from the core. Cut the slices thin for a pie that will cook fast.
Instead of doing this job manually, you can buy at Walmart.com a Weston Apple Peeler Corer and Slicer. It is easy to use, saves on time and all you need to do is slice the apples for the pie filling.

You will need the following ingredients for one 9 inch apple pie.

5 medium fresh apples, peeled and sliced
½ a cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
9-inch pie dish

Here is the pie filling recipe

In a large mixing bowl add the sliced apples, then the brown sugar, and mix with a spoon. Then add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Mix again so that there is a coating of all ingredients on the apples. Let the apple slices set for 15 minutes.


Turn the fresh apple pie filling into your pie crust, spread out the apples so that they fill in the crust evenly. A mound of apples in the center is okay. Top the apples with another pie crust and pinch the lower crust into the upper crust on the sides. Seal the sides well so the juices do not come out the sides when baking.


Use a cold knife to make slits in the upper pie crust. This will allow the steam from the pie to escape. Melt 1-1/2 tablespoons of butter and then drizzle it over the top pie crust. Then drizzle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the butter.

Bake pie at 400’F for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 350’F and bake 30 more minutes. The pie is done when the apples are tender. Let pie cool completely before serving.

Slice and serve with a scoop of Bryers homemade natural vanilla ice-cream, know that it is hard to eat one slice of homemade apple pie.

Learn how to make delicious pie crust here 

Learn how to peel and core apples / FAST

Favorite Cheesecake Recipe

Some people like chocolate, others like pie, I eat cheesecake and I am happy. I don't eat store bought cheesecake, granted I have eaten grocer and bakery bought cheesecake in my time, BUT the best cheesecake that I ever had was made by my mom. 

Growing up mom made cheesecake all year round. The basic recipe allows you to top it with a variety of fruits, and in the fall and winter months, mom would make caramel and chocolate sauce and drizzle the sauces over the cake then top with roasted slivers of almonds or sugar coated pecans. Then add a dollop of freshly whipped cream and oh my gosh it was like biting into a slice of heaven

When my mom passed away it seemed that her recipes went with her. Then the other day I was going through a storage box and found my mother's recipe book. I was delighted to find her cheesecake recipe. 

The recipe that I share with you is one I found in my mother's recipe cards. The date on the card is 1968 and this is the same delicious dessert that my mother made when I was growing up.  On the bottom of her recipe card there is a special instruction; make the cheesecake the day before for best results and garnish with any fruit before serving.

Know that cheesecake is a wonderfully delicious sweet treat and the perfect ending to the evening meal.



Here is what you will need to make this recipe:

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1 package lemon jello
1 cup hot water
1 can carnation evaporated milk

1. With your mixer cream the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla ingredients together until all are blended
2. Mix the jello and water together and then let set until it thickens.  Add jello to cream cheese batter and use a beat until all ingredients are blended.
3. Chill another large mixing bowl along with your beater in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove when chilled and then add 1 can carnation evaporated milk / approximately 1 2/3 cups to the bowl and whip. Continue to beat the milk until it is thick like whipped cream.
4. Fold the whipped cream into the cheese batter.
5. Pour the cheesecake batter into 2 ready-made graham pie crusts.
6. Refrigerate a day before serving.

So there you have it an easy and delicious cheesecake dessert for your family.

Here is an easy recipe for caramel sauce.

Learn how to make sugar coated pecans for your autumn or winter cheesecake

Favorite Autumn Activities

Today while organizing boxes in the attic I came across some photographs that I had taken last autumn and I got to thinking of my favorite season and wondered what activities we would participate in this year.

I do not need a calendar to tell me when the season of autumn has begun. Nature has a way of letting you know. When I look south toward the mountain ridge I can see that the leaves are starting to change. I may see that a few trees have red leaves and others have orange and golden leaves, while other trees have green leaves.

Here are some postcards that I made from my autumn photographs. All photos were captured when I was hiking in the Ozark Mountains parks.

Autumn Leaves in Missouri Postcard 

Autumn in Arkansas Photograph Postcard 
View more Fall leaves Postcards at zazzle.com

Magnificent silver maple tree, this photo postcard is my favorite.

Autumn Leaves Thanksgiving Postcard 
color postcard printing by zazzle.com

The fall season is my favorite time of the year. I enjoy the warm days and cool nights and also like the activities. There is something to do every weekend from late September through the first part of November.

One of the activities that my family and I enjoy is getting together with my brother to harvest the pears. We also like to go to the you pick it pumpkin orchards. We usually make it an all day event because when the harvesting is done everyone eats a bowl of homemade chili and then sit by a bonfire. The kids roast marshmallows and if there are leaves on the ground we will all participate in a leaf jump.

Another autumn activity that my family enjoys doing is touring the corn maze and then picking out our pumpkin at a local farm. We participate in neighborhood gatherings; annual Jack O lantern carving contest and go to country church bazaars and hometown festivals in Missouri.  

You bet I enjoyed looking at the autumn photographs today and reminiscing about all the activities. I am looking forward to this fall and wondering what we will be doing.

What are your favorite autumn activities?

Favorite Fresh Peach Pie Recipe

When it comes to making peach pie know that there is only one way to make it and that is from scratch. I have eaten pie made from canned peaches, then made with fresh peaches, and found that the fresh fruit was best tasting.

My mom and dad loved peaches and when I was a kid I remember our peach trees. Dad would have to support the branches because there was so much fruit. Every  summer when the peaches were ripe we would all take the bushel baskets and helped our parents harvest the peaches for our Elberta trees.

I grew up eating my moms peach bake goods. My mom made cobblers that were wonderful but the fresh peach pie was my favorite. If the peach harvest was great we would have peach pie or peach preserves on Thanksgiving served with side of homemade ice cream. If you are like me and love peach pie then I know you will enjoy my favorite recipe. The one I share with you is one that has been passed down, it is a basic recipe that makes delicious pies.

Making pie with fresh fruit ,means that you have to allow time to get the peaches ready for pie. You will have to remove the skin from the peaches, then slice in half to remove the seed before you can cut them in half inch slices, then cut those slices in half for fresh peach pie.

The following ingredients are needed for one 9 inch pie.


8 large ripe peaches.
½ a cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ cup of flour

Recipe for pie

• In a large mixing bowl add the sliced peaches, then the brown sugar and mix with spoon. Then add the granulated sugar, cinnamon and flour. Mix again so that there is a coating of the flour on the peaches. Let the peaches set for 15 minutes.
• Turn the fresh peach pie filling into your pie crust, spread out the peaches so that they fill in the crust evenly.
• Top the peaches with another pie crust and pinch the lower crust into the upper crust on the sides. Seal the sides well so the juices do not come out the sides when baking.
• Insert a knife blade in the freezer for 10 minutes, then use this cold knife to make slits in the upper pie crust. These slits will allow the steam from the pie to escape.
• Melt 1-1/2 tablespoons of butter and then drizzle it over the top pie crust. Then drizzle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the butter.
• Bake pie at 400’F for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 350’F and bake 30 more minutes. The peach pie is done when the juices escape from the slits in pie crust. Let pie cool completely before serving.

Note: It is a good idea to set a cookie sheet under the pie to prevent the juices from pie from spilling onto your oven.

Here is a perfect recipe for flaky and delicious pie crust.

Favorite Outdoor Autumn Activities

Many people are making plans for summer vacations, but here at my house we are talking about the fall season. This morning I spoke with my friends about the spring baking day and the autumn season day of baking was discussed also, in fact we set a date.

Know that in five months my husband will start organizing his Halloween decorations so I guess it is okay to discus autumn activities in February. Needless to say all this talk about autumn has got me thinking about my favorite outdoor autumn activities.

When the leaves change from green to golden, orange and red and the weather changes to the point where the nights are cool enough for a sweater that is when you will find me sitting by the fire pit drinking hot apple cider. I will make plans to celebrate this harvest time of year by participating in the activities that I enjoy with my family and friends.

Missouri Shoal Creek Autumn Photo Print by Susang6

My Favorite Fall Activities

1. Hiking off trail in the Ozark Mountains
2. Photographing the trees in full seasonal color
3. Floating down Shoal creek on an Indian summer day
4. Touring corn mazes
6. Attending a harvest bazaar at a country church
7. Baking harvest fruit pies
___

Note: Shoal creek is located just south of Joplin Missouri and this creek features Missouri's largest waterfall. The creek plunges 15 feet over chert rock which is a very hard creek bedrock. In fall hiking or taking a float trip along the Shoal creek is one of my favorite things to do.

Harvesting and Ripening Pears

One of my favorite fall activities is going to my brother’s to harvest pears from his trees.  We harvest all pears on the trees.  If the pears are not ripe then we take steps to ripen them in a cool area in our basement or fruit cellar.

We gather bushels of mature pears and put them in cardboard boxes or large brown bags. Then we will ripen the pears by storing them in a dark cool section of our basement. This area should be 60 to 70 degrees for best results.

Check on the pears every few days, they should be ripe and ready for cooking in a few weeks. You can also put the pears in a brown bag and put the bag in the refrigerator. This method of ripening will take approximately ten days for the pears to be ready.

Traditional Holiday Baking

Today I met up with my friends and we agreed that we will all get together before Easter and then again in the fall for a day of baking. Baking with friends is fun and it enables us to to have variety of desserts and breads for our family.

In the spring we will make cream pies, cookies, breakfast muffins and sweet bread recipes and in the fall we bake with our harvested fruit; apples, pears. Plus we will make cranberry, chocolate and pumpkin recipes.

I always look forward to baking day, but my favorite holiday for baking is in the autumn. I really enjoy making comfort bake goods. Last year the baking day was in my kitchen and it was way too small. This year I will go to my friends house and there will be plenty of room for all of us.

As a rule, we must use recipes that are passed down through the family. Or in other words none of the recipes are new, they are all from our childhood.

When all of the baking is done, we will grab our food containers and go through the line picking out a variety of desserts and baked goods for our families to enjoy, throughout the holiday season.



Do you participate in a Tradtional baking day?

Autumn Season is Best for Activities Recipes Crafts

Today was warm so my husband and I went to our storage shed to organize the autumn season decorations and my craft things. There were 22 storage boxes labeled for the autumn season.  In comparison to the other holidays, the autumn season had more storage containers for crafts, decorations, kitchen recipes, and there was no question about it, the autumn season is by far the best and favorite season at my house.

Know that we start preparing for the travel activities in early summer, plus how we will decorate the yard and home is planned in July. Which includes what crafts we will do for the upcoming season and how we will decorate for the holidays; Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Autumn is the longest and the best season for activities, recipes, and crafts as each year is a bigger celebration than the year before? Hoping this year will be the best autumn ever.

Autumn decor ideas for living room

Autumn Harvest Living Room Decor by sgolis featuring Zazzle throw pillows

Here are a few of my favorite blog posts; activities, recipes, and decorations/crafts for the autumn season.

Mushroom hunt in the woods

Autumn parties; plans and menu ideas

Decorating your autumn home

Baking Day A Fall Tradition

Today my husband and I made plans to have a baking day on Sunday. This fall baking day is a tradition at our house as it enables us to get all the bake goods made, put into tins, and ready for handing out during the holidays.

We will bake all day to get ready for Thanksgiving and the upcoming holidays. We have several bushels of apples so all of our family recipes for apples will be made. Apple walnut cake, apple muffins, apple pie, apple cranberry pie, apple turnovers, and more apple goodies will be made on our traditional baking day.

All of our baking will be done in our small kitchen, and we might get into each other's way but I hope not.  I think the day will be fun and will be setting up the dining room table and buffet as the holding station.  Everything will be cooled there and then put into holiday tins.

Do you have a baking tradition that you do with your family?

Here is a recipe for Apple pie made with fresh apples and not store-bought in a can.

Organizing and Storing Holiday Decorations

This morning I ventured into my husband's domain and realized that the garage needed organization. Know that straightening the garage is a thing that I do every autumn because it makes finding the holiday decorations easier.

My husband says he knows where everything is but to tell you the truth it looks like a fire hazard. Clutter everywhere and stacks of old newspapers that are being saved to recycle, nothing in place, storage boxes not organized, and golly I have no idea what is in them.

Everything in the garage needs to be gone through and it is time to get rid of what we have not used in the last two years. I prefer to not hold onto things for a rainy day. I think it is better to donate to a charity so that somebody can put good use to the item.

To make the garage easier to go through we will divide it up into section. Take everything out to the covered carport to go through the boxes, take out what we do not use, and then repack the storage containers and label the outside.

Once the garage is organized and the cement floor swept and mopped then it will be so organized that the holiday decorations will be easy to find.  The last thing I want to do come Christmas is looking through containers in a cold garage. 

All items in cardboard boxes will be removed and repacked
into plastic storage containers

Know that we are unpacking the cardboard storage boxes and restoring items into plastic storage bins with locking lids and they are on wheels. I found them at Lowes.com and they are great when you have to transport them to your home for packing or unpacking holiday decorations.

It is helpful to buy large storage containers in a variety of colors.  You can find the colors at the end of the season.  After Christmas it is easy to find red or green containers, after Halloween orange containers then the rest of the year the containers are blue or clear.

Here are some storage labels for your containers that will help you to find what you are looking for.

Red is a good color to use for a storage label because it is easy to see. Use a black waterproof marking pen to write on the label. Then highlight in yellow.

Subtle Floral U Pick Color/Food & Storage Labels by DelaineK
Design your own custom labels and stickers at Zazzle.

Easy Outdoor Thanksgiving Decoration Ideas

Greet your holiday guests with outdoor Thanksgiving decorations. This porch or yard display is eye appealing and easy to make. You do not have to go crazy with buying stuff for a feature yard display when it comes to Thanksgiving less can be more.

For this easy yard or front porch display, you will need a bale of straw, a potted mum, pumpkin and 4 to six stalks of dried corn that are tied together so they stand upright.  I use craft wire to secure the corn stalks the wire is strong and you can easily look the wire so that it can attach to the support. 

If you plan to use feature this display in the yard then dig a hole, insert PVC pipe or plant stake into the ground. Make sure the upright plant stake is at least three feet tall and then tie the corn stalks to this support so that they stand upright. For a porch you can tie the bunch of corn stalks together and set them in a corner, use the porch wall as support.

In front to the corn stalks set the bale of straw, on top of the bale of straw set a potted mum and a pumpkin. Make or buy a welcome sign or “Happy Thanksgiving” greeting sign. And the display is done.

Other outdoor Thanksgiving decorations that you may like:

Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas - Deer Head with Antlers

When it comes to decorating our living space with wildlife accents I think that faux taxidermy is best.  So when I found this resin Stag Deer Head at zazzle.com I was delighted.  This deer head is very lifelike and will add ambiance to your living space, office, and mancave.

The deer heads come in a variety of colors, including a natural white and black and then there are trendy colors; gold, silver pink and blue. Having so many colors to choose from will enable you to compliment your homes color scheme. Or you could buy a few deer heads and hang them on your feature wall and make a fabulous statement.

When it comes to decorating my home for the autumn season I think the gold metallic resin deer head is elegant.  The color will compliment my dark hardwood furniture and think it will add ambiance to the room.   The deer head alone is fabulous but I may decorate those antlers with an autumn garland on Thanksgiving day.

White Antlers with White Stag Deer Head by white_faux_taxidermy

View more White faux Stag Deer Heads at zazzle.com

I think it would be fun to decorate the deer head and then hang it in the foyer.  I know my brother and his kids would have a good laugh.  So on Thanksgiving, I think I will decorate this elegant Stag Deer Head with Antlers with garland and pumpkin ornaments.  Here is a collage that I created to give you an idea.  

Decorate your Deer Head for Thanksgiving

Missouri Has Fun Fall Activities for Family

The fall season is a fun time of the year because the weather is ideal for being outdoors. Many people enjoy going camping, going on float trips and also hiking in Missouri state parks. Missouri is a very scenic state to visit during the fall months because there is so much to do and to see.

Audobon Nature Center SW Missouri

One of the areas that I enjoy is Branson in the fall. You can enjoy the city life and live entertainment at the many theaters and also, spend time at Table Rock Lake or visit Silver Dollar City for day of fun with your kids.

Hiking in the fall is a fun activity 

If you enjoy road trips then you shroud plan to drive along with vintage Route 66 to visit the small towns in Missouri. So many of the towns offer Main Street festivals, arts, and crafts shows, hayrides and pumpkin carving for the kids. Small towns in the fall offer wholesome fun for everyone.

Scenic fall color

On weekends throughout the fall season we like to plan road trips in Missouri. In early October we will attend festivals in Southwest Missouri, Neosho, Carthage, and Joplin have wonderful hometown events some towns have festivals with marching bands and vintage car shows.

The fall season is the time of the year that many people travel. It is the last season before winter and winters in Missouri are cold and long.  Many people who travel to Missouri will plan outdoor activities and go sightseeing and enjoying the fun things to do in Missouri.

Missouri Botanical Gardens

Do you make plans for fall activities for your family?

Decorating Bedroom for Autumn

Today I took some time to make plans to decorate my bedroom for the autumn season. Granted I have never decorated my bedroom for the change of seasons but since my husband has been spending more time in our newly renovated room I thought I would pop decorate it so we can both it enjoy this space throughout the season.

Cozy Autumn Bedroom by sgolis 

The fall colors are warm and earthy; gold, orange, brown and touches of gold. These colors will give the bedroom a cozy feeling and it will be a great place for my husband to relax.

We just painted the walls a warm flax color and I do not plan on painting an accent wall, instead, I will hang a few seasonal posters in hardwood frames. I also thought chocolate brown or pumpkin spice drapes would be eye-appealing window treatments. Then all that would be needed would be a garland of fall colored maple leaves to drape across the drapery rod or maybe accent the post as a wall decoration.

Presently our comforter set is chocolate brown and instead of buying a duvet cover I think I will update the bed with assorted seasonal pillows and add a fall theme printed fleece blanket.

Then for the dresser, I thought I would add a lamp and a stack of books. I think this would create a focal area that would be eye appealing.

Do you decorate your master bedroom for the autumn season.