Playing Catch Up

We went to Ontario for Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct 13th) and spent a relaxing week with family. I couldn't find my copy of Eat, Pray, Love so I bought another one at the airport. I figured I would pass it on to a friend when I'm done reading it. Also picked up Water for Elephants which I totally devoured. Odd for me, as I'm usually reading some sort of reference book. Perhaps I enjoyed it so much because it is an historical novel. The author is a tech writer from Ontario - something I didn't know until I got to the end of the book. Very good read!


My mother-in-law's insanely delicious Canadian Butter Tarts made with pecans from my father's orchard in Alabama! Mmmmm...I'd have to say that these are better than pecan pie because of the sweet to flaky crust ratio. Speaking of that, I learned a trick from my father-in-law on how to maximize the pumpkin pie eating experience. He puts a hole in the top of the piece of pumpkin pie and then fills it with Canadian maple syrup before covering with freshly whipped cream. *Smack!*

All Tarted Up

I picked this basket of apples and pears across the road at my 90 year old friend's orchard yesterday. DELICIOUS! The tart I made today with only 3 of the apples.

Apple Bistro Tart

• 1/2 of a 15 oz package (1 crust) folded refrigerated unbaked piecrust
• 1 T sugar
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1 t finely shredded lemon peel
• 2 medium tart green apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 1/2 cup caramel apple dip
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 apple jelly
• powdered sugar

Let piecrust stand according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, and lemon peel. Add apple slices, toss to coat.

Place unfolded piecrust on a large baking sheet. Spread caramel apple dip over crust to within 2 inches of edge. Arrange apple mixture over caramel. Sprinkle with pecans. Fold edge of crust about 2 inches up and over apple mixture, pleating edge as necessary.

Bake in 425 degrees oven about 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and apples are tender. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan heat apple jelly over low heat until melted.

Remove tart from oven. Brush melted jelly over entire tart, including pastry. Serve warm. Sift powdered sugar over tart before serving. Makes 8 small servings or 4 decent servings.

I can't remember where I got this recipe but I seem to think it was maybe from Cooking Light about 4 or 5 years ago. I've made it so many times that I don't even use the recipe anymore.

Here are some of my variations:

If I don't have pecans (like today) then I just chop up some raw almonds and use those instead.

If I don't have apple jelly for the glaze (like today) then I just brush on some maple syrup.

I have a small jar of Caramel Ice Cream Topping in the 'fridge that I use instead of the Caramel Apple Dip.

I've also added blueberries to the mix before and I usually leave out the lemon peel but squeeze fresh lemon juice on the apples as I'm cutting them.

We got one of those Pampered Chef Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer things at a yard sale for $2 a few weeks ago. Man, does that ever make for a quick job of prepping the apples! Before that, I used one of those Apple Wedgers and just trimmed off the peel. Still a pretty quick job.

Ridin' Smilin' and Clickin'

"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space." — Anonymous

Another beautiful day in North GA. Short ride this morning up to Tate to get out and enjoy the scenery. I think I see a pattern forming here. We went to the same little crossroads diner for breakfast.


That's me on the back - ridin', smilin' and clickin' a few photos along the way.

I've been saving up (time and fun tickets) to stop in at this little place. I know there will be something I just can't live without.

Made a stop for a few groceries. I think I'm going to make some iced-tea and add a splash of this limeade in with it. Mix it up a bit - live dangerously.

Here's the beginning of my fall garden. First time to ever plant: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and collard greens.

All of the peppers are looking good. This Jalapeño plant is loaded. My Carolina Wonder bells are just starting to turn red and the Habaneros are a pretty color of HOT HOT HOT orange.


This is the mystery squash - it's a volunteer. I have no idea what it is - maybe a gourd? Maybe a zucchini? The leaves are huge - the blossoms are yellow and smell like a squash blossom but the fruit itself does not smell like a squash to me. Anyone happen to know what it is?

Check!

"Do something every day that scares you." — Eleanor Roosevelt

Inspiration abounds!

Here's the first page to my visual journal. As always, you can click on the photo to see a larger version. I started this journal (which I just realized is very close to the word journey) last November after seeing a tutorial on Judy Wise's blog. It was so much fun to create - ripping up old paper grocery bags, dunking them in a sink full of water, crunching them up and then hanging them out on my old wooden clothes drying rack like sheets of pasta. I was up late one night ironing the pages and my husband thought I'd gone insane. I reassured him that it was for an art project - not laundry. I think he would have been genuinely concerned had I been ironing clothes.

I was so proud of actually learning the coptic stitch and completing the bookmaking part that I didn't want to mar its pure beauty with even the tiniest of marks. It sat on the kitchen counter for a few days so I could admire it as I walked by. Then it made its way to the upstairs hallway where I would occasionally notice it in all its recycled handmade glory as I went by on my way to bed. Months passed and it got shuffled in with a stack of other random papers and moved completely out of sight. I guess it was just a few weeks ago when I found it again and exclaimed "My journal! There you are!"

But who was to know that it was actually a journal? I don't even think it knew. It began the descent from the upper story of the house back into my daily life. I carried it with me a few places but forgot to show anyone - tucked between books and then once in a pile of mail it even rode with me over to a friend's house in the back seat of the car. Then finally, one fateful night - I remembered to bring it along to dinner to show my artful friend Farmer Sue.

She fondled it with amazement. Marveling at how the pages looked like old worn leather, she asked how I had done the stitching. It had been so stinking LONG since I'd made the thing, I just gave a sigh and said "I can tell you one thing, it wasn't easy." We sort of sat in silence for a moment and then she tossed it back to me across the table and said "So, what are you going to put in it?"

What am I going to put IN it?! IN IT?! How could she not think it was complete?

Oh, that's right - I was calling it a journal - duh! The time has come. Today it became my journal. Today it was a place for me to scribble, glue, paint, paste, draw, write and wander. It was a place for me to play. A place to put memories down on paper, wonderful memories of a weekend filled to the brim with inspiration.

What was intended to be an informal artist's retreat to celebrate the end of a work study group for Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way - actually turned into the beginning of new friendships. Friendships that I feel will continue to grow as we grow as artists, as women, as individuals. We laughed, we shared, we danced, we even threw off our inhibitions and swam under the bright moon in a clean North Georgia mountain lake.

Just the night before I had read Melissa Manley's inspirational Camp Creed which was ever so fitting for our retreat. We read it aloud that night and then again the next morning. It was just too perfect to not use as a quote for the first page in my very artfully inspired visual journal.

The pictures in the post below titled "And We Danced..." are a few of my photos from the weekend. Another friend Jennifer Carter who actually facilitated (did I say that correctly?) The Artist's Way group has more photos on her blog. I love seeing this magical weekend captured through another artist's eyes. Great job, Jenn!

I am truly blessed to be surrounded by so many artful friends. Inspiration abounds!

And We Danced...

AeroPress of Love

My handsome coffee-maker (aka my husband) has been away on business this week. Last night I found a package on the front porch with a small coffee/espresso maker, extra filters and this sweet note...



He melts my heart. When we were without electricity, he used the last bit of power in the computer battery back-up (UPS) to grind fresh coffee, then he boiled water on the side burner of the propane grill and made us French press coffee on the back deck. His resourcefulness and love knows no bounds. *melt*

Moo Swap

Aren't they lovely?! As always, you can click on the photo to see them up close. My first official organized art swap. Thanks to Lelainia for hosting this Moo exchange. How cool is that? I love how she put them on the paint swatches. Now that I've scanned them to post - I get the thrill of looking on the backs to see who they came from.

Color me tickled pink. :-)

Red, Green and Rust

Get your Pharm Phresh Photos here! Finally after 4 days without power followed by much welcomed rain, I took a walk around outside and snapped some photos. I'm realizing there's actually a color scheme here on The Pharm. Can you see it?

Sorry about the duplicate photos - I sort of went willy nilly with the new software I downloaded (Comic Life for Mac). I will try not to abuse it - I've only got 30 days on the free trial version. I'm still trying to learn the art of restraint. For now, it just feels good to throw it all out there.

Lunch for One

Mmmm...my lunch and yes, I ate every last bit of it. Even tipped the plate up and drank the juice that was collected in the bottom of the plate. Thanks to Judy Wise for this delicious food inspiration. What I didn't already have in the 'fridge I went out and picked from the garden. THE GARDEN! Yes, I went out and picked food from my garden for lunch! I realize this might not be such a newsworthy event for some of you but it absolutely tickled me to no end.

Okay, I only picked the basil and curly parsley but it still counts, right? :-)

The tomato (yes, that is only half of ONE tomato), cucumbers and red onions are all compliments of our amazing CSA organic gardeners. They are only 2 people but they grow food for something like 30 families on 2 acres. I enjoy being able to spend even just a few minutes over there to sit in the rocking chairs under the porch and catch up while I get my goodies.


The amaranth has gone to seed but I love how the rich deep color contrasts with the blue sky and green corn stalks. Apparently, chicks love amaranth. I wonder if their eggs will come out pink?


Here's a lovely parting shot of the sun coming up over the trees this morning around 6:30am. The fog was trapped in a field and I pulled over to snap a quick shot on my way home from Casa de Waffle. I knew I needed a hearty (as in heart stopping?) breakfast before watering the garden this morning. Took me a couple of hours to get everything watered but I was done well before my 10am watering ban cut off and plenty of time to greet the appliance repairman at 9am. Oh such is the life of a Tiny Pharm Wife.