HAPPY HALLOWEEN~

Happy Halloween...

from our house to yours...

THE DAY AFTER~

There is a constant hum of generators filling the evening air...Hurricane Sandy has subsided here in Southern Maine....but has left many of us in the dark...we are fortunate that we (Dog Trot Farm) have a generator...a birthday gift to me two years prior from my most generous parents... 

In between  raindrops Travis and I managed to get our walk in...Happily, I noticed that our street appeared  unscathed...a tree limb here and there but nothing major...however... around the corner trees and wires blocked the roads...this evening our internet/ cable returned and we (Mr. Dog Trot and I) were finally able to view the destruction and devastation  in New York... New Jersey... and other surrounding states...Also the snowstorm in West Virginia...I hope you (my dear blogging friends and readers) are safe and have suffered no personal damage...keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers...Our youngest son, Travis' dad, is an On Target utility employee..he's away from his family helping others get their power back, and we wish him a safe journey and a quick return home.

AS DARKNESS FALLS~

As darkness falls...the wind's powerful force has intensified as the rain pelts against the windowpane...

 Sandy has found us here in New England... lights have begun to flicker...a signal that it's only a matter of time before the electricity is lost...we here at Dog Trot Farm remain safe and dry...

 the chickens are tucked safely in their coop... a large fat pumpkin provides entertainment as well as being a nutritious snack...my snack...not so nutritious... Sadie Mae is asleep in her favorite chair and Winslow Homer remains nervously by my side...

 Over my shoulder I noticed Mr. Jack watching me as I put a pumpkin pie in the oven...

 while a beef stew warmed on the wood stove...cornbread too...

For those of you who are in Sandy's way please stay safe...

PREPARING FOR SANDY~

While some of us spent the majority of the day preparing for the impending arrival of tropical storm Sandy...others lazed about...Sadie Mae...

Heavy rain and wind are predicted to arrive in Maine by Monday evening. We here at Dog Trot Farm have no threat of flooding, however, a wet cellar is always a possibility. More than likely we will lose the power, hence cable, internet, will be lost...battery powered candles, headlamps and flashlights are all in position...no need for fumbling in the dark...the wood stove will keep us warm and cozy...a beef stew will simmer...the chickens will remain safe inside their coop, a seed flock block and a large pumpkin should aid with rainy day boredom...Travis and I will spend the day craving pumpkins and filling Halloween treat bags...Sadly...outdoor Halloween decorations have been removed and stored for safety....Sandy... dare I say we are ready for your presence...and if you decide not to visit...thats okay too...stay safe everyone...

CAN YOU FEEL IT?

Can you feel it?

                                         It's in the air...Halloween that is...this day found me on Witchtrot
                                   Road...a back road in the town of York...a haunted road...so I am told...

                              An old burying ground...which dates back to the 1600's... quite suddenly
                              fog began to slowly engulf the graveyard... this poem came to mind...
                              "The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and
                              city on silent haunches and then moves on"....~Carl Sandburg~
                              Til tomorrow, goodnight....

A PACKAGE ARRIVES~

A package has arrived...coming all the way from the Midwest...

inside a note...with instructions for washing...if and when needed...

a lovely small quilt...in the most perfect of colors...crafted by "Jacque" of the blog "Doodles Of My Mind"...I have admired Jacque's work from afar...How excited was I when I learned that I had the good fortune of winning Jacque's recent blog giveaway...

this little quilt goes quite nicely in any of the rooms here at Dog Trot Farm...whether it be evening light or morning sunshine...the little quilt's colors glow...

A heartfelt thank you to my dear blogging friend...I shall think of you often...

and Tag (the big chocolate puppy) too!...

FAREWELL~

FAREWELL~

Last Tuesday evening Glen Campbell was greeted with a standing ovation from some 1,200 fans at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine...his farewell to his many fans, not just for this evening, but for all the years...a gift... Glen Campbell graced the stage with dignity and poise. How very brave of this man and his family to fight the battle against Alzheimer's Disease in such a public forum. I was so impressed with the three Campbell children, Ashley, Cal and Shannon all gifted musicians in their own right, who gently keep their dad on the straight and narrow during the entire performance...Glen Campbell dazzled the stage wearing an off white suit and blue ruffled shirt. He began the evening with such hits as "Gentle On My Mind"... "Galveston"..." By The Time I Get To Phoenix"..."Rhinestone Cowboy"...  Glen's voice was strong and clear, his guitar skills still amazing...however, at times he seemed uncomfortable...losing his way...confused...his clarity gone. The seventy minute set was over much too soon... bittersweet...Glen Campbell ended his performance with a song from his new album titled "Ghost On The Canvas"
The song, "A Better Place"

"Some day's I'm so confused, Lord,
my past gets in the way. I need the one's
I love,  Lord, more and more each day."

Glen Campbell took his bow,  fans clapped and cheered, Glen walked off the stage surrounded by his three children and simply said "BYE."

Thank you Glen Campbell...Godspeed...

TUESDAY EVENING EXCITMENT~

Old Jack Frost was on the pumpkin this morning... the autumn foliage brightly twinkled in the early morning light...

  I bundled Travis as only a grandmother can...as he and I prepared for our morning walk...

Well, let me tell you about our Tuesday evening date...first I must say my night out was quite exciting, in a most unexpected way.  Mr. Dog Trot and I were ushered to our seats in the majestic Merrill Auditorium. Our seat location... first balcony... third row center...excellent viewing...the show was to begin at 7:30...at 7:12...the building began to tremble...a hush came over the crowd while a most noticeable rumble was heard... imagine... airplane landing with full thrusters ... a thirty second jolt...Mr. Dog Trot and I looked at one another in disbelief and in unison said "earthquake".  In an instant the auditorium came alive with the piercing glow of smart phones. Thanks to the couple sitting behind us we  soon learned that the jolt was indeed an earthquake with a 4.0 magnitude...the epicenter located not far from our home...my concern was for Winslow Homer... home alone...frightened...(Tomorrow's post...Mr. Glen Campbell and the Goodbye Tour) Once home we soon found Winslow  asleep in his bed...no damage to the interior of the house... a can of Campbell's soup and a jar of hot fudge sauce  fallen from the pantry shelf... After all the excitement of this evening I certainly was looking forward to climbing into my soft cozy bed and a fit full night sleep...oh..no..no...out of the depths of the darkened woods came a most hideous sound...softly at first and eventually a full blown howl...out of bed I jumped...grabbed my headlamp..whether it be bravery or stupidity I ventured out into the dark shadows of the night while the Mr. slept...It did not take me long to discover the origin of this noise...before me were two rather large  fishers...a nasty nocturnal creature...killer of cats and fowl...I quickly ran to the door  locking it behind me...eventually the fighting fishers wore themselves out...lost to the darkness...wearily I climbed the stairs, crawled into bed, tightly pulled the covers around me and prayed the excitement for this night was over...oh yea...I did remember take the headlamp off...Goodnight...

OUT ON THE TOWN~

Tonight Mr. Dog Trot and I are going out on the town...as in out after dark...a rare occurrence for me...We are to see...

Mr. Glen Campbell aka The Rhinestone Cowboy...an anniversary gift to me from Mr. Dog Trot. September 2nd we celebrated 34 years of marriage...my how time flies...tonight I shall be transported back to my teenage years...I will enjoy each and every moment, for tomorrow, reality will set in and once again I will be "granny."

NOT A FAN~

This morning...for breakfast...I poured myself a cold glass of milk and sliced a slab of pumpkin bread...

opened the pumpkin spice cream cheese...

um...I don't know why but I was surprised by the color...

                                      spread a thin layer...and took a bite...
                                   
I have to tell ya I was disappointed...the cream cheese was a bit sweet and artificial tasting...infact I did not finish this slice, I offered it to the chickens...no complaints from the chicken yard...so there you have it...not a fan of this product...let me know what you think...Goodnight...

LOVELY OCTOBER~

 

October...

Dear October... how swiftly thy days are passing... all too soon your opulence will be but a distant memory...I savor each day while mentally preparing for the seasons to come...days are short...dusk arrives early... candlelight... the warmth of a wood stove... simple joys...   

The countryside is aglow... corn has been harvested and  hay bales stacked...farm stands offer delectable seasonal delights...fresh pressed cider and warm sugared donuts taste especially good in the cool Autumn air...how lovely an early morning walk can be with leaves swirling in the air and the "crunch" now heard under foot...

I find no "pressure" to the month of October...as I do in the months of November and December...I bake for the shear joy...Sunday morning finds pumpkin bread cooling on the kitchen counter...happily awaiting the Pumpkin Spice cream cheese I discovered at Target... I have never noticed  this product before, have you?  Tomorrow I'll offer my opinion on this product...BTW the only item I purchased at Target...my wood stove calls...good evening everyone...Off to catch up on my blog reading....
              
                                   

MONSTER COOKIES~

MONSTER COOKIES

For those of you who requested my MONSTER COOKIE recipe here it is...

4 cups all purpose flour (I use KING ARTHUR)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 sticks BUTTER softened
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
2 Large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, NOT imitation
1 cup  TOLL HOUSE milk chocolate morsels
1 cup  TOLL HOUSE semi sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup  TOLL HOUSE dark chocolate morsels
1 package REECE'S mini pieces ( I found the mini REECE'S Halloween colored pieces at Target)

preheat oven to 375*

Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugars till creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop dough by level 1/4 cup measure 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown... (I routinely use either tin foil or parchment paper on my cookie sheets. I bake my cookies at 350* for exactly 13 minutes.)  This I find works best for me, my oven is electric. Your cookies will be chewy on the inside and lightly crispy on the outside. I promise they will not last long! ENJOY!

AUTUMN RAIN~

Autumn Rain...

outside my window the rain softly falls as the day comes to a close... leaves drop from the trees...acorns can be heard bouncing of the hen house roof...

my girls remain inside...tucked safely in the confines of their coop...the spicy aroma of apples and cinnamon fill the kitchen as a German apple cake bakes in the oven... 

Travis delights...

in his granny's love of Halloween...

I cannot resist...

 

nor can my sister inlaw Jovan, hers is a love of Christmas...

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Easter will bring...

MONDAY MORNING~

I'm glad to know everyone enjoyed seeing my goodies from Target...I must clarify though  that I do not spend all my time at Target or shopping.  Three days per week I have the greatest job in the world, providing care for my grand baby Travis...one day a week I spend  with my dad, who comes to the mainland for grocery shopping...and breakfast at IHOP... 

 Friday is my "me" day unless one of my parent's has a doctors appointment...my opinion is two sets of ears are better than one...So yes, Friday is the day you will find me at Target...my budget consists of $30.00...and the majority of my purchases are holiday, housewares or for Travis Lloyd...Monday morning dawned with a soft haze lying low to the ground...as I walked next door to gather Travis I noticed the leaves with their brilliant color  now at peak...

 the morning air is cool...a soft breeze makes the leaves  swirl as they fall to the wet ground below...

  heads bow  from last night's rain...

the last bouquet from my flower garden is gathered...

 

This cookie has become a favorite of the men in my family...I call them "monster" cookies. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and Reese's Pieces. I use a 1/4  measuring cup...these cookies are crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside and monster in size...

 

finally, the last of my indoor decorating is now complete...ah...perfect timing... a baby calls...have a great day everyone...

SEASONAL DELIGHTS~

 Do you recall the Candy Corn flavored Oreo's I discovered at Target?..I am sad to say... they are no more...completely sold out and  I have yet  to discover them anywhere else ...but...my search for those did lead me to  these...M&M's white chocolate... candy corn coated... decadent delights...Lord have mercy these candies could do some serious damage to one's blood sugar, never mind the waistline...I purchased two bags...big mistake... the first has been devoured and the second is quietly calling my name...I need to relocate them...and soon...  

On my past few visits to Target  this friendly "Jack" pillow caught my eye. On each  visit I would pick the pillow up, wrestle with temptation, then  place the pillow back on the shelf...this week.. this cute little pillow must have jumped into my cart on it's own accord...for when I got to the checkout there it was...staring me in the face...

Now packaging is everything and it seems everywhere you go people are sneezing, coughing, and a cute box of tissues is a must...it is a need...I'm sure it will be a need sooner rather than later...same thought process with the "witch" napkins...we all need to wipe our face....some of us more than others...

 

and lastly...I did a bit of Halloween decorating...

the evenings are now cool and a cold front is headed our way... the wood box is filled and a fire has been set in the wood stove...Sadie has settled in her favorite chair and Winslow Homer's belly is full....all is well at Dog Trot Farm...

SAYING GOODBYE~

Saying goodbye...

On this cool October day Mr. Dog Trot and I boarded a ferry and headed down the bay to my childhood home of Long Island...my mom and dad were there to collect us and soon we were on our way to the "New Hill" cemetery...It was a day for saying goodbye...it is never easy losing a loved one, but on this Autumn day, as the sun filtered through the maple trees, the gentle wind whispering, we bowed our head's in prayer...An island community is a very special group of caring, giving people. It is one of the many things that I have missed since leaving...once an islander, always an islander. The memorial service was lovely, heartfelt and with a bit of humor. Later... as I placed my flowers at the graveside,  I turned and was in awe of what I saw...standing behind us, the immediate family, was an entire island community, both young and old alike. My aunt would have been pleased.
Goodbyes are not forever.
Goodbyes are not the end.
They simply mean I'll miss you,
Until we meet again.
~Unknown~