Finally Fall Colors
I mentioned it before, but our Fall colors have been a little off this year. They're not as brilliant and they're late. The weathermen haven't really been able to explain the reasons 100% certainty. After patiently waiting for those much beloved colors that are the announcement of fall, they have arrived. Muted and a wee bit late, but arrived.
As the sun was coming up this morning (can I get an amen for that? G-man has worked in the pouring rain most of the week), it hit the field in that wonderful way that morning light does. I went across the street with my camera, and........oh yeah, I was in my pajamas. The things I do to get a good shot.
I love the way the light is just barely touching the barn at this point.
Our great Fall view.
A closer shot.
See the way the trees aren't quite in sync this year? Some turning, some turned, some still yet to turn. Very odd, but still beautiful.
For comparison, here's a shot from almost 2 years to the day (10/20/09).
See what I mean?
I am happy to have some Fall color, even if it's not the usual. It would have been really disappointing to have a 'no show'.
Good News
Bates Mercantile Co. is on the front page of etsy as I type, thanks to the lovely treasury making skills of KimberlyAnnMarie (who makes the loveliest sea glass jewelry). If you don't know about etsy, I'd like to shout it from the rooftops- it's the most wonderful online marketplace for handcrafted and vintage things. You'll also find supplies for making things on etsy. Once you visit etsy, you're sure to be back. It's just too much fun and they're is far too much talent to ignore.
Here's a couple of vintage items I'm about to add to Bates Mercantile Co., our etsy shop.
Very chinoiserie.
None the less, Made in the USA by Syracuse.
This pretty bowl was not made in the USA, but rather in Germany.
Such pretty flower detail.
After I get these items into our shop, I will have to squeeze in the regular Friday fly through cleaning routine. I have a thing about starting the weekend with a messy house. It bugs me. Am I the only one?
Then I hope to get to enjoy the outdoors for at least a little while and maybe take the dog for a walk. That is, if I can wake him up from his nap on the lawn.
Roast Beast To French Dip
Wednesday was especially rainy and miserable, so I cooked a roast beef for the man who'd been rained upon all day at work. It was an Angus top round.
Basic Roast Beef - Medium Rare
350F
20-25 minutes per pound
s,p and garlic
Let rest 5-10 minutes before carving or all the juice will run out of the meat
De-glaze the roasting pan.........basically that means, throw some liquid in (wine, broth,water) to get all the nice roasty bits up from the bottom of the pan. I used a combo of wine and broth. Makes a nice au jus. Basically, just meat juice gravy.
Well, it came out perfectly, but it was a pretty big roast. So last night, with the leftovers (though there are still more), I made French Dip sandwiches.
Fresh Salio Loaf from the market
Mixed Hellman's and some horseradish
Thinly sliced leftover Roast Beef
Put the sliced salio on a cookie sheet, spread the dressing on the bread, topped one side with the roast beef, and topped that side with other slice of bread. Popped in oven at 350 for about 5 minutes just to warm up. Also stuck left over au jus in a bowl and in the oven with the sandwiches.
Serve sandwiches with the au jus for dipping. Hence the name of this sandwich.
Heavenly.
I know I have a long way to go on my food pics. It's just always at night with bad light. I'll keep working on that.
For now, without further ado..........
Freeform Friday
This one's for sister Di. A Dylan cover, by Old Crow Medicine Show. If you receive this by email........click here!
Rock me momma anyway ya feel, rock me momma like a wagon wheel......hey, momma rock me...
No big plans for the weekend that I know of, though we may take a run up to the new meat market and if we could squeeze in a trip to Applecrest for cider donuts, apples and cider, it sure would be nice. What's your scoop? Anything special going on in your corner of the world.
Toot-a-loo,
Mmmmmm, I love a good French dip sandwich, though I haven't attempted them at home myself. I may just have to try, now that I have a recipe!
ReplyDeleteI made french dips last night! Although mine didn't look like yours! I used deil roast beef and dry packaged au jus mix. Maybe one of these days I'll make a real roast beef for my french dips!
ReplyDeleteHey Kristen and Sam, honestly, as you can see from the recipe, it's pretty easy. next time you do a roast beef, get one big enough so there are leftovers for the next night.
ReplyDeletepretty funny sam, that we both had them the same night. what are the odds?
Unfortunately you're right. This year, autumn is also little color in my.
ReplyDeleteBummer Jana. I certainly didn't think you'd have the same kind of muted fall in Poland, as we're having here in NH. Hopefully it's not a new trend and it's just some odd phenomenon this year.
ReplyDelete