We had this stack of beauties for breakfast today, in honor of the occasion. They’re pumpkin & crystallized ginger waffles and they are the epitome of pumpkin perfection. Thanks to my sister Devan for turning us on to them during her visit last weekend. Don’t deny yourself the power of the pumpkin! Give them something good to eat!

As I write this, the cove back here is filled with fog and mist. Both of the large maples have finally gone yellow and their riot of color is littering the porch, little sheets of gold falling softly down, down, down. The mood outside fits the bill, given that it’s Halloween weekend! Come check out my “Small Measures with Ashley” post this week on Design Sponge where I talk about putting the ‘Eco’ in Ectoplasm and offer tips for greening up Halloween. 

My husband is an incredible chef. Friends and family clamor for his foods. Seriously. My younger sister, Devan, who was just visiting, had offered during her stay with us back in June, to return in October and refinish the wood floors in our upstairs area in exchange for being fed Glenn’s food. While I exempted her from that task (we really only had 2 full days together and the weather was much too glorious for primer and shellac-or whatever it is you put on wood floors…), Glenn held up his end of the bargain. 

Our “Sweet & Savory Apple Potluck” this past Saturday evening was a wonderful success. Just the right amount of guests came (I think around 18-ish) to make the house feel cozy and festive without becoming claustrophobic! There were two incredibly cool toddlers (Quinn, Elora-you’re welcome here anytime), libations ‘a plenty, and a roaring fire outdoors in the fire ring, although it was too chilly and windy for anyone to feel compelled to gather ’round it. No bother, it was pretty and that alone justifies it.

I am bereft, friends. Despondent. Saddened. Heart-heavy. The filagreed beauties you see before you were, until yesterday morning, my second set of eyes for the past 12 years. Furthermore, there were an heirloom, belonging to my great-grandmother, Lena May Law. After letting the chickens out early yesterday morning, I returned to the house with the dogs, all set to feed my five hungry, heavily vocal cats. As I was removing my eyeglasses, the left side remained stubbornly stuck behind my left ear. I tugged on it with one hand (a colossally bad decision in hindsight, which, unlike me, is 20-20), and saw the middle begin to bend. In a panic, I lifted them off with two hands and watched them gently break in two.