Fall . . .my favorite time of year :)

We went on our first of two annual apple picking trips last weekend.  We always go to Douglas Orchards in Shoreham, VT.  Had a great time this year!  Brooke is another year older and we can actually pick apples with her and not worry as much as we did last year.  She listens much better and really likes to help and mimic everything we do.  It's so cute and fun. 

 We are sporting some piggy tails this year too.  Although keeping them in her hair is a challenge.  At this point during the day, it was my third attempt at keeping them in.  She is fast too. . .I put them in and turn around and the next thing I hear is . . ."mama look I have two hair ties". . .ugh again!

 Now the trick this year is getting her to pick the apple's from the trees and get them into the bag without sampling each one.

 We love apples!

 Nothing like a bag of Vermont Mac's.  And even though we are about 15 minutes from Hick's Orchard in NY . . .we have a rule in our house. . .no out of state maple syrup or apples. . .Flewelling rule!

 My handy helper!

 And my two photo hams:)

 Exploring

 Our traditional pumpkin/tractor shots. . we have done these every year since she was born.

And of course Apple Pie!!!!

 Dough recipe - from the back of King Arthur's perfect pastry flour and the inside recipe from King Arthur's Favorite Apple Pie recipe via King Arthur's all purpose baking cookbook.

 and it was good:) - need to bake another pie this weekend.

And finally. . .fall knitting is in full progress.  My Rowan Tweed Honesty sweater is coming along nicely.   I love the colors and the pattern is challenging enough where I have to pay attention a bit but not too much.  Just the right amount.  I have another 10 cm until the back is finished.  I am loving knitting from my stash . . .feels good to use some of this yarn that has been sitting around for years.  

Mocha Cupcakes, fall knitting, & knitting accessory bags

Mocha cupcakes for a work birthday this week.  Recipe via http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/08/13/mocha-cupcakes-with-espresso-buttercream-frosting/

My review:  I was so so on the cupcake. . .think I would try Martha Stewarts devils food cupcake with a espresso powder twist next time but the frosting was fabulous.  I do however caution . . .make a double batch, I tend to pipe a lot of frosting on my cupcakes and I had only enough for 11 cupcakes.  Thankfully not everyone was in the office because I did not have time enough to whip up another batch that morning before work.  But if you are lighter on the frosting you might be good.

I also topped them with chocolate covered espresso beans that I found at the Woodstock Farmers Market in Woodstock Vermont.  They were delicious!  I am actually making some grasshopper cupcakes today for stamp club tomorrow night and I think they will make a great topper as well since the frosting is baileys flavored cream cheese frosting.  Yum!

Welcome Fall!!!! The cooler fall nights have finally arrived and the leaves are starting to turn. . .apples are ready to pick and my urge to bake and knit is stronger than ever!  So with that said I pulled out some Rowan tweed from my stash and the Yorkshire tweed book and away my needles click.

I also took some scraps from my sewing stashed and whipped up some needle cases to sell at the yarn shop. . .what a great use of scraps!

Last weeks missed post was due to my recovery.  I ran my second 1/2 marathon this year.  (I ended up finishing 2:14:50, not my ideal but it was hot and humid . . .and a much harder race than the Covered Bridges).  I am proud that I ran up those monster hills because it shows accomplishment . . . .last year I would have nothing to do with hills. . .now I am mastering them!  These will be great stories for Brooke someday :)

70th Birthday Cake

Really happy with how this cake turned out for my father-in-laws 70th birthday this weekend.  A  Red velvet cake (recipe from King Arthur Flour) with white chocolate butter cream frosting.

The corn is made from fondant.  I just made a solid roll of fondant in the shape of a corn cob and then rolled little balls off fondant to look like corn and stuck them to the cob.  The outer leaves are just thin leaf shapes that I stretched out by hand and then laid on to look like husks.  Once I had them on there I took a roller tool and scratched the outer later to give it a more realistic look.

Cookies are butter sugar cookies from the King Arthur site and decorated with royal icing.

And around the bottom and along the ear of corn I just decorated with Brach's candy corn for a cute harvest  look.

All and all is was a good cake and a good day:)