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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Happy Autumn!

Most Sundays after work,  I stop by Sterino's produce.  They also carry some outdoor pots and plants but really the main attraction is the local (and some not so local) produce.  I'd decided to pick up some fresh corn as it's been particularly sweet lately, gorgeous fresh tomatoes, basil, and a few other things.  Imagine my surprise when I drove into the parking lot and this field, previously full of plants for sale was now piled with pumpkins!  I'd seen them ripening in the fields and knew that they'd be harvesting them soon.



There were bins of all sorts of great pumpkins, gourds, squash, etc. I really liked these huge warty gourds

Totally fell for these 'Knucklehead' pumpkins!  Fascinating!

Like some animal breeds, these are so ugly they're cute. 

Very colorful.


What do you think?  Like them or think they look diseased?

There's nothing quite like the fragrance of fresh apples on a warm autumn day.  I bought more than we needed for the week because each variety smelled better than the last. 

Speaking of oddities, when did this happen?   It tastes every bit as good as white cauliflower and doesn't loose that color when it's cooked.

How festive they would look together.

Here's to a wonderful, mild, and colorful autumn!  

27 comments:

  1. I went to a local cider mill yesterday and also bought more apples than we really needed! Not to mention, cider, cider donuts, mini-pumpkins, and gourds! Ate three of the donuts, still hot, on the way home and had the first apple crisp of the season after dinner.
    The cauliflower is so colorful and pretty, but I'm afraid I still don't care for it! And I like some of the warty pumpkins, but others do just look diseased. I really like that mostly green one with some orange streaks and lighter green bumps.
    I second the motion for a mild, long autumn. Happy Fall, y'all!

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    1. Yum! Nothing as great as fresh local cider! Just finished making peach crumbles and now it's apple time. Time goes by so quickly when your having a good time eating. That was my favorite pumpkin too so it rode home with me.

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  2. I love cauliflower, but I've never had the purple kind. Those warty gourds -- I love them AND I think they look diseased! Happy Autumn to you too!

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    1. Purple and yellow are both just as yummy as white. Give 'em a try sometime.

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  3. I for one am happy to have the overcast sky back. I love the cool mornings of Autumn, not having to hide from the sun when I work in the garden. Fall planting is upon us: hooray. The gourds are fabulous, worts and all, and the colorful cauliflower will make any dish more appetizing then the anemic white verity. A good recipes is welcome.

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    1. My plants are looking forward to some rain as well. You point out some wonderful parts of autumn that I also love. It's that season that follows that I could do without.

      Good old steamed cauliflower is delightful. How about roasting with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, curry powder? Gratins are always nice and rich. I'm also fond of using korma sauce - steamed or blanched briefly then simmered or baked in the sauce. Cheese sauce is classic.

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  4. I do not like autumn or winter, but I like pumpkins and pumpkin soup:-) Regards!

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    1. I agree about not liking winter! Autumn has its charms like those rich harvest colors, fresh cider, the sight, smell and crunch of fallen leaves...

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  5. I think the warty pumpkins would look great in a spooky Halloween display but I wouldn't want them sitting in my kitchen, if that makes any sense. I haven't seen the purple cauliflower - it's cool!

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    1. They look especially interesting next to the very smooth skin of white pumpkins. Isn't autumn grand?

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  6. Yikes it's that time of the year already? Time flies so quick!

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  7. Those 'Knucklehead' pumpkins remind me of the man who had hands and legs that made him look like a tree, from Indonesia.

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  8. Oh, I love all of the pumpkins, warty ones too! Produce stands are especially fun in the fall.

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  9. No to the warty gourds, they give me the creeps!

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  10. Wow! Who knew there was such variety. The warty ones ick me out a bit the more I look at them, but they're pretty great.

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    1. It's the novelty of them that catches my fancy. I'm sure that once we see them year after year, it'll wear off.

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  11. Nice photos! Love that display of pumpkins - not sure about those warty ones. They do look diseased to me. Hmm, the purple and green cauliflower are very colorful together. That display inspired me to look up why they are purple - evidently the "presence of the antioxidant anthocyanin".

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    1. Thanks Jeanne! So purple cauliflower is doubly good for you!

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  12. Holy cow that's a lot of pumpkins. The newer gourds are really something. I think they're cool but I don't really do any fall decorating so they don't come home with me. However, I would have been tempted by those apples. I bet they're delicious. Happy fall.

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    1. Happy Fall, Grace! The apples are indeed delicious. Grooving on Honey Crisps lately. I usually don't do much fall decorating but I'm still as enamored of gourds as I was as a child so a few find their way home most years. I love taking a variety of pumpkins and other squash to school for my kids to have fun with.

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  13. Those knucklehead pumpkins are great for Halloween, especially if held in the lap of a warty nosed witch.

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  14. I like purple cauliflower but the funky pumpkins can stay in the store!

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  15. OK, so let's admit that it really is Autumn.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.