Finally, It's Pumpkin Time!

Here are some of my favorite images of pumpkins and fall in general  from the new issue by Cottage Journal called 'Holiday Home'. If you can find it you really should get this issue! 

They borrowed this fabulous french bowl from my shop and just look how pretty it is with all of their pumpkins, gourds and vegetables!

They have a wonderful staff and very talented stylists! 
It's always fun to see what they put together at Hoffman Media.
 In fact, they were actually at my own home this past Wednesday and I can't wait to see the pictures!

Even these simple lanterns look so good mixed in with pumpkins and mums.

Fall has always been one of my most favorite times of the year to decorate for. Finally, we've had a week of great weather and it's beginning to even feel like fall!

From different shades of orange…

to the greens and yellows of gourds it really is simple to pull together a great looking fall arrangement!

Look how pretty the berries look mixed in with it as well!

I am so excited that these handblown pumpkins were shown as well because they are arriving at my shop next week! Just in time for our big art show that's coming up!

Who doesn't love the white pumpkins? We usually have the real ones in the shop but we haven't gotten any yet….it really has been too hot to think about fall until this week!

Seriously, this is breathtaking and we actually have those candlesticks in right now!

 I wonder if they borrowed these as well? I can't remember!

Downtown we have a wonderful place that is owned by Charlie Thigpen and it's always a treat for me to stop by and take a look. I like to go in it when we are there for the farmer's market that is put on every Saturday until mid December, I think.

It's always a treat to see his innovative ideas as well ooh and ahh over his incredible gardening ability! 

He has a regular column in Southern Living magazine that is always interesting and sometimes downright entertaining!

I would say he was born with a green thumb!

As well as a lot of imagination! Hope you enjoyed a little Fall flare and pumpkins galore! I can't wait to share the Christmas decorating ideas that are also in this issue! 
To see more of Charlie's work you can see his website HERE.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday! It's not a Blue Monday, Blue Day type of day except that I wish the weekend wasn't over! I just thought I'd share something with you that I attempted last night with the abundance of figs we are finally having!

I'm so proud of our fig trees! I wish I could tell them that! You know, kind of like how you are supposed to talk to your plants? 

We ate a new favorite restaurant here called Dyron's on Saturday night and had a wonderful meal! It was the Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Grilled Fig and Red Onion Relish! Oh my! It was divine! 

This just made me want to make something with figs after eating that delicious dish!

My love for figs has probably grown as large as this tree fig has!

Of course that led to more research on fig recipes….

And it ended with my version of this Figgy Focaccia Bread that I adapted  from this month's issue of Southern Living…

I think my version has to be the best! I can't wait for the leftovers tonight! I might even have to sneak some for lunch!

Just look at these caramelized red onions!!

On top of a rolled out loaf of french bread dough and topped with toasted walnuts!!

Then came the fun part! Washing, slicing and placing the beautiful figs!

We all took turns adding the goat cheese!

The smells in the kitchen were so divine at this point that we forgot this was just an appetizer!

It really came out so gloriously, I could almost hear myself singing! I just had to share the recipe with you!


Figgy Focaccia Bread

• 2 medium-size red onions
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse sea or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 pound bakery pizza dough ( I used french bread dough because that's all that I had on hand..)
• 12-15 fresh figs, halved
• toasted walnuts
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

Slice the onions and place in a skillet with 1-2 T olive oil and sprinkle with the sea salt and pepper. Saute until they begin to caramelize.

1. Stretch your dough onto a greased cookie sheet and and top with the rosemary, toasted walnuts, halved figs and goat cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly brown and cheese is melted.

Hope you try it! It is well worth the time to make it…which isn't very much! It's really quite simple! And if you are ever near Birmingham you really need to try Dyron's Low Country!

You certainly won't be sorry you did! Just look at that divine meat! Wish there was a better picture of the fig and onion relish but maybe you can just take my word for it! It was delicious!

This is how it's presented on the menu...

Grilled Hereford Beef Tenderloin Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Arugula, Petals From the Past Figs, Grilled Red Onion & Pecan Relish    

      

I hope you have a wonderful Monday to start off your week!