Fall Is In The Air

Does anything say "Autumn" better than a stand of pumpkins? This weekend DH and I made a little jaunt up to Weston, Missouri, a town about 30 minutes away from my home. Weston is known for its tobacco farms, McCormick liquor business, antebellum homes, and antique shops. But for me its special charm has always been the Red Barn Farm and Vaughn's Orchard, two wonderful places right across the road from one another. First we went to Vaughn's for some "early apples" as I had an itch to make apple butter, apple cobbler, and pork chops with apples (not all on the same day, of course!!!). Bought a peck of apples, couple of small pumpkins, and this amazing gadget:

It is an apple peeler/corer/slicer. I have wanted one for a while but had a hard time justifying it--space in my kitchen is becoming a premium. But I just couldn't resist this time. And am I ever glad I popped for the $30 wonder machine!

It makes such light work of the chore of readying a dozen apples for the crockpot to make apple butter or apple sauce. Wow, how did I ever live without one of these babies?

Here's a batch of spiced up apple slices in the crockpot ready for hours and hours of slow cooking goodness. Mmmm...the house smells so yummy.

Next we ventured across the road to Red Barn Farm, a working farm with horses, chickens, sheep, geese--all the earmarks of a page right out of Charlotte's Web! I used to take second graders there on fall field trips. They could have a hay wagon ride, pick their own pumpkin, wander through a corn maze, and talk to the animals close up and personal. It was always a favorite day in the school year. I guess I am a lot like a second grader--I love to do all those things! Plus there is a wonderful shop on the premises where I purchased goat's milk soap for gifts. The grounds were filled with all varieties of pumpkins, a corn sculpture, families enjoying a day in the country. (I have photos of all these things but Blogger says "no way".)

And on another Kansas City boasty note, two (count 'em TWO) of our local shops are in the new Quilt Sampler. Yay!!! Country Expressions is about 30 minutes north of me in Stewartsville, Mo. and is wonderful. I have dropped a few coins in there.

And Harper's Fabric & Quilt is out in Overland Park, Ks.--about 30 minutes south of me!!! I LOVE this shop. I used to shop at Harper's way back in the days of garment sewing. So glad they went the quilting route!!!

Excuse me for tooting Kansas City's and its surrounding areas' horns but I guess it just shows how much I love my hometown!