Oh, The Weather Outside is Frightful...

Not really.
I just love that song.

It's been a mild winter here in Central Florida.

No cold fronts to speak of so far.

Most days our highs reach the high 70's.

That suits me just fine.

The skies have been a brilliant blue 

and a smattering of wispy clouds loom overhead.

We're sharing some of the beauties from our fall garden

and a couple of surprises too!

This Mexican sunflower has been blooming non-stop since summer.

It brings a smile to my face every single time I walk past.

The blooms are sometimes cut for kitchen bouquets.

Sunflowers in December?

Whodathunk it?

The thryallis seems exceptionally happy.

The blooms just keep on comin'.

It's a hedge-in-the-making

and makes its home here on the east side of the house.

Sweet potato vines grow underneath and add a vibrant pop of chartreuse.

The native milkweed has been producing seeds like crazy.

The breezes scatter seeds all through the garden.

Some have been saved for sharing.

We are happily inundated with caterpillars.

Here, two (of many) monarchs share some milkweed leaves.

We are proud to be a Certified Monarch Way Station.

Another milkweed lover is the queen caterpillar.

You may notice that the coloring is a bit different,

and queens have 3 sets of tubercles (spikes),

while monarchs have only two.

It's a joy to watch the parade of butterflies 

fluttering through the garden on a sunny, fall day.

The grackles have been visiting more frequently.
We use a bird seed mix to entice blue jays, cardinals, doves, 
Carolina wrens and other species to our yard.
The grackles and blue jays also enjoy the peanuts 
that are sprinkled near the main bird bath twice weekly.

While noticing the abundant blooms on the passionflower vine,

something caught my eye...

Hello!

In case you're having a hard time spotting him...

time for your close-up!

This lil' guy is a frequent visitor.  

He (or his kin) have been observed many times through the years.

Imagine our surprise a few hours later 
when we spied this duo.

These critters are harmless and we welcome them in our yard.
Big K is not a fan, but we'll just keep this between us, huh?
They really are beneficial to have in the garden,
as they keep the population of rodents and lizards under control.
They also serve as prey for many wild birds,
and are quite fascinating to watch.
Even though we live in suburbia,
we have worked to create a welcoming habitat for God's creatures.

Although I do appreciate a good, solid blast of cooler temperatures,
it's been pleasant enough that more time is being spent outdoors.
After a long, sweltering summer, it's delightful.
I hope you have some interesting developments that lure you outside.
Enjoy your weekend, y'all.

The Maple Hill Hop 110

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

Friday night we headed over to Lake Wales for their holiday street event.
The historic downtown area was a buzz of activity.
Festive lights, carolers and 
even a snow flurry or two awaited us.
The "snow" was some kind of soap mixture,
but it looked so realistic.
With the help of the breezy conditions,
it felt like a bit of winter had paid us a visit.
Many merchants offered drink and nosh
and a small market with homemade/handmade items was featured.
There were also specific kid-friendly activities
to usher in the holiday season.

A local community choir graced us with songs of the season.
The acoustics in the old arcade were fabulous!
The restored building is now used to house offices and shops during the day,
but it came alive on this evening with beautiful music.
We even bumped into our friends, Faye & Lynn, 
enjoying a rare night out on the town.

This is just the type of small-town festivity we enjoy.
As a family living with autism,
it is sometimes difficult for us to partake in these types of venues. 
This was a pleasant surprise.
The music wasn't too loud, the street not crowded,
and just the right amount of activity. 
What a wonderful way to ring in the Christmas season.

Share what you've been up to!
HOP to it!

  

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pumpkin Cheesecake

Our Thanksgiving was quiet,

just the way we like it around here.

The usual suspects were served,

turkey, mashed potatoes, corn muffins.

One new addition made its debut,

and I have a feeling it will return next year.

Oh My Gosh, when I tell you how heavenly this tasted,

you will want to whip one up for your next special occasion.

Keep in mind it's been probably 45 years since I've savored cheesecake.

For the longest time, I thought I was lactose intolerant,

and so didn't indulge in anything dairy.

This was like going back to my childhood,

when my mom made everything from scratch.

Memories like that don't often fade.

I was so glad that I gave this a go.

We simplified the original recipe

(you can find the link for that below).

It's the first time I've ever made cheesecake,

but I can assure you, it won't be the last.

Big K has already requested it for his birthday in August.

Count on it.

We had no springform pan,

and used a traditional pie plate instead,

which was a bit smaller than the recipe called for.

Since the filling wouldn't all fit in the dish,

a few ramekins were loaded up with the remaining mixture. 

Another way to relish this delectable pleasure.

Any way you slice it,

this recipe will find a spot in our family recipe file.

I may have to research some lesser known holidays,

just so there's a reason to make it!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust

1 1/2 C graham crackers

1 T sugar 

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 C butter, melted

***

Filling

1 C pureed pumpkin

1 1/4 t cinnamon

1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, softened (3 boxes)

3/4 C sugar 

1/4 t salt

4 large eggs

Spray bottom of 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Line bottom with parchment paper and spray again.

Combine crust ingredients in bowl and press into pan.

Refrigerate 30 minutes while filling is made.

***

Position one rack in middle of oven and a second rack on bottom.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place filling ingredients in large bowl or food processor

and mix until well blended.

Remove crust from fridge and place filling inside.

Put a shallow pan of water on bottom rack of oven.

Bake cheesecake on middle rack for 15 minutes,

then reduce oven to 300 degrees.

Bake 25-30 minutes until edges are set.

Turn off oven, crack oven door and cool in oven 1 hour.

Remove from oven and cool completely.

Chill overnight, uncovered.

Enjoy!

The original cheesecake recipe was found in Parade magazine

and used sweet potatoes in place of pumpkin and candied pecans.

You can find it here.

We changed the recipe to our liking.

The Maple Hill Hop 109

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*


We've focused on field trips in the last few weeks,
so a garden update seems to be in order.
Here's what's growin' in the veggie beds.

These pigeon peas were harvested once they dried on the bush.
Some were eaten fresh,
but we want to make sure that we save some for replanting.
It's the first time we've grown them
and we found them to be pretty easy.
You can read more about this crop here.   
 

This moringa tree is still young,
but growing steadily.
Its leaves are edible and lend a delicate texture to salads.
 

Our autumn has been unseasonably warm,
and the snap peas (and I) have been less than thrilled.
They are taking their time climbing the baling twine trellis.
Perhaps December will bring more favorable temperatures.
 

The green beans have a rust problem. 
My farmer friends Faye & Lynn ran into the same issue
and haven't grown them since.

They still produce,
but in much less quantity than they normally would.

A handful of these Slenderette beans
are treasured for their tenderness. 
Sometimes they are eaten before they make it to the kitchen.

A lettuce mix was planted in September.
It's only been in the last few weeks 
that any progress has been made.
These crops do well in cooler temperatures,
and Mother Nature just hasn't been cooperating. 

The carrots seem happy enough.
Slowly but steadily they grow.

The beets are another perfect autumn crop for Central Florida.
This year doesn't bode well for us getting a good harvest.
Maybe a little fertilizer will give them a boost. 

These eggplant transplants given to us by Lynn
are holding their own.
The marigolds are just starting to pop up around them.

This eggplant transplant was planted at the same time,
and for some reason, it is doing much better.
Maybe they just prefer containers? 
 

New lettuce transplants awaiting a spot in the garden bed. 

Lynn gave us some Brandywine tomato transplants
as well.  Tomatoes are so intimidating to me.
I will hope for the best, but not get too excited,
as I've had minimal success with growing any type of mater.

That's what's happening outside where we are.
What's going on near you?
Let's HOP!   

    An InLinkz Link-up