Our streets and yards are literally glowing.. the difference between November..bare and bleak compared to October and it's rich clothing..is quite unbelievable..so we soak all this in..knowing full well what is to come.
Never do I drive up our street or into town without being filled with gratitude for nature...at this time of yr..of course I say that in Spring when the soft green leaves emerge.. when the apple blossoms bloom..the lilacs..the ditch lilies.. and freshly fallen snow..it's the in betweens and dead of winters with snow up to the doors..shoveling..ugh...that leave me craving scenes like these~
A neighbor's ghost..well I just liked the simplicity of it against their beautiful century home..and his bicycle being ready for him to leave after Halloween:)
So many cute decorations here and there..adds whimsy to an old town.
Our lone little swing as really only Oli uses swings now..:(
I also wanted to share a terrifically easy recipe that has become a favorite in our homes..
I've shown you the before and after..
This is a Ricardo recipe.
Shrimp and Merguez Couscous~
It's absolutely delicious..and so easy to prepare
The photos do not do this meal justice~
I have made modifications since making it 3 times..I like to serve the dish in the warm casserole..
I use more onion and garlic..more olive oil..I used purple cauliflower the 3 times..
I am very generous with the lemon at the end and additional oil..I have added the oil also from our roasting of red peppers..Taste..make sure you season well..the shrimps are only added at the end..and the sausages cut up only at the end also..I don't use a baking sheet:)
I hope you try it..it's basically a one dish meal full of flavor and color..you simply cook your couscous apart and you know how long that takes.. 5 minutes:) You can keep everything in a warm oven for a bit..so the dish is warm..use warm plates..the juices from the merguez combine so well with the paprika..couscous..
I had this when my friend came for lunch and she loved it too♥
We all agree it looks so appetizing on the table too.~
Enjoy~
And then the rains came~....Today~
Bon Weekend~
Absolute eye candy...all the pictures...
ReplyDeleteI love your couscous dish....I make a roast veg one and am getting bored with it....so I will try yours...I have some purple cauli in my garden..
The autumn leaves are most beautiful....so different to my part of the world yet there are places in SA with similar!
Gorgeous handsome boys on your sidebar...
Well its about to rain here too! and we are in for a very cold weekend I hear!
Chat soon again!
Shel
Enjoy your weekend Monique
Absolutely beautiful. I love that rock wall and the leaves. If I were there, I'd rake them up and, yes, jump into them!
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend to you, too.
Best,
Bonnie
absolutely georgeous Monique! I want some rain here :))
ReplyDeleteah love the autumn!
xo
Stunning, especially for the eyes of this Texas girl. Rarely do we get a golden glow for autumn. Things are still very green here.
ReplyDeleteDo you know this quote by Albert Camus? "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."
Enjoy your golden days, Monique! ~ Sarah
Just love your autumn colours, I'm sure you'll be painting lots of watercolour sketches. Looking forward to seeing some.
ReplyDeleteI do a similar Merguez Couscous but never with shrimps, I'll have to try this. I'm sure it looks fab. in the centre of the table.
Gorgeous and Magical :)
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful shots ... I have a crush on your next to last shot!!! Oh my!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am a fall fanatic. It is my favorite season. I just adore everything about it.
Recipe sounds great ... I think i'm hungry! :-D
Have a fantastic weekend!
diane
Mon ami, it seems wherever you go, the magic follows. And if Fall was not already my favorite time of year, it would certainly be now.
ReplyDeleteWe are experiencing one of our driest Octobers on record so our fall colors are beautiful too. Sometimes heavy rain washes the leaves away before they have the chance to start glowing. I'm going to try that beautiful couscous recipes...yum.
ReplyDeleteI can't get enough of those beautiful fall leaves -- pretty photos!
ReplyDeleteSuch gorgeous pictures - such a lovely time of year. The couscous looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteMary x
So beautiful. In our windy part of the country, the leaves have all fallen and dried.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly did express your gratitude for nature, seeing the golden beauty that will not be with us much longer...I'm loving the spiritual glow of especially 2 of the photos...The light somehow shows that this is a time when we're transitioning to a new season & new rhythms. The recipe, well, I am not a cook, but you're inspiring me to go out & try. This time of year I start to welcome warm, healthy meals...love the golden quality in the 2nd photo of the meal too...Bon weekend à vous!
ReplyDeleteOh, the glorious fall colors. I agree, the dead and dreadfully long and ugly parts of winter - yuck, but the lushness of fall and the change - that I love. The purple cauliflower just pops in this dish! How gorgeous is that?
ReplyDeleteOh that looks so delicious!
ReplyDeleteI can not wait to make it here!
You live in such a beautiful place...wow...
Bisous xo
J'adore ! tes photos sont magnifiques! superbe post.
ReplyDeleteBon week-end!
Cath.
L'Automne est déjà si coloré chez vous, comme je vous envie de voir ces magnifiques paysages...
ReplyDeleteBon weekend.
What beautiful glowing golden photographs Monique! You clearly live on a little piece of heaven on earth! Love the ghost. Halloween is not as big as Bonfire Night over here in the UK, but it is beginning to gain some popularity. I buy candy each year in hope and do end up giving at least a little of it out at the door! That couscous looks wonderful. I wish I could eat shrimp. Todd can so maybe I can make it for him. I am sure he would love that! Have a wonderful weekend! xxoo
ReplyDeleteBeautiful - especially those three trees in all their glowing glory - what a picture! Like you, I love all the seasons, if only winter could be just a wee bit shorter:) Must try your couscous recipe! I thought I didn't like couscous, but it was just the kind I tasted, didn't like the texture, but found one I loved. Enjoy le weekend!
ReplyDeleteThe say you eat with your eyes and that's so true with your beautiful couscous dish. As I was scrolling down I was hoping there was a recipe for it and voila, there it was. It captures all of the beauty of outdoors and autumn leaves. Your photos are gorgeous Monique. Our leaves are just starting to turn here. We're off to the higher elevations today to hopefully see more color.
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend.
Sam
Hope you are having fun Sam:)
DeleteI love reading your notes.. busy yesterday and just sat for a few minutes//
ReplyDeleteLove out vists..
:)
I'm so happy you were able to capture the beautiful outdoor pics before the rain ~ Oh, and another of Ricardo's recipes, I always know they will be good ones if you like them. (I like the changes and cooking hints you always share, so helpful!) Happy weekend, mon ami . . . xo
ReplyDeleteOooo la la
ReplyDeleteI do not see all these lush colors in paris
Caché?
Those photos just knock me over... how gorgeous. SO is the dish. How I LOVE merguez. I use it all the time and even make it myself both in and out of casings. It's quite easy to do and terribly good. Never thought to blend with cauliflower... lovely idea!
ReplyDeleteHello Monique,
ReplyDeleteYour photos are just breathtaking! May I have your permission to paint one?
Thank you so much for sharing
fondly,
Penny
My pleasure..:)
DeleteOf course you have my permission.
What lovely fall pictures you have captured.
ReplyDeleteI try to always warm my plates. Chef John says nothing says you don't care like a cold plate. Well, that got my attention. :)
Everything is lovely as always.
We are warm plate lovers too..In our climate..it becomes a habit very quickly:)
DeleteWhat glorious colors and food!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
U are awesome and I love your blog it helped and still is helping me getting through my Mom's death. Love your pictures and the way you soak up all the little things in life! Thank you for sharing your life.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your loss.
DeleteI know that having lived through losing my mom..there is a sorrow and a longing..that lingers.
Like any pain..distraction is key..if even for a few moments..it gives you hope that if your mind can be distratced from the pain for a bit..the bits can last longer and longer as time goes on.
Take care..and thank you .I am humbled.
Your photos are divine, Monique. I miss those fall trees so very much! And the final one looking out through the window into the rain with those lovely colors is perfection.
ReplyDeleteThe ghost is perfect. I remarked last night driving home that Floridians don't decorate for Halloween as much as northerners do. You'll find it here and there, but not nearly as much, and not nearly as creative. Pumpkins rot in this heat, but I still have seen several pumpkin patches around. They won't last long.
Delicious looking shrimp and merquez couscous dish too!
Here it is like New England..and so many children..live in the area..
DeleteSome very Halloweeney:)
The squirrels often think the pumpkins are pt out for their feasting pleasure:(
To be truthful..I had stopped decorating for yrs..after the girls left to live on their own etc..but onve the boys came along..The desire popped back into me.
Florida..has my beach:)
Your photos are beautiful, Monique, absolutely glowing! and the coucous and mergues perfect..the foods I love for fall and winter.
ReplyDeleteRonelle
Such a beautiful blog, love all your photos and the mood you've created ;) Delicious looking dish you've created as well -perfect for Fall entertaining!
ReplyDeleteHave a great evening and thank you~:)
ReplyDeleteAutumn is an art from nature, it is a gift before long and cold winter. I am enjoying every day of it, and you photography is amazing. Thank you for your beautiful stories!
ReplyDelete