Thursday, September 26, 2024

Autumnal Changes

Autumn is such a lovely season. For the most part, the days are more pleasant, and then the colour arrives. The one thing that sometimes unnerves me at first is the darkness. I look outside, and it is dark by 7:30. I confess that it depresses me just a little. A few weeks ago, I would gladly go for an evening stroll at that time, but I don't find the darkness beckoning. It doesn't help that the air may also be forebodingly chilly in the evening.

I do get over my despondency as the season marches on and the sun dips lower and lower and the darkness comes earlier and earlier, but it does hit me right in the sads at first.

On the plus side, however, Tuesday was a bit of a momentous occasion, for Sue cooked a roast for family dinner. While we do continue family dinner in the warmer months, it is mostly in the form of bbqs or stovetop cooking such as my recent macaroni meal. While my macaroni dish does require some warming in the oven before serving, and also to crisp the cheese and crumb topping, it is otherwise mostly a stovetop dish. It was I who made that and most of the summer dishes, but with the weather cooling down, Sue was happy enough to cook a roast this week.

She roasted ten potatoes for five people. They were all consumed. Yup, we love our roasted potatoes.


The carrots were cooked almost enough for me, but they could have been blacker. 😊


We serve ourselves at the counter and carry our plates to the table.



Another sign of autumn is Sue getting out the wool and beginning to crochet a new afghan

The word, afghan, when not capitalized is "a blanket or shawl of colored yarn
knitted or crocheted in strips or squares."

This is what it will look like – someday.

We had thought to take our first colour tour this week, but it has been cloudy and rainy, and the colour is not terribly advanced for the most part. Hang on, though.


19 comments:

Rosalea said...

Tis the season...for a good roasted dinner. Chicken here tonight! Yummm. Those roasted veg. look amazing.
Sue is quite an accomplished crocheter. Did you ever show the completed last Christmas afghan she made? I remember you posted the start of it....

Marie Smith said...

The autumn meals have started here too. Too cold to be eating on the patio too.

Boud said...

Only two potatoes each?? More, more. Please. I'm not putting the oven on yet a while, but I'll probably make soup.

Jeanie said...

Your family dinner looks outstanding. That's a wonderful fall/winter meal. Yum. And as for the weather/time change/darkness -- I hear you loud and clear. I have trouble during the "dark" season. I don't like the time change (I'll start waking at four instead of five, which is still too early, no matter WHEN I get to bed). And I don't like it being dark so early -- but I also miss the morning light to get me going.

Ed said...

Easy for me to say further south, but I don't mind the early darkness so much, especially when we get lots of sunshine during the diminished daytimes. What depresses me is when we get our late fall rainy weather combined with the early darkness.

Barbara Rogers said...

One of my favorite meals. Our potatoes and carrots were usually roasted with the meat, but I like the way you all did them better. Getting that dark trim on carrots does make them much better!

Anvilcloud said...


I think you remember what I post better than I remember what I post, so probably not. 😇

Marcia said...

We are getting much needed rain today after a totally dry September. Your dinner looks delicious. Was there gravy too?

Sandra said...

I am the odd one, I love the early darkness and the crisp air. It is the perfect time for those roasted meals. I don't like cooked carrots but I think I could change my mind with those. They look good. I like the afghan.

PipeTobacco said...

Hah! The roasted potatoes and roasted carrots look so good… I think I could have eaten the total of both and simply forgone eating other things. They look delicious.

PipeTobacco

NGS said...

Roasted root veggies are the BEST food part of fall. Add some turnips to the potatoes and carrots and I am there.

Liz Hinds said...

mmm, now I want a roast dinner! Love a roast potato or three.

MARY G said...

SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder. My mother used to mourn frequently about the fading of the light. And celebrate the winter solstice. Me, I turn on the computer and veg out. But, yes, it is sad to lose the ability to check the birds and yard and all that from our small table beside the windows in the kitchen. We do continue to eat there over the winter, though, as it is more convenient than loading, as you illustrate, plates in the kitchen or lugging out serving dishes.

Margaret said...

That is a comfort meal for sure and I would gorge on the potatoes and carrots. I do like roast although I'm not a huge fan of red meat. I love fall but the earlier darkness is hard to adjust to. I'm even farther north than you so it can feel oppressive.

RedPat said...

I'm loving the look of those veggies. I like the carrots well done too. You must show us the afghan when it is finished.

roentare said...

The winter whitethrow looks so fabulous

Red said...

It takes us a while to warm up to fall. I like walking at night. The ice stops me at this age.

Vicki Lane said...

What a fine dinner! I too love roast potatoes.

Patio Postcards said...

Oh I do like roasties & those carrots do look like more please. Sue's afghan is going to be goregous & toasty to hide under.