Make it a Fall Family Tradition

My Caldwell, North Carolina, family have worked with the folks who own and operate McKee's Corn Maze in Rougemont for several years. There have been times when Gail, Shelby, Gailey, and Troy have all worked there during the month of October preceding Halloween. The McKee's arrange to have the corn maze haunted during the last couple of weeks and the frightening fun is really ramped up!

As we all get ready for Fall to burst with all its glorious colors, the Corn Maze is the perfect place to visit right now to get us in the mood! Go on out and see Vickie and David McKee and their terrific assistants. Then go back when the place is haunted; you'll make it a tradition in your family!

Judy and Bob Shubert

Granddaughter Shelby Blalock 

Entrance to the McKee Maze

Cedar Creek Farm on Kiger Road

 One Maze Entrance

 White Pumpkins

 One of Two Small Donkeys

 Goats

 Latta's Egg Ranch

 Rhode Island Red Chickens

 Tractor at Each End of Maze

 Decorated Round Hay Bale

 Shubert Cutting into Hickory Nuts

 Beautiful Annuals

 Neat Gourds

 Locally Grown Pumpkins

 Fall Flowers

 ? Another Exit or Entrance ?

 An Exit

 Pumpkins and Flowers

 Shelby working

 A New McKee's Sign

 Red Barn with Green Roof

 Fall Flowers and Scarecrow

 Those Pumpkins Again

 Hayride Driver

Taking a Hayride 

 Great Pumpkins

 David and Gail Explain the Maze

Those on Hayride Return

Only Few Cars Left in Parking Lot

Going Home for the Day

Sources:

Photos

Taken by Judith Richards Shubert, October 5, 2013, Digital format.

McKee's Cedar Creek Farm; http://www.mckeecornfieldmaze.com/; accessed October 5, 2013.

McKee's Cornfield Maze on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/McKeeCornFieldMaze

Pumpkin Fudge for Halloween

Photo By: WILLANDJENN2004

A few years ago I was given a small pie pumpkin from a cousin's garden in Maryville, Tennessee. It was so cute! I looked at it and didn't have the foggiest idea of what to do with it! But Margaret assured me it was the easiest thing in the world to cut open, take the seeds and stringy "mess" out of the middle, cut the flesh away from the outer peeling of the pumpkin and cook it. So I decided to try it. I found better instructions in an old cookbook, followed them faithfully, and it turned out beautifully. I had pumpkin puree that I could use in any recipe I chose. Then I found several recipes for Pumpkin Fudge that sounded good and decided to try my hand at that.

I can no longer find the recipe I used for that initial batch of fudge using my fresh pumpkin, but I do remember how delicious it tasted. Everyone raved about it; no one in my family had tasted pumpkin fudge before, so I guess the taste was something brand new and exciting.

I found a recipe on  Allrecipes.com that must be similar but it uses marshmallow creme and white chocolate pieces. The chocolate fudge I make at Christmas is the one found on the Kraft Marshmallow Creme jar and it is the one my family loves.

The only thing about this recipe I found to be WRONG is this: You need to add the marshmallow creme AFTER removing from heat along with the chips. The recipe says to bring back to boil for 18 minutes once it's been added. This counteracts the effects of the marshmallow creme!  SO Boil the sugar, milk, pumpkin and butter together. Boil until it reaches 234 F. on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, and add chips, marshmallow creme, vanilla and spices. 

PUMPKIN FUDGE

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups white sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 cup white chocolate chips

7 ounces marshmallow creme

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a 9x9-inch pan with aluminum foil, and set aside.

2. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

3. Mix in pumpkin puree and cinnamon; bring back to a boil. Stir in marshmallow creme and butter. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, and add white chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until creamy and all chips are melted. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, remove from pan, and cut into squares. Store in a cool, dry place.

OTHER HELPFUL HINTS:
Use a heavy pan that will cook the candy evenly: a porcelain enamel cast iron pan would be great. Use good quality ingredients always, and a heavy-duty aluminum foil to line the 9x9 pan. Do not start timing the 18 minutes until AFTER the mixture has come to a true rolling boil ~ in other words, you can stir it and it doesn't stop boiling. It would be best to use a candy thermometer. The humidity will affect your candy ~ don't make it on a day that is rainy or that has a high humidity. If you do, you will need to boil it longer the final time and let it reach a temperature on the candy thermometer of 236-240 degrees. Have everything ready before you start to cook. Once you start, there is no time to hunt for ingredients or open containers, or chop pecans. Have fun!

SOURCES:

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2013 Allrecipes.com

Photo By: WILLANDJENN2004

Where's My Momma?

The little grey calf was bawling this afternoon when I looked out the window. He isn't a new-born calf, but fairly young. The Blalocks now have 9 or 10 baby calves on the place. I slipped out back with my camera to see if I could find them at play, but all of the others were in another pasture and Baby Grey was the only one there looking for her momma. She quickly found her among the black heifers who have not delivered and the two greys in the fenced area behind the house.

Baby Grey and her Momma #5

Saturday Auction in Caldwell

A brisk cool wind was blowing this morning reminding me of the coming fall in this beautiful countryside that I now call home. There was a Saturday morning Auction in Caldwell just around the corner from us, close enough that Shubert could hear the auctioneer call from his place inside where he is recuperating from a fall last week.

A neighbor, Coy Berry, moved away from his home-place and obtained Phillip Walker Auctions of Rougemont to auction his personal property. Coy's mother, Ruby, once worked with Bob at GTE in Durham back in the '70s. As happens in most of our families, many of her precious keepsakes and memories were sold today; hopefully that piece of pottery or antique lamp or treasured quilt will make new memories for that person that secured it with the winning bid.

It was a gorgeous morning with friends and strangers gathering there for the auction. I took a few pictures and enjoyed the sounds of the auctioneer and the conversation around me.

 Walking from my Daughter's Driveway

Pasture Across from Coy's Full of Cars

AUCTION TODAY

Philip Walker Auctions ~ Hillsborough, N.C. Signs

My son-in-law's mom and her clock.

My walk back home along the pasture road 

behind Ruby's and her son, Coy's house. 

My home is just beyond the trees to the left.

Thank you to "Dig Your Roots!" for sharing this post today on http://paper.li/AncestorDig/1329013225

Question 23 and Her Calf

You remember the photo of my favorite Blalock heifer,

"Question #23"? 

Well, she had her calf last evening, and spent this morning in distress because the little thing decided to make a run for the woods! Brenda called me this morning to tell me that she and Charles were out behind our house looking for the calf. Bob and I heard 23 bawling and we could see her and knew something was wrong. We put on our shoes and went out to help look. The four of searched the woods, going through to each of the highways. Finally, Brenda saw the poor thing come out onto the private road that circles the place, but she and Bob couldn't catch up with it. Charles went back to get on the 4-wheeler and I stayed put, knowing if I tried to corner the calf, I would probably scare it into the woods in another direction. It ended up going across the busy highway, and I think it came back across and ended up at the other end of Gail's and Troy's place before Charles and Brenda finally caught it. They all were pretty tired. I didn't do that much. But mama 23 and baby were scared to death, and I don't blame them. 

They are now safely penned up together for a while in the corral until momma and baby get used to one another.

Guess it's all pretty normal on a fall day during calving season in Caldwell.

First Pecan of Season ~ September 16, 2013

Westmoreland Milk Glass Hen on Nest

with Red Comb and Feathers Covered Dish

and my Southern Living Pedestal Centerpiece

given to me by my daughter-in-law.

Shubert was mowing this morning and as he made the circle around Mrs. Blalock's 75+ year-old pecan tree that I can see from my kitchen window something hit him in the head. It was this premature green pecan. He stopped and brought it in the house to me so I could see the prospects for this fall's pecan harvest from the three Blalock pecan trees. It would be wonderful if they are all this big and if they stay on the tree instead of falling on the ground. If my uncle Raymond Stone were still with us he would be able to identify the type of pecan we have here. Guess I will have to investigate a little ~ ask a few questions of the Blalocks and/or the neighbors. If I am not successful, I can always take it to the Orange County North Carolina Extension Agency.

The beginnings of a beautiful pecan!

Sources:

Photos:Judith Richards Shubert; taken by and belonging to JRS 9-16-2013; digital format.