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Wednesday 3 November 2021

Soup days

It is getting colder as daylight hours shorten and November days settle in for another year. We’ll have our first snowfall any day now. This is the time of year when the Smith family’s thoughts turn to comfort food and hot soup rises to the top of the menu again. 


Salads have been our menu staple for months but as the temperature cools, our taste for salad wanes. The cooling effect of a fresh salad just doesn’t sit right when coziness is on your mind.


Many mornings now are busy chopping the many vegetables for the soups. Carrot, butternut squash, cream of potato and mushroom are some of the soups we have enjoyed the last few weeks. It is great to be able to buy vegetable stock rather than have to make it. However I make chicken stock often and use it as well.


On Saturday past, with a temperature of 12 Celsius and sunny, my husband and I took a thermos of mushroom soup to Cavendish Grove and enjoyed the late October sun in one of our favourite places. With barely a breeze, we sat in the Grove and watched squirrels scurry around in the fallen leaves. 





The air was just cold enough to make the mug of hot soup satisfying. With tea and a sandwich, it was a gourmet lunch in a glorious place.


Sitting there, chatting with my husband as the leaves fell around us, the pain of the last several weeks became insignificant as the setting filled the senses. Nature makes it easy to live in the moment.






37 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

There's nothing like homemade soup!

DJan said...

It sounds wonderful. And I am so glad to hear that your pain is so much better. I'm hoping it won't be long before you're completely healed. Thanks for the visit to your local forest.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Now you've got me feeling hungry for soup - and I only had my lunch about an hour ago!

Linda said...

I think a will take a leaf out of your book and take some soup on a picnic. A lovely idea to take advantage of the colors while they last.

Secondary Roads said...

Sylvia and I also like homemade soups. Yours sound very delicious. That must have been a beautiful way to spend a day (or part of one).

Elephant's Child said...

Soup is a wonderful comfort food isn't it?
And how I love that beautiful photo.
I hope your pain is diminishing each and every day.

Beside a babbling brook... said...

This post speaks of Seasonal Living, which I am researching.

I do hope that blogger share their food ideas, like you did.

And maybe, links to favorite recipes too. -smile-

So glad you are so much better.

🍁 🍎 🍁 🍎 🍁

Boud said...

I love how you make a life. A fall picnic together sounds lovely. You certainly deserve one at this point. I think this will be my last main meal salad week, too

Bill said...

Beautiful setting! We're having soup tonight with grilled cheese.

photowannabe said...

Oh this looks like an absolutely perfect day and setting.
Such a gorgeous place to have a picnic among the golden leaves falling.
My Hubby and I would call it a "Poetic Day".
Soup is my favorite type of comfort food.
A sweet friend gave us some of her homemade veggie soup last week.
We have been savoring it.
Now I need to look at your peaceful, beautiful photos again.
Sue

The Padre said...

Those Ending Words Are Brilliant - I So Love Earthy Roots For Dinner - Sending All The Best Vibes

Cheers

Helen said...

Thank you for taking me on this sunny, autumn filled picnic. Absolutely perfect.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Beautiful scenes.

Eggs In My Pocket said...

I so agree that cold days summon comfort foods and Such a pretty place to have a comforting meal!

Lorrie said...

I love making soups. What a wonderful idea to pack a thermos full of warming soup and have an autumn picnic. It sounds just lovely. Eating outdoors is always special. I hope things are looking up for you.

Sandi said...

Such gorgeous Fall scenes! Thank you for sharing them.

The Furry Gnome said...

Same will happen here soon, but we woke to our first snow on the ground today.

Red said...

Too few of us think about a good picnic at this time of year. Soup works just fine.

JudithK said...

So glad you are feeling better for sure and have had such a lovely day.

peppylady (Dora) said...

Halloween night was a beef stew.
Coffee is on and stay safe

William Kendall said...

Lovely shots.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

What a pretty spot for your picnic lunch. The yellow trees are gorgeous. I love all kinds of soups, perfect meal for a cold winter day. Take care, enjoy your day!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Hot soups are on my to do list too. We even had a dusting of snow yesterday morning.

Anvilcloud said...

That sounds like a great little outing. You do one things wrong. You don't take selfies in the car. lol

Bindu said...

Soup is delicious on a fall day with the colourful view outside. don't you agree?

Granny Sue said...

Popping over from Bill's Ireland blog. And you are right about soup--this is the weather for it. I put up quite a few kinds of soup as part of the summer's canning and preserving, so we can enjoy it now. There is something so comforting about a bowl of soup.

I scrolled back to read about your accident. I am so sorry you had to go through such pain. I often think about getting a bike, but am afraid of wrecks as I am 70 and healing isn't as fast. Perhaps, though, a trike might be in my future. Here's hoping your recovery continues to be swift.

Marie Smith said...

AC,

Lol. You and Sue have inspired us to take selfies, which we started todo recently, though we will never share them on-line.

Marie

Lea said...

Beautiful photos!

dinahmow said...

Glorious colour! I miss this season even more than spring.Thank you.

margi said...

The autumn leaves are beautiful. What a lovely day!

Pattie @ Olla-Podrida said...

How absolutely charming to take a thermos of mushroom soup out of doors to sit on a bench and enjoy in such beautiful surroundings. What a lovely thing to do! Why have I not thought of that myself? It’s funny how you mentioned being happy buying vegetable stock rather than making it. I used to buy it, and now I enjoy making it. Like you, this is soup season, and I plan on trying a lot of new recipes. I enjoyed this blog post.

Marie Smith said...

Pattie,

I recently looked up a recipe for vegetable stock. I will try it in the near future. I imagine it will be delicious! I’ll make a huge pot for a few batches of soup.

Marie

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Beautiful post, you describe well the lovely essence of autumn, and togetherness. Soup!

Catarina said...

Somehow I missed Fall this year...
These are beautiful pictures.

Debbie said...

So pretty Marie, and so peaceful!! Mushroom soup sounds perfect right now, but Cream of potato is my all-time favorite. We are soup lovers as well, with a big loaf of crusty bread, you just can’t beat it on a cool afternoon!!

Your images are gorgeous!

Rose said...

What a wonderful place to visit and sit and take in nature. Anything at all would be good to eat. You got some beautiful photos.

Barbara said...

Gorgeous pictures, Marie. I could feel my shoulders relaxing as I looked at that sight. I think this Winter/Christmas/New Years is going to be brighter and feel so much happier than the past two have been. I'm feeling merry and bright.