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Dear Mothers, Daughters, and Grandmothers,

I love autumn. I think it is possibly my most favorite season of the year as the harvest takes center stage in one of nature’s grandest productions. Familiar aromas tantalize the senses, and the changing foliage turns the landscape into a riotous feast for the eyes. Vibrant mums, decorative pumpkins, and rustling cornstalks frame doorways, while falling leaves cover neighborhood yards with confetti-like carpets of red, yellow and orange. Feathery goldenrod and delicate purple asters add a splash of color to nearby fields, and within weeks the whole countryside takes on a golden hue.

October is the month when our focus turns to preparing our homes for the long winter months ahead. The cooler temperatures draw the family inside and the kitchen becomes the center of comfort. Whether served up in steaming pots of soup or slathered on a pieces of thickly sliced homemade bread, nurturing foods abound as autumn ushers forth.

The pears gathered at the end of September have finally ripened and pear butter time begins. Scurrying about like squirrels, we hurry to “put up” our precious jars of preserves. With grateful hearts, we celebrate God’s goodness as yet another precious jar of pear butter is added to the pantry shelf. Yes, autumn is a time when you surely reap what you have sowed, and sometimes what others have sowed as well.

My children have learned the diplomatic art asking neighbors if they can pick their unwanted fruit in trade for a jar of amber colored pear butter. The neighbors couldn’t be happier to contribute, and the children couldn’t be happier to spread the rich gooey preserves on English muffins or toast. The remaining fruit that isn’t preserved will find its way to our tea table to be savored in sandwiches or deserts.

In this month’s tea cozy, we share a variety of tea sandwiches and desserts made with pears, the golden fruit of autumn. Enjoy these “pearfectly” delectable recipes and a cup of pear tea as you listen to this month’s tea cozy conversation with Linda Stubbs of Prairie Flower Farm. Linda shares how her family participated in the Wichita Farmer’s Market a few years ago, and how the Lord touched many lives through His bountiful provision.

We pray this installment of The Tea Cozy Club is a blessing to you and your daughter as you settle back and enjoy refreshment for both heart and soul. We thank God for His abundant blessings as we celebrate the harvest together with you.~  Jill Novak

 

Order your download of the October Tea Cozy installment and audio conversation here