Walking through the office last night, I ran into a coworker. I was overloaded with bags on my way home, per usual; I seem to carry a rotating set of objects back home each night.
Lunch bag.
Recycling.
Diet soda bottle.
Purse.
Cell phone I’m trying not to drop.
“I thought of you over the weekend,” she said. “I was out . . .”
“And you saw pumpkins?” I finished, laughing.
Indeed.
Pumpkin tablecloths. Table runners. Napkin rings. Pumpkin beverages and dishcloths, candles and body wash.
It’s always the same. As soon as fall rolls around, I get the most delightful messages from friends and family — all related to my favorite gourd.
My reputation as the Pumpkin Lady is well-earned, I’d say. Even folks I don’t get a chance to speak with often drop me little notes with recipes for homemade pumpkin spice lattes or coffee, pies and cookies, unconventional ways to use pumpkin as facial masks or home remedies.
If I’m super lucky, I even get pumpkin-themed gifts. A newspaper reader unexpectedly popped in last year with a set of pumpkin-scented candles — which has to rank up there as one of the nicest things ever. My lovely mother-in-law gave me pumpkin pasta sauce last year (delicious), then surprised us with pumpkin-shaped pasta shells on our last visit to New York.
Almost too cute to eat.
Almost.
Like the onslaught of Facebook messages on your birthday, hearing from old friends and new celebrating my favorite emblem of autumn never ceases to delight and entertain me. I started a set of bookmarks (plus my fall Pinterest board) with all things pumpkin ‘n’ spice, and I’m pretty sure these creations will keep me busy until Christmas.
And I have zero problem with that.
• Pumpkin spice latte cupcakes
• Pumpkin coffee in a Crock Pot (thanks, Jill!)
• Pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie bars
• Pumpkin spice granola
• DIY pumpkin spice latte
• White chocolate pumpkin snickerdoodles
• Easy mini pumpkin cinnamon rolls
I’m a pumpkin fan too. I even grow them, both decorative and the eating kind. (Very, very easy to grow, just toss some seeds from a carved pumpkin into the garden). I don’t think I’m as obsessive as you though! 🙂
My husband and I were out driving and we passed a produce place. They had pumpkins everywhere and two HUGE white ones at the opposite ends of a display. We were already driving away when I finally got my phone out of my purse. I wanted you to see the huge white pumpkins!
I was raised on my grandma’s pumpkin pie. And oh, how I miss it. But now the thing I crave the most is a pumpkin bagel. I can’t allow myself that indulgence often but if I am a good girl…
I love that this love of your connects you with the people (far and near) in your life year after year. What a special boon to your love of pumpkins!
I seriously NEED that pumpkin shaped pasta! It is just too cute!
I made pumpkin donuts the other day and they are amazing. I’m not a huge pumpkin fan, but anything cake or donut related is OK in my book!
Those recipes all sound amazing! I’m going to have to make one of these for when Thanksgiving rolls around! I adore your blog!
Pumpkin shaped pasta… hmm… throw a little Ricotta and basil in them with a white sauce and that would be delicious!
have you ever tried pureed pumpkin, as main course to eat with the spoon? just a little bit spicy and mixed with broth, milk and the typical italian “amaretti” biscuits. I often prepare it for my family in october-november! I love it.
Ok this is adorable. and thank you for all the pumpkin goodness. I have already purchased pumpkin waffles, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin doughnuts, and every pumpkin candle I could find at Bath and Body Works.
Jill
visionsofjillhanna.com
Smile. I love apples and everyone know it! These pumpkin pastas are too cute! And I can’t wait to see what you make with pumpkin this season!
Those pumpkin shells are absolute ADORBS! Want.
I love pumpkins as well, can you imagine this -I was living in England and the weather was cold, so I decided to make pumpkin soup, I headed down to the local Sainsbury and i couldn’t find a pumpkin anywhere. I asked the shop assistant where I could find one and with hands on her hips she said” This isn’t Australia we don’t have pumpkins”. What? I went home and after the shock lifted i asked the postie why there were no pumpkins. He said the only get them seasonally and then not many. The whole time i lived there i never saw a pumpkin.
I’m a huge pumpkin fan too, so thank you for the link round-up! I swear there is some magical power within pumpkins to just make you feel so happy, cozy, and like fall through and through.
Oh my gosh, when we get together (hopefully soon!) I’ll have to wear my pumpkin earrings. You will understand them! I went a little pumpkin crazy last week and got pumpkin EVERYTHING, even though I got my wisdom teeth out yesterday and can’t eat a thing of it. Fortunately it should all keep and I got to enjoy the pumpkin cream cheese last week for breakfast. I found some pumpkin and leaf shaped pasta at World Market, which has a great little fall section right now. I will have to put up photos of my mantle, which I decorated for fall!