The landscape looks so mysterious shrouded in thick fog.
Do you get a lot of fog where you live? My Bedford, New York farm is in close proximity to a reservoir, where early patches of fog are quite common. Fog is essentially made up of condensed water droplets - a result of the air being cooled to the point where it can no longer hold all the water vapor it contains. It can be thin or thick - sometimes so thick it obscures the road and other objects ahead making it difficult for driving or even walking. One day last week, I woke up to a very dense fog, which covered the area for several hours.
It was a great opportunity to capture some photos of this atmospheric phenomenon, enjoy.
It’s hard to see where this road turns. This is the carriage road leading to my home – my tall stand of bald cypress trees is on the left and my long and winding pergola is on the right. In the distance, there are many trees still showing off their fall colors, but heavy fog blocks them all.
This is my allée of pin oaks. These tall majestic trees look bewildering in the fog. At the end is a carriage road intersection, but the thick fog makes it impossible to see.
On this foggy morning it was even difficult to see trees up close. These are two of my American beech trees, still holding tight to their leaves.
This view through the woodland is also very foggy – only the green and yellow foliage of the tree on the left stands out. Fog can form in two ways: either by cooling the air to its dew point or by evaporation and mixing – this happens often when the earth radiates heat at night or in the early morning.
Fog happens when it is very humid. There has to be a lot of water vapor in the air for fog to form. This is one of the most popular vantage points at the farm – the foot of the carriage road leading to the woodlands and my hayfields.
And don’t confuse fog and mist. Fog is denser than mist. This means fog contains more water molecules in the same amount of space. Fog cuts visibility down to six-tenths of a mile while mist can reduce visibility to about one to 1.2 miles.
In between the trees and the fenced-in paddocks, one can barely see the giant dark green white pines in the distance – but they’re there.
Even with the dense fog, my outdoor grounds crew keeps busy with all the autumn leaf blowing. It is hard to keep up with it – there are so many leaves to blow this time of year.
Some of the ginkgo trees have already lost their leaves but many tend to lose all their leaves at the same time. As the weather gets colder, the petioles get what’s called scars to protect the tree from disease after the leaves fall. After the hard frost sweeps down the east coast, this ginkgo, and others at the farm, will drop its leaves to the ground leaving a gorgeous carpet of color below.
This is the view through this grove of dawn redwoods, Metasequoia. These are so pretty in fall. They have feathery, fine-textured needles that are approximately a half-inch long. And look at its bark. The bark of the dawn redwood becomes deeply fissured as the tree matures.
This photo shows the thick fog just past the weeping branches of the willow.
Here’s more fog seen from the fence of my run-in horse paddock. The thicker the fog, the longer it takes to dissipate. This fog lasted until mid to late morning.
This view is in the back hayfield looking at the trees – one can barely see their outline.
At the upper edge of my back hayfield was a family of wild turkeys walking single file across the grass. They seemed un-phased by the foggy conditions.
At the far end of the back hayfield is my giant sycamore tree, the symbol of my farm. This tree is among the largest of the trees on the property.
This is a view looking down a section of my Linden Tree Allée – one of two at the farm. At the end is the carriage road to my home – hard to see, but it’s there.
Do you know what’s ahead in this photo? This image was taken from my Boxwood Allée looking toward my stable at the end.
This view is from my Boxwood Allée looking at my new living maze – look long enough and see the outline of the trees in the distance. Do you know… the foggiest place in the world is Grand Banks, off the island of Newfoundland, Canada? The cold Labrador current from the north and the warm Gulf Stream current from the east create just the right conditions for thick fog to form almost every day of the year.
Here’s a look across a pasture to another section of the Linden Tree Allée. This entire allée runs from the old corn crib all the way down to the vegetable garden.
The sun tried hard to shine through the clouds. All the fog was gone by afternoon, when the skies were blue and the temperatures hit nearly 74-degrees Fahrenheit. Today is also expected to be unseasonably warm, and then tomorrow, autumn weather returns with temperatures expected to drop to the 50s.
Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon continues to provide a great meal-kit delivery service that’s full of delicious recipes and helpful cooking tips.
Last week, we hosted a "Friendsgiving" event to highlight our Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon Thanksgiving menu sides and desserts. Lifestyle editors, influencers, and members of the press gathered in the test kitchen of our New York City headquarters to join us. I showed everyone how to make one of my favorite autumn cocktails - the apple cider bourbon sour. Guests also participated in a charcuterie board making activity using lots of delicious cured meats, crackers, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, and an assortment of cheeses from Murray's on beautiful cutting boards by Khem Studios, one of our American Made Makers on Martha.com. We served sweet and savory bites from Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Martha's Chard by 19Crimes and a variety of Fever Tree drinks. It was a wonderful time for all, and a great way to kick-off the busy holiday season.
Here are some photos.
At the entrance to the test kitchen was a stack of Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon boxes. Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon always delivers the ingredients and the recipes in well-marked, well-packaged boxes.
Around the center island, we displayed recipe cards featuring Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon Thanksgiving sides and desserts.
The middle work station was decorated with pumpkins and gourds and dressed with all the ingredients for our special charcuterie board making activity.
Trays were filled with specialty food items for the boards. A charcuterie board is an appetizer typically served on a wooden board or stone slab, either eaten straight from the board itself or portioned onto flatware. It features a selection of preserved foods, such as cured meats, cheeses and crackers.
There were also bowls of olives and cornichons, or tiny pickles. In some places they’re referred to as gherkins.
We provided an assortment of cheeses from the famous Murray’s artisanal cheese and specialty foods retailer and wholesaler in New York City. The cheese selections included Barn First Creamery Quinby, Stichelton, Murray’s Cave Aged Reserved Greensward, Gruyère, and Alpage Moléson.
The event was scheduled for 4pm – everyone arrived right on time.
A photo station was set up in one corner for those wanting to pose with fun hand signs. Here are Geanine (@geaninecilenti) and Brianne (@strollerinthecity).
And here’s Inga (@ingatylam) with a hand sign of me.
This group photo includes Alexa (@alexamjdotcom), Adeola (@theadeolacrown), Allison, Tiffany, Tasheena (@simplytasheena), and Morgan (@nomastehungry).
Here’s a nice snapshot of some of the Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon team – Kevin Chen, Sarah Crowder, Rachel Perlmutter, and Molly Krueger.
And here’s one of Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon’s Eliza Winograd, Theo Kaloudis, and Jennifer Aaronson.
Some of the hors d’oeuvres passed around included these Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze – one of the appetizers featured on the Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon menus for Thanksgiving – everyone loved them.
For beverages, we offered my 19Crimes Martha’s Chard and an assortment of Fever Tree drinks – club soda, ginger ale, sparkling lime & yuzu, and sparkling Sicilian lemonade.
In this area, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon desserts, also available as part of the meal menu options for Thanksgiving. Among them, Pink Lady Apple Crisp with Oats & Warm Spices, Cranberry Buttermilk Chess Pie, Pecan Pie with Maple, Caramel & Brown Butter,
and Pumpkin French Toast Bake.
Everything was set up for my demo. I showed everyone how to make my apple cider bourbon sours. I filled a pitcher with eight-ounces of bourbon and 16-ounces of apple cider. Then I used a citrus juicer to squeeze the juice of one lemon. The serving glasses were pre-rimmed with brown sugar. After each cocktail was poured, it was garnished with a thin apple slice.
I also offered several tips during my demo, including this one – use a frozen ball of apple cider in place of ice, so the drink doesn’t get watered down as the ice melts. I keep the apple slices in a bowl of lemon juice nearby, so they don’t brown while the drinks are being prepared.
At each charcuterie board station was a beautiful cutting board from Khem Studios, an American Made maker featured on Martha.com. These are Walnut Mega Whale Bone Cutting Boards – handmade using locally sourced, kiln-dried hardwoods.
It was so nice to see everyone enjoying their projects. Making them, and then eating from them.
Here’s a photo of influencers Stephanie (@adventuresofchefanie), Jen (@indulgenteats), Jessica (@cheatdayeats), and Rachel (@thecarboholic).
And here I am with influencers Taylor (@taylorjphillips) and Jeff (@jeffodonnell). It was a fun time had by all. Please visit the Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon page and find out how you can get our delicious meal kits including our flavorful sides and desserts for Thanksgiving. It’s such a wonderful and easy way to ensure you and your family can enjoy tasty and nutritious meals now and for the holidays.
If you love the holidays as much as I do, I'm sure you enjoy seeing all the decorations around your home - all the festive lights and beautiful ornaments.
Every year, I fill my home with lots of cheerful holiday decorations - wreaths, garlands, and trees in almost every room. In our new Martha-logue, Martha: Harvest + Holiday 2022, we share so many ideas and inspirations for decorating this season. We show you how to mix and match colors, set an inviting holiday table, and trim the tree the way I do. Plus, all our pages are interactive - just click on a product from my Collection and go straight to the shopping page on Martha.com. It's so easy.
Here are more photos, enjoy.
This year, why not change up your holiday décor and add more glass ball ornaments in bright red and white for a more modern and striking twist? My glass ball, egg, and finial shaped ornaments look so beautiful on the tree or in a bowl.
Remember when I showed you how to make your own cranberry wreath? That project inspired this one, now available on Martha.com. And… this Faux Berry Wreath will last for many more years.
Or, add a touch of red on a table. Full of texture and vivid color, this Faux Red Berry Garland measures six-feet long, offering a variety of styling options for display.
And my Faux Frosted Magnolia & Berry Garland, a nice alternative to the classic pine version. Use it to decorate the mantel, the bannister, or a windowsill.
Thinking of something more bold for your holiday tree? Try out these Draped Glitter Ball Ornaments. The art deco flair and glittering green hues offer a fresh and stylish look to any tree.
Or go with a more classic color palette with my Champagne Shatterproof Ornament Set. It comes in an assortment of metallic tones with shiny, satin, flitter, and frosted white finishes, so there is a balance of sparkle, shine, and luster among the lights.
Mix and match white cake stands with my colorful Faux Peppermint Candy Cane Trees. Use them separately, or group them together – we offer four different sizes.
Hang my Faux Pine Cone Greenery Ornaments under sconces like I do in my Winter House, or include them in your table décor. Each one features a pretty mix of miniature pine cones and glittering baubles.
I love to put wreaths on both the windows and doors of my home during the holidays. This is my LED Pre-Lit Champagne Tinsel 30-inch Wreath. The individual sprigs of greenery are intertwined with tinsel and LED lights, giving the appearance of gold-dusted branches.
Here’s another gorgeous wreath, my Faux Pine Cone & Ornament 13-inch Wreath. Glittering ornaments and frosted pine cones are paired together to give it texture – use it indoors or out.
This tree is in my Green Parlor – so beautiful decked in gold. Wrap your presents in matching paper to give it a more dazzling effect underneath. I hope you all take some time to flip through the pages of Martha: Harvest + Holiday 2022 this weekend – use some of our tips and ideas, and click and shop my Collections. This is just our first issue – let us know what you like, and what you want to see more of. And here’s to a wonderful holiday season.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
