Celebrate the Arrival of Autumn!

The Maine House is tucked into a small New England Village which also is the home of a local college. The college is bustling with activity and fall festivals are drawing friends and family from far and wide. We are preparing to host Mississippi, Georgia, Texas and Florida guests, which has put an extra bounce in our step! 

 Celebrate the season with the colors of October

The Maine House loves to weave the natural beauty of the fall season into the interior decorating of our home. Fall's many hues of sage green, rusty reds, chestnut browns and rich golds are among our absolute favorites. Since our home is mostly decorated in a natural-color palette, we can easily showcase the fall colors. Whether it be throwing a new paisley throw over the sofa or tossing a few menswear hounds tooth pillows on our sitting chairs, we can easily set the mood that awaits you inside! 

 One of our favorites this year has been  dressing up the sideboard with white pumpkins, adorned with twig branches and then accented with fall berries , leaves and acorns!

At the local pumpkin patch, we stocked up on pumpkins, gourds, apples and pears which have become the foundation for our designs. The possibilities are endless...you will find the most wondrous items just walking through your neighborhood...pine cones, colorful leaves, acorns.....it's the arrival of autumn!

This year, The Maine House played host to the most delightful guests. One happened to be a handsome young Texan...he showed Estelle's his most oozy, gooey, cheesy hot corn dip which we all devoured before the football game. It quickly became a Maine House favorite!

Greg's Hot Cheesy Corn Dip
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups corn kernels (from 2 ears fresh corn)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup yellow onion,chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions, entire stalk of both green and white parts
1 jalapeno,chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup  Monterrey jack, grated
1 cup sharp cheddar, grated
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

 Melt the butter in a pan. Add the corn, season with salt and pepper and saute until the corn starts to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the onion, and pepper and saute until the onions are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the green onions, jalapeno and garlic and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Mix the corn, onions, peppers, mayonnaise, Monterrey jack and cayenne in a bowl.
Pour the mixture into an 8x8 inch baking pan and top with the cheddar cheese.
 Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until bubbling and golden brown on top, about 20 minutes. Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips!

"It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life." ~P.D. James