Pumpkin Cookies

At this time of year, as we revel in the Golden Encore, the world around us echoes the colours of autumn gourds—think deep-hued orange pumpkins, tawny butternut and bright yellow spaghetti squash.

These delicious seasonal vegetables frequently star at our dinner table, but they are also wonderfully suited to baked treats.

This recipe for Pumpkin Cookies is one of my childhood favourites, copied from the well-worn card in my mom's recipe box. I love them as they are, fresh from the oven and still a little warm, but you can also turn them into Pumpkin Whoopie Pies by sandwiching them with a tangy-sweet cream cheese filling.

Using canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumkin pie filling!), these are quick and easy to whip together. You can make them at any time of year, but with Halloween around the corner, is there a better time than now?

Pumpkin Cookies

These cookies have a fine crumb and moist, cake-like texture. I like them best on the same day they are baked, but they will keep at room temperature in an air-tight container for a few days.

Makes about 30 cookies

2 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups pure pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup pecans, walnuts, raisins, crystallized ginger, or chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spices and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using handheld electric beater) cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy and pale in colour, about 3-5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.

Add about half the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until almost combined. Switch to a wooden spoon or rubber spatula and gently stir in the remaining dry ingredients. Stir in nuts, fruit or chocolate chips if using. For the cookies pictured here, I divided the dough into two bowls and added pecans & raisins to one and chocolate chips to the other. Crystallized ginger and white chocolate chips would've been a great combination, too.

Drop the batter by heaping tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing about 1 1/2" apart. Bake until the top looks dry and springy to the touch. A toothpick inserted in the top should come out clean or with moist crumbs attached. About 12-14 minutes.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Make the pumpkin cookies as above, but use the back of the spoon to smooth out and slightly flatten the dough mounds after dropping onto the cookie sheet. Bake and cool.

Make filling: With an electric mixer, beat together 16 oz (450g or two bricks) of cream cheese, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 cup of icing sugar until smooth. Taste and add more sugar if you like it sweeter or to thicken. If the consistency is too thick for spreading, beat in a bit of cream.

Slather a thick layer of filling on the bottom of a cookie, then sandwich with another cookie. Repeat until you use up all the filling or all the cookies. Take a bite and say "whoopie!".

Country Roads

Nothing beckons quite like a country road in Autumn.

Some of our guests on the recent Thanksgiving weekend brought their bicycles and rode 'around the block'—which, here, is a good 32 km trip. They had a great time and came back raving about the colours, the road, the route. So much so that Jim and I took a little break and took a drive up our road for a little eye candy.


We were treated to some sunny spells and patches of blue sky, which always sets off the fall foliage so nicely, but even under clouds, the view was spellbounding.

Round Lake is just a few clicks up from us on Fern Glen Road. The auburn hills with their green conifer skirts cut a colourful swathe between the water and sky. There are not a lot of houses and not much activity on this lake, which makes it a great choice for a short paddle if you bring your canoe or kayak.


These winding country roads, though, offer a wonderful way to see the season. Whether on a bike, in a car, or strolling on foot, the colour surrounds you. The curves and surface of the road make you take your time, take it all in. In places, the crowns of the trees overhead stitch together to form a canopy of colour and light. And every now and then, where the road widens a bit, you just have to pull over, get out, and say Wow.

Fall Colours!

It's that time of year again! The time when I can barely drive down a country road or walk along a forest trail because I'm too busy looking up and around, trying to take in this stunning visual art show known as the Fall Colours.

The season started with a string of bright, sunny days and cool, frosty nights... the perfect combination for bringing out the most brilliant colours in the maple leaves.

Right now the forest is a great bouquet, a patchwork quilt, a mosaic. The colours range from soft pastels to deep hues, from peach to persimmon to paprika. The reds are deep and cool in burgundy and oxblood; or bright and sassy like a harlot's dime-store lipstick.

Words just don't do it justice. Unfortunately, nor do photographs. At least, not the ones I take with my camera and skill set. The pictures here were taken on our trails and along the Seguin Trail up to the little lake. They show what I saw, but they don't capture the essence of the season.

They don't let you hear the rustle of the fallen leaves underfoot, or smell the aroma of earth and autumn that kicks up as you walk. They don't make your cheeks rosy in a nippy breeze, or shower you with a confetti of leaves when a gust blows through the trees. You really do have to experience it first hand. And I hope you do!

Happy Autumn!

Dyer Memorial

Autumn is perhaps the favourite season for visiting Muskoka and the Almaguin Highlands. When the air is crisp and the leaves are glorious, countless visitors flock to the area to hike the trails, drive the country roads and marvel at nature's fiery colour palette.

At this time of year, some of the most popular parks and attractions of the area can be busy and crowded, which is why we have a few out-of-the-way places to share with our guests. These are the hidden gems and under-hyped scenic spots that don't draw quite as many tourists but are well worth a visit.

One of these spots is the Dyer Memorial. Located deep in the woods on the outskirts of Huntsville, the Dyer Memorial was once a beautifully maintained botanical garden requiring the services of a full-time seasonal gardener. It has long since lost the funding needed for such maintenance, but it is still a public park and, to my mind anyway, quite lovely in its naturalized state.

The memorial itself is a large stone monument "erected in fond memory", as the plaque explains, "of Betsy Browne Dyer, 1884 - 1956, by her husband Clifton G. Dyer, 1885 - 1959". The rest of the plaque is a sweet sentiment of appreciation for what must have been a fulfilling marriage.

The monument stands on a hill and overlooks gentle slopes of grass and overgrown flower beds spilling over stone paths. A few wooden bridges span the Big East River which winds through the park. Willows, birches, maples and pines create the backdrop.

It's an idyllic picnic spot, especially at this time of year. You might expect it to be a busy stop for sight-seers, but it's a little off the beaten path, and down a road that doesn't quite live up to the term 'road'.

The pictures here were taken late one October, after the maples and birches shed their leaves and the forest was getting ready for its winter sleep. A visit at the peak of the fall colours is sure to reward you with a stunning sight—and very likely few people to share it with.

Critter-sitting for the neighbours

Jim & I are not farmers. While we're proud of all we've learned about country living since we left the city nearly 5 years ago, we're really 'woods' and not 'pasture' kind of country folk.

But nevertheless, when our neighbours asked us to critter-sit for them while they took a September vacation, we said sure, no problem. So for nearly a week, we trotted up the road twice a day to do our chores.

We fed pigs (definitely a two-person job; I acted as rodeo clown while Jim got the trough right-side-up); fed dogs; watered chickens and collected their eggs; and let the horse and pony out to graze.

Our neighbours had warned us that the pony, Buddy, is a little Houdini, but we didn't realize that Mocha, the horse, also had aspirations to wander the neighbourhood while her people were away.

Twice they decided to take themselves for a walk down Fern Glen Road. We discovered that convincing one pregnant horse and one stubborn pony that it's time to go home requires some skills in equine negotiation that we haven't quite mastered. With some help from a horse-friendly guest (thanks Murray!) and another neighbour (thanks Bob!), we managed to corral our little herd.

Aside from some rather unnerving moments -- an angry dog, food-frenzied pigs, hens trying to fly the coop, the pony stepping on my foot (owch!) -- we had fun! If our neighbours ask again, we'll say sure, no problem. That's what we country folk do.

Paddle to Ragged Falls

A popular activity for our guests is the paddle from Oxtongue Lake to the base of Ragged Falls. It's not just fun for visitors, though, Jim and I took an afternoon off this week and did the paddle ourselves. We had a great time!

Starting out from the inn, we stopped in Huntsville to pick up some requisite trail mix and snacks from the Bulk Barn before taking Hwy 60 to Algonquin Outfitters Oxtongue Lake store. They offer both canoe and kayak rentals, which included the life jackets and paddles as well as a map of the route from the store dock to the falls..

The helpful fella manning the equipment office made sure we were all set on the water. Jim and I have paddled extensively so didn't need any instruction, but if you're new to paddling, be sure to tell the staff and they'll spend a few minutes covering the basics before sending you off.

It took us about an hour to paddle from the store dock, cutting across a corner of Oxtongue Lake then up the Oxtongue River, to the base of Ragged Falls. In the calm water below the falls, we pulled our canoe up onto the rocks and then hiked up to the top of the falls. It's a lovely spot and has been a favourite stop of ours for many years. If you want to see the falls without the paddling, it's very easy to get to by car and just a 5-minute walk from the parking lot to the river.

After touring the falls, we got back in the canoe and retraced our route back to the store. On the way home we stopped at Dwight Beach for a swim (okay, Jim swam and I beach-bummed). It's a gorgeous, sandy, shallow beach on Lake of Bays and worth the stop.

We definitely recommend the paddle to Ragged Falls, suitable for both novice and experienced paddlers. This and other local paddling options are a great way to spend a summer or early-fall afternoon during a visit to the inn.

Autumn Events

Autumn is a busy and beautiful season in Muskoka and the Almaguin Highlands. Here are some of the organized events and weekly activities in the region. Check back again as we update the list as we hear about new happenings.

Wednesday Kayak

Join a guided flatwater kayak tour from the riverside dock in downtown Huntsville, along the Muskoka River to the mouth of Lake Vernon. Hosted by Algonquin Outfitters, this 2-hour paddle is great for new and experienced paddlers to enjoy an evening on the water. Just $15/person includes kayak, paddle and pfd. Meet at the store before 6pm, registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Every Wednesday until September 9

5:45-8:30

Huntsville Farmers' Market

Selection of vendors, located in the Canadian Tire parking lot in Huntsville.

Every Thursday until October 29, from 9am-2pm

Commerce Park Huntsville Farmers' Market

Selection of vendors, located beside Robinson's Independent Grocer in Huntsville's Commerce Park.

Every Friday until September 4, from 9am-2pm

Muskoka Cruise Night

Hosted by the Historical Automotive Society of Canada, with prizes and a 50/50 draw with proceeds going to local charities. At the Canadian Tire parking lot in Huntsville.

Every Wednesday evening until October 28

Antique & Collectables Market
A variety of vendors will be offering their wares at Fern Glen Garden Centre just up the road from us.
Every Saturday in September, from 10am - 3pm

Magnetawan Farmers' Market

Held at the Magnetawan Community Pavilion, with a range of goods including fresh produce; smoked, dried and frozen meats; specialty cheeses; flowers; baked goods; jewelry; antiques; knitting; sewing; wood carving; homemade jams.

Every Saturday until September 5

Muskoka Nights Cruise-In

Antique cars, hot rods, tuners, motorcycles and vehicles of special interest. Door prizes and a 50/50 draw raising funds for the Huntsville Animal Shelter. At the Canadian Tire parking lot in Huntsville.

Every Saturday evening until October 10

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Burk's Falls Fall Fair
Three days of fun, featuring live music, art shows, midway rides and games, sheep displays, horse shows, cotton candy and more. At the Burk's Falls fair grounds.
September 5, 6 & 7

Stisted Fall Fair
A day of old-fashioned family fun. Off Yearly Rd., north-west of Huntsville's Lake Vernon.
September 12

Muskoka Ironman 70.3
The region's largest athletic event is slated to attract over 1,500 international athletes. The race course will incorporate many of Muskoka's most picturesque areas, including a 1.2 mile swim in bracing Peninsula Lake; a 56 mile bike ride through Lake of Bays including the hamlets of Dwight, Dorset and Baysville; followed by a 13.1 mile run. Come and cheer the athletes along their race. Visit Muskoka Ironman 70.3 for details.
September 13

Antique, Classic and Custom Car Show
The Downtown Huntsville BIA presents the Annual Shades of Autumn Antique, Classic and Custom Car Show. Exhibits will be up and down the main drag. plus trophies and door prizes. This is one automotive competition that you can take in on two feet.
September 19

Canadian Improv Showcase
Canada's premiere touring improv company comes to Huntsville's Algonquin Theatre. Specializing in unscripted, interactive comedy with a Canadian twist, it's never the same show twice and totally hilarious! Tickets are $22. Visit the Algonquin Theatre for details.
September 19, 8pm

Chocolate and Dessert Fantasy
The Huntsville Hospital Auxiliary invites you to spend an hour or two tasting delicious desserts and finger foods created by many local resorts and restaurants. Live piano music plus silent auction items. Tickets are $15, available at The Clothes Closet, Treasures and Trophies, and Branches Hospital Gift Shop. Proceeds support the Auxiliary's $250,000 commitment to the new Mammography Suite.
At Partner's Hall on the main floor of the Algonquin Theatre.
September 20, 2pm-5pm

Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour
Witness the artistic process at work through demonstrations and displays in the studios of Muskoka's diversely talented artists. Free self-guided tour. For printable map, brochure and more information, visit Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour.
September 26 & 27
October 3 & 4

Fall Colour Peak
The hardwood forests are ablaze in autumn colours, painted from a palette of sunny golds, fiery oranges and brilliant reds. Whether you hike the trails, drive the country roads or tour the parks, you're sure to enjoy this spectacular natural show. The peak can last a few days or a few weeks, and usually falls between late-September and mid-October. Even if you don't hit the peak, it's still a lovely and unique experience.
Estimated October 1-15

Thanksgiving Long Weekend
The last long weekend of the season to get out of the city and breath some fresh country air.
October 9-12

Golden Encore
Following the peak of the Fall Colours, after the famous red and orange maple leaves have fallen from the branches, mother nature has one more song to sing before the show ends. That's when the tamaracks, birches and poplars take the stage and grace us with a golden encore.

Generally late October into November

Huntsville's Girlfriends' Getaway Weekend
The shops, boutiques, cafés and restaurants of Downtown Huntsville are catering to the ladies with a great weekend of shopping, sales, gifts, demos and pampering. It's a great chance to get your holiday shopping started (or even finished!) and to treat yourself to a little 'girl time' too. Free passports are available here at the inn.
Some ticketed events are on the weekend schedule: Fashion Show hosted by Davide Clemmer & Bruce Turner of 'Style by Jury'; cooking demonstrations by celebrity chef Jeff Suddaby; Chantal Kreviazuk on stage. Visit Huntsville's Girlfriends' Getaway Weekend for details.
Stay 2 nights at Fern Glen Inn this weekend and get $25 off your stay (mention Huntsville's Girlfriends' Getaway at time of booking).
November 13-15

Soapstones' Holiday Designer Soap Workshops
Make your own holiday soaps to give as gifts this season. Hands-on workshops take place at Soapstones in downtown Huntsville. Learn the techniques and tools and take home what you make. Kits available to purchase as well. Workshops are $20/person and limited to 8 people per class. Visit Soapstones workshops for details and to register.
Every other Wednesday until Christmas; 6:00-8:00 pm
(Oct 21, Nov 4 & 18, Dec 2 & 16)

Soapstones' Bath Bombs, Bath Teas, and Tub Butter Workshops
Make your own special bath products (they make great stocking stuffers!). Hands-on workshops take place at Soapstones in downtown Huntsville. Learn the techniques and tools and take home what you make. Kits available to purchase as well. Workshops are $20/person and limited to 8 people per class. Visit Soapstones workshops for details and to register.
Every other Sunday until Christmas; 2:00-4:00 pm
(Nov 1, 15 & 29, Dec 13)