Fall is here in the mountains...the mornings/nights are cool and clear, the days still fairly warm...it is a lovely time of year!

The Emmys were last night.  I chose not to watch, but I did check out the net to see who won.  Obviously I do not watch what is popular on television -- I didn't recognize any of the shows or the actors/actresses who won!

Oh, I have heard people talk about "Orange Is The New Black" and the "Game of Thrones," but I have never watched either of those.  I guess I like lighter fare, and I tend to watch old shows like Matlock and Murder She Wrote!

As it turns out, I'm not a big football fan either.  I will occasionally watch a game showcasing a team I like or know something about, but I can NOT sit for hours on end watching guys bang their heads together chasing a pigskin!  So in the Fall, I like many other wives, become a football widow!  Believe me, I have tried to watch like my hubby does, but it just bores me to tears!

For me this time of year is about the beautiful foliage, the crispness in the air, the pumpkins on the vine, Fall festivals and Halloween is coming. Saturday was the Harvest Moon Festival in Ogden.  What a fun event it is and it is also FREE!  They have lots of free activities for the children, and vendors for goods and foods.  There is live music and all the restaurants set up little outdoor cafes on the street.  What a festive time!

 Halloween is a big event here in Ogden.  It actually begins early with Witchstock on the 24th!  I already have my beautiful witches hat and cape, and will join my granddaughters in the fun that is Witchstock on 25th Street.  They also have a Zombi Walk here, but that kind of freaks me out!  There are a lot of Hispanics here who celebrate the "Day of the Dead."  Many houses are decorated in everything from gigantic spiders to glowing pumpkins and ghosts!

It seems that this Summer passed so quickly.  I love the Fall, and I anticipate the Winter to do my snowshoeing at Snowbasin.  We have such dramatic season changes here in the rockies.  Each has its own special pleasures.

I bought a little sweater for my Rosebud puppy today, as she is already shivering when we go out in the morning.  This will be her first winter, so I have purchased boots for her for when the snow falls. It should be an interesting time.

So whatever Fall is like where you live, get outdoors and enjoy it! I plan on doing just that!

PEACE, LOVE & JOY 

Autumn is Upon Us!

It is that glorious, color filled time of year again!  Fall is definitely my favorite Season!  The air is crisp and clean, the sky is clear as crystal and the color on the mountains is absolutely amazing!

Then there are the Fall Festivals.  I love the time of Pumpkins, Colorful Leaves and Caramel Apples!  Our annual Harvest Moon Festival takes place on 25th Street on the 19th! It is such a fun time when all the locals gather to celebrate the Season and prepare for the upcoming Winter!  For the ski enthusiasts it is a prelude to the coming snow and a great time flying down the mountainside.  For the farmers, it is time to celebrate the end of a successful growing season.  The Farmers Market will soon be closing, and I will miss those Saturday mornings in the park picking out fresh tomatoes and other delicious fruits and vegetables.  The beautiful horses and pianos that decorate our streets in the Summer will soon be removed, and in November they will begin putting together the Christmas Village.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but as my granddaughter reminded me the other day, FIRST is Halloween! The children are always to excited to put on their costumes and become someone or something else!  Yes, Fall does have a lot of charm.

I am anxious to turn on the fireplace for the first time.  Sounds silly, but I love the dancing flames taking the chill off the early morning air.  This Summer has literally flown by, what with my trips to England, France, Maryland, Georgia and Norway!  Lots of wonderful memories from all that travel though.  I'm looking forward to a Holiday Cruise just before Christmas and celebrating the holidays with family.  I love making memories with the kids.

I am reminded with each Season change how brief life really is and that each day is a gift.  I remind myself that I must make the best of each day and spread positive energy all around.  Funny how Spring, the time of renewal has it's own special feeling, and that Fall reminds us that things age, change and move on.  I hope all of you have an amazing Fall.  Enjoy these lovely days, the beautiful colors and the smell of smoke from the fireplaces.  Remind yourselves to stay POSITIVE and enjoy the beauty around you.

I haven't shared a recipe lately, but here is one that is delicious and so appropriate for the season!

It is a great One Bowl Apple Cake

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup oil

6 medium Gala or Fuji or Honey Crisp apples

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, cinnamon and oil. Peel and slice the apples and add to mixture in bowl (coating as you go to keep apples from turning brown.) Mix together the baking soda and flour and add to the ingredients in the bowl. Mix well (best with a fork) until all of the flour is absorbed by the wet ingredients. Pour mixture into a greased one 9x13 or two 9″ round pans. Bake for approximately 55 minutes.-

I wish you PEACE, LOVE AND JOY

Linda

Autumn Is Coming and It's Back To School Time

It's Coming! That colorful, cool lovely time of year when the mountains burn with color!

It's just starting, but you can feel the chill of the night air and see the animals preparing for the coming cooler seasons.

It is hard to believe the Summer is coming to a close, but Autumn has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I love the smell of the fireplaces as they begin to take the chill off, the color of the leaves and the crisp, fresh feel of the air.

Soon it will be Halloween, and the children will be prancing around in their costumes.  Fall Festival will occur here in Ogden again this year and everyone will be gearing up for the first snow in the mountains and the fresh powder for skiing and snowshoeing.  The Summer seems to have flown by, and as we move into the new Season, I am reflecting on the past year.  Soon it will be 2015.  Have I accomplished what I wanted or expected in 2014?  Have you?

A lot has happened in my life in 2014, some good and some bad...some completely life altering!  I am facing the Autumn with a new perspective on life, and am looking forward to what 2015 will bring.  My granddaughters are going back to school in the morning, and I must say, they are looking forward to it.  They have missed their school friends, and I actually believe that whether or not they know it, they have missed the routine!

I am looking forward to cooler days and more hiking in the beautiful season that is upon us.  I am going to be beginning to work with the toddlers at my new Church Home here in Utah as well as joining a small group and meeting new people.  Sometimes life is like Autumn.  The old leaves have to fall away to make way for the new ones in Spring.  They fertilize the ground and allow for new life.

The changes in my life this year will help me deal with what is coming in the future...they are the "fertilizer" for new growth.  It isn't always easy facing change, but through the tough times, we grow the most...and after the cold of winter, comes the warmth of Spring and new growth.

Whatever is going on in your life now, may God Bless you and bring you ....

PEACE, LOVE & JOY

We might not have leaves changing color here on the Emerald Coast, but we definitely have Autumn Colors of our own.

This simple photo was not re-touched or accented in any way, and was in fact taken on my little iPhone!

I love taking photographs here on the Coast.  The Island offers all kinds of beautiful views, and I have enjoyed so many different ones this year.  It is nearly December, and I won't be able to return to my beautiful Paradise until March, and I will miss all the beauty that is here.

The wind on the water, the sea birds and dolphins and rays and the waves and sand have provided me with so much beauty since I purchased the condo in May.  The variety is endless.  I will be leaving for China in just over a week, and am sure I will find some beautiful views and unusual things to photograph there, but I also believe I will never tire of taking pictures here on the Island.

While I intend to take many pictures over the next few months, I also would like to take a photography course before I return to the Island in May.  You see, I believe that an artist not only creates beautiful things, but also sees beauty through eyes that force him/her to want to share their vision with everyone else.

This simple little picture has me so captivated with all its shading and color that I think I will have it reproduced on canvas.  I can't wait to see China and Thailand and find treasures in the beauty of the landscapes and people there. 

I finished the first week of my Ease Into 5K today, but I am going to repeat the first week before moving on.  The case of whooping cough I had this summer has made stamina a bit more difficult for me.  I am hoping that by backtracking a week, I can help to build back into a greater amount of lung capacity and strength.  Oh, don't get me wrong, I am feeling really terrific now since I have lost 23 pounds.  I got myself outfitted today with a good pair of running shoes and an outfit to go with them.  My bright yellow top makes me very visible, and I have just discovered the wonders of a sports bra!  I wish I had tried one of those a long time ago...really keeps things in place! 

Tomorrow is Sunday and I will be leaving here on Wednesday, so I am trying to squeeze all I can into my last few days here.  Tuesday night we will be attending a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Concert in Pensacola. I fell in love with the group over 30 years ago, and am glad they are still producing such magnificent music!  We will be going to dinner at a Restaurant in Pensacola called Jaco's which has excellent reviews.  I will, of course be watching very closely what I eat...don't want to blow the diet now!  So, dinner and a great concert will end my season here on the Gulf Coast, but I will be back in the Spring, ready for another beautiful time on the beautiful Island I call home.

GOD BLESS - Peace, Love and Joy

Morning Has Broken

It is a glorious Fall morning here in Middle Georgia today. This is my absolute favorite time of year here. I lived in Central Florida for about 16 years before moving here and the one thing I missed there was the beautiful change of seasons, particularly the Fall. The crispness in the air, the changing leaves...the air even smells differently this time of year. It is invigorating. Middle Georgia has a fairly temperate climate. We do get extreme heat and extreme cold, but for short periods, and the Fall and Spring here are marvelous.

This kind of weather makes me want to get out in it. One of the places I totally love to visit this time of year in the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Last year they added so much to the already existing and beautiful gardens. They even have a "cooking garden" which features the vegetables of the various seasons. They invite guest chefs in to demonstrate those seasonal jewels. It is really interesting, beautiful and peaceful.

My sister Dayle and I took an overnight trip to Atlanta just to visit the Botanical Gardens. We had a wonderful time enjoying the lovely weather and the beautiful botanical displays. The Annual Orchid Show (which usually takes place in the Spring was going on at the time, and we really got a thrill at all the beautiful varieties of orchids we saw there.

We had a wonderful time that day at the gardens. They have a fantastic raised walkway that wanders through the trees at 40 feet in the air. There are all kinds of separate gardens from roses to ponds filled with fish and some of the biggest bullfrogs I have ever seen.

So, if you are looking for a wonderful day trip in the Central Georgia area, seek out the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. You won't be disappointed.

RECIPE OF THE DAY

Butternut Squash Soup

1 Butternut squash, about 2 pounds, halved and seeded
1 Vidalia onion, quartered
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and quartered
Dash Hot Sauce
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups chicken broth (I use Swanson's)
Salt
Ground black pepper.
1/2 cup fat free half and half

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 F. Coat a 13" x 9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the squash cut-side down on the baking dish and arrange the onion and potato sections around it. BAKE for 60 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. When the squash is cool enough to handle, remove the skin.

In a food processor, or large blender, blend together the squash, onion,potato, hot sauce, curry powder, and nutmeg. Add the chicken broth as needed to thin the mixture.

Transfer the squash mixture to a large saucepan over medium heat, and stir in the remaining chicken broth. COOK for about 5 minutes, or until warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the half and half just before serving.

This soup is actually even better the second day!

Calories per serving.... 116 A glorious low-calorie, good for you soup!!!

Autumn Dreaming

My favorite time of year is Autumn. The crisp, cool air after the humid and stifling heat of the Summer is so refreshing.

It is also u-pick time in the North Georgia orchards. It will soon be time to load up the family and take a drive through the beautiful colors in the mountains. A great day trip to Mercier or one of the other Apple Houses in the hills is fun no matter what age you are. You get the benefit of the fresh air, the beauty of the hills and those oh so gloriously delicious apples. If you have a favorit apple, Mercier lists on their web page which apples are being picked on any given week.
They are already picking some, and they still have some fresh Georgia peaches also.

You could rent a cabin and make a weekend out of it. There are great cabins available at reasonable prices. One of the ways we have found to get the best price is VRBO (which is Vacation Rentals By Owner). You deal directly with the owner on all the details, and get a better price and probably more information on the property.

I love to visit Amicalola Falls State Park...

Reservations (800) 864-7275
Lodge Reservations (800) 573-9656
Park (706) 265-4703

Amicalola Falls State Park is just off the Appalachian Trail and a favorite for local hikers.

You can either park at the bottom of the beautiful falls and walk up the winding staircase to the top, or drive up to the top of the 729 foot falls, where you will find the Lodge and the Maple Restaurant. The Maple Restaurant has a fabulous view overlooking the valley, and they have a reasonably priced buffet which is quite good.
The expansive lobby with a huge stone fireplace is where you will often find a Park Ranger showing off some of the local wildlife and giving talks to the children. The last time I was there they had a group of children entranced with an owl. The children were totally fascinated with the creature, and were allowed to ask questions after the Ranger finished speaking.

So, if you are looking forward to the Fall...think about a trip to the North Georgia Mountains. Make some memories.

RECIPE OF THE DAY

TOP FIVE PICKS FOR BAKING...Braeburn, Jonathan, McIntosh, Rome and Granny Smith..and the newcomer - Honeycrisp. These are usually available August to October, and some even year round.

To make a delicious Caramelized Apple dessert, combine 4 peeled, cored and sliced baking apples in a skillet with 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar. Cook and Stir over medium heat until apples are tender and nicely browned.
Serve warm spooned over vanilla or ginger ice cream. A real Fall Treat!

I remember as a very young child my Grandmother's apple tree. I would go and pick up the ones which had fallen and take them in to her. She would get out the iron skillet, fry up a piece of "fatback" (streak o lean) and slice those apples into it and cook them til they were browned and tender. Ummmmm...sweet memories. They were delicious! Great for breakfast or dinner.

Riding the Rails in Apple Country

Autumn is fast approaching. Last Fall I went to the North Georgia Mountains with the kids. We had made plans to spend a week, and one of the things we made reservations to enjoy, was the Pumpkin Express. It is a lovely train ride through the mountains, alongside the river to a pumpkin field. Each person who takes the ride gets to choose a pumpkin from the field and bring it back on the train with them. The children loved it, and so did the adults.

With SIX pumpkins between us, and the girls were only going to carve two, I hunted a recipe for fresh pumpkin. And, boy did I find a good one. This recipe would not be the same with canned pumpkin, so use the fresh. It is worth it.

First, slice your pumpkins in half and roast in the oven at 375 degrees until soft when pierced with a meat fork. Let cool and remove the flesh from the shell.
After it cooks, proceed with the following recipe for
PUMPKIN CASSEROLE

Ingredients

* 2 cups pumpkin puree
* 1 cup evaporated milk
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup self-rising flour
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 pinches ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla, melted butter and ground cinnamon to taste. Spoon into a casserole dish.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.

Believe me, your family will never want pumpkin pie again after they taste this delectable dessert!

We stayed in a lovely three story cabin with a lake at the bottom of the hill. The girls went fishing in a canoe and had a great time. We also took a day to go to Mercier Orchards and get great fresh apples. We bought bags and bags of apples, and when I got home I made apple butter. The great part about making apple butter yourself, is you can add just the amount of spice and sugar you prefer. I actually do a lot of "tasting" because different apples produce a different taste, and you need to adjust spice, brown sugar and white sugar to find the exact taste you are looking for.

If you want the easy way out, quarter the apples and cook them overnight on low with just a little apple juice in the bottom of a slow cooker. By morning they will have cooked down and you can run them through a "ricer" to get the seeds and skins out of the mixture. Then, place the applies in a dutch oven on medium heat and begin adding your sugar and spices. I like to use brown sugar and white sugar as well as nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon. You can add a couple teaspoons of lemon juice as well. I always add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, as this tends to intensify the sweetness.

Here is an easy recipe for those who would rather freeze than can their apple butter.


Ingredients

* 5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
* 4 cups white sugar
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
2. Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
3. Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
4. Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.
5. Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Whatever you do, make sure to take a ride to some beautiful area when the leaves turn this Fall. It is good for the soul to see all the beauty in nature and breathe in that fresh mountain air. Have fun.