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 

For The Beauty of The Earth

Look up, look out, look all around!  Breathe deeply and take in the Beauty of the world around us!

It is beyond my comprehension how anyone can deny or doubt the existence of The Creator.

Really, can anyone really believe all this just happened by accident?  The magnificent clouds and sky.


The glorious mountains ....

The amazing creatures atop and below the sea....

From the smallest to the largest...edible and non-edible...

The rivers and the streams...all teeming with life...all for our pleasure and enjoyment....

The small creatures we are to love and care for and who give us such love and pleasure...

And the incredible amazing seasons...Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter...all for our pleasure.


And all this is an accident?  I THINK NOT!!!

Praise God for the fact that our intricate bodies work so well...that we can smell, feel, see and hear the magnificent things that He alone has put before us. 

I challenge each and every one of you to walk outside tomorrow and be amazed by the beauty that is ours to enjoy.  Breath it in, soak it up and Praise the Creator who placed it all here for OUR enjoyment!

PEACE - LOVE & JOY!

Linda

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.

Apple Time is Coming Recipe

Here is a really delicious Fall recipe for you using those delicious mountain grown apples. Take a drive up to the Blue Ridge Mountains, enjoy the beautiful Fall colors and then come home and make this. Your family will love it.

German Apple Cake

German Apple Cake
Make this simple-to-prepare cake when you need to use up extra apples.






Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 to 4 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, Cortland, or Winesap

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter an 8-inch square pan or equivalent-size baking dish.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/3-cup sugar with the cinnamon. Squeeze lemon juice into a medium bowl. Peel, core, and slice the apples into the bowl. Add the cinnamon-sugar mixture and toss to thoroughly coat each apple slice. Arrange the apple slices on top of the batter in overlapping rows, pressing lightly into the batter. Bake for 45 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

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.