Last Day of October

Can you believe it's the final day of October and Halloween?? Yes, the time is flying by as fast as usual and the worn out statement of, "Can you believe it?" once more rolled off my lips. No, it's not time to celebrate Christmas, but there are precious few weeks left until Christmas parties start!! According to a News clip last eve, this is the beginning of the FOOD season and most people put on approximately 10 pounds, indulging in all the decadent food, sweets and drink recipes. Even a simple splurge of Pumpkin Spice Latte, which happens to be my most yummy Fall indulgence, comes in with a whopping amount of calories.
So, what are your favorite, sinful treats?

Late Night Muse

It's late....I'm tired....my back and feet hurt even as I sit here. I'm watching Hoarders and am SO grateful for my cozy-clean-organized-slightly dusty-crumbs shuffled under the the counter from baking this aft-home.
I'm feeling a bit sad cuz after doing some grocery shopping, I cooked up a large Shepherd's Pie and a slow-cooker full of Chili and baked up a Coffee-Sheet square and pumpkin/Orange squares to take over to a gal who is going thru grief and hell after hearing her Sister was killed violently. It's overwhelming, incredibly sad and angers me that someone as wonderful as this gal has to cope with the evil of a sick psycho. All I need to do is take Tylenol to help ease the pain in my body...my friend will need more than that. I can pray, give hugs, take over food. Bless her.
Tomorrow is a new day...Goodnight all :)

A "Quiet" aft

Have you ever just sat and listened to an xbox 360 game being played? I am sitting here enjoying this Sunday aft and hubby is playing a game. The xbox is hooked up to the TV's sound system and so every little sound is amplified...from the twitter of birds to the clip-clop of horses hooves, the noisy market place with snatches of conversations, to the sudden clang of swords clashing in fight!! I admit, I can handle that far sooner than the constant rat-a-tat-tat of gun fire and dying groans of men gunned down. Every now and then I look up to watch Hubby play and am amazed at the detailed graphics of the game, although I have no interest in playing the game myself.
I far rather stick my nose in a book, visit with friends on Facebook, knit a baby blanket or challenge my skills at an online Scrabble game. That's more my style :)

A Month of Transition

October is a good month for me. It seems to hold so many special days....our Anniversary, my Birthday, other family member's Birthdays. Yesterday my niece had her baby girl, making yet another brother a Grandpa. I mentioned to Mom today that the oldest 5 out of us 9 kids are grandparents now. For Mom it was such a special feeling to snuggle and hold yet another great-grandchild...sweet & bitter at the same time, because this was the first great-grandbaby my Dad would not hold. It made Mom sad not to share this experience with Dad...a new addition to our family. But ultimately there is joy that life goes on and we have a reason to celebrate. I think God created in us the need to celebrate the birth of a new baby, whose life is pure and innocent and just beginning, after grieving the loss of a loved one who has lived a full life.
October is also a month of transition. We have the cooling fall days, with trees showing off their glorious coloured leaves. Suddenly a day or two of wind and we walk on those leaves, pungent with earthy perfumes.The air suddenly fills with swirling flakes of snow and our world is transformed from rich colour to the stark glittering white blanket of winter, which reminds me of swirled frosting on a cake. We bravely display the orange of harvested pumpkins, knowing that the first snowfall or two will melt perhaps long enough for children to dress-up and venture from house to house unhindered by bulky coats, boots and mittens for the Treats and not the Tricks :)

Fall weather

Yes, Fall is here!! The leaves have changed into gold and most have fallen to the ground and crunch beneath our feet already. Thanksgiving has come and gone and we look forward to that Spooky night that arrives on witche's brooms the final day of this month.

"O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stain'd

With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit

Beneath my shady roof; there thou may'st rest,

And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe,

And all the daughters of the year shall dance!

Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

'The narrow bud opens her beauties to

The sun, and love runs in her thrilling veins;

Blossoms hang round the brows of Morning, and

Flourish down the bright cheek of modest Eve,

Till clust'ring Summer breaks forth into singing,

And feather'd clouds strew flowers round her head.

'The spirits of the air live in the smells

Of fruit; and Joy, with pinions light, roves round

The gardens, or sits singing in the trees.'

Thus sang the jolly Autumn as he sat,

Then rose, girded himself, and o'er the bleak

Hills fled from our sight; but left his golden load."

~William Blake