If I owned a dog...

Diane of Faith in Community has a cute pumpkin outfit for her dog, Scout. If I owned a dog, I think I'd dress her/him like this:

great moments in literature

Wow, another beautiful fall day and another nice bike ride -- this time around our local lake. About midway through my ride, I came across a tree with a large hollow. Curiosity got the best of me so I just had to stop and see if perchance Boo Radley had left me a present. Chewing gum? Broken pocket watch? Nope. But there were lots and lots of acorns -- which reminded me of another classic of American literature: Donald Duck's Toy Sailboat. You know the book. It's the one where Chip and Dale steal, er...borrow, Donald's model sailboat and take it out to an island to get acorns from a huge oak tree. Foreshadowing, symbolism, dramatic irony -- yep, it's all there.

Pumpkin/Apple Friday Five!

All Hallows Eve (Halloween) is near, and this week's Friday Five looks at the holiday with some food ideas thrown in for good measure.

1. How did you celebrate this time of year when you were a child?
We always went trick-or-treating. (Mrs. Steinhaus a few houses down the street made the best popcorn balls!) Here's a picture of my brother and me in our costumes one year.


2. Do you and/or your family “celebrate” Halloween? Why or why not? And if you do, has it changed from what you used to do?
Offsprings #1 and #2 always enjoyed trick-or-treating when they were growing up too. We live in a safe, "trick-or-treating friendly" neighborhood. Here's a picture of Offsprings #1 and #2 in their costumes one year.


2. Candy apples: Do you prefer red cinnamon or caramel covered? Or something else?
Caramel all the way!

3. Pumpkins: Do you make Jack O’ Lanterns? Any ideas of what else to do with them?
We carve jack o' lanterns, and Hubby roasts the seeds.

4. Do you decorate your home for fall or Halloween? If so, what do you do? Bonus points for pictures.
We usually decorate, but this is our first year of the "empty nest" so I got lazy.

5. Do you like pretending to be something different? Does a costume bring out an alternate personality?
Hmm... I enjoy wearing costumes (e.g. to a party), but I wouldn't go so far as to say it brings out any alternate personality -- I'm not that great of an actor!

Bonus: Share your favorite recipe for an autumn food, particularly apple or pumpkin ones.
In honor of Mrs. Steinhaus, here is a recipe for popcorn balls!
2/3 cup Karo Syrup
2/3 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
8-10 cups Popped Corn
Cook sugar, syrup, and salt for two minutes and mix with corn. Form into balls with buttered hands and individually wrap.

view from the (bike) road

I was lucky enough to have the afternoon off today, and I took my bike out for a little spin. It was a gorgeous fall day -- even the llamas were smiling.

another empty nest hike!

Made some minestrone in my beloved crock pot (the perfect lazy person's cooking apparatus), then went on a rainy day Saturday hike at a wetlands not too far from here. When we got home, the minestrone was waiting for us.

Here's the hike!

It's a "Mahna Mahna" day (whatever that means!)

Saw some muppets over at will smama which inspired me to look for more on youtube (partly because Offspring #1 loves the muppets). Anyway, I've always gotten a kick out of this song:

Friday Five: Homage to the Top Chef!

This week's Friday Five deals with food! Here we go:

If you were a food, what would you be?
I'll say Thanksgiving turkey because you can depend on it to be there, and it has something really good on the inside (the stuffing). Also, it can often be a little dry (not unlike my sense of humor). :)

What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where?
One of the most memorable meals took place several years ago at a cool Chinese restaurant called Miss Kitty's in Deadwood, South Dakota. My family was visiting relatives in the Black Hills and so many people who are 'near and dear' to me (including my grandmother who has since passed away) were able to be there.


What is your favorite comfort food from childhood?
I'd have to go with either my grandmother's chicken noodle soup or her roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. Yum yum yum.

When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to be a hit?
When going to a church potluck, NO recipe of mine is sure to be a hit. I'm not the world's best cook. However, I'd probably choose a recipe from the "Fix it and Forget It" crockpot cookbook and hope for the best. :)

What’s the strangest thing you ever willingly ate?
Chocolate covered grasshoppers which my brother bought from a delicatessen when we were kids for the shock value. They were weird and crunchy.

Bonus question: What’s your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great meal?
I like a glass of Hefeweizen, a German wheat beer.