Happy All Hallows' Eve...

I hope everyone has a hauntingly frightful Halloween! ...don't forget to keep those jack o' lanterns lit, set your clocks back and don't do anything I wouldn't do.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Happy All Hallows' Eve Eve...

Happy Halloween Eve! I hope everyone enjoys this wonderful Eve of Halloween by watching at least one horror movie tonight. Now don't forget...remember to keep those jack o' lanterns lit until Halloween is over tomorrow or you will break the rules of Halloween...and if you break the rules of Halloween, little Sam up there may be knocking at your door...

Fall Breakfast Deliciousness...

I seem to have started a theme here lately with Fall inspired deliciousness! So, my fine friends, I have yet another one to share. Obviously, it's no secret that I love pumpkin. Well, I love almond butter too. So, I got the idea to put them together and it was absolute magic. I started off simply putting almond butter and pumpkin butter on a piece of toast one morning...and it's purely yummy just like this.
But, you can expand this idea into much more if you'd like...

1) Drizzle a small bit of maple syrup or honey over the top
(the real organic kind is the best, but any will do)
2) Sprinkle on some pecans or walnuts
3) Raisins
4) Apples
5) Cinnamon
6) Nutmeg
7) Toasted oats
8) Flax seeds if you're extra healthy

Or if you're really inspired and indulgent...make it into a fantastic french toast breakfast! So, I just thought I would share another yummy Fall breakfast treat (or anytime treat really) for you to try. Grab a cup of tea or coffee, snuggle up by the fire, watch the leaves fall, and enjoy!

Naughty and Nice...

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte..another delicious fall treat! I just had one and it's definitely a bit of "everything nice". Now maybe I'll go buy some more pumpkin ale, which is definitely a bit of "everything naughty", and the night will be complete. After all this homework I think I might just deserve a bit of naughty and nice. ;)

'Tis the Season...

It's been the season for a little while now, but Pumpkin Ale = Good stuff!!!

Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble...

(or if you want to go Shakespeare..."Double, Double, Toil and Trouble")

In the glorious theme of October and Halloween, I simply adore these "wickedly witchy" shots that I found at http://afancifultwist.typepad.com ...and the shoes are just "witchy cool". Thank you "A Fanciful Twist"!


So, one oh-so-important question remains...

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

I for one, will never tell...

Hot, Hot, Hot...

So, I thought I would share a super quick and easy recipe for one of my favorite treats...Hot Spinach Dip. I love the stuff! This recipe was actually inspired by a friend and has no real measurements so you'll have to bear with me (now, had I accidentally spelled it "bare with me" then I suddenly would have been asking you to get naked with me...and I wouldn't want to give you the wrong idea or anything, lol). Ok, back to the hot stuff...or maybe that's where I already was. ;)

A N Y W A Y...just throw a bunch of this stuff in an oven safe dish and go for it!

...but first, preheat oven to 425.

Back To Basics (No Measure) Spinach Dip

Fresh Spinach - fill up the oven safe dish with it

(it shrinks big time when baked)

Cream Cheese - big spoonful for a 1/2 bag of spinach

(or two for whole bag)

Parmesan Cheese - sprinkle in a bunch or a little

(adjust to your liking)

Ricotta Cheese - another big spoonful or twoish

(but less than cream cheese)

Heavy Cream - not too much, just enough to help blend other ingredients easily

Mayo - just a little bit...it works as a binder

(Best Foods brand works best for not breaking down in heat)

Garlic Powder - sprinkle to your liking

Onion Powder - sprinkle to your liking

Salt - just a dash

Pepper - dash or two

By the way, when I say "big spoonful" I mean BIG, HONKIN' 1/8 - 1/4 cupish spoonful (can you tell I'm not a chef?). Now, mix it all together. I never measure with this recipe...I just throw in the amounts that work best for my taste. Cover with foil and put in the preheated 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove foil, stir and put back in oven uncovered for another 5-10 minutes. Mix all the yummy brown bits off the side of the baking dish in with the dip and pour into serving bowl.

Serve with sourdough bread, tortilla chips, pita chips, pita bread, pumpernickel bread or anything that sounds good to you.

ENJOY!!!

"Linus Knows What He's Taking About...

...Linus knows what he's doing."

- It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. 1966

(Wow, it's hard to believe that came out 43 years ago)

This weekend I did one of the things I love to do most in this world...go to a pumpkin patch! Hayrides and pumpkins and cider, oh my! Now, I have to admit, one of my favorite pumpkin patches of all time will always be Rombach's Farm in St. Louis, MO (hubby, I will take you there one day) but Oregon does have quite a few impressive ones with my favorite so far being The Plumper Pumpkin Patch. Their pumpkins are amazing (they truly are "plumper") and the view is beyond spectacular. So, I highly recommend that everyone take some time out to visit their own favorite pumpkin patch this season.

On a side note, when I chose the pics for this post I was inspired by vintage pumpkin photos. If you look real close the second and third one almost seem to tell a story...in the second photo it appears the scarecrow could quite possibly be passed out and the third one looks like what he might see after he hit that bottle one too many times. Don't you just love my warm and fuzzy interpretation of artistic pumpkin photos? Hmmm, maybe it's all the hard cider I've been drinking. ;)

Anyway, I hope everyone had a great weekend!

My Name is...and I Am a Perfectionholic...

I have a disease to which I feel there is no cure...well, obviously I do not feel that perfectionism literally has no cure or that it literally is a disease, but it might as well be. Actually, I guess if you break down the word "dis-ease" perfectionism is exactly that. Why is it that if I get a 96% on something I think I completely failed or if I get a 98% I hate myself for not getting 100? I can't even imagine getting a "B" in a class or I think I might just have to kill myself. And to think, these are just stupid grades...it doesn't even touch the surface of how I beat myself up in other areas of my life.

The worst part of it all...I'm 35 years old.

You would think I would be over this by now. I'm trying. I promise you I am. I'm trying with everything I have inside of me to be ok with achieving less than 100 percent(and I'm not just talking about grades). What's really funny about the whole thing is I know that I am FAR from perfect, yet I'm on an endless journey trying to be...and who the hell am I trying to prove it to? Actually, it's not even that I really want to be perfect, I just feel so terrible, worthless and empty if I fail or achieve less. What is "less" anyway? Every piece of reason and logic inside of me knows it's wrong and completely based out of fear and insecurity, but sometimes I just can't escape it.

Sadly, I know I'm not alone. Even though it makes you feel very alone at times. I know some of you can relate and being a perfectionist is so.....very.....tiring. So, to all you fellow perfectionists out there...please try and love yourself for who you truly are, know that you are wonderful, beautiful and "perfect" in every possible way. Know that getting a perfect score, looking perfect, being the perfect spouse, parent, child, etc. and simply just trying "to be" perfect in any way, shape, or form = feeling far from perfect. Here are some quotes to inspire...

"Once you accept the fact that you're not perfect, then you develop some confidence."

~Rosalynn Carter

"There are no perfect men/women in this world, only perfect intentions."

~Pen Densham

"When you aim for perfection, you discover it's a moving target."

~George Fisher

"Unless I accept my faults I will most certainly doubt my virtues."

~Hugh Prather

"Nothing that is complete breathes."

~Antonio Porchia,Voces, 1943, translated from Spanish by W.S. Merwin

"You see, when weaving a blanket, an Indian woman leaves a flaw in the weaving of that blanket to let the soul out."

~Martha Graham

I couldn't have said it better myself...it's time to let the soul out and breathe.

Love,

"Nolia"

Oh So Sleepy...

I'm right there with ya pup ...sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sleepy!

Time to take a nice, hot midnight bubble bath and then hit my warm, cozy flannel sheets. Nighty-night.

Look Out Your Window Tonight...

...and you will see a beautiful October Full Harvest Moon. The moon will officially turn full when it reaches that spot in the sky opposite (180-degrees) to the sun. This will occur on Saturday night, October 3rd at 11:10 pm (PDT) / Sunday morning, October 4th at 2:10 am (EDT).

If you're interested, here is a little history on the Harvest Moon since it rarely happens in October...

"Between 1970 and 2050, there are 18 years when the harvest moon comes in October. The last time was in 2006 and next time will be in 2017. The 2009 version of the harvest moon comes unusually late, although it can occur as early as September 8 (as in 1976) or as late as October 7 (as in 1987).

All of us around the globe find tonight’s moon in the same approximate place as every full moon – in the east as the sun sets and twilight begins to wash the sky. It’s this big red Harvest Moon – ascending over the eastern horizon around the time of sunset – that everyone writes songs about. You’ll see why if your sky is clear and you have a lovely setting for moonrise tonight.

In the days before electricity, farmers counted on the lamp of the Harvest Moon to gather their crops. Making up for the autumn season’s waning daylight, the Harvest Moon faithfully provides several nights of dusk-till-dawn moonlight. This bonanza of moonlight remains the legacy of the Harvest Moon!"

HAPPY HARVEST MOON EVERYONE!!!

Welcome October...

I've had enough of summer, thank you very much! The time is here...and it's my favorite time of year! (I didn't really mean to sound like Dr. Seuss just then...but hey, what can you do)

Anyway, October and Autumn are here and I'm a happy girl. I love October. Adore Autumn. It's my favorite month and time of the year. "Why?", you ask. Where do I begin...

1) Cool crisp weather

2) Halloween

3) Pumpkins and pumpkin patches

4) Watching the leaves change and fall

5) Warm crackling fires in the fireplace

6) It's the time of year I start baking

7) Windy days

8) Cozy flannel sheets

9) Caramel apples and apple cider

10) Halloween candy

11) Real haunted houses

12) Snuggling in big soft fluffy blankets

13) Fall scented candles

14) Pumpkin Spice lattes, cupcakes, bread, ice cream, cookies, candles (you get the idea...if it says pumpkin spice I will eat, drink or smell it)

15)...and last but not least, an excuse to watch horror movies almost every day of the week. Yes, I love horror movies and I don't discriminate. Good ole' classics to campy B-movies all the way to ones banned in the US...if it's horror, I will watch it. I will at least try anyway, some of those B-horror flicks really do suck.

So, what do you love about October and Autumn? Enjoy them...and every time you watch a horror movie or see something pumpkin spice this season, think of me.

(that should be interesting)