Crazy Spots

WHAT ARE THEY?

Look . . . look closer!

I NOTICED THE WAY THE RAIN PUSHED THE PINE NEEDLES INTO AN INTERESTING SHAPE . . .

. . . BUT WHAT'S THAT LITTLE THING IN THE MIDDLE?

HMMM . . . A FUZZY TRAVELER, MAKING HIS WAY IN CAMOUFLAGE.

Another Watery Walk

THE WATER WAS SO STILL TODAY, SO PEACEFUL.

Someone Really Likes Pumpkin

THIS LITTLE GUY REALLY APPRECIATED THE PUMPKINS ON MY DECK!

Bright Sunday Walk

Pretty Girl

Breakfast for a Cold Mornng

SINCE GLUTEN FREE OATS ARE EXPENSIVE AND HARD TO COME BY, I'VE STARTED MAKING MIGHTY TASTY GF HOT CEREAL (MADE FROM BROWN RICE, CORN, SORGHUM & BUCKWHEAT) FROM BOB'S RED MILL. OF COURSE I ADD ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO IT. IT TASTES GREAT, IS FULL OF NUTRIENTS, AND GETS ME THROUGH THE MORNING.

MIX THE FOLLOWING IN A SMALL SAUCE PAN:
1/4 CUP MIGHTY TASTY GF HOT CEREAL
3/4 C + 2 T WATER
1/2 PEELED APPLE, CHOPPED SMALL
A PINCH OF CINNAMON
A PINCH OF SALT

HEAT TO BOILING, THEN TURN DOWN TO VERY LOW HEAT, COVER AND COOK FOR 4 MINUTES.
TURN HEAT OFF, STIR, AND LET SIT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES.

WHILE CEREAL IS COOKING, TOAST THE FOLLOWING IN A DRY FRYING PAN:
A FEW BROKEN WALNUTS
1T SHREDDED COCONUT

WHEN THE CEREAL IS DONE, TOP WITH COCONUT & WALNUTS. ADD 1T REAL NEW ENGLAND MAPLE SYRUP.

YUM!

Travelers

More Extra Large Fungi!

Look Up!

A LITTLE PINK PUFF FLOATED BY . . .

Down & Up

THERE IS NOTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD QUITE LIKE OCTOBER IN NEW ENGLAND. LOOKING DOWN . . . LOOKING UP . . . IT'S ALL MAGIC!

Autumn Morning Mist

THE MORNINGS ARE COLD NOW - SOMETIMES IN THE 30s, BUT THE POND WATER IS STILL WARM. I SEE THIS LOVELY SIGHT ON THE CHILLIEST MORNINGS ON MY WAY TO WORK.
THIS AFTERNOON I'LL BE OFF TO SKY LAKE LODGE IN THE BEAUTIFUL MID-HUDSON VALLEY FOR A WEEKEND PROGRAM. I'LL POST FROM THERE IF I CAN. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE COLUMBUS DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND!

Paradise City

ANANDA WILL BE SHOWING HER WORK AT THE PARADISE CITY ARTS FESTIVAL IN NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS THIS WEEKEND, FROM SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. STOP BY AND SAY HELLO!

Farm Drive By

COOK FARM IN HADLEY IS BEAUTIFUL - AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE CAFE WITH LIGHT MEALS AND THEIR OWN ICE CREAM! I WASN'T HUNGRY THIS TIME, BUT NEXT TIME I VISIT I'LL TRY THE ICE CREAM. I NOTICED A SHELF FULL OF GLUTEN FREE ITEMS IN THE CORNER BY THE DOOR: BREAD MIX, BISCOTTI, AND WAFFLE ICE CREAM CONES! THAT WAS QUITE A SURPRISE.

Express Yourself

SLOW . . . ONE SIDE . . .

SLOW . . . THE OTHER SIDE!

THE KINDNESS SIDE . . .

AND THE PEACE SIDE.

I WENT OUT AIMLESSLY EXPLORING, AND I FOUND THESE WONDERFUL HOMEMADE SIGNS. I'M GOING TO LOOK FOR MORE.

CLICK HERE TO READ A BLOG POST FROM KARINA OVER AT EL BESO. KARINA LIVES IN ARGENTINA, WHICH HAD ITS OWN DEEP ECONOMIC CRISIS IN 2001. SHE DESCRIBES THE THINGS SHE DID TO ENJOY LIFE WITH LIMITED MEANS - CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN ALL DO - AT ANY TIME - WHETHER WE ARE FLUSH, OR BROKE. I FOUND EL BESO THROUGH 36 SHEA, WHOSE PHOTOS WERE USED TO ILLUSTRATE A FEW OF THE "REMEDIES."

E for Effort

I'VE NEVER BEEN A BAKER OF FANCY DESSERTS. THE HUMBLE COBBLER WAS ALWAYS A FAVORITE. IT'S SO EASY TO MAKE, AND HAS WHAT I REALLY WANT: BUTTERY CRUST AND SWEET, COOKED FRUIT.

HOWEVER . . .

THIS IS MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT ONE MADE WITHOUT WHEAT FLOUR. IT LOOKS GOOD, IT SMELLS GREAT, BUT IT LEAVES A FEW THINGS TO BE DESIRED. I'VE BEEN INSPIRED BY GLUTEN FREE GIRL TO EXPERIMENT - AND I CAN SEE THAT IT WILL TAKE SOME MORE EFFORT TO MAKE A COBBLER THAT MY GLUTEN-EATING FRIENDS WILL SHARE WITH ME WITHOUT HAVING TO BE POLITE WHEN THEY TASTE IT. THIS ONE ISN'T BAD - IN FACT I HAD TO RESIST A SECOND HELPING! BUT I'M GOING TO WORK ON IT. WHEN I COME UP WITH A SATISFACTORY RECIPE, YOU'LL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW! I'D BETTER KEEP GOING TO THE GYM WHILE I EXPERIMENT!

Warm Applesauce Breakfast

I ONCE HEARD OF AN APPLE PEELING CONTEST - THE WINNER PEELED THE MOST APPLES - AND EACH ONE HAD TO BE THOROUGHLY PEELED WITH A SINGLE, CONTINUOUS SPIRAL OF SKIN. I CAN'T HELP TRYING TO DO THAT NOW, WHENEVER I'M PEELING APPLES. IT'S NOT AS EASY AS YOU MIGHT THINK!

CHOPPED APPLES, A LITTLE BROWN SUGAR AND CINNAMON, AND A SPLASH OF WATER . . .

COOK IT UP 'TIL IT'S BUBBLY AND SOFT. . .

ADD SOME GREEK YOGURT . . .

IT'S THE BEST SUNDAY BREAKFAST AFTER A SATURDAY NIGHT PARTY, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN! :-)

It's Really Fall

HERE'S ANOTHER LOVELY BLOG LINK: CLICK HERE TO SEE "MY POLAROID BLOG," FOUND VIA 36 SHEA.

Humungous Fungus II

HERE IS THE SAME MUSHROOM SEEN IN THE PREVIOUS POST. IT HAS MATURED INTO FULL TOAD STOOL-HOOD!
TODAY I DISCOVERED ANOTHER WONDERFUL BLOG CALLED "36 SHEA." YOU CAN GET THERE BY CLICKING HERE.