The Danbo Brothers were beside themselves with delight when they finally lit up the Great Big Pumpkins (which took them an entire day to carve). And so was I. Moonlight Mouse even made a cameo appearance for the occasion and much laughter ensued!
Happy Halloween from the Danbo Brothers, Moonlight Mouse and me!
The Great Big Pumpkin ProjectThe Danbo Brothers have been spending their days outdoors since the leaves started to turn several weeks ago so I haven’t seen much of them lately. But yesterday morning they turned up again, this time with a smiling delivery man in tow carrying a heavy box which he deposited on my kitchen table. He unloaded several large pumpkins, bid the Danbos a cheery goodbye and quickly departed.
The two brothers spent the whole of the morning meticulously inspecting each pumpkin, making notes, scratching cryptic sketches in a small notebook and whispering back and forth to each other. I love the way they focus so single-mindedly upon the task at hand.
Apple DreamsThe spoils of the autumn harvest are overflowing the stalls of our local farmers market like a giant cornucopia: cabbages, kohlrabi, kale, all varieties of winter squash, pumpkins, beets, parsnips, carrots, onions, potatoes, cauliflowers, brussel sprouts, broccoli and cases of Roma tomatoes. But, while I love all of those veggies, it’s the apples and pears arriving directly from the orchards of British Columbia that excite me most.
Although apples keep incredibly well all winter, harvest time is the best time to eat an apple. There is no better tasting apple than one which has been recently picked from the sprawling, cradling arms of the apple tree, one still fresh with memories—memories of singing in the spring rain, of greeting the fiery dawn, of snoozing contentedly in the dappled summer afternoon sunlight to the humming of happy bees, of basking in the magical starry light of the Milky Way, dreaming sweet apple dreams. Newly harvested apples are loaded with such sweet memories, vivid memories not yet faded—memories they will generously convey to anyone who is ready to receive them.
“Cooking is at once child’s play and adult joy.
And cooking done with care is an act of love.”~ Craig Claiborne
If you’re as crazy about anything with almond paste in it as I am, then this Almond Cake is definitely the cake for you. This dense, extremely moist cake is to-die-for delicious and it’s super easy to make. I’ve baked this cake many times and it has turned out perfectly every time. While I’m normally not attracted to cakes, especially frosted cakes, I’m nuts about this cake—the first morsel always makes me swoon.
The Danbo Brothers are independent and active little fellows and I quite enjoy having them around. They come and go of their own accord and I often don’t see or hear from them for days. Since the leaves started to turn, I haven’t seen much of them at all. I caught sight of them the other morning on their way out and, while I normally don’t like to pry, I couldn’t contain my curiosity about what they’ve been up to, so I asked them. They happily informed me that they’ve been spending their days ambling through the woods, watching the trees turn and crunching through piles of autumn leaves. It seems to delight them no end. I know what they mean—I love it too. For me, walking through autumn leaves in fall has the same magnetic appeal as puddle jumping in spring.
A Tasty Little Snack
These no fat, low sugar biscotti are one of my favourite little snacks. They go great with coffee or tea. While I love to bake, I’m not usually attracted to overly sweet things, so these cookies are the perfect little treat for when I do feel like something just a little sweetish. There is no butter or oil in these traditional Italian cookies. Biscotti—so named because they are “twice cooked”—are easy and fun to make and they store well in an airtight container for up to a month at room temperature (though I doubt that they’ll last you as long as that). Continue reading
When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady.
But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still,
and the yogi achieves long life.
Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.~ Svatmarama; The Hatha Yoga Pradipika
I was totally smitten with yoga after taking my very first class many, many moons ago, and I’ve been a regular practitioner ever since. I loved it so much, I became a certified yoga teacher and taught for a few years. I haven’t taught for a long time now, but yoga will always be part of my daily life.
Most people think of yoga as simply stretching exercises, but the true practice of yoga is so much more than that. While the physical yoga postures make up what most people call yoga, pranayama, or breath work, is as important and as beneficial to any yoga practice as the yoga poses.
While breath work is a big part of yoga, it is not unique to yoga practice. Historically, many cultures and disciplines have recognized the value of the breath as the interface between the body and the spirit and many have integrated the concept into the language and fabric of their cultures.
In autumn, a wonderful alchemy magically turns the green fields of the Canadian prairies to gold. One of my favourite sights as I drive across the land in autumn are the golden fields in various stages of harvest, stretched out as far as the eye can see in every direction, all the way to the horizon. Continue reading
“October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came —
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.”~ George Cooper
madlyinlovewithlife 