Hogwarts Halloween Celebration

Halloween Morning Magic

We are preparing for a mystical night of Harry Potter magic in our Halloween themed Hogwarts School for Witches and Wizzardry! EEK!!!

Pumpkin Carving fun!

Meet Moaning Myrtle- a permanent ghostly resident of Hogwarts

Out neighbors have little ghosts like this one floating about their front yard

More to come...

Holiday Shape-Up

The holidays are here again and with it comes all the wonderful sweet and savory aromas, gifts of candies and breads, dinner parties and festivities. I believe I would like to begin my New Year's Resolution of losing weight, EARLY! Every other holiday butts ahead in line. Why not New Years? Ha! We all dread the after holiday weight gain. Why not reverse the trend to the after holiday weight loss!

What I need right now is a plan of action. Time to take advantage of my ever-growing Pinterest Board: Shape Up!

Plan of Action

Lately I have become more and more inactive and it shows. So exercise is definitely at the top of my list. Taking a few tips from Skinny Mom article on 23 top trainers tips, I decided to first;

Exercise first thing in the morning. I found some great inspiration for "Waking Up Early to Exercise" on You+Me=Fit.

I decided since I am not in really good shape and am in my late forties, I will begin my exercise with my favorite Youtube yoga coach, "Yoga With Adrien." I will shoot for a minimum of 15 minutes of yoga. Then I will do at least 15 extra minutes of exercise. I made a list to choose from: 

• Walk/run; jump rope; jumping jacks;  
• Lower belly exercises 
• Tush and thighs exercises 
• Chin exercises 
• Tiny arms exercises 
• Beginners Zumba

Next I think the other wise tips given, were to focus on feeling good, rather than on how I look, and to make sure I take time to meditate at least 10 minutes every day.

Then of course a nutrition plan will be vital. I decided to;

• Substitute at least one meal a day with a fully raw greensmoothie.
• Eat at least one large green salad a day
• Eat at least one piece of fruit a day
• Eat less
• Take vitamins
• Drink a pitcher of Day Apple cinnamon water , or other fruit infused water, each day
• Take 1 Tbs Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar each day

Lastly, 

I will endeavor wherever I can to make fun, exciting, healthy holiday eating choices. When ever and wherever possible I will cut sugar and fat, substitute healthier ingredients and keep it fresh!

And that's the grand-plan. Now the trick is carrying it through . . . wish me luck!!!

Green Apple Smoothie

Starting the day off with the right ingredients!

To your Vitamix (or other high powered blender) add:

1-1/2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

1 medium green apple cut in eighths, seeds discarded

1 stalk of celery, cut up

1 piece fresh ginger root, thumb-tip size 

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks

Stevia to taste (I added about 1 Tbs of dried stevia leaves. If you use a powder or drop you only need a tiny pinch)

1/2 cup of ice 

1 cup of water or more if needed

I scant Tbls Erin's Super Green Drink Mix (optional, but highly recommended for optimal health)

blend till smooth and enjoy!

Apple Hill

Ahhhhh.... smell the air; So sweet and spicy you don't even have to eat. Your nose is feasting on the aromas. And they sell the best dang apple pies I've ever tasted! Apple pies, apple doughnuts, fresh pressed, apple cider; Fudge and candies; BBQ's and music; Crafts and activities; Apple orchards, vineyards, pumpkin patches and Christmas tree farms. One can never get enough of Apple Hill.

Veggie Spring Rolls

One of my fave's for lunch- Veggie Spring Rolls. Takes an ordinary salad up a  few notches. Same ingredients, wrapped in rice paper, dipped in sweet chili sauce (I use the Trader Joes brand)

You can purchase them pre-made at most major supermarket delis, but I prefer to make my own. It really only takes 5-10 minutes tops. You just need a large leaf lettuce such as butter leaf. Then you need round rice papers. This is what I use: The packaging keeps them from breaking.

Cut up the veggies you want to put in your roll. Today I used  avocado, cucumbers  bell peppers, radishes,  cauliflower and shredded carrot. So yummy!

Here are a couple links for more recipes and instructions. But don't get boxed in; Fill these babies with whatever makes your body sing with happiness!

Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Cold Spring Rolls)

Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls

Happy Fall

Well it's here . . .

Beautiful, golden, warm, cozy, colorful, rapturous FALL! 
Pumpkins and apples 
Smells of sweet candies
Bluest of skies filled with large puffy white clouds
Smokey chimneys curling up into rain-dampened air
Mugs of hot coffees and cocoas and mochas
Craft fairs, petting zoos, children and baby coos
Red, orange, yellow and brown leaves rain from the trees
Ghostly magic whirls around in the breeze
Orange sunsets, full moons, crisp nights, chilly mornings 
Bowls of steaming hot soup shared with family and friends
Oh the wonder of Fall is here once again!

End of Summer Walk

Time to leave the homestead for a bit...

My dog and I went out for a long needed afternoon walk...

Along the quiet country road stretch out in front of our house;

Beneath blue and billowy skies...

I am reminded, "There is never nothing going on;

There are no ordinary moments" ... 

And that, "It's the journey that gives us happiness, 

not the destination"  ...

And I realize that home is not a place, but a perspective. Home is where you are loved, respected and valued, first of yourself, and then of those who dwell with you. Home is where you rest assured!

Goodbye Weight of the World

Maybe it's a little bit of rebellion bubbling up from deep within; Maybe it is a little bit of midlife crisis- taking those scissors to my hair and removing about a third, and then a little more, and then just a little bit more! With each round of cutting I feel more courageous; I feel like I am ready to take that next mountain.

As I sweep up the locks tussled about the bathroom, a certain sort of mischievous smile creeps over my face. I dump them in the trash and stare down at the hair I had loathed to part with for so many years- years that began when I rushed with excitement to my aunts barber chair the first time she gave me a short haircut; How her and my mom gleefully exclaimed over me afterwards. But it wasn't to last. My daddy was furious and said I looked like a boy, and that nobody asked him if it was okay. Suddenly, my hair was not my own. It belonged to someone else- someone I loved and looked up to. And the scissors that had trespassed through my silky blonde mane, had displeased and angered him. Then there were the laughs and jeers in my first grade class; The beehive my mom had so proudly arranged the new cut into for my school pictures apparently wasn't so hip after all. Suddenly haircuts were dangerous. From then on I knew, never EVER cut my hair short- that's for boys. But at least I could curl it and style it and make it look pretty; until I was told that someone else did not approve. Someone even more powerful than my dad. Someone else I had learned to love and look up to. My hair did not belong to me-nor did anything else I had. God owned it and he greatly disproved of me cutting or even spending much time styling it. No, I must be careful not to look like the rest of the world. To mess with my hair was all the more dangerous now for it could lead me right to hell's eternal fire.

My eyes were now riveted on that pile of brown hair. I didn't feel the danger. I didn't feel the scorn. Rather, I felt so light and free . . . as if the weight of eternity had just been cut away.

Ketchup and Fries

A batch of homemade ketchup . . .

Called for some oven baked fries. . . 

Lacto-Fermented Pickles- Garden Fresh!

Salty, crunchy, slightly tart and spicy goodness; These Lacto-fermented pickles are so yummy! I used the recipe The Herbangardener's blog, making a few changes in the spices. I used grape leaves from our vine and distilled water. I have not tasted a better deli-pickle!