Gray Days

On gray days like today all I want to do is curl up under a big blanket and read a book.  Here is a list of some of my favorites.

1. Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher by Lewis Thomas 
2. Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'engle
3. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
4. Dinotopia By James Gurney
5. Material World: A Global Family Portrait  by Peter Menzel, Charles C. Mann and Paul Kennedy
6. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 
7. The Giver by Lois Lowry 
8. The Elegant Universe by Brian Green
9. The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling 
10. The Audubon Field Guides  

Nothing beats a cup of hot tea on a cold day, especially when it is in an Anne of Green Gables souvenir mug. 

Happy Reading,
EM

Favorite Place on Earth

Over the Christmas vacation I was able to go down to Florida to visit my grandparents and extended family.  Aside from the people who I love being there, Florida is not one of my favorite places to be.  However, patch of wetlands that spans South Florida is.  The Everglades is absolutely amazing.  Below are a few highlights from the trip.

We hiked Loxahatchee, Green Kay, and Wakodahatchee preserves.

The boardwalk through the cypress swamp tail.  

A very friendly butterfly who was kind enough to pose for pictures.

Alligator!

Happy Hiking,

EM

EM+IPod=BFF

I decided that my IPod needed a little something to make it pretty, so I made a friendship bracelet around the ear buds cords.  It is all set for the winter with its earbud sweater, it looks cute, and the cords never tangle anymore.  Love it.  

Trick or Treat or Time Warp

The first of the three Halloween traditions started when I was four years old.  My mother asked me what she should cook for dinner on Halloween night and I said, "Fish!"  From that day forward we have had fish every Halloween.  The second tradition was started by my father.  Each year he leaves out a few pieces of candy on the porch for the midnight trick-or-treater.  Something like leaving cookies out for Santa.  The third tradition is a new one that I started tonight.  Watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and singing, and dancing.  So, whatever your traditions are on this all hallows eve, may it be a happy one.    

ABC (Apples, Beer, and Cookies)

It may be snowing already, however I am still determined to check things off my fall to do list.  Here are a few things that I have done so far, followed by the to do list:

Apple Picking
Apple picking, apple cider, and apple cider donuts.  I have to admit as much as I love apples and apple picking I go for the donuts...and not even really to eat them, just to be pleasantly overwhelmed by the delicious smell of the donuts. ahh...

Pumpkin Ale Tasting 
Nine different beers, blind taste test, one winner.  My favorite was the Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout from Cape Ann Brewing Company.  I kind of want to try making a chocolate stout cake with it because I think it would be amazing....maybe I will add that to my fall to do list.

Harvest Moon Cookies
Every year my mom makes delicious decorated sugar cookies to enjoy well watching the harvest moon rise. We take a walk while enjoying the moon and then grab a seat on the porch and chow down.

The Fall To Do List:
1) Make an apple pie
2) Consume at least 5 different pumpkin flavored things
3) Make pumpkin seeds
4) Collect some colorful leaves and press them
5) Make an interesting sweet potato dish
6) Make a Halloween Costume (Bugs Bunny)
7) Hand out candy on Halloween
8) Decorate the house for fall
9) Plant mums
10) Put up the bird feeder

Happy Fall!
EM

The Fair Is A Veritable Smorgasbord

This week we took a trip out to the New York State Fair in Syracuse.  Here are some highlights from the trip (mostly of the amazing food we consumed):

Started the day out with Hawaiian Shaved Ice.  When I would work at the state fair with 4-H I would live off these things.  The best on a hot day. 

Chocolate milk from the Rainbow Milk Bar.  Yum.

Welcome to the Pigeon Department.

There were over 100,000 people at the fair that day.  

Lastly we grabbed some fried dough on the way out, even if we had deep fried Oreos on the way in.   So much goodness.  

Great way to end the summer.
EM

Double Morning Glory

I was over at my parents house and I spotted this double morning glory.  Just beautiful.