Pumpkin + Orange = Yum

t

So ... take your pick. You can have a lovely, albeit fake pumpkin ...

Or some honest-to-goodness Pumpkin Bread.

This is the recipe I used to make the latter. It. Was. Yum.

Libby's Pumpkin Cranberry Bread (printed from Cooks.com)

3 C flour
1 T + 2 t pumpkin pie spice
2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
3 C granulated sugar (you could possibly reduce that a smidge)
1 15 ounce can LIBBY's pure pumpkin
4 large eggs
1 C vegetable oil
1/2 C orange juice
1 C Craisins

Preheat over to 350. Grease and flour two 9X5 inch loaf pans.

Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and juice in large mixer bowl; beat unti just blended Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in craisins. Spoon batter into pans.

Bake for 60-65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to racks to cool completely.

Have a delicious Thanksgiving!

The Pleasantest Thing

"Oh ... how I love to go up in a swing,

Up in the air so blue.

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing,

Ever a child can do."

With thanks to Robert Louis Stevenson and four of the most joyful faces on the planet.

No Tricks, Only Treats

So ... this is the last of the Halloween celebrating I plan to do this year. Here are the Grandkids Five in all of their costume glory. I did have the privilege of accompanying the Race Car Driver and the USC Cheerleader to a Trunk or Treat and witnessed their glee over the fact that people were just randomly handing them candy.

I didn't get to see the Ballerinas in actions however I heard all about it. They are SO excited to be settled into their home in the Northwest. However on Halloween night they had some serious coats on over their costumes, so I chose to show you these pictures where they were first trying out/on their costumes.

Oh boy do I love these guys.

Spooky: The Sequel

So ... just when you thought that the spooky creepiness of Halloween was over ... think again. I woke up to this eerie blanket of fog this morning. Loved every minute of it.

I came home from my walk and was greeted by these guys. They are actually my close personal friends and these homes and their orange residents are rampant where I live. My Bug Man assures me that they are not only harmless, but helpful.

Not so much in the creepy category are the Granddogs, all decked out in their Halloween regalia. Asher went as a (very large) pumpkin and ...

Morrissey went as a bumblebee. I sure do love these guys.

Also left over from Halloween? Candy. Since my home is not easily accessible from the street, I only had one group of trick-or-treaters. I was so excited when they came to my door that I am sure they left thinking I was the creepy one.

Anyone for some Mike 'n Ikes??