~ The Warmth of Orange ~

As we enter fall, summer is not quite behind us yet. So a perfect transitional color from summer to autumn is orange. Deep shades of brick, medium tones of pumpkin spice, and pastel shades of melon all have a place in our homes from now through the end of November.

Enjoy!

~ First Field Trip of the Year ~

Well, Ella had her first field trip of the year! Mrs. B's class went to the Environmental Discovery Center of Sonoma County... They had a blast learning about Habitats & Homes!

They got to touch live tidepool sea creatures, explore atop the tree fort, see stages of a butterfly’s lifecycle, play in the redwood puppet theater , make eco-art and much more!!

Ella did a great job of using her finely tuned acting skills to play an "EGG"

Bella joined her in the production of "Lifecylces of a Salamander" wowing us with her performance of a newly hatched larva! Great Job Girls!!!

Here's my little egg!!! All in all it was a great day enjoying the outdoors!

~ SPELLBINDING ~

No Words!

Just fun black and white Halloween Decor to drool over...

~ Applesauce Donuts ~

It's apple harvest time here, which makes me want to spend all day in the kitchen, tinkering away on possible recipes. These donuts were a recent creation that my family fell in love with right away. Imagine a cake donut, but tastier, with the added moisture of applesauce and a deliciously spicy flavor.

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 Tablespoons sour cream
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 1/4 cups flour

Combine sugar, applesauce, sour cream, and butter together in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in beaten eggs, until all combined. Add all remaining ingredients, and stir until mixture is completely combined. (The mixture will be thick). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Remove dough from refrigerator and turn out onto a really well floured counter. Roll out dough to 1/2" thick and cut into donut-sized circles, with a hole in the center. (Since I don't have a donut cutter, I used a circle cookie cutter, and for the center - the bottom of a large pastry decorating tip.)
Fill a saucepan with vegetable oil or shortening and heat over medium-high heat until oil is hot for deep frying. Cook 1-2 donuts at a time, depending on the size of the pan, turning once the bottoms are deeply golden browned. Once both sides are browned, remove from oil, and drain on a cooling rack, with paper towels underneath. Once donuts are slightly cooled, dredge each in the Cinnamon/Sugar coating. (recipe below).

Cinnamon/Sugar Coating
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Makes approximately 20 donuts.

Recipe is from this great blog “The Farm Chicks”

~ How to Gild a Pumpkin ~

Follow these five steps to create beautiful gilded pumpkins

Step 1 For real or faux pumpkins, be sure surface is clean and dry. Wearing gloves, apply base coat with a paintbrush to seal the surface. Let dry for 30 to 60 minutes.

Step 2 Position stickers on pumpkin, then apply "sticky size" over entire surface, including stickers. Leave until it's clear and tacky, 10 to 20 minutes. Step 3 Apply gold and silver leaf. Broken pieces of metal leaf, called Schaibin, lie easily on the pumpkin for a beautiful finish. With a soft cloth, smooth leaf onto surface to fill in gaps. Keep excess leaf for the next project. Step 4 Carefully pull off stickers using tweezers

Step 5 Apply toner with a paintbrush. Using a soft cloth, wipe away the toner to achieve the desired color. Leave the toner darker around the stem or in crevices for a more dramatic effect.

THE END RESULT!

~ Reasons to love Fall ~

Picking apples...

Fall picnics... Homemade soup...

Playing in the leaves...

Staying warm...

Just a few reasons that I love Fall!

Fall Treats...

Autumn's arrival inspires a return to the comforts of cooking and baking. The warmth and aromas wafting from the oven draw family to the kitchen, a reward to savor long after the last slice of cake is gone.

I think I'm hungry now!