Friday Farm Favorites: Christmas Memories
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” –Charles Dickens
Fall Favorites: Spiced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
With the arrival of fall, thoughts turn to cool, crisp mornings, fields full of pumpkins, the smell of a crackling fire, and the taste of hot apple cider. This time of year often causes us to reflect on happy times. I always find it interesting how our senses ignite memories. Memories that take us back to a single, meaningful experience. The senses of smell and taste, in particular, tend to evoke the strongest memories for me. The smells of freshly cut hay and buckets of Dad’s ripened tomatoes, or the taste of Mom’s homemade Thanksgiving dressing. These smells and tastes take me right back to my childhood. It’s such a visceral experience. I think that’s one reason we enjoy the seasonal routines of planting gardens, visiting a pumpkin patch, or preparing and eating a holiday feast. The sights, smells and tastes associated with these activities bring back a familiar comfort. So, here’s the thing. With the many signs of fall, including pumpkins appearing at the local farmers’ market, I remembered one of my favorite recipes: Spiced pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. I hope you’ll try this recipe and maybe even add it to your fall favorites. Enjoy! Spiced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: *Use organic ingredients when possible Ingredients: 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice 1 tablespoon curry 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt *************** 2 […]
Waiting for Spring
It’s been so warm and sunny here lately that daffodils are blooming and the pastures are turning from dull brown to vibrant green. So, this past weekend, Farmguy and I decided it was a good time to gather our sheep to administer their yearly vaccines and attend to other routine care practices like trimming hooves and de-worming. After we finished, […]
Remember To Breathe
‘Tis the season…for lots of continuing education, especially if you’re a speech and language pathologist AND a procrastinator–like me. Every year, I say, “This time, I’m going to complete my continuing education hours throughout the year, not crammed into the last two months of it.” And, every year, I lie. This coming Wednesday will be my third course since the beginning of November. And, I’m sure it will take at least ten more months before I’m even able to think about signing up for another class. Sigh. Last week, I attended a course called, Effective Strategies, Interventions and Resources for Autism, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder (Sometimes, I think they all have this title). Most of us are fairly aware of ADHD and autism (ASD), especially since ASD has become the number one childhood developmental disorder. However, you may not be as familiar with Sensory Processing Disorder. A condition that exists when sensory signals (information from our six senses) don’t get organized into appropriate responses due to the central nervous system not working properly. When this happens, various environmental stimuli may cause a person to feel overwhelmed, stressed, or frightened. Often, this is when children with one or more of these diagnoses may shutdown or meltdown. Anyway, it was a very interesting and valuable class, and I learned lots. Towards the end of the day, the instructor shared a number of resources to use with children to address their stress and frustration […]
The Weekly Bleat: Waiting for Spring
I really don’t know if I can take one. more. day. of winter. As I sit here writing, rain is sprinkling against the windows. It’s solid gray outside, and the ground is so soggy due to snow and rain that water squishes around my boots when I walk to the barn and chicken coop. The yard is like a marsh […]
Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips
I hope you will take a few minutes to read this informative post from the FACE Foundation. It offers some great tips for keeping your pets safe over the holidays. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Olive Oil Gelato: An Easy and Elegant Dessert for the Holidays
In Italy, gelato is sometimes served with a drizzle of olive oil on top and then a sprinkling of sea salt. It’s a surprising combination: the creamy vanilla gelato accented by the best quality olive oil and the savory enhancement of good sea salt. I first learned of this wonderful combination of ingredients from some friends who had just returned […]
Christmas Memories
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” –Charles Dickens “Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.” –Laura Ingalls Wilder I love this time of year–beautiful music, snow, twinkling lights, festive decorations […]
Fall Favorites: Spiced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
With the arrival of fall, my thoughts turn to cool, crisp mornings, fields full of pumpkins, the smell of a crackling fire and the taste of hot apple cider. This time of year often causes us to reflect on happy times. It’s always interesting to me how our senses ignite memories. Memories that take us back to a single, meaningful […]
