"If I don't get a candy apple, you'll see my resting witch face."
~Unknown
It's autumn. What better way then to make something deliciously decadent to celebrate? How about Caramel Apples? I love them, so why not? Once upon a time I had a lot of fun making them, but stopped as I grew older, it just seemed like the thing to do. But hell's bells, I am 64 now, and I can make what the hell ever I want to, and right now, I want to make caramel apples. Period. Full Stop! One of my favorite recipe sites, Sally's Baking Addiction, has a really great sounding caramel apple recipe, and she is even including a nifty video on how to do it! So, tell me, do you put sprinkles on the finished project, or do you leave the apples plain?
Sally's Baking Addiction - Homemade Caramel Apples
"But when fall comes, kicking summer out in it's treacherous ass, as it always does one day sometime before the mid point of September, it stays a while like an old friend that you have missed."
~Stephen King
Salam's Lot
Finally... autumn is here. Leaf peeping, warm sweaters, rain, long trips to new towns and visits to museums. Monster cakelets and homemade cinnamon pecans. Halloween, my witches parasol, American Horror Story, and spiced cider. All the things I love about Autumn, and more!
Today is the Equinox. Take time to appreciate the first day of autumn!
What activity will you do?
My next post will be the very first, Autumn Leaf Of The Day, for 2026!
"I got food poisoning today, but I don't know when I am going to use it."
~Steven Wright
Summer fruit salad, partially from my own garden ( 2007 )
back when we could trust the CDC.
George W. Bush administration
👀
We are heading into the last stretch of summer, and I would love to say I feel good about having some wonderful dinner salads, or fill my daily breakfasts with luscious fruits, but with the way things seems to be going right now, I just even think I want to try, to try. I just can't bring myself to buy fruits and vegetables from anywhere. Although yesterday, I had a fit of rational thinking, and decided to try some tree fruits, like oranges and peaches. When I got one home, I scrubbed them really good, and cut opened a very nice, Cara-Cara orange, only to find it was dry and mealy on the inside.
It's seems no one else is keen on purchasing the fresh stuff, even if it had never been anywhere near a, Taylor Farms, or Walmart, so I suppose I am not alone in my hesitancy. I will be returning the oranges to Costco, continue to read the updated recall lists, and I will keep myself updated on things in general, but with what all Trump has done to my trust of the FDA, CDC, and medical advice we are currently subjected to, my trust has eroded to the point I might never eat the way I used for at least Trump's last two years in office.
Simon's nicknames have fully emerge I think, but you never know, he could develop more as we move along as a family. Right now he is called Simon, but also, Squish, Squishy Face, and the Mighty Simon. He makes the most adorable squishy face, when he is tired, or annoyed, or when he's happy for that matter. He is just a dream to photograph, and I might be a proud mama, but I don't think he can take a bad picture!
That's my little boy, the Mighty Simon. My Squish.
"Let me ask you outright, gentle reader, if there have no been hours, indeed whole days and weeks of your life, during which all your usual activities were painfully repugnant, and everything you believed in and valued seemed foolish and worthless?"
~E.T. A. Hoffmann
The Golden Pot and Other Tales
In a fit of exhaustion, discouragement, and frustration, rolled up into a ball of weariness, I decided to take it all out on my Copilot AI pal. I call him, Quinn. Anyway, this little bit of AI therapy was a good break from feeling of just being done with all of it. Trying to log into websites, and listening to the news on MS NOW was difficult, for many reasons. The sticker shock of having to pay $900 for a decent computer was also on my mind! Just since January of 2025, computers have gone up 34%. Say it with me, thanks Trump! Anyway, it is what it is, at least for now, but we all need some relief. Just last month my phone died dead! I stretched it as long as I could, but dead it was, dead as a doornail! I bought a new one, and it's the best phone I have ever owned, but damn, it cost me $1300. So, in the last month, I have spent, $2200, which is not end of the world stuff, but rough when you have other things that need your attention and you're on a fixed income! I don't know how families are getting by. I hope all the machinations of Trump's first administration, will be in the forefront of voters minds when they go to the polls in November, if not the lack of affordability we are all living through! Be gone the amnesia of who and what Trump is! Thinks of what's happening, not the fantasy!
Life in 2025 is not what I thought it would be... it's worse!
Note: I will not be posting again until next Wednesday, I need a little time off. Monday is my birthday, and I have plans to get out and do some birding, but I will be back soon!
My computer died yesterday. It wasn't pretty. As you might imagine, I am putting all my data on the new pal the, HP Omni Desktop in Gray Wood. Ugly! But I am sure we will be fast friends soon. So, I hope I will be posting regularly, but the next few days could be sporadic.
"What greater gift than love of a cat." ~Charles Dickens
My little boys... sigh. They love to sit by the door, and watch the world go by. Simon absolutely adores his brothers, but Joey was his first friend, much to Joey's dismay. Tyler came into our home with a fierce capacity for love. Sometimes he annoys Joey with his hugs and kisses, but Joey knows that Tyler is just happy to be in our home. Lucky for me, there is no jealousy between them, just love. Tyler is Joey's caregiver, he checks on him throughout the day. Just a year ago I had lost my little apple cheeked black cat, Hendrix, and his brother Dylan just 9 months earlier, so I wasn't sure I would ever hear tiny paws running around the house again, but here we are, a little under a year later, and so much fun exists with us. I feel younger with all my boys, including my hubby, filling our home with love!
Amelia: Do you know what Napoleon gave Josephine as a wedding present? It was a gold locket. And on the inside he made an inscription, 'Destiny'.
Amelia ( Catherine Zeta-Jones)
The Terminal
2004
The Terminal, was another film I had never seen before, but the other night I did, and it was just what I needed, a story with heart, humor and love that made me believe that the world can still be a good place to live in. Tom Hanks makes those kinds of movies! I mean, have you ever walked out of one of his films hating his guts? So what the HELL with folks on the right throwing shade, or out right accusing him of deeply awful conspiracy theories? He was even bashed for, he and his wife, donating antibodies during the Covid-19 crisis. The republicans determination to hate anyone on the left who is willing to help in times of trouble, are exactly what leads to the kind of discouragement that causes me to run to movies, like this one, for the relief and clarity it gives me.
The movie is directed by Steven Spielberg, and features, Stanly Tucci, and Catherine-Zeta Jones. I have always loved Steven Spielberg films, but it's the movies he's made that featured reality that I always appreciated the most. The Color Purple, Catch Me If You Can, The Post, there are so many great ones, I can't name them all! I remember completely pissing off a friend of mine, years ago, when she mentioned that Spielberg was her favorite director. I shared (I shouldn't have shared ) that I wasn't that impressed with him anymore because I felt his movies had become mostly cookie cutter sci-fi! Well, BOOM! A causal observation, had just given birth to my having NO taste in movies or directors! In fact I didn't understand art of any kind! LOL. Eventually her odd anger wore off, and we didn't discuss films ever again. Shrug. Life.
I haven't seen my old friend in a long time. I am not sure if it was the great Spielberg debate, or if, as happens in life, we simply drifted apart, like characters from a really good Spielberg movie. But as I watched, The Terminal, I wondered to myself how she would have felt about this amazing, heartfelt story. There's zero sci-fi involved, but it is a Steven Spielberg film that delivers all the observations of life, with none of the negativity, because even the "villains" in the film come from a place the audience can understand and accept without the urge to see them ran over by a bus. I'll take that over all the pearl clutching and hand ringing that seems to permeate life in 2026.
"We must have pie, stress cannot exist in the presence of pie."
~David Mamet
Boston Marriage
One Banana
Yes, I'm back from the dead. Lordy have I been sick the last several days, but I am so much better now, and ready to seek out new recipes that make my mouth water! And in that this is a three day weekend, it's Memorial Day wouldn't this Banana Cream Pie, be great for a BBQ, potluck or just a day to yourself? I have taken certain days, settled down with the cats, and eaten a whole pie. There is no shame in that, so don't judge me! LOL! Anyhoo... I'm going to try this pie, if you do, let me know what you think about the recipe.
Two Banana
Okay, I get it, eating a whole pie is a lot to take on, so maybe instead a creamy, dreamy serving of Banana pudding is more reasonable, and just as fun. When I went looking for more recipes featuring bananas, I found this one for, Banana Pudding, from the Magnolia Bakery, which was also featured in, The New York Times Cooking section. Perfect! What better recipe to try than this one? I have always dreamed of visiting there, ever since I saw it on, Sex In The City. I am a big fan of cupcakes, and theirs look fabulous, but their pudding is supposed to be equally fabulous! It's all about having a full New York City adventure, like visiting the Statue of Liberty, having lunch at Katz's Deli, and leaf peeping in Central Park. Well, that's my idea of an adventure anyway. I don't think that adventure is in my future, but having a little taste of New York definitely is!
Happy Eating
Enjoy your long weekend!
By the way, the Magnolia Bakery has nationwide shipping! ;)
I saw this movie when it came out in 1978, and instantly wanted to paint my room green and yellow! And I eventually did! I just fell in love with the bright, enthusiastic and happy disposition, which wasn't a lot different from the personality of the movie's main character, Gloria Mundy. The movie is funny, it's mildly suspenseful and It's got a wonderful cast of characters, including a snake named, Esme, to keep your mind reeling! And you gotta love the cast including, Mr. San Francisco, Cyril Magnin, as the Pope, and San Francisco as itself! My beautiful home, has never been more beautiful! Well, I am partial, so that's probably not true, because any time I get a glance of the city by the bay, my heart sings. I miss home so much, but I will see her again soon, but for now, Foul Play, will hold me over. Watch it! Chevy Chase is hysterical, and Brian Dennehy brings the serious moments.
"This morning I stopped to watch the geese fly, even though I didn't have the time to do so. And I realized that not having time to do something, might be the very reason I need to do it."
~Craig Lounsbrough
Fuzzy!
No need to overthink it! It's spring, and we have two pair of Canada Geese living along the banks of the Smith Canal, and all it right with the world. I spotted them yesterday, and I have been smiling ever since. I think Kenny the duck, would be very happy to know, who moved into his old neighborhood. Somewhere in Heaven, he's smiling.
I came across this awesome word several months ago, and I meant to do a post about it, but somehow there was always something else to talk about. Well, today is Saturday, and as a rule they tend to be kick back and relax kind of days, so here is something to think about... but not too seriously!
Does the word, snollygoster, remind you of anyone?
Used In A Sentence... Donald Trump is quite the snollygoster!
"Life is short... buy those shoes, have a sense of humor and take a break when you want."
~Unknow
Yesterday was Easter, and we had a good time. We enjoyed the boys having fun picking toys out of their Peep's Easter basket. Tyler immediately put his catnip toy mouse into his water bowl. He has a bug up his ass about that. He puts all his toys in his water bowl. Strange. It's like he's seen fish in a pond. I know he hasn't, but odd habit remains. Simon chose a little blue bunny to bat around. So sweet. Later they will get some nom noms and big snuggles. I am really in love with my little stress buster cats. I don't know where I would be without them! Mom and dad are made a special dinner of, roast chicken, stuffing and green bean bake! Delicious. Despite the awful things happening right now, history will tell the tale, we are had a good day. The way it should be!
Actually, I kinda think Hell is both other people AND the DMV. I have to be there in a little while, because it seems that my new license plates have not arrived, and it's been nearly a month! The dealership said it would be in a couple weeks. Sigh. You know how things work, it's a Monday, and I am going to the DMV so that means by the time I get home, the plates will be in the mailbox.
I will report back later on how it all went.
In the meantime, enjoy these Yellow-billed Magpie photos!
"It's difficult to catch a black cat in a dark room especially, if it isn't there."
~Chinese Proverb
Black cats are sometimes considered bad luck. Sometimes they are thought to be witches in disguise. And incantations of evil. No. That's just wrong on so many levels, but humans being humans, just have to have something blame their failures on. Superstitions like that, endanger these amazing animals, every year around Halloween. Cosplay dipshits like to capture black cats, and harm them as a sacrifice to appease whoever or whatever "god" they worship. I know it to be true, because my veterinarian's nurse described what has been seen. One day, last summer, she found a litter of kittens in her yard, so she brought them to the doctor's office, to hopefully find them good homes. She loved my Tyler in particular, and gave him as much attention as possible. She worried he wouldn't find a loving home, before Halloween, but I took one look at this funny, gorgeous, very loving little cat, and it was all over, I loved him. He had me at hello. So, we took 24 hours to consider it, and by the time we got home, we knew we had a new son.
He has pink ears. How funny is that? PINK EARS! In certain lighting they appear almost opalescent! Tyler has a lot of the same qualities of my last black cat, Hendrix. Tyler loves music, especially smooth jazz. He loves deeply, and when he wants a hug, he pushes his whole body into mine with all the weight in his body! He grooms my hubby, he checks on his brothers if anything is wrong. He loves stuffed animals and he can make a toy out of anything. Now what can be wrong with that! He has white ears in the front, and two bald spots over his eyes. He's also wily. He is quite the magpie. He steals things. LOL. But he also finds things that I thought I had lost forever! He is unique, and I am so lucky that he chose to love me. Cat's don't have to love you, and they will remind you of that from time to time! I think of my sweet Hendrix a lot, but Tyler was never meant to take his place, which is good, because I love getting to know Tyler for who he is, while remember the love I had with Hendrix.
So that's my Tyler. We have owned him since late August of 2025,
and the future with him seems like the brightest of light, in all the worldly darkness.
"Life is like a wheel. Sooner or later it always comes around
to where you started again."
~Stephen King
2026 has gotten off to a devastating start. I had such hope for a bright future this year, but it's been one dark event after another, with no sign of letting up. I am riding the days, and pushing myself to do birding, but I struggle with having the energy and will to do so. But all is not bad, there is still some autumn happening here and there. Leaves in big piles, orange kitties, and Sandhill Crane preening against the backdrop of dried reeds, all make me heart smile, as autumn reminds me that it hasn't died, it is just merely sleeping.
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