Happy Samhain - And The Winner is........

First off I would like to wish all of you a wonderful All Hallows Eve... It is an absolutely beautiful day here... I have been busy with all sorts of things.... I had to go outside and enjoy the sunshine as well as the warm temperatures.. It is Halloween and I saw wasps, butterflys and ladybugs... wonderful...... My back porch was covered in willow leaves from the days before when the wind blew like winter... of course I had to sweep them off....

I prepared my apples for the cemetary.  I am some distance from any of my relatives to visit them so I decided to go out and give the Wright babies (Jackie Moon story) each a little something this Hallow Eve.  A nice little apple with a marigold tied with a red ribbon.  I don't get many (if any) trick or treaters so I figured I would do this instead. 

I am also busy preparing the food and such for this evening... Roasted corn, acorn squash, Halloween Pie (sheep herders pie with charmed potatoes), and fairy cakes with homemade whip cream... It just all sounds so yummy... I can't wait to eat it....

Also finally got around to carving 2 of my pumpkins... The 2 tall ones from Tennessee.  Also planning on making some roasted pumpkin seeds .  I still don't think I will be able to bring myself to cut the others.... they are just too nice looking... Although eventually I know that the rot will get them... I plan to harvest the seed though and plant them for next season...

Lastly I am sure you are wanting to know who won the giveaway.... I tried to get one of my cats to help with the drawing yet they could not be more interested in such things, so I decided to have my handsome husband help me out.  He was nice enough to lend a hand and pull out a name for me from the all the entries.  I am pleased to say that the winner of my very first giveaway "A Little Tonic Before Bedtime" is  D Suplicki from Whimsical Cottage  .   Shoot me your mailing info and  I will get the package in the mail to you first thing Monday morning... I added lots of extra little goodies so enjoy.  Be sure and also watch for my November giveaway.  I will post all the details on Monday November 2nd.  This one is dear to my heart I am quite excited about it. 

Lastly I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend fill with magic and good times.  Thank you for helping make this a very special October for me.... Blessings

Carmels & Cream

One of my favorite flavors... autumn or otherwise is carmel.  Whether it is warm and soft, covering an apple, chewy between my teeth, or just hanging off the end of my finger... you get the picture... Believe it or not I have never made home made carmel apples except for the wrapple kind which personally I dont think count.  My kids were never really crazy about them and my teeth just are not what they used to be. Yet the desire for that warm rich flavor over took me this fall and I decided to make me some.

After looking at the recipe on the back of the carmel bag I realized that the simplicity of its preperation  was that for me not to do it would just be ridiculous.  Plus I wanted to make it while I was visiting my grand kids so I figured I would try it out at home first.... (Really I just wanted to eat some carmel... warm gooey carmel.. yummm) Sorry got a bit carred away there.

All I did was put the candies in a pan. Pour 2/3 cups of half and half in with it and slowly warm it on the stove, stirring it occasionally, making sure it didn't stick or that it was melting properly.. And did I say taste it.. Yes, I tasted the nice warm carmelly goo several times to make sure that it was melting properly... I tasted it again to make sure the consistency was right.  Of course the first time I tasted it it wasn't so I had to taste it a couple more times.. Well you get the picture. (again!!)

It turned out wonderful and not too bad the many many times I tasted it  before it was finished.  Needless to say this is a treat I will make again.  It worries me though.  Before I was able to keep myself away from my weakness by telling myself it was too much of a bother to prepare... Now that I know how easy it is... I will be sitting in some dark corner in the middle of the night with my finger in the bowl making those funny umm ummm ummmmmmmm sounds.  What can I say.. I Love Carmel..