Irresistable Smells of Fall

Fall is officially here.

This season is so welcoming on many levels.

I cannot think about fall without remembering the many aromas associated with it.

The magical, rich scent of pine needles.

The mysterious, unnerving smell of autumn dusk .

The unmistakable, woodsy smell of a fire.

The inspirational, crisp smell of fresh fall air.

The predictable, musty smell of the heater being turned on.

The welcoming, homey smell of fall scented candles. 

The anticipated, earthy smell of the harvest.

The exciting, gingery smell of fresh cookies baking.

The intoxicating, spicy smell of cinnamon and apples.

The warm, buttery smell of caramel.

The comforting, chocolaty smell of a mug of hot chocolate.

The cozy, homey smell of a thick sweater.

Fall embraces so many comforting aromas.

Which nature-inspired scents remind you of fall?

How will you help to infuse your home with the smells of fall?

BOOK REVIEW

Bah, Humbug! by Heather Horrocks

(A Romantic Comedy Christmas Novella)

Best-selling author Kyle Miller is under pressure with a deadline for his latest book. He is experiencing writer's block anxiety. Unknowingly, television's new "Martha Stewart-like" host, divorcee Lexi Anderson and her two children move next door to the famous author. Along with the hassle of moving into her new house on "Christmas Street," Lexi must decorate the house for her show's holiday special to be filmed. Through decorating, cooking, holiday celebrating, writing, taking care of family, struggling with painful memories, and building snowmen, these two develop a quick romance.

I loved this short and sweet novella. It was full of Christmas spirit! I felt the pain of the family memories and the tension when the couple met. The characters were believable and interesting. I appreciated how Heather stressed the importance of family and I love the darling cover!

PUMPKINS

 IT'S PUMPKIN TIME!

It's pumpkin time again and I'm so excited about that! I love pumpkins. I love their look, smell, and taste. About the only thing that I don't like about pumpkins is the stringy inside part with the seeds. That's the worst part about carving pumpkins into jack-o`-lanterns (anyone else hate putting their hands down into that stuff?). Other than that...pumpkins are wonderful!

I googled pumpkins and found that Better Homes and Gardens has a fun listing of, "41 Yummy Pumpkin Recipes." Go to www.bhg.com/thanksgiving/recipes/pumpkin-recipes to check it out. Here are some of the recipe titles that caught my eye and made my mouth water or that I thought sounded VERY interesting:

• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread
• Chocolate-Glazed Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Mac and Cheese (really?)
• Harvest time Pumpkin Bars
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Coconut Pumpkin Soup
• Melt-in-your-Mouth Pumpkin Cookies
• Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts
• Double-Decker Pumpkin Bread
• Autumn Pear and Pumpkin Soup
• Pumpkin-Praline Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Crescent Rolls
• Spiced Pumpkin Butter

Do you remember Linus' Great Pumpkin? How about the pumpkin that became Cinderella's carriage? Do you carve jack-o`-lanterns every Halloween? I was so excited to see fresh pumpkins available at the grocery store this week. I think I need to go and make some pumpkin spice cookies for our neighbor dinner tomorrow night! What will you be turning pumpkins into?

FAVORITE AUTHORS LIST

In order to provide some consistency with my blog I will add to my blog every Friday. Now you have been given the notice...check back each Friday for my latest thoughts, ideas & ramblings!

FAVORITE AUTHORS LIST

I love to read. I love going on the journey, adventure, or quest, and love solving mysteries! I love a happy ending and want to know: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How! Authors take us on these journeys and teach us so much about our world and life. As I continue to read more books my list of favorites will evolve and grow. Here is a quick/short list of some of my all time favorite authors. Keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive list. Just some of my favorites that are popping into my head as I reminisce and remember something noteworthy about their writing style, choice of words, or characters.

Jane Austen                  (Pride and Prejudice)

Holly Black                   (The Spiderwick Chronicles)

Jan Brett                       (Trouble with Trolls)

Ally Condie                   (Matched, Crossed)

Jessica Day George      (Dragon Slippers, Princess of the Midnight Ball)

John Grisham               (The Pelican Brief)

Shannon Hale               (Austenland, Midnight in Austenland)

Lindsey Leavitt             (Princess for Hire series)

Debbie Macomber        (A Turn in the Road)

Stephenie Meyer           (Twilight series, The Host)

Brandon Mull               (Fablehaven series, Beyonders series)

Mary Pope Osborne     (Magic Tree House series)

Beatrix Potter                (The Tale of Peter Rabbit series)

J.K. Rowling                  (Harry Potter series)

William Shakespeare    (Romeo and Juliet)

Nicholas Sparks             (Safe Haven)

Amy Stewart                  (Wicked Plants)

Carol Lynch Williams   (Miles from Ordinary)

My reading tastes are varied. I enjoy children's books, young adult books, and books for adults.

What you choose to read does tell about your personality. Which of the following words pertain to you and your reading material choices? Absurd, artistic, brave, contradicting, dramatic, edgy, extrovert, idealist, imaginative, independent, intelligent, introvert, loving, loyal, mysterious, observant, resilient, romantic, serious, suspenseful,  thoughtful, trendsetter, unexpected. 

Now that you have all of these authors' names and my thoughts and ramblings in your head, go ahead and select a great book to read over the weekend! I'm currently reading...and...greatly enjoying, Heather Horrocks' book: Bah, Humbug! Go ahead...pick up a book...and read! (You have my permission.)



Fantastic Fall

The Best Things About Fall

Fall is my favorite season! I love everything about this season.

 Here is a quick list of fall things that are close to my heart:

• Fall Foliage ~ Leaves changing colors, falling, & being rustled by the wind
• Aromas ~ The smell of marigolds, mums, cinnamon, & candles
• Apples ~ Apple butter, apple cider, apple pie, applesauce
• Fall Fashion ~ Boots, hats, scarves, & sweaters
• Temperatures ~ Warm days & crisp nights
• Pumpkins ~ Pumpkin patches, pumpkin pie, & Jack-o-lanterns
• Family gatherings ~ Harvest time, fall TV season, Football

What are your favorite things about fall?

 Take a moment to look, listen, touch, taste, smell, & enjoy fall.



BOOK REVIEW: TABLE FOR TWO

Table For Two  by Sheryl C.S. Johnson

I loved this LDS values based romance! LDS member, Jana Barrowman accepts a job offer from non-LDS, celebrity chef, Alex Steadman. The creative consultant job transplants Jana from Salt Lake City, UT to Seattle, WA. Jana works to renovate an old house and transform it into the dream boutique of Alex's deceased wife, Vanessa. Jana begins to love Alex and his young daughter, Elise. Jana is steadfast to her goals and is set on finding an LDS man to marry in an LDS Temple. Her stubbornness escalates as she realizes that she does not want to share Alex with Vanessa. The bulk of the story centers around Jana's other marriage prospects and Alex's attempts to persuade Jana that he is the right man.

I loved the good morals expressed in the book and the gospel principles that were taught. I was caught up in the restaurant and celebrity moments of the story. Sheryl developed some great characters. I was rooting for Alex to win Jana over! I was pulled into the story and couldn't wait to pick up the book again whenever I had a few minutes to read. I was disappointed when the story was over because I wanted more!