Happy Times Past and Present

I just love this picture as Rod was dragging home a perfect tree

Hello friends,

The urge to write overpowered my desire to finish up decorating the house for Christmas.  I chalk it up to long ago happy memories that swirl around my brain as I acknowledged the passing of my beloved step dad on this day eight years ago. He may be gone, but the heart never forgets.

Fall + Baking + Gluten/Dairy Free - Yummm

Cranberry pumpkin chocolate cake

Fall baking, it just can’t get any better and it’s  been a baking marathon for me.  For those who have allergies yet want to enjoy some delicious treats for Thanksgiving, I wanted to share some wonderful items for those who have food allergies.  

Cozy Sunday

There is something incredibly cozy on a cold rainy Sunday afternoon where the kitchen beckons to whip up something.  My plan was to hang home and start decorating for Christmas, but when you get a message that your daughter and kiddos miss you, well…… it spurs you to finish up in the kitchen and go hug on those grand-angels and their momma.

So from this gal’s kitchen, I wanted to share a quick update on some recipes. First I wanted to try a new recipe - Pickled Cranberries” and an old  recipe for the best Snack Mix ever. 

November Thoughts, Grateful

Oh November, just the mention of the month and my mind registers on one word…. grateful.  It’s a beautiful concept and of course, I am thankful for the good in my life, but the weird thing is I am more grateful for all the hard lessons and dissatisfaction of situations that forced me out of my comfort zone and to have to take action.

Honoring the Past Helps with Living in the Present

Early morning sky.  Just like life's journey, after the darkness there will be light

It’s weird how the body remembers trauma.  Our mind may forget or our memory may slightly become blurry in time, but the body remembers.  This week has been more mentally and physically fatiguing than normal.  I was wondering why as the workday chaos wasn’t really anything out of the norm.  I was tired, but weirdly I wasn’t sleeping as well as I could.  My house was quiet and there were no distractions of grand-angels hanging out. 

Family+Love=Summer Sweetness

A couple nights ago, I BLISSFULLY ENJOYED DINNER OUTSIDE and soaked up the warmth of the fading sun.   I checked my urge to work at my front door and let myself  keep the mindset of being on vacation mode after having just gotten back from the coast. After the sun set, and darkness forced me into the house, the scent of ripe peaches that I had picked the day before spurred me into action to do something with them and pronto! So I made my first batch of peach-butter, canned peaches and made two peach pies.  Yummm.

Two Crazy Peas in a Pod

A beautiful reminder from our Creator to take in the beauty of the world

Yesterday as I passed a colleague in the hallway at work, I casually asked if he was enjoying his summer, and his quick reply as he hurried along was, “nope, too much to do here”.  It made me sad and I can identify with him on some level. Life is busy with all sorts of things to catch our time - family, career, household/outdoor tasks and somewhere friends and fun hopefully fit into those few gaps in our lives.

Idaho+Montana Family=A Good Crazy Time

Remember when your kiddos were two years old and if they were quiet that you knew they were probably getting into something or up to a bit of mischief?  Well it dawned on me that in my self-imposed vacation from social media  and blogging these last 3 weeks, that a lot of times when I’m quiet…. It means I’ve been up to something.  Lol 

Over the July 4^th holiday, a few of us Idaho relatives invaded  the Montana relatives to enjoy our nation’s birthday camping at the family property under the big skies of my home state.

A Grumpy Start to a Splendid Adventure

I have a confession… I sometimes get grumpy when life doesn’t go as I planned it in my mind.  But I’ve been really working hard at what I preach….. living life and enjoying those small moments and impromptu  changes.

A Prescription from the Universe - Self-care, Soul-Keeping & Sun

A fav place to enjoy morning, coffee and devotionals

Self-care, Soul Keeping and Sun. The Universe does a good job of nudging me…. And I”ll explain in a bit.

As I drove home after work yesterday, I was looking forward to changing from the office Gayle persona to the farm-gal Gayle and play in the dirt in complete and absolute solitude.