Lingering Autumn

The Christmas season has arrived. Christmas is one of my favorite times of year, but this year I find it sad to think of autumn ending.  While winter is a more reflective time, autumn is joyful and warm and welcoming. 

Is anyone else disappointed that Thanksgiving is nearly overlooked in the rush towards Christmas? To me, Thanksgiving is when I’m surrounded with those whom I love most in this world. I want to savor these moments because life is not a guarantee. 

I love autumn because of its color. Winter is beautiful in a unique sort of way, but nothing can compare to autumn and its glorious exuberance of color. 

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This post has been sitting in my drafts for a couple weeks now. With the final week before Christmas ahead of us, I wish all of you true peace and joy this holiday season. 

Orange Cranberry Chex Mix

This is a great holiday snack!

I’ve been making Almond Cranberry Chex mix recipe for a long time. It is simple to make and so good…rather addictive, in fact. 
Recently, I was craving something similar, but with orange flavor, instead. When Pinterest failed to produce a recipe of what was envisioning, I decided to make my own. Taking the original recipe, I tweaked it until I came up with this:

Orange Cranberry Chex Mix

1 box (regular size) rice Chex cereal 

3/4 cup dried cranberries 

3/4 cup sliced almonds 

Mix together in a large bowl. In a saucepan, combine:

1 cup white sugar 

1 cup corn syrup 

3/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate 

2 tablespoons orange zest

Boil until mixture reaches 240 degrees F. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until evenly coated. Store in an airtight container.  

I personally think this tastes best when it is just cool enough to touch. 🙂

iPhone pictures

Hello! It’s been quite a while since I have given this poor, old blog any attention. We have been having some difficulties with our WiFi, so we have had to resort to old-fashioned sources of entertainment. It’s not a bad thing! 🙂

These pictures are from a recent camping trip in the mountains. My camera battery died after taking about three pictures, and like the pathetic photographer that I am, I don’t even own another battery. I ended up taking these photos with my phone and I’m pleased with how they turned out. 

I never really intended to use this blog as place for my phone pictures, but if you have a great photo…!

Have a wonderful day!

Colorado, Pt 3 – Pikes Peak

I’m finally sharing the last of my Colorado pictures! Wow, it’s been such a long time ago. 

On our last day in Colorado, we rode the cog train to the top of Pikes Peak. To be honest, I really didn’t enjoy it all that much. The train ride was fun and the scenery spectacular, but Pikes Peak has become a huge tourist attraction. There were literally hundreds of people on the mountain. It was fun experiencing the 14,115 foot elevation and the views were incredible, but really all the tourists kind of spoiled it for me. 

Colorado, Pt 2 – Rocky Mountain National Park

The cool temperatures, little patches of snow, wild animals, and stunning vistas definitely made the Rocky Mountain National Park my favorite part of the trip. There were a number of people there, but it certainly wasn’t like the crowds in Colorado Springs. 

It was kind of a last minute decision to go there and we didn’t give ourselves nearly enough time. If I ever get to go back, I want to spend at least a couple of days there, and do some camping and hiking. 

Colorado, Pt 1

We’ve been home several weeks, and already our trip to Colorado seems like a pleasant dream. It’s been so hot. I love summer, but now that August is nearly half gone, I’m thoroughly ready for autumn. 

So here are a few pictures from our trip.

The Royal Gorge Bridge

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods

House Wren

Colorado is a place of dramatic scenery. I’m so glad I was able to experience a little of it. And some day I hope to go back! 😀

Dog Days of Summer

Ollie – who finally sat still long enough for a picture

I realize I haven’t posted anything for a long time. Actually, I haven’t even been taking pictures much this summer. It is hot and we are busy. That pretty much sums it up. 

Next week I plan to be in Colorado. Hopefully it’s much cooler there. And I hope to bring back a lot of lovely photos! 

Happy summer, y’all!

The Outer Banks

Last week, my sisters, a friend, and I made a quick two-day trip to the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. My mom’s family has vacationed there for decades, and the love of the ocean has definitely been passed on to the next generation.

It was kind of cold, but we had so much fun. One of my favorite things to do is walking on the beach after dark.

Bodie Island lighthouse

And the sun is up!

It’s another gorgeous day on the Outer Banks.

‘Tis the Season…

…For fresh, local strawberries!

There aren’t too many things more delightful than a freshly picked, sun warmed strawberry. When something is available for such a limited time, it’s value increases dramatically. 🙂

The first strawberries in our house always get made into strawberry shortcake. We have varying opinions on what makes a perfect strawberry shortcake, but it always turns out delicious!

Spring Snapshots

Here are a few pictures from a couple weeks ago. It’s amazing how much has changed since then. I love living in an area that has changing seasons.