This Is Halloween

Talk about spooky.  

Drama.

Crappy.

Chaotic.

and a veritable pain in the derrière.

Looking forward to the Christmas music to begin in.....17 hours......

And this is what the trunk or treaters will be getting from Sally this year... bats of chocolate.

Have a Happy All Hallow's Eve!

How to go through an entire loaf of bread in one afternoon

You will eat an entire loaf of molasses wheat bread lickety split if you make and smear it with....

Pumpkin Jam
and budda.

And then you will put some in half pint jars, make tags for them from your left over Spark materials, and give them away....so someone else can eat an entire loaf of bread.

3 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
4 1/2 cups white sugar
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 envelope unflavored gelatin

In a sauce pan, combine ingredients, mix well.
Over medium heat, bring to a boil.
Once boiling, stir constantly for 5 minutes.
Spoon hot stuff into jars and seal with lids.

Makes about 5 half pint jars.  Or 4...and a bunch of left over for yourself.

And if you can make jam without burning yourself, you are the queen.  Because who can make jam without burning themselves?  Certainly not moi.

And don't be afraid of a little sugar.  It's Halloween.  Pour some sugar instead of eating your child's trick or treat stash.  You know you'll do it.

Happy bread and jamming.

Anchored

For many years of my life, expressing myself through creativity has been an outlet and a way to find specks of joy here and there.  As a young Mom, there had to be ways, other than changing diapers and filling sippy cups, of declaring my individuality. Whether that was through painting and decorating rooms or learning to bake bread, crocheting or knitting or taking beading classes, sewing aprons, curtains and matching vests for my girls, scrapbooking, cardmaking...you name it, I've done it.

Or so I thought.

A year or two ago my creativity vanished.  Gone.  There was no desire to lift a paint brush, scissors or any other tool.  The process seemed to daunting and tedious.  I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the stimulation and satisfaction of creating.  The right side of my brain turned to mush and I went numb.

Lucky for me I have hiking.

Last spring, Kiera invited me to attend a crafting convention with her where my creativity would be "sparked".  And so, for months now I've been gearing myself up (literally) to go north and jam myself in a convention with a lot of other creative Moms and learn some new techniques and get my creative juices flowing again.  I'm not gonna lie...I was scared.  Why should I be scared of creativity?

Will I be able to keep up in the classes?
Will I remember techniques and skills I used to know?
Will I be able to use a restroom whenever I want?  (Come on, there would be over 200 women sharing the same room)
Will I be intimidated?
Will I be able to learn something new?
Will I have anxiety about being crammed in a room with hundreds of women?
Will I enjoy it?

The weekend included playing with my dear friends from KC.  Oh, I love those girls.

During the opening "ceremony", we were visited by the lovely Mindy Gledhill, whose music rings through our home daily. She sang some of her songs for us, including "Anchor", which was so fitting.  I really feel exercising creativity in the past for me, has been an anchor.  I couldn't resist loving on Miss Mindy.

We were warned that the exercises in creativity would challenge us in a way that might scare us and stretch us.  Then I was scared.  And I had every right to be.  

I did things I'd never done before.  I made art.  So, because art appreciation is so subjective and undefined...there were no rules!  Imagine...no rules!!  No right or wrong way.  Right brain clicked on.

I used pigment paints on canvas.

I felted merino wool around soap.

I used paints, stamps and stencils in a new way to create "She" art.

I hand sewed around reverse applique.

I made a birds nest from wire and pearls.

I hand-carved my own rubber stamp.

I brought home scads of free-bees, tools and samples.

It was all wonderful and a bit overwhelming.

I was well fed...and re-anchored.

Speaking of well fed.  We ate.  And ate. I have to say, my top foodie experience was the homemade organic soda.  Lavender and honey....I will remember you.

What creative convention would be complete without a discussion on blogging? Since blogging has been my only outlet for any kind of creativity lately, it was perfect that I was able to meet someone who I admire in the blog world. Courtney Kendrick from C-Jane Run was there.  She's as genuine and charming in real life as I thought she'd be.  Truly a hoot.  We'd have a lot of fun together, I'm sure. I offered to take her hiking if she ever comes back to Dixie.  

I was stretched in every way possible...beyond exhaustion.  But I can say, after a good night's sleep, that I am rejuvinated, sparked and anchored.  The entire drive home, I kept thinking how grateful I was to have the opportunity to be dunked in creative juices all weekend, to see my KC besties, and to have been well fed.  

It felt good to have the right side of my brain functioning again.  

And it's a good thing because using both sides of the brain keeps me anchored.

Now I take the next scary step.... staying creative.

For when reality bites

I've been away for a few days on a creative retreat in the north.  There were times when I was more scared of what I was doing there then when I'm on a precarious hike.  I'm saving that story for another time.

And then I came home.

Nothing like reality.

Talk about scary.

But anyway.  Reality takes a back seat when I think about a hike I took the day before I left.  Honestly, my favorite hike ever, I think.  And on a day like today when reality is biting, I will turn my thoughts to the gloriously golden and fiery maples, oaks and aspens on the West Rim of Zion National Park.

I can't put my finger on what it is exactly about this stretch of 14 miles that I love the most.  The unparalleled views?  The solitude?  The October brilliance?  The camaraderie?  The 3 arduous "hills"?  The trail cut into stone?  The privilege?  The diversity? The bird's eye view of Angel's Landing?

Whatever it is, my new motto will be...West Rim, take me away.

And I'll tuck this memory in my belt of escapes from reality.

Gifford Canyon, I do adore

It's always a good day when you can hike in Zion.  But it's even better when you can go with a guide who knows the back country and can take you where there are no trails.
That's how I was able to see Gifford Canyon.  Trusty guide, Nick Jorgensen, obliged.

Right now, the slots and canyons are luminescent with color...

And though we didn't see the Big horned buggers...the sheep were around...

No shortage of unique rocks here...

High on the mountain tops...making 'sand angels'.

Farewell Gifford...

See you next October.

Your requests are granted

Source: jojofam.blogspot.com via Cheryl on Pinterest

So, I made these homemade Butterfinger bars....that I pinned on Pinterest....

Source: thesaltypineapple.blogspot.com via Cheryl on Pinterest

And they were di.vine.

The original recipe comes from here....I think...who knows after it's been posted on Pinterest though.

And they are so easy.

3 ingredients.  Are you ready?

1 lb candy corn
16 oz peanut butter
1 bag milk chocolate chips (or other favorite chocolate)

Melt candy corn in microwave on high 1 minute.  Stir and continue cooking in 15-second intervals until melted, stirring after each interval.  Stir in peanut butter. Spread mixture in an 8 x 8 pan lined with parchment.  Cool completely.  Melt chocolate and pour over mixture.  Cool.

So, that's it.

But I offer a few pieces of advice.
~My bars turned out very thick made in an 8 x 8 pan, which we loved but in if you prefer your bars more crispy, I suggest using a slightly larger pan.
~The original recipe says to cut the mixture after it has cooled and dip each bar individually into the chocolate.  That to me is a big mess.  I prefer to pour the chocolate over the entire pan.
~After pouring the chocolate over the mixture, I stuck the pan in the fridge to set the chocolate.  Worked much better.  Then I removed the whole block at one time and set it on the counter to cut into bars.
~Use a large, sharp knife to cut cleanly through the bars.  Don't be impatient like me and use a jagged steak knife and hack away.
~Never go back to store bought Butterfingers again!!

Request granted.

It takes Tallant

Our friends from KC, the Tallants, came to Dixie.

When someone comes from the land of Oz to the valleys of red-fire cliffs, we must tour.

And tour we did.

Snow Canyon
Zion National Park
Red Cliffs Reserve
Joshua Tree Forest
Rzrs in the desert
Cafe Rio
Santa Clara River Reserve, Rock Writings Trail and Anasazi Petroglyphs
and every where in between.

Dixie provided the usual perfect weather and back drops for Dave's camera appendage.  And although the town was over run by the inspiring Senior Games, we made do....and headed out on the roads less traveled.

Thank you for coming Carol and Dave.  We loved having friends here.  It takes Tallant's to see the desert like you've never seen it before.  We already miss them.

Children of the Corn

We had some Kanenwisher kids here this week for a couple of days.  We took them to a corn maze here in town.

Armed with flashlights, our 'guns' and a full moon....off we went.

Technically we never got lost, but we gave it a good try.

And then the children of the corn were gone...to greener pastures...in California!