Pumpkin Pudding

Happy Thursday!!

Well, I have had a rather busy week, what with my little SUV breaking down, discovering it needs to be replaced (*sniffles*), and shopping for a brand-spanking-new vehicle.  (Big shout out to my friend, Amy, who has been chauffering my stranded little behind all over, and to my father-in-law, who rescued me in the first place as I sat with blinking lights in front of the mausoleum during rush hour.)

Despite all of this, I have NOT been too busy for a new recipe.  :-)  I love pumpkin, but, as stated before, baking doesn't seem to be my calling or gift.  That being the case, I wanted to make something pumpkiny but cold.  And I found it: pumpkin pudding.  I started with some general suggestions I found online, but once I tested it things started to get a little ad-libbed.

What you will need:

1. 1 can of pumpkin
2. 1 box of vanilla pudding mix
3. pumpkin pie spice
4. milk (evaporated or regular -- I used 2% because, well, I have no car and can't go to the store.)

What I also used:

1. Pampered Chef's Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkle
2. Pecans (mmm!!!!)
3. Ground cloves

Mix the pudding, pumpkin, and 2 cups of milk together, along with some pumpkin pie spice to taste.  If you are using additional ingredients, add them to taste, too.

My personal assistant and I agreed that it was certainly a delicious recipe, and, what's more, SUPER easy!!  Love it!

My personal assistant. 

Plan for the evening: grab a blanket, snuggle into a comfy deck chair, and eat pumpkin pudding!

~ Sarah

The Colors of Autumn

Have I ever mentioned how much I love my home?  I live in northeastern Pennsylvania, which is an altogether mercurial place to live.  PA's weather is... temperamental, at best, with an occasional snowfall in May, and bikini weather in January (neither a regular occurrence, but they have both happened). 

But I love it.  I love that my wardrobe has it all: thick, warm, soft sweaters, cute shorts and tank tops, hand-knitted, colorful socks.  And then, there's the changing of the seasons.  PA is at its best in early spring, when the mountains turn fluorescent lime, immediately after a snowfall when all the trees glisten, at the peak of summer when the mountains nap under a lazy haze... and, of course... in autumn, when the world looks like a crayola box.

Something about Autumn makes everyone come alive here.  Suddenly, there are things to do, places to visit, and reasons to bundle up and venture out into the crisp, chilly air.  There are fall festivals, hayrides, corn mazes, ski lift rides (yes, they open the ski lifts so everyone can view the trees), quilt shows, etc etc.  Tunkhannock, a delightful little town nearby, has an annual Airing of the Quilts, which is usually the first Saturday in October.  On this day, you can walk up and down the streets, and view the quilts that businesses and homes have spread out on railings, bushes and clotheslines.  It's amazing. 

This past weekend, I spent the day with Jayson walking through Tunkhannock, drinking hot cider, and snuggling close under my colorful umbrella.  I stopped periodically to take photographs of the colorful things that popped out at me.  I thought you'd like to see them, too.

Look at this spectacular climbing ivy...

  

 

 And this burning bush!

Or how about this Autumn-colored flower bed?

I loved these pinkish-red hydrangeas:

Even the fallen leaves looked so lovely.

Surprisingly, I didn't take as many photos of the quilts this year (probably because of the rain), but it was a wonderful day, with a wonderful companion.

Happy Autumn!

~ Sarah