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Usually, i am the flag waver at the very front of the "Autumn is Finally Here" train, but this year, i seem to be behind.  My part of the country doesn't get a lot in the way of traditional fall colors, but this year we seem to be especially behind.  A very large percentage of the blogs i read have long since announced their welcome to autumn, and now it's my turn.  I had to do a little searching, but it's my turn.  So i took a walk through my woods to share a few of my favorite things. My very, number one, mostest ever, favorite sign of fall at my house is this unusual flower, Euonymus americanus L.  It also goes by the names American Strawberry-bush (don't eat these strawberries please), Strawberry bush, Hearts-a-burstin' (which is really fun to say, especially if you use a thick country accent), Wahoo, and Bursting heart. Here's a somewhat blurry picture. that shows how pretty it is up against the white bark of the Eastern Hophornbeam tree. Here...

I've been trying to think of something thought provoking to discuss for Philosophical Phriday.  (Yes, i just made that up; what do you think?)  I often wax philosophical in my head about lots of things, but i don't always remember what they were ten minutes later. Here's a subject that has had a lot of time in my head lately, so i'll share it with you, and you can tell me what you think.  If you wish. I was raised in a household where we didn't celebrate anything just because everyone else did.  And if we happened to celebrate something everyone else did, we very likely didn't celebrate it the same way everyone else did.  I learned about the origin of every holiday - and about its modern day changes, etc. For example, we celebrated Easter, but at my house it was called Resurrection Day.  We also didn't hunt easter eggs or believe in easter bunnies or any of that.  We did have a nice dinner and spend the day more in an atmosphere of thankfulness ...

Fall is here, and it's getting chilly, so i'm starting to think about doing some baking again.  When i posted about my Mom's Cinnamon Raisin bread last time , i failed to give you a real recipe.  I found my notes from my mom's recipe the other day, so now i can share it with you. Ingredients Bread 2 pkg yeast 2 1/2 cups warm water 3 Tablespoons sugar 2 Tablespoons shortening 6-7 cups all purpose flour 1 cup raisins Filling 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 Tablespoons water Instructions: In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm (105-115 degrees F) water.  ( Tip:   Personally, i have had a lot more success making yeast breads if i add a little of the sugar to this mixture while the yeast dissolves and then let it sit there for about ten minutes.  After that amount of time, the yeast should be double in size .) Stir in sugar, salt, shortening, and 3 1/2 cups of the flour.  Beat until smooth. Add raisins with more flour - enough to mak...

In May, i shared with you my attempt at starting my own Apple Cider Vinegar (and its mother) from a bag of apples.  Today is the sad update. Here is what i started the fermenting process with back in May.  Two and a half-ish Mason jars.  The two on the left contain strained apple puree, and the one on the right, all the cores, peels, and solids, which i covered with water. Here's what i have left after pulling them out of the closet today.  Maybe 2 cups of cider - but with no mother. It turns out that i must've done some things wrong.  (Ya think?) I'm still investigating, but it is rumored about that perhaps this was supposed to take 3 weeks instead of 3 months (details, details...) , that i was supposed to put the contents in bottles with a seal at some point, and/or that it's just too dang hot in Texas.  Clearly i need to do more research. I'm not giving up though.  I am going to put what i have in a bottle with a lid and see if it will gro...

I don't know whether they made a touchdown yesterday, but the way they cuddled was flat adorable!

For those of you who are dying for an update on my bunny production. Let's review:   In April, i got my three New Zealand does delivered to me .  Then, in May, we got Oliver , who was too young to breed, but he was a male, so we were hopeful.  We thought our hope would arrive earlier than later though - and since May, we have learned that Oliver shouldn't have been expected to breed until well, now or later than now. For those of you who might not remember, the reason we own rabbits is because we want them to feed us.  It might make me a horrible person, but i have no particular fascination with rabbits, and i find them kind of boring as far as entertainment - but i am very eager to eat their young.  I know.  Endearing. Anyway, from time to time, we give Oliver a chance to become a daddy, just in case he's ready ahead of schedule.  I did the research and learned how to tell if the necessary "touch down" has been affected.  And yesterday, i thi...