Hello Autumn

hello autumn...

hello pumpkins...

hello glowing candles...

hello books, crafting, and dreaming...

hello hours spent in the kitchen...

hello warm cups of tea, cocoa, and cider...

hello warm-scented stove top potpourris...

hello crisp air, blustery winds, and dropping temperatures...

hello cozy evenings...

hello time spent outside basking in the autumn sun...

hello dancing leaves...

hello shiny apples...

hello road trips and new adventures...

hello magical nights and days full of wonder...

hello jack-o-lanterns...

hello fun costumes and trick-or-treating...

hello candy corn...

hello boots, scarves and sweaters...

hello pumpkin pie, turkey, stuffing, and parades...

hello decorating for the season...

hello comforting soups...

hello bread baking and lovely scents filling the air...

hello autumn,

you dear old friend...

it's been awhile, but it's oh-so-good to have you back.

let's celebrate your grand return, shall we?

P.S.- Do come back next Friday for a fun announcement regarding a new, autumn-themed series that will I will be writing for the whole month of October! It shall be a grand party, and it would be a pity indeed if you were to miss it. So, do come back for the proper invitation!

From My Kitchen ♥ No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Friends, have I got a treat for you!

Today I am sharing a favorite recipe of my family. I've been making some variation of this recipe for several years, but just a couple weeks ago, I decided to see if I could make a few changes to this to better suit my people. The results were even better than the original, if I may say so.

Combinations of oats, dried cranberries (my fave!), peanut butter and chocolate make this a real winner. And the little crunch from the nuts is an added bonus...delicious! I hope you'll give this recipe a try in your own home.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

1  cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup coconut oil

3 cups oats

1 1/4 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup chopped nuts (I use a mixture of pecans and almonds.)

10 oz. chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt peanut butter, honey and coconut oil in a medium sized saucepan over low heat. Once everything is melted and mixed together well, add in the chocolate chips and vanilla, and continue to cook on low heat until all melted. 

Remove the pan from the heat and add in the remaining ingredients. Stir together until everything is mixed thoroughly.

Pour in a 9x13 inch pan that has been greased with coconut oil. Chill in the fridge for several hours or in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until set. 

Cut into bars and store in the fridge.

(You could also roll these into balls and place them on a baking sheet and chill. Or, you could simply make drop cookies by dropping the mixture by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and then chill.)

Enjoy!

(To make this recipe vegan, simply use agave nectar or maple syrup  in place of the honey and vegan (dairy-free) chocolate chips in place of the regular ones.)

Lingering Summertime Beauty

To find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest, or over a wildflower in spring- these are some of the rewards of the simple life.
·John Burroughs·

Welcome to a new week, lovely friends!

We are nearing the end of September. How did that happen so fast? Summer will be behind us shortly and autumn will be gently showing off its beauty before we know it. Where I live, the signs of summer are beginning to fade and little signs of autumn are starting to appear. A couple weeks ago, for about ten days or so, we got a little foretaste of that splendid weather that the coming months will bring. So, as we say goodbye to summer and hello to autumn, I thought it was only suitable to pause for a moment and admire the lingering beauty of summertime before we are surrounded by rusty oranges, burnt reds and golden yellows. 

I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but those that bring simple pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.

·L.M. Montgomery·

I am sure there is magic in everything, only we have not sense enough to get hold of it and make it do things for us.

·The Secret Garden·

To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.

·Mary Davis·

The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.

·W.B. Yeats·

That which is loved is always beautiful.

·A Norweigian Proverb·

Farewell, dear Summer. Until next year....

And a warm hello to beautiful Autumn....

may this be a season full of magic, loveliness, goodness, and wonder.

Delightful Wonder

Wonder is a state of mind in which the sight and senses are wholly awake and engaged in what is before them. Wonder reveals the world as the miracle it is—the veined crimson of an autumn leaf, the play of sunlight in summer trees, the ripple of light over water. Of course, we may look at these things every day, but our eyes are often restless, our minds preoccupied, so that we never truly see. Wonder is what compels us to notice with quiet, focused eyes, eyes that perceive the unique beauty of the people and the living world all around.

·Sally Clarkson·