Happy Halloween Monster Blog

OK I am going to lay it out straight for you....I took a lot of photos this weekend. We have had a wonderful Halloween weekend and I promise to show you no more than 10% of the photos I have taken. Regardless, this is still a MONSTER BLOG (please read this dramatically, even in your head...perhaps a booming voice with an echo), and so very fitting considering that it is in fact Halloween! So, loosen your belt because you are about to be served a heaping dish of MONSTER BLOG!

Saturday we got ready for two Halloween parties. A big step up from last year's events of nothing and nothing else. We prepped our costumes, planning to go as a family theme, but when Cordelia requested her pirate dress (again) we relented and let her do her own thing.

Here is a hint....



We went as mimes. The costumes were a cinch, but who knew that white make-up would be such a hassle. We finally figured it out and piled into the car for our parties. I mentioned to Eric that it sounded like the beginning of a bad joke, two mimes and a pirate get into a compact car...


Family miming


Trapped in a box and pull the rope were the only moves in my mime bag.


Eric had a few special mime moves too.


Mimes and pirates living together in harmony

We went to our two parties. Cordelia was frightened by most of the night...she was not a fan of strangers in costume, but she recovered quickly and we spent the rest of our evening miming and playing with gourds (don't ask).

Sunday Cordelia and I attended a hayride. We had a marvelous time! I can't wait for next year.



We drove out of town a bit to a family farm. The day was surprisingly warm, about 60F. There was hay, there were lovely people, there were a few animals (hopefully companion animals...the vegan in me is hopeful).




Cordelia with her Grandpa


Cordelia with her Grandma

The hay ride was wonderful...though we did go through a strangely bright green field, everything else was the natural brown of the season.






While we were forcing Cordelia to pose on hay bales (because we are apparently incapable of just letting a hay bale pass us by) we heard the few cows mooing. She got really excited and thought that they were calling her. She took off running toward them. When she finally arrived she exclaimed, "Hey cows. I made it!" Then she proceeded to moo at them.


I love cows. I really do.


I mean look at those sweet feet (hooves).

Sunday night we were finally able to carve (wink) out time in our schedule to carve (you get it) pumpkins!




Today I am super excited to pass out vegan candy as I am sure that this will be the first year EVER that we have more than a couple of trick-or treaters!!!

Incidentally it also happens to be my 4 year blog anniversary!

Sunday Quote: Roots

Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light.
~Theodore Roethke

Vegan Butternut Squash Curry Soup

Things have been cooling down here and with the onset of cold weather come roasted root veggies and soups. This recipe combines those two elements in a simple and delicious soup.



Ingredients
Olive oil, a tablespoon...or so
1 butternut squash
1/4 c. chopped onion, save the rest for later
1 1/2 c. veg broth
2 c. soy milk
1 1/2-2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt (more if you like)
pepper to taste
*anything else that sounds good to you (carrots, rice, whatever)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut your butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard; I use an ice cream scoop and it works like a charm. Brush your halves with olive oil and place, cut side up. Pop them in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is tender.

Once the squash is roasted remove the flesh from the shell, again an ice cream scoop works well. Put it into the blender with either some of the milk or the vegetable broth or both. Blend until creamy, unless you like chunks, then by all means.... You will have to do this in a couple of batches. As you finish each batch pour it into a large soup pot.

Next you will add everything else to the pot in totally random order, it must be random--because I want you to feel like you have control over the situation. Stir everything together and heat over medium high heat until the onion (and anything else you may have added) is tender. Enjoy with some crusty bread. I added some homemade croutons (cube bread, season how you will, toss with a little olive oil and bake until crisp).

Little Things

I thought I might just give you a taste of some of the little things that are big for me today.


Moss found on a hike with a friend, now living in a chipped teacup.


A little girl using her imagination.


Out my front window, the mountain through the trees.


Evidence of a tea party.


Flowers from my husband, just because.


Toddler art.


Paintbrushes and spools waiting to be put to use.


Light through the window


Building a tower.


Shadows of stars on my living room wall.


What are your little things today?

Crunch Time. I Need Your Help

Do you remember your Halloween costume from last year? I remember mine, it was awesome (and weird), need a reminder? Here is what we did last Halloween....yes, we were in fact Star Trek Vampires! Last year it was just us. We had no party and one trick-or-treater and we did it up righteously (sorry I just had the word in my head).


Spooky photo by E.K. ....seemed to fit the Halloween theme...

This year we actually have stuff to do. Two parties to attend and we are falling short. No ideas. We need your help. Please help us come up with a family theme costume, weird is good. Here are our parameters:

• Nothing that would frighten Cordelia.
• Nothing generic.
• Nothing too cute.
• Weird is good, but identifiably weird.
• Need to be able to make or assemble with speed.

OK, ideas? Please help us!!!

Vegan Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos (Plus bonus photo of Cordelia)

I have this habit of pulling recipes out of magazines with the hopes of veganizing them or using them for inspiration. I have no idea where I pulled this recipe idea from, but I have changed it enough that I doubt it matters...I can't even express to you how delicious this turned out. You've gotta try it! For real.


The real question is...was Eric drinking from the pink sippy cup?

Ingredients

• 2Tbs. olive oil
• 1 big sweet potato, peeled and cubed (1/2 inch pieces)
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 red onion (cube half and cut the other half into thin slices, keep separate)
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 bunch of spinach, stems removed-leaves chopped
• 6 flour tortillas
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 lime (use the other half for something else)
• 2 Tbs. vegan sour cream
• 1 small head of romaine lettuce, chopped into strips

Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sweet potato and onion, cook for a few minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the sweet potato begins to brown. Add the water. Cook over medium high heat until the water cooks out and sweet potato is tender (10-15 minutes), add more water if you need. Add the beans and chili powder, stir. Add the spinach. Cook until the spinach begins to wilt---remove from heat.

Next, lay out the 6 tortillas, evenly divide the sliced avocado and lay in the center of each tortilla. Do the same with the sweet potato and bean mixture. Wrap the tortillas tightly.

Wipe out your skillet and add a splash of olive oil. Heat your skillet over medium high heat. Place each burrito, seam side down, and heat until golden (about 2 min), flip and do it to the other side.

----While you toast the tortillas grab a bowl and whisk the juice form the 1/2 lime with 2 Tbs. vegan sour cream. Add the lettuce and thinly sliced onion, toss. Set the burritos on your plate. Place the salad alongside. Enjoy!


________________________________________________________
OK so this bonus photo is for my Grandma Carol. She reads my blog every day and loves to see photos of Cordelia. Here is a picture of my girl in her winter clothes. She insisted on wearing them and kept saying, "I'm a winter girl."

Before the Snow

The snow is on its way---or so everyone keeps telling me. For my part I am perfectly contented with an extended fall, two days of snow for Christmas and then on into a long spring. Who else is with me?

We have been preparing the home for winter. Organizing the garage, blowing out the sprinklers, rolling up the hoses and avoiding the task of leaf raking. Since we are new homeowners we are kind of winging it here, hopefully we aren't missing anything major. Today I am off to buy Cordelia some snow boots---she is very excited.

I also recently took a morning hike up the mountain with my friend. We both suspected that this may be the last hike we take before the snow creeps down the mountain and blocks our passage for the next few months, although we did discuss the possibility of snowshoeing (I have never been and I am excited at the prospect). Have you been snowshoeing?











I believe that the snow is to begin falling later today or tomorrow, so I had better get out there and enjoy a little more fall today. Do you have snow yet? Are you ready for winter? Anything you need to do before the snow falls?

Bad Art Show

I have made a few mentions that we were excited for an upcoming Bad Art Show. Well, it finally happened this weekend. Saturday night was the night. We headed downtown to Corridor Gallery to check out the entries in this awesome event!


Cordelia and I ready for the Bad Art Show. We almost certainly wiped her mouth off before taking her out in public.


Eric, all jazzed up about the bad art show


We found some bad art in thrift stores and submitted it, along with many other folks. I was talking to one of the gallery owners and he mentioned that one painting had been brought in by the artist. Apparently she was willing to accept the fact that she had made some bad art. If only I had kept some of my early works around to enter....there was one with mermaids (made when I was 14 or 15) that comes to mind.


I entered this piece found at the Goodwill.


Eric entered this piece which he found at a local thrift.

The opening was on Saturday night and it was great! People showed up in droves to look over the bad art, placing bids on the pieces. The winning bidder had the choice to save or destroy the work. Eric and I bid on a black velvet number that had the grim reaper riding a motorcycle, we were outbid---BOOO!

Death on a hog.


The crowd. Can you find us?


The news showed up. Cordelia later appeared on the 10 o'clock news, or so we've been told....she's gonna be big I tell you, huge.


Check out the giant cowboy and then the mini cowboys in the background.I love it!

The show was so much fun. I hope they make it an annual event, as I want some time to really hunt for my next entry.


Cordelia and I checking out the art.


Duck floating into a nuclear blast cloud???


Yes, this was there too...

We had a great time. What did you do this weekend?

Sunday Quote: Few

Few are those that see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.
~Albert Einstein