fun times ahead!

Timing is everything.

Yesterday I popped over to facebook to see what updates had been posted since my last visit, and there at the top was a note from Nashville Paw Magazine that they had a vendor opening for their annual Barktoberfest event this fall. First one to get in touch would get the opening!

I emailed immediately and said I'd take the spot, and I'm in! I don't ordinarily enjoy booth opportunities at events as a way to conjure up customers for my Pampered Chef business, but I love the idea of being at this dog-friendly and -focused gathering. I can fuss over people's dogs, share the love, and say, "did you know that our Silicone Mat is the perfect tool for rolling out dough for dog biscuits?" Barktoberfest's theme this year is Vintage Halloween Carnival, and we're encouraged to decorate our booths (and ourselves) accordingly.

I'm not particularly inclined toward vintage or carnival themes most days of the week, but I have to say that after scoping out the ideas on Pinterest I am beyond excited about the possibilities. In fact, I have too many ideas to implement, and will have to work hard to restrain myself and narrow down my choices.

Since this is an outdoor event we (Ken has been alerted that I will need his help) will be using the EZ-Up "tent." Here are a few keepers:

These will be clustered inside the EZ-Up. Change the colors to black, orange and purple (and maybe that lovely neon lime-green), and decorate the balloons with paw print designs.

Pole curtains!  The curtains at the corners will cover the metal posts as well as the gizmos we employ as weights to keep the thing from getting upended by wind. Been there! The EZ-Up has only four poles, which will make life considerably easier for decorating purposes. Halloween fabric will be employed. Flowers will not. It may be possible to decorate the top of the EZ-Up somehow, although I'm thinking that may be taking this a bit too far.  We'll see. Ken's willingness and enthusiasm to make it happen may be a determining factor. I also need to be careful to avoid creating a "big top" look, since Nashville Paw is clear that we are not emulating circus themes (because of animal abuse issues).

A decorated pumpkin with "The Pampered Chef" written on it, and paw prints instead of dots. Not sure what I will put on top, but I'll think of something!

A cluster of pinwheels (in Halloween paper) displayed in a Pampered Chef product (not sure yet which one).

And so much more! Bunting, a ring-toss game (the prize will be a specially printed recipe of dog treats prepared using Pampered Chef products), bags of dog treats for sale, a guess-how-many-candy-corn-pieces-are-in-the-jar opportunity, soda bottles filled with Halloween-colored water...

My biggest challenge? Figuring out what my costume should be! I've got some time, and I will start working on putting together my pinwheels, getting fabric, balloons and what-not. But I'm psyched. Are you having fun with me?

Time to get out the new fall catalog and go through it to make some decisions about what products to have on display, and what I will offer as a give-away. This is going to be a blast!

and a good time was had

Last night our local democratic party held their first ever Halloween Bash at a local country club. As you might expect with anything that is new and not "what we've always done," there was a wee bit of anxiety about how the event would go. Would enough people buy tickets? Would they show up? Would they deck themselves in costumes? Would we make any money (it was intended to be a social, but making money is still a good thing)? Would people enjoy themselves? And of personal interest to me, would they like and appreciate my cake? As facebook friends know, this cake has a story of its own!

I am happy to report that the answers to all of the above is an unequivocal, "Yes!" This report is coming from someone who generally doesn't enjoy parties where I don't know many people, but I have to say I had a ball. Nearly everyone wore a costume, and there were some fun and creative efforts in that area. There was music and dancing, karaoke (which I even attempted twice without being under the influence of alcohol), door prizes, and a really good Ro-tel cheese dip with chips. There was some other food, but the dip reigned supreme.

Ken decked himself in all of his kilt regalia, and I attempted to pull off Holly Golightly. My effort would have been a lot more successful if I was a whole bunch thinner, but it was fun to dress up. The picture doesn't do justice to the hair or makeup, and it is exceedingly disappointing to note that the reflection I saw in the bathroom mirror before we went to the party and the image below do not resemble one another. Phhhhhhttt! Ken, at least, looks exceedingly handsome. At least to me!

We came home exhausted but satisfied, and this morning I am enduring my body's protest that I wore 2" heels last night. No biggie, all will be well. After the memory of the cake adventure fades I would likely attempt to do one again, and in the karaoke department I will be sure not to volunteer to sing a song that I only think I know. It's no fun to drop out in the middle of verse when you realize that what you really know is the refrain. That said, I managed to get through "Crazy" without making a total fool of myself. The darkness of the room was my saving grace.

And that, friends, is a slice of autumn life here in the mid-south. I'm not entirely sure what's on tap for today, but it's lovely and cool, and the kitchen is almost clean, and that's not a bad way to start a weekend. May yours be full of things that bring you joy.

oh what a night!

We returned home from Melrose yesterday afternoon, fetched Rigel and Juliet from the kennel, then shifted gears for the evening event. Parishioners at another church in the diocese have for a number of years hosted an evening of ghoulish delight and entertainment for members of their church. The invitation was extended to us, and boy, did we give them a turnout!

The host family opens their farm, including the barn and an assortment of animals (including llamas, peacocks, cows and goats, to name a few), and transforms a portion of the property surrounding an old wooden cabin. Fires blazed in two areas where costumed children and adults roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, and tiki lamps offered light when full darkness penetrated the grounds, which included an outhouse. And speaking of outhouses, one young trick-or-treater's costume was a "very scary outhouse," as she described it!

Music wafted through the air while party-ers filled up on roasted goodies, then tours were organized through the dark woods for young and old alike to meet up with costumed "treaters" who distributed candy. It was totally fun.

The attention to decorating detail was most impressive, and we learned that during the year the cabin and its surroundings are used for monthly gatherings for music and other festivities. 

Is that a family of ghosts crossing the covered bridge into the yard of terror and delight?

Most satisfying for us was the turnout of 17 children, the youngest of which was two months old! As they say, a good time was had by all!

good food, good friends, good times, and then...

One of the fun things about holidays is the opportunity to entertain with a certain amount of flair. Halloween isn't generally a holiday that tempts me to entertain, but Clare's visit has inspired some thinking outside of my usual box. Saturday morning we hosted a Silpada jewelry party brunch, and I had great fun searching out recipes to underscore the occasion. Among them were the deviled eggs, already appropriately named, decorated with black olive spiders. Then there were the cheddar witches fingers, and the pumpkin cheese ball (click on photo to enlarge for a better look).

Rounding out the spread was baked curried fruit, pumpkin french toast with maple syrup (OMG, soooo good!), honey ham and some necessary chocolate. For libations: coffee, orange juice with or without enhancement by either vodka or champagne, and a special cocktail of a fruit juice blend, vodka and grenadine. The abundance of marigolds came from our garden, thriving in their boxes after all the rain. We had a lovely group of women who had an equally nice time perusing jewelry for purchase, and vittels for the soul. It was a great morning.

Alas, there isn't a picture of the adventure that started the morning: the lock to the bathroom got set accidentally, and since we close the bathroom door when not in use to get a certain puppy from grabbing hold of the toilet paper roll and rendering it useless, we were thus locked out! Not a pretty situation when the women in the house were in need of and desiring morning "refreshing." Ken tried a variety of lock-picking techniques to get us out of the jam, and just shy of busting the door down so that we could get in he decided to try to get the window open from the outside. He succeeded at that, but then there was the matter of someone climbing through the window to get to the door. Alas, yours truly was the candidate, and that was an interesting task (it is not a large window). I did, however, persevere, and we were able to breathe sighs of relief and generally proceed with the day.

In the afternoon we gathered up in costume to head to MJ and Cheryl's for the Florida-Georgia football game. In order to expose Clare to some regional feasting Ken prepared a low-country boil, and in keeping with that effort he adorned himself accordingly. I think he gets the award for originality. Look closely to note the "Skewered Cajun Chef." When I noted that he was sporting a vegetarian kebab he was quick to point out that a meatball was in the middle of the vegetables. Witty man.

We were all quite happy that the Gators won handily (though Ken and I felt some sympathy for Trisha, who is loyal to Georgia), and once we returned home Clare headed to facebook and joined the "Go Gators" group.

Before sharing the next bit of news let me just say how blessed I am to have such wonderful people in my life as those with whom I spent this day. Ken, Clare, the women who came for "juice and jewels," as one person alluded, and the Gator Gang. It was a joy-filled day that was soul-satisfying and nurturing, and reminds me of who I am.

Alas, once home we suffered a mortal blow to the heart when we opened an email from Ken's daughter announcing the birth of their second child (another boy)--ten days earlier. Our names were the last in the list of those to whom the email was addressed. There are no words to describe the pain of this gesture on her part, which is at the least intentional and cruel.

The timing of my getaway to Florida Sunday afternoon could not be better, though I am not happy that Ken will be alone to process and react to the latest action in this family's drama. He'll be okay, but it would be better for us to have the opportunity to share our thoughts and feelings together as we experience them. I guess I can take down the sign over the kitchen door that reads, "Nana's kitchen: where memories are made and grandkids are spoiled. Open 24 hours." Prayers for wisdom and tenderness, and eventually for healing would be appreciated. I feel too torn within to pray myself.

It had been such a lovely day, and the good news is that those memories will stay with me and affirm what is so good in our life. I just wish that life didn't suck so much as to clobber them so unnecessarily.

Channeling Julian: all will be well...

food for fun

My friend Clare arrives on Friday night, and she will be plunged immediately into a full day of festivity the following day, which by chance is Halloween. Urged on by her enthusiasm for experiencing a "'home party," I have scheduled a Silpada jewelry party for Halloween morning. Entertaining on that day offers up a host of fun options when it comes to menu, although brunch, our time of day, seems to have fewer variations on either recipes or Halloween themes to make a real splash. No matter, we shall persevere.

I am not planning on making those charming chocolate vittles pictured here, though spiders will make an appearance in some form. And there is some truly disgusting looking food out there if I really wanted to indulge in the opportunity to blend the occasion with a spread of dishes authentic to the day. The idea, however, is for my guests to eat what I prepare, not just keep their distance from it!

So I've been having a blast searching for recipes that will suit a brunch and lend some holiday flair to the occasion. I have to admit that, much as I am not a fan of the personality, Martha Stewart reigns when it comes to entertaining and social occasions (like weddings). I will be leaning on her for the majority of my menu for Saturday, and I have already saved at least a dozen articles related to wedding ideas (think rehearsal dinner) that spring from her pages. Good old Martha. The best part about all this is that everything can be prepared ahead (which menas I will have a full day in my nice, clean kitchen on Friday!).

Today I will continue to clean: guest room and bath; and work: newsletter and spaghetti dinner. Yes, I think I can manage that. In the meantime if you have any really cool halloween recipes, let me know. I may just need to alter my menu!