Autumn's Colors

As I was out driving today and going up a CT mountain, the trees were ablaze in color - bright oranges, gold and red. The sun was shinning on the trees and I enjoyed seeing it so much. I love fall with the cold air, warm sun, cold nights, snuggling with my pup, cooking yams and acorn squash, making applesauce, wearing turtlenecks and sweatshirts and thinking ahead to the holidays.

Since I hate heat and humidity, I long for fall weather all summer and so once the air turns dry and crisp, I am a happy girl. I even love winter and it's beauty. Looking out on fresh snow coating the ground is beautiful and I really missed it the winter I lived outside of San Francisco. I longed for a snow or ice storm.

I cook differently once the weather turns. I remember my daughter asking for stuffed shells one day in the summer and I told her that I only cooked those during the cold weather. Once it turns cold and the heat goes on, I cook more comfort food - yams, acorn squash with brown sugar, stuffed shells, pork, mac and cheese with ham, apple sauce, cranberry orange bread (for Xmas gifts), casseroles and lots of soups.

Wherever you live, I hope you're taking time to smell the roses or should I say, enjoy the leaves?