We’ve had frost here, finally. We got the garden pulled up and plowed just in time. As of Friday night it was plowed along with the fields on either side. Now it feels finished.
However, we have exchanged one kind of busy for another. The outdoor work might be drawing to a close for the year, but we the tall kid has made it through the first round of cuts for a Select hockey league and the small squeaky kid has been pulled up to play with the Atom league. So for this week at least, that means four days of hockey, one day with both of them playing. If the tall kid makes the Select league, it will mean occasional travel, an extra night of hockey each week and tournaments away from home. Just because we wouldn’t want to be bored, or anything.
Also coming sometime soon is a new roof, a new furnace and some other general repairs to the house. Just a few things that we’ve been waiting to have finished, but it may all end up happening at once. Life seems to be like that.
I had another early morning baking urge this morning and got up to make some apple pie muffins. I haven’t quite hit the perfect muffin yet, and I won’t write the recipe down until I get it right. The small squeaky kid and her sleepover friend politely said they were good, then requested chocolate chip pancakes. The tall kid said she liked them, then asked for money. So, the muffins are obviously not perfect yet. However, the spice blend for them is great. I would like to find a way to wear it as a perfume. I’m going to be trying it out in more muffin recipes this week, and I know there is probably an apple pie granola in our future.
Apple Pie Spice
- 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp ground allspice
- 2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Measure spices into a small jar, screw lid back on and shake.
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lightlycrunchy 
I would wear that kind of perfume
I know. We’d have people following us like the Pied Piper (pie piper?).
I like that — you are so good with words and making them say and do and purvey new meanings
Thanks – apparently I get it from my dad, who liked puns. I look like him, too. Wish I could write like he did.
he must have been a great writer — cause you have the knack down pat
🙂 thanks!
Congratulations to your daughters. Hockey isn’t as big here, it’s very costly, soccer is much bigger for the young children. Roof and furnace? I wouldn’t want to be switching out a furnace this time of year.
Hockey is pretty big here, but our house leagues aren’t as expensive as rep hockey, at least. Changing the furnace isn’t too big a deal, since we heat mainly with our pellet stove. We just want to remove the scary old oil furnace and replace it with an efficient propane furnace.
How I wish I had a back up here. Not permitted and in writing in my lease. At least my apartment is so well insulated that it is much warmer without heat than any place I’ve ever lived in this climate.
Ooooh! I remember frosts like that and worse when we lived up the mountains from Canberra!! Looks pretty, but darn cold!!
Thankyou so much for sharing the spice! Its so much simpler that the one I was thinking of 😀
It’s warmed up again since that morning. This time of year is a bit of a weather yoyo. And you’re welcome.
Your hockey schedule sounds about the same as my daughter and husband’s…They have two boys in ‘travel’ hockey and are constantly going to practices and/or games….but they love it and it’s a good outlet I think for kids..I know our two boys played (although not travel) and it was good for them. They still play in men’s leagues now in their 40’s…Diane
It is a good outlet, and I think team sports are a good learning experience. We’re enjoying watching them play. My husband still played when we were first married, plus curled and played baseball. Now kids sports take priority and he plays ball in the summer and coaches hockey in the winter.
Good luck with your busy fall schedules. Ours are pretty hectic, too. Can’t wait to start baking for thanksgiving!
I know, as soon as it cools down, you want to fire up the oven. It just feels like baking time.
Enjoy the transition Heidi – funny how it seemed to come so quickly here! We just suffered through a weekend of insane wetness and somehow it seemst that summer barely happened. Enjoy the new business and all of the kids sports!I’m right there with you..
Your summer that never was, eh? That was our winter last year. Hopefully we all have better weather this next time ’round.
Spice mix sounds great; I love cardamom! No frost here yet, giving me a little extra time to clean up the yard.
You mean I have to clean up the yard too? Crap.
Duly noted and printed – thanks Heidi 🙂
Heidi, you can get all those spices in essential oils and blend/mix away til you have the perfect combo!! I’ll bet it would sell too, just think of all the men buzzing around the women wearing it like flies to honey….move over Coco 🙂
We had a hard frost here too, but very warm yesterday.
I hadn’t thought of that – but you are right. I should get the other oils and start mixing away. I’m not sure I need any men following me around, though. Maybe just the one.
We could make that perfume out of essential oils you know… 🙂 Can’t wait for your perfected muffin recipe and congrats on the tall kid getting into an elite hockey league, I think. 😉
I think is right. But she’s not in yet – one more elimination tryout this week. Keeping our fingers crossed though – she’s made it this far, it’d be a disappointment to her if she doesn’t make the team. It’s still just house league, but at another level.
Fingers crossed! 😉
And yes, I want to make that scent. I’ll have to search out some spice essential oils.
Oh, but be careful! Cinnamon essential oil is so concentrated it can burn the skin (think of your jalapeno incident times 100) I use clove essential oil if I want to numb my teeth before heading to the dentist. Anyway, it would smell good, but it might burn and numb all at the same time!
That’s what I found out when I was reading up on it, too. Maybe I’ll skip the oil scent, then. I did use regular ground cinnamon in the bath before, so maybe I could just make scented bath salts again.
I like your scrub even more!
We had our first frost the other day where I live…winters on it’s way.
I know I’ll get sick of it a month or two into winter, but I always look forward to it at the start.
Apple Pie Spice- sounds divine. I think that I may just make up a jar of it just to “sniff”!
While I was out feeding the animals tonight, I was sweating! What a difference in weather we have. 🙂 Enjoy the fall.
It’s a beautiful warm evening in Sydney, but I feel cold looking at these photographs! LOL
Ooooo, those are fantastic photos! I just LOVE that first one.
Hubby thanks you very much for the spice mix too. He’s the pie maker in the house, so this is right up his alley. And, he wishes I’d wear that perfume too, lol.
Thanks Heidi!
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