No Mess Pumpkin Decorating:

No power for days, a foot of snow - hope all are safe and warm; sorry this is delayed getting out and Happy Halloween everyone!!!!


Oh my goodness – this is such a cute project and a really good way to recycle. Love this! Enjoy -


Pumpkin Decorating:  (by Deborah Way, Photograph by Andrew Greto  )

Use found objects to create a no-mess pumpkin decoration this year.

Materials

• pumpkins
• doodads from your junk drawer, such as a pot scrubber, coat hooks, plastic hang tags, a zipper, buttons, rubber band, and measuring spoon
• tacks, pins, brads, and screws for fastening

Instructions

1.     For a no-mess alternative to carving, create a face on your pumpkin with doodads from your junk drawer, held on with tacks, pins, brads, and screws. For features, we used a pot scrubber, coat hooks, plastic hang tags, a zipper, buttons, a rubber band, a measuring spoon, and more.

Happy Halloween!
Warm regards and love -

Erin

Hubbard Lodge Trail Hike:

This past weekend the family and I all went on a hike to Hubbard Lodge Trail. Joe and the kids had been there before and they have been dying to show me the sites.

It starts out at a beautiful lodge owned by Clarence Fahnestock State Park with a butterfly garden attached out back. Once you go through the butterfly garden it brings you to the main trails. You can follow the white or blue markers. The white trail is very easy while meandering by gorgeous flowing streams with magnificent foliage. The trees were still full of yellow, orange, and red leaves which created a wonderful backdrop for our hike.

There are many ruins along the way such as an old stone farm foundation with milk drums and an old plow left in what was once a field now overgrown. To some old pillars which marked the beginning of the farm house I imagine. We did not venture up that path as the grass was a bit tall and we feared ticks so we stayed on the trail and continued on our way.

As you hike up the trails you can see the enormous amount of stonework that was done to build the walls to keep animals in grazing lots. They are really a site to see. At the time of our hike that we decided to turn around and head back down we saw an old farm house very far up on the trail that was quite old and dilapidated. We poked around and saw that the stone basement was dug out and an old style metal bed frame lying around the yard and determined the house was from early 19^th century. Probably built after the farm was started as we gathered but of course we are only guessing on the appearance of the house.

We followed the same trail back down to the Hubbard Lodge and used their outdoor patio complete with picnic tables to have our lunch by the butterfly garden. The weather was cool but sunny and we had a great time together spending the day.

The hike up to the farm house took us about 2 hours and then back down so a total of 3-1/2 to 4 hours complete. Not a hard hike at all but very enjoyable. Can’t wait to go back.

Clarence Fahnestock State Park
2920 Rt 9
Cold Spring, NY 10516

http://www.fofhh.org/

Hubbard Lodge is just north of the intersection of Rt 301 and US 9.

Google map link to the trail head:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=215720277486328110519.00046dc23439a8db6db0f&ll=41.444435,-73.914599&spn=0.001938,0.004823&t=h&z=18&iwloc=00046dc23ed5c0e80c7ee


Warm regards and love,

Erin

Kiwi Facial Cleanser:

An easy receipe you can make right in your own kitchen. Beficial for all skin types.





1 kiwi fruit
2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
1 tablespoon orange water ( or plain water )
1 tablespoon apricot or almond oil ( olive oil is a good substitute )
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon finley ground almonds
2 drops orange ( or your favorite citrus ) essential oil


Puree the kiwi fruit in a blender or food processor until liquid. During processing, add yogurt, orange water, almond or apricot oil, and ground almonds. Pocess until thick and creamy. Add essential oil and stir to mix. To apply, massage gently over neck, face and decollete to cleanse. Rinse well. Makes one application.


Warm regards and love,

Erin

Apples, Apples everywhere!!!

My family and I went apple picking this past weekend on a glorious fall day and had a blast in the fields and tired ourselves out picking apples. Needless to say we now have apples coming out the wazoo! ( this is a  technical terms for way too many apples ) So instead of posting an apple pie recipe,  I thought I would post some more obscure ways to use your apples if you have an over abundance of them..

Apples are full of fiber. Chop them up into small pieces and put into your blender with other green veggies for a “green smoothie”. Very nutritious!

If baked apples is what you crave without all of the refined sugar. Try slicing apples and adding nutmeg and cinnamon with a drizzle of real maple syrup. Bake at 375 for 20min.  This is a healthier alternative to a sugar laden desert.  ( add nuts and raisins for extra flavor if you want )

Add diced apples to your salad, add a few to your rice pilaf or simply add some to your oatmeal in the morning. What a great alternative. Yum!

Make a facial mask. Grate an apple and mix in 2 teaspoons of raw honey. Smooth over face and let sit for about 10-20 min. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.  The pectin and tannins in the apples will work as  a great moisturizer and give your skin a fresh glow.

How about them apples!!!

Warm regards and love,

Erin