SUNNY SATURDAY

This is what one calls a perfect weather day!  Sun shining, no wind, temps in the high 50s, and we're invited to a patio birthday party with a bonfire.  It's a very special birthday, so we're excited.

Reminds me of our camping days.....nothing so soothing as the smell of a camp fire.  Sometimes we drive through local campgrounds, roll our car windows down, so we can take a few deep breaths of the smoke permeating the air.  One of the joys of autumn.

Have been spending time on Pinterest, looking for recipes that coincide with the season.  Our taste buds must be tuned into the calendar, cuz lately find myself hungry for comfort foods like chicken and dressing casseroles, pecan pie, pumpkin desserts and sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and chopped pecans on top.  

Am not one to invest a lot of time in making foods.  Will take short-cuts every time.  Like the recipes that start with a cake mix and go from there.  Store-bought pies from the freezer section have brought compliments I didn't deserve.  Sometimes the ingredients cost more than just buying a ready-made.  Krusteaz Cranberry-Orange muffin mix makes the best loaf of cranberry-orange bread.  Simple and people rave about it.  A loaf makes a perfect hostess gift.  The other kinds of Krusteaz are equally as good, like the banana and poppyseed-lemon.  

Gotta share the pictures texted to me last night.  These are my two adorably sweet fur-nieces, Millie and Maggie.  They're sisters.......

 And their St. Bernard brother, Wilson.....

Both sides of the family are crazy about canines.  They are considered part of the family, just like those of us classified as humans.  Actually, in some instances, the canines are far superior to us when it comes to loyalty and love.  That comes from personal experience, tried, tested and true.

Suppose I'd best start getting ready for the birthday party.  Have to wrap the presents that I hope will bring the birthday girl a giggle or two.  Anytime we can make another person smile or laugh, well, then we've done our job on earth for the day.  And, smiles are needed more than ever now.  By all of us.  Don't care what color we are, what belief system we prefer, or what part of the planet we live on.  Something feels out of kilter with the world, especially the U.S.   That's why we can't let go of laughter and silliness.  Maybe society has cremated common sense, but we can't allow that to happen to our sense of humor.  Not ever.  Never ever.