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Time to Kill the Fatted Pumpkin

pumpkin2 — Scooping seeds from pie pumpkin
Copyright 2011 by R.A. Robbins

Every year around this time I go through the autumn tradition I call killing the fatted pumpkin. This is when I cook wonderful fresh pie pumpkins and freeze the puree for the rest of the year.

Cooking fresh pumpkin is easy:

1. Choose a nice orange pie pumpkin.

2. Cut pumpkin in half.

3. Scoop out seeds.

4. Place cut side up or down (either works) in a baking dish with about 1/2 – 1 inch of water.

5. Cover with foil and bake 1 hr. at 350 degrees.

6. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle scoop out cooked pumpkin. Mash pumpkin or if very soft just give it a good stir.

7. Prepare 1 and 2 cup containers of pumpkin for freezer.

8. Freeze and enjoy homemade pumpkin goodies all year.

This recipe is part of the Sugar and Spice Link Party.

Thought for Today

IowaTrain 020 Fall trees 1 resized — Autumn Trees
Copyright 2008 by R.O. and R.A. Robbins

“Why not learn to enjoy the little things – there are so many of them.” — Author Unknown

“In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil. And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such superb colour effects as from August to November.” — Rose G. Kingsley, The Autumn Garden, 1905

Life in Six Words

Lower Pay But Much Longer Life (Photo credit: Keoni Cabral)

If you had just six words to tell your life story, or even a small part of it, what would they be?

This is a “six word memoir” I wrote awhile back:

I wanted revenge. Karma was better.

Believe me, it was.

So what’s your story? Do you have six words to share?

Thought for Today

IowaTrain 039 branches out window resized — Branches from window
Copyright 2008 by R.O. & R.A. Robbins

“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting
and autumn a mosaic of them all.” —– Stanley Horowitz

We don’t usually talk about how our photos were taken, but if you are wondering, yes this is a photo. It was taken from the window of a moving train. The only editing done to this photo was cropping out some of the black background from inside the train and resizing it for the internet. While it may not be a perfect photo in the technical sense, we like the effect.

Solar Storm — A Big Splash of Color

I like to follow the Daily Post Challenges. This weeks writing challenge is called A Splash of Color. Wave color in front of an artist and there is no telling what might happen.

The photo today is of one of my favorite fabric art pieces called Solar Storm. I could go into great detail about my use of color in this piece and what it means to me — but I don’t do that. If I tell you what I did and was thinking as I created this work I am telling you to see it the way I do. You don’t have to do that. I’m more interested in what the work says to you.

Is Solar Storm whispering anything in your ear, or maybe screaming? Do you find the color warm and comforting, overwhelming or even threatening?

Autumn from a Train

IowaTrain 022 Fall leaves from a train 2 resized — Autumn from a train 2.
Copyright 2008 by R.O. Robbins

Several years ago Bob and I drove to Iowa to take a scenic ride on a train to celebrate our anniversary. Autumn in the Midwest can be spectacular and that year Mother Nature outdid herself. Some of the shots of fall leaves you have been enjoying and will continue to enjoy for at least a few weeks to come are from that trip. Bob took some excellent shots of fall foliage on this trip. Some of these photos have “special effects” courtesy of shooting out the window of a moving train. So take a few minutes to sit back, relax and enjoy autumn from a train.

Thought for Today

Fall leaves from a train.
Copyright 2008 by R.O. Robbins

“Summer is already better, but the best is autumn.
It is mature, reasonable and serious, it glows
moderately and not frivolously … It cools down,
clears up, makes you reasonable …” —Valentin

Thought for Today

“Just before the death of flowers,
And before they are buried in snow,
There comes a festival season
When nature is all aglow.” — Author Unknown

Politics and Religion

Here in the American Midwest we say we won’t discuss politics or religion. In reality, we won’t discuss them with people who disagree. We will talk about both all day long with those considered “like minded.”

This rule is supposed to prevent conflict. What it does is cause conflict by preventing communication. The gridlock and lack of cooperation in our Federal government is also in our cities, neighborhoods and even our homes.

Nothing will get better while we choose sides and blame each other. We must start talking. Next time you are tempted to shut down a conversation with “I don’t discuss…” perhaps you really should talk about it. Listen with an open mind and both sides might just learn something