I'm Here

 I've been here all along.  It's the blogging that has been missing.  As much as I enjoy blogging, my icloud photos and Blogger are fighting and I feel as though I am caught up in their ugly break up.

I battled through this morning and so let's get caught up.

In August we camped in Naches at our favorite spots with some of our favorite friends.

Sheryl and I boated to Roche Harbor where Shelly met us and we had a fun girls' trip. 

There was gorgeous scenery at Shelly's house on the cape, trips to Roche Resort, Vervue Clicqot with M & M's in bed and a lot of sunshine and yakking.  Nonstop laughing and yakkin' it up.

We went to family camp and celebrated Alex and Serena and Sam and Katie with a couples camping shower.  We had a cast iron cook off and good visiting with family.

 The Mt. Baker Rally in Lynden had a Wild West theme in September.  My friend Annette joined us this year and got to meet some Sisters on the Fly.  She brought her western theme Shasta on her first trip.  Giddy up!

Our besties, Jeremy and Rene' surprised everyone with a pop up wedding.

Hubby and I took a weekend trip to Silver Lake this fall.  It's a favorite camping trip for us, very relaxing.  Annie is snug in the forest and we are snug in our flannel sheets.

Since Steve and Jean were in town we went to Bayview  State Park for some fall camping.  The guys went to town to watch the game and the girls got busy crafting.

 We had Diner en Blanc one evening.  Glamped up the park and had a delicious dinner at a pretty table.

 It was fun to celebrate with Jeremy and Rene' with a small group of friends.

Our family headed to the mountains to celebrate with Alex and Serena at Cabin Creek Lodge.  It was a pretty wedding and a fun family time.  We lunched at the Brick in Roslyn, toured Heritage Distillery and visited Owen Meats in Cle Elum.

 Congratulations to a special couple and sweet Rory!

I've been busy substituting this fall. I run into my friend, Ella on the playground and she always has a hug for me.  Of course, I've had a cold that was flu like that ran for 4+ weeks. Job hazard.

 Hubby and I had an early Thanksgiving dinner with Sam and Katie and Max and Kassie. Sam and Katie haven't set a wedding date yet, they're waiting on some career changes and immigration.  Max and Kassie are busy on the farm and ready for things to slow down this winter.

Hubby and I are spending the holiday with Danny and Jess in Michigan,  So. Excited.

On Saturday, Karen and I got on the Polar Express to go shopping in Seattle.  Terrell, Lindsey and Tory make it fun and the swag bags are amazing!

I have three trees out and ready to decorate.  My goal is to leave for  Michigan with a clean and decorated house.  It's lofty goal but I am going to give it my best. The problem is that when I start decorating I see other projects, last week I painted two tables, reorganized the sitting room and cleaned the trailer.  Annie got cleaned and decorated for Christmas.  She's taking a Christmas trip in December!

Now, we're all caught up and probably bored by now.  

The blog is hard to write with the photo issues and I almost gave up completely.  Some sweet friends miss me though and I do like to document and write so we'll see what is next. 

In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving and I've missed all y'all!

Seven Layer Pumpkin Bars

I made this Fall twist on an old favorite recipe on Saturday to serve alongside dessert. Pumpkin Roll was the star but these bars gave the roll a run for her money. So yummy!

I'm back with a recipe this morning and just like the good old day there are a many. many changes.

Ican'thelpit.

Six or Seven Layer Pumpkin-Ginger Bars

2 cups gingersnap crumbs

1/2 cup melted butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup pumpkin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans(My guys don't like nuts in baked goods so I give in to their wishes)

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut ( I prefer 1 cup)

  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the butter and crumbs and then pat into your pan. In another small bowl combine the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk and spices. Stir and then pour over the crust.  sprinkle the coconut, the nuts and chips.  Bake for 20-30 minutes. Cool, cut and serve.

Okay, the recipe above called for an 8 x 8 pan.  I think they would have been way too thick.

I read other similar recipes with the addition of chocolate chips so I used 2/3 cup of all three types of chips. Other versions called for one cup of pumpkin.

*Next time I would use a cup of pumpkin, a bit less cinnamon and no chocolate chips.

The original recipe bake time was 25-35 minutes this was probably accounting for the 8 x 8 pan size. I'd would check them at 20 minutes.

My friend Shelly's family assembles the original 7 Layer Bars before guests arrive and then put them in the oven right before serving dinner.  Spoon the hot gooey goodness over ice cream and serve.  

Yes please!

Some New and Some Traditions in October

The blog has been so spotty lately.  I don't have time to post because I am out there enjoying post able events and trips.  Anywhoo, let's get caught up, shall we?

First up, something new!  We stayed in our first AirBnB.  We were trying to camp with Jeremy and Rene' and Larry and Shelly.  We couldn't find a date, then we couldn't get reservations, finally we scrapped the camping and went to the city and stayed in the Big Red House.

Our house was cute and it was cozy because when we arrived our friends had cocktails and seafood risotto waiting for us. The drive was rainy, windy with serious traffic.

Saturday morning the sun came out and we went for breakfast at Belltown Brewery.

We visited the market.

I wanted the pretty peppers but I didn't want to carry them all day.  

We wandered downtown and then took the monorail to Seattle Center.  We had a lovely visit at the Chihuly Garden and Glass. I love that place,  It never gets old.

 The garden has matured since our last visit.

Mr. Chihuly has a trailer collection too.

We had tickets to go to the top of the Space Needle at 4:30.  Perfect time for us and we were excited to see the new glass floor.  Warning: If you sell me a ticket for a 4:30 time slot and then I have to wait in line for 2+ hours, it won't be pretty.  We got a refund and left it for next time.  

On to the Rhein Haus for some bocci ball, the Huskie game on TV, beer and dinner. It turned out to be their Octoberfest that evening.  Oh my!  That was fun.

It was so good to have time with our trailer friends in the city. I love these peeps!

Karen and I have a tradition of making dinner for each other for our birthdays.  We fuss.
It was a special birthday for her this October.

We do a new cocktail, dinner, presents, candles and cake, in other words, we celebrate the birthday girl.

Hubby made us Silver Bells for our cocktail.  We have had them at Oliver's Lounge.  They were created for a hospital Seattle Christmas Gala and have become a tradition for that event.

Hubby and I have a tradition of camping at Silver Lake in the fall. It's just the two of us and we play cards, cook, nap and read and hike and nap and read again.  It's perfect.

This year was really perfect as the sunshine was glorious, and the fall color has been amazing this year.  Since it was October, we couldn't rent a canoe.

Pork loin and twice baked potatoes on the bucket grill for dinner, yum!

Cooking in a Dutch oven is new to us.  I bought a Dutch oven for Hubby at a swap meet this year and he was wanting to try it. He took a class on Dutch Oven cooking at Nile Valley from Scott and Renee, so he had some knowledge.

He decided to try biscuits and gravy.  Full disclosure on biscuits and gravy and Hubby and I... we only allow ourselves to have it once a year.  It's yummy and fattening and we know that. Once I know we are having it I don't want to be disappointed with burnt gravy and gooey biscuits.  Right?

No disappointment here.  Oh my goodness, it was delicious.  We use Jimmy Dean hot sausage and a lot of black pepper.

And since biscuits and gravy weren't enough we also drove to Glacier for Wake'n Bakery coffee and cookies. It took a lot of hiking to justify biscuits and gravy and cookies.

Reading in the sunshine, yes please.

We have a small heater, flannel sheets and wool blankets to keep us warm.  It's fun to camp in the fall and cozy up. There were two other campsites with campers so it's quiet.

Morning coffee is pretty dreamy when you're camping.  Photo credit goes to Hubby.

 Good stuff and a lot of fun.  Now we are home and Annie is winterized and ready to go into the carport for the rainy season.  I am subbing quite a bit and Hubby has a new schedule.
Fall and home feel good.