Such a glorious time of year! I love how Autumn lingers in the Carolina mountains. We enjoy green trees turning into fiery golds, reds, and coppery colors that literally linger for 2-3 months…
…with daytime temperatures in the upper 60s to 70s and cool nights in the 50s, and sometimes 40s.
And yet, beautiful flowers are still blooming, from the chrysanthemums and impatiens…
…to the reblooming azaleas.
We are saying farewell to the last of the gorgeous crepe myrtles, the blues, purples, reds, pinks, and whites of which have mesmerized me since they first opened their blossoms in the Spring.
If you are unfamiliar, these grow and look a lot like the lilacs we grew in New Hampshire, but these fascinate us with blooms from Spring through late Fall.
I love how Fall keeps refreshing us with crispy nights, gorgeous days, and Mother Nature’s awesome beauty. Blessings.
Boooootifully bewitching!
Many of us, including me, tend to avoid or at least soft-pedal political comments on social media. Sometimes, however, enough is way more than enough. For me, this is one of those times.
I am deeply saddened by otherwise seemingly sane people hurling vitriolic attacks at friends and family with whom they see political solutions differently. Believe it or not, in most situations, there is more than one right way to get things done. Only by uniting to build together toward worthy goals can 2-party politics work well.
We must never try to silence, diminish, or belittle someone with whom we politically disagree… or else we are betraying our own souls and behaving in the very manner we see as evil. I will say that again, because that is much ado about the crux of the matter. We must never try to silence, diminish, or belittle someone with whom we politically disagree… or else we are betraying our own souls and behaving in the very manner we see as evil.
I don’t want my government telling me what I should or should not believe to be righteous. For example, while I have always believed in helping those who cannot help themselves, I do not want my tax dollars giving a free ride to those who are able to work but don’t want to compromise their “free” lifestyles.
Having spent time in various socialist nations, both free and far from free, I appreciate our two-party system and democracy. I love America and being American. (When the FIFA World Games came here, we Americans got to see how blown away folks from other nations were to see how amazingly outstanding life in America (even on our worst days) actually IS and Americans ARE… despite divisiveness propagated throughout the media, literally brainwashing our people into thinking things are so dreadful.
As an American citizen, vote as you will, but be sure to vote. It is both a privilege and a responsibility, and one I do not take lightly. Since I first could register to vote in 1972, I have remained a little “i” independent. For decades, I voted for or against people, regardless of political affiliation. I regularly crisscrossed political lines between Democrats and Republicans.
While I will never agree 100% with any candidate, nor any political party, I will vote for policies that I believe will help more than they will hurt. Some are tough to accept in the short run, but with the wisdom of decades, we also learn patience and perspective. Long-term success and viability are worthy.
Thus, for the first time in my life since I first voted in 1972, I am calmly and conscientiously voting a straight ticket… I’ve always had friends in both parties and at all levels of politics. Regardless, I am very deliberately voting all Red in 2026… All Red, no exceptions. I am voting for the chance for our nation to hang on to democracy and freedom, the likes of which exist nowhere else on Earth.
The crowds visiting from all over the globe for the FIFA games have reminded us of how stunningly fortunate we are. Our freedoms and basic lifestyles boggle their minds. Freedom has been sacrificed or compromised in far too many corners of the world. Their fresh perspectives clearly relate to Americans exactly how fragile and precious freedom is.
Are we imperfect? Of course. Are we fortunate? Indeed. Do we take the wonders of America for granted? All too often. We are still a tremendous land of opportunity… the American dream. We live in a beautiful, healthy, loving, and free nation… a thriving nation… a young nation. God bless and Happy 250th Birthday!
Mom’s Hawaiian Meatballs
Combine milk, beef, onion, cracker meal & salt. From into tiny balls and brown well until almost done.
KISS Notes & Variations: This is awesome served over fried rice, like the one in 
For National Italian Beef Day, enjoy the smashingly tantalizing sandwich in a large, lunch, or appetizer-sized portion.
KISS Note: Before serving, you can also drizzle the meat with creamy Italian dressing, but these are flavorful and moist enough without it. If preferred, for smaller portions, you can also serve these open-faced… or on toasted savory Hawaiian dinner rolls as appetizers. Also tasty is adding a sprinkle of mild or spicy giardiniera (jarred pickled chopped Italian veggie mix) along with the extra pepperoncini slices for serving. For some extra pizzazz, you can also top with a few spring lettuce or baby spinach leaves and either sliced onion or crispy canned onions.
“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”
“The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.”
Celebrate National Quiche Lorraine Day with this classic dish, perfect for lunch, brunch, or breakfast. We like serving it with a soup, salad, or some fresh fruit… or just as it is. Catch more yumminess in my cookbook: 
Sprinkle bacon, onion, and cheese in the bottom of the pie pastry. In medium bowl, beat eggs and beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into pie crust. Bake, uncovered at 400°F for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 325°F and bake 40 minutes longer. (Knife inserted in center should come out clean.) Remove from oven and let stand at room temp for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 6-8 servings.
KISS Tip: This is also great with shredded ham or a combination. It’s also perfect prepared in mini tart pans for lovely individual servings. Reduce baking time… just 5 minutes at 400°F and 25 minutes at 325°F.
