Maybe it’s just me, but daylight savings time really freaks me out.

The main trouble is that it almost always catches me off guard -before and after. I never realize it’s daylight savings time until the day before and after it happens, I get confused when it becomes dark at 5:30 p.m.

I’m sure it will just take my body a few days to adjust and then I’ll go into my winter mode.

Have you been affected by Daylight Savings Time?

PS: I’ll put some pictures from Halloween up at lunch today!

One of my favorite expressions as of late has been “fly by night” (a.k.a. the act of flying by the seat of your pants). I guess you could say I’m trying to live on the edge a little bit, not get caught up in the routine. This idea has been translating to all parts of my life and so it is no surprise that it finally followed me into the kitchen.

You could say that today I was flying by morning. For starters, we’re out of all things related to oatmeal except for oats itself. I decided to improvise by making an oat/grit hybrid with cinnamon.

And, surprise, surprise, we also don’t have any fruit in this house either. So I dug into the freezer and pulled out some berries from the time we went berry picking. Victory! They are still good.

And of course I needed to make this bowl look pretty somehow, so granola and wheat germ it was – to the rescue again.

The result? Interesting and sweet. The thawed berry juice is divine. Someone should bottle that and sell it.

Do you fly by the seat of your pants? Fly by night? Fly by morning?

I don’t necessarily advocate drinking in the morning. But there are some beverages you shouldn’t pass up when you need a boost. Like the Oat Cocktail, for example.

The bartender told me that this drink is made with only the “finest ingredients” and sure to “warm you up” at the start of any day, especially if served on a very special lobster placemat.

It is quite the perfect blend of oats and banana with just a slight touch of cinnamon liquor. I sipped it while staring longingly out the window, of course.

One of my most favorite parts? The almond-shaped ice cubes.

What’s your drink of choice in the morning?

Mine is normally OJ

Halloween is nearly one week away, and it’s time for me to start cleaning out the closets, looking for scary faces and ghosts.

I caught a glimpse of this fella today.

He asked if he was up to par for a Halloween debut, and I told him he just wasn’t grimacing enough.

He tried to convince me of the million ways he was scary. His crooked nose. His almond-shattered teeth. Those chocolate brown eyes. And it wasn’t until I looked into his one, that I almost believed him.

But then he told me not to be scared, that he was actually a really nice guy under the surface. And you know what, that may be true. Seems like all along he was just wearing a mask.

What mask are you wearing this year for Halloween?

I can’t remember the last time I made beautiful oatmeal for the sake of it. There was something even more rewarding about cutting apple slices and sprinkling with cinnamon this morning.

Time should never stand in the way of stirring oatmeal in a pot on the stove. Or ever stand in the way of microwaving. Or, more importantly, ever stand in the way of making things look pretty – and delicious.

Do you make time for all the things you enjoy most in life? Like admiring oatmeal on window sills overlooking parking lots…?

I don’t think it’s possible for me to ever “make time” for anything because I don’t think time can be made. I don’t think time is spent or passed, necessarily, and I don’t think it can be earned. I think you simply live in time. You are in the present.

I didn’t make time for oatmeal this morning. I made oatmeal this time.

(Can you tell I’m reading a book that is heavily influenced by the idea of “Time”?)

What are your views on the present, past and future? (Open-ended question!)

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Do you ever feel like life is a jungle?

I feel that way on Mondays. We’re all just trying to get out the door, get started with the week and not feel so tired.

Maybe we take our time a little bit, hang back in our canopy beds and rest – like our friend Melville below.

Or maybe we’re ready to go first thing in the morning, like our friend Fred.

What’s your style on Monday? Ready to go or hanging back?

Four years ago, I was sitting under the canopy at the Krispy Kream Ice Cream shop in Pennsylvania with a long-haired hippie in the passenger seat.

He was my best friend, and we had spent the past several weeks together. Drinking coffee and staying up late to talk. Sitting near each other in Journalism class and passing notes. Listening to music in the car on long drives through the hiding towns of western Pennsylvania.

On October 9, we had just gotten back from a visit to my hometown. We sat in the parking lot of the ice cream shop even though the crispness of fall had set in, and the frozen treats were gone. I sat behind the wheel of my old beat-up Toyota Camry.

I asked him if I was his girlfriend. And he said yes.

And that began the journey of four years together. 

This year’s heart is different than last year because love changes throughout days and months and years. The insides of a heart grows stronger as people change and grow together.

Nothing replaces love. Not ever.

I love you, Bill.

How did I meet Bill? There’s more to the story than just the ice cream shop.

Who do you love today?

There are so many bridges in life and who knows which one to take.

Especially when they are side by side and close together.

Not to mention rocky terrain underneath. Or unstable footing.

But crossing that bridge means you’re getting to the other side of something. Another part of the city. Another part of nature. Another part of something.

Are you crossing any bridges?

This probably isn’t timely considering it’s September, but I feel as though things are finally in bloom again.

It could be the back-to-school thing. Even though it happens in fall, it always feels like a fresh start to things. Don’t you think?

Even if the flowers are actually a little droopy outside, and the leaves are starting to sway just a bit more, I’m confident that things are about to get even more beautiful.

The good thing about food art? You can always create something that may be out of season. That way, there are always flowers on your table or boats in your oats.

What is in bloom for you?

Sneak Preview

Someone had their hands in bookmaking yesterday. We had book day at my friend Jenny‘s house, and I ended up almost finishing a pretty cool book. I want to save it until it’s done and shipped off to my friend’s house, but here’s a sneak preview.

The rest is a surprise!

Happy Monday!

Have you ever been to this place called Parfait Mountain? It’s one of those mountain tops that’s so high up, you have no idea how far it is down.

There are lots of special surprises in this mountain if you dig deep enough. But only the brave ever find out what lies within.

It has taken people (and animals) days and days to climb up its slippery slope. Especially since it’s been raining so much. 

But when they reach the top, they relax in the comfort of the rocks (ironic, no?) and the view.

One thing about these critters – they don’t like being disturbed. They consider the mountain top to be their natural habitat, even if they are a mix of farm animals.

Uh oh! Looks like someone caught me with the camera. Make that three someones. I better get outta here fast

Are you currently climbing a (metaphorical) mountain?