Apple Orchards, Bicycling, Yoga, A Haunted House, and The Best Hummus Recipe

A Haunted House

 Apple Orchards




"Mom, what are you doing?!?!"

 


The Baby Pack Mule



Avalon Studying to Be a Super Hero in College

Beautiful Gifts from the Universe

 

Doug, Alaina, Gaila, Apples

 I've been so busy living and have had no time to write about all the fun in my life.  The weekend before last we went apple picking at Weaver's Orchards, as we do every autumn.  We've been going every year since our daughters were born, and even before they were born.  However, this time was different because our beautiful Avalon was not with us.  She's away at college, studying to be a superhero, and decided not to come home this Columbus Day weekend.  I didn't want to bug her about it, so I only bugged her a little bit.  I miss her so much!  I feel my connection with her so strongly; I can almost reach out and touch it.  I know she's happy and having so much fun, as am I.  It's so important to have a passion in life.  It will save you.  I've been something of a dilettante, flitting from passion to passion, but throughout my life writing has been at the center of my passions.  Music is my other passion, but I was a musician because I write songs.  I digress; I know.

It was so crowded at the orchard; it gets worse every year.  It's better to go during the week, but Alaina has school during the week so we are stuck with the crowd.  They need to open on Sundays so the crowd is not so thick on Saturdays.  Apple Orchards and Cider Mills were big in Michigan, where I'm from, and I spent my youth frequenting them, drinking cider and eating plain doughnuts hot from the fryer.  So I'm drawn to orchards now; such a nice way to spend an autumn day.  I don't like grocery store apples: they are usually old and wax covered.  There is such a huge difference between most grocery store apples and apples picked fresh off the tree.  So I get my fill in the fall by eating all the apples we pick.  They are fresh, juicy, delicious gifts from the universe. We picked about $70 worth of apples.  Alaina gave some to her friend Rachel who made us a delicious, heavenly, buttery apple cake.  We also picked the pumpkins for our autumn porch decorations.  They sell these amazing pumpkin whoopie pies and caramel apples at Weaver's; I had one of each.  Good thing I only had a protein smoothie for breakfast.  I've been putting fresh ginger root in my smoothies.  Ginger adds a nice zing and in addition to being an anti-inflammatory, it has many other health benefits.

Bicycling

On Sunday we went bicycling on the back roads of Lancaster, PA.  What a beautiful place to bike!  It's a good place to bike the road because motorists are used to seeing the large population of Mennonites and Amish people who live there biking on the roads, as well as the horse-drawn carriages; so hopefully the motorists are being extra cautious.  We went out there to look for a historic farmhouse to photograph for the cover of one of my horror novels, which should be on the market very soon!  I'm so excited about this.  I am passionate about writing and would love to be able to make a living at it.  Is that too much to ask?  I've been trying to get my novels published over the years, but it seems like such a ridiculously closed marketplace.  So many literary agents think they are gods, as do the people who work in the publishing industry.  So now I'm going to try self-publishing.  Wish me luck! 

Biking with my husband is very bonding for us.  We can be in a huge fight, and then bike and return from our ride all happy and appreciative of each other.  There's always something new to be discovered when we are riding.  The last time we rode in Lancaster looking for a historic house (a few weeks ago), we came upon these teenage Mennonite boys playing softball.  It was stinking hot that day.  I was sweating like a cow wearing just an athletic bra and shorts, and these Mennonite kids were wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts while playing ball!  About 15 bonneted teenage girls wearing pale blue or green long dresses sat in a row watching the boys.  What a scene of unsophisticated sweetness!  Just down the road about 25 preteen kids sat in the shade of a large maple tree with their bicycles all around them.  Even further down the road we witnessed a scene exactly like the first softball field scene.  This is what these kids were doing on Sunday.  Playing outside, lounging with their friends, socializing--how refreshing!  This is what kids used to do before they started socializing on the social networks.  Don't get me wrong: I'm a big fan of the social networks, but I just have to wonder what the future will be like for the children of the world.  I'm not going to go off on a tangent here.  Just observing.  I wouldn't want to be a Mennonite or Amish teenager either, but can't we have some balance.

On the way home from biking, the GPS took us on a different route, through some backroads before we got to the highway.  I said to my husband that it was nice to take the backroads; it reminded me of how when I was child I would "go for a ride" in the car with my family.  My mom, brother, stepfather, grandparents, and I would all pile into one car!  And we had a blast, driving into the country, stopping for ice cream, talking, laughing.  My husband said he did the same things with his family.  "Everything's different now," Aimee Mann sang with 'Til Tuesday. 

A Cover for my Horror Novel


Ghostly Images Inside the Haunted House



View of the Back of the Haunted House

My Main Man in Front of the Covered Bridge

We came upon this pretty park called Pool Forge where many Amish people were picnicking.  A historic old farmhouse sat right on the brink of the park; it was the perfect house for my novel! I'd been searching for some time for a house just like this; it had to be exactly like the house in my mind that I'd described in my novel.  After waiting for a procession of about 1000 bikers (I mean motorcyclists, not bicyclists) to make their way through the park and through the historic covered bridge, I began snapping photos of the historic house.  The house actually has a front, and also a back that looks like a front, and either would be good for my novel cover.  Of course I'm going to photoshop the photo so that it looks like a book cover.  Look at that photo of the inside of the house.  Doesn't it look like there's something weird in the photo?  LIKE A SPIRIT?  Come on!  I know you see it!  I'm not sure if I should use the photo at the top of this blog, or the one of the back of the house as the cover for my novel.  If you have an opinion, please comment.

Yoga



 Should I save yoga and the best hummus recipe for another blog?  No, I will say it all now and keep it short (right).  Because I have yet another blog that I have to write about this past weekend and I don't want to wait as long to post it as I waited to post this one.  Okay, get to the point.  I was really sore from exercising all the freakin' time, so I decided to do yoga instead of strength or cardio training.  I looked for some yoga on my ExerciseTVon Demand and found Chris Freytag hosting a yoga show: 10 Pound Slimdown Xtreme Yoga for 42 minutes.  This was the description:  A yoga workout that combines traditional yoga poses with Chris Freytag's signature moves.  Wow!  Five minutes into it I was completely stress free and relaxed.  I loved every minute of this yoga!  She had so many fluid poses that kind of melted into each other.  She is the most beautiful woman too; positive energy pours out of her.  I like all her exercise shows because she has such a beautiful spirit, and because she is a great trainer. 

The Best Hummus Recipe

I posted the best hummus recipe in an article I wrote on Hubpages, and I got about 13 comments in the first 30 minutes or so after I posted the article!  I love Hubpages!  The community there is so encouraging and supportive.  Homemade hummus is such a delicious, healthy snack, packed with protein and high in vitamin C, fiber, and iron.

I am so happy!  This is all so much fun!  

P.S.  I have a new article on hubpages about St. John in the US Virgin Islands : http://gailalovesbijou.hubpages.com/hub/US-Virgin-Islands-St-John-Food-and-FAQS
















The Effects of Hormones and Protein Smoothies on Energy Levels

Bonjour, Bijou!


The Best Protein Powder  

Woke up this morning with so much vim and vigor!  Leapt out of bed.  If only every day could be like this.  Took Bijou for a walk, drank a cup of tea, made a banana strawberry protein shake.  This new protein powder is the best so far, and I've tried many. 

Protein Smoothie Recipe

For the smoothie, I put one scoop of protein powder, 1/2 a banana, a handful of fresh strawberries, 4 ice cubes, and 1/2 a cup of skim milk in a blender.  This keeps me full and energized throughout my busy day.  I usually make two and put one in the fridge for later.

The Best Sardines

My husband was making habanero hot sauce in the kitchen, the fumes of which were tickling my throat and making me cough.  He was wearing plastic gloves to handle the peppers and was having trouble fending off my advances.  He is always making advances while I'm working in the kitchen to try to annoy me, so I was giving him a taste of his own funny business.  We love hot sauce on our lunchtime sardines (no, this is not a euphemistic statement), so he decided to make his own.  Next time it will be curried pumpkin sauce.  Maybe I'll make it.  The best sardines are the Crown Prince Skinless Boneless Sardines in Water.  We order them by the case from Amazon.com.

Hormones and Sleep

I had thought I'd have to ride my stationary bike indoors because I thought it was going to be too cold to ride outside, but it was a "bright, bright, bright sun-shiny day."  Sing it!  Rode my bike for 45 minutes through the park and down around by the Reading Museum.  I felt so strong!  Why did I feel so motivated and energetic?  Was it because I got a good night's sleep?  Why did I sleep so well?  Is it all hormonal?  Some nights I wake up and start thinking, about nothing in particular--just whatever's going on in my life--and can't get back to sleep.  Some nights I wake up at 3 A.M. and feel wide awake.  Some nights I wake up, start thinking, and get really anxious.  This is something new for me.  Again, is it all hormonal? Something to research.  Last week I didn't sleep well and had no energy,  but this week seems entirely different.  I must investigate.

Menopause is Wonderful

I'm approaching menopause, and, hey, (don't make that face) I'm looking forward to it.  Honestly, this is by far one of the best phases of my life.  Aside from some external factors beyond my control, I am feeling incredibly good mentally and physically.  This past June, I was laid off from my job as an assistant teacher at a cyber school.  It turned out for the best because now I'm doing what I love--writing!  I'm writing for HubPages and Associated Content.  This is so much fun!  Check out my first two articles at  http://gailalovesbijou.hubpages.com/hub/St-John-US-Virgin-Islands-Snorkeling and
 http://gailalovesbijou.hubpages.com/hub/Perfect-Lodging-In-the-US-Virgin-Islands-St-John.  So much to write, so much to read.  Many more articles are to come!  I am so excited about this!  I don't think I will make a small fortune, but I will supplement our income by doing what I love--and who knows where it could lead. 

Flag Football and Soccer Games

After my bike ride, I showered, scooped up Bijou, and raced to my daughter Alaina's powderpuff football game (annual high school juniors vs. seniors flag football game).  I'm not a football fan, so I am ignorant about the game, but Alaina made an interception!  YAY!  Her juniors team lost to the seniors, but she had a blast.  I found it to be overstimulating: all those people, sun in my eyes, Bijou in my arms.  It was actually hot.  I felt sorry for all the people who were dressed for cooler weather; I was sweating in my shorts and short-sleeved shirt. 

"Everybody was kung-fu fighting, Those cats were fast as lightning"

After the game we raced to Alaina's club soccer game in Amity.  They only had 10 people on their team with no subs, and they had to play two 45 minutes halves; she was exhausted after her football AND she'd played soccer the night before under the same no-sub circumstances.  But I was brimming with energy. 

Stuffed Eggplant for Dinner

Enough about Alaina.  When we returned home, I made a recipe by Michael Chiarello: mom's stuffed eggplant: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/moms-stuffed-eggplant-recipe/index.html.
It was very time consuming to prepare, so we ended up eating very late.  I was so disappointed in the dish: It was bland.  Do not make this dish!  I should have read the reviews before I prepared it.  Last Saturday, we went to Meadow View Farm in Bowers, PA, to pick eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes.  We picked 18 pounds of eggplant, and I made moussaka last week,  so I have many more delicious eggplant to cook and eat.

Meadow View Farm

371 Bowers Road, Kutztown, PA

(610) 682-6094



Fresh-Picked Eggplant

 

Bedtime for  Bijou