Fall Pumpkins

 

Trees in my neighborhood are just beginning to change into their autumn colors. A few neighbors have already decorated for Halloween. And the mornings have become decidedly brisk. It might be time for pumpkin spice to reappear.

 

Pumpkin Dump Cake

 

 1 (29-oz.) can pumpkin purée

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 large eggs

3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup butter, thinly sliced

 

Preheat oven to 350F; coat 9x13” cake pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, and spice. Pour into prepared pan. In a medium bowl, stir cake mix and pecans together, then sprinkle evenly over pumpkin mixture. Place pats of butter evenly on top. Bake about 65 minutes, or until cake is set and edges are crisp. Cool completely before serving with whipped cream. Makes 12 servings.

Turkey in the Straw

 

Wherever I go these days, I’m continually reminded of D&C 58:26. And of this message, from 48 days ago:

“Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We find ourselves fighting a war against the ravages of COVID-19 and its variants, an unrelenting pandemic. We want to do all we can to limit the spread of these viruses. We know that protection from the diseases they cause can only be achieved by immunizing a very high percentage of the population.

To limit exposure to these viruses, we urge the use of face masks in public meetings whenever social distancing is not possible. To provide personal protection from such severe infections, we urge individuals to be vaccinated. Available vaccines have proven to be both safe and effective.

We can win this war if everyone will follow the wise and thoughtful recommendations of medical experts and government leaders. Please know of our sincere love and great concern for all of God’s children.”

The First Presidency

Russell M. Nelson

Dallin H. Oaks

Henry B. Eyring

Four Apples

"A 16.09-ounce bottle of water in the supermarket will cost you about fifty cents. Buy a case of them at a warehouse store, and you might pay about a quarter per bottle. That same bottle in a bar is likely to cost about two dollars. In a nice restaurant or a hotel, it can be worth up to three dollars. At an airport or on the plane, you may be charged five dollars or even more. The bottle and the brand are still the same; the only thing that has changed is the location. Each place gives a different value to the same product. Whenever you feel like you are worth nothing and everyone around you belittles you, change places, do not stay there. Have the courage to move to a place where you are given the value you deserve. Surround yourself with people who really appreciate your worth. Never settle for less!" – Borrowed from a friend of a friend

Aunt Sukey's Choice

 

Someone asked me yesterday if my family has any traditions involving general conference. I know a lot of families do. Some gather with all their cousins for homemade cinnamon rolls and sausage-and-egg breakfast casserole. Others do a big family picnic between the morning and afternoon sessions on Sunday. I’m told restaurants that sell ice cream or pie get swamped after the Saturday evening session lets out. When I was very young and we watched conference on TV, every time the tabernacle choir sang, we looked for our family doctor’s white hair in the baritone section. More recently, we’ve gone for a scenic drive while listening the Saturday morning session, and hit a drive-through window for lunch before heading home. This weekend, though, I’ll probably stream conference while mopping floors, doing laundry, and binding a few small quilts. I’m a much better listener when my hands have something to keep them busy.

Granny's Oven

 

Endorphins are chemicals produced by your body to help relieve stress and pain. Their name comes from two words: endogenous (which means coming from the body) and morphine (a powerful pain killer). It’s called that because endorphins are your body's natural pain relievers. Besides alleviating pain, endorphins can improve your feelings of self-esteem. They can help to regulate your appetite. They reduce anxiety and depression, and they can enhance your immune system. You can increase your body’s production of endorphins by having a good laugh with a friend, or by watching a very funny movie. Exercise can boost your endorphins, and so can eating chocolate (the darker, the better). Using euphoric essential oils like lavender, rosemary, orange, grapefruit, bergamot, ylang-ylang or frankincense can also improve your endorphin levels.

Gold/Red Sawtooth Star

 

In Sevenoaks, Kent, there’s a small establishment called Otto’s Coffee Shop and Kitchen. It’s near the top of High Street, between St. Nicholas Church and Waitrose supermarket. Otto’s caught my attention when they recently made the decision to only serve coffee to customers who bring their own cups. I’m suddenly reminded me of when I was in my teens, working at Burger King. A great deal of backroom space was devoted to storing new disposable cups, lids, straws, stirrers, etc. And the used ones took up the lion’s share of space in the trash as well. My manager explained that what goes IN the cup always costs a lot less than the cup itself. So, by insisting customers bring their own cups, Otto’s is freeing up a ton of shelf space and seriously reducing their rubbish load and their overhead. The best part? They can tell customers they’re doing it strictly for the environment. Who’d complain about that?

Five Leaves

 

Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilizes our mood, our feelings of well-being, and our happiness. It’s mostly produced in the digestive tract, but this hormone impacts your entire body. It enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other. Serotonin helps to regulate sleeping, eating, and digestion. If you wish to increase your production of serotonin, you might try setting aside some time each day for prayer or meditation. Running or swimming regularly can improve your serotonin level, as can riding a bicycle or simply taking a walk through a park, a forest or a garden. It’s important to get enough sunlight, especially now that the days are getting shorter. Your body needs tryptophan to make serotonin, so you might want to incorporate more items high in tryptophan, such as: poultry, eggs, soy products, salmon, spinach or nuts into your diet.