Autumn Hearth & Home

Since we live in the tropics where there is barely a change of season, we have to work a bit harder to get into the Autumn spirit! I do this by decorating every spare inch of The Castle, lol! Since I've been so busy the past few weeks setting up our other house, I've decided to decorate slowly, one area at a time, appreciating the transformation, just like Mother Nature does with our earth home!

If you were to come visit me today, you'd be greeted by a bright new doormat welcoming you to my Castle...



a cheerful little jack o' lantern at the entryway...



and fresh flowers on the table enveloped with my favorite Fall tablecloth.



"What's that heavenly scent?," you might ask. Ah, dear friend, that would be the loaf of freshly baked cinnamon bread! Won't you sit down and share some with me?

Cinnamon Sugar Bread

Ingredients

* 1 cup milk
* 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 1 egg
* 3 cups bread flour
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
* 2 teaspoons yeast

Directions

Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer.

Bake using the sweet bread setting if your machine has it. If not, use white bread setting.

When the bread is done, remove from the machine and let sit on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Enjoy!

And don't mind Lily's new baby Clementine, adopted just in time for Samhain...she won't nibble much...wink...



Brightest Blessings,

Happy October 1st

"October, the tenth month of the current Gregorian calendar and the second month of Autumn’s rule, derives its name from octo, theLatin word meaning “eight,” as October was the eighth month of the old Romancalendar. The traditional birthstone amulets of October are opal, rose sapphire, and tourmaline; and the calendula is the month’s traditional flower.

October is shared by the astrological signs of Libra the Scales (or Balance) and Scorpio the Scorpion, and is sacred to the following Pagan deities: Cernunnos, Hecate, the Morrigan, Osiris, and the Wiccan Goddess in Her dark aspect as the Crone. During the month of October, the Great Solar Wheel of the Year is turned to Halloween (Samhain Eve), one of the four Grand Sabbats celebrated each year by Wiccans and modern Witches throughout the world."
- Secrets of a Witch

Ah...my favorite month is finally upon us! Since I'm participating in Domestic Witch's October Blog Party, I'm going to do my best to fully embrace October, and in the process post a bit more often.

Whether you are in the midst of gorgeous autumn colors or, like me, still suffering through 85 degree heat, wishing you the brightest blessings of this season!