Proverbially speaking...

October is here and it is the dawning of my favorite season. 

Most people enjoy Fall, because it is a time of family traditions and celebrations.
Yet, when in a new place, the feeling may be different and the harvest is not the same as what you've grown to expect in building familial memories.
This is not a complaint. I am learning to see beautiful things in a new place.
All the more, being here with my husband and brother and the community we have made, we have been able to celebrate the old in a new place.
Along with the changing of leaves as they part from the trees, we learn to adapt to the changes in this time of year, such as cooler air, shorter daylight, bundling in many sleeves (including those around our hot beverages), and even the things that we eat. I bring up this last point, because in the desire I have to garden is to live by the return of each season.
And I think there is more in that than just food.
Though Fall seems to bring out the same expectations from us year after year, each while brings something different and new.
This year, I am thankful to say that it is bringing a new life to my family.
At the end of this month, my nephew Sawyer Levi will be born on the 25th... God willing and the creek don't rise, not a day before!
The reason I am hoping on his arrival at this time is because I want to be there for it!
You see, as you may know by now, I am in California while my family is still in Georgia.
I am also very close to my sister and told her that I cannot imagine missing this special day.
However, when living three-thousand-something miles away things are much easier said than done.
For after October comes November with Thanksgiving and after that comes December with Christmas and all of sudden there becomes a tug-of-war with which one to do.
I know that God can do anything, but I still find myself trying to weigh out the significance of each and which one to try and make it for, because doing all does not seem possible (yes, I know my wonderings are contrary to the former part of the statement).
At the same time, during this month, my family has made the goal to go through reading a chapter of Proverbs a day and sharing what we take from each passage.
And it was this morning that I was reading in chapter 15 verse 22, that it states,
"Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed."
And well, it seems that in all my "plan-making" I have only been gaining stress and not much insight.
This verse caused me to think about the amazing community that I have been blessed with and all the mentors that have poured into my life over the years. It seems that we often get caught up in thinking that we can make plans when God already has already made a way for us (at times like this I have to preach to myself, because my mind doesn't always want to believe what is in my heart).
More over, I am sharing this today because I know that there are those of you who are faithful to reading my writings and whom I trust to receive wise counsel from.
He says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7
I love this passage, because I have seen His faithfulness time and time again and His workings are beyond my understanding. Still, the good and perfect Father gives every good and perfect gift.
What's more, I believe that we find Him speaking in proverbs because there is more that He wants to give us than what is on the surface.
So, I leave you friends with an invitation to share what you feel and in turn I will share with you what has already been taking place in this new season in a new place.

Here are some photos from this last fun Fall-packed weekend!

On Saturday we decided to go to this local pumpkin patch at Hawes Farm to (you guessed it) pick pumpkins! But that was the least of our fun, seeing as we also did many a corn-maze from your traditional type to the kind where you hear chainsaws and have people in Jason masks grabbing at you from behind corn stalks at night! It was called the field of screams... and yes, I screamed.

Did I mention that we rode a tiny train and it poured on us, so we decided to warm up by playing multiple games of ninja and having a ho-down on the dance floor to "Save A Horse Ride a Cowboy?" Cause we did...

On Saturday night, we took our lovely pumpkins and decided to have some carving fun, followed by roasting pumpkin seeds, dinner (recipe below), and treats!

Pat decided to do a creepy pumpkin eating a baby pumpkin, while Mike did a bearded hipster, and I did Aslan!

 

And for dinner I made a delectable Veggie-Lentils Shepherd's Pie with Roasted Potatoes, instead of the traditional mashed, per my brother's request. This is also a good way to keep it light and away from all the dairy and such. And of course, this meal is gluten/dairy/and refined sugar free!

Ingredients:

- 2 T. olive oil

- 1 yellow onion, diced

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 c. carrots, sliced 

- 1 c. mushrooms, sliced

- 6 brussel sprouts, sliced

- 2 handfuls kale, chopped

- 1 1/2 c. lentils (cooked in 3 1/2 c. water/veggie stock with garlic)

- 2 t. dried rosemary and 2 t. italian seasoning

- 1 t. honey

- pinch of spice, such as cayenne or even garam masala to add to the savoriness

- 2 T. liquid aminos

- 1 T. balsamic vinegar

- 2 T. rice flour (or other flour of choice)

- 2 c. boiling water with 1 veggie bouillon cube

- season generously with salt and cracked pepper and other herbs of choice, such as garlic powder

- 2 russet potatoes and 1 sweet potato, sliced thinly

Cook time: 1.5 hours. Serves 6-8

Directions:

1. Rinse potato slices and put in an ice bath in a large bowl to draw out the starch. This will help them to crisp, once layered on the top of the "pie."

2. Preheat oven to 400 F. and cook lentils according to directions. I like to infuse mine with garlic to keep the flavors on the same page.

3. Heat olive oil over med. heat in a large sauce pan and add onion and carrots and let cook until tender, about 10 mins.

4. Then, add in the brussel sprouts with the veggies and let cook until wilting.

5. Add in mushrooms, garlic, kale, and herbs at this time. so as not to burn the garlic and herbs!

6. Once the lentils are cooked, add to the vegetable mix, turn up the heat to med-high and add the hot water with the rice four. Stir in the flour so as to thicken the mixture and create a gravy-like broth.

7. Add in the honey, liquid aminos, balsamic vinegar, and adjust spice to your liking.

8. Before transferring the filling into the baking dish, I like to put a small dollop of Earth Balance butter in each corner of the dish and place it into the oven to melt so that, when I add in the filling, the bottom will soak in the flavor and hold together better.

9. Remove the potatoes from the ice bath and blot dry with a kitchen towel. Then, toss in some olive oil, salt + pepper, and more rosemary and garlic.

10. Transfer filling to a large glass baking dish (one for a casserole), then top with the potatoes layered over another. Because of the ratio, I did 1 sweet potato slice for every 2 russets. However, you can make a Christmas tree or do whatever you like!

11. Pop in the oven and bake covered with foil for 15 mins, then remove the foil and bake for another 20 mins or until the top is browned and crispy! The foil in the first portion helps to cook the potatoes through and not just crisp on the outside.

12. ENJOY with friends, family, or whoever is hungry!

Later on, we roasted the huge vat of pumpkin seeds (in THREE batches)! For the traditional type, I tossed the seeds (after being rinsed and towel-dried) in about 2 T. olive oil with a generous shaking of salt and pepper. It is important when cooking these to start on low heat, such as 275 F to dry out the seeds, and bake at 15 min. intervals while increasing the heat by 25 degrees at each turn. This took an overall of about 40ish mins per batch and they turned out perfectly! For a more sweet spin, I tossed one batch in 2. T olive oil, with a generous shaking of pumpkin pie spice and coconut palm sugar! Cook them the same way! Enjoy as a snack, in a salad, on top of your breakfast quinoa, or atop your pasta for dinner! 

Happy Fall Festivities!