SOUP'S ON!

     There's been a slight nip in the air the last few days, and I've loved every moment of it. When the weather turns autumn-like, my household suddenly gets into the cooking mood: pumpkin rolls, chili, soups...you name it!
     The chilly autumn weather has really made me turn to one of my favorite recipes: tomato basil soup. It's perfect to eat all year round, whether it's the dead of winter or the middle of summer. I highly recommend a wheat wrap filled with homemade chicken salad as a side dish.  

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THE FAVORITE THINGS GUY’S TOMATO BASIL SOUP

Here’s what you’ll need:

6 cans--28 oz. canned tomatoes (diced and peeled)

1 qt. tomato juice

1 container (0.62 oz) of McCormick’s ground basil

2 cartons heavy whipping cream

1 cup butter (melted) 

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 cup sugar or artificial sweetener

1/4 cup ground oregano
1/4 cup Italian seasoning

In a blender, puree canned tomatoes and tomato juice together. Pour pureed tomato mixture into a large stew pot (as shown in the above picture) and bring to a boil. Add basil, remaining dry ingredients, heavy whipping cream and melted butter. Heat soup over medium heat for an additional 15 minutes, while stirring soup every 5 minutes. Soup should be creamy, hot and ready to serve.
Pour into bowls, gather some family and/or good friends together, and ENJOY!

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IMPORTANT: The ingredient amounts can be halved, due to the fact this makes a LOT of soup! I also recommend this soup topped with grated Parmesan cheese, tomato basil snack crackers and/or croutons.

THE UNSUNG HEROES OF NATURE

     The temperature was a chilly 57 degrees today, and autumn was evident. In fact, it was so much like autumn that I had to grab my camera and head outside.

    It was a really awesome experience for two reasons. First, I got to wear my favorite chilly weather clothing: denim overalls and a University of Tennessee sweatshirt. And second...well...the second came as an unexpected surprise. It was easy for me to focus on the big signs of autumn. My attention turned toward other things; tiny things I would've never noticed otherwise. These were the precious and unsung heroes of nature.

    I call them "unsung heroes" for a very good reason. It's those precious little treasures everyone, including myself, tends to overlook, and it's quite easy to do. But once I stopped looking for big displays of nature to "WOW" me, I started looking at all the little things that never really seemed to matter before.

    In my flowerbed, there was this mushroom that stood alone, yet so exquisite. The wood paneling that keeps my mailbox propped up was faded and aged, but appeared so rustic and magnificent. Then, there were what appeared to be golden rods in an overgrown field and tiny green clovers hidden beside an old oak tree. They both possessed both an evident majesty and mysterious beauty.

    Finally, in my backyard, was the best saved for last. It was an old tree that appeared curved and festive for this time of year. Before, it was merely an old tree growing in my backyard. Today, it was priceless and unforgettable.

    Then again, everyone and everything is priceless. And they're all there, patiently hidden along the sidelines of life, waiting for us to stop and notice. 

MY ROOTS ARE SHOWING...

     Now that autumn's come along, as well as the cooler weather, one of my favorite things to do is revive an art my Grandmother Brassfield taught me with such pride. You might have to click on the strip of three photos for a better look, but it's well worth it.

    These sixteen pieces of art look rare and one-of-a-kind, right? Well, I'm half-right. In fact, if I told you what these items were before they were works of art, you might not believe me. Trust me: it's all true. They are as follows...

#1...HONEY JAR

#2...PRUNE JUICE CONTAINER

#3...CANDLE HOLDER WITH GLOBE

#4...RED DEPRESSION WARE GLASS

#5...DISPOSABLE TIN PIE PAN

#6...FRUIT JAR

#7...CANDY CONTAINER

#8 & #9...(Ready for this one?)...TWO DISPOSABLE TIN PIZZA PANS

#10...WEIGHT LOSS JUICE CONTAINER 

#11...DISPOSABLE TIN PIE PAN

#12...GLASS COOKIE CONTAINER

#13...WEIGHT LOSS JUICE CONTAINER

#14...CRANBERRY JUICE CONTAINER

#15...PLASTIC "SCOPE" MOUTHWASH BOTTLE

#16...HONEY JAR

     Amazing, huh?

     Grandma Brassfield loved watching people's reactions when she'd tell them what her crafty marvels were decorated on. In fact, we all did. I love doing this craft each year for one reason. It takes me from the hustle and bustle of the everyday "rigor and rhyme" and to a happier and unforgettable place in time.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES



AUTUMN FOLIAGE: ONE OF MY FAVORITE SIGNS OF THE TIMES



     I stepped outside my house this morning and saw my favorite early evidence of autumn. 

    No, it wasn't the Halloween decorations hanging from retail store racks. It wasn't the cardboard signs from area churches and schools inviting people to their annual fall festivals, or the advertisements by area farmers inviting people to their annual corn mazes--both tame and haunted. No, my dear readers, it was something far greater; something no human being could create with his or her own hands.   

    It was purely God-given, Mother Nature-concocted, and simply all around me. The beautiful fall foliage laying scattered on the ground; the green leaves of last springtime slowly trading their emerald green jackets for beautiful brown coats. These same leaves that were once admired from a distance during long, summertime drives through the country will shortly decorate mountain landscapes with deep hues of red, brown and gold.

    Of course, let's not forget the other fun things that occur from autumn leaves. They'll also be raked into huge piles of sheer pleasure for children of all ages to enjoy, and become crunched beneath our feet singing a special tune, the sound of Autumn's royal fanfare.

    Autumn foliage. The wonderful aroma of pumpkins and apple cider hanging heavily in the crisp air. Fresh caramel apples and hot bowls of chili to fill us up. How marvelous autumn is! Perhaps jazz icon Louie Armstrong said it best: What a wonderful world it is, indeed!

MOTHER NATURE'S EARLY HALLOWEEN

     I was outside early this evening and noticed what appeared to be three really awesome wonders of the autumn season taking place. I couldn't resist, so I immediately grabbed my camera and this is what I found:
    A beautiful spider's web overlapped a backdrop of breath-taking hues of the entire evening sky; Mr. Spider paid his home a visit; and it appeared to be a near-harvest moon hanging high in the night sky.
    All three scenes reminded me of Halloween, especially with the hint of gentle coolness in the air. Was it mere coincidence, or do you suppose Mother Nature was getting ready for an early Halloween?  

NEVER SAY NEVER!

THE BABIES IN THEIR "NATURAL HABITATS"

     These are three of my favorite pictures of the babies. 

     The thing that cracks us up most is their uncanny ability to act human. Yes...H.R. loves his little leather jacket; Dandie loves nibbling on an ear of corn and insist she gets an ear, too; and Sonic loves his little bandana.

     All I can say is karma's somewhat of a good teacher of life. I used to make fun of dog people who dressed their pets in doggie clothes and fed them like children. Boy, did I eat my words! 

    My favorite life lesson learned: NEVER SAY NEVER!

THE LAST SUN OF THE SUMMER

THE LAST SUMMER SUN OF 2010

     It's official: the last day of summer has come. The last summer sun settles quietly behind the hills of East Tennessee. The leaves haven't fully changed yet, as though they're giving due respect to summer's season.
     After today, autumn will be here with its bright hues of red, brown and gold; the pumpkins will be ripe; long, winding trails will be made in cornfields all over the world for adventurous mazes--both haunted and tame; and new favorite things for a brand new autumn will have yet to be discovered. 

THE WORLD'S FIRST CONDEMNED COOKIE HOUSE

         

     I've done something today I'd never done before. We picked up a Halloween, Ready-To- Decorate Cookie House Kit yesterday evening, and I had a major brainstorm: to make something I'd never made before. I saw the awesomeness of it on the box. Funny thing about box side advertising. The item you purchase is a usual far cry from what you actually get. The frozen chicken is never THAT golden, the BBQ brisket is never THAT glossy, etc., 
    The houses they showed had orange roofs, purple cobwebs and frosty outlines, and the grass was green and layered--just beautifully done. 

Well, this is MY house...


    A far cry from the box display, eh?

    Poor little cookie house! I told my sister Heather, and best friends Windy and Tracey it looked like a condemned cookie house where people go to do bad things...LOL! They were just trying to be nice and said, "Oh, no! It looks great!" It looks droopy, like someone hurt its feelings something terrible. Of course, I can't blame my creation or box side advertising. The problem was I needed patience to create it the way it should've been done. Oh, well. Every new venture is always trial and error, right? 
    I can say one thing good about it. I had a blast making it, while also getting a good chuckle or two in the process. No matter how goofy or mundane the things we do may seem, isn't it good to know these same things temporarily take us away from all the craziness real life tends to produce and instantly become the favorite parts of our day?
    Hmm...Looks like I found myself a new annual birthday ritual.
   

THE CALM AFTER THE STORM

THE RAINBOW AFTER THE STORM

     Last Thursday, the 16th, at exactly 6:02 P.M., two really fascinating scenes took place after a storm that generated a rather heavy downpour.  

    First, there was a gorgeous rainbow in the sky. It was slightly translucent, but still beautiful and breath-taking. I can help but think about the story of Noah in the Bible every time I see one of those wonders tracing across the sky. Then again, that's how it always is: there's always a rainbow after every storm. 

    Then, my next door neighbor's ponies decided to enjoy a nice shower and bask in the coolness after the rain, especially since we've had a scorching-hot summer...

    My favorite thing about a storm--weather-related or a personal storm brewing in our own lives--is it doesn't last and eventually leaves before we know it. And when it's over, we can all bask in the joy afterwards and count our many blessings.

"BLUE SKIES SMILING AT ME..."

     I walked outside my house and saw the most beautiful site in the sky. The air's a crisp 67 degrees when this picture was taken. When the weather's this cool and there's not a cloud in the sky, the sky itself becomes a near-cobalt blue.

   The slight chill in the air puts me in the mood to pull out my denim overalls, carve pumpkins and anticipate Autumn being just around the corner. I CAN'T WAIT!!! Bring on the ghosts and goblins of Halloween; haunted corn mazes; hayrides; scrumptious caramel apples; fall festivals at senior centers, local schools, churches & downtown vicinities; and the Stephen's Gourmet Cocoa in my favorite mug. 

MY THREE FAVORITE LITTLE THINGS: MY "BABIES"

H.R., DANDIE, & SONIC--HALLOWEEN 2009

   
     I was going through my photos to make a 2011 Shutterfly.com calendar and ran across these pictures of the puppies that bring a smile to my face. H.R., a Jack Russell Terrier/Chichuahua mix; Dandie, a Boston Terrier; and Sonic, a Mini-Schnauzer. They're all a little over three years old and the spice of our home!
     With Halloween drawing near, I had to share these precious little photos with you. Anytime I mention the "babies", you'll know exactly who I'm talking about. In fact, you may hear about them a little too much from time to time, but it's all good. 

HOW IT ALL STARTED

This was the click that made this blog a reality.

     But why a website about virtually everything, but really about nothing?

     It's quite simple, my dear readers. The world needs plenty of this. As much as it says it doesn't, it cries for it every single day. It longs for something far greater than bills to pay, broken hearts, and tears no one will ever be able to wipe away.

     If nothing else, this blog is for me. 

     This blog will vary. Whatever strikes up nostalgia for me and brings a smile to my face, you'll read about it. Whatever makes me go, "OH, MY GOD! I HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD THAT IN AGES!", hopefully, you'll go with me. My life's not glamorous. It's too interesting for front-porch humor, yet too dull to be made into a reality show.

     For once, I'm being myself and that's all I can offer anyone, take it or leave it.

     Come along and let me know what you think. I welcome comments but always read each one before they're publically posted, so be nice. May we continued to be inspired by simplicity and never grow up. May we see a dime store jack-o-lantern or mall Santa and be taken back a few years to a simpler time. Most of all, may we never forget the things that make us who we are, and may we never forget where we've come from and the good things that have yet to come. 

     Okay, I guess I'm ready...
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                          Let the journey begin!

I'm The Favorite Things Guy, alive and well. You be the same.