Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

pumpkins

Stomping Pumpkins Time!

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We’re going to be okay folks. There are cases of canned Libby pumpkin in my grocery store. Along with pallets of holiday baking ingredients. In a world gone wild, I focus on the few things I can control to relieve stress. Like baking pumpkin pies. As we head into the thick of the holiday season, buy your goodies, ingredients, and plan to snuggle in for the cold weather.

It’s cookie and hot cocoa time!

Life has been a blur these past two months, and now it’s almost Halloween. Egad!

My theme for this past year was “Simplify Everything.” I flunked. Because life has a way of throwing any plan into chaos. Especially in 2020.

I’ve added two more themes for next year. “Make Do” and “Good Enough.”

Simplify Everything. Make Do. Good Enough.

I think using those six words is about all I can handle for life goals right now.

Feel free to use them if you like.

Now is a time to be kind to ourselves. To say it’s been a crazy year is the ultimate understatement.

So let’s make cookies, find our favorite tv watching blanket, and snuggle in.

Two words. Baby Yoda.

So besides the annual pumpkin smash at the Oregon Zoo, let’s see more of Padu, our favorite Red Panda driving his mom nuts. 

Enjoy!

 

Lemurs, Bears, Beavers And Pumpkins?

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Do we all feel like we’re hurtling toward the holiday abyss at increasing velocity? I’ve been running around like a squirrel on Mt. Dew trying to get outside and inside chores done ahead of the rain. It arrived yesterday. Kind of got things finished. Almost.

Just managed to get the six Halloween decorations out Thursday. If I can stay six days ahead of each of the upcoming holidays, my life will be a success.  I’ve learned to lower my standards for the holidays; makes life so much easier.

But one pleasure I can’t refuse is checking out animals at the Oregon Zoo playing with their pumpkins. How cute are these beauties? Love the lemurs! I keep thinking of King Julian in the Madagascar movies.

Have a great, safe, weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

 

Unleash The Hedgehog!

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Obviously I’m not the only one starting early to celebrate Fall. Fufu, the hedgehog from the Oregon Zoo, had herself a wonderful time chowing down on grubs in Fall gourds. How cute is she?

So stock up on supplies of your choice, grubs or pumpkin, and get ready for winter. Don’t let Fufu get all the gourds!

Have a great, safe, weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

 

Seen The Lemur Pumpkin Cam?

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by Kimberly A. Cook

This is restock weekend to get the last of the Halloween candy before they clear it out of the stores on Sunday. For those of us who eat the pre-taste candy, get in there and get stocked up for the trick-or-treaters or yourselves. I don’t judge.

These pumpkin prowlers are ahead of the game at the Indianapolis Zoo by getting early treats. I prefer to think they are munching on raisins instead of some bug stuff. But that one little guy really wants to be a camera operator or selfie star.

Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

Got A Pumpkin Invasion?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                   (Twitter@  WarriorTales)

Running errands on Friday I stopped at the store and saw the big orange invasion; pumpkins everywhere! White pumpkins, bumpy pumpkins, baby pumpkins, miniature pumpkins, regular pumpkins and ceramic pumpkins. Plus all the Halloween candy one’s heart desires.

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A pile of perfect pumpkins!

 

Time to stock up now! If you want the good Halloween candy you have to buy in September, because the locusts come in and all that is left by mid-October is the candy nobody really likes. Consider yourselves warned.

The reason I was in the garden section was to find discounted items for the Fairy Rock Garden and perhaps a gazing ball on sale. Scored on all accounts. The garden art was twenty-five percent off, including the gazing ball, picked up some plastic butterflies,  a couple mini-elves and a mini-house.

Bargains make me so happy, but I’m sure there must be a garden art intervention in my future.

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Pumpkins for every taste. Think these are free range pumpkins.

 

More leaves are turning colors and falling off the trees, the tomatoes are giving their last crop of bounty and the weekend rainstorm reminded us all why we like sweaters and warm socks. The sun is coming back this week, but the shorter days tell the story; soon it will be time for pumpkin pie!

So the outside chores to do list is heating up. I will try to finally get the garage cleaned up and mucked out. Then it will be time to put the lawn swing away for the winter and break out the fuzzy blankets and fleece lounging jammies for cuddles.

Celebrate the seasons and enjoy the simple pleasures. Planting new bulbs is always a good idea to see what pops up in the new year. Must go back to the garden section while the sales are still raging. Plus pick up some extra Halloween candy. Just to be sure……

Got treats for tricks?

 

P.S. A salute to the first responders, law enforcement staff, military personnel and citizens who helped this past weekend after the terrorist acts on the East Coast. Wishing all those wounded and injured to heal fast and know you are in our hearts and prayers.

While we seek justice against terrorist acts, we must not lose our compassion. Fighting terrorism is not easy and it won’t be finished overnight. But with a United States population of more than 330 million strong, we’ve got this and we will finish it one day. Count on it.

 

Need Help Smashing Pumpkins For Pie?

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@  WarriorTales)

If you’ve got some leftover giant pumpkins from Halloween you might want to use for pies, I don’t recommend letting Lily and her pachyderm pals help in the kitchen. See what they did to two giant gourds for the annual squishing of the squash.

I particularly like the way Lily straddles her food. A girl after my own heart! Our butts kind of look the same too.

Have a great weekend everybody and Happy Quirky Friday!