I love everything about Fall. Smelling wood smoke and feeling the crisp crunch of leaves under foot. The sweet anticipation of the holidays (before the panic sets in), the softness of a warm sweater, and the lovely cozy feeling of waking up under my favorite down comforter. I don't usually like stones in the yellow/brown family, but the two gorgeous star sunstones I have are a definite exception. I set one of them into a simple ring, and it positively oozes with that lovely cozy fall feeling. Of course, the photo props helpfully left on my garden bench for me by a busy squirrel help, too. I
And if it’s November, Thanksgiving will be here before we know 
it. I’m already browsing through Thanksgiving recipes. Working at home has brought back my love of creating food that is both good to eat and pretty to look at. I just received my annual beef order from my best friend who raises cattle. I can’t remember the last time I cooked ‘store-bought’ beef, or had produce from the grocery store. Our local farmer’s market is still open, so I had a lovely pile of beautiful sweet red peppers this week, the last of the season, along with a bunch of tasty fresh baby spinach and kale. In addition to my pancake experiments, I’ve also been 
inventing various meatloaf recipes with the bounty from the farmer’s market. This week’s version was especially tasty, so I thought I would share. Now, the reason I make meatloaf is to get a day’s worth of nutrition into a nice portable little item that can be frozen and/or sliced up for sandwiches, so don’t laugh at my weird list of ingredients!
Confetti Meatloaf
1 lb lean ground beef
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup chopped onions
1 large red pepper, chopped
a nice pile of finely chopped spinach and kale (probably 1-2 cups)
1 clove of garlic, put through a garlic press
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup milk or water
1 egg
Stir everything up until well mixed and it kind of holds together. Turn into a 9 inch loaf pan, and cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour. I served mine with butternut squash and green beans.
So, what have I been working on besides meatloaf? I’ve been making some new designs in copper, and these earrings, titled ‘Dot on a Wall’ (not the most inspired name, I admit) turned out to be my favorite. They are a simple abstract design, with a bark-like texture from my favorite Fretz hammer – definitely going to be adding them to the Abstractions Market at 1000 Markets. 
I’m thinking of doing similar designs in both brass and silver, too. These are a great size to wear, not too big and not too small. I’m also working on a winter series, and the first pendant is already posted in my Etsy shop. It’s a cute little golden snowflake on a background of reticulated silver and a lovely little blue topaz for an accent stone. My favorite new pendant is this one, which I really love, named Permafrost. This is a luminous moonstone the color of pale green moss on a dangle of subtly reticulated silver. I’m just loving the combination of the frosty reticulated silver with the pale green. 
I am trying to do time-consuming processes like reticulating sheet silver in between other jobs so I have enough to play with when the inspiration hits me. I never tire of the unique textures and feelings that can be achieved with reticulation!
That’s all for now. Time to let the dog out and get supper going…..see you soon!
