When Did October Arrive?

I've been so very wrapped up in cookbooks, birthday planning, a quick trip to New York, and indulging in some fun reading that I barely noticed October has arrived! It became abundantly clear over the past couple days as we drove along the Mass Pike and through the Berkshires ... the colors are beautiful! Not quite peak, but gorgeous just the same.

And then there's the rain. Yes, as much as I love October, it typically comes with a bit of rain. We've had more than typical amounts and I'm hoping that things will dry up soon so I can get out with my camera and get some pictures of the more beautiful spots I've discovered ... especially before they're gone!

In the meantime, I've finished up a couple of books on my reading list! The School of Essential Ingredients was just ... well ... heartwarming. What I liked about this book was that each chapter held a story in and of itself. The author uses the background of a cooking class to introduce us to the different lives of the class participants, sharing with us what motivated them to take this class, what they hoped to get out of the class and even how the class changed them. It started, however, with the story of Lillian, who taught the class and believed that food and cooking could heal even the saddest soul.

I found myself liking each and every character and my only worry was that the story would just abruptly end once the author ran out of class members! No worries ... the final chapter brought it all together and I absolutely loved the ending.

I'm so glad I read it ... it's not my typical fun read fix where I'm looking to sit on the edge of my seat and find out what happens next. It was instead like being snuggled up in a warm blanket drinking a cup of herbal tea. I found the book a comfort I didn't know I needed.

When I turned the last page of The School of Essential Ingredients, I found myself yearning for more "fun" reading and happily The Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier had just arrived for me at the library. Perfect fall reading ...

And I loved it. This was my first dip in the pool with Lucy Stone ... the journalist who lives in Tinker's Cove Maine and gets involved in all sorts of mysteries. As I read, the writing made me think of "Murder She Wrote" -- it was that kind of story. Lucy is just this very likable character that gets involved in everyone's business, finds clues where you least expect them, and has a knack for putting them all together ... and in this story, getting herself in a little hot water and a burning situation as well.

Once thing I will note -- the story line involved witchcraft and Wicca and, while typically I wouldn't be interested in reading that kind of story, I felt it was almost a nice introduction to what the Wicca religion is about -- without having to delve too deeply.

What can I say? It was a quick, fun read and soothed my itch for a story with a mystery to be solved. Nothing too deep here which, truth be told, I sometimes really enjoy. I closed the book wishing there was just a bit more ... so I quickly went to the computer and requested two of Meier's other books, Trick or Treat Mystery and Turkey Day Mystery to stay in the feel of autumn.

So -- that's what I've been up to. I am anxious to start blogging more about my adventure into vegetarian eating and what I've been cooking up. And now ... I'm off to exercise with a new Leslie Sansone Walk Away The Pounds recording.