Halloween my way

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and since I don’t have children and didn’t have any prior commitments this year, I celebrated the holiday my way.

Since I’ve been on vacation, I had the luxury of sleeping in to my heart’s content.

My dogs helped me carve a pumpkin, which was a very stubborn thing! I love pumpkin carving because of the seeds. I love the fresh-baked seeds and the wonderful aroma they leave in the house.  Here’s how I do it: gut the pumpkin, set aside the seeds and separate them from the guts. Then rinse off the seeds and pat some of the extra water off of them. I don’t dry them totally because I like to have the moisture for the salt to stick to. Then I use a salt grinder, grind the salt over the seeds. Preheat the oven to 350 and bake for 9 minutes. After the 9 minutes, stir the seeds, re-salt and bake another 8-9 minutes. Then enjoy! You can also add any type of seasoning you’d like. My favorite!!

Later that night, we went for a drive in the country, away from the in-town bustle and enjoyed the wide-open spaces outdoors. The sunset was amazing last night. A perfect ending to a perfect day!

Our favorite place to run around in during the evening hours is the Flint Hills Wildlife Refuge. Each year they flood large portions of it ahead of hunting season. Last night they were starting to flood the refuge. The water pours in, filling fields and providing habitat for migrating birds.

So, this was Halloween my way! I am blessed in so many ways!