Annie

Who Knew??

[Source: Registered dietitian Keri Glassman, author of The Snack Factor Diet (Three Rivers Press, 2008); from www.msn.com]

With so many American children struggling with obesity, you may not find joy in handing out globules of empty Halloween calories.

The typical jack-o'-lantern bucket holds 250 small chocolate bars (about 9,000 calories), and 20 percent of kids eat every last piece they collect. If you don't want to be the neighborhood Scrooge who's giving out apples and dental floss—or worse, pulling toilet paper from your trees the next day—try these tricks to treat their sweet tooths without expanding their waistlines.

Best Candy Choices

Type of Candy / Calories

1. Trident gum (1 stick) / 6
2. Reese's Mini Cup (1) / 35
3. Kit Kat Bites (3) / 40
4. Mr. Goodbar (1 miniature) / 42
5. Snack-Size Raisins / 45
6. Hershey's Milk Chocolate Miniature (1) / 50
7. Jolly Rancher (3 pieces) / 50
8. Tootsie Roll (1 small roll) / 50
9. Miniature York Peppermint Patties (1) / 53
10. Charms Blow Pop (1) / 60

Worst Candy Choices

Type of Candy / Calories

1. Snickers (1 fun size) / 70
2. Milky Way (1 fun size) / 75
3. Kit Kat (1 fun size) / 80
4. Skittles Original Fruit (1 fun size) / 80
5. Wild n' Fruity Gummy Bears (10 pieces) / 87
6. Butterfinger (1 fun size) / 100
7. M&M's Plain (1 fun size) / 100
8. M&M's Peanut (1 fun size) / 110
9. Twizzler Twists (snack size) / 130

Oktoberfest 2008

Robert & the accordion

Jordan & jill

broken Bill

the musical talent - Milena & her accordion

Kendall, patron saint of fire, enjoying a libation

kung fu Chuck

autumn

pumpkins & dogs & garden

pumpkins & dogs & deck

Logan Canyon colors

final bounty

Our last harvest was bitter sweet. Nothing tastes like fresh vegetables...I wish we could have home grown goodness year-round. Trying to save the tastes of summer I bottled five batches of salsa, one batch of pasta sauce and we still have six or seven large tomatoes (those on top of the pile in the sink) sitting on the counter. Yes, you may refer to me as the goddess of domestication, I will answer you, eventually.


Our final picking (pictures below) took place Saturday. Only an inch of snow, but that was enough to "end the season".

Tons of tomatoes.

Two measly peppers.

Blue allowed me only these two sad peppers - stupid dog with no taste buds.

Nine pumpkins.

Sad pickings - the mean-spirited thief took the biggest and the best.

pumpkin stealers

Two of the prize volta house pumpkins have been stolen during the past week. It is so sad when you can't even trust people not to take things from your own front (fenced) yard. I am going to pick the remainder (the biggest one was the first to go) and hope that I have enough for my nieces and nephews to pick from...I guess I shouldn't be surprised, these are the times we live in.

Blue is two!

My fellaguybuddy turned 2 on October 1st. To honor him, I am posting a favorite photo. He is such a pretty boy. Brains, not so much, but pretty!