This is what pure lavender essential oil looks like. Peggy uses a still and we take our pure organic lavender plants and from one or two bushes, all of this loveliness ensues. It smells delightful, is naturally powerful, and goodness it's pure. Get your hands on some here: www.thelavenderapple.com 

Have a wonderful weekend!

I don't know why, but I always feel like adding oatmeal and nuts to my cookies makes them feel more like autumn. These chewy oatmeal cookies are the perfect sweet treat on a fall afternoon. 

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups brown sugar1 cup butter, softened1 tsp vanilla1 egg
2 cups oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon lavender salt
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

4 tsp ground flax 

Directions: Mix together ingredients in order listed. Bake for 10 minutes until slightly golden. 

Then go out into the nice fall weather and jump around in a pile of leaves just for the heck of it. Happy Fall!

Here is what the trees in our apple orchard are looking like. These will make for perfect caramel apples on halloween. The rest will be used for bobbing for apples, or will be pressed into the most delicious apple cider. The ones that fall onto the ground before we get to them? We feed them to the neighborhood horses. 

Speaking of horses, anyone willing to watch our lane tonight and keep their eyes open for the headless horseman? Happy Halloween!

This lentil soup has been a go to fall and winter recipe for us for years. It's easy enough to make on a weeknight, makes plenty of leftovers, and is satisfying without being bad for you or unhealthy. Plus it's affordable and perfect for fall! It's a real winner winner not chicken dinner.  

4 strips of bacon

3 medium carrots

1 yellow onion

1 1/2 cup dry lentils

2 tsp dried Tyme 

Salt/pepper 

2 cans chicken broth 

1/2 cup water 

3 garlic cloves 

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Chop your bacon into lentil sized peices. In a heavy soup pan crisp your bacon on medium heat. (Non crisp peices will be gross in the soup later, so be patient). Then chop your onion and carrots into lentil sized peices and add them into the pot. Cook until onions are clear. Add salt and pepper. Then add minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for another minute. Then add your lentils, cans of stock, Tyme, and salt and pepper again. 

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 45 minutes. If you cook out all the stock you can add 1/2 cup of water later on. Add your vinegar at the end. Salt and pepper again as needed. You can top with Parmesan shavings if you want, but it really doesn't need it. Enjoy!

Hope this soup makes all your cozy autumn dreams come true. Enjoy!