Celebrate Fall? YES!

I really hadn't noticed before now, but this year I became aware that I wasn't celebrating Fall anymore, or any season for that matter. Partly because we live in West Texas and in West Texas we have one season, Hot, dotted with cold now and then, sprinkled with a little rain once in a blue moon. But mostly because 15 years ago I lost all reason to celebrate. Twelve years ago I got all reasons back but we've been so consumed with getting everything else back that seasons have not been a priority. That was until Amy Green introduced me to:Now I'm thinking about it and noticing the Fall flowers, pumpkins and gourds, corn stalks and scarecrows, enjoying the somewhat cooler temperatures, shorter days and I'm looking at the trees but so far... nada, no change. They'll change maybe by Thanksgiving.

Amy's Simply Sugar and Gluten Free has been a springboard for me. Not only has she stimulated my thinking about seasons and celebrating she has enlightened me with her 8-part series, Finding Balance with Food. Her recipes and the many links she recommends has filled my notebook with recipes to try, now that I realized it is gluten and sugar that make me sick, and so far all of her recipes that I have tried have worked for me. Not only do they work, they are delicious and a lot of fun to create. My husband is incorporating vegetables and is agreeable to trying the gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, almost vegan meals I have been preparing. He loved her Pantry Tomato Soup.

Amy and several of her blog friends are hosting Fall Festival 2009 . Their celebrating and enthusiasm is contagious. Fall always was my favorite season. So far this year I have cooked apples with cinnamon, and made pumpkin bars, all gluten-free-sugar-free-dairy-free. Thank you Amy for being a part of my living normal life again. You are a Blessing!