Sweet November, You Had Me at Autumn

By Cal Orey

Hello November! ... This morning instead of a swim at the resort pool, I played hooky. At 5 AM-ish the pup Skye, got me up and outdoors into the 20-something degree weather to do his business. Back indoors I fed both Aussie and Brittany, Simon. And, I confess. I crawled back into the cozy waterbed with golden colored flannel sheets and entered dreamland. At 7:40 (yep, I looked at the clock), I got up and brewed a cup of Pumpkin Spice Coffee. 

Autumn bliss with a growing pup and senior dog.

A Writing Day: On this Thursday I was happy because the plan was to write anecdotes from yesteryear for the Revised and Updated OLIVE OIL book. The writing of a book is the fun part; the research is a challenge. In between Skyler devouring my fave comfy over-sized chair in the living room to demanding his romp in the dog run and flaunting his hazel colored big puppy dog eyes begging me to play ball with him, I surprisingly managed to get several long forgotten memories written. 

Dog Walk, Let's Go: As the wannabe leader of the pack, I anticipate our daily dog walk in the afternoons just as much as my go-dogs do. And today, we all got the feel-good endorphin high from getting outdoors and getting a move on. By the time we were through, all of our tails were wagging and it was back home. Now, at 9:30 P.M., I feel the calm of the dogs and myself, winding down as I field calls from the networks, dishing out readings upon command. Today, unrequited love seems to be the topic of choice. I wish I could just say, "Get a dog." 

Fall Fare: This week I've had my fill of homemade White Chocolate Fudge and Peanut Butter Fudge. (FYI: The freezer trick doesn't work. Note to self: Must swim more, walk more, treadmill more or will endure muffin top.) It was a fun Fudgefest...and now I'm done. More seasonal fruits and vegetables seem to be on my mind and in the kitchen.  Plus, coffee, tea(s), water are on my list and goodbye to sweets till December. The rub is, I can't get pies out of my mind...rhubarb, pecan, custard, and the list goes on and on. Maybe a hen glazed with honey will suffice?

Pantry Clean-up: Last week on a chilly afternoon, I did it. I spent hours cleaning out the pantry. I'm talking honey, honey, honey. I know that nature's nectar boasts a long shelf life but once opened I think, "When in doubt, toss out." And the olive oils? Ditto. There's only so much I can use in a year or two. On the upside: The pantry is re-stocked with amazing treasures that I'm writing about for The Healing Powers of Olive Oil, Revised and Updated, due in January 2014. And so, my body, mind, and spirit is in Olive Oil Land.

Two Britts bonded at first sight.

A dear dog love connection.

Senior Dog is Doing Well: It seems so long ago. But back in September Simon, my 10-year-old Brittany had surgery on his forehead. The tumor was benign; his hair, as forecasted by the vet and techs, has grown back. Nobody would know what a brave boy he is. My canine warrior got through the challenge as we both did during the loss of our best friend. Last year, this time both Simon and I dealt with the ups and downs of losing our Seth. Once gone, Simon remained strong through my tears. He was on double duty grieving the loss of our boy and I will always be thankful for his strength and compassion.

Going to the Dogs: In my column What's Cookin at Callie's Cabin, this week I wrote about a handsome dog who befriended me at a Barnes and Noble book signing. A group of service canines upstaged me and my attempt to discuss, sign, and sell my books. So, I just went with the flow and made a new dog friend.

A handsome canine.

"Good as Gold"... A few surprises came my way today on the first day of November. My article "What's Your Pet's Sign?" graced the cover story of Oracle 20-20 magazine. And that's not all...
Wellbella magazine (found in GNC stores nationwide) featured my book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington) in a sweet two page article, page 16. Keep in mind, this book (my fave of the Healing Powers series) contains dozens of eye-catching healthful recipes (good enough for a hungry honey bee or human) and was included in the Good Cook Book Club. 

Translated in other languages.

I anticipate enjoying cozying up by my first fire of mid-fall. Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net 

Making a Fire is a Job: So, no I haven't done it yet. One neighbor has begun. I see the smoke billowing from the chimney in the A.M. I will do it. I must clean the fireplace; although I don't think there's much to do. And there is kindling, the firewood is stacked and dry. The thing is, once you start making fires there's no turning back. (And those perfect manicured nails I had in SF? History. The dogs get pedicures, not moi.) When the temps hit the teens (in a few days) I will celebrate. It's funny, after each book I write, I celebrate by making a fire, drinking a cup of hot tea, and watching a film with the animal companions. Such is the life of a city girl aka mountain hermitess (flanked by two dogs and a cat who thinks he's a dog) in the sierras.