Bah, Pumpkins

 

I'll begin by saying Autumn is my favorite time of year. I also have to admit that I had to seek out for this month’s post. When I saw the subject was supposed to relate to pumpkin anything, I wanted to bail.  As much as I love the time of year, and Halloween is MY favorite holiday, I simply don’t do pumpkin as food. Not even pumpkin  pie (give me a slice of sweet potato pie, a  of Black cuisine, thank you very much). 

Nor do I sniff pumpkin spice candles, or chew pumpkin seeds, or consume pumpkin bagels, or pumpkin pancakes or pumpkin spiced soup. And as for pumpkin spice coffee… Well, I’ve heard people call the concoction awesome. I drank one once a few years ago. I watched how carefully, almost lovingly, the barista added multiple ingredientsallspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and even scrapings of orange peel. I drink some of the result, not completely certain it ven counted as coffee anymore. It was nothing I would bother to have again, or write home about or even write to any of you about. 

In my opinion, the only reason people long for pumpkin spice coffee is because the coffee makers deliberately keep it scarce. Then they proclaim, get it now or you’ll be forced to try to live without for a whole year. Kind of like candy corn, pieces of diabetes in the shape of yellow and orange triangles. It’s not even all that good, but for eleven months of the tear its rarer than diamonds, so people are buying bags of candy corn right now.

So, as I said, I sought help for this month's post. Help came from the application many writers either hate, or love passionately. Artificial Intelligence or AI. Specifically, I asked ChatGPT to explain the virtue of pumpkin spiced foods to me, because I came up empty.

First, it was nice to learn that AI agrees with me about the whole limited time marketing appeal. That incentivizes people to line up and patiently wait to pay big money for something they survive perfectly well without for ten months of the year. AI also noted other factors that work on most humans. So maybe I’m not completely human? Nostalgia is a big one, tying the scent of pumpkin in food, candles and just about anything to childhood memories. I do remember carving a few pumpkins, but my siblings and I never ate any of it or roasted pumpkin seeds. In fact, I mostly remember the sticky mess we had to clean up. Sorry, ChatGPT, none of this bring warm feelings of nostalgia for me.

The AI almost grew poetic when giving details about the flavor profile of pumpkin spices. Apparently the typical pumpkin blend, including cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, feels “warm, comforting, and mildly sweet.” My taste buds cannot possibly be typical. Besides, can you really still call it food when your additive list is as long as your arm?

I am convinced that the craze for pumpkin spice anything and everything, and the rise of social media platforms, are aligned by more than coincidence. Influencers create a buzz, good little sheep flock to follow, and marketing experts seek out more things to infect and make more money.

What about you? Do any of you care about pumpkin infused foods and can spare a minute tom reply and help me understand the allure? I will be forever grateful.

Plant Slayer by Paty Jager

I love plants. I love the varied and vibrant greens, the many colors of the blossoms, and the different shapes of the petals. And the scents. Some are heavenly and some not so much.

My house would be filled with plants if I could keep them alive.

Growing up my mom and grandma had gorgeous flower beds, huge gardens with tasty vegetables, and house plants that took over. I wanted to have all that wonderful plant life around me. But I’m lucky if a plant lives for six months to a year! 

I love plants but I have a tendency to forget they need to be watered. They aren’t like kids or animals who make noise when they're thirsty. Someone should invent a water alarm that you can set for the type of flower and when the soil is too dry it makes a beeping noise. Then, I would respond and water the plants as they need it.

Even when I’m trying to be good about watering plants, I lose them because I overwater. Yes, the above gadget would be perfect for me and my poor plants. I do have a Norfolk pine that I’ve had since my oldest daughter’s bridal shower. We gave six-inch Norfolk Pines as gifts at her party and I kept one. It is now about four feet tall and over 20 years old. But it has been a fighter. There were a few times when I thought I would lose it. Either from lack of water or the wrong spot of the light it needs. It is my longest-living plant.

My second longest-living plant is a cactus that traveled from Montana in a piece of farm equipment. Hubby hauled a baler from Montana. I was standing beside the piece of haying equipment admiring it for his benefit and glanced down. In a small pocked of dirt, in a turned-up piece of metal, sat what looked like a small piece of cactus. I dug it out with a spoon and put it in a pot. After a few years it was large enough to plant outdoors. This is what it looks like now. 

A friend gave me a start from one of her house plants when we moved into the house we live in now. That was ten years ago. It’s alive but it has had several reincarnations during that time and it is just now acting like it might be blooming.

I love peonies. I have 5 of them that I split off from one that had grown in the yard where I grew up. It is probably a heritage peony because I know it was in the yard when I was young. It may have been there when we moved into the house when I was 2. That is over 60 years ago.

I have been trying to grow a wild rose that my daughter kindly gave me a start from hers. It has yet to bloom and it keeps getting yellow leaves. Hubby says it’s because it’s dry but I water it every day and when I checked the moisture in the soil, it was wet. Sigh!

My garden this year consists of a great crop of leaf lettuce, one tomato plant, and something either squash or cantaloupe, I’m not sure which because something keeps eating the vegetable that comes on. It never gets more than about marble size before it’s eaten. So I have yet to determine what is growing. I didn’t plant it. At least not this year.  I had 5 spinach plants come up. One pea plant and it was eaten.

My petunias are doing so-so. The poppy seed my daughter gave me from her plants and I sprinkled in my planters did great! I’m saving the seeds off of it and plan to sprinkle them around my peony plants to see if they will grow there next spring.

The plant my daughter gave me last year for Mother’s Day is doing well in my bedroom window.  I do need to take the dead brown leaves off of it. It didn’t get watered when I was gone during the hot weather and some of the leaves died. But the plant continued to bloom and grow. It’s a keeper!

Now those are all the plants that I kept alive. I'm not mentioning the empty pots in the garage or the ones that don't look like they will make it through fall let alone the winter. 

How about you? Can you keep plants alive? What is your favorite plant?

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of murder mystery, western romance, and action-adventure. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters.

Website: https://www.patyjager.net

Blog: https://writingintothesunset.net/
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/2IhmWcm

Beware: The Internet and Eternity

The week after Labor Day Weekend I received an email from a woman in Ohio asking whether there was a Women of the 14th Moon Gathering in her area. 

Why did she contact me? She'd Googled "Women of the 14th Moon - Spiritual" and this is what showed up.

Women of the 14th Moon

Romancing the Genres

https://romancingthegenres.blogspot.com › 2012/08 › w...

Aug 3, 2012 — Women of the 14 th Moon is about women coming together: leaving husbands, children, significant others, jobs – their responsibilities behind.

Yep, my Romancing The Genres blog post from 2012.

In case you are curious, click the link in the Google search and voila, it will magically appear. 

Learn more about my books, workshops and training on my website JudithAshley.net.

You can find my books at your favorite e-book vendor

 as well as through Windtree Press. Print books are

 available at Jan’s Paperbacks in Hillsboro, OR and Arte

 Soleil in Portland, OR. Get the addresses from my

 website. And be sure to ask your library if you’d prefer

 to read my books through that resource.

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshley.net

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

© 2024 Judith Ashley

Pumpkin Spam?

Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, soul nourishing romantic women’s fiction with light paranormal elements. My stories show you what life could be like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted, supported and loved. And where, with this support, you make choices to overcome the darkest nights of your life to choose love and light.

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice That’s What Little Girls Are Made Of.

Yes, a variation of that is what I grew up with. Of course I heard it when I was not everything nice. Actually I also heard it when it was used to admonish my brothers. However, I find I am once again digressing from the focus of my blog post. Hmmm.

A year ago, I saw something about Pumpkin Spam and wondered what would become pumpkinized next. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t that I don’t like pumpkins. I used to grow a few each year so we’d have our own gourds to carve for Halloween or to harvest the seeds for snacks. I’m a fan of Costco’s pumpkin pie, especially with real whipped cream. I can get behind pumpkin soup because I like a good hearty autumn squash soup.

Deposit Photo...Yummy pumpkin pie

But pumpkin spice spam? Pumpkin spice lipstick? Pumpkin spice coffee flavoring? Not so much.

When I was at the grocery store yesterday I saw new (at least to me) flavors of Kettle Chips. They looked so nasty (at least to me) I can’t even remember the names.

Another thought that popped into my head as I started to write this post was a memory of an ice cream flavor competition sponsored by Ben & Jerry’s. The goal was to create a flavor that wasn’t currently known and the winner’s flavor would become a B&J flavor. Now I love ice cream so I settled down to watch. Much to my dismay the goal was to mashup as many different food products as possible into some flavor of ice cream.

Yummy Pumpkin Soup courtesy of Deposit Photos.
Do notice the spiders and fingers.

I realized as the competition went on that I was an ice cream purist aka snob. I think the only two ice creams I purchase that have ‘stuff’ in them are Umpqua Dairy’s Bordeaux Cherry and any brand of Mint Chocolate Chip.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t just eat vanilla ice cream. However I eat pie alamode, not ice cream with pie in it. Cookie dough in my ice cream? Yuk.

Banana splits, ice cream sundaes, milk shakes are all okay. Those shakes that put candy bars, cookies, etc. in them? Not for me.

And a pumpkin spice milkshake or pumpkin spice ice cream? I can’t see myself ordering that at all.

Pumpkin spice whipped cream, chocolate covered pumpkin something? Nope, not for me.

I have wondered if we, in our efforts to be different, to add excitement to our lives or maybe dull some of the external stress that surrounds us now look to mashups of various foods to divert our attention. That’s about all I can think of for the plethora of strange combinations that seem to be flooding the grocery stores.

So back to the basic pumpkin. That sorta roundish orange (usually) gourd that we paint or carve or in some way decorate this time of year. Where are you with pumpkin spam? Would you even try it?

Yes, a pumpkin spice latte courtesy of Deposit Photos

What about pumpkin spice milkshakes? Pumpkin spice ice cream? Pumpkin spice flavored coffee?

I’m asking because it’s been brought to my attention over the years that I am, at times, out of step with the current trends. And perhaps that’s the case now. Actually it more than likely is the case. I stopped at a local bakery yesterday and they had pumpkin spice latte on their coffee menu. I did ask about it and Yes, it is very popular.

Does anything pumpkin appear in my books? I don’t remember if it does. Perhaps there’s a vague mention of a pumpkin pie at a Thanksgiving meal?

Learn more about my books, workshops and training on my website JudithAshley.net.

You can find my books at your favorite e-book vendor as well as through Windtree Press. Print books are available at Jan’s Paperbacks in Hillsboro, OR and Arte Soleil in Portland, OR. Get the addresses from my website. And be sure to ask your library if you’d prefer to read my books through that resource.

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshley.net

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

© 2024 Judith Ashley

A gourd by any other name ...

Happy Pumpkin Spice Season!

Or is it?

I’m all for pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin muffins, but I can proudly say I’ve never imbibed a Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL). And I got to wondering, where the heck did the idea come from? And how did it take over the world? Was there more to it than just a marketing ploy? Off to do some research.

The first mention of the spicy brew was in 2003 at Starbucks, where it was introduced as a seasonal drink, and the popularity quickly grew to what some might term obsessive proportions. (Not that I’d ever say such a thing.) But why? 

The blend of spices is made from what are commonly referred to as “warm” spices in the culinary world, thus imparting a cozy feeling of nostalgia. There are various recipes for the spice blend but the most popular seem to contain cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.

If it imparts the above-mentioned warm cozy feeling, how much of that is chemical and how much psychological or emotional? Not wanting to delve into the psyches of strangers (though I love doing so with my characters, but they’re not really strangers, at least not once I’m done with them), I focused on the biochemical effects of the three most popular spices in the pumpkin spice blend: cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

First, and in greatest proportion, is cinnamon. Mmm, such a delicious taste and aroma. Small doses, such as you’d find in the average sweet or savoury food, can help regulate blood sugar levels, while a large dose as encountered in a cinnamon eating contest (are they insane?!?) can lead to liver damage due to coumarin toxicity.

Next in line is nutmeg. In small doses, nutmeg can act as a mild sedative, promoting relaxation. However, in large doses, it can cause hallucinations, which is a bonus—if you’re into that sort of thing.

And finally, we have ginger. Small doses of ginger can aid digestion and reduce nausea, making it a favourite among those who overindulge at holiday feasts. (Also a common aid for motion sickness.) But large doses can cause heartburn or digestive upset, which is less than ideal when you're trying to enjoy your PSL.

Can any of these be deadly? Is flirting with death the reason for PSL? Nutmeg does have some toxicity in large amounts - ingesting 5 grams or more can lead to serious side effects. 

Caution! Nutmeg is toxic to dogs and cats, potentially causing disorientation or even seizures if consumed in significant quantities. No eggnog for the fur babies!

After all this research, I raised a toast to myself for resisting the call to join the rest of the sheep at the PSL trough, risking life and limb just to join the crowd. 

Hold on a minute – what am I holding? Is that a mug of my favourite coffee shop tipple, the glorious Dirty Chai Latte (DCL)? The scrumptious DCL containing such warm spices as cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom? In other words, *gulp*, a variation of PUMPKIN SPICE?!?! 

Should I now admit to loving a PSL as much as the next sheep? Paraphrasing (enormously) Shakespeare, does a PSL by any other name taste as deliciously life-affirming? 

Photo by unsplash.com/@theocrazzolara  

Luanna Stewart is a Canadian author who has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing many flavours of romance, torturing her heroes and heroines before helping them find their happy-ever-after. But when she’s taking a break from wreaking people’s lives, you can find her pulling weeds, baking something delicious, or enjoying a cup of tea whilst completing a craft project. Enjoying (most of the time) an empty nest, she lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband and a yard full of voracious deer. 

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Instagram 

Pumpkin Spam Folder

By Robin Weaver

I’m such a geek.  When I first read this month’s theme – Pumpkin Spam, What Will They Think of Next – I actually thought the theme was “email spam” about pumpkins.  So embarrassing... Anyway, as I was pondering the topic and came up what I thought was an original idea – Pumpkin Ham– the lightbulb dawned. “Ahhhhh…that stuff in a can.”

 But let’s be real. They came up with Spam—some kind of mystery meat in a can. Does it really get any stranger? I guess it does. People buy Spam.

But the theme inspired me to do what I do best. Google. Here are the most bizarre pumpkin spice items this Google Queen discovered.  

Pumpkin Spice Cat Litter. No. Just No.

Pumpkin Spice Dog Cologne. Seriously, People. Give that dog a bath.

Pumpkin Spice Hummus.  I’m not sure this is a real product.  Look how they spelled Hommus. This might actually be spam. 

And while there are few things more organic than chick peas and pumpkin, cow manure and earthworms are also fit the au-naturel category. 

Pumpkin Spice Chewing Gum.  I’ll stick to my Big Red, thank you very much.

Pumpkin Flavored Toothpicks. I think Listerine invented this. Because you’ll need mouthwash after use.

·      

Pumpkin Spice Pringles.  Is this real? Please tell me no. Everyone knows what a French fry addict I am. Potato chips are the next best thing, so adding pumpkin spice to perfection is sacrilege!

What’s really sad? Just before writing this blog, I’d considered ordering some Pumpkin Spice Poo-pourri. Hey, it was a Prime Deal on Amazon. And Poo-pourri is not a misspelling. I don’t do bathroom humor, so if you don’t know what this product is, Google. I learned about Poo-pourri from my daughter. Apparently, the spray is a friendship saver when five girls share a hotel room. (P.S. I ordered the vanilla).

In conclusion, enjoy that pumpkin spice latte. Gobble up that B&J Pumpkin cheesecake. Then tell Wall Street, “Enough with the Pumpkin Spice Already.” This thanksgiving, I might just skip the Pumpkin Pie.

Happy Fall Everyone.

R