WELCOME FALL! Okay, so I'm a little early.

The leaves are turning and there's a bit of a bite in the air here in the quaint town of Lake Oswego, Oregon. Decorations with colors of orange and brown adorn the neighboring doors and my cats seem to be sleeping more. Hmmm, if I had to guess, Fall is just around the corner. Ahhhhhh, warm blankets, a crackling fireplace, warm baked apple pie and cinnamon spiced tea are just a few of my favorite things for this season.

Last weekend I went to my girlfriend's house in Kelso, Washington and we celebrated the arrival of the harvest season! We decided to make a homemade vegetable soup complete with hearty spices and homegrown vegetables from her garden. There's nothing that beats an afternoon with a good friend, fun music and cutting up tons and tons of vegetables! Yummmm!

Another thing we made...homemade tea packed with cinnamon, candied ginger, cloves, chamomile, fresh mint, cinnamon sticks and vanilla. This tea is so delicious cold, topped with fresh mint! Who could ask for more perfect ingredients for Fall than these!