Spicy cocktail

This prompt could be interpreted several ways and I opted for autumn spices.

This festive cocktail recipe, tucked away in my stash, comes from Dan Cregg and Kathryn Scinto who were the former owners of Quench Wines in Patchogue, NY.

Kathryn and Dan taught John and I a lot about wines. We found them both to be friendly and very educational. When John and I wanted to be social, we would pop in their shop where we would bump into many locals. They were more than a wine shop, they were a local hot spot.

Kathryn helped my daughter get a job in an industry that my daughter still loves. Although Dan and Kathryn have gone their separate ways, we will always have fond memories of our time with them.

This drink was one of their concoctions. There were a lot of firsts for us at Quench and pumpkin martinis were definitely a first!

Cinnamon roll

Ok, this project or challenge to complete a food related item every day in October is making me hungry for the things on the list.

And I am trying to behave.

But Cinnamon Rolls?

Good thing there’s not a bakery near me.

The inspiration for this illustration came from my sketchbook…

Figs

I actually had to go to Publix to buy figs for reference. Not that I am complaining. Figs are good for you, like dates. I wish I had a fig tree. I love when you get a cheese platter at a cafe and they have figs on the platter.

Hmmmm…I think I’ll go grab a fig.

Mulled Wine

One of wintry beverages made for cold nights is mulled wine. You can buy the spices in a spice bag or packet at a specialty shop, wine store or sometimes the local supermarkets have them. It’s perfect for sipping by a hot fire or when you attending an outdoor autumn/winter gathering. When I think of mulled wine I think of cold snowy winter evenings, Christmas tree lots under lights or a cozy pub with a roaring fire.

Now that I live in Florida, winters are brief and they aren’t cold enough for hot mulled wine. But then, I can sit on the beach and enjoy a nice breeze on a winter evening, instead.

PS. I had coffee in this mug today and improvised the color of of the contents. There is an etched flower on the glass but it would not have worked here.

S’MOREs and Live Critter Sunday

Well I am still hanging in there. Day 3 and it looks like I am hanging with the THEY DRAW AND COOK list so far. I am know some folks are looking for the Little Witch Series and that is going on in the background. I just haven’t decided how or when I want to post those.

For now, here’s a S’mores “poem.”

Also, I live in Central Florida in a small area most folks don’t know exist. You know you are off the beaten path in Florida when you see these signs:

Yes, that is a bear and we do have black bears around here. They like to help out the neighbors by “spit shinin’ ” their grills, lol.

Pumpkin Latte

The favorite beverage of the season isn’t just plain jane old coffee and tea. No. It has to be dressed up with frills, flavors and a lot of calories. Every time I go to Starbucks, or I go to the app to do an order for coffee, I think of Tom Hanks in “You’ve Got Mail:”

“The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don’t know what the hell they’re doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino.” – Joe Fox” 
― Nora Ephron

Only, I don’t think it’s $2.95 anymore and thanks to the more vegan non-dairy options, there are more decisions to make.

Today THEYDRAWTOBER’s prompt is “Pumpkin Latte.”

I have to say, now I have a craving for pumpkin pie.

Oh, I like mine with Oat Milk and was using OATLY long before Starbucks discovered it.

Inktober, Drawtober, Artober, TheyDrawtober, Drawlloween…whatever

It’s October…again…and that must mean it’s time to do art! Ink, pencil, paint, digital. You name it, you’ll see it this month. I am not sure who really started the whole October challenge. Inktober was started as a way for one artist, Jake Parker, to challenge himself and his friends. Drawlloween was a way Mab Graves challenged herself and her followers. The THEY DRAW websites of Salli Swindell and Nate Padavick, also have their own challenge and lists split between the three themes.

You can do one, all or none. Or go rogue and do your own thing. I actually prefer the going rogue route. Although the lists can be quite handy when you are stuck for an idea.

This year, I’ll be surfing the lists to see what I want to do. This is my favorite time of year, I love fall and Halloween so creating Halloween and autumn art is my favorite thing to do. I am usually not at a loss for ideas in October. I’ll be experimenting this month. Maybe trying some different things. But then, I do that all year long.

Today’s prompt was started as a sketch that I pulled into Procreate. The prompt is “caramel apple” from Nate & Salli’s They Draw and Cook’s list of THEYDRAWTOBER. I love caramel apples with peanuts (which I haven’t seen down here in Florida) so it was a no brainer for me.