autumn Archives - Author K. Williams

Bride of Zoenstein

October 7, 2022 By Captain Maiel Leave a Comment

You may remember this installment of Halloween Magic from 2018: Franken Zo. Well, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention Zak’s counter this. Yeah, you guessed it, and it suits him well, he chose to be The Bride! Zak’s wide-eyed star perfectly suits the portrayal made iconic by talented character actress Elsa Lanchester. Did you catch her in The Bishop’s Wife?

It’s perfect isn’t? The two of them truly steal the show when they coordinate like this. Playing to their strengths is something this feathered couple actually excels in. Zak is happy to let his duck take the lead role, knowing it will come out fine in the end. Regardless, it seems this Halloween match up was made for them!

Here’s a look at the Bride of Zoenstein, as Zak poses before a makeshift set. You can almost see the wobbly legs as he balances on toes he’s forgotten how to use in his foggy dead brain.

What couple costumes are you coming up with this year? What inspired them?

Love my duck? Support this blog by buying a book. More Zo Here.

Zo Duck collage with web address and author name, K. Williams, The Blue Honor Blog — Shop Zo Duck on Cafe Press

Zo’s First Day

September 9, 2022 By Captain Maiel Leave a Comment

It’s that most wonderful time of the year again! Zo is getting down to business. It’s high time she start hitting the books, anyway. She’s been hanging around the house far too much, not to mention that she’s run through every book I have on the shelf.

This should be interesting. Zo’s attitude mixed with her reading level and experience is going to equal a huge handful for the teacher! I just hope she can bit her tongue and show some self control. I’ve framed it as review courses to certify her expertise and that she’s now an apprentice on the road to choosing her future vocation. Regardless, it will be an interesting first day!

Do you ever wonder who your children will grow up to be? Zo has a love of the theatrical, as you know. That doesn’t mean she’s going to be an actor, though. She loves food just as much, and but I don’t see her drawn to cooking for a living. In the end, school will be good for her. She’s going to find out exactly what she does and doesn’t love to do.

Here’s to the new kids in all those schools across the world, who embark on this journey, too. These are the first days. I hope you’ll find friends for life, yourself, and your dreams. Keep rising and know that it gets better. Just sit tight as you certify your knowledge, apprentices. You’ve got this, even when the adults have strained your last bit of patience. Prove to yourself that you can keep calm under pressure and get the job done! It goes by faster than you’ll ever realize!

Zo duck sits in an old time school house desk piled with books and an apple. The desk reads: ACME Co. on the side. First Day of school — Zo’s First Day

Love my duck? Support this blog by buying a book. More Zo Here.

Pumpkin Carving with Zo

October 9, 2021 By Captain Maiel Leave a Comment

The best time of the year! Is there anything more heartwarming than a beautifully shaped pumpkin? Between the color, and the strong grizzled skin there’s nothing more beautiful. Even the smell of a freshly cut pumpkin is comfort. Bring on the spice! Bring on the pie! Heck, bring on the cake roll and cookies and breads! Have you tried pumpkin soup?

Whatever recipe you love, please share, because I’m absolutely positive that’s all this pumpkin will be good for once Zo is done putting a chainsaw to it. You can’t tell her that, though. She’s determined to be the best pumpkin carver in the universe, and thinks this tool is the path to the award. I just see pumpkin splattered all over the kitchen. And, Alex is of no help, of course. He’s just too fascinated by what he sees.

Just look at this tomfoolery! Zo, you better wait for me!

Wish me luck…

Love my duck? Support this blog by buying a book. More Zo Here.

K’s Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

January 29, 2021 By Captain Maiel Leave a Comment

This is a nice fall and winter recipe that I put together for the first time in October. The idea bubbled up to the top of my waking thoughts one morning as I snoozed. I’ve made several soups. The base wasn’t going to be a mystery to put together, but I wasn’t entirely certain about the red pepper. When I got up, however, I did a quick look and there were a lot of recipes calling for it.

I didn’t use any of those recipes for this, because I wanted to create on my own, and so I did. Once complete, I took to Facebook and other spaces to talk about it, including mentioning it on another blog hop. The recipe has been requested by several people, and I apologize for taking so long to get to this point. Let’s not wait any longer…

What you will need: 1 large stock pot, 1 very large bowl, cutting board, large chopping knife, blender, ladle, 1 box of vegetable stock, 2 butternut squash, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, 1/2 of a red bell pepper, heavy cream, water, salt, and pepper.

Ingredients:

2 – Butternut Squash
1 – Box (32 0z) of Vegetable Stock
1/2 – Red Bell Pepper
3 – Carrots
1 – Celery Stalk
1 – Small Onion
3 – Cloves of Garlic (or 1 Elephant Clove)
4 Oz. – Heavy Cream
Water
Salt
Pepper

Place the half of a red bell pepper in a baking dish. You can roast it without oil, but if you use oil, choose one that doesn’t change the flavor (olive oil would not work here a couple drops of vegetable oil would be fine). Roast the Red pepper at 350° for 15-20 minutes until wrinkled and thoroughly cooked (just enough time to peel the squash). Set aside.

Peel, seed, chop both squash. Try to make the chunks about 1 inch so they cook evenly with the rest of the vegetables. Wash and chop the remaining vegetables.

Pour the stock into the stock pot and add the vegetables. Poor in enough water to mostly cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil and then simmer until all vegetables are fork tender (approximately 30 minutes). Let cool.

Transfer cooked vegetables, including the roasted red pepper you had set aside, and liquid to the blender in batches, processing everything until smooth. Pour the processed vegetables into a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste along with 4 Oz. of heavy cream (you may want a little more depending on the amount of soup you’ve produced). Stir to blend completely.

Serve with a slice of baguette and butter. Makes a great starter or satisfying lunch soup. Freezes beautifully to extend the life of the soup.

I would rate this an easy recipe, despite the effort of peeling two squash.

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Cutting Board that reads Culinary K, The Blue Honor Blog

An Author’s Halloween – Open Book Blog Hop #245

October 26, 2020 By Captain Maiel 6 Comments

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #245
Halloween/Fall is coming, do you celebrate?
What does that look like? Is it different this year?

Welcome back to another Open Book Blog Hop! The authors included in this ongoing series wish to thank you for your reads. We appreciate, even more so, when you share our writings with your friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Prepare to become a regular reader.

If you’re like me, then you probably do wonder what others do during your favorite time of year, especially when they also love the season. An author’s halloween is a great way to delve into at least one group’s practices! My author’s halloween is pretty fun, every single year. I love to talk about this. It is my favorite holiday and my favorite season is obviously autumn.

Did you know that I love the color orange? Of course I do! It’s the premiere tone of Halloween and all things Fall. I love when the trees change colors and there’s a blazing maple in fire orange! I feel so cozy and happy. For someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, the reprieve from negative feelings is a welcome one. Embracing this time of year is healing.

In my home, the celebration begins in September with Apple Picking. We make pies and treats, get cider donuts and cider, and enjoy the harvest. This year, I also made a giant pot of Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup (I swear that recipe really is coming). I’ve been working on my health, though, so only one apple pie this year and one crisp. I got a smaller pack of apples, too. Eating them fresh has been the favored form. I’ve lost almost 30 pounds and I plan on keeping it off. Thus, cakes and pies have are kept at a minimum. After the last check up, I have no choice unless I want to start taking medications for the rest of my life.

Chili is another recipe I like to throw together during this time of chilly weather. I make mine with ground turkey and italian flavor turkey sausage. I haven’t missed using beef, mainly because the food sensitivity I have to beef is so unpleasant. But, the turkey is healthier anyway. I’m someone who struggles to get enough proteins, so this is a great recipe between the beans and turkey to meet the daily nutritional need without bad fats. An author’s Halloween really can go deep!

This year, I’ll also steam a couple of the pumpkins I grew in the backyard to have for baking. I use pumpkin to make pies and dog cookies, mostly, but also I could make a nice pumpkin cake roll for November. I need to think about that, though because of the sugar and fat. Since I have to watch both now, and my daughter is the only one who could eat the majority of it, I cannot justify the whole cake! It’s pretty big. However, if I wrap it well, freeze it in sections, and carefully dole out over the year…but then, there is the storage factor. I own a big freezer, but the chest is already full of stocks and baked goods…

If I were a six foot tall athlete, I wouldn’t have these issues! But, alas. I’m an author.

K. Williams dressed as Daphne Blake from Scooby-Doo

Decorating is the next big matter in my home. An author’s Halloween can’t ignore this important facet of the celebration. I decorate the backyard like a graveyard, putting the mock tombstones among the pumpkin plants that remain. In my flower bed, I post a zombie flamingo and smaller stones, along with a couple ghosts. This year, I purchased a blow up tree. It has a couple ghosts, a couple pumpkins, an owl, and a tombstone. It’s fabulous! The daughter loves it, so I’m extra pleased. (Fionn is freaked out by the fan noise and the size of it, but has gotten used to it.)

My front window is a lovely bay window that allows me to do a holiday display. I’ve set it up this year with my witch in a crystal ball head and witch parts in the window–because we are dressing up as the Scooby gang. Little one is scooby, and I am Daphne. Her auntie will be Velma. Fionn is Shaggy. If I were dating someone, he’d be Fred, but that slot is absent.

I dreamt of constructing the Space Kook out of cardboard, but I there was no time to get it done. It would have taken a huge effort, and spray paint. Toddlers and projects like this aren’t compatible without someone to keep them distracted and happy while you work on the construction. Oh, well. Someday I’ll revisit. In lieu of the kook, I chose a witch, as they were featured in the series and they’re very Halloween. Plus, I had plenty of witchy things to fill it out.

Yes, every year goes down like this. I spend a lot of time considering what the group should do, then consult those involved, and (as the kiddo gets older) I am going to have to convince baby, too! So far, she’s been super cooperative. Last year, we went as the PowerPuff Girls. It was great fun, and it worked out so well.

Maybe next year, we will do DC Super Hero Girls, as I like to call my daughter Kara Danvers anyway. And it works across the group just like the PPGs did. I’m already plotting! But how to decorate the house? This will take some thought…

While I mull that over, hop through the links below to see what the other authors have to say about the season…