Blessed Mabon

Apple Hill, California

I wish a very blessed Mabon to those of you in the Northern Hemisphere.

Red, orange, green, brown, yellow…rich, beautiful color is everywhere! Being a red head – these are my colors and this is my season.  Don’t get me wrong, I love all the seasons but autumn is my favorite. The cool brisk nights and warm sunny days provide the best of both worlds temperature wise – I get to snuggle with my guy at night and enjoy the great outdoors during the day. Pumpkins, apples and squash show up not only in the garden and grocery store but in wreaths and table top centerpieces. Nature’s harvest is celebrated everywhere.  Soups and casseroles seemed to become more popular and families tend to snuggle in at home.

Of course the days start to get shorter, and while I prefer the long days of summer I look at the long evenings as time to play games by the fire, read books and to plan for spring :0)

Right now I am enjoying the bounty of my garden. While only a few of my plants actually grew well this year, those that did are producing lots of food. My tomatoes and green beans have taken over their garden spots and the cucumbers are finally big enough to pick. I will be freezing some of my beans next weekend and will be making zucchini bread this week from the beautiful zucchinis my friend brought me as well as some yummy apple cake to celebrate Mabon (recipe below).

I look forward to the changing colors of the leaves though right now our larger oak tree is defiantly staying green. Once it decides to change it will show off with brilliant oranges and reds.

This time of year definitely makes me thankful for all that I have. I have a wonderful home and amazing family and friends that I get to spend time with. I live in the high desert but just a half-hour away are the stunning Sierra Nevada Mountains, the jewel that is Lake Tahoe, rivers, forests and more. My yard is big enough for me to garden and for my children and dogs to run wild – my youngest is now 18 but he and his friends still run wild in the yard, usually with squirt guns.

I’ve been blessed and while I make sure to thank the Goddess everyday for my life and all that I have I try to make sure to send some extra thanks during the harvest. 

In honor of Mabon I'll be making this yummy apple cake for my family. I like this recipe because you use chunks of apples rather than apple sauce. 

Apple Cake 

This is from the All Recipes web site:

Recipe By: Ann

Ingredients

• 5 apple - peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 eggs
•  2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 4 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) lightly grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar for 15 minutes on high speed with an electric mixer. Add oil and blend in.
4. Add four mixture and mix well. Add vanilla. Fold in apples and nuts. Pour batter into 9x13 inch pan.
5. In a small bowl, mix 4 teaspoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over cake.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

I hope you enjoy the day.