Autumn Reflections

Several years ago one of my co-workers gave me a beautiful poetry book called Caroline Kennedy A Family of Poems My Favorite Poetry for Children. The book is such a treasure that over the years I have given copies to friends and family members. Caroline is quite a gifted writer who has created this anthology of more than 100 poems cherished by her own family over the years. She has divided the book into different sections and written an introduction for each part. I was intrigued by the section: Seasons where she included an original poem by her mother Jacqueline Bouvier. Caroline wrote that she always liked her mother's poem Thoughts because it captures the feeling of sitting in school daydreaming about a life of adventure. I thought I'd share the poem since it seems rather fitting for this time of the year.

Thoughts
I love the Autumn
And yet I cannot say
All the thoughts and things
That make me feel this way.

I love walking on the angry shore,
To watch the angry sea;
Where summer people were before,
But now there's only me.

I love wood fires at night
That have a ruddy glow.
I stare at the flames
And think of long ago.

I love the feeling down inside me
That says to run away
To come and be a gypsy
And laugh the gypsy way.

The tangy taste of apples,
The snowy mist at morn,
The wanderlust inside you
When you hear the huntsman's horn.

Nostalgia-that's the Autumn,
Dreaming through September
Just a million lovely things
I will always remember.

Jacqueline Bouvier

I have posted a picture called Autumn Reflections taken from the boat while out on Baby Lake.
Today I was out shopping at an antique store and the owner had the best crispy peanut butter cookies to sample for customers and she won me over..it's a keeper! here is her recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookies
Bake 375

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter softened
  
• 1/2 cup peanut butter plain or chunky
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup sifted flour
• 3/4 tsp. soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

• Cream butter, peanut butter and both sugars
• Add vanilla and egg blend till smooth
• Sift flour, salt, baking soda
• Add to creamed mixture and blend well
  
• Chill bowl in freezer for one hour
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll in white sugar
• With a fork that has been dredged in flour flatten each ball with a Coriss cross pattern
• Bake 10-12 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet