Romance in the Laundry Room

 Boy meets girl in the basement laundry of the apartment building. They fall in love. 

Or depending on which genre you enjoy...they could be banging on the sorting table.

Sounds a bit cliché doesn't it. I'm sure it happens though, but not in my world. At one point I had three boys at home, all playing school football AND I washed one of the team's jerseys every week. Talk about a mountain of stinky laundry.

So where does romance come in? 

Get your honey to help sort, fold, and put away laundry. Pour an adult beverage. Put on your favorite music. Have a little fun. 

Beware of voyeurs such as a cat in a basket.

What's it like at my house these days? 

You might me stacking neatly folded, warm towels with Flyboy's hands on my hips as I sway to the rhythm of the music. His breath tickling the back of my neck as he places kisses upon my neck.

You get the picture.

Monday Mojo - Olive Oil

OLIVE OIL -

Around 350 BC olive oil began to be used for more than cooking and medicinal uses.  For those couples that had problems with lubrication, this wonder tonic brought moisture to even the most dry places.

No doubt in my mind why it's a favorite item in the kitchen.

 

 

Take Time Together

 

Home is where the heart is, so take time to spend together at home. You can find many delightful ways to spend time together around the house. 

The Chemist and his wife enjoy reading and listening to music together.

Morning coffee in bed is one of my personal favorites or breakfast on a sunny deck. A card game or watch a video on a rainy day. Unplug yourselves from the electronics and quiet time at home can be simple. Just sitting together watching a ballgame is cozy contentment. Go for a walk or take a nap. In the evening, enjoy a glass of wine, play soft music and give each other a massage.

Flyboy Jr and his girl take a break from outdoor sports to watch a movie.

Take a break from the daily grind and revive that feeling of being relaxed and close.

Celebrate Trees, It’s Arbor Day

It's always romantic to walk through a park with your honey. Maybe even steal a kiss on  bench. Perhaps the canopy of trees and wildlife enhance the romance.

Here in Michigan, we celebrate trees. Arbor Day, celebrated by Michigan the last Friday in April, is a holiday to recognize and appreciate trees and all the wonderful things they do.

Arbor Day, first held in 1872, was envisioned as a way to spread awareness about the importance of trees and to encourage tree planting.

In 1885, the Michigan Legislature resolved "that the Governor is hereby requested to call the attention of the people of the state to the importance of planting trees for ornament and by naming a day upon which the work shall be given special attention, to be known as Arbor Day."

Did you know? Until 1965, the Upper and Lower peninsulas had separate Arbor Days in the spring because of the difference in weather conditions for tree planting. Today's Arbor Day celebrations usually take place during the whole last week of April.

Get into the spirit of Arbor Day by planting a tree. Some of the trees in my small town were planted years ago by scouting groups with seedlings. If you live in Michigan, visit the Arbor Day website for information on 6-12” seedlings to plant.  https://www.arborday.org/celebrate/tree-seedlings.cfm

Here are a few other ideas to celebrate trees in fun and creative ways:

• Take your family on a tree-ID walk. 
• Visit the DNR's Nature at Home webpage to help kids discover the wonders of the natural world. 
• Give a tree as a gift. Unlike cut flowers, trees can be enjoyed year after year.
• Create and share tree-themed art. Use tree coloring pages to get started or make nature crafts from pine cones, leaves and twigs.
• Learn about the importance of trees and sustainable forest management.
• Have a picnic near or under some trees.
• Enjoy a hike around your local park to spot wildlife living in the woodland and forests. 

Not feeling, celebratory? Grab a cup of Joe and relax on your porch or deck. Take in a deep cleansing breath and look around. Leaves are sprouting so fast; one could almost hear them. Can you?

What are you going to do to Celebrate Trees?

Tasty Tuesday - Chocolate Chip Cookie Fun Facts

Grandma said the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

My best friend's mom made the best cookies in the world. Unfortunately she took the recipe to the grave. I miss Mom Carlyon and her cookies. Cooking and baking is actually a science and I've narrowed my "tests" to one closest resembling her recipe.  

These cookies spread out too much 

so we have to eat these up before I can try another batch. 

So enjoy a cookie and some trivia about chocolate chip cookies.

• Ruth and Kenneth Wakefield sold the Toll House Inn in 1966 and the new owners turned the building into a nightclub. In 1970, the Saccone family bought the building and restored it to its original 1700's Cape Code style. On New Year’s Eve, 1984, the Toll House burned to the ground and was never rebuilt. The site, the birthplace of the first chocolate chip cookie, is marked with a sign and is now home to an ice cream shop.

• There are 7 billion chocolate chip cookies eaten in the United States every year, with about 50% of those homemade cookies.

• Nabisco’s “Chips Ahoy” Chocolate Chip cookies are the second highest selling cookie in the United States. Oreos hold the number 1 slot.

• The Chocolate Chip Cookie is the official state cookie of both Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania “state cookie” status was proposed in 1996 by 4th Grade students at Caln Elementary school. Previously, the officially named state cookie of Pennsylvania had been tied up in a legislative battle between the Nazareth sugar cookie and the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.

• The world’s largest cookie was a chocolate chip cookie, made by the Immaculate Baking Company on May 17, 2003 in Flat Rock, North Carolina. It was 40,000 pounds and 102 feet in diameter. The giant cookie was broken up and sold in commemorative boxes, raising $20,000 for the Folk Artists Foundation Museum. The record was officially recognized by Guinness World Records in 2008. Previously, the record for the world’s biggest cookie was also a chocolate chip cookie, an 81 foot diameter cookie made by New Zealand’s Cookie Time Company in 1996.

• If it wasn’t for airplay on The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air, the Wakefield chocolate crunch recipe may not have risen to fame quite so quickly. Betty Crocker is not and has never been a real person. The radio program that launched the chocolate chip cookie to legendary status was voiced and scripted by home economist Marjorie Child Husted, who was also responsible for inventing the Betty Crocker brand character.

*This post was previously published, 4/11/17

Monday Mojo - Beer? Beer.

I'm not much of a beer drinker but I certainly appreciate a fine craft brew from local breweries. 

Even in college I didn't drink much....BEER. (I hear the chirps from my sisters in the peanut gallery.) Anyways, I came across an old photo of a night when I wore beer. Yes.. it was literally poured on my head. I must say my hair was soft for days afterward! It certainly calmed my bad perm.

Yikes! That's me on the right, junior year of college.

Some say Budweiser is the best conditioner!

WARNING

SEXY CONTENT BELOW!

Oh... here's a newsflash: Beer makes semen taste bad!

                                        Beer (and coffee) will give semen a very bitter flavor.

If you don't like that bitter taste, let your man know that after he consumes too much brew, 

you won't be going down on your knees anytime soon. 

Hmmm....I wonder if beer tainted semen would be a good hair conditioner. 

We already know semen makes good hair gel.

Don't know the reference?

Grab your honey and watch the Rom-Com,

"There's Something About Mary" 1998.

#Thursday13 - Cook Up Some Fun

With Covid and many in lock down, families have used this time to have fun in the kitchen. 

I love to look at winter through my kitchen windows. Not being one for the cold, I try to spend one day a week in the kitchen cooking with my family. In the beginning, thought it would good for our boys to learn to cook as well as see Flyboy & I having fun in silly ways. (I guess we've even taught the boys food prep can be romantic.)

Now days, we all look forward to family time in the kitchen. It's usually on the weekend when my eldest and his new wife come home to do laundry (and eat). When Flyboy Jr and his girl are home from school, they join  us to participate in the prep work. We've always been a bit of a foodie family and plan to keep the tradition of having meals together. 

Photo from 2014 when Jordie was just the girlfriend
and getting used to this crazy kitchen family time.

Here are a few ideas to cook up some fun.

1.      Be silly and wear an apron that says “Hot Stuff”…. Have hubby wear one that says “Grill Master”.

2.      Pickup the book Science Experiments You Can Eat from your library or local book store. Kids and grownups with have fun with this!  

3.      Wear shorts in the winter while making a Hawaiian dish.

4.      Find a fun Latin dish recipe and play salsa music. Dance in the kitchen.

5.      Try sipping a glass of red wine while cooking. Give the kids some non-alcoholic wine. 

Flyboy and the guys prepping meat for the smoker. 2020.

6.       Yummy scents such as pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla or even a batch of fresh cookies gets that blood flowing and the mouth watering. Find a recipe to make that can be eaten right away.

7.      Cut up fruits, sweet breads and or cookies to dip in chocolate. Try 'Nilla Waffers!  YUM!

8.      Cook with your honey. Use your fingers to mix ingredients, lick each others fingers, or have a food fight.

Flyboy & I prepping a meal for two.

9.     

Blindfold each other and taste test foods prepared with a variety of textures, tastes, and temperatures. Take turns feeding each other. One on one with your honey is romantic, with kids, this gets messy but a ton of fun.

10.  Play “Can you name this?” A blindfolded person tries to guess what various kitchen items and/or food items are.

11.  Can’t stop stirring that sauce? No problem! Delegate jobs. Give each person in the kitchen a chore to do – grade cheese, cut veggies, etc.

12.  Go to the store and purchase an unknown fruit or veggie. Go home look on line on ways to prepare it then head into the kitchen.

13.  Make a large batch of trail mix using your own ideas. Place a cup full in small bags and tie with colored ribbons or twine. Deliver to friends & relatives for a great mid-winter pick-me-up.

Grandma and the cat sometimes join us.

#Thursday13 - 1990's Romantic Comedies

 It's winter, yucky weather, and you are getting bored. Grab your honey and a cozy blanket (or a few friends) then pick out some fun romantic comedies from the 1990's to watch. 

Here's my list.

1.  Something About Mary -1998 - the hair gel scene kills me every time!

2. American Pie - 1999 - Flyboy's favorite

3. Father Of The Bride - 1991 - love Steve Martin

4. Clueless -1995

5. 10 Things I Hate About You - 1999

6. You've Got Mail - 1998

7. Groundhog Day - 1993

8. Never Been Kissed - 1999

9. Four Weddings and a Funeral - 1994

10. Sleepless in Seattle - 1993

11. My Best Friend's Wedding - 1997

12. Shakespeare in Love - 1998

13. Switched - 1991

Be sure to visit the Thursday 13 blog for links to more amazing lists.

A Few Moments of Massage

 A massage is wonderful, but most of us don't engage in it due to lack of time. 

Flyboy Jr's girlfriend gave him a gift card for a massage at her parents' gym, Iron Athletics. He loved the hour-long experience and plans to make time for one every time he comes home from school. He said it's very relaxing and plans to schedule a massage every time he's home from flight school. 

With a wink in my direction, Flyboy Sr. said he's rather get a massage from me. 

(Oooo... I love that man!)

An erotic massage is wonderful for a couple, it relaxes them from daily stress, strengthens their bond, and can be very, very sensual. But again, many will complain of lack of time. Plan ahead for a five minute pre-bedtime massage. This little bit of time is adequate. Just start touching! Relieve a little stress, enjoy the power of touch. Who knows, it might led to something more.

Copyright Getty Images

Keep in mind, massages are like orgasms... there are really no bad ones. Like anything else, the more you practice, the better you will become. Your lover would certainly enjoy a five minutes of touching tenderness from you!

Dr. Evelyn demonstrates some extremely helpful tips to not only improve your couples massage but how to benefit someone who experiences back pain, sciatica, pinched nerves and more. CLICK HERE

A Kiss Is Not Just A Kiss

 No matter how long you've been together as a couple, don't stop kissing. 

The "surprise kiss" gets a fun reaction.

Kissing:

- is the simplest route to seduction

- shows how much you still really care about your partner

- is one of the easiest ways to show your honey you don't take them for granted

- lets your boo know you still crave the magic you felt when your lips touched for the first time

"No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you! You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how." -Rhett Butler, Gone With the Wind

Volunteer From Home

Was your New Year's Resolution to volunteer more? Maybe give back to your community? Get involved?

Due to Covid, so many opportunities have been put on hold. You can still volunteer at a church food dispensary or local food bank, they always can use extra hands. You could pack boxes to go to the armed service men and women around the world. 

Due to my health issues, I'm still living in my own little bubble. I found a few places where you can do good without leaving your home.

Change.org - petition for a better planet

DoSomething.org - browse causes and get involved with ones that matter the most to you

VounteerMatch.org - find a volunteer group you can really connect with, maybe within your own community.

LearnToBe.org - sign up to be a tutor

CatchAFire.org - connects professionals  with opportunities to do pro bono work

DonorsChoose.org - donate supplies and electronics to public school teachers for their classrooms

Feel free to call your local schools to see what they may need. Several have their teachers plugged into Amazon with wish lists. You pick out the items on their lists, pay for them and they are shipped directly to the teacher! 

Check with your local animal shelters. Many of them will have Amazon Wish Lists for public to purchase much needed items from.

When it comes to volunteering and getting involved at any level to improve your community or the world, encourage your honey to get involved with you. Nothing makes the heart feel so full as when you do something good together. 

#Thursday13 - Fun Stay In Ideas

 Covid restrictions, winter weather, restaurants & theaters closed...whatever may have you staying in rather than going out can lead to more romance. 

Find fun ways to make staying in more fun than going out. 

Here are a few ideas.

1. Throwback Date. Pull out old photo albums from when you were first together. Enjoy pix from when you were dating or first married. (If you still have kids at home, they love looking at the old photos and laughing at your stylish hair and clothes.)

2. Make homemade ice-cream. We received an ice cream maker as a wedding gift and have replaced it a few times. Ice cream makers don't create much, but it's a perfect amount for two. Enjoy the sweet treat and maybe save some whipped topping for later.

3. Take a virtual tour. Many museums offer virtual tours.  Travel & Leisure put together a list of 12 museums around the world offering amazing tours. CLICK HERE

4. Get a little silly and play a childhood favorite card game. How long has it been since you played Go Fish, Crazy Eights, or Uno? Reminisce and share stories from when you were kids.

5. Watch The Princess Bride. I heard your eyeroll. Trust me, it'll be fun.

6. Create a fantasy music festival. Imagine if you could pick and choose who would perform and what song they'd sing. Sit down and create a playlist together. 

7. Pretend the electricity goes out. Turn everything off for the evening (except for heat if you're in the north) Build a fire in the fireplace, make smores. (FYI you can make smores on your gas stove). Build a fort with pillows and blankets. Savor the candlelight.

8. Continuing the them of "No electricity", shower or take a bath together with the lights out. Have plenty of candles handy. (Battery operated flicking candles are great too!)

9. Build a bonfire. This might be outside, but it's still in your yard. Even in snow covered north, we'll snuggle next to a fire - under blankets with coats, mittens and hat of course. 

10. Have a spa night. Give each other massages. A simple massage can relieve headaches, minor pain as well as help you connect intimately with each other. Do facials. (My sons do them with their ladies.) Put on your robes and relax to soothing sounds with cucumber slices on your eyes.

11. Spend time together in the kitchen. Try something new or prepare your favorite comfort food. Try a home delivery meal kit.

12. Make a "To-Done" list. Think of all the things you have done together since you met. 

13. Last but not least...have some "sexy time". Shop online together for something sexy. Play a sexy game. Do something different or have sex in an unusual spot in your house.

Check out more amazing Thursday 13 lists HERE

Chase Away Winter Blues

Life during covid is moving in slow motion. 

Being stuck inside on gray days can be depressing. But there is a bright side

Lack of sun affects several of us by placing an emotional grey cloud over us.  Now with the separation from family and friends, the grey clouds gather. For the single person, loneliness and fatigue may set in; for couples, the romance may become stagnant.   

It's time to turn the season around, make your own fun, add some romance into your life. The beauty of winter and the long nights may offer many opportunities for romance.

Instead of avoiding the cold, get outside.  Grab whoever you can and drag them with you. Act like a teenager again.  Go skiing, sledding, ice skating, or simply have a snowball fight. Build a snowman. Afterwards, slip indoors for cup of hot cocoa (add a shot of Peppermint or my favorite Michigan Cherry Schnapps) and watch a movie.

On a sunny weekend afternoon if the weather is too cold for your taste, select an audio book and hop in the car for a scenic drive.  Plot your destination to be a quaint little town where you can visit a couple local businesses or simply enjoy the drive.

For a bit of fun after a busy day, pull that special someone into the kitchen and heat things up.  Pick out a recipe together and spend the evening preparing dinner.  When the meal is ready, enjoy it next to a warm fire or by candlelight.  Spread a blanket on the floor and  have a picnic. Turn the evening in to a weekly or monthly tradition and maybe even build your own "couple's cookbook" to share with friends.

Another way to spend an week day evening is playing a board game.  If Monopoly isn't your thing and you want to steam things up a bit, pick up a fun sexy board game.  Check out Lover's Lane, Amazon or Adam & Eve for several fun ideas. Visit their websites together and anxiously await your delivery.

Warm up on a chilly night in an extravagant array of bubbles. If you're a single person, treat yourself to a bit of romance in the tub.  If you're not one for bubbles, try bath salts, bath bombs or a bath soak.  Bath soaks are usually a blend of ingredients you add to your bath water to create a desired effect, such as a sore muscle soak, stress-easing soak or relaxation soak. Most bath and body and drug stores carry bath soak products. Check out online as well. Pour yourself a glass of wine, light some candles, grab a steamy romance novel to read or your favorite BOB. 

For couples, a languishing dip in a steamy tub for two is enough to inspire romance for even the stodgiest of lovers. If you're worried about interruptions, arrange your water play encounter at a time when you can be together alone. A great way to do this and create the perfect memorable night is staying at hotel with a spa or Jacuzzi tub in your room.  Give each other the ultimate bath and spa experience with a little basket filled with spa items from you local bath and body shop.  Don't let the romance stop after the bath. Give each other a light, lotion-laden massage.

Give A Sexy Gift

You've already picked up a practical gift for your honey, now it's time to pick up a little something, something to add some heat to your winter nights.

 

I often recommend my beloved Lover's Lane shop where the ladies know my name and tell me I'm their favorite author. They certainly know how to schmooz me.  But in all reality, the ladies certainly take good care of me. They have ordered in research material, answered my millions of questions, helped me select special prizes for giveaways, and fitted me for personal lovelies. The women are trained to measure your figure while helping you feel at ease with your own body as you select a soft little number that makes you feel amazing. They also will help you find products to support physical limitations or allergies.

Attending or hosting a Pure Romance holiday party is a great way to have some sexy fun with gal pals, win free stuff, and pick up some awesome tips. Products include a wide range of oils, scents, bath & beauty products as well as fabulous toys.

Have the best holiday with gifts that keep giving.

Flying With A Little Love

 Flyboy has flown away but takes a bit of romance with him. He'll be gone for two weeks but I've hidden fun little love notes in his bag. As he unpacks throughout his trip, he'll find them. 

I picked up a booklet from Cary Ann's Hallmark that has easy tear-out pages. They are small enough to fit in luggage or lunch boxes but big enough to not be lost. A great way to keep romance alive. 

The book with the tear-our love notes is featured in lower left corner.
Available at your local Hallmark shop.

Find Couple Time During Holidays

During the month of December, there will be many demands on your time. 

Stress levels may rise. At the end of the day, exhaustion sets in. 

Even Santa and Mrs. Claus make time for alone time.

Here a few tips to "keep it together" during the holiday season.

* Try not to schedule to many things to do right after each other. Give yourself time between each one.

* Take time to sit with your honey and make a list of things you enjoy the most about the holiday. This will not only give you quality time together, but also help keep you in the Christmas spirit.

*Schedule certain things from your list to do together. Yes... write it down! Make a date of it.

*Speak with family members in advance. Schedule family face time or Zoom gathering with those you won't be able to be with in person.

* Plan meals in advance. Do meal prep with your honey.

*  Fight gifting stress. Limit gift giving, promote thoughtful giving. Take a day for you and your honey to visit local shops. Grab an adult beverage or hot cocoa and sit together to do online shopping. 

*Help each other. Spending time together and taking care of a "chore" at the same time.

*As a couple, think of a new family tradition you can create this year.

Give Me Some Sexy Cinnamon

I love Cinnamon. 

Did you know it is not only warming, comforting and healthy, but also SEXY?

Cinnamon is a scent commonly known to seduce with it's aphrodisiac qualities.

It is said that the Queen of Sheba used cinnamon to mesmerize King Solomon. 

So it has power. 

Gram cooked with cinnamon often and would always say, "The way to a man's heart is through is stomach." Maybe that old saying holds more truth than we thought.

Bread Pudding is a popular item at my house.

However, this delightful treat can be a sexy food.

Try serving this as breakfast for your lover but expect to spend the day in bed.

Prepare this bread pudding ahead of time so that in the morning, 

all you have to do is turn on the oven. 

Cinnamon-Swirl Breakfast Bread Pudding

4 eggs
1½ cups milk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ loaf day-old bread, cut into cubes
¼ cup pecans, chopped
Nonstick cooking spray
Maple syrup

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, and whisk until all the ingredients are completely incorporated. Stir the bread and pecans into the egg mixture. Coat an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the bread pudding, and cover with foil. Let sit in the refrigerator at least one hour and up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread pudding, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake an additional 10 minutes, until the pudding is browned. Serve hot with maple syrup.

 

*******************************************

My favorite cinnamon is Vietnamese Cinnamon. It's a bit stronger with an amazing flavor. (Rumor is... it's the same cinnamon used in the famous Cinnabon rolls.) AKA Cassia Cinnamon. Quality cinnamons are available per ounce online. However, some health food or natural food stores will bottle it. I pick mine up from Those Nature People. I visit the Frankenmuth location of Those Nature People for my bottle. 

They also make a Cinnamon Roll Blend that is suburb!

#Thursday13 – Have a Sexy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with our friends and family; to be thankful for all the wonderful aspects of our every day lives.  Keep in mind, even in a house crowded with guests; you and your honey can still indulge in a little romantic pleasure.

1.     Wear a cute outfit and something sexy underneath.  Make sure your honey knows there is a surprise under wraps for him.

2.     Wear a spicy or vanilla fragrance.  It will work with the food odors instead of against them.  We all know how men love their food!

3.      Share a glass of wine while doing meal preparation.  I know white is supposed to be served with fowl, but one can bend the rules a bit for a little dose of red wine to spark the romance.  After all, red wine is tied into a strong sex drive.

4.       Make sure you use celery and fennel.  Most Thanksgiving recipes call for these ingredients.  Celery contains a male hormone that stimulates female sexual arousal.  Fennel boosts the libido and is also alleviate that after dinner bloating.

5.      Make some oyster stuffing.  Oysters are a natural aphrodisiac.  When you eat an oyster, make sure your honey is watching… put on a little performance.

6.      Try some innocent flirting across the table and try not to get caught by the other guests.  Kind of like a teenager’s game.

7.      Don’t forget the sweet potatoes!  These are high in potassium, vitamins A & C, as well as iron. Rumor has it that it also increases the female sex drive.

8.      Gotta have some pumpkin pie!  This olfactory sexual aphrodisiac also contains zinc and increases testosterone production and blood flow by 40%. 

9.      Make sure you resist that 2^nd or 3^rd helping.  This will prevent that miserable bloating.

10.   Go for a nice walk, alone with your honey after dinner.  Hold hands, kiss, and talk about what you want to do to each other when you get the moment to be alone.

11.   Cuddle on the couch together while watching the game.  Cover up with a throw and let your hands wander.

12.   Sneak off to the guest bedroom.  If that won’t work… slip into the bathroom together.

13.   Hide a can of whipping cream in your purse for later.

HAVE A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Tips For Autumn Romance

 Fall is a beautiful time of year here in Michigan. I love the incredible palate of colorful trees and shrubbery. Nature’s pure fragrance of leaves and earth as well as the temptations of pumpkin pie, baked apples, and hot mulled cider create a wonderful setting. This time of year is also the time to pull out the winter woolies and time for some old fashion cuddling. It is a time for Autumn Romance.

 >Plan a special morning. Romance isn’t just for nighttime. Make a special breakfast using flavors of the season...apple turnovers, cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bread to name a few. Add a little pumpkin spice creamer to your coffee. Try in it cocoa!

 >  Rake a pile of leaves and yes…. Jump in!  It’s not just for kids.  Let your hair down and play!  Laughing is great foreplay.

>  Hit the trails. Go for a walk holding hands or a nice bike ride. Stop periodically to enjoy the view. This is a great way to stay in shape and relieve tension as well as giving you a chance to talk.  However, if you come to a hill… I dare you to roll down it!

> Enjoy the patio at night and build a bonfire for two. Curl up together under a blanket and sip a cup of hot apple cider.

> Have a night in and start up your fireplace. Slip into something sexy. Pour your favorite wine and play your favorite love songs.

> Make time to simply sit and share a drink together. Try a spiced wine or an apple whiskey.

Leelanau Cellars
has a variety of wines perfect for Autumn.

#TastyTuesday - Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

I always say to take advantage of cooking up a batch of romance in the kitchen. 

It's a great opportunity for some fun "couple time". 

Enjoy a glass of chardonnay while making this recipe.

If you're a beer lover, 

try Screamin' Pumpkin from the Griffin Claw Brewing Co 

Here's a tasty little sweet you and your honey can make in advance to your Thanksgiving dinner.

Base

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Filling
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 eggs

Topping

2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1.    Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix flour and brown sugar. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and walnuts. Press in bottom of pan; bake 15 minutes.

2.    In large bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour over hot base. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until set and dry in center.

3.    Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix topping ingredients. Drop mixture by the spoonful over the pumpkin layer; spread evenly over hot filling. Bake about 5 minutes or until topping is set. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes 16 bars

 Screamin' Pumpkin captures the essence of a Michigan Fall with smooth taste. Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, roasted pumpkin and a dab of molasses makes it perfect for an autumn day or night. Griffin Claw Brewing is located in the Rail District of Birmingham, MI.

Photo by 365 Days, 365 Beers

This year, the brewery took the Screamin' Pumpkin and aged it in bourbon barrels for 10 months. It has a bit of a vanilla, oak and spice flavor. I can't wait to try a Bourbon Imperial Screamin' Pumpkin!