Local author fulfills search for identity - Community Connection - Berksmont News

Suzanne Geiss has a beautiful garden. I love all of the Impatiens she has growing all around her home. She tells me most of them grew where they are, on their own from last year. She truly has a green thumb. But that's not all she is good at....she is a product designer, a children's book author, a speaker, and an encourager. To read more about her click on the article title below.

Local author fulfills search for identity - Community Connection - Berksmont News

Fall Recipe

     At a garden club luncheon last week one of the dishes served was this delicious salad with apples.  I asked my friend Doreen Duncan if I could share her wonderful recipe on my blog and she agreed.  As I ate this salad it made me think of my friend Toni Myers and her wonderful apple orchard.  She has all kinds of apple varieties available for purchase and her store supports missionaries around the world.  The name of her orchard is Faith Orchard. Friends are a blessing from God.  :)
     Thanks for sharing this recipe with us Doreen!
APPLE SPINACH SALAD

1 bunch Romaine lettuce
1 lb fresh spinach
1/2 C cashews
1/2 - 3/4 C dried cranberries (Pat, this is my addition)
2 tart Granny Smith apples - diced and unskinned

Dressing:
1/3 C granulated sugar
1/3 C vinegar - balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 C salad oil
1 t salt
1 t garlic salt

1 t celery salt
1 T poppy seeds
Toss together the Romaine lettuce, spinach, cashews. Mix well the dressing ingredients and add only enough to coat lightly. Add apples and serve immediately as once dressing is applied, leaves begin to get soggy.

The Dogwood

     Outside my window is a divine dogwood tree. It is already starting to turn its leaves into some wonderful warm red tones. The tree is filled with tiny red berries. I’ve always heard that birds love the red berries and use them as food. But I had never actually seen any birds feeding from my tree.

     Today changed all that. I don’t have a photograph, as it all happened too fast, and I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. But there are many, many birds feeding from my dogwood tree this morning! I was very surprised and happy to sit here and enjoy the view. It makes me think about God and how He feeds us. He enjoys the view, too. He relishes giving us good things and then watching us enjoy them. He especially enjoys seeing us use all that He gives us for His own honor and glory. Thank you, God, for my food and for the beautiful birds you are feeding in my garden.