Three Cool Things, October 30

Three cool things you need to try:

Pinterest Fail: Caramel Apple Slices

I found this on Pinterest:  The idea was simple. Slice up your Granny Smith apples, dip the slices, and they will be easier to eat than a whole caramel apple.

Three Cool Things October 23

And now for your entertainment pleasure... some random cool stuff:

In Defense of Facebook

There are a lot of blogs and vlogs and Youtube videos and such out there that make fun of Facebook. One of my favorites is this one:

I've recently read a few "lists" of things people do that are most annoying on Facebook, etc. Some of these lists are very funny. Others are just high-horse criticism. 

The Hogle Zoo

It's been a few years since I took my kids to the Hogle Zoo. The kids have gotten older and just aren't as excited about it, and as entry prices go up, it's harder and harder to justify going. This year, though, we've heard all the excitement about the new polar bear and seal/sea lion exhibit, called "Rocky Shores". My relatives who've gone have told me how much fun they had and it seemed like a good time to go back. The last time we went, there were baby tigers in the new big cats area. This time, there are lots of new bears and the zoo hasn't ever had seals or sea lions that I can remember.

Stew Season!!

It's my favorite time of year to be in the kitchen. I love making soups and stews and wintery comfort food, baking holiday treats and the smell of good things in the slow cooker.

Every time I read a story that talks about travelers who stop at inns and eat crusty bread and hot mutton stew, it makes me hungry. My favorite of such books are Robert Jordan's (and to a lesser extent, Brandon Sanderson's) The Wheel of Time series, but that's a topic for another blog. So between fantasy novels and the crisp, cool air, I decided it's time for the first batch of stew of the season. (I even checked the weather forecast so I would be sure not to make it on a hot day. The high today is under 55 degrees, so that's perfect for stew and hot, fresh rolls!)

A Letter to Eli McCann, With Whom I am Not Obsessed

One of my favorite blogs to follow is "It Just Gets Stranger" which is written by a local Mormon lawyer, Eli McCann. This is coincidence. I didn't know he was a Utahn, a Mormon or a lawyer when I first started reading it. I came for the Snuggies and stayed for The Queen of Colors. He is hilarious. After you've read for a while, you start to feel like you're in a club-- you get all the inside jokes, you know who Leotrix is. You watch for comments by the Anonymous that might be Jolyn... Eli is funny basically every day, too.

Notes on Being Mormon: Reluctantly Weighing In About Women and the Priesthood

I didn't want to write this post. There's a chance (a good chance) I won't post it. 

But it wants to be written.

The Bacon Phenomenon

Lately, bacon is everywhere. 

On donuts:

from a Macey's Grocery Store customer