It's the First Day of Autumn...

...and while I could go on poetically about the scent of nostalgia on the crisp-edged air, the buttered-rum quality of the sun as it lowers from it's summer zenith or the hills being sequined in their royal garb of crimson, amber and copper...

I can't! And not only because it would be impossible to find any of those things in Arizona right now. I just can't!

Because I'm excited!

Really, really excited!

Because I got an E-mail from Susan Branch!
and it totally made my morning.

Here's what she wrote: Hi Jenny, Just wanted to write and compliment you on the darling story you submitted for Sarah's Cookbook Contest. I loved it, what an interesting experience for you! And the way you told it made me feel like I was there! VERY glad to hear chamber pots played no part of winning recipe, which, by the way, looks very interesting, I'm going to have to try it just because of your description. I don't think I've ever seen a casserole with sauerkraut in it . . . so I'm very curious! I'm with you on the use of chamber pots for vases, what are people thinking! Just wonderful, loved it, laughing too, congratulations! Happy Autumn! Susan Branch

OK, maybe I need to get out more since this just made my heart super happy.

Or maybe my heart is just super happy because I'm a super Susan Branch admirer. Or would that be a Susan Branch super-admirer? (English, schminglish)

Oh, and by the way, did I mention she e-mailed me.

So Happy First day of fall and all that blah, blah, blah...stuff.

I'm gonna go read my e-mail again.

Sigh.