'Twas the weekend before Christmas and all through the house . . . sugar and wrapping paper were strewn - everywhere! I realize this is not how the story goes, but it is...

For many of us, December is "the most wonderful time of the year". Though, for most of us, it is also the busiest! I don't know about you, but...

For those of us who celebrate American Thanksgiving, the kitchen is the place to be right now. I like to do as much cooking as I can in advance so that the day itself is less stressful. Reducing stress is important not only because...

Recently, I had a stretch during which I was extremely depressed. The reasons were varied and also unimportant. What was important was that I...

Earlier this week, I noticed a sign on an office door that read, "Octobering . . . be back soon". I found it to be the perfect phrase for how I am feeling at this particular moment...

Fall is in full bloom at my house. The temperatures have finally dipped; the leaves are starting to turn; and Halloween decorations are popping up everywhere. It seems as though many of you are...

It's fall, y'all! The weather in my area is still a bit warmer than I would prefer, but I definitely have all the fall feels. It seems as though many of you do too, which is why this week's hot list is filled with such a wealth of...

The temperatures are still quite warm in my area so it's hard for me to say that fall is in the air. But, it's definitely on my mind! I can't wait for the...

Even though summer is winding down, everything else seems to be picking up speed. I don't know how it is in your area, but in my neighborhood there is a flurry of activity. The roads are...

As we approach the middle of summer's last month, my thoughts are all over the place. Some schools have already resumed classes; vacationing family members are still coming to visit; and...

As I shelter indoors to get a way from the August heat, my mind keeps wandering to the cooler days I know will eventually return. I'm marking my calendar with all of the cookies I want to deliver and...

In my area, we're entering the dog days of summer when temperatures are at their highest. And, boy, is it hot (and humid!). The uptick in heat started about a week ago, and will continue for...

The Fourth of July has officially come and gone, but I love the holiday and have so many wonderful memories of it that I plan to revel in the occasion at least through this weekend! Back in the day, my...

Things are heating up around me. Literally. Like most of the United States, we're in the midst of a rather impressive heat wave. It makes outdoor activities unbearable. As a result, I am...

A stream of visitors is expected at my house over the next couple of months. The weather here is warm, and we have a pool and a large yard with plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy. Even so, it's only a matter of time before...

I am absolutely ecstatic as I write this Spotlight! I recently, finally, and ever so proudly finished my...

And, just like that . . . it's May, and Mother's Day is right around the corner. When I think about Mother's Day, I certainly think of love. And gratitude. But, I also use it...

I am slowly (but surely!) planting my outdoor flower containers. As much as I love the creative process of designing the arrangements, I have to admit, it can be...

Spring means different things to different people. For some, it's the change in temperature. For others, it's the...

This first week of spring has been a bit all over the place for me and my neighborhood. The temperatures have been well above normal one day, then plunging well below on the next. On the warmer days, I can...

Spring is definitely trying to hop on in. I should clarify. Warmer weather is certainly making an appearance in my area, but my sister out west is dealing with two feet of new snow. I'm not sure what...

I am feeling incredibly inspired these days. One reason is that I have been doing a deep dive into the many resources available here on Cookie Connection. Two tutorials have been posted recently...

Love is in the air! Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Even this year's Super Bowl has a love angle to it. And, let's be honest...

Before we get started, I need to get something out of the way...I can't believe it's the end of January! I have absolutely no idea how...

I believe I implied in my last Saturday Spotlight that I had my act together for the new year. Well, that early assessment has proven not to be so...

I love the stretch between Christmas and New Year's Day. It's a time when it seems as though the holiday pressure has receded but the celebratory atmosphere remains. At my house...

I decided to take a page from Julia's playbook to keep the holiday inspiration flowing. (As a side comment, I can assure you that it is hard to go wrong by taking any pages from Julia's playbook!) What all of this means is that...

It's the start of crunch time for me (and many others, I'm sure)! There are a lot of cookies to be made and mailed, and a limited time to complete them. I feel like a...

We are in full Thanksgiving mode at my house. There will only be a small gathering this year but I am still pulling out all the stops. The bird, the sides, and, of course, all of the sweets! I like to do...

It really seems as though the top-trending cookies on this site are aligning perfectly with the feeling in my community. I noticed an increased number of Day of the Dead celebrations (my goodness, those decorations are beautiful!) and now...

In my family, we have two very different opinions regarding the holidays. Some believe that absolutely no Christmas decorating can take place until the day after Thanksgiving...

It feels incredibly appropriate that we are wrapping up October with a great big boo-tiful hot list. I'm sorry, I couldn't resist the pun. I have just been so...

Fall is finally in full bloom in my neighborhood. The temperatures have cooled. Mums are in pots. Pumpkins are on porches. And witches, monsters, and ghosts are...

What a week it has been! With all of the disturbing headlines, I have found myself in constant need of some sort of respite. Aren't we the lucky ones to have this site and...

I can't believe we are saying goodbye to another month. The summer breezes already feel like a distant memory. I guess I should clarify that those summer breezes were in my neighborhood. Though I am...

I am so thrilled with the cookies that have been trending on Cookie Connection this week. We have all sorts of celebrations. We also have color, texture, and dimension. Though this may be my personal interpretation, we also have...

At my house, we've had so much fun these past few months. It has been the first stretch since the pandemic that a season has felt completely familiar. Now...

In my area, summer still has plenty of juice left in it. The sun is shining, and the heat is plentiful. But schools are getting ready to start. And, in some of the big box stores...

Summer is still in full swing at my house. The lazy, hazy (and hot!) days have taken hold. Our stream of visitors has slowed so we're back to just me, my husband, and two badly behaved dogs. As a result, I'm not...

"Summer! Summer! Summer!" Such was the rallying cry of a recent house guest as he jumped in the pool. Buck naked. To give context...

Summer is in full swing in my area. It's hot and humid, and the farm stands are overflowing. My house has also been...

The stretch between the middle of spring and the beginning of summer feels like a continuous celebration. Birthdays! Father's Day! Graduations! I've mentioned this before but...

The hazy days of summer have arrived early in my area. Unlike the mid to late summer stretch that is supposed to be "lazy and crazy", these days are just hazy. With smoke! We have been...

In my neck of the woods, spring has sprung. The gardens are an avalanche of color and texture. Not only are the flower beds overflowing, but so are the calendars. There is...

What a week it has been! There was a Flower Moon, Cinco de Mayo, and the coronation. Not to mention birthdays, graduations, and nuptials. And absolutely let's not forget...

Am I the only one shocked that Mother's Day is almost here? I have absolutely no idea where all the days have gone! There is still time though for those of us...