Fall.  It’s on the horizon.  I want it so badly I can close my eyes and reach up on my tippy toes and almost touch it.  This happens every year in August:  Brandy’s fall nesting.  It starts with my obsession with other weather forecasts in Portland, Oregon.  Seattle.  Maine.  Boston.  Because they’re already living it up.  Leaves are starting to change color and soon people will wear sweaters.  Meanwhile, in Texas, we’ll be lucky if we have 80+ degrees for September.  And that gets all up in my business for baking cookies and pies, roasting Chickens and planning Halloween.  Yes, fall is my favorite season. And it needs to get here already.

So, (no surprise) I had this urge to bake but I wanted something more than plain cookies.  Something fall inspired of course!  That’s when I stacked up my collection of Barefoot Contessa cookbooks on the table and went through them.  What did I find?  Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies.  Yummers.  That will do just fine. So I baked my cookies.  Then I proceeded to roast Diablo Pecans (again, ushering in fall.)  And this weekend, I’m gonna do it all over again.

And wouldn’t you know… one day this week, it almost felt like fall.  It was 73 degrees outside and we opened up the windows.  The inside kitties were in heaven.  Outside, Ava pup rolled around and played catch.  I happily munched on an oatmeal cookie.  A seriously good oatmeal cookie. And we held hands and watched the leaves fall.  It was love.

So um, get this?  The above picture?  I totally forgot to add the oats.  Yeah, hello Brandy!!  Obviously, I had to dump the dough back in and (oh so embarrassed) added the oats.  Brandon didn’t know why I was all upset.  No big deal he said.  Sure, it’s kinda funny now.

tada! wow, how I wish I had some more of these right now!