Fortunately I thought ahead for costumes. My sister is in the SCA and when I saw a photo of her gorgeous Viking-style Apron Dress I knew I wanted one. She very generously offered to make me one, with a Viking tunic for Sam (my two-and-a-half-year-old) and one for his Dolly. I knitted little Viking Helms for Sam and Dolly to wear, and a lace smoke ring (aka wimple, cowl) for myself. (Of course, it is five thousand degrees in Los Angeles. I am hoping the temperature will drop by Friday.) Most exciting (for me), I sewed up a little tote bag from Halloween fabrics for Sam to use as a candy bag.

While I do some last-minute decorating and plan a fall meal for this weekend, here are some links:

1. Mighty Goods has a Halloween Costume Guide.
2. Earthchick celebrated the Autumn Equinox with some baked goods that would be perfect for All Soul’s Day.
3. The eggplants at my local farmer’s market are gorgeous. Martha Stewart has a recipe for Eggplant Parmesan that looks just delightful.
4. The Crafty Crow has been all-Halloween lately and I want to do every single project they link to.

What are you working on? Are you planning ahead for next year, as I am? Even if you don’t celebrate Halloween, please share your favorite autumn recipes, craft projects, et cetera.

My family loves spicy food, but more important than heat is flavor. We get both with a good Jerk. Pictured above is a vegetarian meal based on the wonderful book Jerk: Barbecue from Jamaica. Below you can see the non-veg version, featuring jerk chicken. (I don’t eat meat, but my husband and son do.)

I made Rice & Peas to go “wit it,” and improvised some blackened string beans — actually green beans from the local farmer’s market. The meal was complete with baked sweet potatoes.

(As an aside: I usually buy the orange-fleshed garnet sweet potatoes, and this week I bought these yellow-fleshed ones and they are even tastier! I did not think it possible.)

We used the jerk rub, which is made with fresh ingredients, for the chicken and tofu, but we like to keep a jar of the dry jerk seasoning on our spice rack at all times, and that’s what I used on the beans. The basic recipe is below the cut.

Dry Jerk Seasoning by Helen Willinsky

2 Tablespoon onion flakes/powder
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried chives

Combine and store in a glass jar with a tight seal. Keeps 3 months.

The light is different in autumn, and the breeze is cooler. I need to make the most of one while avoiding the other, and I am looking sideways at my furniture, wondering how to move it to best use the space. Where is the best place to put this chair where we read stories? Should I turn the bed so the afternoon light doesn’t interrupt Sam’s nap?

This week’s challenge is to make the best use of your space, to move that chair or do whatever you need to do to make the most of fall.

Several weeks ago I bought a ton of fresh chilies at the farmer’s market, insanely cheap, and made some chili with them by cooking them with an onion and I think some garlic and a beer until everything was soft. I then froze the whole mess. This weekend I put up a pan of pinto beans to soak, and yesterday I made the world’s hottest chili (and by hot I mean picanté). While I was prepping the sides, Sam asked to help. He wanted to sit on my back, but it turns out that doesn’t work so well in the kitchen (piggyback is how I carry him most of the time, now that he holds on). The Ergo was down in the car so I grabbed the sling…

The post is here. Enjoy!

How do you involve your children in mealtime prep? Any tips, secrets, or advice?

I’m also trying to line dry as much of my laundry as possible, to not run the dish washer until it is full, and to turn things off when I am not using them. And it is finally below 90° in Los Angeles (for now) so I am not running the air conditioning.

None of my efforts are big. But they add up to make a difference. What will you do?

Eren @ This Vintage Chica manages to mix public school with unschooling ideas, which is a combination that baffles me but also makes me really excited because it proves that every family can make education work just right for them.

Stefani @ Blue Yonder wrote a marvelous post a few weeks ago about the worries and joys of the beginning of the (home)school year. More recently she described a calendar project she helped one of her sons make.

Tiffany @ Nature Moms wrote about the k12 curriculum, which she gives a rave.

Papaya Mom wrote about realizing that homeschooling isn’t the right choice right now. The reason I am so pro-homeschooling is because I think as parents we are best able to understand what our children need and give it to them–even if it is school!

Lori at Camp Creek Press wrote about all the different types of homeschoolers and how she and her family have evolved. I love the diaper bag analogy! We went to the store today and didn’t bring a single diaper with us. Does that mean I am evolved?

Soulemama wrote a wrap-up of her family’s summer, showing that learning doesn’t stop for the summer and never stops being fun.

Jessica @ Balancing Everything shares some observations from a homeschooling pool day.

Lastly, I have three links for you from Heather @ Oh My Stinkin’ Heck. First she talks about her three children’s very different attitudes. Then she discusses their curriculum and how much “school” happens each day. And lastly, she answers some reader questions.

Got a favorite homeschooling blog? Please share the link! I am always curious about how other families are doing things.

Want your post featured here? Email me: todayshomemaker AT noirbettie DOT com.

But when we got back I watered everything anyway. And while the peppers really were done, and the herbs that were in a shallow container are beyond resucitation, my tomatoes are giving it one last gasp and my sage is looking better than it did before we left.

Any late-summer miracles in your garden?

I am beginning to think about the next Carnival, which will most likely be holiday-themed.

If you have expressed interest in joining me in writing for the site, I will be in touch shortly. There is plenty of room, so please contact me if you are interested (todayshomemaker at noirbettie dot com).

Thank you, everyone, for your patience.

I’m going to take a few more days to figure out how I can best serve my various writing commitments; I’ll be back soon.

One of my plans from the moment I offered to take over the site for Sarah was to bring in other bloggers to make the site as well-rounded as possible; if you think you might be interested, leave a comment or send me an email (todayshomemaker at noirbettie dot com) with a little bit about yourself.

And don’t forget the Flickr group! Your photos are so inspiring to me.