For most of us in the contiguous United States, the fact that fall has fallen, is not in dispute. Oh, I know there are those of you in the southern areas who are still seeing temps in the 80's but if you were to stop for a moment and take a good look around you, give yourself time to feel the breeze on your skin, and breathe in the November air, I doubt you would argue that a change has most definitely taken place.

Here in the PNW we've had an unseasonably dry fall, and I have to say, it's been glorious!

Life's been busy too! My new book, One Heart At A Time, was released on October 16, a day I found myself in New York City talking with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. Next up was Megyn Kelly on Today, and a whole slew of media appearances followed.

I'm pressing "SEND" on this newsletter from Washington, D.C. where I'll be talking to the House Ways and Means committee tomorrow about our foster-care system crisis. Say a prayer that the folks I talk with will listen with open hearts and feel compelled to action.

On a more personal (and FUN) note, I spent last weekend at an art workshop learning from a brilliant woman, Elizabeth St. Hilaire, about a paper painting technique. I've admired her work, purchased some of her how-to books, and started experimenting with this mixed media technique last year, so when I heard she was going to be in my area I jumped at the chance to learn from her.

What a fabulous experience!

I took two friends with me, and there we met more. Elizabeth was warm, wonderful, helpful and inspiring! I created a rooster that I'm pretty proud of and hope to continue building my skill-set.

Art and nature. Nature and art. Two things high on the list of That Which Sustains Me. What's on your list? How do you tap into that deep deep wellspring of joy that is truly responsible for getting you out of bed each morning to experience another day?

I want to know. Write me at D@Delilah.com?

“After the one extravagant gesture of creation in the first place,

the universe has continued to deal exclusively in extravagances,

flinging intricacies and colossi down aeons of emptiness,

heaping profusions on profligacies with ever-fresh vigor.

The whole show has been on fire from the word go.

I come down to the water to cool my eyes.

But everywhere I look I see fire;

that which isn't flint is tinder, and the whole world sparks and flames.”

― Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

November Book Club Ι A Healing Justice

by Kristin von Kreisler

Buy A Healing Justice

A Healing Justice, by Kristin von Kreisler, is my book club pick for November. You're going to like it!

At first, it may seem an odd choice for me. After all, in the first pages of the book, a teenage boy loses his life.

How does one make sense of death? Can you make sense of it? Not really. But one must learn somehow to cope with it, and continue to live with the weight of it.

No one knows this more than police officer Andrea Brady, who fired the shot that killed the teenager, after he violently attacked her police dog and came at her with a knife. Vilified by the press and traumatized by the events of that dark night, Andie finds herself resigning from the force, as she tries to find her new calling in life.

Luckily, she has people in her corner, and better yet, she has Justice, her beloved German Shepard. Justice had wandered up her drive and into her life two years earlier, and become her constant companion and K-9 partner.

After the attack, Justice had a long road to recovery. It wasn’t in his nature to become a victim however, as pointed out by Andie’s counselor, but instead, he became a survivor. And, after a time spent in denial, stuffing her feelings, and blocking her emotions, Andie vowed to be more like Justice, and leaned into the situation. Healing could then take place.

Some things I LOVE about this book:

• The setting, which was in my Pacific Northwest backyard; I could see, touch, and smell the vegetation that grows thick and wild on any patch of land not tended to for more than a few weeks.
• I appreciated von Kriesler's portrayal of a police officer's life, down to the description of the 27 lbs. of gear worn on their person for hour after endless hour. As you all probably know, my oldest son is an officer of the law. The positions he finds himself in, which test his skills, strength, and faith (in himself and others) often makes me shudder.
• And finally, I absolutely LOVE the mention of Officer Brady's habit of writing down three things each evening that she is grateful for and placing them in her Gratitude Basket. This resonated with me so deeply.

If you love animals the way I do, the way that officer Andrea Brady does, and the way that our author, Kristin von Kreisler, obviously does, you’ll love A Healing Justice. Bravo

Pick up A Healing Justice at Amazon

Visit the Author's Page

I've got a stack of A Healing Justice to give away! If you'd like one, write to me and tell me why the book interests you! D@Delilah.com

Holiday Recipe & Craft | Gobble It Up Cheese Ball

I've was cruising the ol' googlio internet 'tother day looking for some holiday inspiration and crashed into a rendition of this fine (?), not-so-feathered fella.

He's so cheesy! And completely nuts! In fact, he's gone crackers! (And that is how I humor myself friends!) So if you find this funny, and clever, and aren't worried about your teenagers groaning and rolling their eyes when you present him with a proud-as-a peacock (er, turkey) flourish. Then get your nutty cheese on!

Ingredients:

• Your favorite cheese ball recipe (I've included one on Delilah.com if you don't have one.)
• Red, yellow, and orange bell pepper slices (the mini's do the trick!)
• Pecan Halves
• Almond Slices
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Crackers for tail feathers - oblong work best
• Pepper Corns (or other edible "eyes".)

Directions:

1. Make your cheese ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm.
2. Remove from fridge, place on center of serving plate.
3. Insert "tail feathers" in a wide fan - I placed a smaller number in front and in back of the wide row.
4. Press Pecans in at the "shoulders" working down and toward the back.
5. Press the sliced almonds in near the tail feathers.
6. Press the pumpkin seeds in in front of the almonds.
7. Cut a slice of the Orange Bell Pepper to form a "head and neck (experiment with this) an press into the front of the cheese ball.
8. Cut a "wiggly" slice of Red Bell Pepper and "glue" to the neck with a bit of the cream cheese.
9. Cut a tiny bit of Yellow Bell Pepper for the beak. I used the tip of a paring knife to poke a hole in the "head" and inserted the bit for the beak.
10. Find some "eyes." I used a bit of cracker, but I thought later that pepper corns would have been perfect! Glue the eyes on with another little bit of cream cheese.
11. Now, present that proud fine "bird" with a bowl of crackers and shake your tail feathers!!!

Delilah's 12 Stockings of Christmas Sweepstakes

Back by popular demand, I'll be giving away 12 Stockings STUFFED with my favorite music and gifts! Be watching my web page, Facebook, and Instagram feeds toward the end of the month when the sweepstakes will begin.

I have some great new music, fabulous products from cameras to curling irons, and of course, CANDY!

Keep your eye out for the 12 Stockings of Christmas coming your way!

My Book | One Heart At A Time 

by Delilah

As I mentioned earlier, MY book, One Heart At A Time, finally hit the bookshelves mid-October. This has been a few years in the making and I am over-the-moon happy that it's finally available!

The message is simple. If you want to change the world - and I do! - start by meeting, knowing, touching, healing, one heart at a time! That's it. No super-human powers, no millionaire's nest egg, no college degree, the only thing that's needed is a heart that is willing to serve.

I have that, you have that. One Heart At A Time is my story. In it, I write about my upbringing, my influences, my choices, and my precious boys that have changed their address to Heaven. I hope it touches your heart and creates a spark of interest to know yourself more deeply by reaching out and sharing YOUR special, unique, God-given abilities, talents, and love with someone. Just one heart at a time.

I've recorded a pod-cast which talks about why I wrote the book and my hopes for it. Please give it a listen. If you go to my web page and navigate to Conversations With Delilah - my podcast, you can choose your preferred listening platform, Google Play, iTunes, or Stitcher.

Conversations with Delilah | One Heart At A Time

The quote by Annie Dillard was recently shared with me, and in it I saw Autumn; a season where indeed the universe has gone all out in extravagance, flinging and heaping upon us the plunder of a spring and summer well spent.

Fruits and vegetables, nuts and leaves, and leaves and leaves and leaves... Whirling about, dancing and floating, spinning and spiraling, gently and with urgent harshness, piling up and up and up. The whole world sparks and flames!

I asked you earlier about what sustains you. If you don't know, I invite you to take the time to figure it out. If you find yourself anxious, irritable, tired and more often frustrated and sad than happy (or at least content for all you pragmatists out there,) it's time for you to get still and quiet and LISTEN to the inner you.

Find your joy, tap into it, it will get you through the upcoming holidays with your sanity intact. And once you've found it? Share it! It's one of those rare commodities wherein the more you give away, the more that returns to you.

Thank you, my friends - you are also on the very top of my list! I wish you a love-filled, peace-filled, turkey-filled November.

Love Someone - One. Heart. At. A. Time!