Finishing soccer and my book

Tonight was Austin's last soccer game. It turned out to be a chilly Fall evening, with a beautiful backdrop of the gorgeous mountains. We tied, unfortunately, 3-3... but we didn't lose! We finished the season undefeated. We had 8 wins and 2 ties. Way to go Sting, the Northern Utah County U9 league champs!



Jill, Whitney, and Lori came along to see Austin play and cheer the team on. After that we went to Landon's flag football game, so it was a family sports night!



I am back home, warm and cozy in my jammies, trying not to think about how COLD it's going to be this weekend. They are seriously saying there could be snow. Yes, you read correctly. Snow. The second weekend of October. That's one month ahead of the average. I guess we'd better get our winter clothes ready. And I was just beginning to enjoy Fall!



Now that I am comfortable, I've got to grab my book for this month, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. I love timing it so that I finish just before bookclub, which is tomorrow night at Shauna's house. I like when the story is fresh in my mind and I can participate in the discussion like I actually know what I'm talking about! I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. It moved slower that I normally like, but it kept me interested. There is something about her style that I really enjoy. Now, be warned, it is an Oprah book, which I didn't hold against it. The author passed on years ago, so it's not her fault. I do feel sad that this book is not more well-known or recognized. I think she is a very talented writer. Here's some more info:

"With the publication of her first novel, THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER, Carson McCullers, all of twenty-three, became a literary sensation. With its profound sense of moral isolation and its compassionate glimpses into its characters' inner lives, the novel is considered McCullers' finest work, an enduring masterpiece first published by Houghton Mifflin in 1940. At its center is the deaf-mute John Singer, who becomes the confidant for various types of misfits in a Georgia mill town during the 1930s. Each one yearns for escape from small town life. When Singer's mute companion goes insane, Singer moves into the Kelly house, where Mick Kelly, the book's heroine (and loosely based on McCullers), finds solace in her music. Wonderfully attuned to the spiritual isolation that underlies the human condition, and with a deft sense for racial tensions in the South, McCullers spins a haunting, unforgettable story that gives voice to the rejected, the forgotten, and the mistreated -- and, through Mick Kelly, gives voice to the quiet, intensely personal search for beauty."

PROSCIUTTO, PUMPKIN AND BOCCONCINI PIZZA



1 pre-made pizza crust (or your own)
1/2 lb. pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1/4 c. tomato sauce
2 oz. bocconcini cheese (or substitute goat cheese, feta, etc)
4 slices prosciutto, roughly torn
1 1/2 c. arugula leaves, roughly torn
6-8 small basil leaves, roughly torn
1 tsp. red wine vinegar

1. Make pizza dough, then leave to rise (if making own)
2. Cook pumpkin at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until tender
3. Spread dough onto floured surface, roll into circle, then place on baking tray
4. Top dough with tomato sauce, then add pumpkin, cheese, prosciutto, and basil
5. Bake pizza at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until dough is crisp. (time will depend on individual oven)
6. Toss arugula in vinegar then serve with pizza, or on top of slices