trash to treasure......

Okay, so, let me tell you about my garage sale.

(I know. You’ve been waiting.)  

Having a garage sale is a great way to recycle your old items, clear out some of your clutter and make money all at the same time [anyhoo, this was my mantra, over and over and over again...] so with this book as my Sensei, I got started.

Mostly it was a lot of work, which suits me perfectly [I get into trouble lolly-gagging about]. At some point while dragging things up from the basement, schlepping stuff down from upstairs, yanking things out of closets, I started driving myself crazy trying to figure out how to organize it all, trying to find the perfect, efficient system as insurance against any future re-organizational calamities [once relegated to the garage, there was no coming back into the house].

The thing is, it kinda worked. I know, right. On the right side, I placed a long table where the books napped next to the books, the small appliance played with the other small appliances. The electronics behaved themselves, and even the tools seemed to have found their niche. Also on this side, I arranged bins according to a check-list that both myself and the items seemed to understand.

The left side of the garage, though. It just failed me.
Dusty Halloween, tired Christmas decorations, withered wreaths, two sets of golf clubs? Three TV's  I don’t quite remember watching, wicker furniture, plus extra stuff, like cushions, an eight track player, cassette tapes, video games, CD's, and little jars that are completely useless. While knickknacks, board games, garden gnomes, and miscellaneous extras sat idly by, waiting patiently be called on, occasionally whispering to no one in particular "pssst! come look at me" they were polite that way, and never seemed to mind sitting still.

Apparently though, patience is not a virtue indigenous to all breed of promiscuous garage sale accoutrements. Old cameras are soooo rude! Screaming and clamoring for attention as if they were the only dog and pony show in town, yelling things like "here ya go!" "I'm your Baby, baby!"  "PICK ME, PICK ME!" and "don't buy that video camera he lost his battery!".

Upon opening the door to put my signs up [45 minutes before scheduled starting time] I encountered 20 or more people waiting in the drive-way, most of them drinking coffee and meandering around like extras from the set of Zombies who had wandered into a Starbuck's infomercial. They immediately gravitated toward their particular amusement, seemingly extremely choosy about which items they were interested in, as if they had to find them somehow attractive. Smaller items seemed preferable, somehow easier with less commitment, two qualities that most folks looked for as it related to their garage sale finds. And did I mention it was a great success with not a altercation in sight or complaint to be registered. Oh my, I know.

Sigh.

And, the whole time I found myself mindlessly thinking about baking, I know, but still I kept wanting to BAKE. I ran recipes through my head, tasting the imagined results. And then it came to me...pumpkin muffins. Who could resist those? Pumpkin muffins fit my mood perfectly, after all, it is the time of year when I crave all things pumpkin. The thought of warm spices, of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves mingling with the chill of a rainy/partly sunny Autumn day made sitting in the garage feel like a warm culinary sweater. And, you know what else? The orange-pumpkiny color coordinates so well with Fall leaves! It took less than an hour to fill the house with a wonderful spicy pumpkin scent, and produce warm, delicious muffins. Can you imagine? They were delightful! This recipe is super easy. You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry, including the pumpkin which at this time of year, should be a pantry staple.

  pumpkin muffins

(go here for recipe)