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It’s hard to believe it’s cuffing season in Illinois when temperatures are 70 in November.

Despite the gorgeous warm weather, we are well into fall.

Now is still a prime time to break out the toasted marshmallow hot chocolate and cozy socks.

Continue Reading "Fall in Love" →

In 1849, French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose“ – the more things change, the more they stay the same…

Take a look at November in Des Plaines, 1905.

We think there's some truth to that!

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This week on The Great DPPL Bake-Along:

We make Cucumber Sandwiches, the perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.

We’ll share our results, our recipes, and a little bit about our chosen stories on this blog.

AND we invite YOU to bake along with us.

Share what you make by tagging us with #DPPLBakes, send us your favorite recipes, or just enjoy reading our entries.

Continue Reading "Cucumber Sandwiches from The Importance of Being Earnest" →

Not to state the obvious during these uncertain times.

But the infuriating, killer virus that causes COVID-19 has forever changed our world as we knew it. In oh, so many ways. 

And the changes keep coming. (Not to mention the current surge in the country of new cases.) Got your seatbelt and helmet on? 

As a nonscientist, here's what I know about the fallout from the novel coronavirus, formally known as SARS Co-V-2, that hit the proverbial fan in March.

Continue Reading "Thoughts On the Pandemic: How It Has Changed Us" →

We know. We know. 

Masks. Are. Everywhere. 

They can be tiresome, frustrating, and sweaty but STILL necessary for our safety. 

They've even become a fashion statement.

Who'd have thunk? 

But we meant a different kind of mask. 

Anyone know what holiday is coming up? 

Nope, not Halloween but it does start on the same day. 

Continue Reading "It’s Wednesday. Let’s Scare Up A Mask!" →