Melissa Orquiza
- Oct 24, 2023
- 3 min read

Witches Brew Smores Coffee, Brain Rest, Devon Cole & Bach

Originally Published October 2023

I love Fall. The feelings of celebration, the Halloween decorations, the turning of the leaves, each moment a small memento of the love of family, friends, and childhood. But, along with the fall celebrations also come the stressors of trying to juggle LIFE.

A few days ago, my daughter asked me to play “catch”. Like every responsible parent, I gently reminded her that we could play after she finished her responsibilities for the afternoon. After diligently finishing her homework, she happily ran to the living room, standing erect with her “Frozen” ball, ready to play. After a few catches, I mindlessly threw to her and instead of her normal catch, she head butted the soft ball, shrieking with happiness. WHAT? First, I didn’t know she knew how to head butt. Second, like the funniest jokes, it came unexpectedly, from nowhere. Third, it was the first time all day I didn’t have my “to-do” list running in the background of my head. I love checklists, time management, and the elation of a task completed however break time is just or even more important. I’d momentarily forgotten how to turn it off the checklists when playing with my daughter.

How important is cognitive rest? I think the basis of all the labor unrest lately has been partly due to the inability to quantify how much to rest and recuperate fully. No matter which side of the dispute you are on, I don’t think our brains are intrinsically wired to evaluate data (and non-essential data) 18 hours a day. Hmmm… maybe our kids are already little data scientists…

Here’s to taking a bit of time to rest each day.

Secret to Cognitive Rest

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/secret-to-brain-success-intelligent-cognitive-rest-2017050411705

Thanks for reading! I’ve kept it short and sweet so you can rest. I hope this makes you laugh, think, and approach the world differently in a more positive way. Have a great week! Melissa

Scary stuff. Lyrics: “She’s a woman, in total control of herself…."

Devon Cole - W.I.T.C.H. (Official Video)

Here’s everyone’s favorite Bach cello suite and for good reason. I hope the images and the sounds help you rest and enjoy the rest of your week.

Yo-Yo Ma - Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, Prélude (Official Video)

S’Mores Witch’s Brew Coffee Cocktail

Here's the original link. https://www.harryanddavid.com/blog/witches-brew-coffee-cocktail/

Ingredients:

¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon sugar
Mini marshmallows (toasted)
16 ounces freshly brewed coffee
2 tablespoons chocolate fudge sauce
2 ounces Baileys Irish Cream
1 teaspoon half-and-half
Graham cracker crumbs

Instructions:

Start out by making the whipped cream so it has enough time to chill. You can use store bought whipped cream if you'd prefer. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine heavy cream and sugar together. Whip for 1-2 minutes until stiff peaks form. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
Grab a parchment lined baking sheet and torch the marshmallows up slightly using a handheld blow torch or by placing under the broiler for 20-30 seconds. Set aside.
In a coffee grinder, grind the 2 tablespoons of coffee beans. Place 2 tablespoons of freshly ground coffee into a French press along with hot water. Allow to sit for 4 minutes then push plunger down.
Grab your favorite fall mug and drizzle the inside of the cup with chocolate fudge sauce. Pour in hot coffee and mix with chocolate.
Next, add in Bailey's Irish Cream and half-and-half. Place a generous dollop of whipped cream on top. Then garnish with crushed graham cracker crumbs, more chocolate sauce, and toasted marshmallows. Enjoy!