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Month: September 2015

Currently…September

September 30, 2015 / / 1 Comment

Ah, SEPTEMBER…a month of seasonal switches – shortening days – more crispness to the mornings – locally, the Papal visit has come and gone… in the midst of it all, these are the things that filled my days…

Reading…As the baseball season winds down, I finished my WWII baseball read…a Sunday afternoon was “consumed” with a ChickLit read…in the midst of The Martian and enjoying it…several books (of widely varying topics) in active read now…queueing up for a mid-October QuickLit post on the reads…

Watching…the return of some favorite shows…the jury is still out on some new season finds…choosing to watch most of them via DVR & on my schedule without commercials…football is back – some college games, all the Packers games so far (but I know there will be weeks when their game won’t be shown here)…

Having fun recording the Packers season in stitches...

Having fun recording the Packers season in stitches…

Crafting…knitting is at hand…as the Packers started the season, I started my own Scorecard Cowl to track the season’s points in stitches…after knitting a fall cowl in August & realizing that I didn’t like it for me, a version 2.0 is off the needles & just what I want as the cooler days arrive…in keeping with the cowl theme, I’m also working on another cowl for me with an unexpected skein of yarn that is oh so soft…an abandoned baby knit has been finished and is blocking before going to a new home…gathering patterns and yarns for some gift knits…

Browsing…on being challenged by watching the Pope in America…on the death of the Postcard…

Autumnal JOY in a mantel vignette...

Autumnal JOY in a mantel vignette…

Cultivating…joy in my home…#konmari tidying in the kitchen yielded 2 bags of kitchen “things” that are now on to other use, so far…a new lamp in the living room…a blue (yes, blue) decorative pumpkin sparked joy when I came upon it while shopping and so it became the centerpiece for a fall vignette on the mantel…a new blanket, a new lamp, and a lamped moved in from the living room provide a bit of refresh to my bedroom…

Listening…to Mercer football games via the I Heart Radio app…The “Voice of the Bears” is so fun to listen to – obviously more so when the Bears are doing well but he doesn’t pull any punches when their play and behavior is less than it should be…

A few of my Whole30 kitchen adventures...

A few of my Whole30 kitchen adventures…

Cooking…so much! This round of the Whole30 has reawakened the enjoyment of being in the kitchen…as I move from “the 30” through reintroduction and establishing my new normal, I’ve identified some basics that I need to always prep and have on hand to ensure that on days when I’m not sure what’s for lunch or dinner I can easily make something that doesn’t go off the deep end…I’m drafting some posts for October with some of the tips and recipes that worked for me…

Traveling…not this month…I thought I might have some Florida travel but managed to take care of that project remotely. I do see some Florida travel for October.

Looking Ahead…October means Halloween – which means it is time for a trip to see my Texas girlies! With the return of fall flavors, I think it might be time to can some applesauce.

Linking up with Leigh’s monthly “What I’m Into” roundup. What are you into these days?

A Taste of Fall

September 15, 2015 / / 0 Comments

For this Tuesday, ten tastes of fall I look forward to as the seasons look to move from summer to autumn. As I’m 17 days into this Whole30 round, I know that some of these recipes won’t be made until the calendar flips; however, some can be enjoyed in the coming weeks.

The changing of the seasons was evident at Saturday's farm stand stop!

The changing of the seasons was evident at Saturday’s farm stand stop!

  • Chili – My “go to” now is the Chocolate Chili recipe from Well Fed. I have the ingredients here at home and plan to make a pot of it this weekend.
  • Nantucket Cranberry Pie – A recent addition to the fall desserts, this has become a new Thanksgiving time dessert (and maybe breakfast for the leftovers).
  • Baked Oatmeal – whether on the sweeter side or the savory side, this is a hearty breakfast for cold mornings.
  • Fresh made applesauce – peeled apples & a few hours in the crockpot – nothing beats homemade applesauce! Sometimes I might add a dash of cinnamon & spice…other times, just pure apple!
  • White Chili – a chicken & potato variation that is a hearty bowl of goodness on a cold evening.
  • While I enjoy sweet potatoes year round, I’m “excited” for the return of the frozen mashed sweet potatoes at Trader Joe’s – I stock up on these bags for an easy base for meals throughout the year. (In fact, just today my lunch included some of the last “pucks” from the freezer – BBQ pulled pork on a bed of sweet potatoes was easy and delish!)
  • “Endless” french press pots of coffee on the weekend – I’m much more of a hot coffee gal in cooler weather.
  • If I happen to be near a Culver’s, a pumpkin shake or concrete mixer is such a fall treat!
  • Stuffed Acorn Squash – I’m planning to try a new stuffing combo with the ones in the picture over the weekend.
  • Mulled Wine and/or Spiced Cider – An enjoyable mug of warmth that is just as delicious to smell while it is simmering on the stove.

What tastes of fall are you most anticipating?

A bit of the weekend

September 8, 2015 / / 1 Comment

As we get back to work after the long Labor Day weekend, today’s Ten on Tuesday prompt is simple – things from the weekend. The long weekend around here was a nice combination of busy/productive and low key. On Monday night, I was rested and also felt like I accomplished a lot; however, I’d take a couple more days like this. From among the hours, a few highlights:

Fast & Fancy Monday Dinner

Fast & Fancy Monday Dinner: Seared Scallops with Pan Fried Zoodles & Oven Roasted Tomatoes

  1. Knitting on a new cowl for me – as my August cowl knit came off the needles, I decided that “as knit” it wasn’t for me so I cast on for a 2nd one and am modifying the pattern for me.
  2. Reading – finishing up Yes, Please by Amy Poehler; making progress on a couple of other active reads; enjoying long spans of reading time peppered throughout the weekend.
  3. Winding yarn for my knitting project to accompany the upcoming Packers season – details to come in coming weeks.
  4. Listening to “the voice of the Bears” call Mercer’s season opening win against Austin Peay State University via the I Heart Radio app. Welcome back, college football.
  5. Tweaking a favorite broccoli salad recipe to be Whole30 compliant. Broccoli + bacon + homemade mayo + golden berries + chopped pecans = a tasty version that hits the spot
  6. “Finally” taking the Edge for a much needed carwash & clean. Once the windows were so clean, it was time to add the “ADK” oval sticker to the back windshield to remember a great family vacation.
  7. Catching up with the Texas girlies on the phone on Sunday morning – hearing about how 7th grade, 5th grade & kindergarten are going. When did they all grow up so much?!?
  8. Lots of food prep to keep me going with the current round of the Whole30. The fridge is filled with all sorts of things to easily grab & make meals this week: oven boiled eggs, roasted tomatoes, cooked bacon bits, homemade mayo, buffalo chicken, pulled pork and more.
  9. Finally putting my t-shirts in a box to mail off for a Project Repat quilt.
  10. Continuing the kitchen #konmari in the hall closet (extended kitchen storage) – among the accomplishments, all stained tea towels have been culled out of the basket.

As the temps around here this week try to give us our 6th heatwave of the summer, it doesn’t feel like the end of summer. What did you do on this “end of summer” extended weekend?

 

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