so happy

hi and happy sunday, bloggie friends :)

as i write this to you all, i am winding down with some blackberries and a cup of chamomile saffron tea going over the events of the weekend. spending some time with my friends was the downtime i needed to feel refreshed. i am truly blessed to have such happy, amazing (and busy!) people in my life.

we talked about life, love, doggies and food. our new travel destinations and ideas, plans and whatever has been going on while we've been snowed in! i love them so, so much.

this week, i am hoping to get out there and get some things done that i've said i was going to do on my blog and post about them...which brings me to my february list (do you believe that it's the 6th already? Geez)

Let's look at my progress, which is not as great as i think it should be...


YAY:

 

finish writing two of my novels
i am not going to lie and say that i have done much in this department. i was feeling totally unmotivated this week to even try to write down a word, fearing that i would ruin the harmony of my books' ideas. but i got amazing ideas this weekend!

finish illustrations for my second children's book
this item i have been working on diligently, with some advice from my good friends who are much more advanced than i am in the illustrating/drawing/painting realm.

stay in touch
love, love, love my friends. and i am apologizing to them in advance (i'm sorry!) for sending you out old cards, letters, and holiday greetings from yester-year. lol

spread joy
i am definitely going to try to spread some more joy. hopefully we don't get hit with more snow and ice to have that happen.

 say i love you more
this is the goal i've kept up best. i kind of think that i'm driving poor LML crazy...

20 minute activity three times a week
yep. activity is all that's been going on while i've been tucked away in this house- there is ALWAYS something that pops up that i need to do.

wash windows
not yet.

wash walls
not yet.

clean grout
not yet, but i am prepared.

scour pots and pans-
i shined one up real nice, and will post the pictures tomorrow!

polish wood
not yet

research my spring activities
i have SO started this item!

donate, donate
i am setting up donations and  ideas for sites i would like to volunteer at. i am uber-excited about this.

cook/bake new things (this is where 'the kind diet' resolution comes in)
on the menu tomorrow is my next try for lentil soup via the kind diet. i really love this book and can't wait to delve into it a little more.

begin making appointments for activities in springtime (march and on)

 feb. 14th begins my first appointment on the list. i am so excited.

i am just so happy today!

lots of love and enjoy the rest of the weekend!

(i am not watching the superbowl, but i AM squirming while my LML watches Taboo. Eeps.)

food fun

Recipe for my Special Okra (Copyrighted, seriously)

one bag of frozen okra...mmmmmm

make sure you have bakeware to throw them into...

chop up some tomatoes...

bay leaves (2)...

salt and pepper to taste...

oregano...

splash of vinegar...

splash of lemon juice or lime juice...

sometimes i add a little mint

or in the place of pepper- cayenned pepper

toss it around and

put it in the oven for

about an hour and 30 minutes...

taste one and if you likey

great...

if not, cook for another 15 minutes.

tell me what you think. this is my comfort food,

a spinoff from my 'the kind diet' project.

what's on your menu's this weekend?

share with me :)

menu- turkey veggie chili

what to do when you're stuck at home on a snow day?

there's the shoveling,
cleaning,
and take out the crock pot!

ah i love it!

what's better on a cold day, i figured- than turkey veggie chili?



 

clean and boil the beans til soft

brown the turkey!!

start setting up the spice part of the ingredient list

chop an onion...

that little white ball in the photo is an onion

they should look like this when you're done

chop up the pepper after cleaning

and the carrots and garlic, too

that's what the set up should look like before you throw everything in the crock pot.

in the order you've seen it here, of course.

give it all a quick stir.

check in on it every now and then

see if you'd like more tomatoes or tomato sauce

as time goes by.

5 hours on your timer...

dinner is served :)

i'll let you know how LML likes it tonight <3

following the kind diet- menu

yesterday, my mushy puppy slept all night...and then from 7 am til 3pm.

again.

i was bored, so i went on a cooking-kick

i took the leftover quinoa from my pantry and decided to use it

because it makes me feel better

and i love it

then, i cleaned (very good) the spinach.

and sauteed it with e.v.o.o and garlic.

mmmmm

and i mixed it up and ate it.

i felt better :)

october menu- cooking festivities!

what it looks like when you cut off the bottoms of the baby bok choy!

throughly cleaned before being sauteed with garlic...yum!

whole wheat bread in the breadmaker...all you do is shop...

throw in the ingredients...

and it does all the work for you!

what shortcuts do YOU use in the kitchen?

Inspirations.

A good writer, an optimistic person usually pulls inspiration from anywhere. They can find it in anything: a beautiful day outside, the laughter of a child as they run like a maniac outside...just because they can. The smells of sweets being baked, frosting a cupcake, pretty things, a roaring fire to keep warm with a cup of marshmallow-y hot chocolate in hand...
I hold a notebook around with me, and usually jot everything down. Things to do, see, eat, cook, read. Inspirational words, stories, books to read. People to research. One of my favorite people to look to for inspiration (not a family member) is Susan Branch.
In a letter from a friend I had received years and years ago, she mentioned that she loved her cookbooks. I was just about to get married, so I figured that picking up a cookbook would be an excellent idea. Susan Branch's work is COMPLETELY inspirational. The intricate, happy drawings, the font used, and her life story jump out at you from the pages. It's as if it takes you to a land far, far away (i.e. Martha's Vineyard, another place to visit on my bucket list :)
One should really pick her Autumn book up- it's my favorite with the Christmas book coming in as a close second. I will get to work in the next couple of weeks (after I get some of my to-do list done) transforming my house into a winter wonderland. Hopefully, by then, I will have my camera back to use it!!! I'm going stir crazy without it...
In the Autumn book, she mentions a poem printed on the first few pages which fit the past weekend's description well. It was beautiful, and the weather was just brisk enough to make one feel like they can conquer the world. And boy, do I want to!
I love weekend's away in the country. I'm a cross between a city girl and a country bumpkin myself. I don't think I'll ever find a happy medium (suburbia? Creepy...)

So, here's to hoping that you all get to enjoy the weather this weekend! Bake a pie (eat a pie! God, I love pie...), kick some leaves, press the pretty ones into a book to frame them later <3 Visit a neighbouring vineyard if you can, or get a yummy glass of wine to enjoy with dinner (if you're indeed over 21, please! and Don't, DON'T! drink and drive)

More v.,v. soon!
MG