I've Done The Taste Testing

October is here.

That means the heat and humidity is coming to an end.

And, Pumpkin everything has taken over.

I walk early each morning 
and noticed one of my favorite neighbors had decorated for fall. 
I call it "subtle elegance"!

Sometimes, even here near the Gulf of Mexico where green is king in Autumn, 
 Mother Nature does her own Autumn decorating.

Pumpkins at home.

The acorn candle is new this year.

I've been drinking Teavana Chai Tea

 from my Autumn mug by Susan Branch.

  Dreaming of cooler days.

I can always depend on Trader Joe's for yummy pumpkin everythings!

Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Petite shortbread cookies with Pumpkin Spice or Yogurt icing.

I'm happy to report that I've done the taste testing for you

and the cookies are yummy.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Amaze Me Monday 

Mosaic Monday

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Home Sweet Home

Willy Nilly Friday

If We Would Enjoy Ourselves

From the Farmer's Almanac

"If we would enjoy ourselves, we must take the world as it is; 
mix it up and a thousand spots of sunshine, a cloud here and there,
 a bright sky, a storm today, calm tomorrow, the chill-piercing winds of autumn, and the bland, reviving air of summer.
–The 1854 Old Farmer's Almanac"

I love the Old Farmer's Almanac, their daily emails and words of wisdom.



The Sun is Shining.
Our brief glimpse of Autumn has ended.
Heat and humidity are back.



Musashi's Garden has been busy.
This little Painted Lady made a visit.
After remodeling the garden a couple of years ago,
one of the best things I did was put in lantanas.
It takes awhile, but the butterflies and bees find the lovely blooms.

I love peaches.
Peach season comes to an early end here.
I rarely buy peaches this late in the summer.
The grocery peaches are hard and have no taste.
But, I was craving a peach smoothie.
So, I bought California peaches from Trader Joes.
I've been patient, letting them ripen slowly.
This morning I had smoothie number one!
Looking forward to smoothie number two!

The hat is a must now that summer is back.

The new Michael's ad had Caron Cakes on sale.
They were calling my name.
I love the fall colors and there is a nice shawl pattern on the label.
It will be my next project.
Getting into the fall spirit!



Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Willy Nilly Friday

Amaze Me Monday

Make It Pretty Monday

Home Sweet Home

Mosaic Monday

         

You Are Never Too Old to Blow Bubbles

I've been a little grumpy.


First, Trader Joe's discontinued their Wasabi Mayo.
I love TJs Wasabi Mayo.
Apparently, I may have been the only one who did.
But if that is the case, why did they carry it for the last four years?
Thankfully, I have an unopened jar in the pantry.

The weather hasn't helped.

UGHUST has arrived in all her hot and humid glory.

In addition to sunscreen, one needs something to keep themselves cool.

Fruit bars help.

The creamy coconut is delicious.

Hurricane Harvey doesn't help.

Since it is too hot to be outside,

I took the opportunity to finish a shawl.

This was a Marley Bird KAL.

The pattern called for chunky Red Heart yarn.

I don't "do" chunky ... I'm too short.

I look swamped by "chunky"!

I made the shawl in Red Heart Soft and repeated a couple of sections.

Perfect! 

Dreaming about cooler weather!

It was hard to be grumpy when the kitties Kit Nip Box arrived.

They always enjoy new toys -- at least for a couple of days!

My Texas Market Box arrived at about the same time.

I really enjoy this box.

Each box includes the best small-batch,

artisan goods from farmers' markets and local Texas businesses.

The Texas Market folks make monetary donations to the Houston Food Bank.

Double win!

There is a theme for each month and this one was Gulf Coast Summer.

Garlicky Greengo Sauce, Gulf Coast Fish Fry, Sea Salt Soap Bar,

Island Seasoned Sea Salt and Organic Watermelon Lime Tea.

Nothing can chase the grumps away faster than a new mug and tea!

The Watermelon Lime Organic Green Tea came in the box.

I'm going to try it next -- iced. 

The mug is from Susan Branch.

The Blue Bird is one of her new designs.

Do you have the grumps?

Remember...

You are never too old to blow bubbles!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Little Things Thursday

Share Your Cup Thursday 

Home Sweet Home

Amaze Me Monday

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Lazy!

I'm still celebrating my May birthday!

One of my sisters-by-choice sent me this tea set.

I really like the mesh strainer.

Handy!

The decoration is different on the front and back of the tea pot and cups.

I like the green leaves.

I used to bake a lot ... by scratch.

Not any more.

I've gotten very lazy!

I was cleaning out the pantry and found a package of Sticky Fingers 

Carrot Spice Scones.

Easy!

Just toss the mix into a bowl, add water, mix, bake.

Done.

They look good and are tasty!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Amaze Me Monday

Home Sweet Home

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

SaveSave

Count Down to the Big Day

Part of my count down to the big day is sitting down
and sending out Christmas greetings.


It's so nice to settle down
with a holiday mug filled with tea
carols playing in the background
on an especially cold and wintry day (for the tropics)
and pick out just the right card for the folks on my list.
Some have been sharing greetings of the season for years.
It's a wonderful time for memories and smiles.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!


Home Sweet Home
Little Things Thursday

Hints of Change

I went to Whole Foods and look what I found.
A hint that the seasons are changing.
The first pumpkins have arrived.
These are all carving pumpkins.
I guess, here in the tropics, they won't get mushy until they are cut!

*

I found the Dump Cake recipe I was looking for.
Here it is:

Autumn Dump Cake

1 can (29 ounces) pear pieces in light syrup, undrained
1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 package (doubt 15 ounces) yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into thin slices
1/4 cup caramel topping, warmed

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 
Spray 13x9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Drain pears, reserving 1/2 cup syrup. 
Spread pears and apple pie filling in prepared pan; 
drizzle with reserved pear syrup. 
Sprinkle with cranberries. 
Top with cake mix, spreading evenly.
Top with butter in single layer, covering cake mix as much as possible.
Drizzle with caramel topping.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes 
or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Image from Dump Cakes booklet.

Good with a scoop of ice cream!

*

I always check out the flowers at Whole Foods
and I found some lovely tulips...
in Fall colors!

*

Then I went to Trader Joe's to finish my grocery shopping
and I found more flowers.
I think the iris is near the top of my favorites list.
I just love everything about them.

*

Meanwhile, in Musashi's Garden,
a little anole was shedding his skin.
It's busy around here!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Five On Friday

Willy Nilly Friday

Home Sweet Home

Mosaic Monday

SaveSave

It's September!

It's September!

Did you say "Rabbit, Rabbit" the first thing in the morning on September 1?

It's supposed to bring you good luck! 

I'm just hoping it will bring cooler weather.
How about highs in the 80s instead of 90s???!!!!
I'd go for that.

Down came the summer welcome sign from the front door 
and up went the burlap wreath.

It looks nice surrounded by the blue door frame.


I also changed out the flag that flies from the balcony.
The Scarecrow is flying high.




Then I went hunting for the fabric pumpkins.
I'm still looking for some of them,
but it's a good start.





Pumpkin Moonshine is one of my favorite little books by Tasha Tudor
and is always a Fall favorite.






When I'm not looking for fall decorations,
I have my knitting needles going.

I've made four (yes, four) Oblique Kerchief.
It's an easy pattern and the yarn is soft to the touch and easy to work with.

Now I'm working on the Ribbed Collar Bolero.
I have a stash of Lion Brand Homespun and this is an opportunity to use it up.
If I like the finished project, I'll make some more.
I've only "frogged" 4 or 5 times.
It is a simple ribbing, but trying to watch a baseball game
and having three kitties determined to sit on my lap and the knitting
makes dropping stitches very easy!
Knock on wood, but I seem to be moving right along now.

I finally got to my Stitch and Bitch group.
They are a crochet group that meets at a local restaurant twice a month.
Not much bitching, but a whole lot of stitching, laughing and eating going on.
They welcome knitters, too.







Now I'm looking for my little Dump Cake cookbook.
Autumn Dump Cake 
made with pears, apple pie filling, dried cranberries sounds good to me!










Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Willy Nilly Friday

Five on Friday

Mosaic Monday

Home Sweet Home

In Time For Tea

I love to give books for special occasions or no occasion ...
To kids and adults.

I heard about Chimpanzees for Tea by Jo Empson in the 
Afternoon Tea Across America group I belong to on FaceBook.

Vincent's mother sends him to the store with a shopping list.
She wants him to be home in time for tea.
Along the way Vincent loses his shopping list.
He tries to remember everything on the list 
and comes home with some unexpected items.
But he is in time for tea! 
Great illustrations and lots of fun.
I think it will be a wonderful birthday gift for the little girl next door.







I decided I wanted to be in time for tea, too.
I was especially tea thirsty and got out one of my favorite oversized tea cups.

The perfect Tea Time Teacup.
It is part of the Leonardo Collection.
Designed in England. 
More fun!

Wishing YOU well, much joy, a good book, and a wonderful cup of tea!

Home Sweet Home

Make It Pretty Monday

No Place Like Home

Mosaic Monday

Tuesday Cup of Tea

This and That

I googled "subscription boxes" and was really surprised by what google found.

I had no idea there were so many.

There's KitNip for cats, Cat Lady for cat ladies, Blue Apron and Hello Fresh for food.

Bark for dogs. Birch Box for cosmetics.
Art Snack for artists (and wanna-bes).
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
I'm sure if you can imagine a box, there is one. 


Why my sudden interest in boxes?
I heard about My Texas Market and decided to give it a try.

They send carefully-curated boxes filled with small batch, 

artisan items from local Texas businesses to subscribers every month. 

I started with their July box that celebrates My Texas Market turning one.

I had a good time opening the box.
A lot of information was provided about the contents.
There's cajeta from my favorite goat farmers at Blue Heron Farm.
Peach Jam from the The Peach Boys (too bad the sample jar is so small). 
A soy cupcake scented candle from Ecobabe.
Cookie mix (gluten free) from Bona Dea.
Cornucopia Popcorn, Patriot Pop.


All Texas artisans and small businesses and
10% of all profits are donated to the Houston Food Bank.
I like that! 

2. The Tour de France has started.
The countryside is so pretty.
Great history.
Armchair traveling at its best.
Let the cyclists do all the work!

Credit: Getty Images/ Chris Graythen)

3. Several years ago, I heard Martin Walker interviewed on NPR and I was hooked. 
I wait patiently (??!!) for him to write another book in his wonderful Bruno series. 
The latest is: Fatal Pursuit. 
Bruno is chief of police in the beautiful village of St. Denis.
The characters are "characters", Balzac is a wonderful dog, the food sounds delicious.
There is history of the area and of France ... this time WWII and a missing Bugatti.
A little bit of everything including gardening by the lunar calendar.
This is a mystery series I really enjoy.


4. Every time I go to the grocery, I always stop and check out the flowers.
If there are carnations, they come home with me.
This time, they are pretty in pink!

5. All wrapped and ready for the baby shower this weekend.
Done! 

 
Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Home Sweet Home

Willy Nilly Friday

Five On Friday

SaveSave