We were incredibly blessed

After a night of rather strong winds, it appears that we came through that nasty overnight weather system relatively unscathed. The wild wind woke up me a few times, so I feel like I've been sleep deprived, but I really cannot complain. Several states went through an incredibly scary night with loss of lives and homes. I took my border collie out for run under the early morning (still dark) sky, and it was balmy and lovely, in the 60s already. 

Today looks absolutely beautiful with highs hovering around 71 degrees and sun. So, on top of weathering the system fairly well, we'll have the gift of a pretty day. I may have to hit Sonic for an Ocean Water!! I completely forgot about ordering my Peggy Ann Easter goodies, so that's at the top of the to-do list today! They're almost too cute to eat, but no worries there, we'll tuck into them, and they'll disappear quickly.

Last weekend, in the wind (yep, we could rename the Spring season the Wind season around here) we celebrated my mom's birthday. Mom wanted a lemon dessert, and when you work full time, you tend to either order your desserts from a bakery or hit the store freezer section. Now, I love  Pepperidge Farm layer cakes from the freezer, and they make a very good three-layer lemon cake. Just tart enough, good amount of frosting, and not overly sweet. So, that's what we had, and I kicked it up a notch with some seriously tacky-but-cute decorations. We hung bunting and broke in our new fire pit. 

Our beautiful boys turned three this month. I absolutely cannot believe it. Time has flown. These are the NICEST boys. I love them more than I could ever express. They reciprocate that love, and it is just the sweetest thing when Oliver gets in my lap for a nap, or Oscar comes up to me in the living room to be held over my shoulder so that we can dance. They're gorgeous, as well, and I never tire of holding them or looking at them. I'm grateful for them. We've had them since they were tiny little rescues that came along as a result of a small feral colony that had developed nearby. They are my heart.

Baby Trudy, pictured below, will turn one in mid-April, along with her two litter mates! Can you believe that??!! Isn't she gorgeous?! All the babies are overall healthy and getting plusher and chunkier every day, thank you, God! Look at that face and that pink nose. She is just beyond adorable. She stayed pretty small, so if you're thinking she doesn't look like she's going to be a year old, your eyes are not deceiving you. She's fine, I've discussed it with the doctor. She's healthy, so it's merely a genetics thing. I'm overjoyed that the babies are doing so well. They're the best reward ever for all the tears and sleepless nights and around-the-clock efforts. I couldn't be happier.

I told Lacey that today is Friday, hurrah! She cannot control her excitement, as you can see. I have no huge weekend agenda or plans, but I do need to tackle one area of the house that needs a bit of spring cleaning attention. I'm craving baked spaghetti, so I think I'll make a small pan of that to eat with salad and Parmesan garlic toast. Mmmmmm. 

I'm hoping to get in a good run today, always a joy when the temperatures are nearly perfect. Just me, my music playlist, the open trail, the breeze and the sunshine - absolute heaven on earth. I'm off to begin my day, truly looking forward to sunshine!! Blessed Friday to you. 

Happy spring! . . . or nasty weather season . . .

Well, well, well. Spring is finally here. Did you notice how it literally blew in for some parts of the United States? I swear, if the South didn't get an onslaught of tornadoes during this season, I don't think we'd know where we lived any more. It's heartbreaking, it's annoying, it's scary and above all - it feels SO ongoing as we try to rapidly move through the days, dodging nasty systems and praying for the best when a systems hovers over top of us. I used to love Spring, but since this part of TN joined Tornado Alley in 2011, I'm very much over this season. Move me on to Summer any day, please.

Speaking of summer, my one-pound bag of giant Zinnia seeds arrived! It contains approximately 50,000 seeds (yes, you read that correctly). My 2,000 Calendula seeds for my Christina Gardens, and my 500 Mexican sunflower seeds also arrived. Can you say overkill? It's not actually, because, really, can you have too many flowers? Look at that thick, beautiful foil package the Zinnias arrived in! It's resealable, too. Any extra seeds should keep well for next year as long as I store them inside the house where they remain at room temperature or slightly cool.

Are you familiar with Calendula? They're gorgeous. They remind me of a cross between a Gerbera Daisy and a Zinnia, and they are either yellow or orange.They'll be put out in front of the house in the large beds that housed the African Marigolds last year. Those were beautiful, too, but this year, I want a yellow and orange cutting flower that lasts through the first hard frost so that I can have autumn colored bouquets. The Marigolds were gorgeous, but they were more of a bush, which doesn't lend itself to cutting and arranging in vases. The orange flowers on the package below are my Mexican sunflowers. If you've ever seen one of these in person, you've probably noticed the spectacular orange color. To me, it's probably the prettiest orange I've ever seen - brilliant and clean and pure and bright. I've not yet found any other orange color that compares.

I'm already thinking ahead a bit to my summer scary movies list, as well as the local county fair and the funnel cake that I missed out on last year. Maybe not a big deal to some people, but for me it's a precious tradition that I missed very much last year due to Covid cancellations. Onward and upward, as they say, but I also don't think there's a thing wrong with expressing past disappointments, particularly if they involve not getting the annual funnel cake topped with apple pie filling and drizzled with caramel.

I'm going to order my cake-heavily-frosted-bunnies and cake-heavily-frosted-eggs from Peggy Ann next Monday for Easter weekend. Good Friday is in two weeks, so that should work out just right to pick them up on the morning of Good Friday. It rolled around fast. 

I know for a lot of people, this new normal has slowed things way down. For me, it's just made life pick up steam. Funny how that works. That expression "the days are long, but the years are short" (Gretchen Rubin??) is both true and wise. I've always been a bit of an old lady at heart. I've ranted about the weather and increased cost of food for sooo many years now, but as I truly age, I find that saying to be a reminder to ask myself "how do I want to spend my time?" It's not even a profound question! I quite literally mean "what do I want or need to do today?!!!" I've not got any secret to living other than to 1. Know what is important each day so that you can prioritize correctly and 2. Understand that sometimes, other priorities must float to the top and take over whatever you already prioritized under number 1. That's it. That sums me up. 

My first priority on this first day of spring was breakfast, ha ha. As you can see, I've started in on a Pals buttery biscuit and cheddar rounds. I smothered one-half of the biscuit in peach jam, and it pretty much tastes like peach pie or peach shortcake. I bought these yesterday morning as part of our food budget (yes, I budget in any eating out, no matter how cheap it is) so that when we woke up today, we could start the day with a really good treat. Pals is regional, so if you're not from here and aren't familiar with Cheddar Rounds, they're round, bite-sized hash browns with real cheddar cheese that are then deep-fried. And, yes, they're killer good.

Y'all, look at this gorgeous cupcake! A friend from work made them, and they were truly homemade! Almond cake with almond, whipped icing. Isn't that swirl just gorgeous? The girl who made them is gorgeous, too, a lovely person with a great sense of humor. I love talking to her and her office mate. Ever been around people who, after you talk with them for a couple minutes, you just feel better? That's those two ladies! The cupcakes have been eaten already!

I'd be remiss if I didn't share a critter picture, so today, we have Mama Bunny! Isn't she adorable? I love to watch her play and get to be a real kitty with a home and lots of love rather than having to worry about taking care of babies constantly. She was such a good mama, and - if you've followed the story - you know that she got to keep all three of her babies. They all live with us now, and I'm so happy that they're all finally healthy and fat and incredibly spoiled. They can be sassy, which is hilarious. There's nothing better than watching an animal grow and thrive and know that it's loved and safe. I think that's what humans want, too. We are not so much different from them, are we? 

That's it for now. I hope your first day of spring is lovely and calm and sunny. Our weekend looks nice. A bit breezy, but we are heading into the 60s with full-on sun! Really, I cannot ask for better than that. Love to you in this new season of hope and looking forward!

Happy time change and mindful eating

And we have daffodils! A sure sign of spring, which joins the change of season gang in just a few short days. It also signifies the time change that most people like, but I do know other people prefer the other way around. 

I've also bought this season's tacky tablecloth. I love lemons for spring and summer. They're old-school. In the 70s, they were popular on wallpaper for kitchens and plastic tablecloth prints utilized in those small eat-in spaces that used to be a thing in houses and apartments. Those spaces were small cubbyholes with a window where people put their Formica table and plastic chairs and ate breakfast in the sunlight as it streamed through reflecting all the dust in the house (ha ha, I added that part of the scenario because it's eternally true throughout all generations - sunlight reflects dust).

First day of the time change, and how fast did that roll around?? Each year with the time change comes my conscious more-mindful eating. I think it's because my body knows that summer is coming, and that means a whole different kind of craving and palette. No worries, Peggy Ann Bakery and Sonic are still part of it, it's just that we add some of the fresher foods with it that my body craves this time of year.

This week, I've prepped organic blueberries (dirt cheap find at Earthfare this past week, merely a coincidence that we happened to pop in for a look around), baby carrots, fresh spinach, avocados, and super sweet cherry tomatoes. I have a giant bottle of Hidden Valley ranch dressing for much of it, but the spinach will get cooked in some vegan chicken broth, olive oil and butter and garlic and tossed with angel hair pasta topped with sliced cherry tomatoes and a couple of butterfly shrimp on the side. It will taste like heaven, summer days looming ahead. (I'm ignoring the fact that there is potential for stupid snow in the near future, I REFUSE to acknowledge it at this point.)

I put together some sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic tossed in olive oil and topped with a half-cup of vegan chicken broth for added flavor. Once those steam cook under a foil cover, I'll take that off and let the rest of the broth evaporate for a semi-baked effect. Those taste so good topped with sour cream and some grated, good, strong stinky cheddar. Pictured below, they aren't yet baked, of course. The rest of the pictures are there to remind next year what I did the previous year. I also tend to write this stuff down sometimes, but just in case . . . and pictures of veggies are so pretty!

Running off now to check on a friend and to see if any babies want to go out and play in the sunshine. I'm betting all the babies will take me up on the offer . . . . Love to you on this Sunday. I'm hoping to get a little additional rest in today, as this past week has been a doozy. But it ended so beautifully well, I couldn't be more grateful!

The sweet spot

We are finally heading into my sweet spot temperatures! Most days look like they'll be in the 50s and 60s for a 10-day stretch without a terrible amount of rain (although it's supposed to rain this afternoon). Weather days like this are a gift. It's easy to think "man, it's nice enough to go ahead and put in the flower seeds," but it's not. Upper Northeast Tennessee is tricky. You can have stretches of beautiful weather this time of year, then bam! A massive cold front with a hard freeze and sleet or snow will move in over top of the nice weather and then your seeds will never germinate. So the key is to wait until at least the second week in May to put in seeds and plants. See my giant red zinnias from last year? I love zinnias so much. They're very nearly the perfect flower.

I've been visiting a friend in the hospital. Yep. We're finally back to being able to do that! She can have up to two visitors at a time. This tells me a lot about the Covid situation, that it's definitely improving. I'm still being cautious. I'm not yet terribly big on having indoor gatherings, so we're not doing that just yet. I think we'll probably wait until after Easter to see how numbers look after that holiday before we do anything where people are indoors. Even then, it'll only be our immediate bubble of six. I know some  people are just kind of heading into a free-for-all and going back to normal. I don't think that's wise, so I just keep away from those folks for now. 

The thing that has struck me through all of this is the decrease in flu and severe cold cases. I don't hate wearing a mask as I have managed to get quite used to it, and, given a choice during cold and flu season, I think from now on, I'll personally choose to wear a mask. I've not really had flu much in my lifetime, but the two times I had it, I thought I was dying. Two weeks, deathly ill, then a cough that hung on both times for over two months. No, thank you. I've never cared about what people thought of me, so if I'm the last gal standing with a mask on, so be it! Having said that, if others choose not to wear a mask once this Covid stuff is under control, then I've no problem with that, either. Personal freedoms and choices are a wonderful thing!

Prettier weather equals more kitten time outside equals more allergies. Buy stock in Benadryl, y'all. I'll personally be raising its value over the next three months! But it is SO nice to go outside and not have to be wrapped up in five layers! It's so funny how I forget about that aspect of the warmer months. The first time I'm able to take Lacey out in the early morning hours, while it's still dark, and am able to wear shorts and a T-shirt is just absolute heaven. It hasn't happened yet. We'll be cold/chilly in the mornings for a while longer yet, but it's definitely something to look forward to!

I'm ahead of the game this year for Easter. I've already double checked with Peggy Ann Bakery about my bunny Easter cakes and eggs. They said it's the same this year: they'll make lots and lots, but call ahead with an order, even if it's just for one or two of them. They cannot keep them on the shelf, they make them and they go out the door the minute they finish decorating them. So next week, I'll call and place my order of six bunnies and six eggs for each person in the bubble. The frosting is to die for, old-school stuff. Pictured below are last year's cakes. See what I mean?? CUTE! It's incredibly nice to have a local bakery where the stuff tastes good. I could never work there, though. I'd get fired for eating the profits!

We go to 65 today, but the afternoon rain will make it feel chillier and damp. I think I'll make a mini spinach souffle a bit later on to eat with a French baguette that I need to doctor up with butter and Parmesan and bake for about 10 minutes for that gold finish on top. When it rains in late afternoon, it's definitely indicative that you need to slow down and do something a bit mindless. For me, it'll be a movie while I work on laundry (that ever-present house chore!).

Another weekend has rolled around. At some point, I've got to get myself in gear. The time change is this weekend, and I promised myself that with the time change would come a food change this year. We don't eat terribly bad, we do pretty well with vegetables, but there's significant room for improvement. I used to use the time change to switch us over to a semi-Mediterranean food plan. Very healthy and fairly easy to attain. I may go that route again. If you are careful with planning, it's not expensive to execute.

Hope your Friday is blessed and your weekend is calm and restful. Don't forget the time change on Sunday!

The early goodbye to winter

Let's start the weekend with a gander at some walking velvet. Look at my little guy! Isn't he precious?! I swear, I could eat him whole. He hears his Jampy in the kitchen and is trying to decide if it's worth it to run in there and take a look. I won't tell you how many times I've held him as close to me as possible and kissed that velvety head and face and belly over and over. He is pure, soft goosh. 

The babies are right at 11 months old now, and they're still curious about everything. My little guy and baby Trudy have stayed on the smaller feline side, and baby Higgins is enormous. All three still have baby behavior, something that I observed lasted until about the age of two with my big, beautiful boys Oscar and Oliver. For the record, babies are very addictive. Their mama, Bunny, is having a great time being a spoiled pet now, and she got to keep her babies. They're a tight, bonded clowder of cats for sure. Also, EVERYONE is spayed and/or neutered. Just 'cuz babies are addictive doesn't mean I need more!

Who got tired of winter while it was still winter?! I did. So last weekend, on February 28th, I swapped everything over to Easter and spring. Look at my peeps vignette below. Isn't that adorable? My mom made it. What could be better than Peter Rabbit and Peeps? I know some people don't like Peeps. I LOVE them. That soft marshmallow rolled in a fine, crispy sugar?? What's not to love? I have several packs in the kitchen that will be enjoyed all throughout spring. 

I have often regaled friends with a rant that severely beats up the idea of camping. Growing up, we went camping. I. Hated. Camping. I still do! Many of my friends have, in turn, swapped rants with me about the things in their childhood that were supposed to be fun, family activities, as well, but turned out to be activities they also ended up hating! As we've grown older, those same horror stories became the tales that make us laugh till we cry. We are not alone in our growing-up craziness, are we?! Fast-forward to my adult years, and a friend of mine included the camper below in a batch of birthday gifts after hearing my camping tales of my youth! I wheeze-laughed when I opened it. I have to say, it's absolutely adorable, and I have put it out on display in Spring every year since I received it. 

I love this little plate. There are four of them with spring/summer vignette scenes. I found them in a thrift shop many, many years ago. They signal the start of plentiful sunny days and Sonic summer drinks for me. When I display them for the season, I know my Sonic Ocean Water treat days are in the very near future!

It seems like every time I write a blog post, I'm just a bit more tired than the last time. What's that about? Doesn't matter, I have Peggy Ann apple fritters and Bojangles biscuits in the freezer for the weekend. Those are better than vitamins or medicine, ha ha. They go down easier and with zero side effects, too. I have noted that when the sun comes out, I can see the dust soooooo much better in our house. No problem, it'll get cloudy again, so that need to dust will pass. 

The Border Collie has gas today. It happens from time to time. We administer meds and see how it goes before loading her up and taking her to the vet's. She hates going anywhere, but we'll take her if necessary. I think a new treat we tried did not agree with her, but then, again, I'm not at home nearly as much as I was at the beginning of Covid, so she could be having a bit of minor separation anxiety. That can affect a dog's gastro system. I just hope she's okay. I'm very attached to my dog, and it generally freaks me out and reduces me to rubble when everything about her isn't in sync. In the meantime, she is farting for America! 

That's about it for now. I leave on that note, a dog with flatulence who has a tired owner! Here's hoping the weekend holds sun for all of us. I don't think I could take another cloudy day for a while! And no worries, I'll have a biscuit and fritter for you . . .  .