look what i found

This last weekend I hit up a HUGE thrift store not terribly far away from my pad. It seemed high time I checked out the second-hand stores in the area and this one did not disappoint.

Look what I found!

They had so many crocheted blankets in so many colors I could hardly contain myself! I left with three of them, and they now live on my couch. I love the thought that someone put a lot of time and thought into these afghans. I know from experience how much time and yarn it takes to make these! Every time I wrap one around me I think of the love and care that went into the creation of them.

It was the perfect time to pick up these "vintage" suckers too. It's really cold and windy outside (especially at night) and all I want to do is snuggle under these babies and read through the growing stack of books by the couch. It hibernation time.

time out

As it is indeed Monday morning and there is much to be done, both today and for the rest of the week, I feel it only appropriate to take some time out to look at photos of Beulah being cute.

She does it so well!

blustery

Good morning!

It's a chilly one here. I feel like these little birds I saw all fluffed up on a ledge outside the Smithsonian this weekend. Nothing a warm cup of coffee and some layers of sweaters can't fix, though!

when in doubt, make a strata

This past week I named a little mini challenge for myself... It was to really start paying attention to the food I purchase and eat and to not throw away a single food item. I didn't say anything here (in case I screwed it up), but now I think I'll share my weekly adventures in waste not want not with you.

The week started off easy-peasy with some bean soup with carrots and kale (my new favorite veggie). It was the end of the week that was challenging. I almost broke down and ordered a pizza, but decided I couldn't give up so easily!!

And then, Better Homes and Gardens came to my rescue with a recipe suggestion.... strata! I had all the ingredients (kinda) and well.... it looked good in the photo! I went through my fridge and heavily modified things to fit into a few other constraints (trying to eat less meat, more veggies and well... didn't happen to have asparagus laying around).

Looks good don't it??

And so, here ya go! My recipe (so heavily modified I think I can call it mine.

Emily's Strata

Ingredients:

- Old bread, cut up into cubes. As much as it will take to cover the bottom of a smallish glass dish in two layers.

- About 6 eggs

- About 1/2 to 1 cup of milk

- Spices you like (I forgot salt and would highly recommended that you don't!)

- Whatever veggies/meat you have laying around. Mine was kale(!!), baby portabella mushrooms. onion and garlic

- Some grated white cheese

So, here's what you do. Preheat the oven to 325 or 350ish. Spread half chthe old bread cubes over the bottom of the dish. Cover with half the filler (veggie, meat combo). Then add a layer of cheese (however much looks good).

Beat the eggs and milk together, along with spices. Pour 1/2 of it over the stuff in the pan. Repeat layers; bread cubes, filling, eggs, cheese on top.

Bake that sucker until it is firm (about 30ish minutes I think). Cut it into squares and eat!

I accompanied mine with homemade Gluhwein (cheap wine, sugar and mulling spices). It was pretty darn good!

little joys

Little Things That Make Me Smile

• The way Beulah cuddles next to me in the morning
• Daily emails from my father
• The advent calendar from Mother, she has always sent us advent calendars and I love them!
• Hot spiced wine - Hell, any wine really!
• Sitting by the fire with Esther and the menagerie
• Knowing Charlie is really, truly going to be part of the family
• Old movies, right now "White Christmas"
• The color red
• Warm blankets and quilts
• Frost
• Good coffee
• Milk that comes in glass bottles! Soooo cool and cheap!
• The fact that I'm a "writer" officially!

tis the season

It's finally that time of year; when there is frost on the ground in the morning and I can finally wear the sweaters that have been sitting in my closet for a while now...

I'm busy finishing up the Christmas shopping portion of the holidays (so I can beat the crowds in the post office next week) and scheming the cookies, cakes and spiced wine I plan to whip up this weekend. Tonight I might even get crazy and hang up the rest of the Christmas lights in the apartment!

artistic?

I took these photos about a week or so ago on the early-morning puppy potty run. This is just outside of the apartment at probably about 0530ish...

At first I thought the photos were bad....

Then, I decided they were "artistic."

Actually, it is kind of what the world looks like without my contacts in!

Today seemed like a good day to share them with you. It's another rainy, warmish, humid day. I'm sitting on the couch with the light of the Christmas tree and a puppy gnawing on her bully stick (don't ask, you don't want to know). Pretty soon I'll have to get up and get ready for work, but for now I'm enjoying the time to just sit and listen to the rain.