News from the nest, November 4
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
Robert Burns from To a Mouse
The line actually is, “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft a-gley.” But Mr. Burns wrote in his native Scottish and so that line has been anglicized for the rest of us.
Last week, I told you that our daughter was home for ten days. We had long planned to go to Charlotte to take her and her pup, Farrah, to the Off-Leash Dog Park at the Whitewater Center, meet up with our son, who lives there, and all go to dinner. As a reminder, Terry, Elsa, and I went to the Off-Leash Park several weeks ago and came away pulling at the leash to return at the earliest convenience, despite the 4-hour drive 🙄We had set yesterday as THE DAY! We had a hotel room and dinner reservations. We were all set!
Until we woke up yesterday morning and realized Elsa had gone into heat! It goes without saying that taking our in-heat pup to a park filled with happy and excited male dogs was a non-starter, as was going out to dinner with her and her paper diaper.
So, Elsa and I remained at home while Terry, Kate, and Farrah enjoyed the park, reuniting with our son, and a wonderful dinner.
Which brings to mind another one of my favorite sayings, ‘IT IS WHAT IT IS!’
At the end of the day, we are happy to have this heat started so we can move on and get her spayed. Her breeder recommended letting her go through one heat; I guess that certain hormones are released that help joint lubrication, especially for large dogs. All that said, she is really struggling with the paper diapers I purchased; all suggestions for better options are welcome!
Table of Contents
New on The Blog
I know Halloween was just last week, but it isn’t too early to start thinking about the upcoming holidays. Whether you are hosting a party or just looking for a fun appetizer or meal for your family while decorating the tree, this Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board checks all the boxes.
From the Knit + Crochet Studio
- Knit the head and hat of this charming and festive little gnome, and then add a bit of fur and a small pom pom for a nose. Alternatively, if you’d rather knit the gnome gnose 😉, I have instructions for that, too.
- Download this free Knit Pillow Pattern to add cozy pillows to your Christmas decor or give as gifts this holiday season. Complete with white-on-white Christmas Trees, Gold Embroidered Stars, and Gold-Spangled Pom-Poms, this Christmas Pillow will be a hit with everyone. Basic Knit and Purl skills are all you need to make this festive knitted pillow for your holiday home decor.
- Knowing how to do the mattress stitch will come in handy if you make this ⬆️pillow, another pillow, or anything that needs to be seamed.
From the Kitchen
- If you or someone close to you loves some bacon, you need to hightail it over to my friend Eliza’s site, which is dedicated solely to bacon recipes!
- This Butternut Squash Chili is a hearty, comforting dish perfect for a cozy night or festive gathering. It starts with a base of sautéed onions and garlic, to which diced butternut squash is added. This lends a sweet, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the bold heat of jalapeños and the smokiness of chipotle in adobo.
- Arepas are flat cornbread, almost like thick tortillas, from South America, specifically Venezuela and Colombia. However, a significant difference is that traditional cornmeal is not used for Arepas; instead, masarepa, pre-cooked corn flour, is necessary. Bonus points are awarded as this is a gluten-free bread!
- This recipe for Short Rib Tacos begins with a brown sugar & spice rub, followed by a sear to get ‘that crust’ and then a slow braise in a chili broth for fall-apart tender meat.
- Take a few minutes to read these baking tips to make the best cookies. You may know some of these handy tips, but there may be a few new ones to help make your baking easier, more efficient, more enjoyable, and result in the very best baked goods!
- Baking soda and baking powder are important chemical leaveners when baking. They serve the same purpose as organic leaveners, like yeast. What’s the difference between the two? How do they work? Can you substitute them? How do you know if they are fresh? Get all the answers to these questions and more in this post!
Thanksgiving Prep
Well, my friends, in case you haven’t noticed, Thanksgiving will be here in 25 days…not that I’m counting. Can you even believe it? Wow, I swear I just finished putting away the dishes from last Thanksgiving (0k…maybe that’s a wee bit of exaggeration, but you know what I’m saying.) Having a plan makes the day a little less harried. These Preparation Tips and this free 2024 Printable Thanksgiving Planner will help you have a more relaxed and less stressed day.
Gifts From the Kitchen
- You are so fortunate if you have friends or family members who like to spend time in their kitchen! Cooks and foodies are the easiest people to shop for…bar none. There is always some kitchen gadget, pot, or appliance that a foodie ‘needs.’ In addition to gadgets and gizmos, foodies also love trying different spices, oils, and flavorings. Here are Three Easy to Make DIY Gifts for Cooks.
- We are getting close to that time of the year when it’s best to have a stash of gifts on hand when you need something for your mailman, hairdresser, favorite cashier, hostess at a Christmas gathering, and…well, you get my drift. There are just so many gifting opportunities. This Mulling Spices Recipe is filled with warming and aromatic spices. Homemade Mulling Spices makes an easy and welcome gift, especially when paired with the included label and a mulling ball.
- Don’t you love it when something so simple is so good? I mean, we are talking about toasting walnuts with olive oil, salt, and minced rosemary. That’s it. But that simple combination exemplifies the adage, ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’ If you want an easy snack or food gift, this recipe for Toasted Walnuts with Rosemary is it! These very snackable nuts are quick and easy to make. And they make a great food gift! Download the PDF with the printable gift tags below.
- This crispy and crunchy brownie brittle recipe satisfies those of us who prefer the crunchy edges and corner pieces of a traditional brownie… you know who you are! And not for nothing; it’s quick and easy to make. To make it extra Christmas-y, drizzle some melted chocolate and crunched candy canes over the top after they are baked.
- After you’ve made gifts from your kitchen, you’ll want to package them extra special! Check out these eight iron-on transfer designs for fabric gift bags to give your homemade food gifts!
- Use these Food Gift Tags to perfectly finish off the Christmas gifts you’ve baked and cooked for friends, family, and neighbors.
From the Arts + Crafts Studio
- This ‘Santa’s Sweet Shoppe’ painted window is absolutely one of my most favorite projects ever! I always look forward to hanging it up in my kitchen each Christmas. And, it is surprisingly simple to make.
In the House + Home
- Check out these six home maintenance tasks to do in November. After double-checking a few things around your property, you can relax with loved ones and indulge in the holiday season.
Some Fun Finds
Some of these links may be Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission from the sale of these products to help defray the costs of operating this site, but the price you are charged is not affected. You can see my full disclosure policy here.
- Adorable Nutcracker kitchen towels
- Gorgeous Set of Three Mercury Glass Candle Holders
- Lovely French Linen Apron
Well, my friends! I’m off to check items off of my never-ending to-do list.
Many Hugs,
