News from the Nest, August 7

Hello from Charlottesville, VA! I’m helping a friend do some heavy-duty decluttering before her upcoming move. I think we can all agree no matter what you need to do; it’s always good to have a friend’s help!

Like many of us, she is a serious crafter, and we spent all day Sunday in her craft room. I don’t know a crafter who doesn’t have unfinished projects. Some of the questions I’ve been asking her as we come across unfinished projects are: “What stopped you from finishing this project?” and “What has changed that will allow you to finish that project?” We made phenomenal progress yesterday and will continue today! We’ve got boxes of donations going to the local elementary school and a local organization that accepts craft supply donations to give them to local artists!

new on the blog

• When I typed up this Air Fryer Zucchini Fries post this week, I began hankering to have them for dinner again that night. Sadly, I didn’t have zucchini then, or I would’ve jumped up and made them again. They are very tasty and really easy to make. Just set aside a little time to let them sit to draw out their moisture. And definitely make the horseradish sauce!

• When I return home this week, I will start kale, broccoli, lettuce, and spinach seeds indoors under grow lights to plant later in the fall. Can you believe it is time to start thinking about your fall/winter garden already? If you are planting a fall garden, make sure to read this article on Kale Companion Plants. We discuss general tips for growing Kale, plants that should accompany kale and plants that should not.

from the knit studio

• All my knit dishcloth patterns are in one place. There’s even a crochet dishcloth!

• This Diagonal Basketweave Blanket sits on the foot of the guest room bed. It is a relatively quick knit due to the chunky yarn and large knitting needles. And I love the pattern that the diagonal basket weave stitch creates.

from the kitchen

• Did you know you take any of my jam, preserves, or jelly recipes and freeze or refrigerate them if you don’t feel like water bath canning? True story! They won’t be pantry-stable, but they will taste just as delicious. Just put the lids on the jars, let them come to room temperature, and refrigerate them. If you are freezing the jars, make sure you leave a good inch of headspace to allow for expansion.
  • Cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon combine with yellow plums for the most delicious Spiced Golden Plum Jam. This recipe has been quite popular lately and for good reason!

• This lightly Spiced Pear Jam seasoned with spiced rum, cardamom, and cinnamon is a delicious little jam that tastes like a fall day.

• Making apple butter couldn’t be easier. At its core (get it?), you put several pounds of apples with their peels in a pot and cook them until they’re soft. Then you mush them up (you have several options to do that), add some fall spices, and cook them for a bit more. That’s it! That’s all you need for homemade apple butter! This apple butter is healthier than many, as no sugar is added!

• And you don’t need a reason to make it, but you can use some of your apple butter to make these Apple Butter Oatmeal Bars. It’s an easy-to-make dessert that is not too sweet, perfect for after dinner or after school.

• Make your best doggo friend a batch or two of these Pumpkin Dog Treats.

from the craft room

• If you have an old candlewick or chenille bedspread languishing in your attic as I did, turn it into hand towels!

• A slew of handmade gifts that don’t scream ‘DIY!’

in the garden

• A-Z, 17 Plants That Thrive in Sunrooms

• Use old windows to make a cold frame to shield your plants from winter weather.

• As they are both brassicas, you might want to keep your broccoli and kale separated. Take a look at some good broccoli companion plants as you think about your fall and winter garden.

in the house + home

• How to keep produce fresher, longer.

• When was the last time you spent a little time decluttering your digital devices? Check out these tips and the checklist to jump-startthe decluttering.
• And while you still have your ‘summer stuff’ out, check out this quick summer declutter checklist.

bits + bobs

• Have you checked out the Karma app? It won’t be long until I need a new computer and want to keep my eyes out for sales. I tagged some that I would like and supposedly, it will notify me when they go on sale.
• If you have problems sleeping, I highly recommend the Boring Books for Bedtime app. The soothing voice of the narrator reading The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith, or On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin, put me to sleep, without fail!

a few 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.

• I found a new, delightful scent! My girlfriend has several different versions of this Elizabeth W Vetiver scent. It’s very fresh, a little citrusy, a little grassy.
• If you need a crossbody fanny pack, this is a great one and is 25% off right now.
• Cute pillow personalized with zip code, city, and state.
• A cute, inexpensive little band to add a little flair to your Apple watch.
• We use these silicon sheets at the bottom of our ovens for easy clean-up!

We treated ourselves to the Barbie Movie last night to reward our hard work, and tonight we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner. Then I head back south, picking up my mom on the way.

I’ll ‘see’ you next week!

Thanks for making my day by SHARING!!