News from the Nest, November 6

Hello, Friends!

Wow! It’s been a week! We successfully disgorged our son’s belongings from his apartment in San Diego and packed them into a wooden crate that is slowly making its way across the continent. We will move him into his new apartment in two weeks.

When my sister-in-law asked how the week went, I responded, “Well, I guess as well as can be expected with a 23-year-old man in charge.”

Terry and I booked our flight back from San Diego, with the requisite layover in Charlotte, NC. I provided our flight info to Rob, who booked the first part of the trip but didn’t book a flight all the way to Wilmington because…well….who knows? So, we had to leave him in Charlotte until he could get on a flight home. Suffice it to say, we had a few hiccups along the way, but all’s well that ends well. And…he learned some valuable lessons that no amount of parental input could teach!

I’ll leave you with my new quote, borrowed heavily from the King James Bible:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a mom clean her son’s bathroom which hasn’t been cleaned in a year.

Lynn 😘

New on the Blog

We had quite the Butternut Squash Bumper Crop this summer, which is curious because it was the one vegetable we didn’t plant that performed the best! To that end, we’ve been eating A LOT of butternut squash! This Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beans was one of my recent recipes that is so delicious that I had to share it with you. Not only does it help me reduce my butternut squash stash, but we are always looking for hearty vegetarian meals and this chili is all that and then some.

From the Knit Studio

• Have knitters on your gift list this year? Or, maybe you need some ideas for yourself? Here are Nineteen Gift ideas for Knitters to jump-start your thoughts.

• No time like the present to get yourself organized! Print off all the free pages, as well as the cover art, of this Knit Journal and Organizer. There is also an option to purchase the binder already printed.

• If you haven’t already, get started on this Christmas Tree Pillow. Simple knit and purl stitches create the pattern.

In the Kitchen

• Geez, I’ve had a hard time finding the turkey legs or wings this year! I finally found them at Publix, so am heading there today to make the Turkey Stock for my gravy. It’s an easy thing to do ahead of time for the best Turkey Gravy.

• This Cranberry Conserve is another Thanksgiving or Holiday side and treat that you can make now! Keep it for yourself or gift it…you’ll quickly achieve ‘most favorite person’ status.

• Make mini loaves of this Rosemary, Fig, and Nut Bread, slice it thinly, and toast it. You’ll have a stash of the most delicious crackers on which to smear just about anything or pair with cheese for your holiday gathering. It’s a gluten-free treat that everyone loves. Fill a bag, tie it with a ribbon and you have a great hostess or neighbor gift, with or without a jar of jam or a wedge of cheese.

• I am the designated pie crust maker in the family, which I am very O.K. with. My grandma made the BEST pie crusts and I’m thrilled to be following in her footsteps. Here’s my recipe and tips for the Best, Most Tender, and Flavorful Pie Crusts.

• If you smirk when someone mentions ‘Fruitcake,’ then you haven’t tried THIS White Fruitcake. It is moist and flavorful, filled with nuts and fruits soaked in brandy. Banish the artificially colored cherries, this fruitcake is chockful of natural dried cherries, white raisins, candied fruit (candied citron, candied orange peel, and candied pineapple), coconut, and nuts.

Food Gift Ideas

If you like to make gifts from your kitchen, here are some suggestions.

• 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.

• If you are looking for 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.

• Easy to Make Mulled Wine Jelly Recipe. This wine jelly can be water bath canned for shelf storage or refrigerated.

In the House + Home

• Forty-nine Household Tasks That Will Take 15 Minutes or Less.
• November Home Maintenance tasks.
• Reduce Kitchen Waste

From the Arts + Crafts Studio

Run, don’t walk, to your nearest computer and order whatever you don’t have on hand to make one of these Wrapping Paper Carts! Without exaggeration, my previously hot mess of gift wrap was instantly transformed into a blissful organization! Accessorize yours however you want, but I STRONGLY suggest the retractable cord that keeps your scissors from walking away!

• These Velvet Embroidered Christmas Trees are a nice addition to your Christmas Tree or on packages!

A Few Fun Finds and a Couple of Favorites

Some of these links may be Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission off of 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.

• This little lamp would be adorable on a desk or bookshelf.
• Many variations of these super cute slippers.
• You can never have too many dish towels!
• For the popcorn and movie lover!
• Nice, understated cloth napkins for your Christmas table.

One My Nightstand

On the last Monday of each month, I update the books I’ve read thus far during the year. Last Monday was…last Monday and was overtaken by events. So, I’m a week late! But, better late than never!

I give my very brief ‘review’, a term which I use lightly; I barely scratch the plot line. You can see all the books I’ve read and the two I added this month here.

I’ve got a good bit of reading to do if I’m going to reach my goal of thirty-three books read this year! Luckily, I have some travel coming up, so should get quite a few read then.

Well friends, I really need to spend some time and figure out my calendar for the next few weeks! Between moving our son to his new apartment, Thanksgiving, a big trip right after Thanksgiving, preparing for Christmas, and working on the blog, I am a busy (but very happy and content) gal. But, I do need to get organized!

Wishing you a week of joy and light!

Hugs,

Thanks for making my day by SHARING!!