News from the Nest, September 25

Hello friends.

Thanks so much for all the condolences you sent my way last week. We truly felt the love. We are finding a new rhythm without our very best fuzzy girl; Peep the Cat is still off. But we are a resilient bunch!

I finally got my new laptop back midweek, so I am slowly adding programs and learning the new configuration. So far, so good!

I am significantly behind on my goals with everything that has occurred lately. I came across this simple saying recently, which I continue to repeat to myself.

You are exactly where you need to be.

When I start getting anxious about all that isn’t done, I remind myself of this and take a deep breath.

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We just found out last week that our youngest, the one all the way across the continent in California, has decided to move back home and work remotely! One happy momma here. I’ll have all my nestlings in the same state for a little while anyway. We will head out in early November to help him with the move.

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New on the Blog

This sweet little blanket is named The Quiet Plaid Baby Blanket, thanks to Jeanie’s suggestion. Not only is the plaid quiet, given the tone-on-tone pattern but the blanket is hoped to quiet the wee baby under it! If you can knit and purl, you can make this subtle and reversible plaid pattern. A simple crochet edge finishes the blanket, but I also include instructions for a knit applied i-cord border or a seed stitch border.

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From the Kitchen

• Have you seen those Brazi Bites in your grocer’s freezer? These cheese puffs are basically the same thing. And not for nothing, they are gluten-free, tapioca flour being the binder. They are pull apart soft, with a slightly crisp exterior; in other words…really yummy!

• Those cheese puffs are delicious with anything but especially good with this Creamy but Healthy Tomato Soup.

• This shrimp salsa is a breeze to make with common ingredients that combine for a delicious twist on traditional salsa.

• Dehydrate some of your Fall bounty of apples! These dehydrated apples are a great way to use up apples that may be past their prime and are fantastic travel snacks! This recipe instructs you how to dehydrate apples even if you don’t have a dehydrator!

• Brownie Brittle is the treat you deserve this week!

• But, if chocolate isn’t your thing, then maybe these Pumpkin Doughnut Holes are!

• And just because… why not dehydrate some sweet potato slices for the easiest dog treat around?

From the Arts + Crafts Studio

• These neckwarmers are relatively easy to make. I walk you through the process step-by-step. Make sure to make enough for yourself and for gifts…I went through my stash very quickly! Everyone can use a warming neck wrap at some time!

• These little needle-felted acorns will usher Fall into your home.

From the Garden

We cleared out our garden beds this weekend to ready them for our fall/winter plantings. Actually, we didn’t fully clear the beds. Instead, we cut back the marigolds and bush beans to the ground, leaving the roots in the soil to feed the microbes in the soil. This is the first year we have consciously done that.

We still have some tomatoes growing, so we left them in their bed. I think their roots will be too big to leave in, but if you leave tomato roots in the ground after each season, please drop me a line and let me know if it works for you.

Then, we topped the beds with a layer of compost and a layer of soil. If you haven’t started your compost bin, it’s never too late. Granted, the summer heat helps supercharge the composting, but you can still get some action in the winter.

I’ve started various seeds, including broccoli, purple sprouting broccoli, broccoli rabe, lettuce, arugula, and kale. Check out these posts for great companion plants for kale, as well as great companion plants for broccoli.

In the Home

• Here are a few tips to help you simplify your life to reduce stress.
• I used this bed skirt pattern to make two bed skirts in our home. Not only is it simple to make, but it is simple to maintain! No more sliding bed skirts! If one side needs to be washed, remove that panel; there is no need to remove the whole thing! I’m sold!

• Does your kitchen hutch need a refresh? Here are some ideas and tips for decorating a kitchen hutch.

Reviews From our Readers

Have I ever told you how much I love getting mail? Hearing your reviews or suggestions fuels my fire, so keep them coming!

• Norene left a lovely review after trying our Rigatoni al Forno recipe.

I made the Rigatoni al forno recipe featured in your blog…Mama Mia!! The wonders of fresh mozzarella cheese make this SO GOOD! Thanks for keeping me from a food rut.

Norene

• I love hearing from folks who have successfully decluttered their homes and lives with our Decluttering Challenge checklists! Thanks, Pam, for sharing your success story.

Hi There

This exercise in decluttering has been very helpful for me.We retired and relocated 3years ago…..now was the right time to re-evaluate our “stuff”….I’m nowhere near finished,but have felt so positive about this process and will start over again.

Thank you for sharing your insights and for all the encouragement.

Love and blessings

Pam

A Few Fun Finds and Tried + True Tools.

• This mini metal spatula has many uses. It makes a great stocking stuffer. Mine went missing recently, which made me realize how often I reached for it and used it. I couldn’t find the old one, so had to replace it.
• This is a great storage basket at a pretty good price!
• Darling linen tablecloth with pom poms, also at a good price!

On My Nightstand

On the last Monday of each month, I update the books I’ve read thus far during the year. 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.

Wishing you a week full to the brim with good things!

Hugs,

Thanks for making my day by SHARING!!