Tuesday, January 19, 2021

not much, how about you?

It's been awhile since I posted. There's not a lot going on. Kind of like Groundhog Day around here. I thought I'd at least pop in and talk about some bits and bobs.

I think today was the millionth day in a row that was cloudy and dreary. First thing I do when I wake up is to turn up the heat. Then I walk around the house, raising all the blinds. The beautiful sunrise this morning as seen out the window of Brian's office brought a smile to my face and a silent "thank you".


I'm trying to find small ways of bringing cheer into these gloomy days.
Sunshiny flowers help.


So does some pretty nail polish.
Other ideas: Wear a pair of sparkly dangling earrings - even if you're staying home. Do it for yourself. Buy yourself a new, bright lipstick. Part your hair a different way or wear a cute headband. Try a new tea. Hang a brightly colored hand towel in your bathroom. Diffuse lemon essential oil for a fresh, clean scent in your home. Send a hand-written note in a pretty card to a loved one. It truly is the little things that can lift our spirits.

 

I used to be more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants dinner person. I've been consciously working on weekly dinner planning and have made some tasty dishes lately. Chicken pot pie in a cast iron skillet really hit the spot on a cold night.


I made a pork butt in the Crockpot one day, which gave us a ton of meat. With some of the leftovers, I made a pork posole...onions, garlic, white hominy, diced tomatoes, green chiles, salsa verde, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin and oregano thrown into a pot and simmered for a few hours. The rest of the shredded pork was put into freezer bags to use at another time.


Veggie cashew stir-fry over brown rice...



My Thanksgiving cactus is finally blooming. I always called this plant a Christmas cactus and then I read that there are different varieties: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.


I've never seen another one like mine with the coral blooms. I usually see varieties of pink.


My blogging friend, Claudia over at Mockingbird Hill Cottage mentioned Rosamunde Pilcher's book, Winter Solstice. I had the book on one of my bookshelves but had never read it. I figured January and February were the perfect time to read books with winter titles. Here's what I dug out from my bookshelves. Simple Abundance is a book I read every year. And that small Barbara Kingsolver book you see is her newest. It's a book of poetry ~ a new genre for her.


I see from our weather forecast that tomorrow will finally bring some sun. How perfect on the day that brings us a new President. I pray for peace for all of us...for an end to all this violence and the pandemic.

💓

17 comments:

  1. Amen for a hopeful new beginning tomorrow with the inauguration. I love so much about this post - the sunrise, the lovely yellow flowers on your table, your nail polish and your Thanksgiving Cactus blooms. Your food looks delicious. Perhaps you would share your pozole recipe. My son spent two years living in Mexico and Pozole is one of his favorite things. The books all look like good ones. I have read Simple Abundance and gave a copy to my sister. It is truly a wise book. Have a good week. I will stop by for another visit again soon!

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  2. The end to all this violence is what I want to see. It's scary! it won't happen overnight but hopefully over time it will get better. Your posole looks delicious. It looks a little like mine. I use red chile when I make it with pork and green chile when I make it with chicken. Perfect comfort food. I love that fat little cat dreaming of his next meal. So cute. Enjoy your sunshine!

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  3. It’s a rainy day here too,cold and damp.
    I love your cooking . I will also cook today, duo some craft and read.
    I wish everything will get better soon.
    Take care.

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  4. I am very fortunate that I now live in the Sunshine State. Your meals sound really good!

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  5. I woke up today (Inauguration Day) and the sun was out. Well played, God. Well played. :)

    I love your cozy winter posts. It has been so dreary here but at least it hasn't been bitter cold. I just realized the other day that our December's tend to be sunny but our January's always tend to be cloudy. Sigh. Here's to hoping for more sun.

    Your posts always make me feel warm and cozy. XOXO

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  6. Your posole makes me think I'll thaw a small pork butt we have in the freezer. I have a yummy green chile pork stew recipe from a late aunt that we enjoy. The weather this week is nice, but it will be much more wintry next week, and this dish will be perfect.

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  7. Treating ourselves (and others) well during January, especially this January, is such a good thing. We've had some sun this week, but today the clouds are moving in once again. I'm so glad that the government transition happened peacefully today, and I hope that continues. Your meals sound delicious.

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  8. It was so nice to see the sunshine today. Finally! That veggie cashew stir fry looks so yummy. I think I am going to make that. Looks great. Happy Wednesday.
    xoxo
    Kris

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  9. It was cloudy and snowy here, today, but that pot pie looks warm and yummy!! I could go for some of that right now.

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  10. The chicken pot pie made my mouth water. I love how you're trying to find the sunshiney stuff in the midst of winter.
    I'm going to check out the Christmas/Thanksgiving/Easter cactus link. Mine actually bloomed NY Day...what the heck?

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  11. Your food looks so delicious!
    Winter Solstice is a great book, I first listened to an audio version of it and the book is equally enjoyable.
    I’m sure you’ve read her Shell Seekers too. It’s really good but I think I liked Winter Solstice even more.

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  12. Love this post. I have a collection of books that include the word winter or snow in the title. I'm just drawn to them, not sure why, but they are among my favorites. The pork dish looks soooo good. And I love that white pitcher. It's a beautiful shape.

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  13. P.S. The title of this post has me singing the line from that song in the 70s. Is that were you thinking?!

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  14. Sometimes I feel like everyday is the same, work, driving, homework with Little Buddy, cleaning and bed, over and over again. Our skies may not be gray but it is still the same day in and day out. I think I am coming over for leftovers! Enjoy your reading.

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  15. I've been wanting to make a veggie pot pie, just haven't found the right recipe. That cashew veggie stirfry looks yummy. How I wish I could send and receive mail. The postal system in this country is the pits, so unreliable and corrupt, with no accountability for lost (or stolen) mail. I used to wear earrings all the time and have so many really lovely ones, but sadly can't wear them anymore even though every so often I do try. For some reason, my ears reject any earring, turn bright red and start to itch and burn. Each decade of life seems to bring some new weird thing with my body. :) I have a Barbara Kingsolver book that I've yet to fully read. Simple Abundance does get reread every new year. Hope the sun sticks around for a little while. Take care, Melanie.

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  16. I sure could have used some of your suggestions to cheer yourself up when you posted it, but drat if that wasn't the week I was too mopey to read blogs! They're all good though so I'll try to remember them for the next time the black dog visits (with apologies to my black dachshund as I don't mean him!). Your meals that week look amazing! Lots of good ideas there too, as always.

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  17. I guess I had been using our gloomy weather as an excuse to be gloomy myself, but your post right here has me rethinking my strategy (or lack thereof)! ;)

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