It's finally starting to feel like fall around here.
It's too bad we don't get quite the color show that other parts of the country get.
Right now, this is my desktop wallpaper - I love it. Can you imagine driving down this road like this?
You don't really see covered bridges in Texas. This one is beautiful. Maybe this is what the one in Sleepy Hollow looks like.
Snow mixed in with fall leaves?? This is definitely not Texas.
I normally try not to use this space as a venting ground, where I just take all my frustrations out on the world, but I'm going to make a little selfish exception today because I could use any good cheer that's sent my way. I'm kind of down in the dumps.
You know when you see something (like, say, a plaid piece of fabric used as a blanket?) that you really like, but try as you might, you can't find a stylish and affordable way to recreate it?? And, because you obsess, all you can think about is how much you wish you could just afford to go out and buy the object of your obsession?? (Did you know that plaid flannel sheets are a dying breed?? They are almost impossible to find.)
Does anybody else have pets (more specifically dogs) that do not like to go out when it's wet??? Cleaning up after your pets every single day, usually in a few places, is not fun.
And how frustrating that they need baths, but since it's supposed to be raining for the next couple of days it's useless to attempt to bathe them because they'll just go out and get all muddy!?!?! Of course, there's always the one that won't even go out on the back COVERED porch because it's wet outside...
There are like 4 bushes I'd like to transplant. But it was too hot, and now it's been too wet. Pretty soon it'll be too cold, and then I'll get frustrated because I can't finish what I'd like to get done out in the garden!
Does anyone else find it almost impossible to cram in errands and chores into the 4 or 5 hours you have after work and before bed?? Is it me, or does it seem like you come home, change and go run errands, and next thing you know it's 9:00 PM??? And you haven't even eaten dinner??
Which brings me to my next point: do you have these big chores that you just keep putting off because you know they will take a long time?? Does that depress you too, that you can't seem to find or make the time to tackle them?
Does anyone else's husband inadvertantly sabotage your drive to get things done on the weekend because they just want to "relax and watch TV"??? Relaxing and watching TV is all good and fine, but when Monday comes around and there's a bunch of things I didn't get done on the weekend that I really should have gotten done (like clean the office, clean the house), it just starts to pile up and bother me. Which then goes back to the fact that I am finding it impossible to accomplish much in the 4 to 5 hours after work.
Is anyone else out there feeling really fat? Just me?? How about dowdy?
Okay, okay, okay.... It's just hard to always be so damned perky all the time! ;-)
In all reality, I'm just having one of those days. You know, the days when you realize that you're not Martha Stewart, your house isn't perfect, you're kind of lazy, and you don't have all the money in the world?? Yeah, one of those days.
Tonight, though, I swear, I'm going to get the medicine cabinet all organized and put up. And that will make me feel a little better, one thing I can check off my list.
"Don’t ask for your spouse’s participation in every decision. If he or she is design-impaired, they will simply be intimidated by the abundance of choices. If you show him a magazine picture of an elaborately draped bed, he will be so alarmed by the bed hangings that he’ll be unable to see the charming shape of the headboard. Keep him in the loop by sharing your most subdued paint color choices and conservative furniture selections. Keep your riskier decisions to yourself until their successful integration proves your design genius."
from:
http://www.myhomeideas.com/healthy-home/newlywed-decorating-00400000051879/all/
So, what do you think??
*I personally kind of love Miles Redd's living room (photo from Urban Grace Interiors), but if Chris were to come home and find that I've painted our living room pink, I truly think he'd shoot me.
Today's recipe comes from my Mom. It's one of those recipes that she made when we were growing up, so it brings back those warm fuzzies whenever I make it - perfect for those chilly nights!
Unfortunately, since this is an older family recipe, I don't have any caloric information for you - but knowing the ingredients, it's not going to be high-calorie.
Cabbage Patch Stew
Ingredients:
1 to 2 pounds of lean ground beef (I'm sure you could also sub in turkey)
1 head of cabbage, roughly chopped (but not into too small of pieces)
1 onion, either white or yellow, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 can of diced stewed tomatoes
Approx. 1 cup of ketchup (feel free to use the low-sugar kind)
1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like things spicy!)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Brown the ground beef with the chopped onions and celery. I like to add some salt and pepper as well. Make sure to cook it until the celery is tender.
Drain the fat from the beef mixture.
Add beef mixture in a large pot with the remainder of the ingredients. Cover with water - until just the tops of the cabbage are covered. Some will pieces float, but you don't want chunks of cabbage sticking out from your soup. You will need a really large pot for this, and depending on the size, you may need to subtract some of the cabbage.
Bring up almost to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour or until cabbage is tender.
Feel free to add additional ketchup to your bowl of soup, to your taste. This soup will easily feed a family of 5 for dinner - it makes a lot of soup!
This is one of my favorite cool weather recipes! Hope you enjoy it too!
Yes, I am a fighting Horned Frog! Probably one of the worst/weirdest mascots ever, but whatever... TCU is a great school. At least we're not the Ducks.
Oh, and for those of you still asking what exactly a Horned Frog is? It's a small lizard/reptile that's native to Texas (and probably other areas in the Southwest). It's about the size of your palm. Sometimes they're also called a Horny Frog or a Horny Toad. We don't really see a lot of them anymore, which is kind of sad, but I remember seeing them all the time when we lived in Abilene TX over 20 years ago (shut-up).
Hope you all have a great weekend!!
Go TCU!!
It's simple and pretty.
And those curtains would look great in our bedroom... would match the duvet and headboard perfectly.
Don't even get me started on that pendant chandelier. Sigh... It's beautiful.
There are a lot of bloggers out there that have marked their "blogiversary" or their 100th/200th posts.... evidently I am not one of those. It's not that I think it's not worth noting, it's just that I guess I haven't really been paying attention.
My one year blogiversary?? Oh, it was in May.
My 200th post?? Oh, it was earlier this month.
I guess I'll just have to pay better attention and wait for post #300 or 2 years - whichever comes first.
As the days and nights get cooler, I'm sure I'm not alone as I gravitate towards those traditional "comfort" foods. Pumpkin pie is definitely a seasonal food for me - I really only have a want for it at this time of year. Unlike Jenny (who I totally stole this recipe from!), I don't have an abiding love for the pumpkin pie. But at this time of year, it just sounds and tastes delicious to me. So, I was really excited when I saw this recipe. You see, I DO have abiding love for sundaes! I can get 2 fixes in one here, and not spoil my diet in the process.
I present to you, the Pumpkin Pie Sundae:
