happy fall!

hey loves!

sorry to disappear from blog land for a while.

things here are good, although school is just over a week in and the wedding is just less than four weeks out. yikes!!

i have needed to semi-adjust to a new schedule from summer (still working on that!) with all the busy-ness going on around here and important details to tick off lists, i haven't had much time to myself to actually sit and take care of things at home. having skipped my weekly knitting group again this week, I took tonight to do just that.

As I was sitting after a yummy salad I made, very relaxed at the kitchen table, I realized I wanted to share my recent food re-inspiration with you. I had a bit of non-frugality while shopping for wedding-related wear this past weekend, and treated myself to two practical (yes...) purchases of new cookbooks. I'm not sure I've mentioned this, but I've decided at last, after 16 months of occasional omnivory, to re-commit to a strictly vegetarian diet of no meat or fish. I was needing some new inspiration. These two books are helping!

The first book features a ton of crockpot recipes, which was something I just wasn't willing to wait around for on paperback swap any longer. I think I plan to make anything with a several hour cook time on Sundays, then just reheat the meal on Monday nights when we are tired. The second book is full of absolutely stunning food styling/photography, and I'm literally just swooning over the recipes, which use mostly pantry staples and take, as the title indicates, a very short time to come together. There are a lot of vintage linens and dishes featured! I just had to get it. 

I was so happy to sit down at the kitchen table and look through these and a couple of other favorites to come up with a week or two worth of nightly menu plans. The overall theme Monday through Friday is this :: crockpot, tacos/Mexican inspired, stirfry/pasta dish, pizza (homemade most weeks, occasional outing at local pizza joint included, this usually happens on Fridays). Saturdays and Sundays are more open, maybe I'd cook a new or more involved recipe one of those days and eat leftovers the next. Usually there is prep work on Sundays to be done if I can spend the whole day at home, which I usually try to for a great deal of balance to the work week. This coming Sunday John will be away at a friend's bachelor party, and I'll be making pizza dough to freeze, chocolate truffles, homemade white bread, Monday's crockpot meal (a thai coconut curry over rice), and a tofu "tuna" salad for the week's lunches. Sounds like a lot, but really is there anything better than a quiet, peaceful day of homemade food prep in the fall? :-) 

We've just started with cooler weather here in Virginia (low 70's mostly, down to 60 at night). I'm so excited to put on a cardigan once in a while. I'm still trying to knit at least an hour each night (thanks to Ginny Sheller at my "eye candy earth mama" blog link for this inspiration, it works wonders for the mind and soul). Currently working on a pretty pair of legwarmers. Reading the Percy Jackson series (third book), then the Postmistress set in the 1940's. This winter, I have grand illusions of reading the entire Little House series (have never done it) and creating a learning journal to go along with it. 

So, things here are busy but good and I remain grateful for the ability to take moments for myself when I know I need them. 

blessings and light to your corner of the world. be cozy!! 

~k

31 August :: Just two days of summer vacation left

Yes, so hard to believe, but tomorrow is Sept. 1!

The children start back on Tuesday. The classroom is ready to go with the exception of one or two last-minute items I can do quickly on Monday.

I'm excited but always a little sad to see summer go, and a little shocked at how quickly it has seemed to pass. We have been so busy though, between completely changing the classroom, planning our wedding, and moving to a new home closer to work.

I have started knitting like crazy. Must be nearly fall. I've really come into my own with this gentle craft, have gotten serious about learning new skills and just overall do it much more often. I would like to try to knit for an hour or two every day. I also just taught myself how to wind my own hank of yarn into a ball. I found it so relaxing! Are you on Ravelry? My page is just in the beginning stages, but feel free to friend me at karbear1103.

I'm also gearing up to start spending more time in the kitchen! Already a warming lentil dish has made its way onto the menu plan for the coming week. On another food note, I've decided to go back to eating strictly vegetarian. I know I waffle on this a lot, but I'm diving in now and I'm a little nervous about it sticking for me again (last time I tried it stuck for nearly six years, the meat eating has only stuck for 16 months off and on, and not without a lot of hesitation on my part as far as health, ethics, etc. go). The good news is that John seems to be okay with being vegetarian in the house. He has recently told me that he is sure I've added years to his life with the way I cook. I'll never forget what was in his fridge when I moved in :: a loaf of zucchini bread from his sister, a bottle of ketchup, and a huge 2-liter of Mountain Dew. Oh my ... how far we have come from those days :-) I LOVE feeding myself and those I love. Tomorrow is my at-home all day day, where I "laze around" by prepping (hee) -- on deck is pizza dough, homemade crackers and hummus, zucchini raisin muffins, zucchini to freeze, and I will prep lasagna for dinner. Two weeks or so till our big grocery shop so I'm trying to get creative with what we already have with maybe just a store run for stuff like parsley. One dish I'm excited about is baked tofu nuggets (homemade) with homemade tartar sauce and a homemade slaw with green apple and toasted sunflower seeds mixed with just a bit of vegan mayo and cider vinegar. YUM. fast food MY way. I recently experimented with a very yummy homemade pizza sauce, after it gets a bit more tweaking I'll probably try to freeze some for future use. We usually do homemade pizza about three times a month (once a week, on Fridays) and the fourth one we do pizza at a local parlor for a break for me. But some weeks we might just do all homemade. It just depends.

We have gotten tons better at not going out to eat. There are slips here and there of course, it's life after all but I've learned to not be super hard on myself as I work to further entrench myself in a frugal lifestyle. I can easily say "no" to so many things now (except this one dreamy red and white enamel-top and wood bottom table, but I've been pondering that for weeks, it's a wonder it hasn't been scooped up yet. A practical investment purchase, though, for use as a kitchen or craft table for um, the rest of my life....) ... I have been writing down everything I spend not to nickel and dime myself but to hold myself accountable for what I'm doing. In fact I read something recently that had me deciding to switch from a line-item subtraction type budget to a spending plan where I basically split off monthly fixed costs from discretionary income. After the wedding, it looks like I actually have a good amount there. I hope to start socking some away in the savings and also start contributing again to my retirement plan after not contributing at all the past 2-3 years. I also want to pay almost double on one of my student loans. So ... all good things. I'm not perfect on the spending stuff yet but I've come so, so far. And all the good things I do that I can just think of off the top of my head that never would have occurred to me when I was so plastic-happy (debit card included, oy) over the last five years as I struggled to begin this frugal journey :: I menu plan, I consistently go through pantry and fridge to keep things organized so leftovers are utilized, and waste is minimized, I plan to make a pair of slippers I need instead of buying them at a much higher price, I convinced myself not to order a pricey bachelorette night dress online, instead opting to try and find both this and a wedding rehearsal dress at a consignment shop, I only buy yarn and needles I'm actually going to use rather than buying because it's pretty and I "might" make something with it someday, I use cloth napkins, I don't buy makeup (okay, mascara from Aveda), I use the same antique furniture from place to place and only buy another antique bowl, or table, or utensil if it's something I know will both please my aesthetic and get a lot of use, I use paperback swap and have a real ability to wait for the books I want or scour thrift stores for useful tomes, I am at the moment considering eliminating my YMCA membership because they don't offer one just for a pool (I'll take super long walks instead) and putting that money toward debt or savings ... and, the list really goes on similarly. I can be proud of where I'm at, don't you think?

Wow. Guess I had a lot to say!! Thanks for listening. September just feels like a time of renewal for me, even more so than January, but I do think those two times of the year are when the most personal growth is begun.

Hoping you have a peaceful week filled with the things and people you love best.

blessings.

k. 

23 August :: all aflutter ... and a new way to make popcorn

i'm making some walnut-maple popcorn and i have a great internet signal, so .... hello from the marshes! the air is gorgeous out there ... i can hear birds of all sorts ... i took one day off from this nutty week of school prep and we spent it getting our marriage license, having yummy black bean wraps at the local coffeeshop, and meeting with the chefs at the restaurant where we're having our rehearsal dinner. i've knitted up almost an entire dishcloth from debbie bliss cotton yarn. it's been a good day. also got a two-mile walk in and received a small unexpected cash windfall in the mail.

so, to wrap up, here are some pictures of lately, and mostly of food. really, do you expect any less by now? i'm just sorry i haven't been able to be in this space more. things are busy here, and in a good way, but i'm just trying to keep a healthy balance and keep my personal life humming happily. school starts in less than two weeks! the room looks beautiful and i am really excited to be with my little ones again. and am i really getting married in six weeks? holy cow, the invites go out this coming week! it was crazy addressing them and my hand hurt but they are truly beautiful, thanks to the loving creative eyes and hands of one Ms. Bonnie Wildwood and her husband Jake. Thanks you two!! They are so perfect for us.

Oh yeah ... the pics!

mmm fresh mozz

cheese and onion pie made from scratch

pad thai of sorts, added egg to the tofu at the very last minute for extra protein. rice noodles made this gluten free, the tamari was GF too

quick breakfast

gifted zucchini bread with sunflower seeds

local and organic

a HUGE hit here ... adapted from Vegan with a Vengeance

look at that leaves-on beauty from the farmer's market flaunting her stuff!

heather's amazing veggie burgers on an Udi's bun, slightly burnt oops

yes, all homemade :-)

this recipe comes together in mere minutes and is wonderful and gluten free

john made the john-lette. they are really really good. this one had spinach and goat cheese in it. the eggs are from a local farm.

prepping egg, feta, and spinach pie with sunflower seeds. this was REALLY good leftover, cold

using zucchini from the farmer's market

LOVE fresh salads. this had chickpeas and goat cheese added. i eat my salads out of mixing bowls, no joke.

quinoa, the magical protein grain

always on the fence about the occasional meat, this was a yummy dinner made with chicken sausages from trader joe's. a very rare indulgence as i have major issues with chicken. but john doesn't and he likes these.

Sometimes I feel like I don't do "enough." I think I'm comparing myself to the housewives who don't work outside the home. I wish I wouldn't do that. On any given day, not only can I plow through 8 hours of creative work at the school, I can make breakfast for 2, bake a loaf of zucchini bread for a friend, do loads of laundry, wash dishes two or three times over, get a few rows of knitting done, walk the dog, tackle an organizing or cleaning project that needs doing ... and so on. I really think we are too hard on ourselves sometimes. Just something I try to remember when I think, "I wish I could do more at home."

if you want the popcorn recipe, let me know. you need real organic corn kernels, a lunch bag, and a microwave. i do it on the stove too, but i can't believe i never thought of using the micro for "real" popped corn too! i usually love my corn with just loads of butter and salt so we'll see how i like this batch.

next time i pop in i'll try and show you more pics of the house. but i leave you with our adorable child ::

happy weekend! see you soon.

8 August :: turning outward

i love to eat, and i love providing our family of 2 with nourishing food that also tastes delicious. the tomatoes and basil in the last few photos are from the farmer's market here, which we are now so much closer to since our move. john told me yesterday that i'm the only person i know who makes cooked beans in a simmering pot from dried bulk beans. really? i told him it's so different in blogland. but he has a point. neither my mom nor grandma did this either! is it a modern day fad? i mean i like it but the only people i know of who do this kind of from-scratch slow food prep are modern day earth mama types like those of us who read and keep similar-minded blogs. i'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject. i feel so far from the "norm" sometimes even when it's become second nature to me!

here is a sneak peek at some of the spaces in the place we'll call home for the next 11 months or so. we're still in a transitioning-to-putting roots down phase so we're going to make the most of it. i call it "summer camp" because the sad internet service there and zero cable and bad cell service make it feel more like our 1980s childhoods. it's an adjustment, more for john than me but i so miss my podcasts while knitting. looks like i'll be updating this once weekly from the adorable bakery down the road. i do hope you'll still drop in.

i can't believe we are two months away from the wedding. so many thoughts and feelings about that but thankfully stress is so minimally one of them. i'm already looking at ways to keep our marriage strong before it begins. :-) is that too weird? lol.

i've also begun setting up my classroom for the next year, and i'm very happy with how that's turning out. i'll share those pictures soon, too.

finally, i just want to get out and enjoy some of those marsh views you see below from our kitchen window. can't forget the bug spray they can be nasty here. i'm still knitting, a hat and a shawl for myself. forgot to photograph the last one i knit up so hopefully my friend bonnie will be kind enough. it was for her.

we still have somewhat of a mess to put away but i have plenty to do on weekdays so that will have to be a weekend job. i've been planning a sleeping, menu plan, and exercise schedule so i can be more organized when school starts in september. we also have to reserve our honeymoon hotel. have i told you? we're driving to pretty savannah, georgia.

enjoy the rest of your week, the weekend, and the rest of your summer.

go easy.
xx

28 June :: placeholder

I'm here. .. this is just moving week. Prior to that, I took about a week and a half OFF the internet. a much, much needed break. have you ever tried that? i'm proof it can be done.

Really enjoyed my wedding shower and we got some really awesome, useful gifts. Hope to share soon, along with pics of the new place once it's put together a bit more. Also had a short visit in CT where I saw my best friends/bridesmaids.

I'm actually sitting and knitting right now and listening to a knitting podcast, haven't treated myself to anything but moving boxes (and fighting with a stubborn couch) for three days, so i won't stay here long. Nothing's cooking, we've entered we're tired let's get cheap lunch mode. Tonight's dinner was Subway. I've learned that this is just what happens during moving week.

Thanks to all who have been reading, now might be a good time to leave a comment and introduce yourself. I'll resume regular posting soon. I post more now that I've pretty much eliminated facebook and stay off comment forums for news items and have stopped looking up every random thing that pops in my brain.

Hope you have a good week. We'll be all moved by next weekend. I'm craving some homemade pizza, a visit to the now-closer farmer's market for basil and tomatoes (pesto!!), and swimming at the Y which has been neglected for a while due to trading it for daily four-mile-plus walks (I've lost 12 pounds in two months) and all the busy-ness of summer traveling. We have one more trip to NJ I think but I'm home-based through August, so glad, must start prepping the schoolroom and that's a big task.

blessings,

k.

please consider helping a wonderful blog friend in need.

I am looking for my blog readers who knit/crochet to come out of the woodwork for a moment. Would you be interested in knitting some comfort-type items for a dear blog friend who is going through a terrible time right now? She is a wonderful, selfless, strong, loving, independent single mom raising two special needs children. Right now the costs for all she's facing are overwhelming. There is a fundraising page, but if you can't donate monetarily (I often can't either!), please consider using your talents and maybe your scrap yarn to cobble together a prayer shawl ... a child's hat (she has a girl and boy about 8-10 years old). I will group items together and send them once I have an address. Please email me if you are interested. You can reach me at mskarenannfuller@gmail.com or leave a comment with your e-mail info and intent to participate.

Thanks .... blessings.
k.