Monthly Archives: October 2012

Festive Fall Fasions

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I love alliteration. Duh.

If some kind angel were to gift me $500 to spend on the basics of a fall/winter/early spring wardrobe of very much needed cold-weather, work-appropriate clothing I would be forever grateful because this Texas girl doesn’t own hardly any work-appropriate, cold-weather clothes, so I’m gonna be a little cold and/or naked for the next 6 months stock up on the following fall and winter goodies (not these exact ones, per say, but something of the kind…):

Fleece-lined tights. Yup, those are indeed stirrups.

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Cable-knit sweater tights

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Tall brown boots to wear with jeans, pants, skirts, and dresses

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Ivory scarf – matches everything

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Gray cords

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Red pants – for a splash of color with all those neutrals

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Brown leather bomber jacket

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Cozy fall dresses I can dress up with heels and a blazer, or down with boots and tights.

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Cable sweater skirts – warm, cozy, stylish, and wear-to-work friendly

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Sweaters, yup. Warm and work and weekend friendly. Sweaters are perfection.

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A little bit of sparkle for holiday parties

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And Essie nail polish in Gym Dandy, a perfect neutral fall shade.

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Dear Winter Clothing Angel….please visit soon.

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The Other Soup of Fall

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Evidently I’ve been on a soup kick lately. But really, when it’s all blustery and colorful here, can you blame me?

Last night, on the heels of the delicious tomato soup I made earlier in the week, I tried my hand at this roasted cauliflower and aged white cheddar soup using the massive head of homegrown cauliflower I scooped up at the farmer’s market last weekend.

Another perfect fall soup! Though truth be told, it was actually really tasty even before I added the cheese and cream/milk. It was good with the cheese and milk too of course, but I think if you wanted a really healthy option (just roasted cauliflower, veggies, veggie broth, and seasoning), you could leave out the cheese and milk entirely and still have a great tasting roasted cauliflower soup! I think I’ll try it that way next time. :)

The only things I did differently from the recipe was to use light half and half instead of milk, and to add a few drops of liquid smoke at the end to give it a nice subtle hickory flavoring. I topped it with bacon crumbles, scallions, and a slice of sourdough bread. Totally delicious…another must try!

On an entirely unrelated note, I made this soup while “watching” (I use that term loosely) the show Little Shop of Gypsies on TLC (this is what happens when I unexpectedly wind up with cable for two months). The culture and lifestyle of the travelers/gypsies in England is absolutely fascinating! Crazy, completely different, a little wild, a little sad in some ways…but really fascinating!

Hope you have a great weekend!

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The Soup of Fall

A few nights ago I made the most fantastic tomato soup ever! Think La Madeleine, only better. I thought the recipe looked tasty when I found it, but I was totally blown away when I took my first spoonful. I envision myself making this often throughout the rest of the fall and winter. It truly is perfect for a blustery autumn day – paired with a chunk of fresh sourdough or baked mozzarella cheese balls, it’s unbeatable. A true must try recipe. For added health factor I doubled up on the veggies, cut the sugar altogether, and used light cream cheese. I also doubled the recipe because if I’m going to go to go through the effort of making a soup without access to my food processor or blender to puree it, then you better believe I want to get more than two meals out of it.

I found the recipe here. Try it with the mozzarella balls…you’ll be glad you did :)

I also continued my epic park quest with a run through this beautiful park and a hike through a trail in the autumn woods. Gorgeous!

Here’s a brief sampling of the other parks I checked out this week.

I’d say despite the adjustment to the cold and the occasional bout of homesickness or anxiety, life is pretty good.

But soup always makes this better, right :)

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The Park Mission

My mission: Explore a new park after work nearly every day this fall.

I can get used to this… :)

There’s so many beautiful places for me to go running I can hardly stand it!

This one had hundreds of friendly deer, dining in its meadows.

Ted’s lucky I can’t fit deer in my Buick. We almost had new pets.

It’s perfect for jogging, biking, frisbee, and with all those steep hills it’s going to be perfect for sledding, skiing, and snowmobiling in the winter!

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A Wholesome Saturday

– Ran the Photo Finish 5k…in the cold…in the rain…at 8 a.m…on a Saturday morning when sleeping in was so appealing. This is the first 5k I’ve registered to run instead of walk. I jogged two miles along the canal after work several times this past week to prepare and I came in at a time of 31:41, shaving about five minutes off my usual walk time! And I jogged the whole time without stopping. I’m pretty proud, and it really felt great!

My favorite after-work running path. I think you can see why!
Not a bad time of year for running either!

– Went for breakfast with my race mates. Pumpkin pancakes and hot chocolate with whip cream is the perfect autumn breakfast!

Hot chocolate is truly one of life’s greatest joys.
Pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup, cinnamon and whipped cream

– Picked up another bunch of fantastic grapes (living in wine country rocks!), yellow teardrop tomatoes, a bushel of McIntosh apples, and the biggest head of homegrown cauliflower I’ve ever seen at the public farmers market. I eat the grapes and tomatoes like candy, the apples make tasty applesauce, and that cauliflower will be finding its way into a roasted cauliflower and aged white cheddar soup in no time!

This farmer’s market is quickly becoming a Saturday morning tradition. You just can’t beat homegrown, farm fresh produce.

– Volunteered in the afternoon and evening for a gala event at an art gallery to raise money for the parents of the sweetest, most wonderful, articulate and intelligent, little 3 and 1/2 year old boy with spinal muscular atrophy to get an accessible van that can transport his motorized wheelchair so he can get out and explore the world beyond his neighborhood. The event was amazing and heartwarming, I met lots of great people, had a ton of fun, and I really cannot think of a more worthy use of my time on a Saturday night.

Oscar, the star of the show

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What a day for a party!

Hope you had a nice Saturday!

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Fallspiration – Eats Edition

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I think it’s obvious that fall is my favorite season.

“What’s that you say? Is it?”

What gave it away? Ted’s pumpkin patch marriage proposal, the pumpkins that lined the church and served as the ring bearer in our wedding, the bonfire or pinecones or birch stumps or hot caramel apple cider or bushels of hay or pumpkin or leaves that decorated our October wedding, my oft carefree and likely maniacal prancing through freshly raked piles of red, yellow and orange leaves, the umpteen pictures I take of autumny things every single day? No, really…which one?

Chic scarves, tall boots, swirling leaves, bold hues, pumpkins, bonfires, corn mazes, crisp air, apple cider, mulled wine, spiced scents, leafy decorations, Halloween, Thanksgiving, homemade applesauce, glow sticks, ghost peep s’mores (yeah, you heard me)…I look forward to autumn for nine months every year.

The food is no exception.

 

Yeah, don’t tell me you weren’t drooling.

This sassy sampler from my Autumn Eats Pinterest Page (which you should totally click on right now, especially if you’re a foodie, fall fan, or just a glutton for punishment) didn’t even include my awesome homemade Texas chili, caramel apple cider cookies, fresh cinnamon applesauce, or epic pumpkin chocolate chip muffins that I adore so dearly.

You’re welcome.

We have a fall fest ladies day in the works…I’m thinking of bringing apple cider glazed pound cake and the pumpkin mac n’ cheese that was such a huge hit at last years fall fest party.

(Of course this isn’t my final consensus yet because what potluck would be complete without salted caramel pretzel park, chipotle-cinnamon-orange candied pecans, mulled stovetop apple cider, or an apple/craisin/walnut/yogurt cold salad?)

Do you have any favorite fall recipes? I’m always up for more, so share away friends!

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Just A Thought

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“The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one’s “own” or “real” life. The truth is, of course, that what one calls “the interruptions” are precisely one’s real life – the life God is sending on day by day.” – C.S. Lewis

I’ve been doing a lot of research on Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis lately for Freud’s Last Session. I rediscovered the quote by Lewis yesterday whilst perusing the dramaturgical packet for inspiration, and the day before someone posted the image to Facebook.

Though the timing is only coincidental, they’ll be handy reminders over the next few months.

Just a thought.

P.S. It’s October!! My favorite month! :)

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Of Markets & Museums

My fall wardrobe finally makes an appearance!
Fresh, steaming hot apple cider and the BEST lemon lavender sweet bun I have EVER had.
This is one kind of change I can handle :)
Museum day! Up first….science!
Isn’t it though? Onto the 2nd museum of the day…the kids museum :)
Midday diner break.
My farmers market spoils…I am especially excited about that fantastic baguette (baked fresh this morning) the grapes (hand picked yesterday), and those gorgeous home grown apples!
Apples that I promptly cooked up into a huge vat of homemade applesauce :)
And that baguette? Gone.
Over the bridge…
…and into the secret herb garden and shrub maze!
And a spectacular sunset to round off the day!

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