Baking and Making

After my gushing last week about autumn's arrival, she hightailed it outta here. We are now considering our options with a move to Michigan, Maine or England because I cannot live in a place where summer lasts 6 months, it being the least desirable of the seasons in my world. I am at least half serious about this.

The heat wave can't keep me from turning down the thermostat and pretending it's chilly outside. Of course those daily dog walks serve as a wake up call. I've been doing a lot of baking and making lately. This granola is addictive although I increased the spices in the recipe to 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. I made it with honey but might try it with maple syrup next time. And I'm sure there will be a next time. The first batch I made I didn't bake it quite as long and it was good, but a bit chewy. The 2nd batch was well toasted and perfect. I'm just recalling there is some left in the cupboard where I hid it from myself, so obviously I will need to pause here while I go rescue it.

While in the kitchen, I realized I hadn't had lunch and decided on leftovers of this healthy slow cooker lasagna recipe. We are in love with it, although I must confess I veer off from the recipe and break up the lasagna noodles into bite size pieces and just mix it all together. I don't have a lot of patience for lasagna layering. My longing for autumn has also been accompanied by a desire for homemade bread and this recipe has been one that I make time and again. It's Emma's favorite. I like it because it doesn't take long to prepare and proof and it's so good toasted for breakfast the next day. That is assuming you won't inhale it all in one sitting and if you do there won't be any judgement from me! Also, don't forget to add the salt. I don't know why you would, what kind of person would do that? But trust me, if you did, you would miss it.

I've spent a lot of time sorting and organizing the house for the last few months and when I came across this project in the studio that I started a lifetime and two moves ago, I thought maybe it was time to finish it. I'm not sure a decade of procrastination is justified for something that took 10 minutes to finish. I feel like there is a lesson in there somewhere? Hmmm.

I think sometimes we get so caught up in doing large "important" projects that we forget how satisfying it can be to just take a few minutes to make something pretty. I think the feeling of accomplishment almost always leads to more creativity, even when it's something as easy as covering some old books with some pretty paper.

I also recently started an online art class. I'm struggling to carve out the time to give it the attention it needs. It's not that I can't. It's that I don't. I'm giving myself permission to be okay with that. I'll get to it when my mind is in the right place.

It probably won't surprise you to know that for now, I'm reaching for my knitting needles whenever I can. There was actually about a two week span of time when I had no socks going and I was dedicated to trying to finish this sweater. Those were desolate days.

But, she now has two sleeves and a completed body. I got a little stuck finishing up the neck and button bands and so have put her in the naughty corner while I wait for some mystical knitting knowledge to be imparted to me as I sleep, so that I might do a better job than first attempted.

So of course, while I waited, I (casted, cast?...) started on a new pair of socks and another sweater. I also dusted off my cross stitch skills that have been in hibernation since that peach and seafoam green Victorian House I stitched up in the early 90's. You know the one.

As usual, I have more creative projects and dreams than I have time for. This is just who I am and part of what gives me so much joy in life. I recently read this line in The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan:

“Her grandmother had once told her that one could blame ugliness on one's genes and ignorance on one's education, but there was absolutely no excuse whatsoever for being dull.”

Amen, Ruth. Amen.

P.S. Do you guys read my replies to your comments on posts? I really like having a conversation with you in that way so that you know I hear you!