November 08, 2019

Full Days, Happy Heart


I feel like we've packed a lot of living into the last couple of weeks. I'm honestly surprised at the passing speed of the days, weeks and months. I thought life as an empty nester would be more quiet than it actually is. I still haven't found my footing really. It will take as long as it takes and that's just fine.


I'm finding time to cross some longstanding WIPS off of my to do list. This sweater is much too cute to ditch because of a little hole so I decided to mend it.


I thought paying homage to moths was a good way to put good karma into the world so that I might be spared that particular nightmare in my life. I'm happy enough with how it came out and I have several more mending projects waiting to be done. There is something that makes me feel so virtuous when giving something a second life. I love mending and making do. Well sometimes (my kitchen) I can't stand it much longer!


The weather has been quite chilly off and on here which has me wanting to cook and bake. I don't really eat much sugar these days so bread feels like a nice way to express that part of myself. I have baked 5 loaves in the last week and half which means lots of sharing. I've never known anyone to turn down freshly baked bread. I really want to delve deeper into this subject and am considering going down the sourdough rabbit hole so if anyone has bread cookbook recommendations, I'd love to hear them.


 I also recently made fresh ricotta for the first time ever. It's incredible. In fact looking at these pictures has me feeling hungry and thinking I will need to find a way to use the rest of this with tonights dinner. Speaking of which, cooking for 2 takes practice. I'm starting to get better about the amounts I cook but I find that I don't really need to plan a meal for every day as there are still more leftovers than I anticipate. We do eat them for lunches but even so...it's too much food and I try to avoid wasting it. I do feel more like trying new recipes these days. I don't know if that is because we like most everything or maybe because since I don't really need to cook every night, it's more fun to put more effort into cooking fewer meals.



Last Sunday it warmed up enough for me to accompany my love on the outdoor course at his archery club. It was a gorgeous day and I loved getting to capture him in his element. Archery is his golf (or knitting) and he does it as often as he can. It made my heart happy to see how much it meant to him to share this with me. I love him more with each passing year. With each, wrinkle and grey hair. With each challenge that we are confronted with. I never could have imagined when we were first married, nearly 20 years ago, how much more I would love him now.







If you are looking for something lovely to watch this weekend, I recommend these two movies:  The Bookshop and This Beautiful Fantastic. No gritty reboots, superheroes or explosions to be found in either of them. Wishing you all a beautiful, cozy, creative autumn weekend.

20 comments:

  1. I liked your comment about mending and making do...I do the same. The moth turned out great. My goal this year is to spruce up all the treasures I've collected over the years and not spend much beyond what I need to do that. I also am an empty-nester, but now I have to learn how to let my grandchildren go too as they become teenagers.

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  2. We seem to be in the same place Jen! My daughter went off to college in August and I thought things would slow down as well, yet they seem to be busier! It’s hard to find my footing and remember to make some time for me. I guess we will get there eventually!! Cheryl

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  3. Just watched The Bookshop recently and loved it. The Beautiful Fantastic looks marvelous - thank you for the recommendation!

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  4. Love the way you mended that cute sweater! I am in awe that you made homemade ricotta!

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  5. Your sweater mending turned out great! Such a cute idea! We have one son left at home; he is now 20 and only now thinking about going to college. He was born to us when I was 38 and my husband was 45 and our other children were all in their teens. We homeschooled him from the second grade and through his graduation from High School grade 12. My hubby and I are just now starting to do things on our own without him. Hubby is more ready for this than I am~LOL! Our grands are all grown and in their teens now and we only have one little great-grandson who lives close to us. You will find your footing, eventually. Just take things one day at a time for now. Loved your post and you have inspired me to try my hand at the homemade ricotta, too!

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  6. You're right---that is a darling sweater. I think your "save it" idea is just genius!! Your bread looks delicious!

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  7. I love how you stitched that little moth onto your sweater. I can't even sew on a button!

    My mom is *very* much into sourdough bread baking and loves to help other people out. If you are interested, I can give you her email address and put you in touch with her. Just let me know.

    Thanks for the movie recommendations. I watched the trailer for both and I think I'd really like these movies. Will put them on my watch list.

    xoxo

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  8. I love a beautiful wedding but I have to say I find real romance when I meet other people that have been married for years. We’ve been married 40!! It’s amazing to think about all the changes in our lives. To sit and think the one constant has been your best friend and spouse is incredible.

    I still miss my children. Two live out of state but to live a bit less structured regarding meals is a real luxury. It really eliminated the heavier meals.

    Thank you so much for the heads up regarding the movies, I’m always looking for pleasant entertainment. It can be pretty difficult to find a movie that is either vulgar or violent.

    Have a very Happy Thanksgiving in your cozy home with your beautiful family.
    Best,
    Kathy

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  9. Lovely post again. My husband loves making sourdough bread, but doesn't use a cookbook. He learned when he was young.. and his grandmother had a starter for years and years. He's made his own several times, nurses it along, makes tons of sourdough pancakes (that's about all he makes) and after awhile, he decides it's just too much to keep up every day, and too much carbs to eat everyday (as he can't eat just one or two)... so he throws it out. Then a few months later, he starts one again.. so really, starters are not that hard and ferment very quickly. I have to eat gluten free so don't get to taste his.. he tried gluten free sourdough once but it just wasn't that good and I'm happy with my gluten free pancakes and everything else! It's so nice to be enjoying a slower pace being an empty nester, but you'll find that you just seem to fill up your days with other things. Since I've retired and my kids are gone, I'm so busy I wonder how I did it all when I was working! Take care.. Marilyn

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  10. Oh, you are just the best, as always. I just this very minute put a hold on both movies at my library. Stay cozy during your arctic blast, my friend!

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  11. You definitely are the best and I can't tell you how happy I am to see a post of yours pop up! I haven't been a very good blogger lately -- too many things on my mind and too much puppy somedays! : Take care sweetie!

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  12. I love seeing you in the kitchen...cooking always soothes me. Bread making, especially doing the sourdough method really intimidates me! I'm more of a foodie than a baker. Great job!

    I have to say that I absolutely love your hair. You are a true beauty, Jennifer! The empty nest suits you. Funny how we find more time to work on ourselves in so many ways!

    Jane ❤️

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  13. Gosh, I always feel so cosy when I read your beautiful, gentle posts... such beautiful words and photographs. Just the prettiest bread!

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  14. That bread looks amazing!! A good bread cookbook is Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day. I'm just starting to delve into working with yeast....making my own pizza dough and such. I want to try baking a bread in my dutch oven, I keep pinning recipes but haven't tried it yet. My sweetie always brings back fresh organic bread from an amazing bakery when he goes off the mountain, so we're always well stocked on breads in the freezer, but what an accomplishment it would be to make my own!

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  15. go to the internet for how make ricotta. I'm certain that you must have thought of that. Sometimes it's so obvious to me I forget to do that. lol Bread looks delicious! Keep asking questions:) lol

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  16. Hello, Jen! Just found your blog via the "Posie Gets Cozy" blog site.

    Your bread looks lovely! I bet it was delicious. My husband was on a sour dough bread kick last month, and did make a hearty loaf for soup, but I think he's still looking for the "right" recipe. He did, however, really nail his homemade bagels recipe in the past couple of months - even building his own cedar boards - and I have enjoyed those results. (Stop over on our blog site and search on bagels for his experience. He's a pretty detailed poster!)

    For bread, he really seems to gravitate towards the King Arthur website, so you might check that out as well.

    Thank you for sharing some movie recommendations, too. We are looking for some more tranquil films during this cosy season!

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  17. So much loveliness in this post! Love your mending work, and you've inspired me to fix some of my moth-eaten things :)

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  18. Can't wait till you post again. I miss you.

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  19. I just discovered your blog and have been following you on instagram.Ilove your blog. I'm hoping that you can recommend a beginner sock pattern. I'm not new to knitting but new to knitting socks.Thanks!

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  20. Oh yes I watched both of those movies - wonderful ♥

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