What's Left - 40 Days of Thankfulness

It's good to be thankful for all the abundance we have especially at Thanksgiving. So many leftovers and only so many days to gorge, but by now you’re probably tired of the Thanksgiving motif of a meal. Here are some recipes to liven up your leftovers and make the season even brighter.

 Turkey Pot Pie from the Pioneer Woman

Mashed Potato Pancakes from All Recipes

Sweet Potato and Cornbread Hash from the kitchn

Cranberry Sauce Cocktails from Buzzfeed

Turkey Posole from Cooking Light

My Favorite Blogs - April Edition

You’ve got to love a blog called Crazy Aunt Purl. Full of knitting tips, general bits of knowledge and lots of cat pictures. She’s such a fun read.

Whether you’re serious about crafting, or just like to hobby it up with a sewing machine from time to time, Serious Craft is a perfect site to get inspiration and DIY step-by-step instructions. What turned me on to this site is this great dress, the perfect touch for spring. The fabric is on my list of things to buy at Joann’s next time I make it to the city, both a knit fabric and medium-weight twill that can be dressed up or down. After making all those dresses for the girls in Africa, I am inspired to use my talents for my own closet.

After all the cold weather and the harsh winds, my skin has had a pretty hard time of it. I love all the samples I get from Birchbox for fancy scrubs and some are just wonderful, but I wanted something a bit more natural and easier on the wallet. This face scrub is exactly that. The ingredients were pretty easy to find and I keep it in the fridge for about a month so it won’t spoil. My first batch, I used on my entire body, even on my feet which never felt so great. Give it a try.

Prepping my garden in a new place has me a bit frazzled. I question my decision about everything since I am not sure when to plant, what to grow and how to make sure my crop is abundant. I ask around since there is no loss for great advice from all the farmers around here, but some of the advice doesn’t pair up leaving me confused. To add to the confusion, I am incorporated the Farmer’s Almanac, the handy go-to for any cultivator. So far it looks, like most of my planting will be around May 10, but I am using a lot of starter plants so it shouldn’t take quite so long for them to come to harvest. Once the yard is tilled, I am going with onions both because we use a lot of onions and for their pest-control power. Wish me luck.

Finding peace is sometimes a difficult thing. Other than praying to God and Jesus, I also feed my soul with inspiring words from contemporary thought leaders, like Wayne Dyer who is a favorite of mine. His blog always seems to have the right thing to say to me at that time and it helps me remember that I am always connected to God and loved – no matter what.

I couldn’t have a favorite blogs list without food could I?! This recipe is so simple and looks so delicious. The farmers’ markets open in May and I have a huge produce list to fulfill my need to cook and be satiated, including this Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup recipe. Paul will even like this one. And since the evenings are still a bit cool in May, it will be the perfect touch to the end of a long day. We love roasted veggies and usually have at least one meal a week of just roasted veggies filling our plates. Why not make a soup with all that roasted goodness?

What are some of your favorite blogs and why?

March's Favorite Things- Birch, Ginger and Silk

March shared a bounty of wonderful things with me, but only three made my favorite things list. Take a look.

Birchbox did it again with a pleasing array of items for March Madness. Though I’m not a basketball fan, I was a fan of the Caldrea Body Lotion in three magnificent scents. Not too heavy, but oh-so luxurious, this lotion beat away not only the dry skin of winter, but each fragrance made me feel that much more special. Even my honey commented on the scents with a nod of the head (that’s his form of excitement when it comes to girly things.

Always in need of another emery board, this month’s box packed in Madewell for Birchbox Nail Emery Board that truly is made well. I even got a compliment on it when I had to smooth out a rough nail at lunch and my friend commented on how cute it was.

MAKE this month had a duo of items to try, including MAKE Silk Cream Lipstick and

MAKE Dual-Phase Eye Makeup Remover. Both are a nice touch to my beauty regiment, but I am still a devotee of Loreal’s Infallable Lipcolor.

Lastly, I was delighted to receive Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Shampoo. I admit I was weary to try it, but it wasn’t too bad and in a pinch it will be a charmer.

Other than the glory of my Birchbox, I also was so pleased to taste for the first time, Ale 8 1, a soda from Winchester Kentucky. Paul and Heidi shared a six-pack with me and I love the unique ginger fizz of this refreshing pop. Pronounced, “A late one” this is a soda that has picked up some extra flavor with a little bit more aging. If you get a chance, give it a try.

My last favorite thing for this list is some wonderful yarn I discovered in Columbus at the Knitter’s Mercantile. This Plymouth Yarn in Kudo is a blend of cotton, rayon and silk and has the most wondrous color scheme. Along with a cream-color yarn, I thought it would make a great spring scarf.

What was the most favorite thing you discovered, found or received in March?

February Favorites-Birchbox, Books and Boots

My February Favorites include three wonderful things that have made my move that much more enjoyable.

First, there was the February Birchbox. I was wondering if I was going to keep my subscription since the past 3 months’ boxes were a bit of a disappointment. They seemed haphazardly put together and didn’t really fit a theme. But February was full of charm and I love everything. The harsh cold weather could have wreaked havoc on my skin, but with Vasanti Brighten Up!, I’m able to keep a smooth complexion while Lancome LA BASE PRO adds a layer of protection and flawlessness when I brave the winter winds. The Florida humidity always was mean to my waves, but the cold can be just as cruel. Miss Jessie’s Original Pillow Soft Curls keeps my waves soft and in place while also smelling so clean and fresh I forget the perfume. My two most favorites I save for last – Emerald Green nail polish from Color Club and a chocolate caramel square of goodness for Ghirardelli’s. I’ve fallen in love all over again.

My second favorite thing for February was a book given to me by my friend Jessica. She is a very wise young woman and full of God’s love, which she so kindly shared when she gave me God’s Promises for You by Max Lucado. Each day I read a few pages during my morning meditation and it sets a pleasant tone for the day giving me confidence to enjoy this new adventure knowing I am loved and cared for at all times. Thanks Jessica!

Lastly, it’s a fashion find. I was told I would need rubber boots up here and I was not too pleased. But then I found these at the tractor shop, on sale for under $10! Two great surprises: 1 – They are so adorable and I love wearing them in the snow, mud and rain (which there is a lot of here in the winter) and 2 – They were only $10. Other brands that were suggested ranged from $80 to over $100 and I just couldn’t see buying something that expensive just to get muddy. Score!

What favorite things did February bring you?