Fresh Flowers in the Bathroom

I love having fresh flowers in the house, but usually just place them on the dining table or coffee table.  I really enjoy them in the bathroom, which is where I spend most of each weekday morning as I get ready for work.  I guess it makes my bathroom seem more spa-like. We have been taking in the smell of the hyacinth in front of a building near us and thought a little bunch would be perfect to perk me up each morning.

Flowering Trees

It's springtime and while the weather is somewhat unpredictable, it's full of promise and new life. I love going for walks and seeing all the different flowering trees in bloom.  It's our first spring in the DC area and we plan to go for a nice walk this weekend to take in the gorgeous cherry blossoms.

Classic Candlelight

There has been a huge gap in time between my last post to this simple little blog.  However, I don't feel as if I owe communication to anyone through this blog.  It's first and foremost intended for me.  So that I can constantly remind myself to look out for and recognize the things in my life and around me that make me happy or put a smile on my face.  I had a lovely evening with my daughter in November walking the busy streets of a little town that was laced with pretty white Christmas lights and shops bustling with pre-holiday shoppers.  We sampled food, shopped for a few gifts and just took in the glow of the lights around us. The decoration that I appreciated the most was this candle display made from a simple Ball Mason jar.  They were so elementary and yet so beautiful and lined the posts and sidewalk of a local restaurant. 

Farm Stands

I think it's so fun to be driving along and come accross a farm stand in the middle of nowhere filled with all kinds of wonderful things.  Some of my favorite ones are the Amish families that have them in the rural areas.  This time of year it's so nice too with all the autumn vegetables and bushel baskets brimming with apples, pears and potatoes. It's nice to support local farmers and eat foods that are more fresh since they are grown locally.  Plus, I was able to get several little pumpkins, a bag of pears and a buttercup squash for just over four dollars.

A Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down

I've received a fair amount of bad news lately and it was a rainy cloudy and fairly gloomy day today.  So, I took a break from work for a nice cup of tea and a sit down.  That is a title of a book I have actually and there are occasions that call for just that - a comforting cup of creamy sweet tea and a few moments to reflect.  So, I did that.  I sat down, sipped at my tea, had a few biscuits and took some time to think.  I paid homage to my Nan with that cup of tea.  With the packet of Sweet and Low I put in it and with every warm nourishing sip I drank, I said "here's to you, Nana."

Lunch Outside

I wanted to get some fresh air and have lunch outside today and it was a perfect day for it.  It's a chilly fall day with a breeze, but the sun is out to keep you a little warm (along with my long sleeve shirt and sweater).  It was a relaxing break from phone calls and checking e-mail to enjoy my lunch outside, listen to the leaves rustling, the birds chirping and read a few pages of my book.  For my lunch, I used this perfectly ripe heirloom tomato from the farmers market with some fresh mozzerella a drizzle of olive oil, white wine vinegar and some fresh ground salt and pepper. 

Food Presentation

I went to Chicago with a friend today (my foodie friend) and we enjoyed a tasty lunch at Bittersweet Pastry Shop in Lakeview.  It's by far one of my favorite bakeries. Their pastries are gorgeous, their cafe is simple, classic and cozy, they have a great retail shop and the presentation of our lunch was lovely.  Oh, and it tasted really good too.

Fresh Air

The school buses are out, the sweaters are out and fall is setting in. I went for a walk with my dog today and enjoyed the fresh cool air.  I'm looking forward to all the fun fall activities, vegetables and smells.

My Baking Blog

I've moved my baking blog!  Its new name is "Kneading My Dream" and its new home is kneadingmydream.blogspot.com.  It will have a fun new design soon and hopefully lots more baking projects as I find more time to bake! Please check it out and follow me if you find it interesting.

I'm so excited to have my marzipan clementines featured in the Bake It Pretty "Sweet Bites" newsletter (top left image).  To see how I made them and what I used them for, read this post.

Paninis

I don't mind sandwiches, but I much prefer warm sandwiches.  I wasn't sure if I'd use my panini press very much, but I definitely have over the last few years.  It's fun to get all kinds of fillings out when people visit to create their own, or just make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich for me and my daughter.  Today, I made a salami, proscuitto and brie panini for my lunch and it was the perfect blend of salt and tangy creaminess.

A Pretty Place to Sit

I love these bushes (the bright green boxwoods and the frosty sage green tall one), the fully blooming roses and the bench all surrounded by pretty old brick buildings.  This was outside a pastry shop in Germantown, Columbus, Ohio.  I didn't actually have the time to sit down here, but it sure looked like a pretty place to sit, sip a latte, read a few pages of a book or just observe the world around you. 

Ice Cream with Cherries

During our trip to Columbus, OH with family, we made Jeni's Ice Cream a destination of ours.  We all love ice cream and we knew the kids wouldn't complain about going to get ice cream either!  A friend of mine had recommended checking them out and I had seen them on the Food Network as well, so I knew it had to be good. However, it wasn't just good, it was amazing!  I had this fresh waffle cone with honey pistachio (on the bottom) and my favorite was the goat cheese with roasted red cherries.  I love goat cheese and was skeptical about it being in ice cream, but it had the perfect tangy sweet flavor with juicy fresh roasted cherries. The flavors were fresh and amazing.  Some of us got blackcurrant, plum, lavender wildberry and the more traditional flavors.  I'm so excited to have discovered that a gourmet grocery store where I live carries this ice cream and has my favorite flavor in stock right now.  I must go buy a pint to sit and eat from while I watch a girlie movie this weekend.

A Bouquet of Garden Roses

Some family came to visit yesterday and brought me two bouquets of fresh flowers from the garden.  One was a colorful bouquet of zinnias (one of my favorites) and this pretty bouquet of garden roses.  They're such a beautiful white with accents of pale pink and yellow.  I just loved how gorgeous they looked this morning on the breakfast table when the sun was rising and shining in directly on them like a spotlight.

The Best Muffin Ever

One great thing that happened this day was that I was welcomed back to the workforce.  It's a bit different than my original plan, but I'm so very excited about it.  I was so excited that I needed to celebrate with the best muffin that I have ever discovered.  I was happy that even after a hiatus of over a year from working here the cafe downstairs still has these muffins and had only one left on this fine day with my name written all over it.  It's a chocolate cappuccino muffin.  The chocolate is gooey and the muffin is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside...it's perfect. I enjoyed it with a yummy vanilla latte and had a great first official day back to work.

Cuddles

My daughter and I had a long afternoon of playing and for some reason she wasn't able to take a nap (one of the first times in her almost two years of existence). We had our evening routine of playing around the house, having snack, taking a bath (and enjoying bath teatime), dancing while she dried off and settling down with a few books. After her books, she knows it's time to cuddle and turns her body around to hug me and I wrap her blankey around her. She was especially tired today and she just melted into my body like when she was a baby. She didn't want to budge and held onto me so tight.  Unlike when she was an infant, she shows emotions and would pause here and there while we cuddled to turn her head and kiss my neck or cheek so sweetly. 

Yoga and Yogurt

After a long hiatus from a structured yoga studio class, I returned to the same studio where I took my pre-natal yoga class.  It was a very tough yet completely fulfilling class.  The teacher kept telling us to take deep breaths (and I definitely needed the reminders).  She also said to let go of whatever was burdening us and I kept wondering if the class was long enough for me.  My friend was in the class as well and we went back to her place after the class along with another friend for coffee, homemade mini blueberry muffins and yogurt parfaits with her homemade granola. We sat outside in the morning sun and enjoyed our breakfast and conversation.  It was such a fulfilling, relaxing and nourishing morning for both my mind and body.

Watching a Movie

After some ups and downs of the day, I settled down to watch a movie and cuddled with my dog.  This was the only part of my day spent in solitude and it was quiet and uncomplicated.

Foodie Friday

My daughter and I often go to the farmer's market on Fridays, which is much less busy than Saturday and a bit easier to navigate with a stroller.  She loves seeing all the fruits and veg and of course she loves the samples!   The displays these farmers have are just amazing and all the colors of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and fruits are so wonderful.  We got these unique purple peppers, lots of heirloom tomatoes and beautiful Heavenly Bliss white sweet corn.  I can't wait to cook with all these things this weekend. 

Our trip to the market was followed by a visit to my friend's place for coffee and cookies. We sat on her deck and watched my daughter play with her dog, sipped our coffee and talked about many things, including food. She's definitely my foodie friend and we had a great foodie Friday.

Meijer Gardens

I feel very fortunate to live so close to Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids.  We have a membership and have definitely used it each year and often visit at least once a week.  In fact, I've enjoyed the gardens three times this week.  On Tuesday, Audrey and I went to play in the Children's garden and listen to the free concert, last night I went to a Brandi Carlisle concert with the girls and today we went with family to walk the gardens and let my daughter play. I absolutely love the Chihuly glass exhibit that is spread throughout the entire gardens and look at the glass sculptures in awe each time we go. I actually grabbed my camera this time to get a few shots of my favorites.  Today was the absolute perfect summer day to be there as well.  It was around 70 degrees and sunny with a breeze. We took in the gorgeous weather, the beautiful sculptures, all the nature surrounding us and had a very fun summer morning that ended with a yummy lunch.

My Reiss Milkpot

I love the shape, the color, the spout, the everything about this little pot.  It has a little sister too...she's green and just as cute.  I found these enamel milkpots in England several years ago and for some reason I chose not to buy them.  I was completely unsuccessful in finding them online so I actually waited to go back to England this past year and get them from my favorite cookshop in Alfriston, England.  I wasn't sure if I would use them very much, but I really do.  I've warmed milk in them for hot chocolate (lots this past winter), made warm sauces and made dreamy chocolate ganache in them.  I've used them for basically anything that is liquid and would need to be poured out as they are so handy with their little spouts.  In fact, I just used it to make tea infused milk for these cupcakes I made today.