From My Inglenook ♥ May Musings

for the beauty of the earth

Yesterday was the unofficial start of summer with Memorial Day. And it was also the first day that truly felt and smelled of summer. The air just had "that" feel that only comes when summer arrives. When we went out for a drive through the city after dark, it just smelled so fresh outside, just the way a summer eve should. It was also the first time I turned my ceiling fan on all day this season. The first roses of summer have been in full bloom these last few days. They are just gorgeous and the biggest that I ever did see! The honeysuckle that grows against our back fence and next to a giant oak tree has been growing in its beautifully wild and free way. The sound of lawnmowers on Saturday mornings fill the air and birdsong greets me each morning at around 6 am sharp. It's such a magnificent sound!

 Finally, on Saturday we had some ferociously fierce winds and one of our trees in the front garden fell down. The roots even came up from the ground! It was quite a sight to see, and thankfully it decided to fall away from our house. Our neighbors kindly chopped it up and cleared it away for us since my dad is unable to do any sort of heavy work until at least August with his shoulder. They now have a good start to their firewood collection for next winter!  

musical treasures

The High Kings. The High Kings. And more of The High Kings. With a bit of Celtic Thunder's old stuff thrown in for good measure. (I don't much care for their group since they can't seem to keep a steady group of stable members anymore. I'm afraid their best days are behind them, sadly.) Anywho, I've been enjoying The High Kings music, as always, and it is often the soundtrack to my writing sessions. When I am in the kitchen, however, I've loved listening to music from Lord of the Rings.  

bookish ramblings

Oh, am I savouring up every bit of my current read! I had started a mystery, and while I was enjoying it, my attention seemed to be elsewhere. One evening, totally casually, I picked up Suzanne Woods Fisher's book, On a Summer's Tide, which is book one in her Three Sisters Island series, and goodness me! It is such a charming, wonderful story. I love the setting of an island off of Maine and the Grayson family is full of some delightful and unique characters. I can't wait to finish it and start book two! (I'll be sharing more on my bookish thoughts soon...as long as the books continue to be delightful!) I've also been pulling out a few books here and there from my shelves to compile a summer reading list...just for fun. More on that soon, as well!

in the world of TV and movies

In the evenings, my mom, sister and I are having the best time watching old seasons of The Amazing Race. I am slightly obsessed with this show and we've probably already watched seven or eight seasons so far! There's a lot more to go, though, which is a good thing. {{smiles}} One of the things I want to enjoy this summer is rewatching some of my favorite TV series, which I've been pondering. I'm really looking forward to returning to some old favorites. Over the weekend, Julia and I also watched Letters to Juliet for the millionth time...it doesn't matter how many times I watch that movie, it's always a favorite and I never tire of it! Ever.

a grateful heart

Almost-summer evenings, watermelon, iced tea, roses growing against the picket fence, comfy sandals, good books, time in the kitchen cooking and baking tasty things, perusing the pages of my cookbook collection, family time and laughing lots.

from my kitchen

Our Memorial Day dinner included homemade pulled pork BBQ, pasta salad with tomatoes, olives and bell peppers, homemade fries with the best dipping sauce, fresh squash and zucchini, and our first watermelon of the season. For dessert, I made a totally non-springy apple spice skillet cake. It may not have been the most seasonal dessert, but good...ness! It tasted so scrumptious! Holy cow! Was it good! The scent of cinnamon and apples with a crumbly topping was just pure bliss {{smiles}}

fashionable fun

Being a bit patriotic for the day, I'm wearing a red and white striped top with ruffle bell sleeves and black shorts, because it's officially shorts season. And of course, my favorite sandals, which are a daily accessory! My hair is pulled up in a messy, frizzy bun, because, well, humid, Southern summertime weather. {{winks}}

home and hearth

I've done a bit of rearranging in my room recently, seeking to make it even cozier. A bit of tidying and vacuuming has been crossed off my list, but of course, dusting and more vacuuming remain there. Also, window and bedding washing need to be done. It'll get done in due time...but honestly, I'm not obsessive about cleaning. I like things to be clean enough and tidy enough to be comfortable and cozy but not obsess over it. Seriously, there are better things to occupy one's time! 

my cup overflows

Summertime in our home means iced tea season. We're currently loving a watermelon strawberry blend that we picked up at the grocery store several months ago. Back when I actually went to the store, to be honest. It's decaf and tastes so refreshing. We make it by the gallon!

these are a few of my favorite things

old episodes of The Amazing Race; my notebooks for jotting down creative ideas, recipes and other ponderings; and this watermelon strawberry iced tea...seriously, it's the best!

crafting and creating

I've got a wee list of sewing projects that I want to begin working on here shortly. Hopefully, I'll set to work on them soon and will be able to share about each one as it gets completed. 

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What's going on in your corner of the world, dear friends? Do chat below...

May you have a lovely day filled with sunshine, springtime blossoms and laughter in abundance!

♥

A Heavenly Pairing of Peanut Butter & Chocolate ♥ Monkey Muffins

Good morning, lovelies!

In my most recent vlog, I invited you into my kitchen for a bit of baking. I shared two of our favorite muffins, and after several requests, I'm sharing the entire recipes here. Today, it's all about the heavenly pairing of peanut butter and chocolate. Truly, I can't think of a better or more perfect combination. We all love these two paired together in just about anything, and these muffins are no exception. The recipe also calls for ripened bananas, so it's the perfect excuse to use up those brown bananas sitting on your counters.

What do you say? Let's get baking!

Monkey Muffins

1 stick melted butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp. milk (regular or dairy-free)

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, mashed bananas, peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Then, gently add in the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.

Prepare a mini muffin tin with nonstick coating. Scoop out the batter into the tins. Bake at 350*F for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool slightly before eating them.

They taste especially delicious with a glass of cold milk (or unsweetened vanilla almond milk...our favorite!). 

Enjoy!

Be sure to come back tomorrow because I'll be sharing my family's heirloom recipe for old-fashioned blueberry muffins. They're scrummy and irresistible!  

Wishing you all a most lovely Mother's Day!

♥

"Good Morning" by Mary Oliver

"Hello, wren" is the first things I say

Where did you come from appearing so

sudden and cheerful in the privet? Which,

by the way, has decided to decorate itself

in so many white blossoms.

Paulus is coming to visit! Paulus the

dancer, the potter. Who is just beginning

his eighth decade, who walks without

shoes in the woods because his feet, he

says, ask to be in touch with the earth.

Paulus who when he says my poems sometimes

changes them a little, according to the

occasion or his own feelings. Okay, I say.

Stay young, always, in the theatre of your

mind.

Bless the notebook that I always carry in

     my pocket.

And the pen.

Bless the words with which I try to say

     What I see, think, or feel.

With gratitude for the grace of the earth.

The expected and the unexpected, both.

For all the hours I have been given to

     be in this world.

The multiplicity of forms! The hummingbird,

the fox, the raven, the sparrow hawk, the

otter, the dragonfly, the water lily! And

on and on. It must be a great disappointment

to God if we are not dazzled at least ten

times a day.

Slowly the morning climbs toward the day.

As for the poem, not this poem but any

poem, do you feel its sting? Do you feel

its hope, its entrance to a community? Do

you feel its hand in your hand?

But perhaps you're still sleeping. I 

could wake you with a touch or a kiss.

But so could I shake the petals from

the wild rose which blossoms so silently

and perfectly, and I do not.

A Few Home Comforts for May

Cheery greetings to you, dear friend, on this fine Monday morning!

Today's post is a rather cozy, homey one...so I invite you to pour a cup of something delicious, hot, herbal tea perhaps for this spring morning, and settle into a comfy chair and get cozy...

The photos in my post here are simply from my phone, so nothing fancy, just some home comforts that I've been delighting in these last few days. On Sunday, the morning light was gently peeking into my window and casting the most delicate glow on my reading chair. It made that corner of my room look all the more inviting, if I may say so. 

 Our weekend was the laziest one ever. My dad ended up in the ER on Friday evening with a dislocated shoulder, so he's literally been living 24/7 in his recliner in our sunroom and was only able to start using his right arm a little bit last night. My mom, sister and I did, however, enjoy a Saturday evening ride this weekend. It was the first time I'd been out in a car in over a month, and I must say it felt quite strange at first. But it was oh so good to get out and see that the world outside our front door does indeed still exist. The sunset Saturday evening was just spectacular! I don't see many sunsets at our home because of all the tall trees, so it was an extra special treat. A sherbet sky with gentle brushstrokes...a gift from Mother Earth.

I've been doing a good bit of spring tidying in my room and finding new ways to add coziness. One thing I especially wanted to work on was my writing desk/corner. I wasn't using this space much before, but ever since I cleaned it up and organized things a bit (or, rather, a lot!) I've been having so much fun writing and working in this space. I find it extra cozy and inspiring to work in this corner at night, with no bright lights, just the gentle glow of the amber light in my lamp, a candle lit and sweetly flickering on my desk and adding some springy scents to my oil diffuser. The photo below really depicts what a typical evening at my computer looks like. {{smiles}}

On this Monday morning, I'm listening to the beautiful voice of Orla Fallon. Her album, "My Land", is a favorite of mine, and reminds me of our two trips to Ireland, which were honestly some of the best days I've lived so far. I find her music exceptionally lovely and her voice is so peaceful. A few of my favorite songs are "Morning Has Broken", "Distant Shore", "Both Sides Now", and "Shooting Star". Celtic music is right up there as some of my most favorite! What about you?

Adding bits of beauty to even the small corner and nooks and crannies of my room brings such delight to my heart and I find it creates a space that is lifegiving and inspiring to be in. A simple mason jar filled with a few bits of cotton that was picked at a local farm and some delicate Irish lace straight from County Clare along with a small vase, candle, books, and a rock from the windiest beach I've ever been to in County Mayo make for a beautiful corner. In my most humble opinion. {{smiles}}

This rock, here, is from a beach along Lake Michigan right outside Chicago. It's a reminder of a love autumn day in 2018 when we accidentally discovered the cutest suburb of a big, bustling city. (And that's right up our alley!) A stack of teatime books and an art print in a simple frame complete this space and make me glad.

Even the shelf atop my desk calls for bits of beauty which, I firmly believe, bring inspiration and happiness to our everyday, ordinary lives. A lamp with a softly glowing amber lamp, another little vase and candle, sweet postcard from a dear friend and a Willow Tree figurine which depicts "simple joys"...and indeed all of these things are some of my simple joys.

The trees right outside my window have finally gotten all their leaves for the season and I couldn't be more excited! Having tall, full trees directly outside my upstairs window means that I can't see the neighbors yard or houses very easily, so it creates what I like to call an introvert's haven. {{winks}} 

This bookshelf was just drinking up the delicious afternoon sunlight and oh, how giddy this made me! Rainy days are cozy and wonderful in their own way, but oh, how sunshine makes my heart sing! And thankfully, we're having more sunny days lately and I just can't get enough of the bright light from heaven. Absolutely blissfully splendid!

I was so pleased when I found the most perfect hooks on Amazon; they were just what I had envisioned in my mind. And my (growing) apron collection is happily displayed here. The apron on the far right is one that I got last May at an Amish farm in Lancaster County, PA. It was made by a very talented Amish lady and reminds me every time I wear it just how much I love Amish country. Oh, how I am longing to go back to the peaceful, rolling hills and gorgeous farmland of Lancaster County! The three Cath Kidston aprons are from Ireland and display the sweetest floral patterns. And finally, the apron with a pink ribbon for ties was made by a talented young lady and I won it in a giveaway about six years ago. Wearing aprons whilst baking or cooking brings me much joy and makes me feel old-fashioned, which makes me even happier.

And finally, here is a small glimpse into Friday's vlog. It's all edited and scheduled to go LIVE on Friday morning...and I couldn't be more excited to share it with you, dear friends! 

Well, I don't know about you, but my mug of tea is now empty and my music playlist has ended. I so enjoyed sharing these home comforts with you on this lovely May morning. 

I wish you all a beautiful Monday and a peaceful week ahead! 

Bless you!

♥

April Delights & Welcoming May ♥ A Rambly Post

Happy first day of May, friends!

My, can you believe that May is already here! It seems as though we were just saying hello to a new year, then springtime came faster than a blink, and here we are welcoming May. I had intended on uploading a new vlog today, as I have decided that Fridays will be video days for me. However, the video that I want to share has many parts and I simply couldn't get it edited in time. So next week it will have to be..I am so excited to share this video though! I think all you lovers of home and baking will enjoy it too...at least I hope so. I know it sure was fun to film! {{smiles}}

 April was a rather delightful month, even with all the topsy-turviness of the world. In our home, things are much the same and our daily rhythms have proven to be such peaceful ones. I have enjoyed doing a lot of spring tidying and organizing in my room. There are a few little decorative changes that I've been wanting to make and one of them was to be able to hang up my apron collection. I found some lovely little hooks on Amazon and they were just what I had in mind. Now, my aprons are happily hanging on three little hooks in my room, and I am ever so giddy about that! I'll be sure to show a picture sometime soon.

This weekend, we are planning on getting some things done around the house. My parents are working on getting rid of some overgrown, massively wild weeds in our yard as well as some tangled vines of who knows what that was here since the previous owners lived here. This is a rather large project so it's taking some time. Last year, they put in a new picket fence and worked on other yard projects, but this is this year's big task.

We have been so enjoying some lovely spring weather lately. There have been plenty of rainy days, too, and some thunderstormy nights, which I love. It has been such a treat to go out in our garden and see what's blooming every few days, for it seems that whenever I pop outdoors something new is to be discovered. These flowers in the photos here are one of those new wonders. For the life of me, I do not remember them from last year, but alas, here they are and they are the most delicate, gentle flowery blooms I ever did see. They are growing on a tree near the gate to our back garden, in an area which truly looks and feels like a secret, enchanted garden. I'm enjoying these spring days before the summer heat and humidity sets in, though to be honest, I'm rather looking forward to summer this year because of all the beauty that the season holds in nature as well as getting to enjoy some yummy summery recipes. {{smiles}}

Days at home have been filled with lots to do, as always. As I mentioned, spring tidying and organizing have been on my daily routine for the last while. It's so nice to get things refreshed and put in their proper places. I've also decided it's high time to get out my sewing machine and set to work on a few projects that I've recently pondered. After a bit of vacuuming and window washing, I'll bring up our craft table to my room and my room will officially be a crafty work center for the next wee while. Oh, I can't wait! It's been way too long since I did any bit of sewing and I can't wait!

 My mom, sister and I have been spending our evenings and nights watching old seasons of "The Amazing Race". My word! This show is quite addictive and we often find ourselves setting out to watch just one or two episodes and end up watching three or four late into the night. It's the best fun and we laugh so hard whilst watching the teams compete in some, oftentimes, difficult and odd tasks. Have you ever watched this show?   

This was a rambly post if I ever saw one, but I wanted to share some of the delights that I savoured in April. I'd love to hear what delighted you this last month, so please do share below!

Here's to welcoming May with open arms and cheerful gladness...

may your weekend be a beauty!

♥