{{this has got to be the world's tiniest mushroom...my sister found it one evening in a flowerpot in our garden. isn't it cute?}}
noticing nature || the signs of summer's impending end are everywhere. the crepe myrtles have been blooming for a while now, and they're slowly losing their colorful confetti blossoms. trees are still green, but they've lost their lushness and vivid brightness. it's settled into a weakened shade of green, as though the trees are weary of the summer heat and sunshine. everyone's grass is showing little golden wheat-colored patches. and every few days, we'll spot a flock of geese flying in their uniquely amazing "v" form, which is a sure sign that summer is drawing to a close. we've had our first little taster of autumn this week, too, which has been nothing short of utterly delightful. cooler temps and that distinct scent in the air and in the gentle breeze blowing that clearly but gently says that autumn is indeed on the way. {{i can't wait!}}
on my playlist || the princess diaries film score (not the soundtrack) has been a favorite lately, and well, it's just so darn good. and nostalgic. and magical. and whimsical. and perfect.
bookish ramblings || in all honesty, i barely read anything this summer. it was a hard summer, and i just didn't have the mental energy or capacity to read. however, i did read *one* amazing book in july, and it became one of my two favorite books in the romance genre. "the magic of sea glass" by jenny hale was absolutely, hands down, sheer perfection. i've read several of her other books before, and while i enjoyed them, none of them even stand close to this one. i loved every single thing about the story, the characters, the setting, the summer vibes, just every bit of it. i'm hoping the autumn allows me to return to my stack of books.
currently watching || hallmark movies are always a hit or miss for me. it seems that whenever i watch one, i either hate it completely or love it immensely. and, thankfully, i came across (quite randomly) "all of my heart" recently, and it was everything i want and love in a movie. it was set at a gorgeous bed and breakfast in bucks county, pennsylvania, and i'm still swooning over that house. ha! i just really enjoyed that movie, and there are two more in this trilogy...i have watched the second one and enjoyed it as well, and i've still got the third one to go.
a grateful heart || for the anticipation of autumn's arrival; iced tea; comfort books; hallmark mystery movies; country drives on summer evenings; the chorus of crickets and cicadas; the first red leaves in our yard; cooler august days...and nights; full moons that look ever so enchanting; the giddiness of news that a favorite author is going to be releasing the next book in a trilogy that i love very soon; our basil plant flourishing all summer long; my mom and sister and doing life with them; our fur babies and the smiles and laughter they bring us; freshly baked cookies that smell like october; surprise rain showers
from my kitchen || we've been experimenting with more gluten free recipes lately and have found a favorite pie crust recipe that has taken our beloved pot pie recipe over the top. i also stumbled upon a few variations of recipes for what i call "iced creamy tea", and it is absolutely divine...so perfect for these late summer days.
what i'm wearing || well, at the time of writing this post, i'm in my pjs...haha! a super soft tank top and cotton shorts.
home & hearth || autumn cleaning is in full swing, which leads to autumn decorating, which ends up with coziness in abundance. and a very happy me.
a few of my favorite things || my current obsession is this: a slice or two of sourdough bread toasted (i buy mine at aldi because for the life of me, i cannot get a sourdough starter to work in our home. and i've tried several times.) drizzle some olive oil on the toasted bread, mash up an avocado on the slices, lay several slices of tomato on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. finally, drizzle with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette...i have a recipe that i came across and tweaked to our preferences this summer and it is blissfully scrumptious. i cannot get enough of this recipe. and it's good without the avocado it you don't have any or they aren't ripe enough yet. it's basically a bruschetta avocado toast that tastes like everything is right in the world. i'm trying not to burn myself out of this toast because i've eaten it so much this summer. ;)
quodophile || "i have come to think that care of the soul requires a high degree of resistance to the culture around us, simply because that culture is dedicated to values that have no concern for the soul." (thomas merton)
creative reveries || absolutely nothing at the moment, though i do have several projects i hope to get to over the coming months. autumn and winter inspire me like no other times of year. in just about every way imaginable.
in my cup || the iced creamy tea that i mentioned above. i've seriously made it 3 times in the last week using different herbal tea flavors. so far, my favorite is hibiscus with orange coming in a close second.
joyful anticipations || autumn. everything about it. enough said. ♥
what's inspiring me || i've realized in the last few weeks that menu planning doesn't work for me. it takes away the fun of cooking for me and part of what i love about cooking is coming up with what i want to make kind of on the spot. menu planning makes something serious and rigid out of something that has always felt fun for me...but hasn't for a long time. it's been fun winging it each night, using what we have in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. and, in all honesty, we all love this method more. it's way less stress and pressure, and it allows us to not only eat what we're in the mood for, but also to use what we have and not end up buying special ingredients at the store. i've also loved using my cookbooks more lately; something i haven't done for a very, very long time. and we've discovered a few new favorites, too. happy, happy!
how are your late summer days going, dear readers? do let me know what's bringing you delight in the comments below...♥