'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Moments. Precious time with family. Exchanging gifts. Appreciating the little things in life. Blessings.

Summertime Fare

 

What's a picnic without a blog post? Summer produce is abundant and so available this time of year. The Lo Mien recipe called for half of the garden veggies that were put into it --- but they only enhanced the flavor rather than detouring it. Carrots, broccoli, sweet onions, string beans, and more were mixed with brown rice pasta, nutritional yeast, a sprinkle of stevia, and soy sauce. Yummy, yummy!

And a salad is always in order in the summer as well. Garden leaf lettuce, sweet onions, tomatoes, and avocado all blended with an organic garlic vinaigrette equaled lots of flavor!

 

Rylan baked the cake and it was excellent! Super dark and abundant chocolate layered with a frosting that he made from an old-fashioned recipe. There's no powdered sugar in it! I didn't know it was even possible to make frosting without powdered sugar, but he did and it was very good. Marcona almonds and cherries in syrup added garnish and flavor.

And last, but not least, wonderful slabs of local watermelon! So sweet and good. When the watermelon is ripe in the valley you know that summer is really here!

A Spirit of Celebration

 

"A home needs not only candles and confetti to make it joyful --- a home also needs connection.  Candles offer the spirit of warmth.  Confetti adds the spirit of celebration.  And connections tie warmth and celebration together with love."

~ Lindsey O'Connor ~

Table-setting:  Our family Thanksgiving meal using the vintage '70's wedding china, individual herbal bouquets at each place-setting, candles for warmth, and hot cups of tea for celebration.