Soup Weather

Seattle Japanese Garden

It's full on fall here and I love it! We had an especially hot summer, so the cool, crisp days are a welcome change. Quite honestly I could eat soup all year, even on the hottest days, but there is something comforting about soup simmering on the stove filling the air with the bounty of the harvest. 

Beautiful Savoy Cabbage

In searching for a recipe with bok choy and sweet potatoes I found this Chinese Nine Vegetable Hot and Sour Soup. Not something I would normally make, but so, so tasty! I had never cooked with savoy cabbage before and I thought it was really lovely when I cut into it. 

Adding the bok choy

The recipe filled my Dutch oven. 

Making enough for several meals at home and some to give away. 

As you could imagine prepping nine vegetable is pretty time consuming, but well worth it for a giant pot of simmering, savory soup!

Just some of my over used prep gadgets

Do you have any favorite, overused kitchen gadgets?

A colorful soup to enjoy on these colorful autumn days. 

Sunset from my front yard

My hope it that you, too, are taking time to enjoy autumn and the harvest.

Linda <><

Honey Ginger Cream Soda

I took one of those online quizzes a friend had posted on Facebook. Supposedly, it would tell me my secret obsession and all I had to do was pick pictures. Simple, right? I just knew, like most of the online quizzes it would be way off. You'll never guess what my secret (not so secret) obsession is. My results concluded that my secret obsession is food! Not, as I might have hoped, love or faith or even nature.

The truth is, those who know me well know how I love food. As a normally reserved, quiet soul I can talk all day about food!

Today I want to share my own latest concoction. If you like ginger you will love it. My ginger loving friends all agree, it's a tasty, satisfying drink.

Ginger is not only tasty, it's got a long list of health benefits

Honey Ginger Cream Soda

About 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger,

 pealed and chopped

1 cup coconut milk (or half and half)

1 tablespoon honey

club soda or sparkling water

ice

Place the first three ingredients in a blender (I like the Magic Bullet for this) and blend until good and smooth, about 2 minutes.

Pour through a fine strainer. Put 1/4 cup in a tall glass, add ice and carefully top with the club soda, as it will foam up. Makes about 4 servings.

Adjust the amount of ginger to your liking

I'm a big fan of local raw honey

Straining it makes your drink nice and smooth

Store the remainder in the refrigerator 

As we enter the hectic holiday season don't forget to take time to eat healthy, relax and enjoy the true meaning of the season! I'll leave you with some photos from our weekend hike. A lovely walk on the boardwalks of Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Twin Barns

Boardwalk on the delta

The landscape changes dramatically with the seasons

Jonathon Livingston

Linda <><

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My Favorite Season

Folks sometimes ask, 'What's your favorite season?" I've been pondering this and finally came to a conclusion. My absolute favorite season is the one that presently encompasses me. Like now, the cooling of the days, the brilliance of the colors, the bounty of the harvest. I love fall! But I also love Christmas, hot chocolate and the pureness of freshly fallen snow. Then there is the new hope of spring. And here in the temperate climate of the Pacific Northwest, summers are delightful. How could I pick only one from the beauty of each season?

Ecclesiastes 3:1 Faith Bag by LauriesGiftsBiz

We have had quite a few 'bonus days' this fall with those Indian summer days of sunshine and warm temperatures. Rain is here now and I love it, too. 

Psalm 118:24 instant download by PrintableMotivation

My hope and prayer is that in life, just as in the year's seasons, I can find joy in each one.

Philippians 4:11 necklace by AuthenticallyMade

The following pictures are from a delightful, full weekend of urban and mountain hiking.

Waiting in line for the Seattle REI's garage sale

Silliness in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle

A Sunday hike on the Naches Loop Trail at Chinook Pass.

After hike lunch of cheeseburger and fries at Wally's Drive-In

May this season of your life be filled with Our Gracious Heavenly Father's beauty and blessings!

Linda <><

Work and Play

Sometimes it just takes finishing one big project to get inspired! I've been working on this snowman pillow almost a year. Maybe it doesn't seem all that big(12" X 12") but when something goes that slowly it drags you down. Now that it's behind me, and ready to go on the couch after Thanksgiving, I'm inspired! 

My street

Or maybe it's the arrival of the rainy season and cleaning out the garden that makes sitting on the sofa and crocheting so inviting. Either way, I'm full of ideas and energy to accomplish them.

Here's a couple I've just listed in my shop.

Snowman Toilet Paper Cover by CageFreeFibers

Santa Hat Toilet Paper Cover by CageFreeFibers

My mom had a crocheted doll toilet paper cover made by by aunt on the toilet for as long as I can remember. In fact, when my brother and I moved her and Dad I threw it away because it was so faded and dust-filled. The ones pictured are meant to bring a smile and not be left out indefinitely.

I do have to get past this one recent obsession though. My sweet daughter introduced me to a computer game and now I'm a bit addicted. It's called geoguessr. Have you played? You are given a street view somewhere in the world and your task is to figure out the location. Points are given based on how close your get. It makes this great big world of ours seem kinda small and at the same time incredibly diverse! Check it out, but only if you've got time to play around.

Hope you have a productive week and don't forget to take time to play!

Linda <><

Pumpkin Pie Spice and Everything Nice Autumn

Pumpkin field in the Puyallup River valley with Mount Rainier in the distance

It's pumpkin pie spice everything season. I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie, but that special combination of spices--yum! And I do love a pumpkin pie spice latte, but after reading an article about what goes into the typical Starbucks variety I decided to figure out a way to make my own, healthier version. For my occasional 'cup of joe' I normally go decaf or half caff and make it in my French press. I didn't have to look far, I found this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Latte(vegan, gluten free) and used my favorite, coconut milk. It even has real pumpkin in it! My pumpkin cozy, coaster makes a fun container for it.

Jack of Lantern Mason Jar cozy coaster by CageFreeFibers

I'm not sure if autumn is my favorite season, or if I even have a favorite season, but I know when it is autumn I love it. Especially now as the colors get more and more brilliant and the sky stays blue and the temps are in the 70's. 

Fall Art Printable by TheHoneyBeePaperie

Today my daughter and I went to the local pumpkin patch and corn maze. Two hours and 5 miles after we started we found every checkpoint in the maze.  What line did we hear most from folks we passed in the maze? "Are you lost?" And, yes, I was just following the daughter whose inner GPS is more fine tuned than my own. 

Corn maze fun at Spooner Farms

Then we picked out some pumpkins and gourds for decorating. I'm so grateful for times like these when I'm left completely exhausted and just glad I have feet to carry me on.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins

This has been a busy, spectacular autumn here. My garden had a bumper crop of tomatoes. My brother taught me how to dehydrate the tomatoes and that is now my favorite way to put them up. Last night we ate our first ever Brussels sprouts from the garden pan seared with apples (I used honey crisp because it's what I had and it was great). 

I know our rainy season is just around the corner and I'm okay with that. God has blessed us with beauty in every season and every place here on this planet.

One last set of pumpkin beauties.

Halloween Pumpkin Earrings by InspiredTheory

What is your favorite thing about autumn?

Autumn Typography Quote Art by IslaysTerrace

Happy autumn to you!

Linda <><

When the Sun Comes Out to Play

Autumn on my street

Puget Sound was socked in with fog all week. I'm not complaining, I think the fog magnifies the already vivid fall colors! And for the most part it's business as usual. Great for photography, a moisture treatment tops off my run, no real excuses to stay in. It does get a bit dreary though.

I've been working on a big custom order; thirty-one personalized Mason jar cozies. One of the things I love about crochet is that I can take it anywhere. 

Mason jar cozy fun

I also have a set of CD's accompanying my current Bible study. Did I mention I have a driver I adore? So yesterday we took a quick trip east to find some sunshine. It was really less than an hour away. What a joy it was to emerge from the fog into the warmth and beauty of Mount Rainier.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from?" Psalm 121:1

After listening to Louie Giglio speak on the Creation story we were immersed in the glory of God's creation.

Tipsoo Lake

While surrounded by this beauty the question was posed: will I be the biggest part of my own small story, or a small part of His story? 

Crag Field

As I am blessed to soak in this sun I choose to be part of His big story. When I'm stumped at just what that means to me I recall Proverbs 3:5-6:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
 and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,

    and he shall direct your paths."

Jim and I at the end of a glorious day (Mount Rainier in the background)

Once again I am inspired to find my own small place in God's big story.

Linda <><