Around Here These Days
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In one week my lilacs are nearly at full bloom. The trees surrounding the property are all leafed out and these days have been the perfect weather conditions. It's warm in the sun and cool in the shade with low humidity. I could have an entire summer with the temperature never topping over 75 degrees. A girl can dream!
I had fun with my sister and we enjoy getting together without our children (who are now all adults). We laugh a lot and are easily entertained by the simplest things. My husband had a truck load of dirt delivered to our back yard and my brother in law helped disperse the dirt over our developing crater. Our property was not graded properly so we are guessing the craters are fallen trees below the dirt, decaying (we are sticking to that theory!). Now when he mows, our lawn tractor won't take a beating. And how boring to be excited about a truck load of dirt.
Our daughter is home for the week. Yesterday we went to the outlets shopping and had a great time. We both purchased some much needed new clothes and I found a pair of sandals that look attractive and yet are sturdy. I do not want to twist my ankle again-remember that??
Today I'm going to scrounge around the pantry and create some kind of meal so I can postpone grocery shopping. I am up for the challenge.
what are your creative recipes that you use when you need to go to the grocery store??
I had a lilac tree at my old house like that. I got it for Mother's Day. I might have to get another one! Enjoy time with your daughter. :) And cute owl!
ReplyDeleteYour lilacs are so lovely! Mine are about half open. I can't wait to bring them inside when they open a little more! Glad you found some sandals... I'm still searching!
ReplyDeleteWe have lilacs in our garden too. Purple and white ones, and the smell is beautiful .. I always stick my nose in when I'm passing, to get a good fix!
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping by and admiring my shawl ;)
Quiche - milk, eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, and anything tasty from the fridge or pantry. We've added veggies, cheese, beans, sliced pepperoni, leftover taco meat, spinach from the garden (not all at the same time, of course).
ReplyDeleteOr we whip up some hummus and flat bread. Mmmmm.
I really need to find some good sandles. I outgrew mine last summer (the joys of pregnancy) and have hard to fit feet so have to really work at finding something that will work for me.
ReplyDeleteAs for "magic meals" I usually call my mom and tell her what's in the pantry. And she helps sort something meal-like out, often by saying "if you had X you could..." and I realize that I either have that too or something subsitutable, It's a great system ;-)
We got a huge load of dirt delivered here today!! So exciting for us as well - can't wait to get our veggies growing. Our season is far behind yours though - we are still waiting for trees to bloom. :) Good luck with your dinner plans!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is home this week too, and we are shopping as well! Similar lives we lead! Have a good time with her; I am enjoying mine before she leaves me for South Africa. She is starting a blog to keep up updated about all her adventures..maybe she will let me list it on my blog! Your lilacs are beautiful; I have never grown that particular flower before...I don't think they are conducive to our climate.
ReplyDeleteI love lilacs so much! Sadly, we don't have any on our property. :-(
ReplyDeleteSo nice to hear about your family visits. Sisters are the best! I love mine to bits - it's so hard they are across the Atlantic.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your time with your daughter...and the lilacs...and your meal :)
have fun with Rachel!!!! Girlfriend time!!!
ReplyDeleteOur go-to 'pantry' dinner: breakfast for dinner!!! Waffles or pancakes or omlettes!!! (Breakfast is hubby's favorite meal so this is always an easy sell!)
Oh I love lilacs, are are just starting to leaf up here, should have flowers by the beginning of June. Can't wait.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely time with your sister. Enjoy the time with your daughter. Hope you met the dinner challenge...what did you make?
My lilacs are just beginning to leaf out. I can't wait. Lilacs are my favorite spring scent! I would be excited by dirt too!
ReplyDeleteLove that you and your sister have such a sweet relationship! And yay for this beautiful weather! You'll have to share what you came up with for dinner. I love doing this challenge, in fact I'm trying to push us all the way to Friday before I shop again! I hate grocery shopping on an off day, as long as I have enough fresh produce I'm usually golden. Fish-stick tacos anyone? ;)
ReplyDeletelovely lilacs!
ReplyDeleteWe always seem to have dried lentils, rice, frozen peas, canned tomatoes and coconut milk. I can make up a quick easy curry with that!
Lilacs are divine! Glad you and your sister can spend time together. Enjoy the weather as it warms up. Oh and new shoes, that's always a good thing. Jacinta
ReplyDeleteI can smell the lilacs from here! Love. XO
ReplyDeletelilacs. so lovely.
ReplyDeletemy oh no, we're out of everything menu is usually sweet potato pancakes, maybe a risotto.
It's amazing how things all spring back to life so quickly once the weather changes.
ReplyDeleteI had to go away to think of some fridge forage food ideas after first reading this before responding. Funnily enough some of my most memorable (in a good way) recent meals have been when using up odds and ends. Two recent amazing ones...that sound awful but worked amazingly were a pasta dish with penne, swiss chard and smoked fish that began with a caramelised onion and garlic base. It was so more-ish that I will definitely be making it again.
The other was a stuffed pancake (I'd made an extra big batch on Shrove Tuesday and froze unused ones). Stuffed it with fried aubergines and grated cheddar cheese baked in the oven with a sweet potato sauce. Again this sounds like an unusual combination but can't wait to try it again.
By the way I tried the peanut sauce on your recommendation, but with roasted broccoli and chick peas...again scrummy, thanks for sharing.
Thank fully our storecupboards and freezer are overflowing at the moment and so we've decided to try and use up as much as we can before going produce shopping, except for essentials until they are lighter. I hope I can find some other combinations that work as well! Probably lots of pasta dishes.
The lilacs are gorgeous! Ha, it feels like I have been making those "what do I have in the house" dinners for weeks! I keep a lot of dried beans and grains on hand, and then all I need to add is a veggie and some herbs or spices. Sometimes it comes out well, sometimes kind of bland! For years my desperation dinner was split pea soup--all I used was the peas, carrots, and loads of spices, but now I use onions and other veggies. However, I want to try some new recipes this week and get out of my cooking funk!
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