Pink Purl

Interlude...

For a few days I'll be taking off... taking some time to...

• recharge the batteries with a little rest & relaxation
• have some fun time with Dear Husband & Charlie
• dream & explore new ideas
• play with my camera, beads, yarn, fabric, pastel pencils & more
• write in my journal & write poems
• revitalize my yoga practice
• enjoy the last tastes of summer--on the plate, outdoors, etc.
• maybe a day trip!
• time to be, to laugh, to love...

I'll be around to see you all when I can... And meet you back here soon!  Happy Days! :o)

P.S. Both my shops will be open while I'm on a break, as I'll still be able to check and fulfill orders.  Friday, September the 4th is the last day I'll take orders at my ArtFire shop, where the special closing sale continues. And my Etsy shop will be open too.

**And Charlie will be joining me in taking a little break... In fact, he's already gotten a head start!  You can see him as he makes his first appearance at my other place, A Certain Slant of Light. **

Closer to the Light

I am tuning...
tuning in to Mother Nature
tuning in to the elements

I am communing...
communing with Spirit
communing with my soul light

I am rejoicing...
rejoicing in a season of transformation
rejoicing in new possibilities, new directions

I am dancing...
dancing, falling in love with my own life
dancing to new rhythm

Dancing in wonderment...
ever closer to the Light.

Where are you right now?

More light awaits at my other place, A Certain Slant of Light....

A pinch of this... a dash of that...

How quickly August has been passing... Autumn is soon on our doorsteps here in the northern hemisphere.  Spring glory is just unfolding in the southern hemisphere.  So much happening everywhere...  And before August closes, I wanted to share a little bit of news and updates here this week yet.

My current reading, The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, will be carried over as my special reading for the next month too.  This is a book not to be rushed, it is so important.  There is much magic in it, therefore I am relishing just reading a few poems each day, savoring it slowly. I usually have at least two books on the go at once, my classic reading and something extra.  So a review will be here the end of September instead.

Also as August melts into September, the Closing Sale at my ArtFire shop will last one more week.  50% off everything! I will take orders there until Friday, September the 4th. From the weekend of September 5th and 6th I will work on closing down the shop.  I had initially thought to remain open until mid- September... But why put it off.  It is time to close that chapter, brief though it was in reality.  I do love ArtFire, and maybe I can return there when my business is stronger. But for now, I will be content with running one shop only and working to take that into the realm of other possibilities.

On this shop note, the sale at my Etsy shop also continues.  50% off all jewelry selections, and all my hand knit accessories are still greatly reduced to clearance prices!  New inventory for the Christmas holiday shopping season is now under way and being created in my work room. I look forward to adding some special items for the coming season with a small collection of pretty accessories.

With a change of season, transformation seems to be drifting through the air everywhere.  It is an exciting time just now!  Wishing you Happy Days wherever you are!

For a last taste of summer you'll find something delicious at my other place, A Certain Slant of Light.

Come then, find your ball and racket,
Pop into your winter jacket,
With the lovely bear-skin lining.
While the sun is brightly shining,
Let us run and play together
And just love the autumn weather.

from:  Autumn Song by Katherine Mansfield

Garden Days

What a great weekend!  Dear Husband and I took the past two days to work in the garden, and also more progress was made on painting the fence.  Sun shining, fresh air, exercise... a good way to recharge the batteries after a very busy week last week. We also stopped at a garden center to take advantage of an end of season sale on plants and bought a few things to tuck into some bare patches in the flower beds.  Our cat Charlie likes to lounge in the flower beds, so it's a constant gardening challenge to keep some things growing long enough to see them come back another year for him laying all over everything--LOL!

A new purchase was several of these lovely Lysimachia planted along the edge of the house in one bed, the white spires of this variety is called "Autumn Snow." 

Also some Platycodon, also commonly known as Balloon Flower.  These are fun plants and great for introducing children to gardening, as the bud formations puff up into balloon-like shapes then burst open into these pretty star-shaped flowers. 

This is the bed I've been talking about.  It is in transition this year... because of Charlie laying all over the young Delphiniums in the spring we have no more Delphiniums.  New white Lysimachia takes the place of Delphiniums, blue-purple, Platycodon, white and pink shades of Aquilegia, Bleeding Heart, and Peonies just barely seen here. Also in the bed, not seen, on the trellis, is a pink climbing rose and purple clematis--both out of bloom now. I do still dream of having blue Delphiniums and bright pink Foxgloves...

 
On the terrace are big pots of pink geraniums and parsley... The afternoon light the last couple of days has been magical. 

So while I'm still scrubbing out the dirt from under my nails this time, I'm dreaming ahead already to next year and how to make over the flower bed shown here even better, and the veggie patch will also get a boost.  I'm off to make some sketches and listing plants while ideas are fresh in my mind this morning!  I look forward to checking in with you all this week and see what's been happening or blooming where you are. Until soon... Happy Day! :o)

 

P.S. Stop by my extra place, A Certain Slant of Light, for some butterfly magic from our weekend gardening.

 

The Spaghetti Trials

The Spaghetti Trials... Wasn't that an episode of "The Sopranos"?  LOL!

We LOVE pasta.  And we eat it at least once a week in some way or shape.  Sometimes twice a week, if it gets hectic... And it gets hectic often!  We tried going low-carb a few years ago... It didn't work for us.  LOL!  Life without pasta, good bread, etc. is unthinkable.  All things in moderation... :o)

Lately I'm on a spaghetti craze... All sauces/toppings come with spaghetti.  Whole wheat spaghetti.  Thought I would share some of my spaghetti adventures of late...

Spaghetti with Tuna, Tomatoes and Capers.  I came up with this last week, making my own recipe on the fly, when kitchen supplies were low... Saute some garlic, red chili and red onion until soft.  Add chopped, fresh tomatoes, big squeeze of juice from 1/2 a lemon and capers.  Cook for 5-8 minutes, let the favors blend and the vegetables are tender.  Add tuna from a tin (packed in oil, with oil drained, is ideal here for flavor, but any kind will do).  Heat through and serve with torn basil leaves.  Lovely--nice and easy and tasty!

This is from the May/June issue of Vegetarian Times magazine, which has a great online recipe section.  It's the Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Golden Garlic, Tomatoes and Sage, you can find the recipe here.  Rich with tomatoes, garlic, sage and chickpea. For extra protein I added feta cheese.

Red Lentil Pasta Sauce. Chop a large onion, 2 carrots and 3 stalks of celery, and 3 cloves minced garlic, then saute all in olive oil with a bay leaf until soft.  Add 2 cups dried red lentils and 4 cups of water, along with tsp each of dried oregano & basil, and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste).  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook until lentils are soft, about 15 minutes.  Then stir in 1 small can tomato paste/puree (6 ounces/140 g) and heat through. Fresh ground salt & pepper to taste.  Super over any type of pasta, and freezes well.

**Wish I could have you all over for a BIG spaghetti dinner by way of thanks for your very caring and supportive comments on my previous post on the closing of one of the shops.  And to celebrate my new blog too, many of you being so kind as to join me there too.  All you girls are great!  :o) **

The last two weeks have been especially busy ones here.  With all the usual going on, work, and now all my shop business... Well, we're really glad the weekend's here!  I'll be away from the computer a bit during the weekend for some much need relaxation, and time and fun with Dear Husband and sweet Charlie.  Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend ahead!  Look forward to seeing you next week!

This leafy post at my other new place, A Certain Slant of Light,  would go perfectly with today's spaghetti selections...mmm...