Good morning! I really enjoy being the first one up most mornings, and starting the day quietly with my coffee, and sometimes a treat. I made some muffins this week using a basic muffin recipe and adding some shredded zucchini and chocolate chips. They were good, but pretty dense. I'm wondering now if they needed more liquid because of the zucchini. Baker friends, what do you think?
The sunflowers are getting prettier and prettier as more blooms open!
I'm so proud of my pumpkin harvest this year - I got four of them, lol! They're small, but I might be able to get some pumpkin out of them to bake with. I'll try that later in the month.
I just finished this book, and really enjoyed it. Apparently it is Elin Hilderbrand's last book set on Nantucket which makes me kind of sad - I've enjoyed reading them. I bet I haven't read them all, though - I'll have to go back and look for ones I've missed.
LeeAnna recommended this series last week, and since we have Acorn TV again, we decided to try it. It's really good, and has one of our favorite actors as the main character - Sanjeev Baskar. He has been in other shows that we really like, including "Unforgotten" on PBS, and played the young singer's dad in "Yesterday."
Thanks for the recommendation, LeeAnna!
LeeAnna's question of the week is about how we help ourselves maintain a level mood. That is an interesting question, and one I had to think about for awhile. I'm not a moody person, and am generally pretty positive and optimistic about life. But I am also a person who likes routine, and when my routine gets messed up, I definitely start to feel off-kilter and that affects my outlook. So... what helps?
- Escaping into a good book. (See above!)
- Fabric fondling. Or an hour in my sewing room, if possible.
- A walk, either with Mike or a friend. Exercise combined with someone to talk to makes a huge difference in my mood.
What helps you when you get off-kilter? I'll be interested to know! Have a great Thursday! Joining in with I Like Thursday at Not Afraid of Color.
11 comments:
That first photo is so cozy and inviting. We like to get up early and really enjoy that quiet time. Yum on the muffins! I have no advice except maybe compare your normal recipe to a specifically zucchini muffin recipe? Those pumpkins are adorable. I agree about reading or exercising and definitely fabric fondling - all those are good ways to lighten the mood!
I think we'd all like to come and have a cup of coffee with you - although that would disrupt your quiet moment! :-) Your sunflowers are lovely, and the punkins are cute! I need to check out that show, thanks for sharing that!
Love the quiet time in the morning. I agree with the above advise - compare to a zucchini muffin recipe. I know with one zucchini bread recipe I had to let it sit for a bit after adding the zucchini. Love the little pumpkins. Fabric fondling is a good way to help brighten a mood. I had my son find 3 positive things.... stupid when I suggested it but when his gifted teacher recommended it to the classes, it was a great idea! Silly kid. Another is for anxiety - but it is essentially find something for each of the 5 senses. It tends to center you.
Love those sunflowers. Did you press out your zucchini? Maybe not press out as much? Did you see Magpie Murders on PBS? They're coming out with a second season soon called Moonflower Murders.
I write in my journal when I'm really off kilter. Waking/talking with a buddy helps too!
I read the first book, not the second one. I love to have my coffee in the morning sometimes with a muffin or something too. Love the sunflowers they are so pretty, I wonder if all the sunflowers in Kansas will still be blooming at the end of the month I know I will be through there then - one year I was driving through that state at the right time and saw fields of sunflowers. When I get out of my routine it bothers me mentally - off-kilter like you say - I try to stay in my routine. Nothing upsets me more than when both of my girls are having trouble at the same time - thankfully this time one is finally getting better and the other one is going through a mess now! when does a mother ever stop worrying about their chicks!
Oh yes, fabric fondly definitely helps!
My zucchini bread and cake recipes aren't dense. I figured the zucchini with all the water content was the reason why. I haven't made muffins. As to what I do when I feel off quilter. . .I check in to see why? It could me that I'm "allowing" someone or something to affect me that isn't on my priority list. I like to lose myself in a stitching project for a few hours. . .that always lightens my off feeling mood!
You start the day off just right, Diann. I also like a little bit of quiet time alone in the morning, when I get up early enough, teehee. Those sunflowers look so pretty. My potted ones are smaller and are starting to die. I think the birds have almost finished them off. How exciting to have grown pumpkins. I hope you are able to bake something with them. If not, they make a nice decoration, especially on top of that table topper. I have several Elin Hilderbrand books. I didn't know she was ending the Nantucket series.
Your pumpkins are really cute, hope you do get some pumpkin from them for a bit of baking. Starting the day with a cup of coffee and some quiet time is always a great start to the day. Your aids to get back on track are pretty much the same as mine. Hard to beat petting new fabric!
It's likely the water content in the zucchini that makes the muffins dense, Try lgihtly slating the zuchini and let it set for 20 minutes or so, then squeeze out any extra liquid. Getting outside for a walk or working in the garden helps when I'm feeling off-kilter.
Pat
It's a lovely time of year isn't it? Enjoying harvest and the last of the flowers as well as having cosy times indoors. We really enjoy Unforgotten too. I keep seeing teasers for a new series - I guess we will get to watch it a little sooner than you as we are in the UK.
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