Shaking Things Up

 

I’m shaking up my online space…be back soon! 

Weekending

Before I met that Husband o’ Mine, I had never seen a James Bond movie. Going on 22 years later, I must admit a certain appreciation may have developed.

I have especially enjoyed Pierce Brosnan as Bond…which might have had a little something to do with my love of The Thomas Crown Affair movie with Brosnan and Renee Russo–okay a lot to do with it. (one of my very favorites…right up there with Dirty Dancing…I know!)

While I am not a Daniel Craig fan when it comes to looks (I am almost ashamed to say I cannot get past those sticky out ears, y’all), I did really enjoy the latest in the Bond saga, Skyfall. I admit that Craig’s face can do those tortured expressions very well…

The storyline of Skyfall–splendid, most intriguing character history and lots of room for the iconic James Bond’s next adventures.

Are you a Bond fan, an observer turned appreciator like me or could care less? Do tell?

Sunday Eats

Whether you and yours are football fans or not, Superbowl Sunday is a great excuse for cooking up some good eats…if one were to need an excuse, that is.

I love spending a lot of time in the kitchen on a day like this–cold n snowy outside, warm n bright inside. My kitchen is gloriously one big room with the living room, so I can hang out with my family and cook at the same time…my teens often join me in cooking and that makes my day.

All of that being said, what’s cooking today?!?

We love chicken and taters in this house, so today we’re enjoying Chick-fil-a copycat chicken. This is our first go with this recipe, I so hope it is as good as it looks! We’ll be making ranch dip alongside the honey mustard mmmm!

We’re also making what I call twice baked tater skins because they’re smaller than twice baked taters and crispy like tater skins (twice baked filling with tater skin toppings). Taters, cream cheese, bacon, ranch and cheddar cheese…aaalll good!

Do share…what’s cooking in your kitchen today?

~

The Circus in Winter

Hello I so hope you’re making this first month of 2013 a splendid one! What a wonderful world we live in, really!

As always, this season-that-shall-not-be-named finds me nearly hibernating inside where it’s warm and toasty whilst ridiculously low temperatures visit us outside (Twas three degrees this morn…THREE, y’all!!)…all the better to read and read some more, I say!

When I first started reading The Circus in Winter by Cathy Day, I felt it might be a bit dark for my tastes…but the pages kept turning! As I read, I realized it was not so much ‘dark’ as gritty and real, each story told of life exactly how it really was for folks during the time period and how some truly felt about things when nobody was looking–deep down inside. This made for a page-turning story of humans and life, void of rose colored glasses and many comforts.

A very exciting thing happened as I was almost finished reading–I ran across a quote I loved…a quote I’ve loved for YEARS (I didn’t realize I’d read this book quite awhile ago…hey, I read A LOT!!) and could never find said quote again. To say I’m thrilled is putting it mildly!

‘Maybe every town in America transmits that radio signal, and on certain nights when the weather and the frequency are just right, we can all hear our hometowns talking softly to us in the back of our dreams.’ 

*sigh* I love it.  Everyone carries their hometown within them wherever they go…the idea that  plays soft music in our heads in a good way? Makes me happy.

I like stories of the old circus days…of the people who lived them and this was a very good one–but also a very good book about real life for these folks…during and long after the circus.

Have you read any books about the circus world–both olden days or modern?

~Merry Christmas to All~

Snapshot By Snapshot

Instructions…

“This is a poem about what to do if you find yourself in a Fairy Tale. It is guaranteed to work.”  Neil Gaiman (words only here, but listening to Gaiman read is lovely.)

After reading this post over at A Cup of Jo,  I have chosen the above poem to learn by heart. Hmm…I like that…saying ‘learn by heart’ instead of  ’memorize’. For memorize implies a chore whilst learn by heart implies I want this in my heart to stay. Yes, I like that very much.

Are you inspired to learn something by heart–a poem, a bit of Scripture, snippet of prose or verse? I’d love to hear about it…

* I shall be baking some of these in my kitchen this weekend–they sound so good to me–add a cup of cold milk and MMmmMM!

A bit of bright color on my desk on this gloomy, rainy fall day

* This article, ‘Clutter is Life’, seems to me to be a spot on way of looking at things. Home is for living, and my goal is a warm, comfortable home for this family.

* I am excited to be returning to the Y after a wonderful summer spent walking outdoors. I am NOT excited about the ending of my lovely summer weather…but apparently my pleas for year around 75 degrees and sunny are not being heard in this part of our great nation. Ppfftt. My true feelings being fully disclosed, I am now moving on…YAAY for the Y and continuing to walk, walk, walk! Do you make sure to  move your body often–stretch, walk, breathe deep? You should, ya know. *end public service announcement*

Have a magical fall weekend, won’t you?