every time i return from a trip, i feel a hint of discontentment with our home. yet oftentimes the littlest tweaks are quite significant in changing the feel & mood of a space.
today i thought i would share a little list of simple things i love to do within our home to make it feel fresh & new again.
1. light my favorite candles – there’s nothing quite like the warmth & coziness of a candle burning. i love the gather candle from our shop & burn it in our kitchen next to the sink.
2. make the bed – luke & i begin each day by making the bed together. it’s a quick bit of time to connect & chat about our goals for the day while we fold the blankets & pile on the pillows. also, it’s such an easy way to calm the chaos of home.
3. flowers in unexpected places – go out to the garden & harvest a bouquet or grab one from the grocer. create mini bouquets throughout your home in the most unexpected places – the bathroom, your bedroom dresser, atop the coffee table. every time you turn the corner, you’ll smile!
4. set the table – gather your favorite linens, a bouquet of flowers, a candle & your favorite china. set the table & ready your family for a wholesome meal together. it’s the simplest way to reconnect with your family & ground yourself to your sacred place.
how do you freshen your home & it’s corners? please share in the comments!
love,
natalie
with the start of school in our neck of the woods, we feel a slight shift toward fall. while i love the autumn season, i adore summer & never wish to rush it’s presence.
today i thought i’d take a moment to write out our late summer wishes before the season’s end. a simple way to remind myself – & perhaps you! – that there’s still so much living to be done before the days grow shorter.
LATE SUMMER WISHES
– take susie q, our beloved camper, on an overnighter
– one more trip to the beach this september
– ride bicycles on our local trails
– take long walks in the evening
– visit the local fruit stand for fresh fruit
– jump in the river & enjoy a day of adventuring
– wear sandals, shorts & tanks as much as possible
– practice shibori dyeing & make cloth napkins for our home
– walk around the farmers’ market with coffee in hand
– host a canning swap at our studio
– eat basil pesto pasta & caprese salads
– sit on the porch in the morning
– soak up the sun in the backyard pool
– watch a film at the drive-in movie
what are some of your late summer wishes? share your list in the comments!
love,
natalie
i often find it’s difficult to sit down for even just a bit during the summertime to share my thoughts with you in this space. with these august days oh so full in the garden & in the kitchen, i’m lucky if i can even fit in a shower!
but with rain coming in & a decently checked off to-do list, i thought i would carve out a moment or two to sit with you & share a handful of my favorite recipes for putting up the garden bounty. it’s what’s on my mind right now as i am sure it’s on yours, too. there’s always a basket of produce waiting on me, which is indeed such a gift.
i’ve blogged about most of these recipes, but it’s always nice to have one place to go & find my most used recipes. happy canning & preserving!
– my easiest, go-to tomato sauce: this sauce can be used with pasta or on pizza. it’s very versatile. the recipe is a slow-cooker recipe, but i’ve also cooked it on low atop the stovetop.
– heather’s salsa: i’ve made lots of jars of this salsa this summer & we love it. i look forward to popping open a jar of this fresh tomato goodness with tortilla chips in the dead of winter.
– the most delicious sweet pickles: i love this simple cucumber sweet pickle recipe from smitten kitchen. it’s straight-forward & easy. simply pop them in the fridge when you’re finished – they’ll last for a couple of months.
– pickle everything with this go-to recipe: okra, sugar snap peas & more… i use this recipe as my go-to for quick pickling almost everything from the garden.
– canned dilly beans: we love dilly beans! can them & enjoy them in the winter with a good meat & cheese plate. don’t forget a good loaf of homemade bread, too.
– our family favorite cucumbers & onions: this is a summer potluck go-to & a favorite dish among my family. simply combine ingredients & let them mingle for just a bit before serving. it’s a delicious, fresh addition to almost any meal from grilled burgers to salad.
– chop & freeze almost everything from the garden: to freeze berries, peppers, fresh corn & more, simply wash & chop (if necessary) your produce. lay on a baking sheet & allow to freeze completely. once thoroughly frozen, place in a labeled plastic freezer bag & store in the deep freeze until ready to use. tip: i keep a deep freeze supply list on clipboard hanging from the wall next to our deep freeze so we don’t lose track of what’s inside.
– my favorite crustless zucchini pie: skinnytaste’s zucchini pie is a favorite of ours. i made a few for freezing this summer with our extra zucchini & they will make the perfect quick & affordable dinner this winter. to process the zucchini, i pulled out our food processor, which makes the work much easier.
– my favorite basil pesto: i love this basil pesto recipe because it does not use nuts, which cost a small fortune when you’re processing the quantity of pesto we do. once my pesto is made, i freeze it in small jars & ice cube trays. once the trays are frozen, i remove each cube & place them all in a labeled plastic freezer bag.
let me know if you use any of our go-to recipes for processing & preserving your garden bounty!
love,
natalie