Fall Reading

Looks like I need a free Saturday morning with a grande pumpkin spice latte in hand. I can't keep up with all of my reading! Two of my favorite subscriptions were cancelled last year, so Martha Stewart Living and Better Homes and Gardens were sent as a consolation prize. Nothing will ever live up to Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, but I have to say I'm pretty impressed with Martha and Better Homes and Gardens. Martha has chickens and goats and beautiful gardens, and has since the 70's! And, I've been tearing out lots of garden designs from Better Homes and Gardens dreaming of "one day" in our yard. Again, all I need is a free Saturday morning, or two or three, to get digging! Maybe one will come along in November?

oh, and pumpkin carving commenced last night!

Joy in a Linen Closet

As promised, lots more before and after posts from our house are on their way. Here's one that's kept me smiling for two weeks now... a linen closet, finally!

Before

(above) One of the first major demo projects we undertook- knocking out a wall through a closet into the dinning room. Lots of reasons for this: eliminating an extra door in the front bedroom, making some space in the living room, and creating a centralized "alcove" to the bathroom and bedrooms. We weren't exactly sure the best way to saw through paster and lathe at the time, such novices back then, but we love the results of moving that doorway! And yes, the walls are filled with black soot from the 500 lb. cast iron coal burning furnace that was in our basement when we moved in. We are crazy to undertake this mess, but I don't think we had moved in yet at this point:)

Before

(above) The cardboard box I've been storing extra towels and sheets in for 2.5 years- now collapsed and recycled!

After

Ta-da! I occasionally stop and open it every now and then just to look. Is it wrong to find so much joy in a linen closet? I love old homes and hope to always live in one, and I'm willing to make sacrifices like having very few and/or extremely small closets- I'll just appreciate the useful nooks and beautiful shelving, compliments of Laurence, all the more:)

A Kingdom of It's Own...

Fungi. I keep thinking "miracle" in the title of Barbara Kingsolver's book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle must be referring to the biological classification of these exquisite beauties. I know it's not, but miracle does sound a lot nicer than fungi. Even the word mushroom doesn't live up to the forest's delicate splendors. Golden, lacy, smooth, ruffly, and extremely intricate aren't the first adjectives that come to mind when I think mushroom. Maybe just because it's French, but champignon sounds beautiful to me. I think that's what I'll call these types of fungi from now on.

Moose on the Loose!

I've been meaning to post photos of Sam's birth announcement canvas! I love how the moose turned out with the sweet colors, which match his bedding. Such a monkey now I'm sure, but the moose is fitting too:) I didn't know about the "moose song" until after I gave the canvas to his Momma. She graciously agreed to email me the lyrics, which made us both laugh. Hope you enjoy as much as Sam does:

There was a great big Moose, who liked to drink a lot of juice.

Singing oh way oh way. Oh way oh way oh way eeh oh.

The Moose's name was Fred. He liked to drink his juice in bed.

Singing oh way oh way. Oh way oh way oh way eeh oh.

He drank his juice with care. But still he spilled some on his hair.

Singing oh way oh way. Oh way oh way oh way eeh oh.

Now there's a moose, full of juice, on the loooooose.

Singing oh way oh way. Oh way oh way oh way eeh oh.

Come for Dinner!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. We've been pretty busy here at Peppered Paper, but, not too busy to enjoy a good meal or two. Traveling and hosting and birthday partying with friends and family...

Catch of the day served with a side of sweet potato fries, sauteed zucchini, and Fanta!

Birthday cake # 1- My favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream pie, with a little topping of whipped cream

Lots of fried green tomatoes from Kimberly's garden... we picked more today! What else can you do with green tomatoes?

Birthday dinner prepared by my sister: Greek kabobs and rice, complimented with the fried green tomatoes and pineapple upside-down cake, a Southern-Greek fusion meal!

One of my mom's staple B-day cake recipes. Kimberly being nostalgic:)

Ah, dreaming I live in France today.

Pumpkin cake batter!

Letting my pumpkin cake cool next to some gingered apples served with pork tenderloin... forgot to take final photos before enjoying the feast.

I love cooking, everything about it. And, I love eating, slowly. My friends always used to make fun of my slow eating, but really, I'll defend myself again today. It's one of the few activities that engages all of the senses, which for me starts in the kitchen. Thus my love of cooking begins...

Step 1: Left brain off, Right brain on

Step 2: Scatter fresh produce, cookbooks, ingredients, spices, bowls, and utensils across the kitchen counters- with lots of hand towels interspersed

Step 3: Mix, splatter, whip, sizzle...

Step 4: Inhale, lick, taste...

Step 5: Smile and sigh, well, at least that's what I'm doing now thinking about cooking

Step 6: Voila! Sit with friends and family and wine to break bread together. Sit and enjoy for hours, time isn't part of right-brain activity, right?

Step 7: Sit some more and sigh contentedly