Slices of Life

Happy February! I'm not sure how each year January seems to drag on and on while also somehow flying by. I think all those winter months here are tricky that way because the summer months just feel like they are over in a flash. I guess you can tell I much prefer sunny, warm weather to cold and icy!  I hope 2024 has been treating you well so far. We sure have had some really wonderful blog posts shared. I had a really hard time playing/picking favorites this week; I know I say this nearly every week but it is rather difficult to pick just a few when so many great posts are shared. It tickles me to no end to see so many of you returning week after week to link up with us so thank you all so much for keeping this party going strong.   The link with the most views from last week's party: Cozy Homemade Lunch with Cauliflower Soup and Beer Bread by Thrifting Wonderland A few that caught my eye: Scarf Styling by An Inspired Home Dollar Tree Buffalo Plaid Heart Sign by Creative...

 I was on the hunt for a hearty winter soup that was filled with veggies. I have made a few versions of cabbage soup before but this time I decided to try a version that was just veggies. I have made a few vegetable soups before but always found the taste rather bland.  I was overjoyed when this one was not!  It was so easy to make too.  Ingredients: Makes 8 -10 servings (depending on serving size) 2 carrots; peeled and sliced 2 sticks celery; sliced 1 cup pumpkin (or butternut squash; which is what I had on hand); cooked and mashed.  1 onion; diced 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/2 small head cabbage; shredded 3 cloves garlic; minced 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with the juice 6 ounce can tomato paste 6-8 cups broth (vegetable, chicken or beef is up to you) 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika (regular will work too) 2 tsp. dried thyme 1 bunch fresh basil; chopped 1/2 cup quinoa Making the soup: Making the soup was so easy! I added all ...

 I bought tickets for the boys (Alec and Evan) and I to head into Worcester and see the immersive Van Gogh experience at the last minute. I had only recently heard that this was available in Worcester and thought it might be fun to do over the long Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.  I originally booked our tickets for Monday but switched it to Sunday when I saw that we were forecasted to get quite a bot of snow Sunday into Monday. We headed out at 9 on Sunday morning and both the city and the museum were pleasantly empty feeling.  The first room we turned into had this 3-d sculpture of Van Gogh's head that kept changing colors and patters and was surrounded by lots of story boards about his life, his family. and his art history.  The next room was filled with reproductions of some of his paintings. We learned even more about Van Gogh and his life. Now I have never been the biggest Van Gogh fan but I did take an awful lot of art history classes and focused on many of th...

 It's the last Thursday of the month and time for Monthly Musings with Holly and Patty. This month we're looking at winter self-care. I feel like I have really failed in the winter self-care department this year as I have been very lazy and uninterested in doing much of my usual.  1. To stay warm in winter I've been wearing lots of warm layers, hardly leaving the house at all, using lots of throw blankets, and hanging out in our basement in front of the woodstove.  2. This winter my two favorite activities have been reading and puzzle making!  I've been "reading" more cookbooks too! 3. The only different beauty routine I have in the winter is that I use a lot more body lotion; especially after showering since my skin gets so dry and itchy. 4. If I had to pick one I'd say sledding but I haven't done any of these in years-- I broke my leg skiing in the 4th grade and never wanted to give it another try.  I don't think I've tried ice skating since ...