MISTY'S MORNINGS

Just popping in to say Happy Fall!   I hope you find time to get outdoors this weekend to stomp some crisp fall leaves underfoot.   It does wonders for the soul.

Still life is the theme this week over at  52 Photos Project .  My post should be called "still alive" since I have been MIA since the end of September! Actually, that is quite the appropriate title after the milestone birthday I celebrated last week.  I turned 40 and I am still alive! Now, I am truly not upset or depressed that I am officially a member of the 40s club. Rather, this whole process of turning 40 has magically unlocked tons of memories I had long forgotten (or blocked) from my past and the beauty is that because those events are now so long ago, I find I can look at my younger self with more tenderness and understanding .  The guilt and shame for past mistakes has finally lifted.  I can look back and see how many amazing people have influenced my life, how many blessings have resulted from my hard work and the graces given me by God.  What a birthday gift that has been.   (There is more to be said about this but I am still mining.)...

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus 52 Photos :: Season's Beginning

Just a quick post to inspire some Fall decorating around your house.  I bought all these items at Target today and my home suddenly feels cozier and more seasonal.  The flower bouquet was the most expensive item at $19.99.  The felt leaf placemat, coasters and blessings sign were found in the dollar spot and cost $2.50 each.  For less than $30.00 you can ring in the new season without digging through boxes in the attic or basement.  They would also make cute gifts for teachers or friends.  I plan to get out the glitter glue and add a little pizazz to the Count Your Blessings sign. Are you getting into the Fall mood?  What do you do to add a little season to your home?

      "While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart." St. Francis of Assisi Small Steps for Catholic Moms by Elizabeth Foss and Danielle Bean

Sharing here: Wordless Wednesdays Outdoor Wednesdays  

~PRETTY~ It has been a while since I have seen a rainbow this clearly and I had to snap the photo on my camera even though I was holding up traffic for a moment .  Rainbows always make me think of God and Noah and promises and peace . ~HAPPY and FUNNY~ Lately, we have been doing a lot of snuggling on the sofa while watching Christmas movies.  Here we were watching the Ice Age Christmas special in our jammies ~ complete with little boy bedhead.  :)  If you also like to share cozy couch moments with good family shows, check out the 25 Days of Christmas programming guide here . ~REAL~ December is here and the leaves are off the trees.  The barren months lie ahead.  Time to turn toward home, creativity, reading, and quiet, contemplative pursuits. I love this time of year.  The darkest evenings, longest nights evoke such a refocusing of my priorities on my family and job as keeper of the home.  Time to read a little Laura Ingalls ...

Sharing here: Wordless Wednesdays Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

The table awaits.  The table is graced. (BTW -I am not really that tall.  I was sitting on a kitchen stool!) The aftermath. The cousins. The turkey and dressing may be gone but the glow of time spent with family and friends remains .  My sister and brother-in-law departed on Sunday after a week of work and play.  They are the best sous-chefs in the universe.  I could not have pulled off the meal without their help in the kitchen and around the house.  My husband and boys were on tidying and cleaning detail and they, too, took care of business effortlessly.  Thank you everyone!   Our guests made the whole process worthwhile - especially ending the evening with howls over the game Balderdash .  We learned words like whisterpoop and baldersnatch and the memories of our invented definitions still make me grin and chuckle.  The kids were angels and finished their evening playing in the yard well past dark.  ...

Sharing here: Wordless Wednesdays Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

I simply must urge you to consider brining your bird this year.  I had never done it before.  It seemed off-putting somehow.  Did I have a big enough pot?  Would the turkey taste too salty?  And, most importantly, why bother?  My mother never did and the turkey was just fine.  But as I thought about it, just fine was how I would describe turkey in general.  Never had it blown me away with deliciousness.   Could I be missing something? Then I saw a Good Eats episode by Alton Brown in which he demystified the reasons for brining.  He explained that at first, the salty solution draw moisture out of the turkey (which sounds counter intuitive). But then, the bird magically draws the salty solution back into its cells where it remains trapped and no matter how long you cook your fowl, it will stay moist and flavorful.  I was sold. Last week I did a test run.  I bought a 15 pound turkey and combined the following tw...

Joining with Ann Voskamp in counting my blessings ...