One Teen Story Mention

So the One Teen Story blog mentioned one of my short stories today. Actually, an entire paragraph from my story "Thank You, Cleveland" is posted on there right now. No big deal (!) but check it out if you get a minute. Seriously, it's really exciting to have my words on this site. xo



Beautiful photo courtesy of  We the People

Busted.

In case you can't tell what's happening in this photo, it's a canister of crescent rolls that exploded in my fridge after a mere two weeks.  It's a bit ironic because more often than not, these tubes won't open for me at all and I have to cut into the cardboard with a knife.  Perhaps this is what I get for buying the generic brand of dinner rolls.  #busted

It's All In the Seasoning

I've always wanted a cast iron skillet. A few months ago, I used the balance on a Macy's gift card to buy a 10-inch skillet and was thrilled when it arrived (and lucky enough to have gotten free delivery--this thing is heavy!). But how do I use it? And how to do you develop the seasoning, which is the pride and joy of cast iron?

I've only used my skillet once so far but I somehow managed to commit all three deadly sins for cast iron care as detailed in this Huffington Post article.  It's going to take me a while to get used to not washing this pan with soap. I may have used a metal spatula when flipping the sauteing potatoes, and I definitely let it air-dry.  I guess I don't have an innate instinct when it comes to cookery.

This weekend, I'm going to take the article's advice and start the seasoning process on my skillet, which apparently only consists of rubbing some olive oil into the pan and then baking it in the oven for an hour.  Sounds easy enough, right?

I must say, these caramelized onions sure tasted good though.  I think it was the perfect thing to break in the new pan and welcome it to our humble little kitchen. xo

Wreck It

Say what you want about Miley Cyrus but I'm really loving her new song "Wrecking Ball." It's catchy and hits home emotionally at the same time.  I actually like it so much that I'm willing to overlook the fact that she's licking a sledgehammer in the video.

Also, I know this Lumineers song isn't really new but I sang it all day at work today. The title, "Stubborn Love," really hits me for some reason. It must be the short story writer in me that makes me love titles so much. xo

The Place To Be

It may not look like it from the photo above, but seriously, Trader Joe's is the place to be on a chilly October Saturday night.

I love when the store is crowd-free and the shelves are stocked. Also, I've never seen so many seasonal treats in one place. Pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin butter, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin scone and muffin mixes. The selection was unbelievable. I was able to get out of there with only a box of frozen pumpkin waffles and some pumpkin breakfast bars.

I also bought an acorn squash. I really don't know what to do with it but the squash display looked so perfect. Soup, anyone?

And even though I don't have a great track record with plants, I couldn't leave without one of these miniature mum plants. The contrast between the burgundy petals and the yellow centers is stunning. My goal for the next month is to baby these flowers like it's my job.

 

So in case you couldn't tell, Trader Joe's is my go-to place to shop during the fall. This last visit made me want to bake pies and wear a bonnet for the rest of the month. xo

MIA

I've been kind of MIA lately, emotionally, physically and especially here on this blog.  It's weird how when things are going on, big things that mean a lot to you, it's hard to concentrate emotionally, creatively and intellectually. I've lost my focus, although I hope just temporarily.

You see, my grandmother is sick. She's been sick for a while, but it's gotten much worse in the last three weeks.  We've all been visiting daily and trying to help my grandfather take care of her. Hospice is helping immensely too.  It's so painful to know that someone you love is pain and to know that there is absolutely nothing that anyone can do.

So anyway, I'm here. I'm alive, and I'm slowly getting it back together. Happy Monday, dearies--I hope it's a wonderful week for us all. xo



Photo courtesy of KernowLight via Flickr

Poor Quality Photos of High Quality Drugstore Finds

 

 
Three things:

1. I love this Essie display. It says, "I'll be using my maiden name. It has such a beautiful ring to it." How adorable is that slogan while still being progressive and quasi-effective?

2. I want to buy all of these colors.  There's no way that I could possibly pick which one I like the most because I adore them all.

3. Have I ever taken a worse photo? I know it was a quick photo in a drugstore but I'm appalled at the atrocious quality.  I need to work on my iPhone picture-taking.