Category Archives: friday fluff

friday fluff

It’s back.  Finally.  Life hasn’t felt too “fluffy” lately, and I have not had the energy to put together a light-hearted post about things I am enjoying, but I feel the need to do it today, so here goes…

It’s all about Oscar at our house right now.  He has been teaching me and entertaining me, and I am thoroughly enjoying this new experience of being a puppy mommy.  I have laughed so much at his antics, and have felt so loved by him.  It has been just what I needed after losing my Bogey.  And as an added bonus, Oscar has bonded Nich and me in ways I never expected.  Oscar is our baby – our chance to “parent” together.  I have been completely impressed with my husband and the way he has stepped into this role of being Oscar’s daddy.  This time in our lives is really special and I am grateful to experience it with him.

It’s summer, so it’s supposed to be hot, but it’s been so humid and nasty that I have not wanted to be outside very much at all.  When I am, though, I am typically wearing one of these awesome tank tops from Target.  I purchased several different colors and have been living in them.  I love the loose fit and they are long enough to wear with yoga pants.

Our garden has exploded and we are drowning (in a good way) in zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, and peppers (cherry tomatoes are just now starting to turn red).  I have been baking and Nich and I have been pickling and canning (cucumbers and jalapenos, so far).  I wanted a savory zucchini bread, and tried this recipe.  I put in tons of cracked black pepper because I love it so,  used an aged white cheddar cheese because it is what I had on-hand, and because I did not have whole wheat flour, I used all white (this Italian Style Flour that we use to make pizza dough – it worked great for the Zucchini bread!).  It was delicious and I will definitely make it again.

I’m currently reading Elin Hildebrand’s new book Here’s To Us – she never disappoints.  Also recently finished Emily Giffin’s new one, First Comes Love (loved it!), and Rainbow Rowell’s Landline (cute and quirky).  If you use Goodreads, you can sign up for daily deals.  I signed up for the Barnes and Noble Nook deals, and get an email every day with that day’s deal.  So far I have purchased a couple of e-books for $2 – 3.  When you read as much as I do, the cost of buying books really adds up (yes, I know, I should go to the library!), so I love this new Goodreads feature.  I think it’s available for the Kindle, too, and potentially for bound books.  Check it out if you utilize Goodreads, and connect with me (Valerie Cowan) so we can share book recommendations!

That’s about it for today.  I’m looking forward to a slightly cooler weekend, getting some yard work done, and family time.  Have a great one!

friday fluff

Things get pretty heavy around here.  All of this shame talk is important – so important – but not exactly light reading.  So I have decided to start a new series called Friday Fluff.  I don’t know if I will post every Friday, but these posts will basically be fun things I have come across throughout the week… stories, recipes, photos, quotes, etc., because we all need a little fluff in our lives, amiright???

I have been cooking from this new book and oh wow, I am LOVING it!  Made the prosciutto-wrapped stuffed chicken breasts and cauliflower mash with roasted garlic and ricotta a couple of weeks ago (SERIOUS YUM), and this weekend it’s zucchini “lasagna” bolognese.  I did NOT need another cookbook, but would absolutely make every recipe in this one, and Chrissy Teigen is hilarious, so it’s also a fun read.

Getting ready to dig into this book with a friend.  This is an area of struggle for me, so I’m excited to read and discuss with a trusted confidante.

And because I rarely read just one book at a time, I am working my way through this.  I’m really enjoying it so far and highly recommend it.

Also loving this daily devotional site (ok, so lots of reading recommendations today!).  Today’s email was especially meaningful to me as I know first-hand how God does this in our lives.  You can sign up to receive the daily emails (I did so after receiving one from a friend), which I highly recommend.  They are short, too – a great quick read to start the day off on a positive and encouraging note.

This completely cracks me up.  I have had it open on my laptop for weeks now and when I want to laugh, I go back and scroll through the photos.

The weather is finally getting and staying nice around here, so this weekend and the next include lots of garden prep.  My husband is a master raised-bed-garden builder, and we now have four to fill.  Deciding what to plant is going to be difficult – so many excellent options!  Zucchini is on my must-plant list, as is spinach, and at least one bed will be wholly devoted to peppers.  I also grow about 10 different herbs each year.   What do you grow and what has been successful for you?

Speaking of playing in the dirt… we are going to start composting this year!  We purchased a double-barrel compost bin from Costco and as soon as it is built we’ll be in business.  Anyone have experience with composting?  Tips?  Please?

I can’t let this post end without mentioning the death of Prince (not fluff, I know), a true musical icon.  I always loved his music, but have been learning just how incredibly talented he was.  His music was really a soundtrack for the majority of my life and it saddens me to know he will no longer be creating and sharing with us.  So to honor him and his legacy, here’s one of my faves.

Happy Friday everyone!