Gratitude for Nie Nie
Did you see Stephanie Nielson on Oprah this week? I’m not much of a daytime television watcher, but when I heard Nie Nie was going to be on Oprah, I set the program to record. I love reading her blog,…
Calli
Shortbread
This week I made dinner for the teachers at our school. Our menu was Italian, but I figured they’d forgive me for flying farther north for the dessert. I served the shortbread with a brown butter pecan glaze on top.…
This Old Bed
This week as I was driving to Salt Lake City, I was listening to NPR’s Radio West. The author being interviewed was Ellen Ruppel Shell about her book, Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture. The subject really caught my…
Concord Grapes for Juice and Jelly
My kids were out of school Monday. So we headed up to my mother-in-law’s home to pick Concord Grapes. She says the best time to pick Concord grapes is right after the first cold snap. Picking grapes is a great…
Cascade Springs
One of our favorite family traditions is visiting Cascade Springs in the Autumn to take pictures in the leaves. We have visited Cascade Springs every year since Ben was born and I love to look through the progression of our…
Of Course I Can!
I ran across this old WWII poster yesterday and loved it! Check out her expression, like she’s been scared half to death. I have just one question, is she learning how to can? Because I probably looked like that this…
Canning Applesauce
Canning applesauce is one of my favorite canning days of the year. It smells heavenly when it’s cooking… and yesterday was shaping up to be a wonderful canning day. It was the first real cold snap of the season and…
A few Halloween Costume Ideas for Boys
I am writing about costume ideas for boys with the hope that it may spark some wonderful idea for a costume for my son. At age 9, he is so worried about having an older kids costume. The other day…
Well Laid Plans
Yesterday I tried to finish a few sewing projects. But my sewing machine was acting up on me. I really hope it’s alright and that it is something simple! I think I need to run it into the sewing shop…
If at first you don’t succeed… Canning Salsa
Last year I canned salsa for the first time. I didn’t have a good recipe, so I looked online. There were hundreds of recipes to choose from and I felt a bit daunted. My husband loves salsa and is very…
Looking for Inspiration
I am always looking for ideas for new projects. One place I love to check out is Anthropologie. Their products are usually quite expensive… but many of their products have a homemade quality about them that make them perfect for…
Connections to my Grandmother
My maternal grandmother was Maxine Platts Morgan. She died of breast cancer just after she turned 45 years old. That was the year before I was born. I have the honor of sharing her name as my middle name… Calli…