I hope everyone has been warm! I know it's been a very snowy and cold winter for most of the country. I hope you're getting some much needed sunshine and drier weather.
Outside my window - We finally got some much-needed snow! It’s been such a dry winter, so we were truly happy to see white fluff falling from the sky. We only received about four inches, but that’s more than we’ve had all winter, and it felt like a gift. Our world looked fresh and clean again.
I'm hoping that March will come in like a lion, bringing lots snow and rain. Then it can go out like a lamb, with warmer weather and sunshine.
Something from my playlist - I love the message in this song . . .
Something I'm thinking - We don’t go all out for Valentine’s Day. Bob and I get the gift of being together every day, and I like to think we find little ways to love each other all year long. But this year, I made a special dinner (the recipe is in my last post!), and it was absolutely delicious. Sometimes we just like to have simple food, a quiet evening, and the comfort of being home — and that feels pretty fabulous to us.
Peach Glazed Chicken, green salad, rice pilaf and homemade buiscuts
Peach cobbler with ice cream and caramel sauce
On Sunday, we celebrated Valentine’s Day with all of our children, it was so much fun. We made Cafe Rio-style salads and topped the evening off with warm brownies, ice cream, and every sweet “fixin’” you could imagine. The food was delicious, but honestly, that wasn’t the best part. Having everyone together — hearing the laughter, watching the conversations around the table, just being in the same room — that was the real gift. Days like that remind me what Valentine’s Day is truly about.
I had so much fun, I forgot to take any pictures to remember the Day!
What's cookin' - Last week I made one of our favorites - homemade mushroom soup! I make this recipe in the InstantPot, it's so easy and always delicious.
Bob likes lots of salt and pepper, I like lot's of oyster crackers ;0) This is a recipe from, Step-By-Step, Instant Pot, by Jeffrey Eisner. The recipe looks complicated, but it's not, I promise! And what I love about this book, is that you can make the recipes your own. For instance, I don't use truffle oil, and I didn't have heavy cream that day. I did have evaporated milk, so that's what I used instead. I also like my soup a little thicker, so I added and extra 2 tbls. of flour to the sauted mushrooms, and it turned out perfect.
There are so many delicious recipes in this book. I'm looking forward to making more of them, especially this coming summer.
I must have been in the mood to cook last week, because the very next day I made bread. I rarely buy store-bought bread unless I absolutely have to — I just don’t care for it, and truthfully, I really enjoy the process of making it myself. There’s something so satisfying about kneading the dough and watching it rise.
Sometimes, instead of shaping two loaves, I’ll turn one loaf into cinnamon rolls or dinner rolls to go with a meal. We don’t eat a lot of bread, so when I do make two loafs, I always freeze one. When I pull it out later and let it defrost, it tastes just as fresh as the day I made it. There’s nothing quite like homemade bread.
I'm creating - I only have one more color to do on my cross stitch project. There are so many mistakes, but cross-stitch can be pretty forgiving - thank goodness.
Something cute - Our cute little, Indy really needs to have some time outside. She doesn't like to go out without one of us with her, so, this is what she does all day...
And at night, this is what she does... Sleep all day, play all night... Such a stinker! I really need to do something about that. 😕
Just sayin' -
I hope everyone has a great week-end. And I hope you are safe, happy, healthy and feel loved.
Hello, February....A quiet, hopeful, reflective month filled with love—and sweet little joys like pink sugar cookies, conversation hearts, and delicious meals made for those we love.
Outside my Window - January was a very slow month for me, and honestly, a hard one. I really struggle with the lack of light, and it affects me more than I wish it did. The darker days tend to bring a heaviness that’s hard to shake. We haven't had had hardly any snow this winter, it's just been a very gray winter. But today felt different. The sun was out, and it was almost 50 degrees. Standing in the sunshine, I could feel my mood lift. It reminded me how much I need light—both physically and emotionally.
On my Playlist - Because it's the month for love!
On My Mind - Like everyone else, I'm ready for spring. Winter seemed very long to me, and I really needed to have a day out. We did manage to take a short day trip in January. I didn’t take many pictures, but that’s okay. What mattered most was getting out of the house and being surrounded by nature again. It felt grounding and refreshing in a wonderful way—it was just what I needed!
It was a beautiful day, from the beginning of the day to the end of the day.
We found out earlier this month that my granddaughter and her husband are expecting a baby in August, and we were also thrilled to find out that they are having a baby boy! Needless to say, I have been thinking of all the fun and cuddles I hope to have with this new addition to our family, even though it seems so weird to be a great-gandmother!
I'm Creating - I’ve learned I need something to do with my hands in the evenings while I watch TV. So, I picked up a cross-stitch project, and it’s been such a joy to watch it slowly become a beautiful piece of art. This particular design is called The Tree of Life.
I also want to crochet a baby blanket for the new baby. This pattern is one I'm thinking of making. She has some specific colors in mind, so I'll use the colors she wants. This is an Etsy pattern... here is the link. You do have to pay for it, but it's not expensive. I also want to make her a white blanket to use for the baby blessing, or other special occasions.
In the Kitchen - On Valentine’s Day, we usually go out to dinner and have prime rib. This year, though, because of the price of beef, we decided to stay home and make something delicious with chicken. The recipe is delicious and inexpensive. I'll pair it with a green salad and rice pilaf. For dessert I'm going to make peach cobbler with ice cream —it’s one of my husband’s favorites! Don't worry, we'll have plenty of chocolate as well. ;0)
Peach-Glazed Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs or tenders
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
Peach Glaze
1 cup peach preserves (or peach jam)
2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
2 tbsp honey (optional, if you like it sweeter)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp ginger (ground or freshly grated)
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Optional garnish
Fresh thyme or parsley
Sliced peaches (fresh or canned, drained)
Instructions
Season the chicken
Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Sear
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook 4–6 minutes per side, until golden brown and mostly cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
Make the glaze
In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium. Add peach preserves, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Stir and let it simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
Glaze the chicken
Return the chicken to the pan, spooning the glaze over the top. Simmer for another 3–5 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is fully cooked and coated in that glossy peach goodness.
Finish & serve
Garnish with fresh herbs or peach slices if you like. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or with roasted veggies.
It’s been quite a while since I last visited this lonely little blog. I do plan to stop by more often in 2026—this is the first of twelve.
I really checked out back in September 2025. My intention was to make my blog private, but despite my best efforts, it just didn’t work out. I truly hope my friends haven’t given up on me.
I’ve been navigating several health issues, which led to two surgeries—one in October and another in November. I’m on the mend now, but there’s still one more hurdle before it’s all behind me. Hopefully, this will mark the end of what’s felt like a very long year.
A few highlights from the last few months…
I turned 70 in November, and that milestone really gave me pause. Normally, age doesn’t weigh on me, but this birthday felt significant.
I was fortunate to celebrate with my children and their families. My daughter made a delicious Dubai chocolate cake—it was absolutely scrumptious!
November came with so much to be thankful for! I didn’t take any pictures on Thanksgiving, but it was wonderful. All of my children and grandchildren were here, and we spent the day visiting, celebrating, and enjoying good food together.
Christmastime can feel overwhelming for me, and this year was no exception. I truly love the “reason for the season” and sincerely try to keep Christ at the center of Christmas, even when the noise and commercialism around it becomes distracting. In the rush of the season, I sometimes lose sight of why I’m buying gifts, baking, planning, worrying and trying to make merry. I usually find myself focusing on the things that trouble me most about Christmas. I’m learning to give myself grace in those moments and hope to approach the season a little differently in the years to come.
I love focusing on my family, and this Christmas we had such a special treat. My granddaughter-in-law, Lisa (on the right), and her sister Anais, who are both from France, made a wonderful traditional French dinner for Christmas Eve. They cooked roast beef in red wine, potato croquettes, and deviled eggs, along with a simple green salad with French vinaigrette. We ended the evening with a yule log cake they make every year, and it was absolutely delicious. It was such a fun and memorable night together.
Today brought the very best news. My oldest granddaughter, Taylor, called to tell us that she and her husband are expecting a baby. This will be our first great-grandchild, and we are beyond excited. What a wonderful year this will be!
I hope this post finds everyone safe, healthy, warm, and filled with hope for the year ahead. I plan to share just one post each month, and I hope to fill this space with the moments I cherish, along with a few things that might make you smile. I'm also looking forward to catching up on your posts! I've missed you!
And of course, I leave you with a beautiful, Idaho sunset . . .
