Friday Things
1. Did last night’s full moon make anyone as crazy as it made my puppy? He was in rare form, running around like a crazy man! Once my grandma got up in age, she developed some insomnia, and we finally realized it only occurred during full moons. Nuts! I took the photo above two nights ago – the moon looked so cool nestled behind some thin layers of clouds. I didn’t edit the photo at all, that’s straight out of the camera (I used my 70-300mm lens for the photo).
2. Duke is now 11 weeks old! Below are his 9-week, 10-week and 11-week photos. He’s starting to get some feathers on the back of his legs and his tail, but much of his body is still covered in puppy fur, which resembles lamb wool.
He’s getting a little more adventurous out in the yard and is sleeping a little longer at night between potty breaks. We’re still working on house breaking and he wants to chew on everything. It’s a good thing he’s cuddly and cute :)
3. This week, we had 20 pine trees put in on either side of our back yard. It’s the first step in creating the private little oasis we dream about!
4. I’ve gotten back into doing crossword puzzles in the local paper over the last few weeks. I love crosswords! If you do as well, do you have a favorite source for puzzles?
5. I have had a jar of tahini in my pantry for weeks now with the intention of making some fresh hummus, but haven’t gotten around to it. This master chart by Shape magazine on different variations of hummus has inspired me:
What’s your favorite type of hummus?
6. I’ve been craving granola lately, so I’m going to bake up a batch today for snacking. What are your favorite mix-ins for granola? I usually do almonds, dried apricots and Craisins, but would love to change things up a bit!
7. I saw this on Picky Palate’s Facebook page yesterday… love it!
8. Are you decorating your house for fall? I’d like to add some warm accents, I just haven’t figured out what yet. I’ve seen some beautiful mums lately and am thinking of picking up a pair to flank our front door. Aside from that, I have no ideas!
9. I am thinking of resurrecting the Unplugged section of the site and including “life” type updates, like maybe weekly puppy updates and random things along those lines. I also have a “Home & Garden” section lined up for things like house/decor updates, landscaping, gardening, fashion (maybe StitchFix updates?). These posts would not show up on the homepage, but the sections would be accessible from the navigation bar and if you subscribe via RSS or email, you would receive those updates as well. Let me know your thoughts! Are these things you would be interested in?
10. TGIF! It looks like we might be having sleepovers in Einstein’s bed!
Granola is seriously my favorite food right now. And to think I just tried it for the first time a few months ago! I love dried blueberries and cherries in it. I also love macadamia nuts. But quinoa is my favorite addition. I have a recipe for quinoa granola on my blog you might like. http://www.piesandplots.net/quinoa-granola
Would you share your photo with me of the full moon? I’d like to make an 8×10 of it! Maybe send the jpeg to me email? Thanks!
I also love the USA Today app for the iPad for playing crosswords :)
Hehe cookie dough is totally the best ever raw food! Love it!
omg Michelle, I just love your puppy/Einy pics!!! :D So adorable.
I do eat granola every day … I’m pretty standard with my mix-ins … cinnamon, raisins, soynuts, and coconut work for me. Love your pooches!
That photo of the two of them sleeping together is beyond heartwarming. You’re making me want another one. :) A big yes to bringing back Unplugged. Hummus is great but I use tahini (assuming it’s just the paste) to make tahini sauce with lots of garlic and lemon. It makes such a great dip of dressing.
Just so you know, I love your blog and how real you are on it. Your personality just totally shines through :) I’ve been going crazy with fall decor! My favorite is pumpkins, and I’ve been painting them for a more updated look!
LOVE the snuggle picture!!!
My favorite garlic is one that has a couple heads of roasted garlic added (so good!), though I also enjoy lemon hummus when green beans are in season. BTW, I would love to see more of your “unplugged” posts. Anything and everything, keep it coming.
Feathers, huh? Guess he’s a mixed breed. lol
Cutest puppies ever! Well next to mine of course :)
Your love affair with crosswords reminder me of that Sandra Bullock movie “All About Steve” where she is a crossword creator.
20 Pinetrees – hope you have a good rake or two…that’ll take a lot of needle raking! But as I have hedges that routinely grow to crazy heights I understand the desire for privacy!
I love all the stuff you share so I vote bring on whatever is going on in your world.
Michelle, I always start my morning with a cup of coffee and looking through your blog. Love the doggie pictures. They put a smile on my face. I would love you to do the Unplugged section. Would enjoy any ideas or pictures of home decorating.
My favorite granola add in is now some finely chopped crystallized ginger and some candied orange peel, both of which I get from King Arthur Flour on line. Love the little zing I get from those flavors.
Your dogs are awesome – keep those photos coming! So cute together.
Oh my goodness, that last picture of your pups just totally warmed my heart. Adorable!
I luv your doggie pics. They are so cute! I have a yellow lab puppy that is about 2 weeks older than your pup. I can watch yours grow up along with mine. I would like to see your unplugged section, I think it would very interesting.
SWEET DOGS AND BEAUTIFUL MOON
The full moon made me crazy! Lol! I have never made hummus before but the chart really makes me want to try!! I love making homemade granola and the kids love it when I mix in mint chocolate Oreos! It is so good!
My new favorite mix in for granola is cooked quinoa. I add about 1 cup of cooked quinoa for every 2 cups of oats. I cook it with the oats and it gets really crunchy and nutty! So good!
I loved putting sliced almonds, assorted seeds, coconut and chia seeds in my granola. I could eat it every single day.
I just found your blog and am making your thai peanut cabbage slaw for a picnin this weekend. I’m sure it will be great.
Here’s my favorite hummus recipe. Everyone always loves this.
Ingredients:
1 14.5oz can garbanzo beans (AKA chickpeas)
2Tbsp Tahini (sesame paste)
1Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1/2tsp Cayenne pepper (adjust to your taste for heat)
1tsp Ground cumin
1tsp Ground coriander
1 clove Garlic, chopped
½tsp Kosher salt
1 Juice of one small lemon
4oz Roasted red peppers
Directions:
Drain the beans and reserve the juice.
Combine the drained beans and the remaining ingredients except for the bean juice in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Add the reserved bean juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
Serve with pita wedges or tortilla chips.
Awww!!! The puppies are the best! Thanks for sharing your photos !!
I would really en joy your “unplugged” options!
I love the list of different hummus ideas! It makes me want to have an hors d’oeurves party with different hummus dips and veggies and pita chips. I also love the updates and pictures of your dogs. I would love that stuff in the unplugged section of your site.
IWhat an amazing picture…I thought it was a picture you had found somewhere… clear, full moon nights are SO cool!! I love getting your puppy
up dates!! I remember the “new” puppy phase,
and your right…it’s a good thing their cute!!
Your “sharing the bed” picture is sooo sweet!!
Enjoy your blog for so many reasons!
Love that cookie dough image, that is one raw food I can’t say no to! :)
We go all out for decorations for Fall and Winter, just seeing the place decorated causes many smiles – I can never have too many ghosts or pumpkins!
Agh! Your pups are soo cute!
I like doing the Daily Crossword on Yahoo.
Happy Friday and TGIF!!! Duke and Einstein are sooo adorable!!! Thanks for posting such sweet pictures!! Fabulous shot of the harvest moon too! I just love, love this time of year!! Hmmm…fall decorating, yes mums flanking both sides of the front door are a great idea!! And to echo one of the earlier postings, I agree that changing pillows to seasonal colors is a quick and inexpensive way to change the look of a room. I would try adding a warm throw on the couch, you can change the colors and weight of these to match the season. I just bought some of the cinnamon scented pine cones they sell at Michaels, I put them around the house in various places and they last throughout the holiday season and smell so darned good! :) I also love to put candles around the house. I love the new Luminara candles that have the flame with timer. I put them in my windows and set the timer so when I come home and see the warm glow of lights in the window it just feels so homey and welcoming! I also put them on my shelf going up my staircase and on my dining room table; anywhere a real candle burning would not be safe. I hope you have a great weekend and enjoy those pups!
My family can’t get enough of your Einstein/Duke pics — please keep them coming!!
Aging puppies? A metafor for life! Great links!
Raw cookie dough is the best – I’m totally on board!!
Yes bring back unplugged! I love feeling more connected to my bloggers with life updates!!
That first shot is awesome and the hummus guide is so cool! I can’t wait to use it!
OMG — that photo of Einstein and Duke melted my heart. That is waaaaaay too adorable and sweet.
Would love to receive Unplugged comments. You write so beautifully and I look forward to Friday Things every week. The puppy is so darned cute. Keep up the good work. Love ya!
LOVE the puppy updates! (Yes, I am a cat person.) My inner goth admires that top photo of the full moon…dreamy. Dig that hummus guide and the someecards raw diet to include cookie dough is a riot. Thanks for sharing and happy weekend!
I have so much to say I will shorthand it…love, love, love Duke’s growth pics and the sleepover picture is to die for…too darn cute. Keep them coming, please!
Wedding pics too…please! I say go for it in the Unplugged section. You have so much going on now and I know you have tons of followers who would love to hear about “stuff”. A friend of mine opted to plant a long row of Hemlocks as a natural privacy “fence” along the border of her yard. It took a few years for them to really take off but they are huge now and have created a totally private back yard. I used to love making rustic fall wreaths from a wild growing vine called bittersweet. You can now find imitation bittersweet at craft stores. Places like AC Moore, Michael’s Crafts and Jo-Ann Fabric always have seasonal specials and cute ideas. Finally, thanks for the hummus chart. I will be making the Italian version ASAP.
Love your blog and would enjoy seeing more on your home decorating and gardening ideas and especially updates on your adorable pets. Absolutely love the photos of Duke & Einstein. The photo of the moon was amazing, Also enjoy hearing about your travels and adventures with your CCC.
Awesome picture!! And YES on the Unplugged posts. Happy Friday!
Oooh I love that little hummus ideas. I can only eat hummus from one particular restaurant called the Real Greek which we have in London or if I make it myself, which is very rare. The little chart has got me wanting so different hummus. Thanks for sharing. BTW, your puppy looks like those cute andrex puppies
I too am a dog lover. The thought of a dog sleepover tickles me. Loved the picture of the sleepover.
You may like to add dried autumn leafs to your floral arrangements in the house for an autumn feel. Maybe a scatter of gourds and indian corn on the cob in decorative arrangements.
Einstein and Duke pic is priceless!!! How adorable!!! And this weekend you have now inspired me to make italian hummus!! Sounds yummy!
Loving the pumpkin atmosphere I made a chocolate pumpkin spice bundt cake with a cinnamon glaze this morning!!! My coworkers will be enjoying shortly! Again loved the ideas this week
Such a spooky, cool picture of the moon! It looks like the moon is coming right out of the picture at you. I’d love to see home decor and gardening updates, but my favorite updates are definitely golden related.
Here’s my favorite granola recipe right now. You should try it,
http://pinkstripes.wordpress.com/2010/08/15/sms-cherry-almond-granola/
The picture of Einstein and Duke in E’s bed is too cute!! I can’t wait to get our golden puppy, hopefully at Christmas. Do you give plenty of ice cubes to Duke for the chewing problem? He’s probably teething and chewing things makes him feel better, but chewing ice might replace some of his chewing habits. My last golden had a puppy habit of chewing thru electrical cords, Ugh!!
love the puppy updates, wish we had fall here in muggy humid rainy south florida. no real change of seasons here people don’t bother with any decorations or fall things. loive the idea of home things, and puppy updates, labs are the best dog, my brothers labis nowt a senior 18 and having accidents from old age. ENJOY THE PUPPY STAGE
Merl Reagle puzzles are different and lots of fun!!! You can order them on Amazon.
Love the Friday Things, those pups are precious. I never get tired of learning, a new recipe or a home decorating tip always gets my attention.
I LOVE crossword puzzles. You can’t beat the NY Times – they get progressively harder throughout the week, with Monday nice and easy, and Saturday a real challenge. Will Shortz, the crossword editor, also has tons of books out of puzzles that weren’t published in the Times, so you’ll never run out of this “feel” of crossword.
I thought your picture of the moon was a stock photo. Well done Michelle. Also I love the picture of your dogs…it was precious.
I would love to see some of your home decorating, garden and especially puppy updates!!!
Duke is so cute I think I would let him chew on everything. Well, ok, probably not, but it would be so hard to scold him. Einstein and Duke are just adorable!!!
i do the crossword every morning on my ipad while drinking my cappuccino :)
my source – i have the USA Today app on my ipad and in the Life section they have a daily crossword. they dont offer one on sundays though. no subscription required.
Those dogs melt my heart. And I think the mums are super fall. It might be the easy way out but it works. Those are my go to fall decoration.
For your house decorations… everyone thought I was nuts when I said I wanted our lower level to be all white ( my bedrooms are very colorful). I agree with Sarah in that throw pillows are the way to go. You can change those with the seasons and when not in use just space bag them and send them under the bed until their next go round. I also got on the JoAnn Fabrics and Michaels mailing list and email list right away. They usually have 40 to 60 % off coupons every month on anything that’s not on sale so I usually get my decorations that way. I have a vase on our coffee table that the contents change with the season. I will be putting goards in there shortly, I got married last weekend so currently there are still Easter eggs in it. Oh well what can I say I couldn’t think of anything past Easter.
As for #9. I’m all for your Unplugged series. You have such a fantastic blog that I’d like to see more into the woman behind the recipes!
Aww, they are just so cute!
I love the picture of the moon. If I were to send out Halloween invites, this would be it.
I’d sure be interested in the house/garden section, I’m already intrigued by the pine trees.
Love the hummus chart! And your pooches are so adorable. We had a golden for almost 13 years & he looked just like Duke when he was a puppy… Hope you’re enjoying the season!
I totally LOVE your blog! I hope to aspire to your caliber one day with my knitting blog! I agree with the poster who said Duke was too stinkin’ cute! He is just precious! Thanks for the hummus chart, too. It is OMG early in NC, But the fall is coming around the bend, and I think that burgundy, burnt orange, deep purples, olives, and hunter greens are beautiful colors to accent each other nicely. I don’t do the mum thing because my animal, read cat, loves to eat them. For me, fall means Christmas is coming! Fall means it won’t be so blessed hot to knit now, and I may get a sweater knitted up for me before Spring. Thanks for the time you spend with us on your wonderful blog! I love it, subscribe to the RSS feed, and eagerly read each post you make.
Granola: How about dried pineapple, dried papaya, dried cherries, dried dates, dried blueberries, pecan nuts, hazlenuts, pinenuts, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup…
Your dogs look so cute!
I love the hummus chart! I made cookie dough hummus once:http://scrumptiousgruel.wordpress.com/2012/06/30/addicted-to-love/
Love the picture of Einstein and Duke asleep together. Would love a Lab and Einstein is so pretty and must be satisfied with Duke.
We saw the full moon to last night, I thought your photo was a Halloween one before I read your caption. Pinning your humus guide, I love it but never make it that often. Your dogs are so cute, love the last photo.
Love that cookie dough/raw food meme. LOL
Bring back Unplugged!
And your 70-300mm – nice glass! :)
Hi Michelle!
First off, I wanted to tell you that your puppy is so stinkin’ cute! Second, I have a few ideas for number 8 that I though I would share. :) I don’t know what colors you have in your house but accent pillows are one way to bring in some fall color. For a dinner table center piece, I usually will get some Indian corn, gourds and mini pumpkins and arrange them in a nice bowl, vase or platter. I think the mums on the front porch is a great idea and to go with it you could get a red berry wreath! Just a few ideas… Happy fall and good luck with the decorating!