The heat wave finally broke yesterday around here, and it is beginning to feel like Fall!
This year I added a few new pumpkins to my collection in the form of pillows with my watercolor artwork on.
I decided to add a few of my art pieces to a McKinneyX2Designs Society6 shop to see how it would turn out. I’m pretty thrilled with the quality of the pillows and pouches I ordered.
Besides that are some of my collection through the years, including signs and rustic pumpkins made by my DIL for our McKinneyX2 Etsy Shop and on display at Berry Vine Gifts in Bradford Woods (which by the way is holding a Fall Festival this weekend where I will be working this afternoon!)
I have pumpkins at the front door…
and at the back door.
There are pumpkins here..
and there…
and everywhere!
I’m hoping to add a few more to my collection today at the Fall Festival,
because I still have some pumpkin-less spaces!
If you would like to see more of my art on pillows and pouches and cups and mugs and notebooks and iPhone cases, and even furniture, check it out here: Mx2 Society6. There’s even a great Fall sale going on. We also have some super new stuff added to our ETSY shop so you can Pumpkin it up around the house!
And even though the temps lately have been in the 80-90 degrees F range, there is a feeling of Autumn in the air.
In the mood for soup, I decided to create a roasted carrot soup with some vegies I had in the fridge.
It turned out SOOOO good!
I mean – how can you go wrong with roasted vegetables that include onion and garlic and fresh rosemary pureed into a creamy, warm, soothing soup?
You could add some greek yogurt or cream to make it even creamier, but I loved the freshness and healthiness of this soup that tastes like it is loaded with calories, but instead is low-calorie and loaded with flavor!
Hope you will give it a try. I loved how it turned out!
Layer first 8 ingredients in a large stoneware bar pan or shallow roasting pan. Drizzle liberally with olive oil, and toss to coat. Roast 30-40 minutes.
Transfer roasted vegetables to a pot. Add chicken broth. Blend with Immersion Blender or in food processor or blender until creamy. (I love using an immersion blender as it is quick, efficient, and easy to clean up.)
Ladle into bowls, and top with croutons if desired.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
*I have become such a huge fan of Maldon Sea Salt! I’ve always been a salt lover, but these soft, flaky sea salt crystals have a clean salt flavor without the bitter after taste that table salts I’ve always used in the past leave. It truly provides a freshness that enhances the flavor of food. I so highly recommend it! It not only tastes wonderful, but it is also beautiful to season with. AND, as a watercolor artist, I love it to use to create textures in my artwork! I keep mine in a cute little bamboo salt box on the kitchen counter next to the stovetop for ease of grabbing pinches of for cooking. Bravo Maldon!! (and this is not a paid promotion in any way, shape, or form – I just seriously love this stuff!)
With Jodi’s kind permission I’m sharing some of my favourite posts from her fantastic blog, of which you could say that I’m a devoted follower. If you enjoy beauty, art and inspiration (not to mention mouth-watering food recipes) then Jodi’s blog simply has it all! I feel honoured that Jodi so generously allows me to […]
I was so honored by this beautiful post created by Liz at Exploring Color, I had to share. Thank you my sweet friend Liz from the other side of the world in New Zealand!
I hope you enjoy this beautiful post she created about the Four Seasons from my blog. My heart is so touched. I hope you will check out her lovely blog.
Four Seasons with Jodi
Autumn
I’m starting with Autumn because this recent post of Jodi’s prompted me to do ‘Four Seasons with Jodi’. It touched my heart…
Let the Rain Fall
Goldfinch in the Rain – Autumn, Mars, PA
I watched you as you sat proud and beautiful
while the rain fell on and around you.
You didn’t need
the sun to make you shine.
In fact,
you stood out even brighter in the cloudy drizzle.
And I was reminded
true beauty comes from within.
It can’t be soaked or drenched
or washed off.
It can’t be dampened or doused
by the storms of life.
Let the rain fall.
Let the storms crash.
And continue to shine
your authentic beautiful self.
Early November Morning Walk after the Storm – thecreativelifeinbetween.com
On this Road called Life.
There will be ups and downs…
There will be twists and turns.
There will be sunshine and rain…
There will be seasons of change.
But straight roads
don’t make skillful drivers.
And flowers can’t grow
on smoothly paved roads.
This road called life
is your path to choose.
And if you don’t like the one you are traveling on….
pave a new.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
We had an unseasonably strong thunderstorm this past Saturday night, but Sunday morning brought shiny, clean beauty on my morning walk with Charlie that was made even sweeter by the extra hour of sleep gifted from “Falling Back” from Daylight Savings to Eastern Standard Time and the gorgeous colors of Autumn leaves.
Combine oats, brown sugar, flour 1 Tbsp cinnamon, salt, and butter to crumble consistently. Add chopped nuts and combine.
Press 1/3 of the mixture into the bottom of a round or square baking dish (9-11″). Spread peeled, sliced apples on top. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Top with remaining crumble mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes until apples are tender and crumble is browned.
Serve warm with ice cream or cool whip or cold for breakfast (wink!) – however you prefer!
the creative life in between 