March was in-sane around here. Every second of the month felt scheduled. It was wonderful and fun and exhausting, and I am so glad it’s over. In contrast, this weekend has been wonderfully peaceful. On Saturday, Brian cleaned the house while I planted the garden. The girls enjoyed the quiet, too, playing with Duplos and reading books. The rest has done wonders to restore my sense of well being. In March, I was drowning. But halfway through April, the beauty of spring and mild weather have gone a long way to restore my sense of optimism. [Read more…]
citrus pound cake with candied orange peel + weekend links
March has me feeling a little overwhelmed –– between colds, sick days, gentler weather, the time change (What is up with that? It’s been brutal this year.), and too much work, I’m feeling the crunch. But, for now anyway, things are calmer and I’m ready to head into a restorative week.
I made this pound cake a few weeks ago, when spring still felt a little iffy. But now, as the sun shines and pretty blossoms start to dot the landscape, it feels like a good fit for the times –– bright, frosty, and a last hurrah for citrus season. Head over to Handmade Charlotte for the recipe. [Read more…]
Hot Buttered Rum Cookies
Super flavorful hot buttered rum sugar cookies inspired by the festive winter cocktail.
bold rock cider tour + weekend links
A few weeks back, I took a press tour of Bold Rock Cider. Our group of journalists, writers, and bloggers visited the Bold Rock cidery, tasted some of their offerings, and met John Washburn and Brian Shanks of Bold Rock, as well as Virginia Secretary of Agriculture Todd Haymore who was there to kick off Virginia cider week. Agriculture is Virginia’s largest industry by a mile and it’s crucial to the state’s future, so it was great to hear Secretary Haymore discuss his stewardship of the state’s agriculture. The focus of the evening, of course, was Virginia apples, so a host of growers and cider producers were also in attendance. [Read more…]
persimmon, radish, and watercress salad + weekend links
I’m pretty sure that the work week after Thanksgiving is the longest of the year. And this one, especially. Christmas preparation and hard news are a strange and terrible combination.
Brian and I have been staying up late discussing the week’s news, exchanging links, and sharing social media discussions. After such a long, heavy kind of week, I’m looking for holiday escapism –– getting our tree, ice skating, making cookies, and all that. But first, my weekend links. [Read more…]