Birthday Surprise

Taylor wanted to surprise me by coming home from college for my birthday today, so Jim set up this elaborate ruse about having to go into work for a meeting, etc etc.

In reality, he headed to Brattleboro to pick Taylor up off the train!
It's super hard to surprise me with ANYTHING, but they pulled it off :)

Best birthday surprise EVER.
Love you, sweet girl!

Ocean breezes were calling

Seen while kayaking last weekend on Salt Pond Bay, Cape Cod, MA
Did we get stuck in the mud flats? yes
Did we have to slog through mud 6" deep to get unstuck? yes
Did salt water and mud splash all over us, and my camera? yes
Did we have fun anyway? yes

A quick link..

It looks like today I am sharing some links with you all. 

The earlier one from today hopefully made you laugh..this one will make you think and maybe cry. 

It's worth sharing. 

It's a post from a blogger who is a professional photographer, a wife, a mom, and a genuine lovely person whose husband was recently deployed to Afghanistan (I have to confess, however, that I have never met Karen Russell in person, but have been reading her blog for years...lol)

Here is one of her posts from last week that I thought deserved, no NEEDED to be shared.

Go HERE

A quick funny

Click here for the giggle of the day....

Mums for Mom [+Dad]

Our annual trek to the "Mum Farm" [as we call it] happened this weekend. Jim calls it the best deal on the planet. Huge, gorgeous mums, cornstalks with CORN still on it, and beautifully shaped pumpkins for an amazingly cheap price.

One photo challenge

Being such a blog slacker that I am, I am giving myself a blog challenge that I hope will be doable, and one that gives me the opportunity to improve.

I resolve to post ONE photo a day. Period. With a small description of the photo. Something my children can look at and remember HOME.

I have high hopes I can meet this challenge!

Here's today's photo:

The makings of Curried Butternut Squash Soup (from here) headed into the crockpot. Despite the decidedly UNfall weather we are having, looking outside and seeing the leaves begin to turn inspires me to once again crank out some soups from my kitchen.

Here's the recipe if you're interested....

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

• 4 tablespoons sweet butter
• 2 C finely chopped yellow onions*
• 4 to 5 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 medium-size butternut squash*
• 2 apples*, peeled, cored and chopped
• 3 C chicken stock
• 1 C apple juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 shredded unpeeled Granny Smith apple (for garnish)

1. Melt the butter in a pot. Add chopped onions and curry powder and cook, covered, over low heat until onions are tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile peel the squash (a regular vegetable peeler works best), scrape out the seeds and chop the flesh.
3. When onions are tender, pour in the stock, add squash and apples and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered, until squash and apples are very tender, about 25 minutes.
4. Pour the soup through strainer, reserving liquid and transfer the solids to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, or use a food mill fitted with a medium disc. Add I cup of the cooking stock and process until smooth.
5. Return puréed soup to the pot and add the apple juice and additional cooking liquid, about 2 cups, until the soup is of the desired consistency.
6. Season to taste wit salt and pepper, simmer briefly to heat through and serve immediately, garnished with shredded apple

4 to 6 portions