Another New Color of the Year for 2015

Benjamin Moore, thankfully, spit in the eye of Pantone (who picked their own weird Color of the Year), and chose another color, instead.

Guilford Green. 

Kind of a 'silvery sage ' they call it.

Soft, classic...and very versatile.



All I can say is...whew. I don't have to wince so much anymore.

Now That's A Buy!

Yet another reason you should consider thrift shop furniture...

Three college roommates buy a $20 sofa, but can't figure out why it's so lumpy.

They start digging around underneath the cushions -- and find more than $40,000 in cash.

I don't want to ruin the rest of the story...but it's an interesting one. Click on the link for more. Except the real couch didn't look like this wonderful photo via Apartment Therapy.

Nope, it looked like this. Ewwww.

Bits and Pieces, Gathered on A Chilly Day

After a few days of incredible warmth (yes, in the FORTIES), we woke up to ice-coated trees and a fine mist of snow in the air. It's still snowing, but at least the sun comes out now and then.

Welcome to January.

I thought I was completely recovered from the flu...I'm not. Easily chilled. Aching all over. Head banging. No energy. I can read now (couldn't even do that when I was really sick), but can't seem to force myself to finish up jobs. I get part way, run out of energy...and stop.
    I have reports that need to be done. I have to get a quilt bound and shipped out -- it's overdue now.

These need to be finished. I need to force myself to keep going.

The dogs stay close. They are the goofiest, most endearing personalities right now. Is it because they know I need the warmth and doggy love?

The chickens burst out of the coop like clowns in a circus car every morning. Then they realize it's still cold; many times they'll try to fly over the snow to get to the food and watering dishes. (Hilarious when they run out of steam -- but not snow!) They're still laying fairly regularly - between 7-11 eggs daily for 19 chickens. Not bad...but not outstanding, either.
    A smackerel of feed, a quick drink of water...and if it's chilly, back in the coop. Not that I blame them -- it's got a heat lamp in there, after all.

Food prep's been minimal. Mostly, I've been trying to hold off on a trip to the grocery until Friday, and use up bits and pieces leftover from holiday dishes, instead. We had oyster stew last night (finished off the oysters from Angels on Horseback), plus 'Spinach Spheres,' a goofy-sounding dish. My variation follows -- try these, they're good, even if you're not a spinach-lover.

SPINACH...ER....WHATEVER

1/2 bunch chopped fresh spinach (or 1 10 oz. pkg frozen) -- use the stems first
4 chopped green onions
4 mushrooms, chopped
2 cups breadcrumbs or stuffing
            (I used stuffing-flavored bread, about 7 slices, ripped into small chunks)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 tomatoes, sliced thick

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Nuke the spinach and butter until butter is melted, then mix in everything else but tomatoes. (It's easiest to mix by hand.)
    Arrange the tomatoes on an ungreased baking sheet. Form the stuffing mix into balls, and place one on each of the tomato slices. (I know. This sounds weird. Do it.)
    Bake for 20 min., or until lightly browned. After you taste the first one, concentrate hard on trying not to wolf the others down. Makes about 8; serves 4 (or two wolves).

And thanks to Kevin and Nancy Mills of Help! My Apartment Has A Kitchen!
     I will not doubt you again.
 

The other leftovers show up mixed into other things, like soup and casseroles -- sometimes disguised, sometimes not. I am beginning to see bare space on the shelves again, thanks to concentrating on using the extra food up.  Well, except for the crisper, which still holds 25 pounds or so of apples, stashed away in the fall.

Maybe I'll make apple crisp for supper. 

Encouragement

If you're feeling discouraged...tired...or intimidated, this song by Mercy Me is a great reminder:

We don't have to do this alone.

Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: Tidying Up

If you're  living on the east coast, you're now getting our low temps and snow dumping sessions. For most of us in Colorado, we're now in 40-degree weather. Get out the bikini and the lounge chair!
     The flu is finally slinking out the door. (Good riddance, I say.) The Christmas tree is out on the patio, looking forlorn. And I've actually tidied up several piles. Surprise: while doing that, I found several items I've been looking for!
     To top off the good news, the Brick managed to get 'my' laptop working again, which is wonderful. You don't realize how much you get used to working with the same equipment. He said, "why are your 'j,' 'k' and 'a' keys nearly worn off?" Guess I must type words with those letters more than the others.
     Meanwhile:



One chicken -- six meals. (From Heavenly Homemaker)



Kettlecorn -- made easy!   (From Penniless Parenting)



Best projects from 2014. (From Funky Junk, one of my favorite how-to bloggers...and a bunch of other people)

Make nailholes disappear on white walls...fast. (From The Frugal Girls) Speaking of walls --

A WWI soldier's room left untouched for nearly a century. Talk about freeze-frames.



The high-school senior who made millions from stock trades -- but it was a lie. 



A man pays off his parents' mortgage for a Christmas present -- and videotapes them when they find out. Touching and funny, all at the same time. 



13 (gross) things advertisers do to make food photos more appealing. (From Cracked.com)



The 60 funniest moments of 2014...courtesy of the Huffington Post.



An amazing gospel flash mob...on a subway!

Make a name necklace...all you need is wire and a pliers. (From Frugal Upstate)



18 easy cooking lessons for all sorts of dishes.



Preserved lemons -- for all sorts of Middle Eastern dishes. (From Larder Love) A visually festive way to enjoy your lemons, without having them harden up or go bad.

Her clementine sorbet looks delicious.  Far easier to make than it sounds.

Two million dollars' worth of paintings -- discovered in a basement!


And finally... zero sum budgeting -- or the art of making every dollar work. (From The Simple Dollar)



Have a great week.

Hmmmm...

Snowing...Again

     Since we got home, just before Christmas, we've had more than our share of the White Stuff: flittering, floating and just plain dumping. Today's flurries were more of same -- somewhere around 8", being pushed around by a brisk wind.
     True to form, the Denver forecasters said our accumulation would be "negligible." They said the same thing about the last storm -- and that one produced about a foot of snow for us. It's gotten so laughable that if the forecasters pooh-pooh any snow building up, people around here make a beeline for the grocery store or other errands. They want to get it done, before the inevitable hits!

     What makes this especially ironic: a typical Colorado Christmas on the flatlands (i.e., not in the mountains) usually means, brown worn-out landscapes. We rarely have snow until later in the season, although we will have these gutbuster, humdinger storms that roar in, drop a foot or so, then disappear quickly.
     It's also been FREEZING. Until yesterday, we only had a top high of about 10 above. Our hot-water pipes froze up earlier this week; thankfully, they didn't burst. Daughter #2, who lives up in Nederland in the mountains, has had the same problem -- but worse. We only had a few pipes freeze; nearly all of hers went into ice mode. Fortunately, she was also able to thaw them out. But it means she'll have to keep her faucets dripping at night to make sure this won't happen again.

     The flu finally let up -- but leaves me exhausted after the smallest task. I've been putting away things a little at a time; the Christmas tree (after only a week up) is down, as well. (I just didn't have the heart to deal with it later in the week...though the Brick was disappointed to have it gone so quickly. He felt a little differently after he had to spend so much time vacuuming up dried needles!)

Work is starting to pick up again. I have several reports to finish up, and some articles to write. It's easier to do them when snow is banging against the window...and the warmest spot in the house is in front of the fireplace. Now if I could only keep from dozing off. And Charley and Abby from hogging the space in front of it...