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Find Your Zen Zucchini Bread Recipe
The days are starting to get shorter and cooler, and I am gathering the last of my zucchinis and tomatoes from the garden. This is the time of year I begin to think about bringing out snuggly throws, building cozy fires in the fireplace, and baking my favorite fall fare. Nothing says comfort like fresh bread warm from the oven. I shared some of my favorite sugar & spice fall flavors on Tuesday. You can add this recipe to the list!
This is my all-time favorite recipe for zucchini bread. It has always been a favorite for my three boys too. This recipe makes two loaves of bread. Just cut all the ingredients in half (you can use two eggs instead of three) if you only want one loaf. It can also be made gluten free. It’s perfect to take on fall picnics with a thermos of coffee or tea. Or just cuddle up with your love bunnies and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups grated zucchini
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups unbleached flour (for gluten free bread use all purpose gluten free flour blend)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts OR pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add grated zucchini. Gradually sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into mixture and continue to beat until smooth. Nuts are optional.
Pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake for one hour. Wait until cool to remove from pan. Run a butter knife around all sides of the bread and gently tap on the bottom to remove from pan.
Thank you for visiting my blog! You may also like Sugar & Spice: My Favorite Fall Flavors and The Very Best 2021 Halloween Pet Costumes. Wishing you peace, love, happiness & beautiful vistas!
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Sugar & Spice: My Favorite Fall Flavors
Summer is ending and cozy fall feels and comfort food are here. Here are some of my favorite fall flavors. I hope that you get to try some!
Best Cinnamon Toast Ever – Southern Bite
What I love about this is that it is so simple, yet so good. And you can use gluten-free bread! Southern Bite’s Cinnamon Toast.
Coffee Mate Natural Bliss Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
When I saw there was only one left on the shelf at Target, I had to try it! My boys still laugh at me for this idea, but hey, I have found some great products this way! You will never need Starbucks for your pumpkin spice latte fix again after trying this. So good.
Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal – The Pioneer Woman
Yum. This woman knows how to cook and this is a fall favorite. Check it out! Pioneer Woman’s Pumpkin Oatmeal.
Maple Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes – Together as Family
Ask my co-workers how much I love sweet potatoes. I used to bring one for lunch at least every week. This recipe is the perfect combination of fall flavors, and a healthy must try if you enjoy sweet potatoes like I do! Maple Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes.
Oui Apple Pie Yogurt
I love this apple pie flavored limited edition yogurt. Getting my calcium and delicious fall flavor at the same time!
Sweet & Spicy Pecans – Trader Joe’s
You can buy them ready to eat at the store, or make them yourself using this copy-cat recipe from The Modern Locket: Sweet & Spicy Roasted Pecans.
Fall Quinoa Buddha Bowl With Apple Cider Maple Dressing – Eating by Elaine
Eating healthy food doesn’t mean you have to skimp on flavor, and this delicious recipe proves it: Fall Buddha Bowl.
Trader Joe’s Spiced Chai
Trader Joe’s Spiced Chai will satisfies all those sweet & spicy fall cravings with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, star anise, nutmeg and more.
I hope you found something new and delicious to try for fall. I would love to hear what your fall favorites are! Thank you for visiting my blog. You may also like Fun & Fabulous Fall Porch Decor and Eight Fall Fun Activities in Monterey County. Wishing you peace, love, happiness & beautiful vistas!
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Sensational Sunflowers: Fun Facts You May Not Know!
Have you ever looked at a field of sunflowers and just smiled? Something about their bright, cheerful colors just makes you happy. In fact, the sunflower is a symbol of positivity. There is so much more to these blooms than just their prettiness, though. Here are some fun facts about sunflowers you may not know.
The scientific name for sunflower is Helianthus. This comes from the Greek word helios (sun) and anthos (flower). They are native to America and there are at least 70 known species. It is said that Native Americans cultivated sunflowers, possibly even before they grew corn. The artist Vincent Van Gogh was so enamored with them he devoted an entire series of paintings to them.
Sunflowers can grow up to 12 feet tall, but require full sun and well-drained soil to reach their optimal height. In 2014, a sunflower in Germany broke the world record at a whopping 30 feet, one inch! They are the state flower of Kansas and the national flower of Ukraine. The center of the sunflower attracts bees, but they are actually self-pollinating.
Sunflowers have a very unique feature called heliotropism which starts as they begin to bud. Almost magically, the sunflowers face the sun at all times, from early in the morning when the sun rises in the east until sunset when it sets in the west. The French call sunflowers tournesols, meaning “turned sun”, to describe this behavior.
Some people, like me, love sunflowers, but for some people they are scary. I was once acquainted with a well-known photographer who was frightened by sunflowers. The scientific name for the fear of sunflowers is helianthophobia.
Sunflowers are also a perfect example of the Fibonacci sequence. This process involves a special number called the divine proportion, or golden ratio, for its widespread presence in nature. It’s amazing to think of all the symmetry and order that occurs in our world as the result of this! To understand the Fibonacci sequence, check out the video, “Nature by Numbers”, by Cristobal Vila.
Sunflowers growing on my farm. Thank you for visiting my blog. You may also enjoy Flowers & Other Stories: Spring Gardens I Love and What the Color of Your Flowers Says About You. Wishing you peace, love, happiness and beautiful vistas!
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The Very Best 2021 Halloween Pet Costumes
With Halloween approaching, many of us with pets are wondering what costumes to get or make them. Here are some of the very best costumes for pets this year. From guinea pigs to dogs, there are so many super cute choices. I hope you find some inspiration for your pet!
Source: @littleprinceofcrownheights This jailbird costume is super cute for any naughty sock (or shoe) thief. Perhaps he will be pardoned by the puppy priest below. Made by California Costume Collections, the Holy Hound is available on Amazon.
This cute butterfly costume by Animal Planet is available at Walmart and other stores.
Source: @longboy_lincoln Cruella de Vil never looked cuter!
Your cat will go batty for these wings by MadeByCleo on Etsy.
Do. Or do not. It’s hard trying not to love this Jedi costume, available at Target.
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Witch, I mean which chicken wouldn’t love this hat and tutu? Available on Etsy in StudioCluck’s shop. Or how about Day of the Dead costumes for your feathered friends, like those below?
Source: @pagepardo 
Your cat will feel like royalty wearing this cape and crown, by ISewDreams on Etsy.
Your rascally rabbit can be a detective or one of the Queen’s guards in these outfits by Binkying Cottons on Etsy.
Source: @minuit_bunny.love Baby shark doo doo doo doo doo doo. Hey wait, that’s a bunny!
Ketchup anyone? Made by Thrills & Chills, both this costume and the biker one below are available at Petsmart.
Source: @wafflethetabby Did somebody say McDonald’s? I’m lovin’ it.
This Despicable Me costume is sure to please the Minions.
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Your puppy will love this costume a latte! Available at Party City.
Thank you for visiting my blog! You may also like Fifteen Fabulous Pumpkin Designs For Halloween and Eight Fall Fun Activities in Monterey County. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas!
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What? I Need New Glasses?
I recently had my eyes tested and discovered that not only was my astigmatism (an imperfection in the curvature of the eye’s cornea or lens) getting worse, but my presbyopia (gradual loss of the ability to focus on close up things) was also on the downslide. I would need new glasses.
Getting new glasses can be daunting. The torture of trying on umpteen pairs of eyeglasses and the insecurity that arises are something nobody likes to go through. And no matter how many people tell you a pair looks good on you, ultimately it is your decision. The fact that these glasses will be a part of what you present to the world every day just adds to the stress level. However, what is really cool nowadays is that you can try eyewear on virtually in the privacy of your home. Just type it in your browser and several sites with this feature will pop up! Better than sitting in the optometrist’s office for an eternity.
Previously I always chose the same type of frames, either black or dark colored rectangular ones that were pretty boring. This time I decided to be a bit more adventurous. I tried on cat-eye, round, and hexagonal glasses, and a myriad of different colors and materials. Somehow, I kept coming back to the pair I ultimately chose. I am pretty happy with my decision!
If you are getting new glasses, here are a few helpful tips:
- Try wearing your new glasses for only a few hours at a time the first week to help reduce sore eyes, headache and other sensitivities.
- Clean your glasses only with cleaning solution for glasses or soap and water. Never rub them with a dry cloth as this can cause scratches on the lens.
- When you are not wearing your glasses, keep them in a case or a specific place they will be safe (and easy to find!)
Thank you for visiting my blog! You may also like Pretty Fall & Winter Pedicure Nail Art Ideas and Cute Fall Captions You Will Absolutely Love. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas!
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Cute Fall Captions You Will Absolutely Love
Fall offers so many opportunities for taking great photos that you simply have to share. From silly puns to sweet quotes, here are my favorite fall captions. If you are looking for some good Instagrammable captions to go with your fall photos, check these out!
Sweater weather is better together.
Source: @southernlivingmag Keep calm and enjoy fall.
Caption variations: Hello gourdgeous. Feeling gourdgeous!
Channel the flannel.
Don’t even chai to say you like fall more than me.
A falling leaf is nothing more than summer’s wave goodbye.
The pick of the pumpkin patch.
Autumn skies and pumpkin pies.
FALLing in love.
Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.
My favorite color is October.
Pumpkin kisses and harvest wishes.
Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you found some fall captions you can use! You may also like Cutest & Spookiest Fall Kids Playhouses Ever! and Eight Fall Fun Activities in Monterey County, Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas!
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Simple Tips For Making Homemade Soy Candles
Natural handmade candles are beautiful but also can be quite expensive. I decided to make my own. This was my first experience making candles, so I am going to share things I did wrong, or learned, to help you if you want to make candles. Why did I want to make candles? I just love the ambiance candlelight offers and I also wanted to create my own scents using essential oils. Using soy also made me feel more comfortable since it is organic and more eco-friendly than other materials. Also, with unexpected power outages here in California, candles come in quite handy.
This is what I used. I ordered both on Amazon. The canning jars are leftovers from when I canned plums. Other items you will need include a large pan filled halfway with water, a smaller container such as a large measuring cup that will fit inside the larger pan, and a candy or candle thermometer.
It was great that they included very clear directions with pictures (even though I did not use any dye). If you choose to use dye, be aware that normal food coloring will not work–you have to use oil-based dyes. Once the wax is melted, you can add your scent or essential oil.
I used floral essential oil scents for my candles including jasmine, rose, freesia, gardenia and lilac.
Helpful Tips I Learned:
- The wax flakes will cook down, down, down and often you only have 1/2 to 2/3 of what you originally measured so plan on adding a bit more than you need at the beginning to avoid this.
- When you add a bit of wax on the bottom of your wick and stick it to the bottom of the jar, wait at least 15-20 minutes for it to dry before pouring your melted wax in. I didn’t wait long enough for my first two candles and the wicks moved away from the center. I had a heck of a time getting them in the center again.
- Know how tall your mason jars will be before you order your wicks. When I ordered my wicks several months ago, I had planned on using short canning jars but then ended up using the tall ones. I only had 6 inch wicks so I tied yarn to the top of the wick and draped it over each side to hold the wick in place.
- Make sure to not add too much essential oil because it can be flammable, I added about 15 drops to each quart jar.
- Use something old or that you can throw away to stir your wax, like an old spoon. I used a wooden spoon but then found that a wooden chopstick left over from Chinese takeout worked just fine.
- The last part of the melting seems like it lasts forever! There are several little chunks that you think will never melt, but hang in there.
- It takes approximately 12 hours for the candles to solidify.
Next on my candle making list: using pressed flowers like this beautiful candle from terrain.com The next time I make candles I am going to try using pressed flowers on the sides to add a bit of prettiness. I love the look of these. Or maybe I will create some cute paper labels to put on the outside. Or add some twine and cinnamon sticks and give some as Christmas gifts.
Thank you for visiting my blog! You may also enjoy Don’t Sweat That Unfinished Baby Book and Get Super Healthy Hair With Herbal Vinegar! Wishing you peace, love, happiness & beautiful vistas.
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The Prettiest Hidden Homes of Carmel
Houses, like people, have different personalities. Some are bright and bubbly and just exude charisma. They stand out and seem to get all the attention. Others are quiet, shy, and like to stay out of the limelight. Sometimes they like to remain hidden for privacy, and other times they have been been ignored or simply overlooked. Join me as I explore the prettiest hidden homes of Carmel.
Kuster Castle
The Kuster house, sometimes called Kuster Castle, sits high on a hill on Ocean View Avenue. It is somewhat hidden behind greenery and a fence made of tree branches. It was built in 1920 by Edward Kuster, an attorney, who moved to Carmel and eventually built the Golden Bough Playhouse. Kuster’s move was considered scandalous at the time because he was the ex-husband of Una Jeffers, now wife of famous poet Robinson Jeffers. So what did Mr. Kuster do, but build his house next to the Jeffer’s Tor House! Apparently, both couples got along extremely well. Una even did her laundry at the Kuster’s because Tor House had no electricity.
Hob Nob Cottage
Hob Nob Cottage is easy to overlook. Because the gate is rather dark and the house below the road, it remains somewhat hidden from view.
Built in 1924, this Tudor Revival home was originally known as the Garfield D. Mermer house. The origin of its current name is interesting. Hob and nob first came together in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, when Sir Toby Belch warns Viola (who is disguised as a man) that Sir Andrew wants to duel. “Hob, nob is his word,” says Sir Toby, using hob and nob to mean something like “hit or miss”. Since that time, hob and nob became a phrase meaning friends drinking hobnob to each other, and from there it became associated with congenial social gatherings.
Birthday Cottage
It took some clever camera finagling to get a proper glimpse of the Birthday Cottage. This one really tugs at your storybook heartstrings with its steep storybook gables and half timbered walls. Unfortunately, most of the house is simply out of sight, hidden behind trees, shrubs, and foliage. I have not discovered the story behind the home’s name, but maybe it was a present for some lucky soul back in 1929 when it was built. Located at the corner of Santa Fe Street and Sixth Avenue, it was part of a complex of five homes commissioned by W. O. Swain and built by Hugh Comstock.
Fables
Almost completely buried in a tapestry of vines and ivy, Fables is another hidden cottage. Fables is sandwiched between the Birthday House and the Doll’s House. Featuring a steeply pitched roof and Carmel stone chimney, Fables was built by Hugh Comstock in 1928.
The Doll’s House
Nobody ever seems to come play in this Doll’s House. Located next door to Fables on the corner of Santa Rita and Ocean Avenue, it appears to be empty. It too remains largely hidden from view by trees and shrubbery. This home was also built by Comstock in 1928.
Märchen Haus
Märchen Haus is German for Fairytale House. Located at the corner of Dolores and 11th Street, it is several blocks away from many of the other other Comstock homes. It is also somewhat disguised by all the trees and shrubbery surrounding it. This house is clearly very loved and was getting a fresh coat of paint this past spring. The hand cut shingle roof and curved front door remind me of something from Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This home was also built by Comstock in 1928, which was clearly a busy year for him.
Seaward
At the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, “Seaward” lies just south of Carmel-by-the-Sea in the Carmel Highlands. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of it, hidden behind a high stone wall and a forest of cypress trees. Designed by Charles Sumner Greene and built in the 1920s for D. L. James, it seems to naturally grow straight out of the cliff. If you look closely, you will see all the tiny stones making up the beautiful architecture. I can’t fathom how many people or hours it took to build this iconic home.
I hope you enjoyed taking a peek at the prettiest hidden homes of Carmel. You may also like 12 Storybook Cottages to Enchant You! and Cottage Love in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Thank you for visiting my blog! Wishing you peace, love, happiness, and beautiful vistas.
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Don’t Sweat That Unfinished Baby Book
Recently, on one of my thrift shop adventures. I noticed a vintage pink satin baby book resting in a bin of books. I picked it up, admiring the beautiful hand-painted daisies on the cover. It was less than $1.oo. Why not, I thought, tossing it in my cart. When I arrived home, I began to flip through the pages, mesmerized by the pretty illustrations. The parents of this baby had filled in many things, including her name, date of birth, weight, first visitors, and even pinned a lock of her hair on one page. Many of the pages, however, were blank.
I had baby books for all three of my boys. Like many parents, I expected to meticulously record every detail of anything remotely important. I would be able to look back someday and note every minute detail in my babies’ lives. But like most parents, that just doesn’t happen. You are too busy changing diapers, doing laundry, cleaning up food splattered high chairs and spending actual time bonding with your baby.
My three boys’ baby books. According to Jessica Feeder in Today’s Parent, although she and her husband had been determined to carefully document every detail of their baby’s growth, they eventually resorted to snapping iPhone pictures instead and the baby book became lost. She states, “I later found it beneath a pile of old, forgotten underwear, when my daughter was more than a year old.” While she had taped in a lock of her daughter’s hair and her hospital bracelet, “absent was any mention of first foods, first tooth or her first giggle”.
A page in my youngest son Peter’s baby book. Nowadays, in the age of the digital universe, I imagine these old-fashioned baby books will soon become obsolete. Baby milestones will only be captured on phones and laptops, or shared on social media. And while that’s convenient, somehow, I think many of us who did keep these baby books will treasure them even more. Even if we didn’t ever fill out every single milestone.
Thank you for visiting my blog. You may also like How to Save Money with a Clothesline and Nine Best Fresh Herbs To Use In Your Kitchen. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, and beautiful vistas!
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The Stunning Storybook Homes of Willow Glen
Willow Glen
Willow Glen is often called San Jose’s local treasure. Not only does it have a historic downtown full of fabulous shops and restaurants, but also the most enchanting storybook homes. I had already checked out San Jose’s storybook homes near the Municipal Rose Garden. I was so excited to discover more in Willow Glen.
Storybook Homes
What is a storybook home? Storybook architecture was created in the Los Angeles area during the 1920s. Storybook homes often have deeply sloped or thatched roofs. They may also have turrets and dovecotes, arched doors and windows, and eyebrow dormers. They are often made of stucco, brick and half-timbering.
Often featuring crooked walls, rustic chimneys, and sometimes cartoonish features, storybook homes soon became the rage across the country.
While most of the homes near the Municipal Rose Garden are from the same period, I found that in Willow Glen, the storybook homes are interspersed with both older and newer homes.
I just love the quaint chimney and the asymmetrical gable on the entryway of this home!
I never tire of seeing the lovely gardens and especially the roses in the San Jose area!
Fun facts about Willow Glen
- During the 1800s there was a marshy area between the Guadalupe River and Los Gatos Creek. Filled with willows and cattails, it inspired the name Willow Glen.
- Before becoming a town, Willow Glen was one of the most prized and valuable farming areas in the Sant Clara Valley.
- Willow Glen Road was renamed Lincoln Avenue in 1865, shortly after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
- The area became incorporated as a city in 1927 to avoid the rerouting of the Southern Pacific Railroad down Lincoln Avenue. (Caltrain uses the track rerouted to a different area today.)
- Willow Glen residents voted to be annexed to San Jose in 1936 primarily to join the bigger city’s stage system and avoid having to build their own.
- During the Christmas season, many locals display small, multi-colored light Christmas trees in their front yards, a tradition that started in 1950.
- Today, Willow Glen is one of the most expensive places to live in Silicon Valley. According to trulia.com, the typical home value here is over one million dollars.
For more information, see Willow Glen. Thank you for visiting my blog! You may also enjoy Cottage Love in Carmel-by-the-Sea and 12 Storybook Cottages to Enchant You! Wishing you peace, love, happiness, and beautiful vistas!