Little Delights {North Shore}

posted by Bethany on 06.17.09 in b*daily

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Tomorrow I am getting in my car and driving four hours north to a little piece of heaven known as Lake Superior’s North Shore. I am not going to bring my laptop. Instead, I will be packing a good book, hiking boots, and my comfiest t-shirt. I’ll be grabbing lunch at my favorite little cafe right on the lake and a donut at World’s Best Donuts (they really are) in Grand Marais. I’ll be watching the moon rise over the lake, stargazing, and falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. I’m going to skip rocks on the beach, and search for perfectly smooth and round stones to bring home and put in a memory jar. I’m going to hike ’till my legs burn and I’m out of breath, but the view will be worth it. I just love summer, and I this special summer place, and I can’t wait to get away and relax for a couple days!

Where do you go to relax and experience the glory of summer?

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Little Delights {Horne}

posted by Bethany on 06.15.09 in b*loves

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Let me introduce you to a sweet little shop called Horne. This wonderful online boutique is chock full of unique gifts, home accessories and tabletop items from designers around the world. The story of how Horne came to be is a sweet one, and well worth the read. Wander over to their shop and browse a carefully selected collection of goods. You will certainly be inspired by the lovely blend of “country modern and eclectic European” styles and finds.

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Top 5 {4 Letter Words}

posted by Bethany on 06.12.09 in etc.

This may seem like an odd category for a “Top 5″ post, but hear me out. Lately I’ve been thinking about the simple things in my life that mean the most to me… the things that bring a richness to each day, bring me joy, and force me to remove myself from the hustle bustle and unplug. While making a list of these things, I realized that many of them were spelled out in short, 4 letter words. So I thought, “What a fun thing to share on the blog”. Below you will find my Top 5 4 Letter Words!

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(1) LOVE :: There is nothing sweeter, nothing greater and nothing more precious than pure, true, deep and lasting love. The love from my best friend, partner and husband is one of the greatest driving forces in my life, and the thing that keeps my chin up during the toughest of times.

(2) HOME :: After a long hectic day, or even a wonderful weekend out of town, I realize that there simply is no other place in the world that I would rather be than home. Even with all of its imperfections, home is the place that I am content and at peace. It is here that I find joy in the simple pleasures of daily life, and dream dreams about the days ahead.

(3) EMMY :: My sweet little Emmy… always a steadfast companion, bed-hog, walking partner, squirrel chaser, stick retriever, and snuggle buddy. Having her in my life brings a little ray of sunshine to each day.

(4) REST :: If I am content and at peace at home, then I am nearly in perfect bliss at rest in my comfy bed. Whether it’s a rainy day nap, an afternoon snooze in the sun, or a lazy Saturday morning in bed, I just love cozying up in clean sheets, under my fluffy down comforter and letting the cares of the world fade away.

(5) SAND :: Sand to me represents summer bliss… carefree, shoes off, sun-soaked fun! The majority of my most treasured childhood memories occurred in, around or on a lake, and to this day, the beach (be in on a lake or the ocean) holds a certain power over me. From the moment I slip out of my flip flops and feel the sand between my toes, I am carried to another place… an innocent, pure and wonderful world of childhood memories and adult daydreams.

Do you have any favorite (PG) four letter words? Or any longer words that describe some of the simple things in your life that bring joy to your days?

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Good to Eat {Summer Skillet}

posted by Bethany on 06.10.09 in b*eats

Well, my garden is in full swing this year, thanks to much help from my mom! It won’t be long before I am harvesting the first bunch of fresh lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, cukes, peppers, and zucchini. In the meantime, I’ve been satisfying my craving for fresh veggies with plenty of produce from local farmers markets and our trusty grocery store. One of my favorite meals in the summertime is what I like to call the “Summer Skillet”. It’s healthy, quick, easy and there is very little clean-up!

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Directions:

1) Slice up red pepper, zucchini, roma tomatoes, and red onion. Feel free to add as many other veggies as you’d like! One of my favorite additions is to mix in sliced baby bella mushrooms.

2) Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

3) Add cut veggies to skillet. Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the top if you have a large amount of veggies.

4) Saute over medium-high heat until zucchini starts to turn opaque and peppers and onions are tender. While cooking, add seasonings (I like to use a salt and pepper mill, adding plenty of ground S&P to taste. A dash of garlic powder doesn’t hurt either!).

5) When veggies are cooked thoroughly, turn off heat, and sprinkle mozzarella cheese and a bit of parmesan on top. Let sit until cheese is melted.

6) Dish up and enjoy!

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Pieces of Life {The Turtle & Emmy}

posted by Bethany on 06.08.09 in b*daily

How is everyone on this Monday morning? I always find the beginning of the week a bit hard to get through… especially after a wonderful weekend. Here in Minnesota we had lots of rain over the past couple days, which meant plenty of time to get things done in the house, take long naps, and reconnect with my hubby. Today I wanted to share with you something simple that brings a smile to my face. Hope it brightens your day as well!

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Last week I was getting ready to take Emmy for a walk, when I noticed a turtle strutting across our yard. Since we live between a lake and a pond, this didn’t seem odd to me, but I was concerned that he had to cross a busy road to make it from the lake to our yard, so I decided to give him a hand getting back to the water. Emmy and I made our way over the the little guy slowly, and he immediately tucked into his shell. Emmy was exceptionally curious, but also very timid. She tiptoed around this odd creature and sniffed carefully. I scooped him up with one hand, and held her leash with the other as we made our way across the road and down the trail to the lake. By the time we reached the old abandoned dock about a half mile from the cottage, the turtle was out of his shell and moving his stubby legs, putting Emmy into a tizzy. As I knelt down to release the turtle into the water, she watched intently. Then, after he had swam away, she stared at the water for several minutes, whining and pacing. It was a beautiful evening, so we lingered on the dock, looking out at the lake and enjoying the calm evening. As I was walking back home, I smiled thinking back on the events of our evening stroll… from rescuing a turtle, to Emmy’s apparent fascination with this new creature, and the serene moments spent soaking in the beautiful evening on the rickety wooden dock.

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