Week 8: Cabin Fever

{ Project 52 Week 8: Cabin Fever }

Last fall when the weather was cooling and winter was inevitable I decided to take in the succulent plants that I had on my deck. I planted them in this little galvanized planter and placed it on my kitchen window sill. I spend a lot of time with my kitchen window sill. All day, from morning coffee to afternoon snacks for my preschooler to evening dinner and dishes, my window sill is always there keeping me company. And bringing a little bit of summer inside has helped combat the dreadful cabin fever that makes me long for summertime. 

Also on my kitchen window sill this week is what remained from my valentine's flowers. I'm savoring every bit of them before they fade away. Additionally...as if having cabin fever this time of year isn't bad enough, the stomach flu came to visit my family this week too. You never want to answer the door when the stomach flu comes knocking, but you don't have a choice.  Before you know it, it wiggles it's way in and makes itself right at home. Mean ol' stomach flu, you are not welcome here...leave and take cabin fever with you!

Week 7: True Love

{ Project 52 Week 7: True Love }

Aside from my beloved family and friends, my true love is, flowers...blooms of every kind! From bright and colorful to soft and pastel. From frilly and fluffy to simple and sweet. From lilies and roses to daisies and goldenrod, I simply love all of them.

This beautiful lily was a valentine's gift from my husband. I woke up on valentine's morning to a sweet bouquet of colorful lilies, in shades of orange, pink and yellow. They are so lovely and just make me smile. I guess I was really longing to take photos of flowers too because I somehow managed to take about 86 photos of this little bouquet.

And I'll let you in on a little secret, believe it or not, the lush-looking green background is a green t-shirt that belongs to one of my sons. A fun way to make it seem that the lily is blooming in the warmth of mid summer instead in the depths of this dreary winter.

Week 6: Drink Up...Coconut Cocoa

{ Project 52 Week 6: Drink Up }

This weeks theme is Drink Up and I'm choosing to feature one of my favorite warm drinks this winter {Coconut Cocoa}. The perfect drink for this frigid February weather. With a subtle coconut flavor, it's very creamy, chocolatey and indulgent and only 3 ingredients. So simple to mix up on a Saturday afternoon or anytime for that matter. I'll share my *approximated* recipe because when I make it, I kind of just throw it together. You know, a splash of this, a sprinkle of that. So if you try this recipe you may need to alter it to your liking.

Coconut Cocoa  

1 cup Coconut Milk 

1 tablespoon Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 

1 tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup 

Blend all 3 ingredients in a blender, I use a Magic Bullet. Blending makes it frothy and luscious...yum! After blending well, warm in a small saucepan over medium low heat, stirring until desired tempurature. Or you can warm in a coffee mug in the microwave. Makes one serving.

That's it. Simple, right? If you love coconut and chocolate, you must try it!

Week 5: Shadows

{ Project 52 Week 5: Shadows }

Turns out I'm not very good at looking for shadows. I'm usually looking for light, glimmer and fine detail. I realize that when you find light you also find shadows, but for some reason I don't always see the shadow, only the light. I have to force myself to see the shadows. The other night I looked out the window before going to bed and I made myself look for shadows. As I saw the shadow of two snowmen that we built in the front yard it made my heart skip a beat, it spooked me! I guess shadows scare me a little...ha ha...well especially at night. But this project has been a fun eye opener for me. I'm learning to see something I haven't focused on before.

When the sun finally came out this week I was able to snap this shot of the shadow cast by my garden fence on the snowless frozen ground in the morning sunshine.