Fall arrives in Houston rather slowly, leaving tiny hints at its arrival. I brought my camera along on my walk this morning naively hoping to find some signs in the leaves. The only reddish hued leaves I found were on the Chinese tallow trees, but those have been changing color since late August giving us all false hope. So instead of leaves, I focused on all of the other flora and fauna surrounding the pond. Though the sun was already climbing much higher in the sky than I wanted, I was able to capture a few lovely scenes before heading back home. Having my camera around my neck gave me the incentive to slow down and notice each and every leaf, stalk, and critter. Though I’m familiar with the pond environs, slowing down allowed me to appreciate the natural beauty even more. So, next time you’re on a walk, slow down. Breathe it all in. Notice the beauty in what normally seems mundane.
Since I don’t have a new recipe for you today (I’m preparing for a trip to the East Coast!), I’ll share some links from other amazing bloggers that I admire and love:
+ I pretty much love everything Renee does over at Will Frolic for Food but her recent post about her own diet story really resonated deeply with me. I’ve walked a similar path with regards to food and it was nice to release some guilt over trying to fit into “labels”. You’ll probably see a similar post here on the blog really soon. Check out Renee’s post here.
+ I’ve never been much of a cider fan, but this ginger pear cider with vanilla bean is calling my name! Laura has been killing it lately with all of her “happy hour” posts and this one is full of all the fall vibes.
+ Since I eat a lot of vegetables I’m always looking for new combinations I might not normally pair together. Enter this lovely combo from Heartbeet Kitchen: roasted tomatoes & butternut squash with cardamom yogurt, Totally trying it when I get back from my trip 🙂
+ If you’ve never been to the Dishing up the Dirt blog, take a few seconds and check it out. Andrea is a farmer in the Pacific Northwest and uses what she grows as inspiration for the recipes. It’s basically my dream job: farmer/food blogger. The roasted root veggies with turmeric tahini sauce sound like a great way to enjoy the gamut of colorful fall veg.
+ It’s funny how I come about finding new blogs and sources of inspiration. One of these was recommended by a friend based on their food styling and the other I found through Renee’s blog Will Frolic for Food. If you get a chance, go check out Nourish Atelier (those ethereal photos!) & Gather & Feast (that food styling!). Hopefully they will leave you just as inspired as I was and still am.
+ And last but not least, I’ve had this song on repeat for nearly a month now. SO GOOD. (…and if you’re a Sylvan Esso fan, check out their amazing Tiny Desk Concert HERE)