Thursday, October 29, 2009

FFF, End of October Edition

Welcome, welcome, welcome!
Friday's Fave Five, that delightful weekly review of daily blessings, large and small, hosted by Susanne at Living To Tell The Story.

Willow's Weekly Blessings

1. Our Sunday afternoon walk was a repeat of last week's visit to Ventura Beach.

I took this photo of a school of surfers a year ago. It looked exactly the same this year, another repeating theme.

2. Like many Southern Californians, The Professor and I are wondering if the predictions of heavy rainfall this winter will be fufilled. A hillside area in our back garden needs additional coverage in order to keep the soil from sliding down to a lower level. Ellen sent me this photo to let me know that a new California Native Plants nursery, Nopalito, has just opened.

We stopped by there on Sunday and talked with the owners. Asking their advice on the best plants for stabilizing our back bank, we chose two buckwheat plants and three penstemons to start our own little native plant hillside garden.

3. Knitting on a shawl. Unfortunately, I have no photos. Details are Sampler Shawl in the Folk Shawls pattern book, knitted with Naturally Caron's Spa bamboo and rayon blend yarn in Taupe.

4. Cream of Potato Soup.

5. Chocolate chip oatmeal walnut cookies.

It was a quiet week of working, cooking, and relaxing. If you would like to join the thankful people posting their FFFs this week, go to Susanne's blog.

22 comments:

ellen b. said...

Good morning. Yum potato soup and chocolate chip cookies!! See you soon.

Kari said...

Sounds like a great week.
Yum - chocolate chip cookies are my favorite too.
happy weekend.

Jewel said...

Mmm... potato soup! So good for those of us who are actually experiencing the cold front that is Fall!

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

After loosing several rounds of "landscaping" I'm a huge believer of going native :)

Another enjoyable week at Willow's cottage. Nibble nibble - opps I think you are missing a cookie now.

Faith said...

that potato soup sounds great for my weekend plans...and wow....you'll have to send me that recipe for the cookies :)
great list....have a great weekend

Jerralea said...

I made potato soup this week, too. I love soup weather!

I enjoyed your photos.

Mama Mia said...

We had potato soup too! :o) What a lovely Fall week.

Dorothy said...

I love potato soup! And chocolate chip cookies too!

msdewberry said...

Love Potato Soup!! It is just the right kind of soup to eat on a fall day!!

Susanne said...

I love potato soup! And now I'm craving me some chocolate chip cookies with walnuts.

Brenda said...

The last two sound wonderful. A quiet week is a good thing every once in a while :)

Sharon Lynne said...

I'm catching up on your posts.
You are a talented cook!
BEAUTIFUL mums!
Also, nice photography.

A friend of mine and her husband were missionaries in Papua, New Guinea for many years. They are retired now. Her name is Pat. J. Do you know her? (I know it's a long shot.)

She is judging at the Chrysanthemum show at Descanso Gardens in La Canada next weekend 11/7-8. It's an annual event and is connected with a Japanese Garden festival.

Flower said...

Quiet days are gifts! Will you have a busy night..this day?
I'm off to EagleCrest with LJ and LA! Just us girls...:))

Tracy said...

A very good week, Willow... and tasty too with the soup and cookies...mmm... That plant nursery sounds terrific...go native, go wild! ;o) Happy Weekend ((HUGS))

Heidi said...

Mmmm..cookies sound good. Reading your blog makes me think of my son. I think I'll go call him, but wait...it's only 7 am in California. I better let him sleep in. Wish I could get there from here quickly without flying.

Good luck with your IEW tutoring and such.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

Sounds like a nice week. I am seriously going to have to make some potato soup.

TXDidi said...

Ooh, the Sampler Shawl is gorgeous. Of course, I had to pull my book off the shelf to check it out. What yarn are you going to use for it? And potato soup. Yummy! We got a bag a small potatoes in our organic shipment this past week along with a recipe for potato soup and I plan to make a batch this week, too. It's the right weather for it up here in PA. Have a great week!

Jane said...

Chocolate chip cookies sound delicious. Jane x

Barbara H. said...

Those cookies sound luscious. Was the soup homemade? Sounds good for this time of year. Glad you got some god advice for stabilizing your garden.

Michael said...

I'm with ellen on the yums!!

Islandsparrow said...

I made corn chowder last week and now I have a chicken stew bubbling on the stove. It's the season for those warming suppers - at least up here. your surfing picture puts a different season in my mind though - the waves look lovely!

Heather said...

Happy Halloween Sweet Willow!