I read this morning the quote I’ve seen before but had forgotten:
Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
What a cool way to start the day. I wish you many breathtaking moments today.
If you want to give yourself many such moments, visit a national park. Here are some photos I took at Yellowstone National Park:
view from the top of Avalanche Peak
Archive for October, 2009
Cool Quote
Comfort Food
Such a beautiful day to create a beautiful Sunday dinner. Fall comfort food is on the menu, with breaded pork chops, baked buttercup squash (I far prefer it over the more common butternut), and freshly baked whole wheat bread. What are you making in the kitchen today?
breaded pork chops
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 4 pork chops
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Remove garlic, reserving for other uses.
- Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown abut 5 minutes on each side.
- Place the skillet and pork chops in the preheated oven, and cook 25 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F
Pumpkin Fever
pumpkins
Driving up to a pumpkin stand in the fall is a ritual for many of us who live in the midwest. Last weekend it was our turn to discover Wiesner’s in Winneconne, Wisconsin. We bought pumpkins, squash, and Indian corn. If you have forgotten how good fresh squash can be, I recommend trying buttercup (NOT butternut). Cut one in half, place in oven at 350, bake 1 hour, slather with butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Heavenly!
Winneconne WI farm
Tablescapes Gone Whimsical
Ultimate expo
The above is from Tuesday where I displayed my tablescapes for the Ultimate Ladies’ Day Out at the Park Ridge Country Club. I am happy to remind you that the holidays are just around the corner and my table settings and holiday decorating are a great stress-reliever for you and your family.
From the Thanksgiving setting:
Thanksgiving table
What is your style?
It is not always easy to define your style, be it expressed in clothing, cooking, or decorating. We are complex creatures and many styles appeal to us. I have found it easier to find out what people DON’T like; that is usually definite.
A fun and easy way to explore your thoughts on this is to take HGTV’s style quiz.
Go ahead and try it. You may be surprised at what you discover about yourself!
decorating styles from designstyleguide.net
Blog to Spot
Another good decorating resource is the blog administered by my colleagues in the area. You’ll find it at http://greaterchicagolanddecoratorscoalition.blogspot.com/
The Greater Chicagoland Decorators Coalition is a professional organization. We meet regularly to discuss latest trends in our business and to receive continuing education. This month we attend a class in window treatments.
We are part of a national organization, the Society of Decorating Professionals. You will hear more from me about this fine group as we near our annual conference in March.
SDP logo
Deborah's Design & Decorating Blog 