Can you believe it’s almost February? Didn’t we just start decorating for Christmas? Someone once told me that when you have kids, you press the fast-forward button on your life. Of course, time travels at the same pace whether you have kids or not, but it does feel like the days, months, and years are going faster than they used to! In the final days of January, here are my four things…
what I’m reading
After being a bit lazy with my daily walks, I am back to walking 3+ miles a day. I have learned that December and January feel like hibernation months for me. I just want to knit, paint, read, snuggle in hoodies, eat soup and bread, and give myself a bit of a break. As an added bonus for my winter-loving self, we’ve had a couple of nice snows along with periods of below-freezing temperatures, so it’s felt like a real winter. It’s not great for my fitness and weight loss efforts, though. I’ve been in a holding pattern, waiting for slightly warmer weather (30s is fine) and sunny days. I got that this week, so I got back to it and started listening to the audiobook Be Ready When the Luck Happens.
It’s Ina Garten’s memoir and I’m interested in it specifically for the story of her business and how it grew from a small specialty food shop to cookbooks, and a TV show. It’s been interesting learning more about her childhood and early years with her soon-to-be-husband. It’s hard to argue that are adorable.
There are so many things I like about Ina Garten. She’s stylish, but pretty much always wears a denim button-up shirt. She’s not a toothpick and I don’t think I’ve ever seen any articles about her losing weight or needing to lose weight. (Maybe there have been and I’ve missed it.) She seems content with who she is and everyone else seems to be, too, which is rare. She’s a little dorky but in an endearing way. While she has experienced tremendous success, she seems to be down-to-earth. I like that she celebrates the fact she spent her first visit to Paris camping because that’s all they could afford.
Anyway, I’m about two hours in and it’s been an easy, interesting read so far.
what I’m watching
I’m always excited when a new season of Portrait Artist of the Year becomes available to watch in the US. I’ll stalk YouTube, Amazon, and Tubi to see if anything new has been posted at least once a month. Finally, Season 10 of PAOTY is available on Amazon and I watched through all of the episodes last week and through the weekend. It’s such an amazing show and I love seeing what work the new artists produce. They also have an episode bringing back former winners to crown the Portrait Artist of the Decade.
what I’m loving
“Enough had been thought, and said, and felt, and imagined. It was about time that something should be done.“
-CS Lewis, Surprised by Joy
what I’m working on
When I’m not writing or painting, it’s been back to removing carpet glue for me! I really can’t wait until that project is done. It’s about the most tedious thing that is somehow simultaneously satisfying and unrewarding. But, it won’t last forever.
I’m also starting to plan out the front garden bed. Right now, I haven’t sketched out any plans, but I look out my studio window and think about the placement of hedges and what will make that little area look finished and classy.
12 Responses
I too enjoy Ina Garten. Her recipes are very good. The thing that really stands out to me is her clothing which I guess you could say is her uniform. Usually black pants and a basic tunic top. Be it denim, broadcloth or a raw silk for a fancy occasion she always looks great. I admire her knowing what works for her .
I read Ina’s book when it came out and loved every single page. I’ve been a fan of hers since season 1 of her show and have almost all her cookbooks. The recipes are reliable, easy, and I haven’t tried one yet that I don’t love. Her iron skillet oven roasted chicken is at the top of my favorites list, followed closely by her company pot roast and Parker’s split pea soup. There’s a photo of every recipe which means her books are a feast for the eyes too.
Regarding exercise in the winter months, have you tried snowshoeing? I find that if I have an outdoor winter activity to look forward to (I’m the rare person who gets excited about snow), it helps with the “I just want to nest” feelings. It’s easy to do, and once you purchase the snowshoes (I would also suggest poles), it’s low cost, and it’s doable for even those who aren’t very athletic (raising hand here). It’s a fantastic workout and I love love love being outside in the beauty of winter.
I actually did in Minnesota and it was fun! We don’t have enough snow typically in Maryland.
Big fan of her show, her cookbook and her memoir. I had no idea how hard she worked to get ‘lucky’. At one point, she was literally sleeping on a shelf in her store so she could keep cooking.
My most frequent ‘Ina’ recipes? Her salmon Nicoise salad; easy, do-ahead and guests can assemble their own. Her oven risotto, prepare it and pop it in the oven to finish, instead of 30 minutes standing over a hot stove, constantly stirring.
I’m obsessed with Portrait Artist of the Year and didn’t know about the new show Portrait Artist of the Decade. I can’t await for that. I also scour YouTube and other streaming services to try and find new seasons. Sometimes they are not chronological and I see newer episodes before older ones. Ina Garten and her husband were adorable in that picture. I will have to give this a read. Thanks for the info.
I have always like Ina! It’s darling how she brings a meal to Jeffrey. The honesty she shared in leaving her marriage makes her so real. Bless her and all of you!
Have an awesome weekend Marian!
I had the good fortune to meet Ina at a NYC trade show… 2 lady’s in front of me told her “ You’re just like yourself”… when I was meeting her she rolled her eyes and told me..”Who else would I be!” We had a good laugh. I felt I’d known her forever… 😊
I went to the last day of our Philadelphia flower show- bought mini boxwoods – they are still perfect after 24 years!
I adored my boxwood spiral trees, which my kids had given me as a gift. That is until the boxwood tree moth hit. They are gone, destroyed by those moth babies. The moth has been in your part of the world since 2021. Try a different kind of hedge plant. You will be spared the sadness. Or the use of pesticides,
As far as PAOTY, I’ve enjoyed watching it through the years. However I love Landscape Artist of the Year! It’s amazing to see how each artist interpretation the same landscape.
Also, thank you for sharing that you walk while listening to an audible..that just may inspire to do the same!
I was gifted Ina Garten’s book in the fall and I loved it AND, I added it to my “four things list” after I finished it. I’ve been a fan of Ina’s for a long time and this book was a winner!