Sunday Mornings at Home
Happy Sunday, friends! Welcome to my weekly lifestyle post called Sunday mornings at home.
Sunday Mornings at Home is when I reflect on the past week and give you some insight into the week ahead…and there is one big announcement at the bottom.
Today’s opening picture is from last Tuesday, which was my very favorite day last week.
That pesky heat HIGH moved, and we began the day with an amazing sunrise and lots of clouds.
I have said before…I love clouds…and get tired of clear blue skies this time of year….and of course, weary of the heat.
This is San Antonio’s hottest summer on record and most of us are simply…done. Ready for anything below triple digits.
So, what a joy it was when on Tuesday a little tropical storm from the Gulf of Mexico brought glorious, heavy rain.
We had not seen rain like this since May.
I opened the back door, pulled the screen, lit candles, and enjoyed every raindrop and rolling thunder sound.
Alas, it ended too soon and the clear blue skies returned…but I am so thankful for the brief moment we had and the gentle nod to changing seasons ahead.
I hope you had at least one day last week which brought you the same amount of joy…please share below if you did.
There is much to share with you today, so let’s get cozy and begin Sunday mornings at home.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: IN THE KITCHEN
I adore our reader Connie from Oregon!
She has been a long time reader here and always participates…if I send out a special participation call…Connie is there!
So, I just smiled when she sent a summer recipe for us and I cannot wait to try it.
I love sharing reader recipes and hope more of you will send your favorites my way…and a photo such as the one Connie sent is so welcome. (email over50feeling40@gmail.com)
Here is Connie’s recipe for Summer Gazpacho made with garden fresh tomatoes.
Summer Gazpacho
Thank you so much, Connie! With the inclusion of the word jalapeño, I think I can get Mr. B to try it!
I think this gazpacho would be an excellent pair to my favorite summer veggie sandwich.
I start by toasting frozen sprouted grain bread…which I keep on hand in the freezer.
Next, I mash an avocado with a little mango salsa, and fajita seasoning.
You can see on the other side of the bread, I spread some Olive Oil mayonaise.
I take a large tomato slice, and slices from a red onion, and cook in a skillet with a little olive oil and salt & pepper.
I usually throw in some fresh spinach too…did not have any the day I made this one.
While the tomato is in the skillet, I melt a little Havarti cheese on top…and often eat these without cheese.
I love these sandwiches…they are a favorite.
I have begun to cook more…Mr. B is in training for a big race soon and needs hearty eating right now. His race will be 37 miles.
Last Saturday, he was famished and wiped out after running 25 miles.
So, I am cooking and also testing some new recipes I discover…like this one in the new Magnolia Journal magazine.
I hope to share either my recipes or what you send to me on each Sunday Mornings at Home. That Is the goal any way.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: A BETTER OPTION
Sometimes I move so quickly and have so much on my mind that I do really stupid things! Can anyone relate?
Early in the summer, I set out two decorative lanterns I had in the house onto the front porch…not realizing there were candles inside.
We began the summer with much, much cooler weather and I guess they just slipped by me.
It was my (very on the ball) friend, Leigh Ann, who pointed out…”You know there are candles melting in there, don’t you?”
Sigh…..
So, when Lights 4 Fun asked if I would review outdoor lights…I jumped at the chance! No more melted candles for me!
I really like this Fraser Bamboo Indoor/Outdoor latern…and the best part is that it uses batteries! Which come with the products.
I want to add some of their Tru Glow Candles to my Christmas house…the more lights the better at Christmas for me.
I do think I am insulting any of you to call attention to the fact that we sometimes forget things…like putting candles on the front porch in summer heat.
And forgetting a candle that has a live flame on it can be very dangerous.
Here is a company that offers us beautiful options for lighting and for candles. You might check them out.
I love a warm evening glow when the time changes and there is less light around.
OK…now you can stop laughing at me and my porch decor!!
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: THANKFUL
I think because we are so hot here…autumn decor is popping up earlier this year.
I discovered this little pumpkin last week at La Madeliene.
I love any reminder to be thankful. Remember worry eats us up inside…it is an enemy to our health and robs us of joy.
Set your worry aside this week and live with joy, purpose and thankfulness. Read today’s quote below….
BLOG CONTENT ANNOUNCEMENT:
The Wednesday news post has become very time consuming to find news articles with fresh and new Information.
So, I am going to be doing some different things on Wednesdays for now…and may even take some Wednesdays off.
I will let you know in the Tuesday post if there will be content there or nothing new until Thursdays.
I have so much going on for fall, I may need an occasional day off.
I know many of you enjoy the recipes I find, so I will use the Sunday mornings at home to post a few which caught my attention.
I hope those of you who have enjoyed the news articles understand, but I promise to keep you informed.
Also. I spent time with my email service and with a company that helps me with technology yesterday.
I hope the problem with the email delivery has been fixed, but please let me know if you are not getting them starting today.
OK…now it is your turn…any thoughts or comments on this Sunday mornings at Home…please join in and by all means join me as we…..
KEEP SMILING!!
By Pamela Lutrell
I appreciate your support of this blog by shopping with my SHOPPING LINKS, and if you don’t see the retailer you need for anything, just send me an email and I will see if I have a link or if there is a sale you are looking for!
Email is over50feeling40@gmail.com.
A special thank you to everyone who shops with the shopping links to offer your support of the blog!! It makes a difference and keeps me here.
Yesterday started muggy and cloudy and finished in bright blue skies with fluffy wisps of clouds. Connie’s recipe looks great, and I’m definitely going to try Magnolia’s. For anyone watching her carbs, boil rather than roast your sweet potato. I think the gazpacho would make a good starter for the sweet potato and slaw. Pam, you deserve a change. I love Wednesday’s research but not to the extent of ruining your Mondays and Tuesdays. Love your candle story! Yesterday I pulled some nice glasses from the packing box, washed them, then removed them from the counter to put in a cupboard to keep them safe (before giving to my son). The shelf was too high, so now instead of a set of 6, there is a set of 5. I sniffled.
Good morning! I did receive the blog email today. I was in the middle of a long response to todays post and got the dreaded blue line. Poof! Gone. Now a shorter post! Breakfast calls. (To be made , not served, unfortunately!) Have a good day. You do deserve a day off but I will certainly miss the news. It is my favorite day. I rarely comment because I am busy reading and sending the articles to others. You work hard for us, so I understand. Take care of yourself!
It is fine with me if the Wednesday news articles pause for a while. Also, a suggestion: many of the Wednesday lists of articles were so long that I sadly did not have time to look at all the links, so perhaps a much shorter version would be nice. For instance, one recipe, one human interest story, and one health story would be enough for me . . . or a different direction, as you noted. You always point us toward interesting topics and I appreciate your positive encouragement. Today’s recipes look good.
Oh Maeve…I understand the sniffles! I can’t use my lanterns any longer because the candles were red. So sad. Enjoy those clouds…I hope to see some this week.
Thanks for telling me that Deborah…I am going to play this by ear. Perhaps I will do a once a month news gathering instead of every week. It does help to keep us informed.
Thanks for the input, Kim. I will take all suggestions into consideration…just need to do some tweaking! Happy Sunday!
Good morning Pam! Thank you for all that you do including this gorgeous photo of your pretty morning sky.
I will definitely be trying this Gazpacho recipe. I’m actually looking for one! I like a balance of flavors- savory and spicy.
My favorite day last week was Tuesday! The humidity levels dropped and it was a day to celebrate that! I have to chuckle at how wrapped up in the weather forecasts I’ve become as I’ve gotten older. Happy Sunday. Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
I love mornings no matter the weather and it is a beautiful day in the neighborhood. I think we are wrapped up in the weather because the last two summers have been the hottest and driest on record. It is interesting how the heat puts so many people in a bad mood. I always go to the grocery early in the morning, because everyone is happier then! Enjoy your day, Paulette.
So glad you got a break from the heat! When I saw those candles, I showed them to my husband, and he gasped. This summer has been cool, too cool for me, but in August we usually have “dog days” of ten or more days in a row of low 90s with soupy humidity. Everyone complains, and they sap me of all my energy. I simply have never experienced heat like yours, even in the tropics. Both Connie’s gazpacho and your sandwich looked delish … sounds like a good, simple dinner combo! Go ahead, take Wednesdays off … everyone needs time to refill the well.
Hi, Pam. All of your content is great. I understand how much effort it must be to put the news edition together. I think the idea of a shorter version is good. Maybe every other week or once a month? And, you deserve a day off. Much love to you!
Oh, your sandwich sounds perfect, and especially with the touch of mango salsa. Thanks for sharing my gazpacho recipe, and your kind words. 💕 My favorite day this past week was meeting with my dear friend who shared the great news with me that after two sons (quite grown) and one grandson (age 9) she will be blessed now with a granddaughter!! I have been happy all week just knowing she is so very excited. Such joy.
I guess to those in cooler climates the melting candles are a gasp! To me, they are a reminder of my stupidity! I remember one year…many years ago…that I purchased candles and left them in the car during a Texas summer. Well, that was a waste of money as well! We live and learn, don’t we. I think I was in my 20s when the car episode happened.
I promise the news will not be gone for good, but maybe once a month or every other week. I will let everyone know in the Tuesday post what to look for on Wednesdays…this week, I will be taking it off.
I love this story, Connie. We all have friends that we can rejoice with when they receive a special blessing! I love to hear good news from loved ones. I am going to make your soup soon! Thanks so much for sending it.
Thank you for all that you have done for us, you deserve some time off. Embrace the change and enjoy life! We spent the week on the Oregon coast, it never got above 70 degrees! So refreshing. It is very hot in CA right now and the break was needed.
Thanks Lisa…just want to clarify, I am only talking about one day every now and then. I will be here all other days with new information just for you!
Take time to enjoy your day and your family. It is just my Mr. B and our two very old cats. Our family is spread all over the country. I alas can’t eat any of your recipes, restrictions on my diet but they all look delicious! I enjoy you column so much but I will wait to see it pop into my email.
Yay! I did receive your posting today! Here in SoCal we are still recovering from hurricane Hilary; the clean up from water and dirt continues. I am looking forward to the turn of the seasons more than ever but usually that doesn’t happen until November. I agree that sometimes the Wednesday edition contains too much information and it is difficult to read it all. I’m all for changing things up a bit. Although I will miss you on Wednesdays you do deserve a day off!!
I love the photo of your Tuesday sky! Our week was quite the opposite with unseasonably cool, wet weather all week including a thunderstorm and a major downpour on Wednesday. Then yesterday broke sunny, beautiful and warm, absolutely perfect for our annual ladies golf tournament! It was a lovely day and so much fun.
Pam, you bring so much joy to us, many thanks, and while I love the Wednesday news, not a bad idea to pare down, sometimes I just don’t have the time to read every article. You deserve a reset. I do want to try the sandwich, absolutely yummy…..I do want to check out the candles, sad to say, I don’t trust myself anymore with actual candles unless they are in a jar and the jar is in a deep hurricane type covering….led candles for me…….happy Sunday, try to stay cool…….
Hello Pam and all:
Got the email link today with no issues. Thank you. The recipes look great. I think taking Wednesdays off for a while or once in a while is a good idea. I don’t know how you manage to post daily and curate all the content you do!
We all have our melted candle moments. You don’t have to be a senior for life to happen. You are not stupid for doing such things; you are human. And as my husband continues to say, “You can’t beat yourself up for being human.” I could not remember a dear friend’s first name in Church today. Called her Wendy which is not her name. I’ve known her for 30 years. It’s discouraging, but it is also human.
I can relate to your melting candle story. I store most of my holiday decorations, except for candles, in bins in the garage. My garage is not insulated & gets very hot in the summer. Imagine my surprise when I brought in a bin & found that I had inadvertently put some taper candles in it. While the candles didn’t completely melt, they were quite misshapen & unusable. We had our hottest week of the summer last week along with tropical humidity. It was definitely not a week to be outside. I am so looking forward to decorating for fall & have been for some time. I am sure it was quite time-consuming searching for all the news items for Wednesday & understand completely your need to take a break.
Pam, your story reminded me of the time many years ago that I forgot ALL of my children’s Easter candy in the trunk of my car. New Orleans in the Spring can get very hot, and by the time I retrieved the candy days later, it was all melted into solid globs of chocolate. No more rabbits or eggs! So very dumb of me, but we live and learn lol.
Exactly, Yvette! We do live and learn! I am sure I have done that with candy since becoming a mom!
The heat challenges many of us, Becky! I started my fall decorating…the earliest I have started…because I am so ready for a change. I am sure the neighbors are wondering about my porch!
Yes, it is human…sigh! The news will show up every now and then. Everyone today is so understanding!
Those sandwiches are my favorite during the week…I love a good veggie sandwich! I have a feeling at some point I will be transitioning to all of the Lights 4 fun candles. I do love candlelight!
So glad you also had a favorite day, Elaine!
I will change it up a bit and take length into consideration. Thanks Linda. Sometimes we get fall in late September and sometimes it is not until November…I am praying for the early arrival.
The email is fixed, Sydney.
Today will probably be my favorite day of this week, because the heat finally broke for us in Fort Worth today late this afternoon when some desperately needed rain arrived. It came in the form of a pretty fierce storm that did some damage to my trees, but it was worth it. It’s down to 81, which we haven’t been seeing even in the middle of the night lately. To be below 110 is such a gift and a blessing. Like others have said, I greatly appreciate the effort it takes you to put together the Wednesday compilation, but rarely have time to read many of the articles. I applaud you for making changes to your schedule that benefit your quality of life, and I believe those of us who are faithful readers will continue to be so even if you change formats, change days of posting, or whatever. You are a bright spot of joy on the Internet, and I am a reader for life!
You all are the best! Thank you!