Comfort

When did I become so introverted? I’m sure this too shall pass, but right now I prefer keeping to myself except when I have to go to work. And it sure is quiet here on the hill.

I’m making goulash for dinner tonight, a comfort food that makes my husband happy. It’s a very uncomplicated recipe and it makes the house smell nice. All week long, we were doing nothing but take-out meals because I’d either get home too late, or we had doctor’s appointments. So tonight there will be something simmering on the stove.

 

I can’t thank you enough for your words of encouragement on my last post. The love seems to flow here and this blog is keeping me sane and grounded because of it. And wonder of wonders, my husband is actually started to feel a little better a couple of days ago. He opted to take a treatment that his doctors offered to him and it is already giving him some quality to his life.

So that’s good news.

 

Each year, for as long as I can remember, I have put together potted planters and hanging baskets and sadly, I just don’t have it in me this year. I tried to get the magic going a couple of weeks ago, but I could see it was turning into a dismal failure. Rather than beat myself up about it, I’m consoling myself with the fact that not all summers will be like this. Let it go, I told myself. Next year will be different.

Besides, I have a few geraniums from last year that look fine in their pots.

And I bought a hanging basket to cheer up the little back porch.

Enough.

 

I bought this for myself in Bar Harbor last year.

 

 

And the birds continue to visit the feeders, as long as I keep them filled.

 

 

Hello, laser eyes.

I took this photo while watching a movie on Netflix last night. My husband told me I had too many pillows on the couch. It was because they were all at one end.

Ok, don’t laugh at my viewing choices this weekend. All were documentaries. One was a History Channel presentation on pirate ships. There was an entire section dedicated to Blackbeard. The other was about Lewis & Clark, from National Geographic. History interests me. But my favorite video was one called Happy. In it, psychologists tracked people from all over the world to see what it was that made them happy.

It confirmed my belief that the reason I am able to get through some adversity is because I am basically happy. And when I’m not, I address it – usually with a dose of nature. I recommend the documentary.

 

I left the house for an hour on Saturday and went to town to get a pedicure as a reward for doing my chores.

I decided that I truly dislike the color. If they were the same color as depicted here, I could live with it. But in reality, the color is closer to more of a neon pink. Totally not me.

GOULASH

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, diced
• olive oil, about 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp.
• 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes (with juice)
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup jarred pasta sauce
• 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup water (or more)
• 1 to 2 cups dry pasta shapes
• Freshly ground parmesan cheese (for serving)
• Heat skillet, add olive oil, then onions and sauté until translucent. Move onions to far side of skillet, adding ground beef, then cooking until browned. When beef is done, stir with onions, then add diced tomatoes, sauces, soy sauce, seasoning, bay leaves, and water. Cover and simmer on medium to medium low heat for 20 minutes. Add dry pasta (I use 2 cups), adding a little more water if necessary, and continue to simmer on medium to medium low for another 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and let rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle fresh parmesan on for kicks.

Sorry I posted a recipe under a picture of my feet. How very impolite of me.

Hope your week begins (and ends) well ~