Growing and Avocado Plant

We've taken up the trend of growing avocado trees from seed. We have been saving our avocado seeds throughout the year and trying our best to get them to root. We've has a bit of success and therefore we've planted them in small pots and then combined them into a large pot all together. They've struggled a bit, but they are growing. We haven't read about how long it takes for them to grow larger, but for now we are happy with what we've created. The plants currently share a pot with some ginger found in the back of our refrigerator a few months ago. Waiting to see what happens with that, as well.

There's different way to get them to root, but I've always found that the toothpick balanced on the top of a glass has worked best for us.

I like to wait until there's a good group of roots showing and a small sprout coming from the seed before transferring them to soil.

These are the plants that the seeds above created. This is about a year's worth of growing. There is ginger in the pot with these, but overall there's definite success with the seeds. It's kind of satisfying to know that you can eat the avocados and with a little patience allow it to continue on with life. Everything in this world has a purpose, and I feel that sometimes giving other living things a chance to continue on living, is a great way to appreciate life on a different scale.

Easy Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are one of the first things I learned to bake once I was out on my own. But having to ice them and decorate them, is mostly something for holidays and special occasions, unless you have the time and patience. Just having a simple sugar cookie on any day of the year, or even just a quick cookie to take somewhere, or to eat on throughout the week, is something a lot of us enjoy. Sugar cookies, just baked and left by themselves, is such a simple cookie to mix together. The key to these easy sugar cookies is to roll them in sugar before baking, without the hassle of cookie cutters, or icing. Here is my version of "Easy Sugar Cookies" that you can make any time of the year. And the best part, they're soft.

Here's how to make these easy, soft sugar cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking power
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk

Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Using a stand mixer, mix wet ingredients together starting with the butter. Combine butter and sugar, and add the eggs. Combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well. Form into balls, about two tablespoons for each ball. Roll in granulated sugar, or colored sprinkles, flatten just slightly and lay on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 30-45 minutes, or freeze at this point to bake later.

Bake for 12-16 minutes at 350 degrees.

I would add to allow them to cool before eating, but nothing is better than a warm sugar cookie straight from the oven, so enjoy!

Five Simple Things (August 9)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This sweatshirt.

He is so proud to finally get a sweatshirt to the college he has been eyeing.

2. These lights.

 

We drove through Bend this week and as we were driving these lights caught my eye. I had to turn around and check them out. 

3. This sign.

I want to believe, too.

4. This moment.

As we drove back from Bend this week a storm rolled through during our drive. We stopped at a rest stop and as Skylar and Jeff were watching the sky, it lite up so bright that both of them ran back to the car in a rush. It was good that they did, because the clouds opened up and dumped so much rain we were stuck at the rest stop for about 30 minutes before the rain let up enough to see to drive. I love moments like this. The unexpected little joys that don't hinder anything and allow you to pause for a moment and realize how small your issues are on the grand scale of things.

5. These boxes.

This week Mighty Nest, and the first box of resubscribing to Birchbox came. I had Birchbox when they first started, but ended up canceling because I had other subscription boxes that I enjoyed more, at the time. I decided to resubscribe to them because honestly, I love them, and I have a subscription box habit that I can't kick. Not yet, at least.☺

Mighty Nest was a great delivery this week. We got our boxes of bamboo toilet paper, and paper towels, as well as the Might Fix for this month. These scrub brushes are starting to earn their place in my cleaning supply bucket. They are eco-friendly and hold up under the most vigorous scrubbing. Plus, the samples that came with everything was perfect timing, as we ran out of laundry soap that morning. And, Dirty Labs smells amazing! Side note: My favorite product in the Birchbox shipment was the Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle spray. This was my go-to during my breast reduction surgery in 2020. I loved how it smelled, and I loved even more that it works!

One last thing:

This is my love post for the last Blockbuster located in Bend, Oregon. It is the last in the nation and is still overflowing with old school nostalgia. Even the smell is a core memory locked in.

Positive affirmations this week:

Listen to your supporters, not your critics, no matter who they are.

You can do this!🌈

Have a nice weekend.