September 2020

September Drinks

As much as I love apple drinks, I'm not a fan of the sugar, so for September my plan is to drink a lot o apple tea! When you brew apple tea, you can control the amount of sugar you add, whether you want to mix apple juice and water, add stevia or your favorite sweetener and even some cinnamon. Yum!

I'm doing the same with PSL, although it's not my favorite of the season. I can blend my own at home with pumpkin puree for fewer calories and sugar, make mixed drinks, frappes or shakes and still get those flavors.

Quarantine Reads

Every week for me has been a little different during quarantine. Some weeks I have much more energy and ambition; others I struggle to get out of bed. I know a lot of people are in the same boat. 

Weeks go by where I don't even feel like reading, but there are also weeks where I read a lot of great stuff. This past week, I read two wonderful books: the graphic novel The Wicked and the Divine, which was incredible, and the romantic comedy The Tourist Attraction. Both were fantastic! 

The Best Animal News of 2020

Alas, I don't have the best animal news of 2020 in the chat, but I was hoping you might!

2020 has been one of the most difficult years for many people, but many animals have found it to be a great year. Many cities have had record pet adoptions. Many animals have found their breeding grounds and habitats to be safer for use and more turtles were born. More dogs had their humans home, which made them super happy!

What do you think has been the best animal news of the year? Share it in the chat! 

The Weirdest Animal of Your State

While we're social distancing, how about trying to find out more about the strangest animal in your state? If it's safe, you might even try to go on a quest to see it in the wild! Obviously not everyone can do this, but some people can. 

My state's strangest animal is so gross I don't even want to think about it! Can you guess which one it is from this list?

Is your state's weirdest animal on the list or is there something much weirder that you know about? Share it in the chat!

It's Mum Season!

The first flyer for these seasonal delights has arrived: MUMS! All the mums! Oh, I can't wait to light up the place like a fall fouth of July! Mum fireworks! Of course, I have pets and I can't just plant them anywhere, but I can definitely still have them in strategic areas, like my deck, where my dogs can't venture. I sure wish I could have them in more spots!

Our chicken feed store usually has the best deals on mums, but a lot of home improvement stores have been sending flyers with sales in them already, too. The nursery has the best variety, of course.

September Eats!

With September comes my favorite weather... soup weather! I'm all about the crockpot, stews, chili, soups... Oh, I can't wait! My favorite thing to eat in September, aside from apples and apple anything, is definitely homemade chili, but I also love my husband's potato soup.

If you try to avoid sugar and carbs like me, there are keto versions of this. For potato recipes, I suggest radishes for roasting/soups and rutabegas for fries. The latter works especially well in an air fryer.

What are you looking forward to cooking this September? Share it in the chat! 

Nothing Gold Can Stay

My teen and I just finished reading The Outsiders together, which is why I have Robert Frost on my mind. "Nothing Gold Can Stay" is a gorgeous poem that always makes me think about fall, even though it's my favorite season. Jim Gaffigan has a great bit where he talks about how we love fall leaves when they are all dying!

I'd love to hear more fall poems that you enjoy, especially if they're the kind that praise fall! They absolutely don't have to; I know many people are sad to see the summer go and I send hugs to you if that's the case.

Yummy September Desserts

September is finally upon us and I'm all about fall! My pumpkin room spray and candles are going, my Earth Wind & Fire is playing and I'm here for this! 

When it comes to September desserts, I normally love both apple and pumpkin goodies, as well as pear treats; one of the best ways to do this is to go fruit picking and eat them raw right there! I also love them baked with cinnamon, naturally. But this year I'm hoping to get some mooncakes for my family to try, too.

What September goodies are you eating right now?

Frogs Everywhere!

The other day we went out and left surprises on our loved ones' porches, something we do now and again during Covid, and when we got to the gas station there was a little frog visitor on the back windshield! Who knows how long he took a ride with us? We were distracted by a praying mantis on the front shield and didn't even notice him until we stopped!

Frogs are everywhere right now as little spring tadpoles are growing up and this one was super tiny and cute. I'm excited to see more frogs around!

Have you seen any frogs lately? Share your stories in the chat! 

Cats in Quarantine

Many of us have dogs that are super excited to have us home, but what about cats? My cats are pretty fed up with us being home all of the time to the point where they enjoy knocking over my plants and peeing on them. Yes, these were plants that were previously safe; they just got sick of leaving them alone!

Online Craft Classes

Not being together in person is rough. We all know it by now! But there are lots of great online ways to connect, including fun craft tutorials, classes and events, popping up everywhere.

Search Eventbrite, Outschool and even YouTube and you'll find a lot of these! Local art and craft schools are also sharing lots of online ways to connect right now. 

 

Are you teaching online crafting classes or taking any that you would like to share with others? Post them in the chat! 

Ethan Stowell Pop-Ups

Recently we talked about how food trucks are taking the business to the people in order to stay open and meet people's needs while staying home. This week, let's talk pop-up restaurants!

Ethan Stowell pop-ups are in the news this week and OH do their menus look incredible. Check them out here. They also have a bunch of specials right now!

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