Monday Morning Quarterbacking

Good Monday morning. We had a nice low key weekend here, and I hope yours was the same. I'm linking with Holly and Sarah today for their regular Monday morning weekend blog hop. Here's how ours looked-

Thursday evening we had friends here for dinner. I made the crispy baked Boursin appetizer which is always a hit, and if you haven't tried it I recommend. It's easy and delicious and I make my own hot honey. Here's the recipe I use-

Crispy Baked Boursin With Hot Honey 

I'm a slacker in the picture taking department, but my excuse is my phone is an older model with a so-so camera and my Canon needs a major repair which may not be worth doing. Also, I'm usually just enjoying the moment and don't remember to snap a pic, so there's that too. 

Our guests brought the cutest hostess gift. Hey look! A picture-

I'm going to bake some pumpkin bread in this as soon as hubs works his way through all the Reeses.  Which will be any minute now. 

Friday was an absolutely gorgeous day. Really the past couple of weeks have been perfect weather wise and we've spent a lot of time outdoors. We did our civic duty and voted on Friday morning.

Hubs says he looks annoyed in this picture and that's because he was lol. We have not mastered the selfie, but still we try. Normally we vote on Election Day, but not taking any chances we can't get there for whatever reason this year, so we voted early. There was a long line but it moved quickly. 

It was too pretty not to do something fun and fallish, so hubs and I drove into the nearby mountains to one of our absolute favorite towns for lunch-Highlands. 

We've been curious to see how the road going over looks since Helene wreaked havoc and cleanup and recovery are still ongoing. The news cycle and our attention span for it is short, but know there are many people and many businesses struggling and grieving still. 

The scenery on the road up was a bit messier than usual, as there were a lot of trees down in the woods. There were also quite a few leaners and many that hit the road during the storm, but have now been cut and moved to the side to allow traffic to pass.  

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Still the color was pretty and we didn't run into any issues. 

I live in SC, but very near the NC border and we absolutely love the little town of Highlands (NC). It was bustling on Friday which was good to see. We lucked into a parking spot just off Main and walked to Wild Thyme Gourmet for lunch. 

There are so many wonderful places to eat in this town you really can't go wrong. Hubs ordered their special, a grilled Mahi sandwich and I had their crab cake sandwich which was superb. We're crab cake snobs (blame it on nine years spent living in Annapolis), and I can say these are the real deal. Hubs ordered a cup of their chicken chili soup too, and it was delicious. 

After lunch we wandered through town, browsed the shops, and soaked up the sunshine. Look at that sky! 

This town is so cute. If you've never been and love a mountain town, Highlands is a good one. It's walkable, filled with great shops and restaurants, beautiful views, lots of fabulous nearby hiking and plenty of Airbnbs. Or you can splurge on The Old Edwards Inn and Spa which is an institution here. 

We stopped in Kilwins as we were getting ready to leave.  I wanted an iced coffee for the ride home, but their coffee machine died just as they were making mine so no coffee. 

As a result I had a nap in the car on the way home. We stopped at our usual overlook to snap a picture and it was gorgeous as always. This is the lake just above ours and she's a beauty too-

We came home and regrouped before heading to a local Mexican place where our friends were playing. They play a lot of what I guess you'd call 70's soft rock, a little bit of country, that sort of thing which I like. Music and margaritas make for a fun Friday night, and we saw a lot of our neighbors there (one of the musicians lives in our neighborhood) so that was fun too. 

Saturday I had to make a return which involved boxing up the item myself and taking it to UPS and also paying for it. I dislike when companies make returns a bother. This was a grill cover we'd ordered that was supposed to be domed to fit The Green Egg, but was flat so didn't fit. 

We had to log in, email a request for a return which was met with a 'we'll get back to you soon' reply, then a couple days later another email saying 'yes you can return it and we'll email you a shipping label 'soon', then a couple more days go by and we finally get the label. 

Amazon has us spoiled. 

I needed a few groceries so made a stop there before heading home. At this point it was after noon and 82 degrees felt more like summer than fall. I changed in to shorts, packed a light lunch in the cooler, then hubs and I motored out for a boat ride. The lake is always pretty, but I especially love a boat ride this time of year when the leaves are turning and the water is mostly quiet. 

We found ourselves in a couple of coves we've never been in before and that's always fun. We like leaf peeping and also house peeping. We love to see what people are building and also what sort of landscaping projects are happening. 

We came home and spent the rest of the day watching college football. Our team (the Vols) and our hometown team (Clemson) were both off on Saturday so we could relax. I'd made twice baked potatoes for our company and we had a couple left over so hubs chopped and fried them and scrambled us eggs for dinner. It was so good. 

Sunday we were lazy. There's really no better word for it. We synched our calendars through December and we have a lot going on. A lot. We've learned when there's a down day to embrace it, refill our sleep tank, and just generally recharge. 

So we did. It was gray and cool (for SC) and we watched football, played a game of chess, and I made a big pot of chili for dinner. I've been craving chili but when it's 82 degrees chili doesn't feel right. It was 57 on Sunday and we'll take it. 

I don't really use a recipe. I sort of follow Robert McIlhenny's recipe from my Tabasco cookbook, but I make a few changes. His calls for cubed beef and I usually just use ground beef which is fine. While I'll eat chili any way you want to make it we like beans in ours so I add both kidney and black beans, along with a can of diced tomatoes. 

I always make my cornbread in my cast iron skillet, and this recipe is foolproof-Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

So were you lazy, productive,  or a little bit of both this weekend? 

Hiking Through The Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my blog, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. Here we go- 

1. If your life had a theme song for this past year what would it be? 

Goodness of God by Bethel Music...you can listen to it here. 

2. Chocolate cake, chocolate milkshake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate truffle, chocolate mousse, chocolate candy bar or a fudgy chocolate brownie...of the chocolate treats listed, which one is your favorite? Which one have you tasted most recently? Or maybe you don't like chocolate???

Oh my how do you choose? A well baked, slightly chewy, fudgy brownie is probably my favorite chocolate dessert. It's not too heavy and I could eat a brownie every day and not get tired of it. That being said, I do love a fabulous chocolate cake and hubs always gets me a fabulous chocolate cake (with a raspberry filling-gotta have the raspberry filling!) for my birthday, and this year was no exception (see random thought). 

3. What has surprised you recently? 

That it's somehow the middle of September. 

4. September 19th is National Voter Registration Day in the US. Are you registered to vote in whatever state or country you happen to live in right now? If not, why not? Not counting a political race, what's something you've had to vote on recently? 

I am registered to vote and yes, I do vote in every election I'm eligible to vote in. 

Besides a political race something I've voted on recently? Hmmm...my favorite chocolate treat lol? We voted on an HOA decision in our neighborhood a few weeks ago so that's probably it. Technically hubs voted but it's one vote per household so that counts. 

5. Do you like to hike? If so, when's the last time you went hiking and where'd ya go? If you're not a hiker are you a walker? Is walking (for exercise, etc.) part of your daily/weekly routine? 

I do like to hike and it's something hubs and I enjoy doing together. The little brown dog too of course. He never wants to be left behind when he hears there's a hike on the agenda. 

There are a lot of waterfalls an easy drive from us, and we're trying to see them all. Most recently we hiked to one 70 feet high in the middle of a thick forest.  It was gorgeous and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. I posted pics in my Monday entry linked here. 

I like walking as a form of exercise, but our neighborhood roads and trails are steep and my achilles hates that. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Like I said... 

How do you choose? 

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Born in the USA

Dear Daughters (and any other 20-somethings who happen to be reading here)...

It's an election year in the US of A and I feel like there are some things I want to say to you before November rolls around. And another November in four years and all the Novembers ever after.

The dialogue in America when it comes to all things political (and everything is political in 2012) can best be described as coarse. Don't let the tone discourage you from participating in a process that is your right and a privilege still denied to many all around this world.

When I was growing up we got our news mostly from the three main television channels and the local newspapers. Anchormen and reporters had opinions and political inclinations but the news was presented in a mostly straightforward manner, leaving the listener to form his/her own opinion. That's not the case anymore which is why I encourage you to seek out the truth for yourselves.

If you want to know how a candidate feels on a particular issue, read what they've written in their own words. All of them. Unedited and un-spun. See how they've voted in the past and what experience they bring to the table. Go to the source-their own books, websites and speeches. Read these words in their entirety and in context, not slashed and tweaked and sensationalized in a way the speaker didn't intend just to invoke outrage or create the illusion of scandal where scandal doesn't exist. If you see an ad that's far-fetched or hear the media try to spin something in a way that sounds ridiculous and unbelievable then it probably is.

Avoid bandwagons. You have a brain so use it. Think for yourself. So much of the mess our nation finds itself in right now is of our own making. Expecting something for nothing. The urgent need to keep up with the Joneses, no matter that the Joneses make 10x the salary. A sense that life must be fair and everyone should have the same everything whether they've earned it or not.

No matter what happens down the road always, always work hard. Follow our example, not that of Washington -don't spend more than you earn. There will be things you want in this life-expect to work for them and trust me when I say you'll appreciate them more so for the working.

Learn to save, and sometimes to sacrifice in the immediate for something better in the long term. I realize this is counter to the message our culture spews out at every turn, but I hope you'll be smart and swim against the current here. If you can't afford to pay for cable television, a day at the beach, or a Starbucks latte on your way to work then don't. It's not the end of the world. Food, shelter, and clothes on your back are necessities. 300 channels and a $4 coffee drink every day are not.

Plan for your future and don't assume the future will take care of itself. Planning and saving, and not spending every dime you earn, opens the door to something wonderful in your life. The gift of generosity.

Be generous. Support those people and charities closest to your heart, whether it's an orphaned child through World Vision, teenagers navigating adolescence in a Young Life club, or a cancer research doctor trying to end leukemia. I believe God gives each of us a heart for something so listen to yours and invest your money, time, and talents where you feel His prompting. When you give you get, in ways that cannot be measured by net worth or the bottom line.

Be informed...listen to the news or read it online or whatever the next wave of technology allows, but do it in small doses. Take time to mull over what you hear and decide for yourself if it makes sense. When you listen to a lot of news it's easy to feel discouraged and adopt an attitude of 'what's the point', but there's still a point. When I look at you I see intelligence and compassion. I see big dreams and youthful energy. Don't let the world (or an actor, rap artist, or political pundit) tell you what's important. You know what's important.

Finally, don't whine. Nothing is more tiresome than an over privileged nation that does nothing but complain, so don't add to the noise that fills our television screens, our subway cars, our too long lines at the DMV. Instead, smile at the world you encounter every day. We know first hand that life is a gift and time is precious. Listen more and talk less. Be honest, but kind.

Our country could use a little more optimism...don't let the 24/7-ness of the online world make you numb or jaded. America is not just a plot of land. She's people and ideals and principles, and she needs your tender loving care.

Quoting Garfield

Good Morning Voting Public.

Yes, that would be you.

And me.

We're it.

We're all we've got.

And I'm speaking to everyone here.

There is much to complain about in our political system. Much bickering. Much that disgusts. Much that saddens. Much that makes you want to put your head under a pillow until the quadruple whammy of political advertising ceases and desists. Living in Northern NJ means we get to see and hear all the ads run by all the candidates in FOUR states (NJ, NY, CT, and PA).

You're jealous I know.

When I said I was quoting Garfield today I'm sure you know I was referring to James Garfield the former US President, and not Garfield the cat. If you were hoping for a quote from the cat I'm sorry to disappoint. But Garfield the former President said something pretty wise a hundred and thirty some years ago and which continues to ring true today-

"Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature...If the next centennial does not find us a great nation...it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces." President James Garfield, 1877

'The people' isn't someone else.

It's us.

You and me.

We're it.

We're all we've got.

Will you be voting today?