A lemon dessert bar that you will love, an eyelet tunic for spring, three books and a snake.
It is going to be a warm weekend here — the kind of warm that feels like a tease of things to come. High seventies today and almost eighty tomorrow. My containers are looking sad and I am itching to fill them with ferns and something colorful. But I know better. We will get another cold spell before this is over and I am not losing my impatiens to a false spring. A few more weeks. I can wait.
Before we get to the good stuff I have to tell you about yesterday because I am still not over it.
I was reaching into the basket I keep on the front porch — the one with my shovel and pruners — when a baby copperhead slithered over the shovel. I ran for Bill, who is braver than I am, and he carried the basket across the street and released the snake. I am choosing to believe it will not find its way back to my house.
This is not my first reptile encounter, I should tell you. Last spring I was cleaning out the backyard fountain — hand deep in pine straw— when I discovered it was full of water snakes. The fountain sits in the ground with a perforated cover and small stones over the top, and I had no idea I had new neighbors. The deer drink from it regularly and I love watching them. The snakes were less welcome. I did not go near that fountain for a week and frankly am dreading this year’s cleaning.
Right. Enough about crawling things. On to the good stuff.
FOOD
Three easy and delicious recipes to make this week and a dessert that you will want to pin to save for all of your spring and summer gatherings.
Similar to the Costco salad this Kale Sweet Potato Salad with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette is sure to be a family favorite. And the best part, you can make it at home and control the ingredients and preservative.
Second to the toaster oven my air fryer is the most hardworking appliance in the house and is only tied with my Kitchen Aid mixer. This week I made Lindsays’ spiced chicken breasts and they are scrumptious. They are soon to become a weekly stapled for salads, to serve with rice and to accompany my almost daily sweet potatoes.
Sweet potato taco bowls are an easy and delicious meal to make any day of the week. This taco bowl seasoned ground beef, fresh pico de gallo, creamy lime sour cream, and avocado.
There is always room for dessert, Lemon Crumb Bars, bright, creamy lemon filling sandwiched between buttery, crisp crumble topping and a tender crust.
LINKS TO READ+WATCH+LISTEN
Visit an amazing fairy tale garden
Six ways to connect with friends – even when busy
Why everyone is playing mahjong right now
6 habits that may be draining your energy
The Louvre’s Director Resigns Months After the French Crown Jewels Heist
How to dial in your dirt,I need all the help I can get with this.
Kristy Woodson Harvey fans you are going to love this news.
BOOKS
The Guest Book by Sarah Blake is a multigenerational family saga following the Milton family over three generations from the 1930s to present day, centered around their summer retreat on Crockett’s Island off the coast of Maine. The novel explores how the family’s wealth, secrets, and deep-seated prejudices—including racism and classism—shape their legacy and impact each generation’s understanding of their place in American society. Through beautifully crafted storytelling, Sarah Blake examines themes of privilege, moral choices, and the ways that past decisions and societal attitudes continue to haunt families across time.
The Stolen Book of Evelyn Aubrey by Serena Burdick weaves together two timelines—1898 England and 2006 California—creating a literary mystery that explores themes of artistic betrayal, family secrets, and women’s agency across generations. Readers consistently praise Serena Burdick’s “beautifully written” narrative that keeps you “fascinated the whole time” with its clever plot twists and deeply emotional family saga spanning over 120 years. This dual timeline historical mystery perfectly combines your love of multi-generational stories with book-centered plots, featuring a brilliant woman writer whose stolen manuscript becomes the key to unlocking family mysteries a century later.
A Promise to Arlette by Serena Burdick follows Sidney and Ida Whipple, who are living the perfect 1950s suburban American dream until their neighbor’s newly purchased Man Ray photograph forces Ida to confront her past when she recognizes her lost wartime love, Arlette. Knowing the photograph can’t be authentic, Ida travels to California to confront Man Ray about this impossible image, while Sidney desperately follows with their daughters, hoping to save their marriage as buried secrets from their time in WWII France threaten to destroy everything they’ve built together. This sweeping saga explores how promises made, broken, and renewed during wartime can determine our fate, weaving together themes of love, betrayal, survival, and the weight of secrets that refuse to stay buried.
Looking for more books?
If you have already read these books or missed something I have featured before on the blog check out My Bookshop. I realize that many people are not buying from Amazon. However, many of my readers are so that is why I link to Amazon. Many of not all of the books are also available from Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and on Libby from your local library.
SHOPPING~OUTFIT OF THE DAY
It’s getting hot outside and to beat the heat I like to wear dresses. This weeks outfit is a black eyelet tunic that you can wear with or without the best, add a pair of sandals, tote, jewelry and a spritz of your favorite scent and you are ready for a day out shopping, lunch, dinner or a casual day at home. This dress could even be worn as a swimsuit coverup.
Click the images to see the outfit separates
Follow me on SHOPMY for more outfit inspiration.
UNTIL TOMORROW
I hope you enjoyed the recipes, links and books I discovered this week on Friday Favorites. Don’t forget to join us tomorrow for Weekend Meanderings with Kim and Juliet! Ad if you missed it, yesterday I shared my hot chocolate recipe.
I hope that you have a wonderful day, thank you for spending part of it with me.
Before you go, tell me what are you looking forward to this weekend?
Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. And last but not least, if you like Pinecones & Acorns share it with a friend!
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On My Radar
Your husband should have killed the copperhead before it bites someone. They are poisonous.
Yes, he should have but it was a baby and when he set the basket down before he could kill it is slithered away.
Thank you for the chocolate bread recipe. I needed some inspiration for my book club hosting. It was easy enough to make. Though my husband is still complaining about the Dutch chocolate, he doesn’t believe it’s a thing 🙂 plus it was pricey. However the bread was a hit. My book club was small so they only ate a little. That evening we had a Happy Hour get together for AAUW. Rather than make an appetizer I cut the cake into cubes, put toothpicks in them. And the crowd went wild! Several people asked for the recipe and told me to make it every time. So THANK YOU PS What is the baking soda measurement?
Thank you for letting me know! I am happy that you and your book club and AAUW enjoyed it.
I did update the recipe, there is no baking soda, only baking powder. 2 tsp