Friday Favorites~a weekly series where we share our favorite books, decor, fashion finds, recipes, podcasts, articles and more.
FRIDAY FAVORITES NO. 612
Good morning friends, happy Friday. Did you wake up to snow? It’s going to be very cold here the next few days and they say that parts of the East Coast will get snow. I do not think we will be lucky enough to see anything but one can hope.
Speaking of the cold and the snow, it is cold and snowing in WNC. It’s been over 8 weeks and some of the people in Western North Carolina are still without heat, power, water or sewage. Many people have been who were sleeping in hotels have been “kicked out” because their FEMA vouchers have run out. These people are sleeping outside in tents with a heater. Please keep these people in your prayers and maybe instead of buying something you don’t need on Black Friday donate a little money to help them. I will be doing the same.
This is the start of Thanksgiving travel, are you traveling this weekend? We are staying put, we have been traveling a lot over the last 2 months and frankly we are worn out. Not to mention, my brother and sister both live down the street so we will be spending the holiday weekend with them.
My sister-in law is doing all of the main Thanksgiving dishes and the rest of us are bring one or two sides and of course dessert. I am making cauliflower gratin, a Fall salad and pumpkin pie streusel bars. They are so good and taste just like pumpkin pie, I will share the recipe with you on Monday or Tuesday.
Ok, let’s get to Friday Favorites.
FOOD~ Thanksgiving Sides
Green bean casserole is a favorite of many but this is Ina’s version!
Wild rice with cranberries and pecans, my personal favorite.
Roasted carrots with candied pecans and goat cheese! Yes please.
Warm winter farro salad with butternut squash.
LINKS TO READ+WATCH+LISTEN
This is a heartbreaking article. Unmade Beds and Overdue Books: Photographing the Rooms of Kids Killed in School Shootings
How the Irish Came to Rule Pop Culture.
Could Humans Learn to Hibernate?
Why We Obsess Over Giving the Perfect Gift and how to stop.
10 Sticky Notes We Should All Read Every Morning for the Rest of the Year
Why Are Mortgage Rates Rising Again?
Three Strength Training Exercises Everyone Should Do
BOOKS
I am in cosy season, it’s been a long couple of months and I am ready to hibernate, relax, regroup and just be. I want to enjoy this season and my family and friends, as well as, some down time reading.
Molly Gray has always loved the holidays. When Molly was a child, her gran went to great lengths to make the season merry and bright, full of cherished traditions. The first few Christmases without Gran were hard on Molly, but this year, her beloved boyfriend and fellow festive spirit, Juan Manuel, is intent on making the season Molly’s mofinst joyful yet.
But when a Secret Santa gift exchange at the Regency Grand Hotel raises questions about who Molly can and cannot trust, she dives headfirst into solving her most consequential—and personal—mystery yet. Molly has a bad feeling about things, and she starts to wonder: has she yet again mistaken a frog for a prince?
A heartwarming, magical story about the true spirit of the season, The Mistletoe Mystery reminds us that love is the greatest mystery of all.
The Christmas Tree Farm
When Madison McDowell returns from several years teaching overseas, she has high hopes of picking up where she left off at her family’s Christmas tree farm in Oregon. But between damage from a recent wildfire and the neglect due to her sister Addie’s unwillingness to invest, the farm is in sad shape. In fact, Addie is intent on selling the property. And to top it off, her former high school flame, the now-widowed Gavin Thompson, has plans to break Madison’s heart again by turning his neighboring property into a dusty, noisy dirt bike track for his daughter.
With the odds stacked against her, Madison decides there’s only one thing to do: double down on her dreams. It will take a ton of hard work–and some help from an unlikely ally–to save the farm she so dearly loves. But it may take a miracle to restore her relationship with her sister
A Christmas Carol
Why not read Charles Dickens Christmas Classic?
A Christmas Carol is a beloved novella by Charles Dickens that tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who despises Christmas and the joy it brings. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts who take him on a journey through his past, present, and future. Through these experiences, Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of compassion and generosity. A timeless classic, A Christmas Carol has become a holiday tradition and an enduring symbol of the spirit of Christmas.
We Made a Garden
This would make a great Christmas gift for the gardeners in your life.
This landmark work on creating a garden was first published in 1956 and has rarely been out of print since. We Made a Garden is the story of how Margery Fish, the leading British gardener of the mid-twentieth century, and her husband, Walter, transformed an acre of wilderness into a stunning cottage garden, still open to the public at East Lambrook Manor, Somerset, England. Quirky and readable, this book details her creation of a world-renowned cottage garden, as well as her battles with Walter in the process, who preferred the standard suburban approach.
In this beautiful and timeless work, she recounts the trials and tribulations, the successes, and failures of her venture with ease and humor. This book has been hailed as everything from a blueprint for the creation of a modern cottage garden to a feminist manifesto, and the author’s practical knowledge, imaginative ideas, and general good sense will encourage and inspire gardeners everywhere.
If you have already read these books or missed something I have featured before on the blog check out My Bookshop on Amazon.
Shopping Break~Outfit of the Day
Blackwatch plaid is a classic, and this coat is one that you will wear for years to come. Pair it with your favorite outfits all season long. Today I styled it with jeans, a t-shirt, sweater and loafers, perfect for a casual outing or a day at home. Don’t forget your scarf and gloves!
Outfit Details
You can find all of my outfits on LTK so be sure to follow me in case you missed one. Don’t forget to follow me!
UNTIL TOMORROW
What are your weekend plans?
Are you ready for Thanksgiving?
I hope you enjoyed the recipes, links and books I discovered this week on Friday Favorites. Thank you for spending part of your day with me, your time is valuable and I am grateful that you spend a little of each day with me. Have a wonderful weekend.
Follow along with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, and Pinterest.
Don’t forget that Kim, Juliet and I will be back tomorrow on Weekend Meanderings!
If you have missed a Friday Favorites post you can find them all here.
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On My Radar
Elizabeth i love your new blog design! It is fabulous!
Cindy, THANK YOU! I appreciate that. It took me awhile to figure out how to make a new logo and I love it. As for the rest of the design Shari at Little Blue Deer updated it.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Hi Elizabeth,
I finally made your “The Best, Basic Chocolate Chip Cookie this morning. They turned out excellent. I and two. I’m bring my “pumpkin cookies” but decided to also bring some chocolate chip cookies because not everyone likes pumpkin. I will be baking more tomorrow and next week.
I looked at your recipes and the Farro (❤️that) salad and butternut squash looks awesome. I will check that out. I ❤️ butternut squash. I like the one Trader Joe’s has that is all cut up already. It helps me LOTS.
I like your new logo. Also, I have written down “Through the eyes of gratitude everything etc. .
Have a great weekend.
Hi Elizabeth, I have not read it all, I plan to do that later tonight, the article about the children killed in school shootings is heartbreaking. I hope it is sent to all NRA members and politicians who have done nothing to stop the loss of so many. What a lasting legacy of these beautiful lives taken too soon. Thank you for including it.
Hi Elizabeth,
I’m back again to make a comment on the book you featured in the opening of your blog. Wow, what a small world we live in. I gave the 1906 The Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden to my husband for his birthday back on February 2nd 1979. We used to leave it on our dining room table and my husband would read a passage each evening after dinner. We got out of the tradition and I have now pulled the book back out from our bookshelf to start up the tradition again.
I got the Nita Prose book from the library thanks for the recommendation. Just short enough to get through during the busy season. I meant to read a the Maid but haven’t. I’ll be taking my much requested pecan pie to a friend’s home on TG. We don’t have family near and my parents are deceased. Holidays have changed. We always put up our tree together and make it a special night with good food and Prosecco. That’s what’s on my radar! Happy Thanksgiving!