Snuggles, Flowers, Birthday Jen

The cats have been getting extra snuggles because I've been having a couple of weeks 

of lower energy.  It's been nicer than other slow times, though, 

because I'm still able to do things, just not as many things.  

I simply have to be more careful about which activities get a YES and which get a NO.

Cat snuggles almost always get a YES!

cuddling Allistair

Awww!  Tongue out Stephen!

The weather hasn't gotten TOO too hot just yet.

It's still in the 90s for highs, and this morning it was 68 when I woke up.

It never feels completely horrid when we can still open the windows in the morning

and enjoy a nice cross breeze and the sound of the fountain.

This cowbird has the most amazing, electronic-style noise!

I ate breakfast out there a couple of days

(buckwheat porridge with blueberries and maple syrup, hibiscus iced tea - yum!)

Melvin, one of our cacti, continues to bloom big beautiful flowers every

time I water him.  They start out like this . . . 

And then they progress to this . . . 

The Chinese Elm trees shade us from much of the hot afternoon sun.

They are wonderfully green and happy now (before it gets too hot).

I haven't done a huge amount of shopping lately, but this lovely faux leather

jacket was on my Macy's list and it went on sale (WAY on sale!).  It is perfect.

I love how it looks with a fully black and white outfit or with a neutral skirt and a 

top that has pink in it.  I adore the little peplem ruffle at the bottom!

jacket: Maison Jules (Macy's)
blouse: Maison Jules (Macy's)
skirt: Amazon

Here's another outfit I wore lately.

t-shirt: Amazon
skirt: Amazon
bag: Amazon
shoes: Target

I had the fun opportunity to hang out with my dear sweet friend Jen

on her birthday last week.

In the East Valley, birthdays are often spent doing "the trifecta" -

visiting every Joe's restaurant to take advantage of the $10 birthday discount.

The only one that really works for me is Joe's Farm Grill

(the other two are Joe's Real BBQ and Liberty Market).

It's stylish and beautiful and airy and cool.

There are trees everywhere.

They get a lot of their ingredients from the working farm in the middle

of the Agritopia neighborhood where the restaurant is located.

Fresh flowers:

Amazing architecture:

Delicious food!

This is the farm salad (I had citrus vinaigrette).

I got sweet potato fries and regretted it. Wonderful and tasty, but not good

for my belly, for some reason.

We then did a bit of browsing through Home Goods, TJ Maxx, and Ross.

Here we are!

I loved my outfit, but my hair was misbehaving.

top: Maison Jules (Macy's)
skirt: Amazon
bag: Amazon
shoes: Target

I found this cute gingham blouse at Ross.

I have been experiencing some spectacular spills lately.

This is one from my lunch (which was open-faced hummus, pickle, and veggie sandwiches).

The hummus and greens found their way to the floor.

Happily this spill was pretty easy to clean up.

Here's another meal I had recently.

Sweet potato burger piled with veggies, 

(again reminding me that sweet potatoes are not for me),

red veggie lentils, delicious green grapes, and hibiscus iced tea.

Isn't it colorful and beautiful?

On Friday evening, I did a bit of experimenting.

I made some new recipes.

I tried making wraps (out of lentils and water!)

They turned out more like pancakes, but I may try making them again,

with more water so they're thinner like crepes.

That way I could wrap up hummus and veggies in them!

I also made chocolate brownie cookies.

They were beautiful and tasty, but a little too chocolatey, believe it or not.

There were melted chocolate chips AND cocoa powder (a lot of it),

so I think next time I'll leave out the cocoa powder - and also try frosting with coconut flakes on top.

Then they'll be very much like chocolate cookies my Mom used to make at Christmas time!

I won't save them just for Christmas, though!

Happy Friday!