The Joyful Friday Chronicles

As we bid adieu to September and usher in the cool embrace of October, I find myself nodding in tandem with Anne’s sentiment: October really has a charm of its own, doesn’t it? While we may not all big fans of the sudden drop in temperature, there’s something so enticing about the idea of having an October in our life. Kaitlyn seems to be a frontrunner amongst us all for the level of excitement she’s shown as she eagerly set her alarm early on the first day, just to add a touch of spookiness to our already festive fall-decorated home. It seems cute old Halloween decors prove to be a cost-effective way of transforming our house into a hauntingly festive space.

In other delightful news for the day, from a park outing with buddies, to the arrival of my dear mom, to our girls’ soccer games and not to forget the football serenade waiting for us, our day is lined up with happiness. And to make things better, beautiful weather prediction promises a perfect day! But let’s not digress, and concentrate on our weekly special – The Fantastic Five of Friday!

ONE: Unveiling the Amazon Superstars of September!
Peeking into our list makes me smile for a variety of reasons. You may notice a few additions that aren’t my regular area of expertise. That’s due to David’s newfound interest in sharing valuable reviews of products related to his domain. Those – home improvement, yard, and energy monitoring, are turning out quite useful! Hop on to my storefront to have a look.
The champions of the month are:
– A versatile 4-Gallon Battery-Powered Backpack Sprayer
– Emporia Home Energy Monitor and the Sense Energy Monitor
– Gorgeous Faux Fall Mums
– The Artisan Sourdough (Spiral Edition)
– The handy Stainless Steel 16 oz Lunch Thermos

TWO: A Night-out of tasty Foodventure – The Lazy Goat
This week David and I tried out a newly reopened restaurant, The Lazy Goat. Its prime location on the Reedy River and Swamp Rabbit Trail, teamed up with brilliant inside aesthetics and welcoming staff, made our outing worthwhile. The food presentation was on point, but the taste I’d probably rate a 7 out of 10. The truffle fries, crispy yet needing a touch of salt and a different dipping sauce, the well-cooked delicious lamb kabobs, other dishes were decent, though I might print another selection from the menu next time. But the Malbec really complemented our dishes!

THREE: Autumn Garden musings…
I must confess that I’ve been slow on my Fall garden scene. A more refined and humorous expression for the lack of my usual enthusiasm, I suppose. Did some detox of tired summer plants, topped it with soil, tilled it, and sowed some direct seeds in it recently. I planted a mix of carrots, broccoli, cabbage, kale, parsley, dill, sage, thyme, and oregano. The yield? Well, time can only tell! I’m putting some thought into setting up my indoor herb garden, and also looking for a suitable place to grow some garlic.

FOUR: Homely Delights with Pioneer Woman Pot Roast
Our feast of the week has been a pot roast. While it may not conform to our usual mid-week meal plan, it’s a definite yes for a grand family dinner. It’s simple to prepare, but does require four hours of slow cooking in the oven, which in turn blankets your home in an amazing aroma. I teamed it up with Instant Pot mashed potatoes, which received a special mention from David. Meat and potatoes – definitely a hard combination to resist

FIVE: A tale of the two roosters…
An experienced poultry friend dropped by this week and confirmed my suspicion: Duck & Nugget are roosters. The curved tail feathers, a growing spur, and their crowing were indicators. However, it seemed that Duck was evolving into his protective role towards his flock. I reached out to another friend for help with a potential home for the roosters. Fortunately, a compassionate gentleman with a 50-acre farm confirmed their acceptance. It was a mixed feeling for me, but I knew it was the right decision.

Thanks for stopping by our blog for a chat. Hoping your weekend is full of joy and spontaneity!