Rainy Day Oranges

It's a rainy dark day in the desert.

I looove rainy days, they add such a different mood in the land of sun.

Time for snuggling with mystery novels.

The trees in both the city and country are full of oranges.

So many oranges I have not even made a dent.

Even though I've been using them daily.

I feel so lucky and grateful for them.

I normally have fresh orange juice everyday so this is perfect.

Just as with tomatoes and other home garden grown fruits and vegetables, there really is nothing like the sweetness and freshness of these oranges and lemons.

Even the skins are sweet.

The flavors are so robust and full when you eat homegrown goodies.

I've made my first batch of candied orange peels and they've already been gobbled up.

I know there is nothing worse than flash in photos or dark photos lit by lamps…

But, it's all we've got for today.

Lamp lit rooms.

Freshness on a grey day.

Last weekend I invented a new cookie recipe.

I also made a huge sugar mistake that made me change it even more.

Somehow I put in 4 cups of sugar instead of 1.5, haha!

I was majorly multitasking and lost track of reality.

So then I added two extra eggs and more orange juice and shaved rind.

And another cup of flour.

I saved the dough in the end and it turned out to be a good mistake.

They are super chewy days later.

The ones cooked until extra golden brown (not pictured) got super crunchy though, so there are two options.

I topped them with a lemon drizzle.

Orange and lemon sugar cookies.

I'll make them again to test and then share the recipe.

The infusement of oranges has hit the winter spot.

They make me so happy.

I always look forward to orange season in winter.

So fun.

Chomp!

Seems I'm the only one who loves this weather though.

Sulky sulky.

Although, truth be told, he's very cozy and seems happy as a lark.

So, I think he's just watching the rain fall and not sulking.

Tea and flowers, oh my.

Two of my favorite things.

Yesterday was very rainy and dark too.

I decided to deep clean & dust the house whilst binge watching The Jinx on Amazon.

(with the HBO add-on)

There's a part of me that is drawn to crime shows, I don't know why.

I have to be in the mood, but I'm sure I get it from my dad.

So of course I had to keep watching until the end as it was a documentary series.

The end was, well, it was verrrry interesting.

So I was up into the wee hours of the night.

Then somehow, I got in a bidding war for an antique painting on Ebay at midnight.

I'm not sure what's worse…

Insane late night bidding on Ebay or someone binge eating at 2 a.m. in front of the light of the fridge, haha!

Thank goodness I haven't done that since late night partying in college.

Have you done either? Do tell!

The worst part is, after I paid too much for this painting that I'm not sure I even really wanted (oops), I read some bad reviews about the seller that were hidden in there, zoikkks! Haha! I guess I deserve it. Who knows what I'll be receiving. Luckily I'm laughing about it.

We'll see next week.

Isn't it wrong that an antiques addict can be allowed to shop from her phone at any hour?!

It's not right I tell ya 😉

Oh my, sooo funny!

Anywho, it's a lovely grey day.

Which I will revel in as 104' degree weather is not forgotten yet.

So, I'm in heaven in this grey rain.

Please sun go away for a couple more days.

Summer will be back again soon enough, so for now I enjoy.

It's perfect weather for sprinkling seeds for spring.

Which I normally do during winter rains.

I hope you are doing quite grand out there.

I need to install an app so I can chat with you via comments in an easier fashion.

I think I'll look into that today.

See you soon!

Love, V

 

 

ps:

 Here's a video of our citrus trees I had posted on Instagram last week.

Although it looks better if you view it over there.

 

pps:

The Christmas tree market is still open and they had a bunch of HUGE pumpkins for pennies.

I had to buy this gigantic Rouge Vif D'Etampes.

Aka Cinderella Pumpkin.

It weights much more than Matty (who weighs 37lbs.)

Isn't he so happy to be in the pic?

I just have to be careful because the rabbits in my garden have figured out how to eat pumpkins.

You should see them.

It's quite hilarious to watch a giant pumpkin slowly disappear.