{Autumn in the Midwest}

Hi there!!
Happy Wednesday to you:)
I've been just rolling on through this highway we call life!!

Yes ... truthfully ... I would rather be at the beach.
but i'm not and autumn is in full swing here in the Midwest.

There is a particular beauty when it comes to

autumn in the Midwest.

The trees light up like firecrackers against

brilliant blue skies.

The scent of campfires waft in each breeze.

Crisp nights bring way to snuggling up to a fire.

Seasonal cooking turns to comforting soups and breads.

It really is a spectacular time of the year.

And this autumn has been just perfect.

We recently enjoyed an autumn camping trip to Turkey Run State park and had a lovely time…..hiking, photographing, eating, drinking and just plain enjoying the beauty of the earth!

Here’s to a little photo tour of the
autumn i've been enjoying
in the Midwest~

Hope you enjoy:)

It really was nice to just get out and be free.

No cell phones...No computers...just the campfire, friends and a little vino:):):)

Hope things have been well with you and that you have been enjoying nature wherever you are:)!!

“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” Henry David Thoreau

{if you build it they will come}

Good Morning!
How are you!?!?
I am enjoying an absolutely perfect morning!
Went for an early morning run and then came back to enjoy my morning cup of joe on the front porch:)
Remember the pond I built???
Well it is now frog central:) :)
This morning I counted 35....yes 35 frogs in my pond!

I wasn't always a big fan of frogs but they are growing on me!
I just love to watch them in the morning! I've even see them catch bugs a few times!
I know......I should have more going on than just sitting around watching frogs....but seriously....if you take just a moment to appreciate all the beauty in nature.....you will walk away HAPPY!

I wonder what the frogs would say ... if they could talk:)
Maybe...."hey just relax....everything's gonna be alright" or " a few flies...some water...a lily pad and i'm happy" :) :)

Like this little one....just poking his head up....
Hey....why are you taking my picture....you know I don't like to be photographed:) heehee

but really...I couldn't be any happier with the way the pond is shaping up!
I still need a few more pond plants......but no rush, right!?!?

I also think it's kind of funny that that's the first thing people see when they walk up to my front door.....frogs jumping everywhere:)

I think they can figure right away that I am a nature lovin' kind of girl:)

I think this one really thought a back drop of glass floats would suit him best!

I won a couple of those floats from The Glass Float Junkie!!! I put them around the pond.....I think they look cute. Sometime i'd like to get some more:))

Since I can't live in the south....I like to pretend that my frogs are really alligators:)

see....they kind of look like it with their heads just peeking out of the water!

They seriously just crack me up:)

I think it's good to take a step back and just appreciate nature!

I also noticed that even my lilies are starting to bloom........

I wonder if they're all friends.....or do they have one frog that they just can't get along with....you know...a real lily hog!

I don't know...with 35 of them in a not so big pond....i'd say they probably all get along just fine! Maybe we should learn a thing or two from the frogs!

Sometimes you need your space......

and sometimes you want to spend your time with others!! Right?!!?

I think it's nice to take a moment to enjoy a little nature while collecting your own thoughts:)

You never know what lessons you'll learn! And even if you don't learn anything....maybe you'll just smile:)

Hope you have a super happy week!!!!!!!!

I am off to visit my grandma and then to the grocery store for some super healthy eats:)

Take care~

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence” Aristotle

{riding & trunk show}

Good Morning to you!!
What a weekend it's been.

In true simpledaisy style I thought it would be great to get up early Saturday morning to do a 20 mile ride with a friend:) All this before I headed out for the simpledaisy trunk show the same day!!
It was just such a gorgeous morning. I was so happy we decided to ride. Here's what you'd see if you headed out to the country in Indiana:)
Lots & lots of farmland!

It was a great morning & even though we were pretty slow it just felt nice to get out on my bike for the first ride of the season!!

Now I am starting to feel the 100 miles in my future.....stay tuned:)

I told you I was going to do a trunk show at a friends house.

Well.....i'd be lying if I told it turned out as I had it planned in my mind! It was cold and gray outside and not a lot of people came. Good thing I had my trusty wine:)

You know I picked this wine for the label......I thought it would be perfect for this event!!!

Matches my display:)

Even though not a lot o people came.... I was SUPER thankful for the wonderful people who did come and who were kind enough to purchase a few simpledaisy pieces!! I hope I made them super happy!!!!!!!

My friend who hosted the trunkshow also had 2 other talented women bring their merchandise.....

We all set up on her deck!! It was so cute. She has the most cozy backyard.

Here is Sara's display....

So completely adorable! Her company is named Girlogik & she makes all sorts of girlie things:)

Stefanie was also there with all of her amazing things she makes in her studio!

I wasn't able to get as many photos of her set up because she came a little late and I had already had my camera put away....

But if you live in the area her shop is Interior Elements & Design...

Well...darn...she doesn't have a website but I included a link to her shop's address:)

And my set up.....

What do you think?!?!? Except for the wrinkled tablecloth!!

But that's how I roll......always in a rush and a little messy:)

I also included lots of cute little starfish......

Starfish just make me smile!

All in all it was a really wonderful time! It was all set up like a cute little shop in the French Quarter. Plus shoppers got enjoy some delicious appetizers and vino. How could that not make you happy??!?

Makes me want a cute little shop of my own......maybe someday:)

Hope all was well with you this weekend!! Did you have any big plans!?!?!?

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”
Albert Einstein

{Fresh Friday}

Well hello and happy Friday to you!!!!
My last day of spring break....boohoo:)
I have been super happy this week....the weather was absolutely fabulous {except for the past few days}!!
I've been lucky enough to enjoy some outside time! You know how happy that makes me!
Made dinner the other night and decided to enjoy it while sitting around the fire pit!
Good thing I had my handy dandy tray my grandma gave me to carry everything.

Yup....i'm in my pj's and yup they're even aqua blue!!! haha!

Here's what I made.....
A Summery Caprese Inspired Salad~


lettuce
basil
mozzarella
asiago
pine nuts
tomatoes
balsamic vinegar
yum....yum...yum:)

I also made

Blackened Mahi with Apricot Glaze
sprinkle on these seasonings....to your taste.

to me....the fennel's where it's at!! I love that stuff:)

Grill your fish and then mix up
apricot marmalade
honey
lime juice
cilantro

and put it on your fish after it's grilled!!
I am telling you.....it was fabulous:)
Sweet....salty.....hot....
just a great mix of flavors all in one bite.
Even L.C. couldn't help but to beg for a little bite:)

She didn't get any.....I anjoyed it all myself:)

Of course I enjoyed a little vino with my dinner!

Picked up this wine at the Sawyer Garden Center.....cute label....the dog looks like Ruby.....but not a great wine! I am no wine snob but I know what I like and I just didn't love this vino! Owell....you win some you lose some:)

This week was so fabulous because there was sooooo much happening in nature I could hardly stand myself:)
I love the outdoors and could live in tent if it didn't get so darn cold around here!

The dogs were very happy campers to be outside so much this week:)
Had ducks in the pond:)
How cool would that be if they had babies here!!!!!
I think they were pretty happy......maybe it's all the daffodils! Remember when I planted all of those last autumn?!?!

Then if all that weren't enough......

We were watching TV the other evening and found this little guy hopping around the living room!

It cracks me up because he is just COVERED in dog hair! I don't even know how he got inside...maybe it's because we always roll with all doors wide open!! haha! He probably thought he'd just come in and check it out!

Anywho.....I love the sound they make in the spring! I know spring is really here when I hear the toad's singing:)

Too bad he had to go back outside:(

Hope your week was swell!!!!

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. ~Margaret Atwood

{Autumn Camping}

Happy Sunday to you:)
We just got back from camping at Turkey Run State Park with our great friends this weekend!! We had sooooo much fun!
The trees were absolutely beautiful~ Our campsite rocked~ We had twinkle lights....plenty of smut to keep us girls busy.....I enjoyed lots of vino from a plastic cup!! How classy is that:) We brought lots of chili!!Vegan chili for me and white chicken chili for everyone else~The dogs played all weekend and actually got tired...I couldn't resist taking some funny photos of Ruby...I was seriously cracking up b/c Ruby actually looked like she was passed out!

All the campsites were all decked out in Halloween decor! It was so festive:)

Michelle and I were in sheer bliss..
Nevermind that we're not wearing any make-up.....to me that's the best thing about camping...you don't have to worry about what you're wearing or what you look like! Even my hubby was happy~ We had lots of candy to pass out to the trick-or-treaters....
L.C. thought she would like to sample some {I didn't let her}
Someone....I won't say who...was eating it before it was even time to pass it out....Good thing we had some left for the trick-or-treaters....we had a lot of them! Just look how cute:)All in all it was a completely wonderful weekend!!!

How was your weekend?!?!

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” anonymous