Okay seriously, I’m not going to talk about pumpkins in every single post. But after my post yesterday about the imaginary 100 pumpkins in my front yard, Kae sent me this:
This is a house IN HER TOWN. She said they decorate it this way every year. Life goals right here!
Let’s talk about reading. I almost had a reading emergency this week. I had TWO BOOKS from my hold list come available on the same day:
I’ve been on the list for the Liz Moore for weeks and weeks, and I didn’t expect it right now. I also didn’t expect the Liane Moriarty, because I just put the hold on it last week. When these holds came in, I was 300 pages into a 1000 page book (Ken Follett’s Edge of Eternity) and I didn’t see how I was going to finish that and read both of these in two weeks.
Then I remembered our library recently extended the loan period of new books to three weeks- PHEW! I can get them all read by October 9th. I was so excited to read The God of the Woods until I read Birchie’s post from Monday- she didn’t like it, WHAT??? I thought everyone has been liking that one! Well, I’ll have to read it and see what the controversy is all about.
Eating-wise, I continue to limp along. My plan of doing meal prep on Sunday has not been working out (what a surprise!) Instead I’ve been making something on Sunday that can be eaten for two meals- Sunday and Monday- and then cobble things together for the rest of the week. We always have takeout on Friday, so it’s only three dinners to get through.
On Sunday I wanted to make pumpkin pasta but my daughter had a sore throat (everyone has been getting sick around here!) so I decided to make soup instead. I made the Coconut Curry Lentil Soup from Nora Cooks. I chose it because I was pretty sure my daughter would like it, and I was right!
It was a good soup- nothing amazing about it, but it was tasty, and like most soups it was better the second day.
Next up- I need to make some kind of pumpkin dessert! In the same post where Birchie stomped all over my reading dreams, she linked to a very delicious-looking pumpkin cookie. That may have to happen this weekend.
Have you read The God of the Woods? Did you like it?
Has anyone read the Liane Moriarty?
Do you have a favorite fall soup?
34 Responses
I LOVED The God of the Woods. Loved it. I listened to and really like the audio. I hope you like it too! And I have been stalking all three of my library lending apps for the new Liane Moriarty audiobook and it finally showed up in one and now I’m 22nd in line for ONE COPY! Why!? I love listening to the Liane Moriarty books so much. Caroline Lee is a great narrator. So I’m either going to have to wait like a year or just get it on Audible. Let us know what you think of it! I haven’t heard anything about it yet.
Oh good! I really hope I like God of the Woods. And I usually love Liane Moriarty, so I have high hopes for this one. I’ll let you know!
Oh no, when two books come in at the same time! I’m making inroads into my TBR because I am laid up with Covid – but also I’m having to pick the “easy” books off my TBR, because I am laid up with Covid. I’ve found one I really don’t want to read any more at least, so one more off the shelf … Hope your daughter feels better now: that soup looks very nourishing.
Thank you Liz! Well, I guess that’s looking on the bright side- you have more time to read. I hope you feel better soon! My daughter is fine- I think she just had a very minor cold. But everyone at her school is getting sick, sigh.
That pumpkin house! You need to live there! You need to move to Kae’s city immediately. That is a Jenny house if I have ever seen one.
I am on the hold list for God of the Woods, but my expectations aren’t super high – I am not much of a mystery/ thriller person, as you know. That said, I really enjoy Moriarty, except for one of her books (I think it was 9 Perfect Strangers). But other than that book, I have enjoyed them all.
We aren’t huge soup people around here but I have so many butternut squash that I’m going to be making some of that.
Ooh! Butternut squash soup is really good. We can compare notes on the Liz Moore book. And, I’ve liked all of Liane Moriarty’s books so far. I did like Nine Perfect Strangers although it wasn’t my favorite.
Ha- I think it would probably be easier to decorate my own house with 100 pumpkins then to move to a different state. But that house is definitely a “Jenny” house!
Yes, I second what Nicole said. You must move here immediately Jenny, end of story. HAHA!!! 😉 We have LOTS of pumpkins and eventually we’ll have some amazing fall weather for you, too!!! 😉
Wow on the pumpkin house! Mmm, on the soup!
I’m reading another Liane Moriarty right now (Apples Don’t Fall). I’m not loving it, but it does make me feel like we’re on parallel reading paths lately…
I think that was my least favorite of her books- but it wasn’t bad. Yes, we are on parallel paths, that’s funny!
I’m seriously thinking of DNF-ing and starting something else! It’s so… pedestrian!
Well, I did strike out with GOTW before I made the pumpkin cookies, so there is a possibility that I had an unmet pumpkin craving which caused me to get snippy about GOTW. Disregard my comments about the book and make the cookies ASAP! I’m thinking about making a second batch.
I love the pumpkin house! I’m going to leave this comment over at Kae’s blog, but I’m curious to know if they do other holiday decorations – surely they must? Maybe I can talk her into posting pictures of the house decorated for every holiday.
I did have that same thought- imagine what they do for Christmas?
So if I like GOTW we’ll know that your dislike was caused by an unmet pumpkin craving. We will see! You and I usually seem to like the same things, so I’m nervous now.
I love Liane Moriarty… I’ll add that to my long list.
Pumpkin and squash soup is my fav in the fall.
I would have made butternut squash soup, but I wasn’t sure if my daughter would like it. Very hard when you’re cooking for a picky teenager.
I like all Moriarty books! I’ll report back on this one.
We have a recipe for a soup that calls for a can each of pumpkin, chickpeas, and blackbeans and we immersion blend it and it makes a pretty good approximation of a chili. That’s probably my favorite fall soup, although sometimes I have a craving for a potato leek soup this time of year.
Hmm! Your soup sounds delicious, and easy. I’m wondering if there’s a recipe or if you made it up.
That house, Jenny! I agree with Nicole. The only next best thing would be for it to have “Jenny’s House” spelled out in pumpkins on the front lawn.
Ha, I’m sure there would be a way to photoshop that! Maybe my daughter can help me.
That pumpkin house is amazing. I am a huge fan. I am curious about logistics though — what if there’s wind or rain? And who got up on the roof to do the top tiers?
My favorite fall soup is butternut squash soup. So easy and so good and so FALL.
I liked God of the Woods. Didn’t LOVE it, but liked it. A solid book. I haven’t read that Moriarty though and I want to!
Hmm, now I’m even more intrigued to read GOTW and add my two cents to this discussion.
Yes, many questions about the pumpkin house. I’m guessing they hired someone to do the whole thing- like how people hire people nowadays to put up their lavish Christmas displays. Maybe they also pay for maintenance?
“Stomped all over my reading dreams” lolol. I try so hard not to take it personally when someone I like doesn’t like a book I love (I know that’s not quite the case here) but sometimes I am unsuccessful.
I have a coconut curry sweet potato soup recipe that is amazing and I should make some – I am finally feeling slightly better after two weeks of the Cough of Death. Actually the hot and sour soup I had at lunch last Friday made me cough a lot, so maybe I should wait.
I’ve been alone for two weeks – kids away at university and, well, just away now *sob*, husband traveling – so meal planning has been non-existent. Which is fine, but once I lose the knack it’s hard to pick it up again!
I wonder if you curry soup is similar to the one I made- it was a coconut curry and also had sweet potato. And yes- if I were here alone, there would be no meal planning (and not a lot of cooking, either.) I could eat the same thing every night for a week.
I’m impressed by that pumpkin house! It must take forever to set all that up, and there must not be wildlife that likes to go after the pumpkins — here in the desert, people have their pumpkins eaten by javelina a lot!
My absolute favorite fall soup is this vegan creamy tortellini soup from Rabbit and Wolves: https://www.rabbitandwolves.com/vegan-creamy-tortellini-vegetable-soup/. I need to make it again soon!
Okay, that soup sounds delicious! I want to make it but there’s no way I’m making my own tortellini. I’ll have to buy some, and then the rest of the soup looks easy.
You have javelina, we have fruit rats- I think the fruit rats would go after those pumpkins. I guess they don’t have either of those things in Wisconsin!
I have wondered this too! I live in the same town as the pumpkin house (I sent Jenny the pic) and I usually set out like 3-5 pumpkins max in my front yard and the SQUIRRELS go after them and eat them! I have taken to rubbing vaseline all over them and dabbing with some hot sauce. This seems to deter them from even tasting them, yet wouldn’t be toxic or anything if they DID take a nibble. They just might turn into Mexican squirrels. LOL. But I have no idea how this other house keeps the pumpkins safe from the squirrels! They must have them, too… Or maybe with so many, they figure if they lose a handful to the squirrels, they’ll still be ok. haha.
Wow- that pumpkin house! As someone from the southern hemisphere where pumpkin-themed things are not a thing I’m curious- what happens to all the pumpkins afterwards? Do they get eaten? Carved? Composted?
I hate it when two books become available at the same time- I usually give up on one rather than rush them- but it does depend on how excited I am for the books. I have read those but that’s because I tend to read only specific genres- non fiction, memoir, or fantasy of some kind (usually urban). Occasionally romance or crime, but it’s pretty rare. Right now I’m reading nothing though, sigh. I’ve got to find something fun for my next read to get back into the habit!
I’m guessing that at best, those pumpkins get composted. Otherwise they may get thrown away. I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t be good for eating.
I thought I was going to have to give up on one of those books, but I didn’t know how long it would be before I could get them again. Hopefully I won’t end up rushing them, because they’re both books I really want to read.
Wow- that pumpkin house! As someone from the southern hemisphere where pumpkin-themed things are not a thing I’m curious- what happens to all the pumpkins afterwards? Do they get eaten? Carved? Composted?
I hate it when two books become available at the same time- I usually give up on one rather than rush them- but it does depend on how excited I am for the books. I have read those but that’s because I tend to read only specific genres- non fiction, memoir, or fantasy of some kind (usually urban). Occasionally romance or crime, but it’s pretty rare. Right now I’m reading nothing though, sigh. I’ve got to find something fun for my next read to get back into the habit!
I’m 10% into The God of the Woods, can’t say how I like it so far. I haven’t had large chunk of time to read it so far, only 10 min before bed, maybe I’ll give it a longer stretch this weekend. I’d be curious to know how you like it.
Okay Coco, I’ll be starting it soon- we can compare notes!
I get so overwhelmed when holds come in at the same time! But, with most books I can extend to 6 weeks which is usually more than enough time to get through everything (unless I got super book grabby, haha!). In the fall, I do a roasted butternut squash and pear soup that my little family loves. My daughter has been asking for a ginger soy chicken noodle soup I usually save for winter, too, so I might just break seasonal pattern and go for that this weekend!
Birchie is the first person I have heard of that didn’t love that book! It is a literary mystery, though, so it can have a bit of a slower build but I loved it!! I hope you enjoy it! It is stressful when multiple books come in at the same time! That is the big upside to using my kindle – I can always defer checking out a book. But I usually have 2-3 checked out at a time as I can get to them all within 2-3 weeks typically.
That pumpkin house is crazy! I will have to take a pic of the house with all the carved pumpkins when they put them out which is closer to Halloween.
I have the Liane Moriarty book ON MY SHELF! Can;t wait (well, I mean, apparently, I can since I keep bumping it down the TBR list… I LOVED God of the Woods.
Oh wow, that house in Kae’s neigborhood is amazing and not only because of the awesome pumpkin decoration. Look at that porch! 🙂