30 Days of Thankfulness – Day 8

One of the things I have been really thankful for since moving to rural West Michigan is the local library. For one thing, Michigan has a great library loan system called MelCat – the selection is truly impressive and I have had so much fun requesting books that I never was able to find at the local library back home. Getting the call that our books are in is always exciting. :)

Another great thing about the library is that it has internet. There are some things that are great about not having internet at our house… namely, that I get a lot more done. It’s amazing how much harder it is to procrastinate or get distracted without YouTube or Facebook hanging out nearby (unfortunately, I’m still a pretty creative procrastinator without their help). However, I still think the internet is a great tool (and sometimes just plain fun), so a couple of times a week I go to the library and check my email, clip Mperks coupons and plan my next shopping trip, check our banking, read a few friends’ blogs, or (most recently) upload the latest posts I’ve written. My favorite stop is (I admit) Pinterest. I held out a long time before I joined that site, but it’s so useful, and kind of a treat too. I love finding new recipe ideas there, and I save a smattering to my computer to try throughout the week. Will’s dinners would be decidedly less varied without the magic of Pinterest. There are lots of fun ideas on there for other things too, if you sift through the impossible and sometimes ridiculous.

Yet another thing I like about the library is how cozy it is. On days I am feeling a little isolated out in the corn fields with the chickens, it’s so nice to be able to drive a few miles down the road into the local “village,” walk into the local library, and peruse the shelves for new books or look at pretty homemaking ideas on Pinterest, and listen to the quiet, cheerful murmur of the librarians and patrons. There's even a fireplace. A fireplace! Sometimes it's hard to drag myself away.

Tonight after Will got off work we met at the library for a little “Library Date” to use the internet and look at books together at one of the little tables. We had so much fun on our little “date” that we decided to make it a weekly visit, as our schedule allows. After we got home I cooked up some Winter Veggie Soup with Bacon Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on the side. The soup was very delicious, but was even better the second day. Here’s the recipe, in case you too are feeling a hankering in your soul for some hearty veggie soup. I threw in a few more spices and added a bit of bacon that I had fried up for the sandwiches (because Will doesn't believe in meals without meat).

Winter Veggie Soup

recipe adapted from Butterflyfood

1 tbsp olive oil

4-5 strips of bacon (cooked and chopped into 1 in. pieces)

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

2 stalks of celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1-2 tsps fresh thyme

assorted spices

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes

3 pints of water

1 cup of pasta (your choice - I used ziti)

In a 5-quart dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and salt and pepper and cook until veggies are just soft. Add the bacon, tomatoes, and water and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste, and if necessary, throw in other spices with wild abandon (I recommend a bit of oregano, basil, cayenne and cumin). Add the pasta and cook for another 8-10 min. Serves 4-6.