Foodie Fridays: Chocolate Zucchini Bread

My vegetable garden is producing prodigious amounts of summer squash and eggplant right now.  I am using most of these veggies to make vast quantities of quick and easy stir-fries, but am also occasionally using the squash in other recipes as well.  One recipe I tried recently was for Chocolate Zucchini Bread, and I can highly recommend it!  The chocolate flavor is so intense you would never even know there was any zucchini in it at all, but the zucchini helps to make the bread moist and tender.

I only made a couple of minor changes to the original recipe.  I used white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose white flour, and I also reduced the sugar from 3/4 cup to 1/2 cup.  I might reduce the sugar even more next time to just 1/3 cup, as I found the bread to be more than sweet enough thanks to the addition of chocolate chips.  If you are indundated with zucchini right now and are craving a chocolatey treat, you really should make this zucchini bread!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

1 C. flour
1/2 C. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 C. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 C. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 C. packed shredded zucchini
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips

Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, oil, vanilla, and brown sugar until smooth (a few small brown sugar clumps is fine).

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (do not overmix).  Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined.  Add 3/4 C. chocolate chips.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 C. chocolate chips over the top of the bread.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan.  Let the bread cool on the wire rack until slightly warm. Cut into slices and serve.  Serves 12.

Notes: The bread will keep on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.  To freeze, cool the bread completely and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.  Freeze for up to 1 month.  Defrost before slicing.

(My internet service has become unreliable recently, I think due to all of the storms we have had, and our provider cannot come to check out the problem until Monday, so if I am missing in action over the next few days that will be the reason.)
                

Weekend Wardrobe: 2020 Outfit of the Week #28

A prolific pot of cilantro in flower.

I have never been able to grow cilantro before I moved to New Mexico.  We lived on a north-facing slope in Colorado so there was not enough sun, and our Georgia property was too shady as well as too humid.  The abundant sunshine and dry climate here in Santa Fe, however, seems to be the perfect combination for cilantro, and I was able to grow it easily.  Unfortunately, our recent heat wave caused the plant to bolt and go to seed, which was unfortunate for me (the leafy parts dry up), but a boon to the local harvester ants, which scrambled to collect and hoard as many of the seeds as they could carry - no small task for them, as the seeds were often bigger than their heads!

Harvester ant carrying a large cilantro seed.

Luckily these ants are very good at helping each other with awkward loads - in the photo below, the ant in the middle helped the seed-carrying ant get the seed to the top of the fence post:

Success!

I had to tear myself away from this awesome display of cooperation and industriousness in nature to fit in an essentials shopping trip last week.  I also had to take my car in to finally get all of the leaks repaired, as the last part we were waiting for recently arrived.  This repair will take a few days so I now have a loaner car, which I will drive as little as possible until my car is ready to pick up, hopefully some time this week.  Anyway, this is the outfit I wore into town:

Clockwise from top left: Coldwater Creek Sun Valley Bistro Shirt in Copper Multi; BearRunOriginals Beach Treasures Necklace (colors similar to my necklace); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; L.L. Bean Women's Comfort Trail Shorts in Ash (similar to mine).

For this outfit I chose a necklace that I won at a silent auction fundraiser for the State Botanical Garden of Georgia.  Even though it has a long strand as well as a short one, the strands are lightweight and for some reason the long one does not swing around too much, so it is comfortable to wear even when I am running a lot of errands.  The rust, ivory, and olive green colors in the beads complement the colors in the shirt, and this is another necklace of mine with an antique copper chain, which is one of my favorite metals.

As the weather turned slightly cooler I wore a short-sleeved shirt rather than a sleeveless one - soon it will be time to wear long pants instead of shorts.  We will have a slightly warmer spell later this week, but I can feel a touch of fall in the air.  My favorite season will be here before we know it, and I am looking forward to its arrival!
               

Weekend Wardrobe: 2020 Outfit of the Week #27

A busy bee enjoying a squash blossom in my garden.

You may have noticed that I did no posts two weeks ago.  The reason is that I had quite a busy week, including three trips into town - two for long overdue routine doctor appointments, and one to pick up much-needed prescription refills.  I am back to my blog now, though, and I have the three outfits I wore to town two weeks ago for this Weekend Wardrobe post!  It was a very hot week, so all of the outfits consisted of shorts and sleeveless tops.  Up first is the apparel I donned for my first doctor appointment on the Monday of that week:

Clockwise from top left: White Stag Tank Top in White with Black Dots (no longer available; similar here); Novica Sterling Silver Frog Pendant Necklace (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Croft & Barrow Women's Boat Shoes in New Tan (no longer available); Musto Women's Chino Shorts in Light Stone (similar to mine).

The necklace I wore is a short one with a tiny silver frog pendant.  The story behind this particular piece of jewelry is rather sad.  My husband has worked on a long-term ecological research project for decades now in Puerto Rico, along with many colleagues from different universities.  One of those colleagues was a well-respected female herpetologist who was studying the endemic coqui frogs of Puerto Rico.  On a visit to the island with my husband, I found this little necklace that she had accidentally left behind at the field station.  I intended to send it back to her, but sadly, we heard that she passed away not long afterward.  So I now still have her frog necklace, and I wear it as a reminder of this remarkable woman.

The very next day I had to go back into town to pick up the prescription that the doctor called in for me, as I was completely out of my medication.  This was just a quick trip, so I decided to wear comfortable sandals instead of shoes (I tend not to wear sandals if I will be doing a lot of walking, as it can be very dusty in this arid climate and my feet always get dirty):

Clockwise from top left: Old Navy Women's Slim-Fit Crew-Neck Tank Top in Matcha Green (color modified to more closely resemble my similar top); TheArtShaman Zuni Horse Fetish Pendant Necklace (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Easy Spirit Willow Slingback Sandals in Tan (no longer available); Musto Women's Chino Shorts in Light Stone (similar to mine).

This time I wore a fun horse fetish pendant necklace that my husband gave me years ago.  I also try not to wear longer necklaces when I have many errands to run as they tend to swing around too much and get in my way, but for this short trip it was not a problem.

My last trip into town combined a second doctor appointment with a few errands, since this doctor's office was a little farther than I normally travel for shopping and I took the opportunity to stop into some stores I normally do not visit.

Clockwise from top left: BCG Women's Athletic Sleeveless Polo Shirt in White; MosaicHeartJewelry Copper Dragonfly Necklace (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; Natural Reflections Canvas Cargo Shorts for Ladies in Dusty Olive (similar to mine).

I wore a short antique copper dragonfly pendant necklace this time, which I found in a little shop in our Georgia home town.  It is one of my favorites, as I am fond of dragonflies and the warm color of copper.

🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸

Tomorrow I have another Weekend Wardrobe post of the outfit I wore for my essentials shopping trip this past week.  Once again I wore shorts, but our weather is starting to cool down now as monsoon season has finally arrived in New Mexico, so shorts season may be over soon here.  If you are still suffering through excessive heat, I hope some relief from the heat will head your way soon!
               

Foodie Fridays: Red Quinoa Salad

I recently found a recipe for Easy Orzo Salad that sounded perfect as a summer meal.  Instead of the orzo, which I did not have on hand, I substituted red quinoa.  Quinoa is a healthier alternative to white flour pastas.  I enjoy the chewy texture, and red quinoa brings even more color to this refreshing salad.  I used queso fresco instead of the recommended feta - I prefer the former because it does not taste salty.  The white balsamic vinegar I have is flavored with comice pears - the brand I used is no longer available, but there are a number of fruit-flavored white balsamic vinegars out there from the same company or others that would be delicious in this recipe.  If you are looking for dishes that are great to eat during the heat of summer, this salad could be just the ticket!

Red Quinoa Salad

1/4 C. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1 T. white or golden balsamic vinegar (or champagne vinegar)
1 tsp. honey
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 C. red quinoa, cooked according to package directions (yields 4 C. cooked)
2 C. arugula or baby spinach
1 English cucumber, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ small red onion, diced
½ cup crumbled queso fresco
½ cup chopped fresh basil

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Set the dressing aside.

Pour the cooked and cooled quinoa into an extra-large bowl.  Add the arugula (or spinach), cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, onion, queso fresco, and basil to the quinoa and gently stir.  Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir again.  Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serves 4 as a main dish, or 8 as a side dish.

Notes: The salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
               

Wish List Wednesdays: Fun Finds at Victorian Trading Company

I am becoming alarmed at the number of my favorite shopping sites that are either about to disappear or are struggling to stay in business.  The impending closure of Pier 1 is quite devastating, as they were my best-loved source of tableware (their website has announced July 25th as the last day for purchases, so check them out quickly).  Just a couple of days ago my preferred clothing site, Coldwater Creek, announced that they will be shutting down, possibly permanently, as well (everything is 70% off on their website now, with no returns or exchanges, and items are going quickly).  I do not even want to know which of my other favorite sites are in danger, but I am afraid I will be finding out sooner rather than later. 😢😢😢

I really feel the need to support as many of my favorite companies as I can, so I recently checked out the Victorian Trading Company and found a couple of items to purchase.  In case you are unfamiliar with this company, they offer unique and unusual wares with a more or less Victorian feel.  While I am not especially a fan of the Victorian look, this site has such a wide range of items that I often find things I cannot get anywhere else.  The Cat Library Puzzle ($19.95) shown above has sold out on many other websites, but is still available from the Victorian Trading Company, so I snatched it up.  I have a feeling that the Covid-19 pandemic will be around for a while, and I can never have too many jigsaw puzzles to keep me occupied while I shelter in place!

Autumn will be here before you know it, and as the weather cools down I will be enjoying more cups of tea.  The Elmwood Inn Bourbon Black Tea ($14.95) sounds like a wonderful fall flavor to savor on a cool day, doesn't it?  I love finding new tea flavors to try, and a touch of bourbon seems quite intriguing!

Check out the Victorian Trading Company site if you have a little time to browse and you too may find a few items that tickle your fancy.  Or pay a visit to other favorite shopping sites and lend them your support if possible.  This trend of business closures will most likely only get worse as the pandemic continues, so I intend to do what I can to try to help keep companies going.
               

Weekend Wardrobe: 2020 Outfit of the Week #26

A zucchini plant flowering very early in the morning to beat the heat.

Last Friday was my essentials shopping day.  It was also one of the hottest days of the year, getting up to 100 degrees.  Dressing for running errands on such a hot day led to the choice of very lightweight denim shorts with a loose and comfortable sleeveless blouse.

From Poshmark

The peplum-style top is loosely fitted on the top half but flared and fluttery at the bottom, which allows air to circulate around the waist but keeps the blouse in place above.  (The image above shows this shirt tied at the waist - personally, I do not care for this look, and tying the bottom would have defeated the purpose of keeping the blouse loose and fluttery.)  Despite the heat, I was never overheated in this ensemble:

Clockwise from top left: BeachLunchLounge Sleeveless Top in Navy Star Print; BrokiAccessories Extra Long Crochet Seed Bead Necklace in Blue and White Graphic; Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Sperry Lounge Away Poplin Sneaker in Taupe (color modified to more closely resemble my similar shoe); Express Women's Super High Waisted Cinched Paperbag Jean Shorts in Light Wash (similar to mine).

I wore a long crochet bead rope necklace similar to the one described above, tied into a loop at the bottom to shorten it a bit.  This necklace was yet another gift from my husband!  The colors of my necklace are white, orange, and navy:

🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞🔆🌞

Tomorrow I have a long-postponed doctor appointment, and I will run a few more errands as well.  Once again the temperature will soar to 100 degrees, so I will be selecting another lightweight outfit to beat the heat, which I will share next time.  Stay cool, stay safe, and have a great week!
               

Foodie Fridays: Caprese Pasta Salad

If you love Caprese salad, then you must try this Caprese Pasta Salad recipe from the Two Peas & Their Pod website.  The addition of pasta is a delicious variation on the simple fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil combination.  The original recipe suggests using orecchiette pasta, but shell-shaped pasta would be a great choice as well.  I like to use tiny fresh mozzarella pearls - if you cannot find them, you can use a larger size cut into smaller pieces.  Serve this pasta salad as a main dish or a side dish.  In my opinion, this recipe is the perfect summer meal!

Caprese Pasta Salad

2 C. grape tomatoes, halved
8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls
2 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
4 T. chopped fresh basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. orecchiette or shell-shaped pasta, cooked, drained, and rinsed

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the pasta.  Stir until the tomatoes and cheese are well coated.  Let sit for 30 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta to the tomato-mozzarella mixture and stir until well combined.  Season with more salt and pepper to taste if needed.  Serves 4 (or more as a side dish).
               

Weekend Wardrobe: 2020 Outfit of the Week #25 - Wearing Patriotic Colors

One of my garden pots, filled with an abundance of basil plus some spearmint and sweet potato vine.

I hope everyone had a great Independence Day weekend.  It was pretty quiet around here - a few firecrackers were set off by neighbors, but not many, and we did have a thunderstorm in the late afternoon bringing us much needed rain.  My holiday treat to myself was to start my next jigsaw puzzle, and I had an enjoyable time working on it.  I harvested some of the plentiful basil shown above that I planted earlier in the spring and made a simple Caprese salad for dinner, which was perfect for a hot summer day.  I also wore patriotic colors on both the 3rd and 4th of July, and those are the outfits featured today.

The first outfit is one I wore for a quick trip to town on Friday to the post office and then the gas station for gas to fill my lawn mower.  Even though the tasks were mundane, I still felt the need to break out the red, white, and blue apparel!  You saw the skort yesterday - it is the only skort I own and I have had it for a while, but it is cool and comfortable for hot weather and the colors are perfect for the holiday.

Clockwise from top left: Coldwater Creek Love-the-Length Tank in Navy (similar to mine); Sue Runyon Designs Dark Red Three Bead Satin Cord Necklace (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Frye Lena Zip Low Sneaker in White (mine are similar but canvas); Liz Claiborne Liz Golf Red & Blue Print Skort (similar to mine).

Since I was on my own on the 4th of July and spent the entire day at home, I chose a decidedly casual outfit for the day.  A new star-spangled lightweight t-shirt was worn with faded denim ankle jeans early in the day and for barn chores, and I changed into a pair of comfortable crinkle cotton red shorts and cork flip flops for lounging around the house when the weather warmed up (I often buy men's shoes because smaller men's sizes fit my feet well and they are usually better made than women's versions).

Clockwise from top left: Old Navy Women's Americana Star Print Tee in Multi Stars (no longer available); Gap Mid Rise Girlfriend Jeans in Faded Indigo (similar to mine); GEORGE Men's Cork Flip Flops in Tan (no longer available); Haband Women's Crinkle Cotton Shorts in Hot Red (mine are similar but shorter).

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

So that was my low-key holiday - how was yours?  We are in for an even hotter week, up into the low 100s by the weekend if the weather forecast is accurate.  Summer is my least favorite season and I am not looking forward to the hotter temperatures, but thankfully we have air conditioning and I can turn it on if necessary.  It looks like there will be quite a few indoor jigsaw puzzle-working days in my near future!
               

Weekend Wardrobe: 2020 Outfit of the Week #24 - Three Ways to Wear a White Tee and Shorts

This may be the only type of fireworks we see here for the 4th of July!
(from Pinterest)

Much as I prefer to limit my trips into town, my car is in need of some maintenance work so I have been forced to go into town several times in the past couple of weeks.  For all of those trips, I wore variations on a white tee and shorts combination, so I decided to combine all three into one post today.  First up is the outfit I wore when I took my car in for what was supposed to be a routine oil change (and when I found out that my car is leaking fluids in six different places so it will need to go back for repairs!):

Clockwise from top left: Old Navy Women's EveryWear Slub-Knit V-Neck Tee in White (color no longer available - similar here); Daniel Coriz Multi Stone and Sterling Silver Three-Strand Beaded Necklace (similar to my much less expensive version); Lands' End Women's Skinny Leather Belt in Sea Mist Blue (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Sperry Women's A/O 2 Eye Boat Shoe in Dark Brown (similar to mine); L.L. Bean Women's Wrinkle-Free Original Fit Hidden Comfort Waist 9" Bayside Shorts in Khaki (similar to mine).

The next outfit is the one I wore taking my car to the tire repair place - one of my tires has a gash on the inner side wall and I wanted to know if it was serious.  Fortunately it is only cosmetic so new tires can wait!

Clockwise from top left: Old Navy Women's EveryWear Slub-Knit V-Neck Tee in White (color no longer available - similar here); ArtFire Sterling Silver Baby Crab Pendant Necklace (similar to my very inexpensive version); Lands' End Women's Skinny Leather Belt in White (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Croft & Barrow Women's Boat Shoes in New Tan (no longer available); Old Navy Women's 9-Inch Inseam High-Waisted Rolled-Cuff Bermuda Jean Shorts in Carla (similar to mine).

My last outfit was worn on my usual essentials shopping trip.  It was a relief to just get back to normal with no car issues to worry about for now.

Clockwise from top left: Old Navy Women's EveryWear Slub-Knit V-Neck Tee in White (color no longer available - similar here); Sue Runyon Designs Dark Red Three Bead Satin Cord Necklace (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Keds Clipper Women's Slip-On Shoes in Navy (similar to mine); Liz Claiborne Liz Golf Red & Blue Print Skort (similar to mine).

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

I find it interesting that as the month progressed and Independence Day neared, I gradually added patriotic colors to consecutive wardrobes - the blue shorts and white belt in the second outfit to replace the turquoise, and then a red necklace, navy shoes, plus a red, white, and blue skort for the last outfit!  Fittingly, tomorrow I will describe two outfits I wore on the 3rd and 4th of July, both with full-on patriotic colors to celebrate the holiday!  Enjoy your Independence Day celebrations, whatever they may be!
                

Foodie Fridays: Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Spinach Quinoa

I was in the mood for a healthy dinner recipe, and found one for Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas and Pomegranate that appealed to me.  The original recipe was recommended as a side dish, but I turned it into a main dish by serving it over quinoa cooked with spinach and garlic - my version is loosely based on this Weight Watchers recipe.  Since I had red quinoa that is what I used, but regular or white quinoa would be fine.  I did not have pomegranate seeds, but I have been obsessed with Thai Style Sweet Chile Sauce lately, so I used it as a topping instead - it was delicious!

Although it is way too hot to cook right now, I will still roast vegetable mixtures during the cooler morning hours, to be heated up in the microwave later in the day for dinner (luckily here in Santa Fe the mornings are always comfortably cool).  I hope you all have a great Independence Day weekend - have you figured out how you will celebrate yet?

Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Spinach Quinoa

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 medium onion, cut into chunks 
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
4 T. olive oil
1 T. garlic-infused oil (or more olive oil)
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 container (5 oz.) fresh baby greens (I used a spinach and baby kale mix)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 C. quinoa, well rinsed
2 C. water
chopped fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Combine the cauliflower florets, chickpeas, onion chunks, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, chili powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a 12x16-inch baking pan.  Drizzle with 2 T. olive oil, garlic oil (or more olive oil) and fresh lemon juice.  Stir until the cauliflower and chickpeas are well coated.  Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minute or until the cauliflower and chickpeas are slightly crisp.

While the cauliflower mixture bakes, heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the baby greens and sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and cook one minute longer.  Stir in the well-rinsed quinoa and the water.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer at least 15 minutes, until the quinoa is soft (my quinoa took 30 minutes to cook).

Divide the spinach quinoa among four bowls.  Top with the roasted cauliflower and chickpeas and sprinkle each serving with chopped fresh herbs if desired.  Serves 4.
               

Wish List Wednesdays: Jigsaw Puzzle Mania!

I have had a stash of jigsaw puzzles to work on since long before the COVID-19 pandemic happened.  Unlike most people, I am not one to work on these puzzles in the winter, since I actually like cold weather and prefer to be out and about more when the temperatures drop.  Instead, I like to work on indoor projects during the height of summer when the heat forces me to remain indoors to escape hot temperatures and blazing sunshine.  We are currently experiencing that kind of weather right now, so last weekend I started on one of my jigsaw puzzles.

I just completed the 1000-Piece Tea Cups Puzzle ($26.99) shown above and thoroughly enjoyed it - in fact, I tend to get a bit obsessed and spent every spare moment working on it until it was finished, which is why I did not get my Weekend Wardrobe post done (I will post two of them this coming weekend instead, I promise!).  I like the challenge of 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, and prefer images with lots of color and pattern as they hold my interest more and are also easier to piece together because you have more unique combinations to search for.  A 1000-piece puzzle with very little color and one simple pattern is so much harder - I would never want to work on this Funwares TP Hoarding Puzzle ($19.99) for that reason!

The next jigsaw puzzle I plan to put together is the 1000-Piece White Mountain Readers Paradise Puzzle (a bargain at $15.95 and expected back in stock on July 15th).  I have had this one for a while and am really looking forward to working on it - I think the image is just lovely!

I do have my eye on a couple of new jigsaw puzzles once I finish the ones I already own.  One that caught my eye is the quirky and cheerful 1000-Piece Kitchen Chickens Puzzle ($19.99) which is currently out of stock but expected back in by September 7th.  How could I possibly resist this fun farmhouse kitchen design?

This 1000-Piece Fur Ball (Cat in Yarn) Puzzle ($26.99) is another that appeals to me - it has lots of color and pattern, and a cute kitten as well!

And I just had to order this luscious-looking 1000-Piece Cupcakes & Saucers Puzzle ($26.95) because it looks a lot like the teacups puzzle at the top of the page, but with the addition of delectable cupcakes!

Have you been lured into jigsaw puzzle mania during the coronavirus lockdown too?  Now that I have succumbed, I just hope it does not become an all-out obsession that keeps me from getting anything else done!