Paula's Picks

I haven’t shared a Paula’s Picks post in a long time. And, boy, there’s been a lot going on!

White flowers with green leaves climb over a black mailbox in a garden setting.

Paula’s picks: Life Lately

First, we had a natural gas leak in Tupelo, where I live. All gas for 20,000 homes was off for over a week. Mine was off for six days. I have a gas water heater and stove, so I had no hot water or stove-top cooking for six days. 😮 Although there are health benefits to cold showers and cold plunges, I am not a fan.

Second, Call Me PMc turned thirteen on March 21. How can thirteen years have passed since I first started sharing recipes with you all? It’s been fun and stressful and challenging and rewarding! I’ve learned so much, and I have no intention of stopping anytime soon.

Coincidently, also on March 21, my ‘baby’ turned 20, so we no longer have a teenager in the family. I feel old.

Lastly, Spring has sprung, and the flower bug has bitten.

Several potted plants with vibrant orange, pink, and red flowers, and lush green leaves are arranged on a textured surface.

Five potted plants, including leafy greens and pink flowers, are placed in the back of a car.

I’ve been ‘piddling’ in the garden/yard the last two weeks. Everything is beginning to get green, but no flowers yet. Here are some photos of my yard last year.

Paula's picks. Pink hydrangeas and various plants near a grey house, with a wooden fence and black metal gate in the background.

Paula's picks. Ornate planter with yellow marigolds, red flowers, and tall dark leaves, set in a garden with green foliage and a brick wall in the background.

And, these are flowers I got from my Granny’s yard. I have transplanted them at every house I’ve lived in. 😊

Paula's picks. Purple irises with dew drops grow near a wooden fence and metal gate. Stone path and greenery are visible in the background.

Paula's picks. Red spider lilies with long petals and thin stamens bloom among green foliage.

Do you garden? Along with running and making pound cakes, gardening is my stress reliever.

Paula’s picks: Things I like or want

Speaking of baking and cooking, my oldest son, Lincoln, has embraced cooking since moving into an apartment at college. I started College Student Recipes as a resource for him, but he rarely uses it. He makes up his recipes. I’ve been trying to find a nice leather-bound notebook for him. He won’t like this vintage journal, but how charming is it? I may get one for my coffee table. But I finally landed on this leather notebook for him.

I recently saw this viral non-wrinkle “save my face” pillow on TikTok. For a lot cheaper, you can get a travel pillow, and it does the same thing. I’ve slept on one for years. You’ll want a travel pillow cover, but both are still cheaper than the “save my face” pillow. (So what you do is sleep on it like the photos below so that your cheek does not touch the pillow. It takes a couple of nights to get used to.)

Paula's picks. Illustration of a person with long blonde hair in a ponytail, wearing a red top, facing a large black crescent moon on a white background.

Paula's picks. Illustration of a person with a ponytail, red shirt, and red earrings, facing left, against a white background with a black circle behind their head.

Definitely getting a ‘handwriting’ jewelry piece (or asking for it for Mother’s Day). I saved the boys’ signatures when they first learned to write their names and I can’t decide between the engraved bar necklace and the signature bracelet.

Recently, I got the Nest bamboo scented candle – wowee! It smells like daffodils, and it’s currently my favorite scent. It is on sale right now at Nordstrom!

I’m intrigued by a Capsule Wardrobe? I’d love to be this person, but what if I throw everything out then I freak out when my current mood doesn’t match my capsule? Maybe, I’ll start with a spring capsule wardrobe and see how it goes.