Welcome to the second week of Joy and Tell!

I cannot even tell you how excited I am to write these posts, I love the chance of getting to “share and tell” each week about some of the biggest things that brought me joy during the week in the hopes that it will do the same for you.

So, let’s do this!

#1: Oranges, Cranberries and Gravy, Oh, My!

Made this little reel showing my prep for next week’s holiday.

I always get a jump start on my holiday cooking the week before by making cranberry sauce (even made some for Christmas next month!), and some plant-based gravy. Then, I freeze it for later next week. Truly cuts down some of the valuable prep time during the week-of.

This year, I’m trying out drying oranges for some place-center pieces and-if I have extras-holiday decorations. I tried out these instructions.

#2: Pinterest Board Mood

These past three months or so, I have really fallen in love with Pinterest. Perhaps my favorite boards to pin to are my ones for each season.

I’ve been especially having fun with pinning to my board for Autumn. It’s so fun to look back and see the progression of pins showing early stages of autumn to now pins depicting late autumn with lots of bare branches, golden and brown leaves and first frosts and snows.

Really gets you in the mood for each season within the season!

#3: “You’re a wizard, Harry.”

After more or less deciding to break up with watching the news, I’ve been loving this extra time I find in the evenings.

One of the best things to come from this is that I am rediscovering and rewatching movies.

Right now I’m almost finished with the Harry Potter series, and oh my goodness is this such a perfect series to watch in November. The cozy Scotland feels, warm fireplaces, the whole feel of the movies… it embodies this whole month so well.

I know which Harry Potter movie ranks as the best is a delicate matter, but here’s my top three.

1.) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

2.) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

3.) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

You can see I love the earlier ones the most–there is just such a newness and magic to them that really shines through compared to the later ones.

But, truthfully… wow, what well-done series.

#4: Good News!

In my post about what to do when the world weighs heavy, one suggestion was to subscribe to the Good Newsletter.

I just got mine today, and it was filled with good news from Denmark announcing they’re planting one billion trees to a teenager creating a water purifier that’s solar-powdered and electronic waste fueled.

This newsletter always reminds me that for all the bad news often shown, there’s just as much good news happening too in the world.

You can subscribe to the Good Newsletter here!

#5: Brit Teens Take on Thanksgiving

If there is one YouTube series that I can guarantee will make me laugh is Jolly’s British high schoolers trying American food series.

In this video, the British high schoolers take on American Thanksgiving food-and honestly, it is so funny to watch a different culture try traditional American food. While I am plant-based myself, this video still cracks me up–especially their reactions to pecan pie!

Favorite line: “The English don’t do flavor, do they?”

Thanks for reading! I hope this next week is filled with appreciation, blessings and gratitude for you. Until next time!