I looked around today and felt lucky that each person in my Durango family — two brothers, Mama, Papa — is in a place in life that allows us all to gather at home. In the middle of the day. In the middle of the week.

Surely this time will burn up quickly, and we’ll return to overly busy, over-scheduled, hectic lives. And then we’ll feel lucky to have the few moments on the few occasions we can gather.

But not today. Today we are reading books, watching Dirty Harry, meandering to a workout here or an errand there. Today I did a lot of blog-reading and inspiration-pinning.

Wanna see some things from today’s Pinterest collection?

From left to right, top to bottom:

» Joseph Jagger: DIY rubber stamp Rubber eraser = rubber stamp. Mustache optional.

» Dispatches from Whitcomb Street: Half-square quilt I can absolutely imagine dedicating myself to a sewing machine for hours and hours, over the course of weeks, to make such a simple, pretty quilt.

» Daily Garnish’s Ginger Currant Scones First, I love those flavors together. Second, it would be a chance to try moistened chia seeds in place of eggs. Adventures!

» Sarah’s Threads: The Versalette, a Kickstarter Project … half of me wants to buy this; half of me wants to figure out how to make it.

» Angry Chicken: Marshmallows I HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE MARSHMALLOWS!!!

» Dandee: Christmas in a Jar. Sweet, sweet idea.

» That Kind of Woman: Christmas wrapping Package & label … perfect.

» Annie’s Eats: Recipe Organization tips and tricks If you read Annie’s blog, you are not surprised at all how incredibly detailed her recipe organization habits are.

» Now Without Salt’s Cocoa Nib Coffee Cake Have you ever eaten cocoa nibs? They’re delightful little crunchy bursts of chocolate-chocolate. And the batter for this coffee cake … heavenly.

» Desire to Inspire: Kitchen organization Of all the things to be drawn to in this home spread, the one I most like is the simple hooks-for-mugs detail.

Hey, it’s a beautiful Friday. The sky is blue here in North Carolina. I made biscuits this morning for my family (the ones you’ll see linked below!); there’s bread rising on the counter; Patrick and I are getting ready for a trip to Tennessee to see Beeson family and for a bike race this weekend.

It’s time to pause, look around, and be very, very happy.

How about some delicious links to celebrate? As always, you can check out all my pins (and maybe you’re especially interested in my foodie pins?).

» A Cozy Kitchen’s Brown Butter Buttermilk Biscuits These were delicious and went in about a half-hour in the Durango home this morning. The outside was crunchy and the inside was fluffy. Perfect with butter and jam.

» Eat Live Run’s Elephant Ears I think they speak for themselves.

» Joy the Baker’s Pickle Fries What pushes these over the edge is using little tiny mini pickles.

» Food Loves Writing’s Satsuma Layer Cake Is this not the most adorable layer cake you have ever seen? And seems to me it would be refreshing and not too sweet.

» A Cozy Kitchen’s Cinnamon & Sugar Crackers Would it be wrong to eat this from a bowl with milk?

» Artist Mamma Andersson on Booooooom House work.

» Miss Jones’ pottery on Oh Joy! What a good reminder to include whimsy in your home life.

» e.e. cummings on Daily Pep Talk From a Best Friend “it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are”

» Holly Farrell paintings on SF Girl by Bay I love the record of home from this painter. And her lines and colors.

We’re just going to pretend today is Day 60, right? And that I’m not posting a day behind? Again? Hmmm?

Left to right, top to bottom

» Erica B’s Off the Shoulder Top All you can see are boots, but what this is really all about is the top — two pieces of fabric, cut identically, and sewn together to make a top. I need more (simple, I-can-do-that) pieces like this in my collection.

» A Chow Life’s Leek Macaroni and Cheese I know my life is changing when … I’m more excited about the leeks than the cheese.

» Anthology Magazine: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Look here, macaron shells used for ice cream sandwich cookies. I imagined this idea a while ago; obviously I should have put it in action!

» Oonaballoona’s The Double Agent Dress Tutorial Another wardrobe item made from simple pieces! I must!

» Smitten Kitchen’s Baked Pumpkin and Sour Cream Puddings You see all those words that came one after the other? That’s why you should go read about this sweet.

» Sew Sweetness: Echino Oven Mitts Practical, pretty, perfect!

» Design Is Mine: “It was always you” It was, wasn’t it?

» Shutterbean’s Pear Custard Pie Sigh.

Good Saturday, good folks. Instead of picking and choosing which links to share, I thought it would be funner and easier to share my most recent pins on Pinterest.

How ’bout it?

So many things that inspire, so little time!

Left to right, top to bottom:

» Fooducate’s salted chocolate-covered figs. Meant as an alternative to salted chocolate caramels. How about a “yes please thank you ma’am”?

» The Scientific Seamstress’s DIY bias-tape maker. This will help me so much. SO MUCH!

» Simply Scratch’s fresh pear & brie salad with blacksberry vinaigrette. It’s the vinaigrette that really catches my attention.

» The Snugbug’s plans for sewing her own bedding set. I’d love to make us a new duvet. This here inspiration might get me one step closer …

» Oh She Glows’ peanut butter chocolate pillows. “Pillows” makes it sound so light and healthy, right?

» Real Fun Food’s red hot chicken salad. Yum yum yum.

» A Cozy Kitchen’s tater tots. This might be a good enough reason to buy a potato ricer.

» Desire to Inspire: black as home accent. I’ve long liked the idea of using black sparingly to pull a room together.

» The Velvet Bird cleans with the basics. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide: they’re both in my pantry just waiting for me to make good use of them!

Today I go cheer on my husbandman in a bike race in Bristol, Tenn. Go, Patrick, go! While I’m there, wanna check out what I’ve been checking out this week?

Swiss Miss: We have a strategic plan …

This is my motto these days. Go. Do. Make. I keep meaning to design my own versions of some of these word posters I see (I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to them). Maybe I should put that on my to-do list for this week …

With a Side of Sneakers: Duh, Lindsay. Graots are oats.

It’s funny the things I do know about food: for instance, how the proteins in egg whites are rearranged during whipping to form little cell walls, and how the cells hold the air that’s whipped into them, and how adding sugar strengthens the bonds holding those cell walls together. And the things I don’t know: groats are where oats come from.

Frolic: These canning labels are so cute and simple

Gives me ideas. I’ve been wanting for awhile to make labels for Patrick’s beermaking, but maybe we should have a family label for food gifts we give, too.

Fimby: Going dairy-free.

I love reading about other people’s food journeys, but it can make for a confusing look at my own. Like, I intently read this article (and the ones it links to), but then I bookmark this homemade yogurt how-to (Eating Rules). And this one (Real Food Matters). And these instructions for homemade cheese (also Eating Rules) … And then, of course, there’s the option of going gluten-free (Earth Mama).

Tea and Cookies: Polenta and kale with poached eggs

Damnyum. This dish is calling my name. It might have to go on my list of fifty recipes. I wonder if I could convinced Mr. Scrambed Eggs to eat a soft yolk.

Simply Scratch: Chocolate popcorn

I have this idea for Halloween this year, that Patrick and I should indulge in homemade candies, carve pumpkins and watch scary movies. Doesn’t this popcorn look like it would fit right in?

Are So Happy: The Art of Nurturing

I have always seen myself as a professional nurturer, so to speak. It’s not just about being nice to folks and making cookies. It’s about sometimes drawing on your own energy and happiness to provide those things for someone else. “Art” is a nice way of putting it.

Working Out & Eating In: “How your favorite food are grown”

I had never seen how cashews look before they get to my snack. Nor Brussels sprouts or almonds. To be honest I’d never thought that an almond would look much different than any other nut — in a shell. And Brussels sprouts grow in bundles, right? Like, in bagged bundles? Obviously not. But it’s funny that I’d never questioned how things grow. This was a neat peak!