Wednesday, April 30, 2014

spring soup

literally.


 The calendar says
spring
the flowers and trees
are singing
spring
even the pets
shedding fur 
confirms
it's true
but
(you heard it coming)
the temperatures 
have me sitting under a blanket
at night
starting the fireplace
to warm things up a bit
and
making soup

I could call it
soups last
hurrah.



I've made
peppers and potato stew
or as I enjoy calling it
pepperonata di patate
with an Italian flair

Chili 
a pot of warmth
topped off with
cashew sour cream
and traditional saltine crackers

and
Creamy Corn Chowder
with Corn Muffins
served in a mug
that I could wrap my hands around
as I ate
to steal its heat


served right along side
my spring
centerpiece
as a reminder of the season

all has been delicious
but this particular soup was
special
which is why i am sharing it here
with you
as a way of sharing a snuggle
:)


click to enlarge


an allrecipes.com recipe
that I have made my own


a couple of musts...
unsweetened soy milk
and
Yukon gold potatoes

oh yeah...
and
Isa's Corn Muffins
at post punk kitchen.

In a word...


Spring soup.

A delicious way to
usher in 
the warmth.


Monday, April 28, 2014

yoga nidra :: the BEST phone app EVER

Feeling stressed
sluggish
a little uninspired?

Uh...
yeah!

Are your thoughts
all over the place
scattered
chaotic?

I'm sorry...
what were you saying?

In a word
overwhelmed?

Calm
peace
relaxation
clarity
are within your reach


free guided meditations
are available
right along with
Ruzzle
Words With Friends
Shazam


my gateway
to trying
yoga nidra
for the first time
and discovering
its benefits
whenever
or wherever
I am in need 


welcome to yoga nidra
yogic sleep
sleep with awareness
beginning in corpse pose
savasana
stilling your mind and body
breathing quietly
as thoughts drift by
like butterflies
guided gently to complete release
through body scanning 
imagery
feeling a letting go 
as you enter a state of
bliss
finally
rising
with a feeling of 
rejuvenation
and
clarity


and in these early spring days
my southwest facing deck
offers the ideal location
for my practice
the hardwood absorbs the heat
and even on cool days
such as this 50 degree moment
I feel cradled in a warmth
that aids in
my yogic nap
subtle sounds of nature
surround me
as I travel
inward
to a place of
pure joy.

Smart phones.

Get smart with it
and
get your
nap 
on.

Friday, April 25, 2014

~this moment~

Easter egg hunts
girls in twirly dresses
bubbles in the air


ah...
what a beautiful moment 
indeed.

Wishing you moments
such as these.
:)

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

sewing reflections

it's been a long time
since i've done this kind of sewing

with tissue-paper-pattern-pieces

layout to assembly

following directions


how could I help
myself?

found this temptation on the
clearance shelf
at Barnes and Noble
and it was
love at first sight

our local B&N
just so happens to be
located right next to
Jo-Ann Fabric

it was destiny.

in a time crunch 
i gave myself one rule
don't over-think
 fabric choices

pick 5
with sister sue's stamp of approval
and drive


relying on my early days
of sewing techniques

pre-wash
press
pin
cut
read directions
(color inside the lines)
and sew

it was like visiting
 an old friend


now i need to confess
right here
that the instructions called
for a muslin mock-up
which I didn't do

I did flat-pattern measure
and made some customization
(enlarged the waist just a tad)
but in the end
i think it was a bit roomy
and i would have preferred it a wee
bit tighter...
hug my hips 
rather than
well, here
let me show you


as you can see
i didn't fuss over
staging
i threw on a top
stepped into some sandals
donned some winter-white legs
and unpainted toes
to show you
the possibility

enjoyed the fun detailing

a single pocket
a ruffle hem
rick rack trim

but 
you heard it coming didn't you?

i remembered a few of the reasons
i stopped sewing 
like this

first of all
you can't really
try-on
and decide if the look is for you
and
if not
return it!

secondly,
the cost.

factoring in the book,
fabric
 @ $10 a yard
adds up
quick!
notions...zipper, interfacing, thread,
trim.

At one time
sewing saved money
and that's still possible
if
you purchase sale fabric
use a pattern repeatedly
raid your stash of stuff

i didn't do that
so I won't be revealing
the final cost...
i will just say,
gasp!

 finally...
i enjoy creating
my own look
through re-purposing
clothing found
at
second-hand stores
Goodwill
my attic!


in the end
it was fun seeing and
catching-up
with this old friend of mine

sadly,
we departed 
with the knowing that sometimes comes
like a realization
that 
with all those great memories
you share
your lives have taken a different path
gone down different roads
with detours
that caused a change
in your relationship
and although you may not 
get-together often
they still pop in your mind at strange times 
and you know
you'll always be happy
to see them.



Tuesday, April 22, 2014

triptych tuesday

what does
fun
look
 like?




need i say
more?

Friday, April 18, 2014

~this moment~



a movie filled with
moments...

Highly recommended!

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

letting light in

growing up
the family home
was oriented 
as a home
should be



with
an east-facing kitchen

so when you arose
you were greeted by the
sun
with your cup of coffee

mine is a 
west-facing kitchen
which i've come to enjoy
for the pleasure of preparing
the evening meal
with plenty of
light


and this is what
my morning looks like
this glorious day

and that is the ceiling light
that caused the
extended painting session

so worth it
since my focus
unbeknownst to me
was all about 
bringing in the light


those dishes are such 
a welcome sight
first thing in my a.m.
showing that James did his chores
before
going to bed
:)


 a little sidebar
on a recent trip to
target
i was strongly considering 
buying a rug that was on clearance
the short of it
i passed
when i got home and started
rearranging things
i remembered this baby
which was pulled from the attic
and put in its
rightful place

old stuff looks new
when things have been 
painted and tidied-up


like this old daisy trim
that has been waiting in the craft room
 to find
its purpose
which was discovered
in this
spring clean-up


a dainty edging
perfect with the tissue white cotton
tier curtain
that offers minimal privacy 
and maximum 
light 
 precious light
 filters through
radiantly


speaking of light...

do you know
where 
the 
sky
is
always
blue?

right here
at my kitchen 
window


achieved through the measly price
of a small
sky-blue
paint sample
now
 when i stand at this sink
no matter what the weather outside
my blue sky ceiling
colors my world
in
happiness

an idea 
i borrowed
from my side porch


as i remember it
a southern tradition
that is said to
ward off evil spirits

i find
it facilitates
a calming effect

creating
a happy place


whether
 doing dishes
getting a drink of water
sitting on a porch swing
or taking pictures
to blog

that blue transforms
not only a ceiling
but
my mood as well.

Stay happy, my friends!

Paint your skies blue!

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

triptych tuesday

because sometimes
the story
is better told
in 
triplicate


soil turned
chives and oregano
are welcomed home


garden plans
in
 the making


oh
what a difference
a night makes

:)

Happy Tuesday, y'all.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

what's for dinner

with morning under way
and work 
outside of the house
upon me
 my thoughts are already
turning to dinner
because when i have a plan 
especially on busy days
dinner not only happens
but
it happens 
deliciously

IDIcover200

thanks to
Isa Chandra
and
Post Punk Kitchen
i can type in the ingredients
i have on hand
and the menu develops
Mac & Cheese
sounds like a great
Thursday meal



Mac & Shews even better
with sauerkraut in its arsenal
i find i crave this comfort food
at the oddest times
like at 7:21 in the morning
for instance

cashews are now soaking
to give this mac its special
creaminess

it needs a green side
because
it would be so lonely all alone
i have broccoli
in the frig
typed it in
and...



Roasted Broccoli
haven't had that yet
and can't wait to try it
sounds like the perfect pairing

the only thing left
is to prepare it
when i get home...

that's the fun part!

Thank you,
 Isa
for making my Thursday evening
something to look
forward to.

*all images are from her amazingly easy
wildly delicious
vegan website

check it out.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

the business end

ever have one of
those
mornings
where you 
hit the ground running?


wasn't the plan

it just 
is.

could 
have something to do with
special droppings
delivered
by a shih tzu
who gives you a look
of complete confusion
by your unanticipated
reaction


could be that.

bad girl
very bad girl
echoed through the
house.

quickly followed
by a loud
Kenmore


with heart pumping
i follow
this drive forward

blankets in the laundry

disassemble a couch
for a good sweeping
and deodorizing

air out pillows

curtains down 
in preparation for
another load
(of laundry, that is)

windows washed

at 7 a.m.
i am already congratulating
myself
on a day 
well lived
if my accomplishments are
any reflection

the base boards have been painted
with a shout of
fini


everything back to normal
ladders put away
brushes cleaned
paint cans in storage
a wonderful dinner served
with a smile
and a glass of wine


lest i forget
a trip to the fabric store
 a sitting at the machine
where four new pillow covers
are constructed
to welcome 
Spring

yeah...
that kind of morning.

all because
a dog and her owner
had a little
spat.

Monday, April 7, 2014

triptych tuesday

on monday
because sometimes
you can't wait 
to
present an idea

not one more day

a single photo is nice
but
three is 
thrice as nice
and somehow tells
the whole story

first
 a brief
back-story

since they were wee lads
my boys tended toward
extreme
be it
skate boarding
bmx biking
quad racing
or




with words like
unresponsive yoyo
man on the flying trapeze
brain scrambler
you know
things have gone to the
next level

not to mention 
the sunbeam spotlight
screamed 
photo op

Hope your day 
is filled with
moments
such as these.

Friday, April 4, 2014

~this moment~



Enough said.

Have a lovely Spring weekend.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

something exciting

is about to happen...

but first
step into
my busy kitchen


truth is
I like it that way
a fun haven
a place where i can
experiment with new and exotic 
ingredients


chop
saute
boil
sip on some wine


 eat
and repeat

a routine that
I enjoy
on a normal day

lately
it's been anything but

food prep 
has been made more interesting
with a slight
remodel
to dance around


what should have taken
a weekend
has somehow segued into
its second week here
in my abode
but 
as you know
life marches on
things happen
like 
Sleepover Saturdays
Lazy Sundays
uninspiring
rainy days
 stupid moments
after patching a crack in the ceiling
then sanding
then priming 
then painting
I found
a new light fixture
I had to have
darn that home Depot!
it doesn't sound like it should
have been a BIG deal
but
when the old came down
Is it really necessary for me to describe
how ugly it was under there?
not to mention the bases are
different sizes
in other words 
more patching
more sanding
more priming
more painting

giving the whole shebang
a second 
bright white
coat
phew!


Unfortunately
 stomachs
wait for no 
woman

preparing even the simplest dish
has me scrambling to find
relocated
kitchen supplies

and cooking now
doubles as a workout
cool
another excuse to
 skip the gym


in all that
living
trying to eat right
which in my world means
whole-food
plant-based
cough-cough
for the most part
diet

It must be 
Spring!
if my morning crave is any indication

smoothies

Strawberry Fields
Chocolate Banana Cream 


most of my smoothies
begin with
frozen ripe bananas
instead of buying those bright yellow beauties
I go right to the 
discount bin and gather
the real prize
brown spotted
oh, so sweet
ripe
delicious 
cheap
bananas
pop 'em in a container
and in the freezer they wait
to give my smoothies
an unbelievable creamy texture
like a malt

then 
there's the ever popular
Green Smoothie


with kale 
and 
dates for sweetness

 looks wrong
but
tastes so right

Which brings me to
 the exciting part of this post
No!
this will NOT be a kitchen reveal
as I said 
still a work in progress
staring down week three
Drum roll please
...

Heather 
from 
Beauty That Moves
is offering her
Spring
30-Day Vegan Workshop
just click on her web page
on my sidebar
and 
take a moment to meet
Heather Bruggeman

30dayvegan large postcard

I could tell you how
wonderful
genuine
informative
she is
but I'd rather you find that out
when you go for a visit

this week
she is offering her
bring a friend special
basically
two for the price of one

I highly recommend this
journey
it truly has transformed the 
way I eat
and think about food
PLUS
she has the
most amazing recipes

All those I have mentioned above
are from this course

Hand's down
my favorite go-to recipes

So
if you've ever thought about
trying on a vegan lifestyle
to see what all the
hullabaloo
is about...
this is your chance.

I will be participating again
because
it is that
good!


Won't you join me?