The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas break is upon us! SB and I both have Dec. 22 through January 1 off of work. YAY is an understatement.

Last night we celebrated by going out for our anniversary, sharing two delicious plates at our favorite gastropub. The food was so amazing that I've included the meal descriptions below. We drank flavorful fancy beer, and ended with creme brulee topped with winter fruits. YUM yum yum. An anniversary would not be complete without Star Trek (original series), and was accompanied by Parks and Rec for a good laugh.

Surly Bender Short Rib

root vegetables, truffled cauliflower, horseradish

Silk Handkerchief Pasta

creamy tomato sauce, pine nuts, pecorino

Note: if you want to taste Christmas in the form of beer, try Bell's Christmas Ale!

Today we have another great lineup of meals, beer tastings, and celebrations with family. We are even going out to see live music tonight, too. And today is only the first day of break! So exciting.


Now it is time to give props to my BFF, who knows SB and I so well that she gave us a gift for Christmas that, had we known it existed, we would have bought immediately....Star Trek cookie cutters! Genius. In addition to making sugar cookies yesterday with these new little gems, I also made my favorite cookies from my childhood day care. I've included the recipe below. Try them out!

"French Cookies"

1 stick butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. half and half
3 c. graham cracker crumbs
2 c. chopped walnuts
2 c. mini chocolate chips
4 hershey bars, each little rectangle broken in half
(you'll need mini baking foils/cups and a mini muffin pan - for making bite-size muffins)

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add all remaining ingredients (except hershey bar pieces). Place spoonfuls of mixture into foil/paper cups so that they are mostly full. Bake 10-12 minutes, place a hershey piece on each, and put in the oven for 2 more minutes or so. I used the back of a spoon to spread the chocolate over the top of each cookie. Let cool on a wire rack - note that the chocolate on top takes a while to dry. Serve once fully cooled. They are also good when they've been stored in the fridge.

Winter Awakening

We are in the midst of a blizzard!

Fortunately the weather didn't stop SB and I from visiting my brother's family this morning, because it was such a pleasure to make Christmas cookies with my little niece. She helped me push the cookie cutters into rolled sugar cookie dough! And she ran up to me and hugged my leg several times. AND she said my name, though it sounded more like "Tate." LOVE.

While the snow now makes it official, we have already been feeling the holiday spirit over the past week. We set up a little tree, got virtually all of our holiday shopping done, and I finished (well, almost) the stockings that my mom helped me put together for SB and I. Once I embroider our names on them, they'll be set. I aimed to make one for Cricket, but she may have to wait until next year. 

Two bonus photos are included below - of Cricket strategizing and then being caught in the act of disrupting a game of 221B Baker Street (a fun Sherlock Holmes board game).

 

A Poem for a Friday

If Thou Art Worn

If thou art worn and hard beset
With sorrows that thou would'st forget,
If thou would'st read a lesson that will keep
Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep,
Go to the woods and hills! -- No tears
Dim the sweet look that Nature wears.

H. W. Longfellow

Weekend Getaway

A few holiday week/end highlights:

• Fabulous thanksgiving meals with each of our families, including all of our grandparents and my 18-month old niece! (Also, I made cranberry sauce for the first time and really enjoyed it - I added red grapes to the cranberries for a sweeter compote). My niece came up to me and gave me a hug, which made me melt, and also sat on my lap while I fed her pumpkin pie. Can't get enough of the little cutie.
• A weekend getaway to visit a great friend for her birthday, which included everything from cheesecake for breakfast to homemade pasta and meatballs, to a lazy afternoon with Doctor Who to a new gay bar at 2am. Fabulous time.
• Visits to two potential wedding venues, one of which is a decent option and the other of which is a great option that just may end up being our spot! It is SO exciting to be able to start visualizing it all -- can't wait to set our date so the fun DIY planning can begin!

The from-scratch meal that made me appreciate Italian food again

Whirlwind Week

The week of YAY! has come to an end, and I think I might be getting a cold in coming down from it all. Let's recap:

Barack Obama Wins 2012 Election (awesome)

Saw Bob Dylan Live in Concert (mediocre but still great)

Saw Dana Gould Live at Acme Comedy Club (hilarious), after a DELICIOUS dinner a Black Sheep pizza

...and got Engaged!

In short, it will be pretty hard for any other week to top this one. I'd probably have to give birth to my first child, see an amazing woman become the first female president and see Kermit Ruffins live, all in one week's time, just to top this week. hah.

Get out the Kleenex

I heard this song on the radio recently and was compelled by it. When I sought out the video, I found it extremely powerful. So get out your kleenex and be inspired by this video - then vote NO (if a marriage amendment is on your ballot this week) and vote for Obama to support marriage equality.

In honor of election week I have also included the video (note: there is no official video - just the album cover with the song playing) for an amazing new song from Brother Ali - Letter to my Countrymen. It even features Dr. Cornel West at the end. Brother Ali is a great lyricist and his messages are largely motivational. MN hip hop continues to impress me.

Live Comedy!

At last, the weekend is upon us - hooray! Work has been painfully slow these days and, with the prospect of job cuts in the next few months, staff morale is at an all-time low. Needless to say, every evening and weekend is more treasured than ever.

Tonight we are having our customary Friday dinner and movie with one of our closest friends. The movie will likely be Defending Your Life, written and directed by Albert Brooks. I've been in a real comedy mood lately - listening to endless amounts of Marc Maron podcasts (thanks to SB's backlog of podcasts I've been listening to old interviews with Jon Hamm, Aziz Ansari, Ira Glass, Louie CK and many more) and now I'm onto new comedy podcasts such as Dana Gould's.

We're actually seeing Dana Gould do stand-up at the Acme Comedy club in Minneapolis one week from today. I'm psyched, although I admit that the thought of seeing live stand-up kind of makes me nervous/anxious. Since Dana Gould comes prepared with material and doesn't have a particularly off-the-cuff style, I'm thinking we'll be safe from audience call-outs or participation of any kind. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, anyway. But yes, overall, very excited - it is such a different experience, the whole comedy club environment (and I've heard a lot of comics mention that Acme is a cool club). Should be fun. It is good to laugh, and laughing in a group can be even better.

Hafiz

SB and I recently took a trip to the bookstore in search of poetry. He had a hankering for the complete poetic works of Allen Ginsberg (which I can easily get behind) and I was just browsing. What I ended up being most drawn to was a collection of poems called "The Gift" by the Sufi master Hafiz. While most of the poems ultimately express love and devotion to and from God, it is not always so explicit and often comes off as expressions of gratitude, delight in the human experience, interconnectivity, transcendental experiences, and other beautiful things that do not feel associated with organized "religion" so much as generic "spirituality," if you will. Anyway, after conditioning it for fear that the word God will turn people off, here are a few samples (note: he reminds me very much of Rumi):

Courteous to the Ant

God

Blooms

From the shoulder

Of the

Elephant

Who becomes

Courteous 

To

The 

Ant.

I am Really Just a Tambourine

Good

Poetry

Makes the universe admit a 

Secret:

"I am

Really just a tambourine,

Grab hold,

Play me 

Against your warm

Thigh."

Two Giant Fat People

God

And I have become

Like two giant fat people

Living in a 

Tiny boat.

We

Keep

Bumping into each other and

L

a

u

g

h

i

n

g

.

The Foundation for Greatness (for my fav presidential candidate...)

Greatness

Is always built upon this foundation:

The ability

To appear, speak and act

As the most

Common

Man.

Bobby D

SB and I will be seeing our main man, Bob Dylan, when he comes to town in early November. While SB has already seen Dylan with his mom and best pal more than a handful of times, I have only seen him once (and at an outdoor show where my short stature is a real disadvantage). Despite the fact that Dylan is admittedly in pretty rough shape these days, we decided to go all-out and get great seats. I am SO excited. Not that I'd wish away time, but can't wait for three weeks to pass and the concert to be upon us.

This is a video for one of the fabulous songs off of the new album (some songs are certainly better than others, but overall I honestly enjoy the new album) -- beware of brief unnecessary violence in part of the video...

On a separate musical note -- I love the new Cat Power album and am re-discovering her earlier albums. Highly recommended.

Tonight: Lentil soup with zucchini and carrots and banana bread. Umm yes.

Big Chill

This morning I volunteered at a breast cancer walk -- at 7am. Oh man, it was cold outside. Even approaching the start of the event - around 10am - it was still really chilly. There is something about moisture in the air that makes low temperatures feel even cooler. So, when I arrived home I promptly thawed in the shower, napped under my covers, and am now roasting beets while simultaneously slow-cooking what will hopefully be a spicy beef stew. As I write this I can smell the onions browning sweetly. YUM.

Like many, these early cold days bring out a total nesting instinct in me. Eventually I'll get used to it and likely just go through the motions again, but I am so stirred by the change in season -- it makes me more present and gives me cravings for sensory experiences that are out of my normal routine. Lately it has been tea, red wine, root vegetables, apples, wild rice and, surprisingly, meats. This weekend I'm also going to try a recipe for sweet potato drop biscuits. ANYTHING sweet potato sounds like heaven to me these days. If they turn out as delicious as they sound, I'll post the recipe.

My other pleasure of late has been The Big Sleep audio book and the noir genre more broadly. SB and I have spent a lot of evenings chatting about books and we both really enjoy the genre - both books and films. We got really into Humphrey Bogart films this year. We always said that if we'd ever co-write a novel, it'd be a detective-style noir book.  :)

Headed North

Today I head North for my best friend's wedding! There are at least a dozen items on a checklist for my morning (including big things like laundry, dishes, and packing...), but I hope to get on the road before noon. There is a blizzard in the forecast and, although I know how to pack for cold weather, I'm having a hard time actually wrapping my brain around just how cold it might actually be. Regardless of the cold, it is going to be a LOVELY weekend and I am so excited! I was so full of anticipation last night that I could hardly sleep. On that note, time to start checking items off of the list so I can hit the road!

Southern Style

Sorry for the delay - I was so busy preparing food for the party last Friday that I didn't take any pictures! I'll summarize the bday weekend in bullet form:

• I was pleasantly surprised by an invite to get breakfast with my dad on Friday morning. I talked a lot, as is usual with my parents, but it felt really nice to share so much with him one-on-one. It meant a lot to me. Funny how talking with parents at this age makes you feel both young and old - a good feeling. 
• I took a walk with a great lady friend on Friday while my pita bread was rising, and she made me laugh and also generously poured me a little drink of St. Germain when we reached her apartment. What a luxury.
• Fortunately there was enough food for the 15 or so people that stopped by for the party on Friday night, and all of it turned out well. Guests were grateful and I felt loved. Even the coconut macaroons were a hit, to my surprise!
• On my birthday SB took me out for breakfast at my favorite local cafe, and then to see The Master. It was complex and hard to watch, but beautiful and interesting. Puzzling, dazzling, frustrating, boring...all at once somehow. GREAT acting. Worth a viewing. Then we took a much-needed nap.
• The evening of my bday we went out for drinks and moonlight bowling with my brother and sister-in-law - such fun! We laughed nonstop. It was a blast.
• The next morning we all had breakfast at my parents' house, including my hilarious little niece, who is a ball of energy. She repeatedly yelled "touchdown!" and threw her hands up in the air. What a riot. She also attempted to say my name for the first time, which mostly came out as a K- sound, but made me melt.

A great birthday. One of my best. Most of it thanks to SB and my great family and friends. I'm lucky. 

Since then, I've been putting my new birthday apron and cookbook to good use! Earlier this week I experimented with new veggies for our usual stir fry, adding celery (duh, delicious) and cabbage. How wonderful to make something scrumptious out of random items in your refrigerator. Nothing beats surprising yourself.

Here is a picture of today's meal - "Hottie Black-Eyed Peas & Greens" with ginger mashed sweet potatoes. We LOVE southern food - especially getting a taste for greens. I'm already big fan of this new cookbook - by the author of Veganomicon. 

On a final note, I'm reading two awesome books right now - My Life in Paris by Julia Child (the joy leaps off of the page) and, very different but also profoundly compelling, Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. Though I'm not finished with either, I recommend them both. 

Last Day of Summer

Well, the last official day of summer has arrived. Tonight we have our "Summer's End" party, which I'm mostly looking forward to. The whole crew and more are expected, and I will soon be on my way to the grocery store in an attempt to purchase the right amount of food for more than a dozen people. Thank goodness for the large slow cooker that I borrowed from SB's mom. By this afternoon it will be full of veggie chili.

Last night I reconnected with two friends who I had not seen in 6 months or more. We ate at a posh little foodie restaurant and, I must say, it was de-lish. The portions were slightly smaller than you'd expect elsewhere and the meals slightly more expensive, but hey - we got appetizers and dessert and had so much fun and it was the most worthwhile $25 I've spent in ages. Sometimes I'm too cheap, and last night was a good lesson in thinking about the return value of the dollars I spend.


A final note - my boss was so sweet and got doughnuts and coffee for my entire team of coworkers for my birthday. We had a little social in her office for 30 minutes or so in the morning and it was such a treat. It was thoughtful that she included so many people in the celebration, making me feel even more a part of the team (rather than if she had just gotten me a little sweet for my bday). She is the best. Also, my coworker made amazingly delicious pumpkin scones for my birthday (topped with spiced frosting)! So sweet. And all of this even though my birthday falls on the weekend. I am LUCKY.  Happy Friday. First, a poem. Then I'm off to begin cooking and cleaning...

Now it is fall

BY EDITH SÖDERGRAN

TRANSLATED FROM THE SWEDISH BY AVERILL CURDY

when all the golden birds

fly home across the blue deep water;

On shore I sit rapt in its scattering

                                                       glitter;

departure rustles through the trees.

This farewell is vast and separation draws close,

but reunion, that also is certain.

My head on my arm I fall asleep easily.

On my eyes a mother’s breath,

from her mouth to my heart:

sleep, child, and dream now the sun is gone.—

Birthday Week

We joke in my family that instead of having a birthday, one should have a "birthday week." While we don't actually celebrate for a week, yesterday began my "birthday week." I have very few plans for the day itself - I think that bowling with my brother will be in order, and hopefully time with my niece.

Below is a photo of what felt like one of the greatest moments of my life - getting to walk hand-in-hand with my favorite little lady. It is unbelievable how special it feels when she reaches for your hand and squeezes it tightly.

On Friday we are hosting a dozen or so friends for food and drinks - I took the day off to cook and bake all day. Cooking more for others is a goal of mine for my 28th year. As of right now, I'm not sure what will be on the menu. The only certainties at this point are vegetarian chili and coconut macaroons topped with chocolate. For some reason the change in season is giving me a craving for these toasty treats. Expect photos of the cooking extravaganza that will be my Friday.

One other note - we saw the movie Sleepwalk with Me at the newly renovated Uptown Theater and were pleasantly surprised when the writer/director/star of the movie, a comedian, came out on stage after the showing for an informal Q&A! It was the closest I've been to seeing live standup - a scenario that I always thought uncomfortable - but it was really fun. SB has turned me into a lover of comedy. And why not? Nothing beats a good laugh.

Out Loud

I've been trying to keep it to myself, but I just have to say - I have total wedding fever. I am so happy with SB and he has insinuated that a proposal is on the horizon...and the anticipation is killing me. Killing me! I never thought I would be so excited for something like a wedding, but time has proven me wrong. I am SO excited. A quote from our neighbor (from back in the day) seems fitting:

Soapbox

For a student who has degrees in social justice, philosophy and public policy, I am remarkably soft-spoken about my opinions. For more than a decade, I have been utterly fascinated by all facets of ethics, notions of justice and the political ideals that are written in the US Constitution and the Federalist Papers; and while I have participated in a diverse mix of advocacy and charity over time, I have been pretty quiet as an individual in intimate groups of friends or family. I avoid conflict at all cost, and still feel like I "don't really know what I'm talking about" enough to really assert or argue my point.

And I don't plan to assert or argue a point here, either. But I have been overwhelmingly inspired lately, and from a diverse array of sources. I share them with you, to flutter around in your mind as they have been in mine. 

A poem that was included in an address from my CEO:

I slept and dreamt that life was joy.

I awoke and saw that life was duty.

I acted, and behold—

Duty was joy. 

- Rabindranath Tagore

Pieces from President Barack Obama's speech:

As Americans, we believe we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, rights that no man or government can take away. We insist on personal responsibility, and we celebrate individual initiative. We're not entitled to success. We have to earn it. We honor the strivers, the dreamers, the risk- takers, the entrepreneurs who have always been the driving force behind our free enterprise system, the greatest engine of growth and prosperity that the world's ever known.

But we also believe in something called citizenship — (cheers, applause) — citizenship, a word at the very heart of our founding, a word at the very essence of our democracy, the idea that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations....We don't think the government can solve all of our problems, but we don't think the government is the source of all of our problems — (cheers, applause) — any more than our welfare recipients or corporations or unions or immigrants or gays or any other group we're told to blame for our troubles — (cheers, applause) — because — because America, we understand that this democracy is ours.

We, the people — (cheers) — recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which asks only, what's in it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense. (Cheers, applause.) As citizens, we understand that America is not about what can be done for us. It's about what can be done by us, together — (cheers, applause) — through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government. That's what we believe.

From a letter from one my Hamline professors to the President of Hamline University regarding the neutral position of the University on the effort to amend the MN Constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman:

Some have argued that universities should not take a position on issues such as this because we are a place that welcomes everyone, that welcomes a diversity of perspectives. It is true that we welcome spirited debate. But, do we really believe that all views are entitled to a seat at the table? Are the civil rights of our faculty, staff, students, and alums really something we believe should be subject to intellectual debate? I hope not.

Sweet Taste of Summer

Last year we canned salsa and I learned that coring tomatoes is one of my least favorite activities. So, instead, we are making fresh salsa for ourselves this summer. Yum. And I succeeded in NOT getting jalapeno juice anywhere on my face or under my fingernails today, which was quite a bonus, as that tends to burn for at least 20 minutes.

We also made a splurge today and got raw honey for toast. YUM. It was sort of pricey, but will last forever and was, upon first taste, decidedly worthwhile. We followed that purchase with a happy-hour beer, although I got a hard cider and was rewarded with a) delicious flavor and b) a free pint glass! Win-win. 

But undoubtedly the best part of the weekend was our deep-clean, which transformed several parts of our apartment from utter disaster zones to organized and cozy spaces. It is a relief to have a clean closet and a larger dresser for clothes -- both were overflowing. We also got a new bookshelf (a small one) and got rid of a dusty TV stand, replacing it with our antique cedar chest (which was formerly packed into the closet). As a result, the TV is less pronounced in the living room, and we've added more books (though I thought that impossible!), making it a much warmer space, in my view. SB was skeptical of the need for several of these changes, but is thrilled with the outcome. Woohoo!

Next week, SB is back to school! No students yet, but the beginning of a transition back into full-out work mode. He's certainly made the most of his summer, though, taking 30 mile bike rides almost every day. The man LOVES to bike and has so much endurance! It is admirable and my measly attempts at running for exercise pale in comparison to his daily marathons. Ah well. Maybe next week...

New Michael Chabon

If you like Michael Chabon, or have yet to be exposed to his very particular writing style, check out a preview of his new novel, Telegraph Avenue, via NPR. I LOVE this author. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, The Final Solution, The Yiddish Policeman's Union, Manhood For Amateurs -- I love, love, love them all. Very quirky, intellectual, humorous. Delightful word choices.

Speaking of word choices, this is a poem that I ran across semi-recently and enjoyed. It was particularly interesting to read it to myself, then to listen to E. E. Cummings read it aloud. His annunciation is a pleasure to hear. If you want to listen to him read it, click here.

As freedom is a breakfast food

E. E. Cummings

as freedom is a breakfast food

or truth can live with right and wrong

or molehills are from mountains made

—long enough and just so long

will being pay the rent of seem

and genius please the talent gang

and water most encourage flame

as hat racks into peach trees grow

or hopes dance best on bald men’s hair

and every finger is a toe

and any courage is a fear

—long enough and just so long

will the impure think all things pure

and hornets wail by children stung

or as the seeing are the blind

and robins never welcome spring

nor flat folk prove their world is round

nor dingsters die at break of dong

and common’s rare and millstones float

—long enough and just so long

tomorrow will not be too late

worms are the words but joy’s the voice

down shall go which and up come who

breasts will be breasts thighs will be thighs

deeds cannot dream what dreams can do

—time is a tree(this life one leaf)

but love is the sky and I am for you

just so long and long enough

Pickles o' Plenty

We're off to dinner with SB's folks, but here are a few photos of our pickle extravaganza! We ended up making three variations of bread & butter pickles (five pints of each):

"UK" - brown sugar and cider vinegar substituted for granulated sugar and white vinegar + ground ginger

"Irish Zest" -  horseradish and fresh ginger

"Garlic" - one clove added to each pint

We also made what was supposed to be two pints of refrigerated zesty pickles to hold us over until the rest are ready to eat, but we were just shy of two pints and had to go with one. In two weeks, it will be a nice little preview of what will follow a month or so later.

Bonus picture - Cricket soaking up the sun!

Home Sweet Home

After virtually two straight weeks of travel, I am home. Other than a long weekend for a (fabulous) wedding in early October, we have nothing on the calendar for the rest of the year. It feels GREAT. Despite the fact that all of my trips were full of fun and friends and new experiences, I am happy to be back. 

The best part was spending time with my two best friends, who I don't see as often as I'd like, and then returning feeling recharged and renewed, centered, by the experience of being with each of them. We naturally engaged in very meaningful conversations where I was able to share a lot of thoughts that have been swirling around in my mind. And their feedback gave me a stronger sense of self, because we know each other so well and because I so value their perspectives. Anyway, I'm having a hard time articulating it, but there is something indescribably special about time spent with a best friend.

Bon Voyage

Almost time to pick up SB from the airport, spend some QT with cousins and hopefully fall into a deep slumber before getting up and beginning Trip #1 tomorrow morning, followed immediately by Trip #2 on Wednesday morning. Wish me luck. I've been sleeping so little lately that I'm just hoping I can will myself to put one foot in front of the other, and eventually re-gain energy for all of this travel. It should be an adventure, though. My eyes will be on the horizon.

Other great adventurers with their eyes to the horizon...

Voilá! Dakota Bread

For the first time, I successfully made bread - it is delicious, rather than dense or dry (which is my usual outcome for homemade bread).

The recipe comes from the owners of Cafe Latte, and can be found in Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland (Authors: Dooley/Watson).

A few other easy recipes that I found and threw together this evening -- caramelized brussels sprouts and roasted potatoes with smoked paprika. I ended up going out to dinner with cousins, but still made these recipes at 8pm, just for the fun of it (and for the leftovers). Might as well get it in while I can, as I have three trips crammed into the next two weeks, which will be great, but will not allow for any cooking time.

Recipe from the blog: Eat, Live, Run

Roasted with oil, salt, pepper and smoked paprika

PS. While I'm writing this I'm watching Julie & Julia! Very inspirational.

The Calm Before the Storm

I can't believe that it is nearly the end of July already. We've been anticipating a trip "out West" for six months or more, and suddenly it will be upon us next week. It is surreal to think that it is going to occur and then, dare I admit, the PTO that I've been looking forward to for 6 months will have come to an end. It will be one of the longer trips that I've taken, and we're traveling by plane, train and rental car, so it will be the full experience. After all of the weekend trips we've taken lately, it will be a welcome break.

This week SB will be traveling for a conference with his co-workers and I will have the apartment to myself. It is interesting, because in the 2+ years that we've lived together, this will be one of (at most) a handful of times that we have been apart. In fact, I don't think that I've spent more than a few nights in our apartment by myself. After years of living alone, and my general nature that takes great pleasure in solitude, I'm amazed that I've been able to adjust to living in such close proximity with someone else. While part of me looks forward to the alone time, and will surely revel in it, I wouldn't be surprised if I curl up feeling a bit lonely without my other half so near. Funny how that works.

It will be quiet around the house and, fortunately, quiet in the office for me this week. After a very crazy week last week, a load has been lifted (even if only temporarily). It is a relief, and good timing since there will be a lot to do around the house in preparation for our travel. Also, I got a new and AMAZING cookbook from Half-Priced Books - Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland -  that I can't wait to utilize in attempting a few new bread recipes. Expect photos (if it turns out). 

Favorite Post-Farmers Market Breakfast

Poached egg on toast with tomato, basil, salt and pepper. Yum. I think for lunch we'll eat just about the same thing, actually, only with bacon instead of egg -- BLT! Oh, how I love the taste of summer.

I have also been obsessed with cucumber salads. When I wake up in the morning and want to throw together a quick lunch, I thinly slice a fat little cucumber from the farmers market and add a bit of apple cider vinegar and sugar. Mmmmm.

A literal bundle of joy that came from this morning's market was a bunch of sunflowers for only $3! And they add so much to the apartment. Like the fresh food that we get from the farmers market each week, the flowers give us another opportunity for savoring -- slowing down, and enjoying. Such a treat after a stressful week of work.

Hey-o Audio

Podcasts. Love love love them. I have been listening to so many and recommend the following awesome free ones (through iTunes):

This American Life: The classic. Approaches a topic from more angles than you would have imagined were possible. Very compelling journalism. Sometimes funny, sometimes devastating. Lovely David Sedaris readings featured, which you've got to love.

Radiolab: Awesome. FUN journalism that makes you laugh out loud. Totally fascinating topics. Often science-related topics, but usually addresses a topic from all kinds of angles, like This American Life. Listen to it!

On Being: Often very insightful guests. Cool topics that broaden "spirituality" into all realms of life.

Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me: In case you missed it when it was on the radio. A delight. And I feel old and nerdy for liking it, but I do.

WTF with Marc Maron: So, I was reluctant to like this because I lumped it with other male comedians that SB has listened to in the past and assumed that I wouldn't be into seemingly negative and self-depricating guy like Marc Maron (also, the intro to each show includes needless swearing, which was an immediate turn-off). As it turns out, though, Maron is fascinating, reflective, and much more positive than one would expect. And he interviews some awesome celebrities. I really enjoyed the strange interview with Fiona Apple recently. Beware of possible vulgarity.

Snap Judgement: Feels kind of like an amateur "This American Life." I enjoyed the Plasticity episode but have fallen off my regular listening lately. Some good stories, though.

Selected Shorts: I've only listened to a few of these - but they're actors performing literature (like one actor, from my experience, kind of like reading a monologue). Very cool concept. Nerdy at times, but at others they pick great pieces of literature to read. Each episode is based on theme.

Strong, Sexy and Stylish: This new podcast is proving to be "just okay" - but it features 3 MSP ladies who work in areas of fashion/style writing, strength training, and sex education. Some episodes are empowering, some are nerdy.

Desert Island Disks: BBC radio show that interviews people about their lives, the music and literature that they would bring with them if stranded on a desert island, etc. -- I've listened to interviews with Alice Cooper, Martin Sheen and Terry Gilliam.

Well, that's all that I've got to share at the moment. I requested about 5 books on CD for my upcoming travel to Iowa City and then to and around the Portland area. Looking forward to even more audio entertainment!

I'm Back (Again)!

1) Yes, I am finally updating my blog.

2) Because SB and I will be on our way to Portland soon and also because we have very happy wedding occasions coming up (not to mention an adorable niece!), we decided to get a new camera. It isn't super fancy, but much better than what we had and very exciting.

3) If you like mushrooms -- make these totally delicious, easy, relatively inexpensive Portobello Chile Tacos. YUM. A new staple in our household for sure. We even took a picture of the finished product (of course).

4) This weekend I ran The Color Run with my SIL. While I was my normal nay-saying self prior to the run, thinking that it would be a ridiculous mess and an unfortunate fate on a 90 degree day, it turned out to actually be quite fun (and a ridiculous mess, but in a good way). Color Run photo credit goes to SB, who was also my biking partner from St. Paul to Mtown via the Gateway Trail this weekend -- talk about a weekend of fun in the sun!

5) I've said it before and am again saying it - I hope to be better about updating this blog in the future. We have a lot of fun going on - between canning, cooking and just taking pictures around the neighborhood, to trips and weddings and more. The new camera should provide good inspiration, as should the poems that I have continued to collect and am eager to share. More to come!

PS. The new Wes Anderson movie, Moonrise Kingdom, is a delight and a must-see for all those interested in a youthful adventure. We've seen it twice in the theater...so far! Oh, and I've redesigned my blog with a bookshelf background, which reminded of another awesome Wes Anderson movie, The Royal Tennenbaums. Love it.

Meeting at Night

i
The grey sea and the long black land;
And the yellow half-moon large and low;
And the startled little waves that leap
In fiery ringlets from their sleep,
As I gain the cove with pushing prow,
And quench its speed i' the slushy sand.

ii
Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach;
Three field to cross till a farm appears;
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt of a lighted match,
And a voice less loud, thro' its joys and fears,
Than the two hearts beating each to each!

Robert Browning

Blog Love

My relationship to the internet has changed recently. While I used to tend to avoid my computer on evenings and weekends (because they remind me of work and also of mindless time-suckage), I have now started to really enjoy following other blogs. I've started to feel that I lack direction and intention in my post-grad school existence, particularly in my spare time at home, and reading the blogs of creative cooks and crafters and fashionistas is surprisingly empowering; instantly I have all kinds of projects and ideas on hand for implementation.

I've added a list of favorite bloggers to my page (in the column on the right) -- I highly recommend checking them out! Perhaps I will evolve into a bit more of a blogger than I have been in the past in light of these cool and inspiring ladies.

The Year of the Kermit

Last year, the name Kermit wouldn't have meant much to me. But in the past several months two very distinct Kermits have entered my life in a big way. First, perhaps the most famous Kermit -- Mr. The Frog -- was re-introduced to me from the newest installment of The Muppets. Oh how I enjoy the wholesome humor and entertainment that is Jim Hensen.

Second, and less wholesome but equally joy-enhancing is Kermit Ruffins. This Kermit was featured in David Simon's "Treme" -- a fabulous TV show that brings post-Katrina New Orleans to the rest of the world in a very real way. Every character in the show is compelling and for those who loved Simon's "The Wire" -- a few favorite actors return for this show. Getting back to Kermit Ruffins, one of the greatest features of "Treme" is the real New Orleans musicians that enrich each episode -- from Kermit to Trombone Shorty to Dr. John and more. After getting hooked on the show, a trip to the library left me with a stock of albums featuring Kermit. So so lovable. Although I'm too broke this year, next year: JAZZFEST in New Orleans.

Both Kermits demonstrate hope, humor, gratitude and good old-fashioned fun.

For my favorite ladies

My best friend is getting married this year! A romantic poem is in order (overdue, in fact). This is a poem that I discovered in compiling a poetry collection as a Christmas gift for my mom, and it reminded me instantly of growing older with my two best lady friends.

Here

by Grace Paley

Here I am in the garden laughing

an old woman with heavy breasts

and a nicely mapped face

how did this happen

well that’s who I wanted to be

at last    a woman

in the old style   sitting

stout thighs apart under

a big skirt   grandchildren sliding

on   off my lap   a pleasant

summer perspiration

that’s my old man across the yard

he’s talking to the meter reader

he’s telling him the world’s sad story

how electricity is oil or uranium

and so forth   I tell my grandson

run over to your grandpa   ask him

to sit beside me for a minute   I

am suddenly exhausted by my desire

to kiss his sweet explaining lips