Friday, January 31, 2014

{this moment] Mute Swan

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 
A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments
for all to find and see. Joining Soulemama.

{In My Kitchen}







In my kitchen this weekend :: dulce de leche [link here] :: cinnamon rolls with dulce de leche frosting :: homemade soap:: banana bread :: beef and broccoli :: spinach omelet

People who keep up with me mainly through social media think I spend hours in the kitchen baking diabetic-coma-inducing delights day in and day out. While I have been known to do a fair bit of baking {understatement of the year}, I really just post the good stuff online but we eat normal stuff day in and day out same as the rest. I am looking forward to having my inlaws in two weeks because cooking for company is always fun and a good reason to go all out. Any good diabetic-friendly and or gluten free recipe suggestions?


Friday, January 24, 2014

{this moment} caution, unsafe crossing

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

 Linking up with Soulemama

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Snow Days







We've had a fair bit of nasty weather. Except for when the university persists, our general mindset for winter weather is, "bring it on!" We buy in bulk, get milk every Monday, and keep gas in the car so we are very rarely "those people" that the whole world hates (but how can the whole world hate them when at least half of the world is made up of "those people"?) who are out and about junking up the wintry roads with their emergency Wal-mart runs. Two weeks ago, we had a good chuckle because we were those people, the ones who some how had no toilet paper OR milk in the whole house on the day that it was -4 outside. Pshew. This week, we had no such nonsense and remained at home for the duration.

I did get six of my drawers reorganized and did a total overhaul on my linen closet. I sound like such an exciting person, I can't stop myself. Julian kept affirming me, saying that snow days aren't about getting things done. Technically, I was supposed to be working from home so I didn't have to take an annual leave day, but there is only so much you can do when you have to choose between emails and snowman shaped marshmallows. Productivity guilt haunts me. When my routine is disrupted, I sit in a chair and stare at the world and think about all I should be doing, and what I didn't get done, and how I could have gotten so much done if I weren't sitting in the chair. Having a case of the "doo-dahs", my old boss would call it.

At least the birds and I reached an amicable agreement. If they would get over their fears of coming in from the yard, I would provide them unending supplies of seed in exchange for not having to traipse through the snow to feed them. With high temps in the teens and more snow on its way, I think the birds and I will be getting along this way for another week or so, at least.



Monday, January 6, 2014

Back in the saddle, again







 


We are back in the saddle again... after two weeks (more for Julian) of vacation. We experienced the Christmas "in the usual way" [we've said this a lot after reading in an old book that one should "prepare the head of pig in the usual way" before cooking it, what's that mean, really?] and now are attempting to come back to the land of the ambitious with a very productive Monday. Will it work? Only time will tell!

Christmas was lovely and it was nice to se so much of our family, but it was the week of New Year's - being back in our own home, nothing to do but what we wanted, snow and bitter cold - that was the real vacation. It was delightful to spend half the morning dozing and the other half wondering what we should do all day. We rested, birdwatched, crafted, project'd, and ate (a little bit, not too much.) It was lovely, and here are some snaps to prove it. In the order in which they appear, but not that they happened: blueberry muffins, birdie muffins, Christmas lights are all still up, having a crisis of the wrong shade of yellow, hoppin' john, two new yellows, snow on the sedum, yesterday's nature walk.

Happy NEW YEAR!