Foggy

Fog and Boathouse

I had lots of editing to do yesterday, and decided I also needed a change of scenery. So, I printed out the documents (boring stuff, not really worth posting about) and headed to the Ross Barnett Reservoir here in Jackson to sit by the water and edit. It was pretty foggy, there was a chill in the air, and the Res was all but deserted. Perfect working conditions.

Editing paradise

I sat with a giant cup of coffee and some tiny maple scones on this bench and finished a big document in just under four hours. It's amazing how productive you can be with a simple change of scenery. That, and a really warm sweater.

*There's a small group lobbying to have the official name of the Res changed. Frankly, that sounds like a pretty great idea.
**Happy Opening Day!
***As usual, these photos aren't edited. None of them are, but it's really just because I don't know how to use photo editing software, but I am slowly learning about how to use my cameras. It's also a little bit because I think my grandfather would be disappointed. He always said "learn to edit with your lens, not your computer." Puritan talk!

Green Tea Done Differently

Sparkling Zen (Maggie loves fancy water)

Awhile back, A and I were in the liquor store stocking up on wine and I saw a sign for Zen Green Tea Liqueur that said "Newly in stock." It's new! And I really like green tea, so I picked up a bottle. I think it was about 30 bucks, and I immediately made a drink when we got home.

The bottle suggests making a Zentonic* with tonic water and the liqueur. I don't do tonic water, so I've been drinking it with sparkling water. That might sound boring. But, oh, friends. The liqueur is sweet, but not cloying. It also has a nice herbal taste, but again, not too much. It's a perfect balance. It's also a nice, subtle shade of green, like a grown up apple pucker but none of the shame. A friend decided to make a Saketini* with this liqueur and sake. If you like sake, try this out. It was fantastic.

Drink friends (that's home-grown basil in those glasses!)

*These beverage names need some help. Zentonic? Saketini? Or, you could be like A and mix a shot with white tequila and call it The Samurai. Not recommended. At all.

Yette's Garden Platter

Yette's Garden Platter

I recently picked up The Essential New York Times Cookbook, and it's turned out to be a great little anthology of our nation's food. It's great to read about how trends in food have shifted, and in some cases have seen a resurgence. I've cooked several dishes from the book, and I'll share them as we go along. First up, Yette's Garden Platter. Friday night I was looking for a simple meal that would use up potatoes and tomatoes. Lo and behold, this extremely simple little treat!

I'm going to type up the recipe here, and let you know when I did something differently from the printed recipe.

Assembly

Yette's Garden Platter

from The Essential NYT Cookbook

3 medium potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick 

3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick (really, just be sure the zucchini are thicker than your potatoes. No need to measure, but you don't want to end up with overdone zucchini)

4 tomatoes, peeled (I used heirlooms, I think any variety would do)
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (I used chopped fresh basil instead, just because the plant needed to be trimmed down)
1 clove garlic, chopped finely (I pressed mine)
3/4 cup olive oil (sounds like a lot, but it won't make the dish greasy at all)
2 medium onions, chopped
Salt and pepper

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Layer the potatoes and then the zucchini in a shallow baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients, then add to the dish. (I just layered them on top, you could also stir it all up, but I liked how brown and soft the onions got).
2) Bake uncovered until vegetables are tender and well-browned on edges, about 1 1/2 hours.

I served mine on top of couscous. Once it's all baked, there's a tomato-scented oil on the bottom of the dish. I spooned it over the final dish. It ended up being a bright, spring-time dish, but not an especially photogenic one. I guess you can't have it all! It didn't keep in the fridge especially well, so I think I'll reserve it for bringing to get-togethers or serving to dinner guests.

Plated

**Side Note: Did anyone else watch the United States of Tara season premiere last night? I feel like I'm the only one I know who really watches that show, but I love it.

Weekend in Review

An exhausting weekend, which means not many photos, not much in the way of fun, very little quality time with friends and A and some seriously unhealthy food. But, I was productive on a work/volunteer front. I spent most of the time in my car or in meetings. When I dumped my bag out on our table on Sunday night, this is all the stuff I found (minus my wallet):

Bag contents *see below*

Friday dinner

This dinner above will get it's own post this week, but I want to point out that these zucchini were the only green things I ate all weekend. For a vegetarian, that's actually kind of impressive. I also found a little time to write some notes for friends and family who've had some bumps in the road recently. The stationary is from this Etsy seller. Purple Onyx Designs is run by Monica, and she was fantastic to work with! I told her my favorite flower and some favorite colors and she turned out these adorable cards.

Late night letter writing

**Want to know what all that stuff is? Well, at least seven of the people who read this blog will, and that's enough for me:
Working LtoR, clockwise starting at top left corner
Moleskine daily planner, LypSyl lip balm, MAC Cyndi lipstick, Passport (why is my passport in my bag?), Yes to Cucumbers face wipes, Tarte The Eraser concealer, fruit leather (delicious on the go snack), watch, cardigan, keys, inspirational book from a very sweet friend (not sure why I was carrying it around), Green and Black 85% dark chocolate (half-eaten, naturally), Stabilo pen roll

Friday Five

I only hit my groove on Thursday, and now the week is over! This weekend brings lots of catch-up work around the house and with a few volunteer organizations. But, it also brings some quiet downtime and a few outings with sweet friends. If the weather will hold up, Saturday brings a picnic filled with wine, snacks and chit-chat. Here are a few things I've loved this week.

Ripening bananas

Re-discovered cardigan

New cookbook

Visit to alma mater

New liqueur of choice

Green with...Leafy Greens

So, on reflection I only have like 4 photos from the weekend. Three are of the bands we saw and one is of a robot from a favorite bar in Columbia. So, I'm thinking those aren't really worth posting. BUT a great time was had, and there's nothing like a weekend with friends to push the reset button on your month!

Spinach sauce with tortellini

Now, for a little "recipe". It's really more like a "look at the easy thing everyone likes to do with leafy greens". When I got home from South Carolina I was craving some greens, since I'd spent an extended weekend eating hummus, veggie tacos with salsa verde, a small mountain of tempura-ed veggies and a whole field of potatoes. So, I took some quickly wilting away spinach and gave it the usual "Oh, these greens will go bad very soon" treatment:

Spinach, cooking

Saute some garlic in a bit of oil on medium heat (I used coconut oil here, but butter, olive oil, ghee, vegetable oil, really anything will do, but you only need a little bit)

After about two minutes, fill up your pan with spinach. Cover, toss occasionally. If you want to add more once the first bit cooks down, fire away!

Now you can puree it or use it as is. Stir in some cheese, herbs, cream, whatever you like. In this version I popped it into the blender with a drizzle of walnut oil and a little bit of goat cheese. Finished it off with salt and pepper and added it to a sandwich for lunch, pasta for dinner and eggs for breakfast.

The same treatment works well for kale or chard, just vary the spices depending on what you like!

Back

I'm back from a fantastic weekend visit with friends, listening to music, visiting old haunts and catching up with some wonderful people.
Unfortunately, I'm having a crazy Monday, so I'll be back tomorrow with a few photos and updates!

Friday Tunes

If I Should Fall From Grace With God, The Pogues. Yesterday was St. Pat's, this weekend (or last weekend) lots of revelry going on, so I'll go ahead and embrace it with a little Irish Punk (I'll not indulge any conversations about why this isn't really punk music, take it to Pitchfork, people).

Gone, Gone, Gone

Packing

I'm headed to South Carolina for an extended weekend as of 6:30 am this morning. Well, barring any issues with what seems to be a mis-print of my legal name on my boarding pass. You know, nothing serious. A long weekend filled with good friends, plenty of St. Pat's fun, fantastic live music and visiting a few old favorite haunts. Here, my bright coral bag and all my packing. I take pride in packing as lightly as possible, and for four days this is about as good as I can do.

I sometimes wonder why I got a Kindle, and I'll start to miss holding a "real" book. Then, I fly somewhere and remember that I'm packing as many books, magazines and newspapers as I want in one tiny little machine. Thank you, Kindle, thank you.

Weekend in Review

Surprise weekend free from any work-related activities. No projects, no meetings, no nannying. But, we stayed busy! Not shown: A long, painful run (but I finished it!), multiple pitchers of sangria with girlfriends, sewing projects and peanut butter cookie consumption. I'm not posting a photo of the cookies because I know then I'll just rave about how delicious they are. This would go on far longer than is appropriate.

Saturday cleaning

Sunday breakfast beginnings

Post-playdate June*

Sunday night reading**

*I post a lot of photos of our woofer, June. I apologize to all the non-dog lovers, but she demands representation in at least 25% of the posts here.

**I'll post later this week about both this magazine and this book. The Kindle is great, but it's much less photogenic than a scratched up print book, right?

Newest Addition

Mango smoothie, blender, honeypot*

Meet our newest friend, Blue Blender. To explain why it's worth posting, a story, in dialogue form:

Me: What neat kitchen appliances should we register for?

A: Definitely a blender.

Me: Okay. Wow, these are all kind of huge. But our kitchen is small.

A: Yeah, but look at this one called a Ninja.

Me: It's huge. And why is that ninja on the front a sexed up lady ninja?

A: She's not sexed up, they're being inclusive.

Me: She's got bangs! Why does a ninja need bangs?

A: You have bangs.

Me: I AM NOT A NINJA.

**Four Months Later**

Me: We need a blender.

A: Look at this Nin....pretty Kitchen Aid blender.

D: Ohh it comes in a pretty blue.

*The honeypot was a birthday gift from a very sweet friend, who knows I love honey, Le Creuset and pretty things. Ironically, we did register for this.

Ash Wednesday

Elvis Perkins, Ash Wednesday

It's been a great week so far, full of friends, jobs well done and a series of emails that reminded me that I am a part of an amazing group of women. Now, we're at Hump Day and it's Ash Wednesday for some of you. For others, it's a hangover recovery day from Mardi Gras. And others, it's the middle of the week. My head is kind of happily empty today, so I'm going to run with it.

Testimony

House: Silverton, CO

This house stands outside of Silverton, Colorado. Silverton is an old silver mining town in the middle of the mountains, and we stopped there on a drive during our honeymoon in Colorado and New Mexico. The house is deserted, and all of the windows have been blacked out. Someone painted in white curtains, flowers, shades. In a side window, a beautiful chandelier. In the front, over the blacked out door, a single painted word: Testimony. Who knows what that means, but it's beautiful.

Also, Silverton, CO is home to the best sandwich I've ever had. Which is also beautiful.

Weekend in Review

I'm now down to just a sniffle, which is good. Tired and still achey, but the worst of the sick feeling is gone. So, here's our weekend. Not shown: lots of laying in bed drinking soup (I recommend the broth part of miso soup, carrot soup or light curry broth), the spiciest carrot cake I've ever eaten (a good thing), June trying to kill our Roomba. In general, as good a weekend one can have while feeling sick.

Sangria

Stop at the nursery

Transferring

Sunset herbs (LtoR: Dill, Oregano, Parsley, Basil, Mint, Sage)

Admittedly, it was too cold for the sangria and I ended up feeling so much worse after drinking it. That's why you don't order wine just because "I'm starting to feel better". The herbs are coming along nicely, A also planted some jalapenos and we're trying to decide if we have room for a tomato plant. And that potting soil is retro, right? Nerd alert: The formula was developed here in Mississippi, and is still made and sold through the original family. Called Digger's Delight, it's named after the family's dog. Sold!

Friday Tunes

Tangled Up in Blue, Bob Dylan. Apologies to non-Dylan lovers, I'm definitely a Dylan fan but I get that not everyone likes his sound. What's that? The other Dylan lovers are going to disown me? Right. Well, if you don't like Bob Dylan you obviously don't understand American music, you hate poetry, you don't understand anything about revolutionary culture, OMGHOWDOYOUNOTLIKEDYLAN. Just kidding, all that is bullshit. Whatever you do like is just perfect, because you like it!


As a side note: Friends, I'm sick. I'm also angry. I feed my body leafy greens, fresh fruits, lean protein. I go to yoga and even hop on the ever dreadful treadmill. I get fresh air, I even stomach green smoothies every. single. morning. And how does my body thank me? By getting sick. By ruining weekend plans, relegating me to bed. The one silver lining? A makes the best nurse.

Reading

Books and snooping June

The Temple of My Familiar, Alice Walker-An old favorite that I like to re-visit. I'd think it might be most famous for The Gospel According to Shug, which is a pamphlet that plays an important role in the book. It's a spin on the Beatitudes, and even taken alone, it's pretty inspirational stuff. "Helped are those who find the courage to do at least one small thing each day to help the existence of another - plant, animal, river, or other human being. They shall be joined by a multitude of the timid."

Roast Chicken and Other Stories, Simon Hopkinson-A cookbook divided by ingredient, with short reflections on each of the main ingredients and reflections on favorite chefs and dishes. Hopkinson is an old schooler, English and hilarious. I love his emphasis on simple techniques and fresh ingredients. And, he says things like "I wonder how many home cooks make a great mutton stew but have just never tried?" and "Nothing wakes my sense of history like a breast of lamb stewed all day, served with fried endive and mashed new potatoes."

The Sabbath, Abraham Joshua Heschel-This is from my undergrad Religious Studies days, and I actually end up re-reading it at least once a year. I'm not religious, but I don't think this book is only about religion, it's also about our relationship to time and our understanding of time. There's also a lot of Jewish theology, philosophy and history that I think it's good to learn about. For me, this book has been excellent to read as a reflection on work and rest. "The Sabbath is a day for the sake of life. Man is not a beast of burden, and the Sabbath is not for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency of his work."

Spring is Coming!

White blossom tree

Spring is on the way, friends. Maybe it doesn't feel like it where you are, but I promise, it's coming for us all! This morning I stepped outside to a bright blue sky, flowering plants and trees, warm air and plenty of people in flip flops. While my feet are too cranky for flip flops, I did slip into some new open-toed flats. It's also almost time for fun outdoor festivals, art shows, concerts etc. And, of course, it's almost time for lots of patio drinking. Babalu's sangria is begging to be sipped from one of their adorable outdoor couches. All of this is really just to say: Hey, Spring. Hurry up, we all miss you so much!

As a side note: these photos aren't edited, the colors and light really were that overwhelming, but overwhelming in a good way, I think.

White Blossom Tree, again

Yoga: Keeping it silly

I promise this isn't going to become a yoga blog. Or a self-realization blog. Or a yuppie blog, where all we talk about is flaky salt, hot yoga class and my favorite piece of furniture made from reclaimed barn wood. It's not any of those things.

But, last night, my yoga instructor told us to "take your weaknesses into yourself and transform them with each movement into strength." Also, that "what you say is a weakness is only a misunderstanding." A is thrilled that I've decided my impatience is just a misunderstanding that I'm going to transform into a strength. And, you know, same thing with my aversion to folding laundry.

To be fair, we were in the midst of really challenging movements and poses when she said all of this, and it was very motivating and helpful. But, it's also kind of hilarious.