Dinner: Something From Nothing

Dinner was hanging over my head for most of the day. I had nothing planned. I didn't even have bread for sandwiches and by the time I thought to make bread it was already late in the day. Our fridge and cupboards were mostly empty and I was WAY to lazy to bother going to the store. So around 5pm I walked into the kitchen on a mission. I had to create something remotely nourishing for dinner. I eyed the 3/4 empty bag of chips and realized that it would in no way feed the three of us. Onto the cupboards and freezer. I began to gather potential ingredients:

• 1/3 of a bag of mixed frozen veggies for a stir fry
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 3/4 package extra firm tofu
• 1 can coconut milk
  
• 1 onion
• 4 baby carrots
• 1 c. rice
• turmeric, garlic powder, curry powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, cinnamon

I can work with this I thought. So I cubed the tofu and cooked it in a skillet with a smidge of oil until the tofu was golden. Next I chopped and cooked the onion in the skillet until transluscent. I added the coconut milk and about 1/4-1/2 tsp. of all of the spices (not scientific)and about 2 tsp. of curry powder and a tiny pinch of the crushed red pepper (I am the only spicy heat lover here). I tossed in the bag-o-veggies and sliced the carrots and last I added the garbanzo beans. I simmered over medium-low heat until the flavors had blended and the carrot was cooked through.
Meanwhile I cooked the rice, adding a pinch of turmeric to flavor and color the rice.

When I was done I was pretty pleased with myself so I decided to put the rice into a rounded bowl to create a cool mould and then I arrange the curry around it. Ta da something from nothing!

While I was on a roll I decided that I could probably come up with something for dessert. So, I made some vegan snicker-doodle cookies. I have been trying to find a type of cookie that Eric will love. Believe it or not the man doesn't like chocolate...so when the chocolate chips all disappear in 3 days I really can't blame any of it on him. So now I can say, "Man the cookies are all gone Eric must have had too many."

Vegan snicker-doodle cookies with soy milk

Are you a master of pulling together a meal from nothing?

The Business of Summer

Yesterday I hustled into yoga class a few minutes before class started. I looked to the back of the room, because I am kind of a back of the room student, who likes to do all of that forward bending in front of others? I tossed my mat out on the floor in a quick unfurling of lavender. I sat down and looked to my right and smiled at another regular. I looked to my left and was surprised to see a fellow teacher from the college. She and I have a purely acquaintance relationship, but she seems nice enough. We started the usual polite half-whispered (some people were pretending to meditate) conversation. She asked me about the classes I am teaching in the fall and I pretty much gave her a blank stare.

I have hardly given a thought to the fall. I am too busy with the business of summer. I gave her the most basic of responses before changing the subject to ask about her summer. She told me a bit about her time in Ireland and then asked what I have been up to. I took a deep breath and gave her the stats, but how can one really explain what it is to go about a proper summer?

I told her about travel, visits with friends, books read, art projects, etc.

A corner of my house

What I couldn't really explain was the way the sun looked in my backyard or how I've spent my days relishing a very little girl who grabs my hand and says,"Coooome on Mom," as she pulls me to some strange new game. Or about sitting on the couch with my husband and talking long after the sun has set.

Sunset

I didn't tell her about Cordelia's attempts to potty train the lawn animals.

Potty training the lawn animals. She put them all on and quoted Wonder Pets saying, "Teamwork"

I couldn't put into words the lunches spent with my father or coffee breaks with my mother. Drives with Sam, and phone calls with Ben were totally omitted. I didn't tell her about walks with two dogs and a stroller (a sight to behold) as we avoid the house with the largeblack poodle named Noodles.

Or about Cordelia's first time playing in the sprinkler.

Swimsuit

The sprinkler

I didn't think to mention mornings spent cleaning and playing, afternoons spent sewing, or evenings crocheting.

A project

I left out snuggles and kisses with my girl. I didn't talk about juicy berries and pink lemonade. Lawn mowers, open windows, painting, cleaning, baking, ripe tomatoes,warm breezes,weed pulling, hiking to the waterfall, lilacs, lazing about and all the rest were completely passed over.

So finally I just told her that I was having a wonderful summer. How is your summer?

Natural Dye

I first heard of turmeric when I went vegan. I started using it in a variety of dishes, from curries to scrambled tofu.You may know it from mustard or perhaps you use it in cooking as well. If you've used it then you've also probably discovered that it can really stain just about any surface. I've always wanted to try using it as a natural dye, but never really got around to it until last night.

Turmeric

I was organizing a closet when I came upon this gorgeous table cloth and matching napkins that had once belonged to my great grandmother Maria. My aunt Karen had stored them in her shed for years and they were terribly stained. I had tried everything in my power to remove the stains finally consulting the professionals. The professional opinion was that I should dye them because those stains were there to stay.

So last night I thought I'd try a little experiment with natural dyes. There was no way that I could ruin the napkins and table cloth. So I pulled out my biggest pot and added some hot water. I then stirred in about a tablespoon of turmeric and the napkins. I put the whole thing on the stove over low heat and cooked it for about a half of an hour. I stirred occasionally to make sure that the dye was evenly saturating the napkins. Next I carefully removed the napkins (remember turmeric will stain EVERYTHING) and rinsed them out in my sink. I repeated the process with the tablecloth. Then I took it all downstairs (keeping it on a cookie sheet to avoid drips) and tossed it in the wash. I ran the wash a couple of times to ensure that all of the dye was out.

When I pulled them out of the dryer I was so pleased with the results. Please forgive me for not getting the ironing done yet today (Oh who am I kidding, I probably won't get out the iron at all today, it's hot). Anyway I think that they look fresh and sunny.

A word to the wise, if you decide to try this wear gloves if you don't want to look jaundiced.

Have you ever used natural dyes? If so what did you use?

Special Delivery: Awesome Awesomeness

Eric was at band practice one evening this weekend. Cordelia and I were having a quiet pre-bedtime wind down. She had just finished a bath and I had her wrapped up in a frog towel. I was about to put some pajamas on her when there was a knock at the door. I wasn't expecting anyone so I looked through the peep hole to see none other that John, Eric's boss.

I opened the door and spotted his beautiful tweenage (yes I used that term) daughter Bella and a boy I didn't recognize (later learned that he was a friend). "Come on in," I said as I made sure Cordelia was modestly wrapped in her frog towel. She looked up and me questioningly from her little burrow of green terry cloth.

John said he'd come bearing gifts. He jogged back down our front steps as I sprayed a very excited Bumblebee with the squirt bottle (keeps her from jumping and knocking people over). Then I spotted it, all orange and white. I smiled when I saw it! YES!

A beautiful orange chair, not a Saarinen, but cool none-the-less. Apparently it had spent many years cast away, relegated to the playhouse. Bella couldn't believe I would have any interest in such an old thing, but I was beyond thrilled.

We will need to re-do the chair, but that's a small price to pay for coolness. I looked into doing it myself, but I think this is beyond the realm of my skill level. So I shall defer to the professionals. Next time you see me I may look like this...

Now all I need/want is this...


I really just want my dining room to look like this...

Photo from here http://www.flickr.com/photos/8230585@N06/3194114091/

Are you a nut about mid-century like I am?

Shopping

I went to a general store but they wouldn't let me buy anything specific. ~Steven Wright

Summer Morning

Yesterday morning we had our usual company, Bode. We watch him 4 days a week. Bumblebee and Cordelia looove it! Since Bode is about 95% reliable in the house-training arena and since the weather has been so lovely we spend a lot of time in the back yard.

I have been busy weeding the garden, because things are starting to happen in my yard. I see there are tons of strawberries just plumping up. Cordelia follows me around with a rake when she's not playing. Bumblebee and Bode fall into a rhythm of play and then rest/watching the other chew on a toy.













The mood is completely relaxed and just perfect, exactly what I imagined in my daydreams of home ownership. How have your summer mornings gone?

River

Yesterday afternoon was one of those afternoons. Everyone was a little hot, a little cranky and a lot whiney--except yours truly I never whine...

I suggested a walk alongside our swollen river to change the mood. We piled our crew into the car as Cordelia asked 10,000 times if we were going to bring her stroller. Bumblebee started whining with a nasal intensity that truly must be experienced to fully comprehend (think of the most annoying sound you know and then add a dash of Urkle, a heaping spoonful of nails on the chalkboard, and this--then you might have an idea). So by the time we made it to the river the mood wasn't exactly serene.

We got out of the car and took a stroll along the trail. The foliage was green and lush, unusual for Wyoming. The river had washed over its banks, making for an altered landscape. I began to focus on green growing things, taking some pictures along the way.

















We walked along and slowly things began to change. Eric and I chatted about our day, Cordelia was really interested in the river, Bumblebee pooped by the water (she really loves that--kind of creeps us out) and we were mercifully near a garbage can.

We drove home and I started some dinner as the rest of the gang hung out. When we sat down to eat the mood had completely changed. Somewhere along the way we had let go of the cranky and managed to salvage a lovely evening out of what could have been a bummer. Thank goodness. How do you switch gears when your day has been de-railed?

House Tour: Living Room and Hallway

Today I am going to share a little bit more of our new home with you. I have been posting in increments as we finish an area...or at least get it to a presentable stage. If you've missed out on my previous posts you can see them here, here, here and here.

First off I will begin with the BEFORE shots of our living room. The wall color was a sort of pinky flesh tone with thick carpeting in an off white.









Now here are some of the AFTER shots. You will notice that we pulled up the carpet to expose the wood floors and we repainted the walls a light gray color. We obviously moved in our furniture and art to really make the space our own.













So there you have it, another piece of our new home! Hope you enjoyed the tour. More to come in the coming weeks (as we finishing painting trim and such).

Ben

Ben is my brother. Today he turns 26!

Some of my earliest memories revolve around the birth of my first sibling. The family story of legend (or at least one of them) is when Ben came home from the hospital I made my friends wash their hands and line up just to gaze upon him (no touching).

Growing up with Ben was always an adventure. Ben is wild and fun loving. He has such a good nature. He never intentionally hurts others. He is rarely offended (a surprisingly rare trait). He is funny. He is fun. He is smart. He is caring. He is an amazing brother and friend.


Ben, mid-jump, on the trampoline.

Happy birthday brother. We will see you soon!!!

Want to learn more about my brother? Click here. Or you can hop over to my mother's blog and see her post, here.

Unexpected Friendship

When I was in sixth grade I had a habit of bringing home stray animals. OK, I've always had that habit, let's not kid ourselves. Any self-respecting animal "rescuer" knew where to look when searching for animals to rescue. I had a few regular haunts; the area of town known as "the flats" often had a few strays running around, there were some fields near my house, and for a while there was an abandoned corral that was prime territory.

I also discovered this small white shed where stray cats had taken up residence, tons of them. Hours of careful observation revealed that they had a way into this small shed from under the floor. I would spot a wide-eyed feral cat running down the alley, nervously looking about before slipping into a little hole at the base of this building. I quickly learned that I couldn't fit in the same hole---thank goodness too, can you imagine what would have happened if I'd gotten into a locked shed with several feral cats?!

A short while later there were kittens coming in and out of this shed. Generally they would slip away before I could ever catch them. I was undeterred. I knew that eventually I would be able to catch and save one. Finally, after many attempts I did. He was dirty, sitting by a mud puddle and he didn't even try to escape. He just looked up at me with eyes that were too sick to even care. He was significantly smaller than his litter mates, a runt.

I cradled my sick new friend in my arms and carried him home. My mother said that we would have to find him a home, but that he could stay with us in the mean time. I took him up to my room and set about caring for my new friend. I secretly hoped that my mother would be unable to find him a new home, heaven knows I had no plans to look for one. I had hoped that he could just settle into our home, recuperate from his illness and live a long and happy life with our family.



My mother did find him a new home, to my initial despair. A woman who lived across the street named Barbara agreed to take him in. She was going to be out of town visiting her brother for a few days, but then she would take him....named him Murphee. When she returned she suggested that I could come and visit him regularly...and I did. My initial visits were quick and awkward. I would sit on her couch and play with the tiny kitten, who seemed to be getting healthier, before I would say a goodbye and head on my way. I thought she was a very old woman, though looking back on it I believe she was just in her 50s. I assumed she was lonely and waited for my company (we all know how engaging pre-teens are).

Then something happened. I started taking piano lessons from Barbara. I am not sure how it came to be, but it did. I would cross the street one night a week, piano books in hand, and I would take lessons. Barbara was gentle and understanding with this awkward piano player. She taught me to pretend that I had little bubble under my hands to keep them in the correct position. She was endlessly patient as I tortuously worked through each song.

Eventually Barbara and I developed a real friendship. I began to stop by to tell her about my adolescent woes and she would patiently listen. She would tell me bits about her life as well. She was always so kind and gentle and so separate from the rest of my life. She didn't talk with my friends and she was just a friendly neighbor to my parents. She made me feel special and important.

I remember wondering if she was lonely. I remember thinking she must be scared at night in a house all by herself. I never thought to ask her those questions. I guess I thought it would be rude to ask.

When we moved away I kept in touch with her by sending letters. I visited her when we stopped in town. Somewhere along the way Murphee passed away in her care. He never was a healthy cat, but I was just so thankful that he had found such a gentle and loving caretaker. Sometimes I still send Barbara letters. I don't hear back from her. I don't need to. She made me feel so special and interesting, priceless for a pre-teen. I am eternally grateful for her unexpected friendship.

Montana and then Home

We spent our last days in Montana visiting my grandmother. She served us an amazing fruit plate for breakfast and then we headed to the Children's Museum. The museum is located in an old train depot or station (not sure what/if the difference is).





After the visit to the museum (which Eric pointed out was in no way a museum, but more of an educational/fun center) we wandered to the farmer's market which was about a block away. We enjoyed the atmosphere as we took in the sights, sounds(and one adorably terrible tuba player), and smells.



After lunch we started on the journey home. We stopped in the place I call my childhood home (I lived there longer than I have lived anywhere else in my life---6 years--age 8-14). The town, Harlowton is a town of about 1,000 people. I hadn't returned in about 12 years. We stopped and visited my friend Robin and also stopped by and saw my friend Brianne. Then we took a quick tour of some of my old haunts before hitting the road again.





Yesterday amid an afternoon downpour we coasted (floated) home; the end of a long journey. Eric had been gone for nearly 2 weeks and Cordelia and I a week.

I started immediately in on a veritable mountain of laundry. We went out for a father's day dinner with my family and made our way home with a collective familial sigh. Home sweet home!

How was your weekend?