honeyflake

solar love

even after all this time
the sun never says to the earth
"you owe me."

look what happens with
a love like that,
it lights the whole sky.

~hafiz (the gift)

blizzard soup

 

sometime on friday i started hearing reports that some real snow was headed our way here on the east coast. it was 'expected' on saturday. with the news of a possible weekend snow-in (one never knows really), margaret and i did a spontaneous trip to the market, with no specific list in hand, and picked up a few things we might need - including random, un-planned-out veggies and beans that i imagined i might be able to cook up into an impromptu soup. just in case the reports turned out to be true.

friday night, still not sure if there'd really be snow or not, chuck helped me choose a direction for this soup on the fly and we put about 1-2 cups of dried pinto beans to soak in our soup pot overnight. saturday morning brought more of the same news —a blizzard is on the way— so we planned on spending the day together inside with a big pot of soup cooking on the stove. We used what we had, what i bought the night before and what was already in our fridge and spice collection. i took notes and wrote everything down (i think). if it turned out ok i planned on duplicating it, if it turned out not-so ok i would make sure to take another direction the next time i made soup (like following a recipe). i was a bit worried about some things like the green pepper or pinto beans (i only ever really use them with chili type spices). happily though the soup turned out pretty great, the blizzard came and went (15" of powder) and i've decided to share the recipe here with you!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 1.5 cup dried pinto beans
rinse beans. soak overnight in a large soup pot, covered in water

2 medium onions chopped
1 leek chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1TBS butter
1TBS olive oil

2 boxes organic chicken broth
2 bay leaves
5 small organic carrots chopped
1 parsnip chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 14.5 can diced fire roasted organic tomatoes
1TBS tomato paste
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme

salt&pepper to taste
a couple squirts of honey from the honey bear
1- 2 tsp soy sauce

cooked rice

ample amounts of grated parmesan cheese!!!

in a large skillet warm butter and oil. gently sauté onion until softened. add leek and garlic and let that saute for a bit on a medium low heat. add a pinch of salt.

meanwhile drain soaked beans (bonus: bean water can be used to water house plants!). in the soup pot add back beans and chicken broth - reserve a little bit, about a cup, to deglaze the saute pan). add carrots, parsnip, pepper, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, tomatoes, tomato paste, honey and soy sauce to soup pot. bring to boil. 

when onion/garlic/leek is all sauteed add to soup pot. deglaze pan with that last bit of chicken broth and add that all to the soup pot.

we set the rice cooker to cook up about a cup or so of white rice at this point.

let cook for a bit while the snow falls, the winds blow, the beans soften and the flavors steep and mingle. 

 

play a little christmas bingo or something of the sort... then eventually... serve soup with a scoop of rice and top with blizzard amounts of grated parmesan! enjoy the warmth and nourishment as you fuel up for some big-time shoveling and snow-ball-hurling (neighbors beware!!)

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

and then there was pine

 

last weekend we seized the blue-sky-december-day and headed over to our favorite local, family-run tree farm. this day is an essential tradition that the three of us love (2008 and 2007)... we get to surround ourselves with evergreens, breathe in the fresh pine-filled air, work up an appetite, picnic together and bring a little bit of pine back to our home to kick off the season. 

 

for the picnic menu this year i decided to switch it up a little from the annual sandwiches to a few thermoses full of homemade clam chowder (new england, not manhattan). yum! and then there was also coffee, hot chocolate (as always) and a tiffin full of oyster crackers and tiny marshmallows (as always). i'm thinking that from now on the hot soup is the way to go. it definitely hit the spot on this chilly 39º afternoon! mmmmm... dining al fresco amongst the firs. and the special one that caught our eye? here's a little snapshot before it's journey:

its been up in our living room all week, boughs opened up... decorated with warm lights and christmas fanciness. filling our home with scents of the tree farm. comfort and joy.

happy weekend to you and yours!

a hat

 

i mentioned some yarn the other day, that i had wound up into a ready-to-be-knit ball. just one skein of a brown greenspun fibre, maine organic, from the green mountain spinnery. it had been stashed away for quite some time. waiting i suppose for just the right project. and oddly enough, sitting pretty much right next to that yarn in the box was a tear-sheet i had pulled from a magazine back in 2007. it was a page on winter knits and where to buy them... i just clipped it because i really loved the chunky brown ear-flapped hat. looking at the page again i realized that it would be perfect for the keen organic wool, pretty easy to make and margaret was due for a new winter cap... truthfully she's still happily sporting her beach inspired creation from a few seasons ago, but this mama thinks it is time for an update... so deeper into the box i dug for my #9 circular needles and the photocopy of the 'kim's hats' pattern (from here).

and there it is a few mornings later. the hat and inspiration. i'll show this new winter handknit to margaret tomorrow morning and she can try it on... hopefully it will be a good fit and something she can wear right away - i'm hearing that the first flakes of the season might be ready to fall on us soon.

here's to keeping warm and cozy in december! happy friday!

tracing, pinning and cutting

 

into december we go

• unraveled a fresh skein of organic wool, pulled from my
   stash of yarns. thinking about some possible knitted gifts
   to make.
• started counting down with our advent flags.
   simply tradition.
• beginning my december daily album. for the third season
   i've been inspired by ali edwards to document our december
   days. words... photos... moments of the season — big and
   small — brought together on pages in a tangible book form.
   such a good project.
• heading off to tuesday night yoga now. where i'll be
   temporarily checking my shoes and growing december to-do
   list at the door.

peace all!

before & after

the before: our traditional contribution to the family-filled thanksgiving day, burdock and carrot teriyaki, ready to go (and in the background, a homemade pumpkin pie — a first for me). the after: leftovers! this weekend was quite full of holiday leftovers — turkey, stuffing, cranberries and pie... great to have lots of together time this weekend, around the table and elsewhere, to relax and be thankful.

its beginning

not even thanksgiving yet, i know, and i can see that its beginning to look, well i wouldn't say "a lot like", but maybe "a little like christmas". i'm really not jumping ahead. i promise. i'm not one to start rushing through the thanksgiving holiday — its always been one of my favorites, just food & family — but i just know how soon the urge to start the season's handmade creations can kick in. so in preparation, i started stocking up on a few fabrics...

or should i just say a few plaids (and one non-plaid). yesterday, i headed out to some stores in midtown, specifically in search of some quality, merry, stripey goodness. it pretty much only took a couple of stops to find all that i was looking for... i found the two soft flannels at b+j and the two wools at mood. 

with my mission to stock up on plaids complete, i took a bit of extra time to wander around a bit. and you know, there were plenty of signs there too that winter and it's holidays are just around the corner — and up above... looking up i caught a glimpse of the glass globe getting prepped for new year's eve!! yeah, thinking about 2010, that's a bit rushing ahead for me. so, i snapped a photo of the calm, mid-day, non-countdown, illuminated moment and carried on... just picked up my stride and kept heading toward the subway... with yards of warm plaid in tow of course.

autumn gardening

the weekend weather has been sunny and warm. perfect for getting out in the yard and tending to the final phases of the gardens before they're quiet and resting for the winter...

collecting up seeds from this year's gardens and tucking them away into some quick homemade packets. we'll save and store these for the next planting season...

 

bulbs! tulips and alliums have now been squirreled away underground. these went in so easily since the earth was still so warm - very different from this time in november last year when we were chipping away the frosted ground to harvest our root veggies. i love the idea of putting bulbs in — so worth it when they wake up and break ground in the spring...

and then the leaves... they're not quite done falling from the trees yet, but there were plenty out there that chuck and margaret raked into several enormous piles. just right for jumping in (hula hoop optional).

happy saturday!

practice

"hi. hello everyone. how is everyone today?" until about 11:30pm tonight, that opening line and a few crafty visual aides were all i had together for a little presentation i'll be giving tomorrow... a small talk, to an awesome audience aging from about 6-10 years old, about yoga! i've been collecting fragmented thoughts on the goodness of children and yoga here and there for the past week or so, but today was my day to sit down (with mug after mug of lemon ginger tea), get organized and pull it all together! lots to cover in a short time... the moving... the breathing... the flow...  (so wishing i started preparing earlier!!) but finally, here it is almost midnight and i just did my first rough run through with chuck as my stand in audience. my plan is pretty much to take a deep breath and let it unfold. here's hoping my young yogis are as captivated as he was.

mum(s)

mum [muhm] 
 1. adj.  Not verbalizing; silent; not saying a word.
 2. n.  A chrysanthemum.

things have been a bit too mum around here lately. i'm feeling it is time to get back to this blog again soon!!!!

autumn puréed

this soup used to be a favorite. i made it often for chuck and i back in our apartment days... sweet potato, corn and red pepper soup. its been a while since i cooked up a batch. so long so that when i got inspired to make it again today (a bunch of sweet potatoes appeared in our csa box this morning and i happened to have had the peppers, garlic, onion and corn on hand) i couldn't recall which cookbook i used to get it from... but thankfully after browsing through a few i remembered and then promptly began peeling, chopping and whirling together the very seasonal ingredients into a soup. a warm, orange, rustic creation that felt pretty perfect and comforting for welcoming fall.

happy autumn.

summer like that

we're now well into september and so very aware that this was the last. weekend. of. summer. almost hard to believe but it is true. and while this past season was plenty filled with goodness — swimming often, camping trips, sun-kissed shoulders and cheeks, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners al fresco at the beach, sleeping in, gardening, and even all those rainy days, etc.. — it is always quite hard to let it go. so before we all make the 'official' transition to autumn, we made sure to savor the sunshine, light, and warmth that remains, where else but at the beach together... 

 

a barefoot walk in the sand early friday evening presented empty lifeguard stands, smooth windblown textures in the sand, and perhaps more seagulls than people... then a bit more family beaching on saturday had us in awe of the crystal blue sky, sparkling sun and fairly calm atlantic at low tide — as well as the seastars and beachglass that the receding saltwater left behind...  

there were moments out there to be breathed in that still very much felt like summer and yet i can't deny, moments we tasted that showed signs of autumn too. but those glowing summery moments? the ones that sparkled? the ones that we still felt warm and free? the ones i chose to be as present in as i could be? they were treasured. because i get this season thing. i do. because soon the water will increasingly get chillier so that we'll choose not to let our ankles get wet... and soon the sand will be a bit on the cold side and we will choose not to kick our shoes off to let our toes stay warm... and before you know it there's the jackets and scarves, and so forth...

but this weekend. this weekend was still summer. and we got out there. and we held on tight.

now playing

so last week i had a matinée movie date with my grandmother to see julie & julia. a date we'd been planning since back in july just prior to the film's release... and finally on thursday we were able to venture out arm in arm to the theater together... ready to be entertained and inspired by this food glorifying motion picture...

and filled with culinary inspiration it was for sure. it wasn't long after returning home that i was looking up recipes for some of the food straight off the big screen. first finding the recipe here for that bright, fresh and crispy bruschetta that the characters are feasting on in one particular scene... luckily, still being tomato season here, it was super easy to round up the ingredients for this and i duplicated it tonight... fried bread? local organic garlic and tomatoes from our csa? more tomatoes and fresh basil from the backyard? man. it was really, so very good. both chuck and margaret thought so too. an instant hit. i was pretty excited... and as soon as i was finished frizzling up the last slice of ciabatta, i plated up a little sample and ran it right over to nonnie... bringing her a small memory of our afternoon together (way better than a ticket stub).  

there were plenty of other recipes shown in the movie that i'd like to get around to trying. i'm not sure which ones, or when, however i've got my apron and my dutch oven ready.

autumn wool

sometime ago, back in november 2008, i met up with erin in nyc... our autumn day included many city stops including a visit to the craft section of kinokuniya book store. i picked up a japanese sewing book (ISBN 978-4-579-11194-7) with lots of children's pattern's, basing my selection on the following project... a sweet, textured, warm-as-oatmeal-on-a-fall-morning-wool skirt with suspender straps...

all inspired (and armed with a new sewing project) we left the bookstore and moved on for our next adventure... mood fabrics (a fabric store where bolts of great fabrics are stacked from floor to ceiling). i probably spent longer than i realized pondering the tweeds and wools, but eventually chose one... and then a huge bolt of the softest drapey wool was unfurled on the cutting table and i asked for about a yard and a half...

so, right... hmmmm, all this was almost a year ago... i guess it just took a while for this project to get going. but finally, at the end of august 2009 this skirt rose to the top of my to-do list and i was able finished it up for margaret last weekend. right in time i suppose for fall's nearing arrival. 

gravitating

my pocket with just a few sea treasures inside.

friday, margaret and i were strongly pulled down to the beach. the sun was out, the air was crisp, humidity was low, and a full moon was on the calendar... following this great force with glee, we arrived just before low tide, hoping that the moon's pull on the sea would reveal some brilliant treasures of the tumbled glassy kind...  or if not, hoping at least that we'd enjoy yet a little more ocean-splashing summertime together.

brown glass is one of the most common to be found.

greenpiece.

margaret's amazing super-tiny teal find... an extremely rare color.

an assembly of the day's green pieces.

the tide seemed to have receded out for miles. the moon must have a very strong pull right now. we waded (and swam) back and forth in the ocean and tide pools for hours, scanning for beachglass... watching the gulls feast on crabs and clams... just loving the warm, still summery, clear water and our peaceful corner of where land meets sea and thankful for being drawn towards it all once again.

adventure re-cap

green mountain camping... rising with the sun, settling in at dark. losing track of 'clock time' as we know it and being more in tune with the natural pace of the day. we crave this. and everything seems so right when we're there and in sync with it all.

green mountain hiking... exploring the trees and the trail. stumbling across a few ruffed grouses, some raspberries, some poison ivy, some pines, and a nice vista at the top.

green mountain eating... early morning oatmeal eaten in the chilly air (with our hats on!!) along with some warm coffee and herbal teas. local berries, local cheese and local beverages as the day winds down. some potato + carrot soup (recipe from this book) made at home, reheated over the campstove and enjoyed at night. 

deep in the woods

planning

maps... books... recipes... lists... thinking about another trip to the mountains.

a pocket

growing up, we had a little felt pouch. it was shaped like a tooth and it's purpose was to hold our newly fallen out teeth so we could place them safely under our pillow for the tooth fairy. as soon as margaret's first wee pearly white began wiggling i started to remember that pouch. i wondered what we would use to place her tooth under her pillow when that time eventually came. and i thought i had plenty of that time too. i leisurely sketched a few ideas here and there. i thought about it...  some little pouches out of felt, fabric, paper... some shaped like teeth, some like little envelopes, some like pillows... and to my surprise her tooth came out much quicker than i expected! and we were pouchless! so while she got ready for bed that night, admiring the new space in her smile, i quickly stitched up this simple little holder. we considered attaching some really loud bells and zippers so that when the tooth fairy came it would wake margaret up and she would see her, but then decided that simpler/quieter was better. and considering the time restraints, simpler it had to be. so it ended up as a small, flat sewn page with a rounded pocket that held the tooth just as it needed to. and now it is waiting for the next little loose one that seems to be on it's way out too! thankfully, we'll be prepared.