The compost situation is blooming into a beautiful pile of nutrient rich soil. The hummingbird always lingers at the box as it flies by. How sweet!
I’m getting good with shredded office paper for browns but I just added used paper towels to the repertoire as well (it’s thrilling, I know.)
When I chicken-sit, my compostables get redirected to the hens. The chickens love apples and the turtles love papaya, like me! I love watching them eat.
Mom visited and helped me get so many projects done. She transplanted cactus and moved rocks, painted and held the ladder for Jason (aka ladder talk,) prepared food and cleaned the kitchen- what a dream! And now she’s finished the quilt.
It’s a log cabin style quilt top from Nan Nan, my grandmother. I bought material for the border and started pinning and quilting it all together with the help of our friend Aunt Bev.
I am a perfectionist and an overdoer. I keep quilting and quilting- more! More! As I begin another layer of stitches, the fabric starts to feel more stiff than I want. So I stop, but now the stitching is not symmetrical… I consider quilting more on the other edge or all the edges but it’s already too much so I hesitate to continue.
I lie the quilt across the couch and step back to look at it. As my eye wanders, I see the little yellow square in the center of every single larger square …except THAT one, yes, that one- right there smack dab in the middle of the quilt. That yellow square is not in the right place! It should be kitty corner to it’s current spot. Did they notice that it was off and place the incorrect square, square in the middle on purpose? Is this a sign for me to stop being a perfectionist? Will the quilt still keep me warm if the stitching isn’t symmetrical? Does this run in the family?
When I trim the quilt sandwich (front, batting and back) before the edging is added, a couple of corners are too short in the back. Instead of making the border thinner, I scrap together one of the last shreds of fabric on hand to extend the shorter corner. Lesson learned- I’m scrappy, not perfect!
Now mom has come to visit and we are getting the sewing machine running again. Lord keep that bobbin in the case! I print out the necchi manual and show her how to sew on the bias, like Bev showed me. Then we iron and sew the edging onto the front of the quilt.
Finally, mom pins and hand stitches the edging to the back of the quilt as we sit on the couch and talk. Axel comes over from next door and helps her put the pins back in the stuffed tomato.
So, when we accidentally opened a portal to another dimension, it brought fairies to our garden.
At first I hardly noticed except the birds were extra friendly. But then a rainbow quartz dragon portal opened right before our eyes and Bigfoot emerged. When he left there were magical creatures of all kinds galavanting around our patio. We’ve gotten used to the company.
My husband bought a ramen cookbook. Little did he know what he was getting into! Now there’s chicken feet on the counter. I’m innocent in all this. I’m just following a recipe.
Having worked in a meat department for four years, this stuff doesn’t phase me. In fact, I feel rather accomplished that I can be so creative with the animal parts I use. I’ve expanded my repertoire in an effort to eat nose to tail, or in this case nose to toe.
So anyway, day one was chicken broth, day two pork broth. You simmer everything and then strain.
On day three, I made dashi (mushroom, seaweed, bonito broth) and tare, which is basically the seasoning for the broth that includes soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar and sesame oil.
We got fresh noodles at Asiana market and some baby bok choy. Delish. We also bought some fresh Yuzu juice. It’s a citrus that is used to make ponzu, which is a lighter more citrusy soy sauce that we always request at sushi instead of soy sauce. We made Yuzu margaritas and Yuzu lemonade and absolutely love the tropical citrus flavor!
I’m still working on reading the soy sauce bottles so I can find a nice fermented one. Like many things in this world, the perfect ramen is a journey- a bowl we are endlessly slurping…
At the Asian market for some ingredients to cook Thai Coconut Soup and Pork Ramen. What an exciting endeavor! The magic flavors of the Thai soup is Kaffir lime leaves, galangal, Thai basil, ginger and lemongrass.
Grab a chayote, and lots of fruit and roots along the way.
For ramen, I seek chicken feet, and pork neck bones and trotters. I’m working up the nerve to get a whole fish or some beef tripe.
Topped it all off with some fresh mochi, chocolate moon pies and that hi chew!
It’s been much too warm here with only a couple days of rain. Summer is coming too soon, just like last year.
So I ventured into the snowy pines for a weekend in Strawberry with a group of awesome women. Of course I was nervous and feeling the fatigue of my chronic illness flaring up. But I paced myself and persevered in packing and got on the road!
When I arrived the nerves settled and the magic started. The air was filled with honest conversations, relaxing, laughing and connecting.
On this weekend together in a cabin, we unfolded, opened up and shared parts of ourselves that are often guarded. We expressed our truth and were heard. We cried. We embraced and then laughed and partied and ate. We communed with each other. We were received. It was a harmonious, compassionate celebration of love in action!
I came home to two fur babies and a husband who missed me. He made us the dinner I left for him while I was gone- he had ordered a pizza instead.
I relaxed with the cats and ate popcorn. After dinner, I ran an Epsom salt bath.
I am carrying the compassion that we as women shared with one another into my daily routine. Let’s take care of ourselves and know we deserve it. We are worthy of self love.
Went to the neighbors house and whipped up this easy loaf of bread with just four ingredients.
Space Case 