i get it from my mother...
...this insane compulsion to run with a theme. I blame her entirely for sending me the star-shaped ice trays last year. While they are fun enough as just regular ice, they do beg for some oomph...

We're having a cookout here for the 4th, and while I have grand visions of hostessness, most of them will not come true. But the ice can and will! Imagine a cool glass of seltzer, or a refreshing G&T. Yes, both quite nice. And yes, they both need something a bit colorful and citrusy...



I mixed about a tablespoon of lemon or lime juice with 1/2 cup of water and two drops of food coloring (red for lemon, blue for lime) and froze the mixture in the star ice trays (but this would be almost as cool with cubes). My hands got a bit Lady MacBeth when I handled them, so I think tongs are in order for guests. But a few of them in a glass adds just a bit of color and a hint of lemon/lime. Beautiful!

OK, off to make some more...

Labels: food

9:07 AM 0 Comments

the benefits of email...
I got this recipe in my email inbox the other day from delight.com. As if it were meant to be, it called for handfuls of sugar snap peas...the very thing that's ripe in my garden right now!

And so dinner tonight was this Quick Veggie Rice Bowl. We cooked a bit of chicken in a skillet before heating the sauce with it, and it was a nice addition. Next time I think I'll add just a touch of honey to the sauce, but regardless it was a delicious meal!

Labels: food, garden

9:52 PM 0 Comments

the good kind of pain...
Last night Paul and I took a Balboa class (taught by our friend Emily) at Eleven on Grove. Balboa...think crowded ballrooms in the 30's with couples dancing close to fast music...I often envision guys in sailor suits leading, but maybe that's just me ;)

Awesome class! Since I didn't wear heels, I spent much of the hour and a half pretending by standing on the balls of my feet. Which of course gave me great posture, and totally left me today with sore calves. But, you know, in that good way that makes you know you were using your muscles. Is it an excuse to skip the gym? Hmmm...maybe not right now. In fact, I think I'll work on my calf strength a bit for the next round of dancing!
12:47 PM 0 Comments

i spy with my little eye...
...PEAS!



I'm getting it a tizzy of anticipation for the sugar snap peas that have appeared in the last day or so. Yes, I am easily excited. No, that is not as embarrassing as it should be.

The tomatoes are starting to turn red, and I have little tiny infant bell peppers. I want a home-grown stir fry!



Oh, and salsa!

Labels: garden

9:21 AM 0 Comments

after much fruitlessness...
...I finally have a job interview! Part of me really wants this job, and part of me just really likes the fact that after a few months of sending out dozens and dozens (hundreds?) of resumes, someone has finally caught on to the fact that I might be a useful member of their company, and is giving me a chance to show it.

In all honesty, it was about two weeks ago that I began to really feel like I am ready to go back to work. It seems kind of indulgent to say that after the past year and a half of craziness and stress, I needed a few months off to get back my oomph. But I think it's true, and it's something that we usually don't let ourselves do, because it feels lazy. But really, there's no use in going into another job with a lot of baggage that doesn't relate to it, especially if you have the chance to shed some of it beforehand. I know that I've lost a bit of steam in the process, but I'm starting to feel more refreshed about my prospects. Things have a way of coming along at the right time for me (not necessarily when I WANT them...but certainly when I need them), and I'm feeling very ready for the next thing right now. And so the impatience begins!
11:17 AM 0 Comments

visitors...


These house finches seem to think that mi casa es su casa. They've been flying back and forth across the sunroom all afternoon. Apparently the fairy lights make quite a good perch. After leaving the door open for a while, the male finally found his way out, but the female sat chirping away for quite a while. Maybe she thought he would come back for her...
4:57 PM 0 Comments

finally...
...those snap pea plants of mine that have been rocketing towards the sky have finally put out a few flowers! The promise of tasty stir fries is in the air...



(Please note that these plants are nearly 5 feet tall...in a pot!)

Labels: garden

7:00 PM 0 Comments