it's so close, i can just feel it. tomorrow is december, which - for me, at least - means season's greetings!
come december, my obsession with holiday merriment commences. the music, the lights. a pinch of poinsettia and a splash of pine. and not to forget thy winter's bounty of kale and citrus, pomegranate and fennel.
it's during this time each year that i feel so torn. to be outside reveling in the holiday energy or cozy up in my comfies, guilt uninvited. if my grotesquely hairy legs could be any indication of how i might spend most of my time this season, i think it will be the latter.
november, i am pleased to celebrate your final day with a bowl of stew and pumpkin bread. but tomorrow, well, it's a new season!
11.30.2011
11.25.2011
a feast nearby
thanksgiving day. it was the first holiday spent away from my family (due to work), but i was so thankful to be in the loving company of g.
we had planned on a humble menu, with all local ingredients. and of course, embellished with a wine from our trip to cambria. as with all holidays centered on feasting, i anticipated a fair amount of prep work. but the thought of what was to come, shared with g, made the prep that much more exciting.
and so we were off. on a mission to create a soul-nourishing feast:
a roasted chicken with lemon and fresh herbs
dandelion salad with grapefruit
rosemary-scalloped potatoes
butternut squash with sage
sauteed kale with onion
mashed yams with honey and cinnamon
roasted brussels sprouts
follow us as we prepped our way along to our feast nearby...
we had planned on a humble menu, with all local ingredients. and of course, embellished with a wine from our trip to cambria. as with all holidays centered on feasting, i anticipated a fair amount of prep work. but the thought of what was to come, shared with g, made the prep that much more exciting.
and so we were off. on a mission to create a soul-nourishing feast:
a roasted chicken with lemon and fresh herbs
dandelion salad with grapefruit
rosemary-scalloped potatoes
butternut squash with sage
sauteed kale with onion
mashed yams with honey and cinnamon
roasted brussels sprouts
follow us as we prepped our way along to our feast nearby...
prepping the chicken
working hands
time to rest
first dish set
almost there
chicken, carved
finishing touches
mmm...happy people
11.23.2011
thankful
on this day before thanksgiving, i feel compelled to write a list of all the things i am thankful for. but seeing that such a task would be overwhelming - including a range of things, from my favorite bakery being within walking distance to the health, spirit, and life of my mama - i will just say this:
i am thankful for the joys of today, the people who fill me, and the life that has yet to be lived.
may your holiday be a manifestation of pure love. and filled with good eats :)
11.16.2011
i can't believe my ears
christmas music...already?! seriously? surfing through the radio channels this morning, my ears were instantly attuned to the celine rendition of blue christmas. although i've been anticipating this too-early-for-christmas-music november day, i still couldn't help but feel shocked. and disappointed.
i long for the day that our fast-paced culture stops. thinks. reacts to what is present now. we are always preparing for the next thing - the next gadget, job, season - that we lose sight of the memories being created today. even if that memory is as little as smelling the deep aromas of a spice-filled kitchen or feeling incredibly loved by a tight embrace.
so if you haven't already guessed, i will not be participating in november christmas festivities. i am far from condoning any activity that attempts to expedite the birthday of a Savior. and don't even get me started on christmas gifts.
instead, i will continue to cherish my pumpkin, plan a thanksgiving menu, and count today's blessings.
i long for the day that our fast-paced culture stops. thinks. reacts to what is present now. we are always preparing for the next thing - the next gadget, job, season - that we lose sight of the memories being created today. even if that memory is as little as smelling the deep aromas of a spice-filled kitchen or feeling incredibly loved by a tight embrace.
so if you haven't already guessed, i will not be participating in november christmas festivities. i am far from condoning any activity that attempts to expedite the birthday of a Savior. and don't even get me started on christmas gifts.
instead, i will continue to cherish my pumpkin, plan a thanksgiving menu, and count today's blessings.
11.13.2011
and we did it!
santa barbara half-marathon...check!
it couldn't have been a more perfect day to run. cloudy, cool, running spirit all around. again, i went into this race with no expectations. just enjoy the course. and don't have a bowel movement. i was so excited to share the experience with g since this was his first half-marathon. my cheerleader gone runner. and i think that's what i love about these races: they inspire. they open hearts to a challenge with the promise of great rewards.
this race was far different from the rock-and-roll marathon. about 5,000 participants versus 20,000 in san diego. running through farmland and trails versus parks and city. and not to mention the deadly half-mile hill at, of course, mile 10 when you think you're almost finished. thanks, santa barbara, for testing my motivation...and bladder.
although i didn't have anyone at the finish line to whom i could blow kisses, i was equally encouraged to finish strong so i could cheer for g as he made his way through. and, wow, that was inspiring!
after the race, we treated ourselves to lunch, naps, and deep tissue massages. perfect way to recover. g caught the running bug, so now we're off to san luis obispo in march!
it couldn't have been a more perfect day to run. cloudy, cool, running spirit all around. again, i went into this race with no expectations. just enjoy the course. and don't have a bowel movement. i was so excited to share the experience with g since this was his first half-marathon. my cheerleader gone runner. and i think that's what i love about these races: they inspire. they open hearts to a challenge with the promise of great rewards.
this race was far different from the rock-and-roll marathon. about 5,000 participants versus 20,000 in san diego. running through farmland and trails versus parks and city. and not to mention the deadly half-mile hill at, of course, mile 10 when you think you're almost finished. thanks, santa barbara, for testing my motivation...and bladder.
although i didn't have anyone at the finish line to whom i could blow kisses, i was equally encouraged to finish strong so i could cheer for g as he made his way through. and, wow, that was inspiring!
after the race, we treated ourselves to lunch, naps, and deep tissue massages. perfect way to recover. g caught the running bug, so now we're off to san luis obispo in march!
not so excited to be awake at 4:30 am
finishing strong!
finished! me: 1 hr, 44 min. g: 2 hr, 20 min.
after-race snacks and ice
we did it!
11.08.2011
this could be interesting
so apparently there is rain in the forecast this weekend. specifically, a 60% chance of rain on saturday. why might i be checking the forecast this early in the week, one may ask. well, someone's gotta plan for the santa barbara half-marathon!
running in the rain doesn't bother me - the clean air, automatic cooling, a personal satisfaction with feeling rugged. aside from the raindrops that annoyingly make their way into my eyes, i'm all for rain running.
but running 13.1 miles in an unrelenting drizzle might be a little different. a tad more wet. a bit more chilly. and who knows, maybe more exciting.
all i know is that this half-marathon is going to be interesting. on unfamiliar grounds in santa barbara. running with g (or rather, running in the same race as g). in the rain. and all the while, dear Mother Flow chained to me.
bring. it on.
running in the rain doesn't bother me - the clean air, automatic cooling, a personal satisfaction with feeling rugged. aside from the raindrops that annoyingly make their way into my eyes, i'm all for rain running.
but running 13.1 miles in an unrelenting drizzle might be a little different. a tad more wet. a bit more chilly. and who knows, maybe more exciting.
all i know is that this half-marathon is going to be interesting. on unfamiliar grounds in santa barbara. running with g (or rather, running in the same race as g). in the rain. and all the while, dear Mother Flow chained to me.
bring. it on.
11.06.2011
keep 'em coming
if today was any indication of how fall is going to be, then i say keep these days coming!
waking up, snuggled against my mama, to a downpour of rain. greeting the morning with the realization we slept an extra hour, courtesy of the famed daylight savings. a leisure breakfast, trip to the farmer's market, and purchase of cozy slippers. a refreshing run between breaks of sunlight, ended with another stop at the market. and to wrap up this lovely fall day with my mama, some sweet time warming up the kitchen, making an orange cauliflower, butternut squash, and leek soup. (and maybe a little dance here and there).
it just had to be a good day if we said "i can't believe it's only ___ o'clock" just about every hour of the day. and every hour was simply wonderful.
waking up, snuggled against my mama, to a downpour of rain. greeting the morning with the realization we slept an extra hour, courtesy of the famed daylight savings. a leisure breakfast, trip to the farmer's market, and purchase of cozy slippers. a refreshing run between breaks of sunlight, ended with another stop at the market. and to wrap up this lovely fall day with my mama, some sweet time warming up the kitchen, making an orange cauliflower, butternut squash, and leek soup. (and maybe a little dance here and there).
it just had to be a good day if we said "i can't believe it's only ___ o'clock" just about every hour of the day. and every hour was simply wonderful.
11.02.2011
"pretend it didn't happen..."
it was mid-afternoon. lunch had been eaten. a nap had been taken. lounging in my comfies, it couldn't have been a more perfect time for a treat. hmm, i'm in the mood for chocolate, i told g. why don't you just make brownies? we have all the ingredients here, replied g. now God bless his soul -- g, who a.) prefers food made by scratch and b.) owns just about every kitchen aid imaginable -- but i was in no mood to put my hands to work, wait for the finished product, and then enjoy.
i was ready to fashion my regular clothes, jump in the car, and visit my favorite bakery for an always-satisfying brownie. but no. there he was, taking the butter out from the fridge and weighing chocolate by the ounce. i thought to myself, it is the first day of november, and i'm already comfy at home. sure, let's do it.
even though i was the one with the urgent need for a sweet, g willingly joined the brownie project. (actually, he was probably terrified by the glazed look on my face). as far as i was concerned, it was teamwork at its best. more hands for quicker results.
in the oven for 35-40 minutes. i watched five-minute increments slowly pass by. to distract myself from the intoxicatingly delectable aroma permeating throughout, i did laundry. checked my email. went to the bathroom...twice. and then the time came. it was brownie-readiness checking time. i eased a chopstick into the center, praying for a clean stick. damn. they're still fudgy.
so back into the oven they went. five painstakingly long minutes later, it was readiness test again. hmm, there are still traces of fudge. i had to make a decision: put the brownies back into the oven with the risk of over-baking, or keep them as is and let their fudgy goodness set. of course, i chose the latter.
but before i could slice into the sweet masterpiece, the pan had to be cooled. damn, again. it was at this moment when i looked at g and doubted his grand idea of a homemade treat. i was past overdue. sweet (or terrified) guy he is, he suggested cooling the pan outside, where it was windy and cool.
after some dreadful cooling time, it was time to slice and enjoy. however, with each slice came a fudge-covered knife. seriously?! they must be ready! maybe the recipe is right on: they're FUDGY brownies, said g. i accepted g's rationale and continued on.
g could barely eat his piece, too sweet for him to stomach. and i - the treat obsessor - could not take consecutive bites without a gulp of tea in between. fudgy. sweet. way too decadent. maybe even undercooked. but i didn't stop. my body was resisting the sweetness, while my mind said keep going. you wanted a treat, didn't you?
so i finished my entire piece. i felt nauseated. i felt ashamed. i looked at g and asked, do you mind if i throw these out? without hesitation, g replied, not one bit. let's just pretend this didn't happen.
ha! easy for you to say!
i was ready to fashion my regular clothes, jump in the car, and visit my favorite bakery for an always-satisfying brownie. but no. there he was, taking the butter out from the fridge and weighing chocolate by the ounce. i thought to myself, it is the first day of november, and i'm already comfy at home. sure, let's do it.
even though i was the one with the urgent need for a sweet, g willingly joined the brownie project. (actually, he was probably terrified by the glazed look on my face). as far as i was concerned, it was teamwork at its best. more hands for quicker results.
in the oven for 35-40 minutes. i watched five-minute increments slowly pass by. to distract myself from the intoxicatingly delectable aroma permeating throughout, i did laundry. checked my email. went to the bathroom...twice. and then the time came. it was brownie-readiness checking time. i eased a chopstick into the center, praying for a clean stick. damn. they're still fudgy.
so back into the oven they went. five painstakingly long minutes later, it was readiness test again. hmm, there are still traces of fudge. i had to make a decision: put the brownies back into the oven with the risk of over-baking, or keep them as is and let their fudgy goodness set. of course, i chose the latter.
but before i could slice into the sweet masterpiece, the pan had to be cooled. damn, again. it was at this moment when i looked at g and doubted his grand idea of a homemade treat. i was past overdue. sweet (or terrified) guy he is, he suggested cooling the pan outside, where it was windy and cool.
after some dreadful cooling time, it was time to slice and enjoy. however, with each slice came a fudge-covered knife. seriously?! they must be ready! maybe the recipe is right on: they're FUDGY brownies, said g. i accepted g's rationale and continued on.
g could barely eat his piece, too sweet for him to stomach. and i - the treat obsessor - could not take consecutive bites without a gulp of tea in between. fudgy. sweet. way too decadent. maybe even undercooked. but i didn't stop. my body was resisting the sweetness, while my mind said keep going. you wanted a treat, didn't you?
so i finished my entire piece. i felt nauseated. i felt ashamed. i looked at g and asked, do you mind if i throw these out? without hesitation, g replied, not one bit. let's just pretend this didn't happen.
ha! easy for you to say!
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