I've spent the week on something of a reading vacation, polishing off two China Bayles mysteries back to back. Not good for blogging--or other work. Fortunately, I had no pressing deadlines this week so I could do this. Wednesday I spent the entire day away from the computer and found myself completely engrossed in the second book. I haven't done this in years and it was difficult to get back on track the next day, as difficult as though I had been away on a trip for reading a good work of fiction is a kind of trip to another place.
This book includes a recipe for a cookie that I am going to try soon--a sugar cookie with the addition of Habanero powder. So that was the next part of the vacation reading--searching online for Habanero powder. Ah, ha, found it! The Spice House in Chicago has it along with a number of interesting things.
Then I topped off the week by adding Chipotle powder, which I already have from Mountain Rose Herbs, to my chocolate. One tablespoon of Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa, about one tablespoon of sugar, and a smidgin of Chipotle powder, probably 1/8 teaspoon with enough water to make a frosting like consistency. Very good, very soothing, got the endorphins going and I felt much better than I have in some time. Next I will try the cookies. (Maybe lavender and Chipotle powder, or would the flavors simply fight it out? Lavender is not a hot spice--er, herb--but it is a very pronounced flavor.)
I am also wondering what the addition of chile powder would do to my favorite cappuccino flats. Chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg and espresso powder are there already. Last year I made a batch with Chinese Five Spice and a hint of orange zest. Very good, but I have misplaced the recipe.
I remember reading one of Robert Farrar Capon's books in which he says that cooking is an intellectual endeavor. That rang a bell. Cookbooks are another kind of favorite read, but that is another post. (Maybe I should add a few to my books list!)
I am grateful for the time off, for the fun of reading a good mystery and for the friend who brought the books to me from the library.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Friday, April 3, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Rainy Day Projects
Rain has changed from plinking on the roof and the kitchen stove fan to actual, steady pouring. Water has pooled in the depressions in my patio concrete forming puddles and we are receiving a rainfall that will finally be measurable. Hurrah. It is a good time to be indoors and to do indoor projects.
Friday I made chocolate cupcakes for Valentine's Day using my oldest, old time favorite chocolate cake recipe, Hershey's Chocolatetown Special Cake. It makes two layers or twenty-four cupcakes. The recipe used to be printed on the side of the cocoa container, but isn't there now. It can be found on the web though and when I googled I found a number of links.
Only when I went to put the cupcake liners into the tins did I discover that I had no paper liners. Since I can't just run out to the store, I had to be creative. I had a can of non-stick spray a friend had passed on to me so liberally sprayed the tins and put in the batter. The cupcakes are good, released well from the pans, but I think the flavor is negatively impacted by the vegetable spray and the spray left an oily film where it hit the pans in between the muffin cups. Here is a picture of cupcakes before frosting.
Today I finally frosted the cupcakes which I had not already eaten as shown in the photo.
Here is one cupcake looking almost photogenic.
Wish I could share them with everyone. I have a long way to go as a food photographer, but I think that this is one time in my life that I will not buy a book to teach me how to do it better! Too many books already, way too little time.
Today the mystery of the last Amaryllis finally revealed itself. It is definitely red. Definitely gorgeous too and difficult to photograph because it is above my head!
I would love to know why blogger always puts the photo above the text and not below it. Below seems so much more logical to me, since we write text from the top down.
I am grateful for the rain, which is truly a benediction in our lives today and for the cupcakes and the flowers, including the daffodils which are looking chilled and lonely outside today.
Friday I made chocolate cupcakes for Valentine's Day using my oldest, old time favorite chocolate cake recipe, Hershey's Chocolatetown Special Cake. It makes two layers or twenty-four cupcakes. The recipe used to be printed on the side of the cocoa container, but isn't there now. It can be found on the web though and when I googled I found a number of links.
Only when I went to put the cupcake liners into the tins did I discover that I had no paper liners. Since I can't just run out to the store, I had to be creative. I had a can of non-stick spray a friend had passed on to me so liberally sprayed the tins and put in the batter. The cupcakes are good, released well from the pans, but I think the flavor is negatively impacted by the vegetable spray and the spray left an oily film where it hit the pans in between the muffin cups. Here is a picture of cupcakes before frosting.
Today I finally frosted the cupcakes which I had not already eaten as shown in the photo.
Here is one cupcake looking almost photogenic.
Wish I could share them with everyone. I have a long way to go as a food photographer, but I think that this is one time in my life that I will not buy a book to teach me how to do it better! Too many books already, way too little time.
Today the mystery of the last Amaryllis finally revealed itself. It is definitely red. Definitely gorgeous too and difficult to photograph because it is above my head!
I would love to know why blogger always puts the photo above the text and not below it. Below seems so much more logical to me, since we write text from the top down.
I am grateful for the rain, which is truly a benediction in our lives today and for the cupcakes and the flowers, including the daffodils which are looking chilled and lonely outside today.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Finding Things
Today with the help of a friend, I found my quilter's cutting mat. I have known it was there, been sure that I didn't give it away and no one could find it. It was right were I thought it had been, hiding there quietly all along.
Today was a summer day and the evening is beautiful. It will be warm again tomorrow and then back to cold for a few days this coming week. The light at this time of the year, like the light in the fall, is so ethereal, it is almost poignant. I think it is because it is filtered by leaves. At times today the silence felt as deep as the ocean and it was possible to forget that this area, that had been semi-rural fifty years ago, is becoming so urban. In another year, I will have lived in this house for fifty years--with the exception of six years away for graduate school. That is unusual for this area.
At heart, I think, I might have been a good cloistered nun. One of the great aspects of the monastic life that St. Benedict wrote about in the Rules of St. Benedict was stability. My life has had that in large measure and it has suited my personality. I do not take to change easily or well.
In spite of that though, making changes in the house is finally feeling like an accomplishment; recovering the use of the rooms for their purposes from the clutter that has too long filled them is a blessing. I am grateful to everyone who has been helping in this effort, especially my sister who labors valiantly on her too infrequent visits to get me organized and dear friends who move things around for me when I can't do it myself. One in particular, C, who is a professional organizer has asked me to think about my activities and how and where I do them with an eye to re ordering the spaces. This helps a great deal. Everything does not have to be done at the dining room table. I look forward to gathering around it with friends again for meals, even though, in this war time economy and on my budget, they will most likely be ferial rather than festal. (The book which best puts forth that concept, Robert Farrar Capon's The Supper of the Lamb surfaced last week from the depths of the big book case. I hope to re-read it soon.)
This morning I was delighted to see in my in box that someone commented on my post from yesterday. Thank you, whoever you are.
Today was a summer day and the evening is beautiful. It will be warm again tomorrow and then back to cold for a few days this coming week. The light at this time of the year, like the light in the fall, is so ethereal, it is almost poignant. I think it is because it is filtered by leaves. At times today the silence felt as deep as the ocean and it was possible to forget that this area, that had been semi-rural fifty years ago, is becoming so urban. In another year, I will have lived in this house for fifty years--with the exception of six years away for graduate school. That is unusual for this area.
At heart, I think, I might have been a good cloistered nun. One of the great aspects of the monastic life that St. Benedict wrote about in the Rules of St. Benedict was stability. My life has had that in large measure and it has suited my personality. I do not take to change easily or well.
In spite of that though, making changes in the house is finally feeling like an accomplishment; recovering the use of the rooms for their purposes from the clutter that has too long filled them is a blessing. I am grateful to everyone who has been helping in this effort, especially my sister who labors valiantly on her too infrequent visits to get me organized and dear friends who move things around for me when I can't do it myself. One in particular, C, who is a professional organizer has asked me to think about my activities and how and where I do them with an eye to re ordering the spaces. This helps a great deal. Everything does not have to be done at the dining room table. I look forward to gathering around it with friends again for meals, even though, in this war time economy and on my budget, they will most likely be ferial rather than festal. (The book which best puts forth that concept, Robert Farrar Capon's The Supper of the Lamb surfaced last week from the depths of the big book case. I hope to re-read it soon.)
This morning I was delighted to see in my in box that someone commented on my post from yesterday. Thank you, whoever you are.
Friday, April 25, 2008
More Flowers
The poppies a friend planted last fall in my backyard planter box are growing and producing buds. Since the weather is finally warming up again, I am sure there will be flowers soon. I can hardly wait.
Wednesday afternoon I participated in an on-line chat with Cafepress, which is part of it's ongoing training for shopkeepers. It is fun, although slow, because the input loads slowly. This weeks chat was about social networking to promote oneself.
A yes, self-promotion, the thing I do least well. Partly it is the fault the fact that I much prefer to play with designing than selling and promoting and partly it is because everything changes so fast and I do not move or think as fast as I once did.
In addition to waiting for the flowers--the rose bushes are budding too and I hope they will wait to burst forth until my favorite photographer returns home from college in a little over a week--I am revisiting my past life. Three boxes of books went away to a friend's yard sale--I hope they do not return. More are lined up to go on Amazon for sale soon. The house will breathe again. (It is, after all, a pretty house.) Too many interests, too little time. Books on religion, history, smocking (yes smocking) and more books. I am keeping the core of my mystery library--I will read those again, knitting books, sewing books, cookbooks (probably about 500 of these) and gardening books. Old computer books were gotten rid of last summer--no point in keeping Win 98 books around when there are no Win 98 computers left in the house.
With the help of my friend C the books will go away and the ones that are left will be organized. Heaven on earth! Books and organization. (And yes, I do have books on organization, too. Sigh. Did I ever see a book I didn't want? Rarely. Amazon would love me if I could buy all the books on my wish list--but aside from the fact that, fortunately, I can't afford to do that, there wouldn't be any space in the house left to use them! Or to turn around, for that matter.
I look forward to a good weekend exploring some of this net self-promotion, setting up the first books to sell on Amazon and making banana muffins from a recipe that a friend gave me last week that will contain flaxseed meal. The first such and I expect them to be yummy. It was a good week. I am grateful.
Wednesday afternoon I participated in an on-line chat with Cafepress, which is part of it's ongoing training for shopkeepers. It is fun, although slow, because the input loads slowly. This weeks chat was about social networking to promote oneself.
A yes, self-promotion, the thing I do least well. Partly it is the fault the fact that I much prefer to play with designing than selling and promoting and partly it is because everything changes so fast and I do not move or think as fast as I once did.
In addition to waiting for the flowers--the rose bushes are budding too and I hope they will wait to burst forth until my favorite photographer returns home from college in a little over a week--I am revisiting my past life. Three boxes of books went away to a friend's yard sale--I hope they do not return. More are lined up to go on Amazon for sale soon. The house will breathe again. (It is, after all, a pretty house.) Too many interests, too little time. Books on religion, history, smocking (yes smocking) and more books. I am keeping the core of my mystery library--I will read those again, knitting books, sewing books, cookbooks (probably about 500 of these) and gardening books. Old computer books were gotten rid of last summer--no point in keeping Win 98 books around when there are no Win 98 computers left in the house.
With the help of my friend C the books will go away and the ones that are left will be organized. Heaven on earth! Books and organization. (And yes, I do have books on organization, too. Sigh. Did I ever see a book I didn't want? Rarely. Amazon would love me if I could buy all the books on my wish list--but aside from the fact that, fortunately, I can't afford to do that, there wouldn't be any space in the house left to use them! Or to turn around, for that matter.
I look forward to a good weekend exploring some of this net self-promotion, setting up the first books to sell on Amazon and making banana muffins from a recipe that a friend gave me last week that will contain flaxseed meal. The first such and I expect them to be yummy. It was a good week. I am grateful.
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Rose and the Iris
I have been delighted all week by the presence of roses in my life. My Mr. Lincoln (which I call, Mr Lincoln, I presume because we aren't really sure that it is)is a bonny rose indeed. Large, true red, many petals and an incredible fragrance. As the flower dies, the petals darken and the scent is concentrated. It is a wonderful flower all the way around and will make beautiful potpourri with rosemary, frankincense, myrrh and balsam oil for Christmas.
It has been joined by a light purple Iris. Each of the colors makes the other "pop" and the stem has two more buds that will bloom over the weekend. It was the gift of my dear friend C who visits on Thursday.
C also helped me pick up and categorize all the fallen books in my bedroom. Well, I made the decisions, she did the work. Three boxes sit on the piano bench ready to go to her yard sale, or to be sold on the internet or just donated to the Friends of the Library.
The weather has been so mixed this week that I have had the aches of post polio--imagine a headache that starts at your head and proceeds down your spine and into all your joints. Not fun. So I will be glad when the weather settles a bit more and winter is truly over and done (the flowers already having appeared on the land.)
Back to my cafepress templates and some designs for Mother's Day.
It has been joined by a light purple Iris. Each of the colors makes the other "pop" and the stem has two more buds that will bloom over the weekend. It was the gift of my dear friend C who visits on Thursday.
C also helped me pick up and categorize all the fallen books in my bedroom. Well, I made the decisions, she did the work. Three boxes sit on the piano bench ready to go to her yard sale, or to be sold on the internet or just donated to the Friends of the Library.
The weather has been so mixed this week that I have had the aches of post polio--imagine a headache that starts at your head and proceeds down your spine and into all your joints. Not fun. So I will be glad when the weather settles a bit more and winter is truly over and done (the flowers already having appeared on the land.)
Back to my cafepress templates and some designs for Mother's Day.
Monday, April 14, 2008
It Looked Like an Earthquake
Fortunately, it was only a broken shelf, but it was plenty disconcerting. After watching the earthquake episode of Eli Stone last night, I completed my nightly rounds and went to bed. In the bedroom, I saw what had obviously caused the thumping and bumping sounds that I had heard several hours earlier: books on the floor and in a pile where they had been three deep in a cavernous shelving unit. At first, all that I could think of was that we hadn't had an earthquake. Then I realized that my helper and I had been pulling books from the shelf under the one that collapsed to begin the sorting and culling process. There are books here that I had forgotten that I had; books I thought I had given away years ago and the beloved books from my past as a Medieval History Major. All jumbled together. It will take several days--longer than when I first put them in there twenty years ago--to recover them and put them in appropriate boxes.
Time to sell some on Amazon. Time to let some more go. Here are the pictures.
I found it highly appropriate that the Bultmann book emerged upside down, since I always thought his demythologizing approach to Scripture was upside down. There are too many books. It will be interesting to see what shape the shelf is in. It looks like it merely slid out of place, but it could be broken. I am grateful it did not happen while I was asleep!
Time to sell some on Amazon. Time to let some more go. Here are the pictures.
I found it highly appropriate that the Bultmann book emerged upside down, since I always thought his demythologizing approach to Scripture was upside down. There are too many books. It will be interesting to see what shape the shelf is in. It looks like it merely slid out of place, but it could be broken. I am grateful it did not happen while I was asleep!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Catching Up and Looking Back
Today was a day for catching up. Two big Mary Kay orders will go out tomorrow, I believe and so the packing and paperwork that accompanies them had to be completed.
My new young helper came and the Christmas tree is back in its box in the closet until the end of the year. I am looking forward to bringing it out again and watching it sparkle but I am looking forward to everything in between first! Valentine's Day (and Ash Wednesday) are next. Then Easter and May and all the summer flowers. Fall is far away, but it is always my favorite time of the year. Right now I am thinking about the warm time, to ward off the chill.
My helper and I also sorted through papers in one room and books in another. I have two oversized (enormous, actually) book cases, stuffed full of books in two different rooms of my house. Both need to move on, but one is positively inefficient as it is in my bedroom, blocking a perfectly good outlet that cannot be reached. I have been looking at this room, my bedroom and thinking about life in a wheelchair. Crammed with clutter as this room is, it makes my life more difficult. It will cost no money, only time to clear a certain percentage of the books and make more space for the person who "lives and moves and has her being" in this house.
The process has begun with a small number of books cleared to the go away pile, a smaller number moved to other places and alas the majority going back (for now--how many times have I said that in the past!) Going through the books feels like falling into the sins of my past life--so many books accumulated, so much time spent reading, maybe there was something more productive I could have been doing back then? Certainly, I can't help wondering how much money I could have earned in interest on savings if I had borrowed the books, instead of buying them. (There is a truly not heartening thought for a cold, dreary late January afternoon.)
Beloved books on medieval history, liturgy, calligraphy, spirituality and even my four Mary Stewart novels, the best retelling of the Arthurian legend, emerged from the dust today. Now at least I have a sense of where some of them are. Two little Lenten books are now where I can reach them to use them this year and the Arthurian novels where I can re-read them. I will have no regrets if I buy no new books this year. There is plenty to read right here.
Looking at them--there were even several on herbs and gardening--reminded me of the stages of my life, the progression of interests where there even to three or four little paperbacks of Freud's writing and one of Jung (that one hit the discard pile! I can't stand Jung.) There will be things for a yard sale when the sun shines again.
My new young helper came and the Christmas tree is back in its box in the closet until the end of the year. I am looking forward to bringing it out again and watching it sparkle but I am looking forward to everything in between first! Valentine's Day (and Ash Wednesday) are next. Then Easter and May and all the summer flowers. Fall is far away, but it is always my favorite time of the year. Right now I am thinking about the warm time, to ward off the chill.
My helper and I also sorted through papers in one room and books in another. I have two oversized (enormous, actually) book cases, stuffed full of books in two different rooms of my house. Both need to move on, but one is positively inefficient as it is in my bedroom, blocking a perfectly good outlet that cannot be reached. I have been looking at this room, my bedroom and thinking about life in a wheelchair. Crammed with clutter as this room is, it makes my life more difficult. It will cost no money, only time to clear a certain percentage of the books and make more space for the person who "lives and moves and has her being" in this house.
The process has begun with a small number of books cleared to the go away pile, a smaller number moved to other places and alas the majority going back (for now--how many times have I said that in the past!) Going through the books feels like falling into the sins of my past life--so many books accumulated, so much time spent reading, maybe there was something more productive I could have been doing back then? Certainly, I can't help wondering how much money I could have earned in interest on savings if I had borrowed the books, instead of buying them. (There is a truly not heartening thought for a cold, dreary late January afternoon.)
Beloved books on medieval history, liturgy, calligraphy, spirituality and even my four Mary Stewart novels, the best retelling of the Arthurian legend, emerged from the dust today. Now at least I have a sense of where some of them are. Two little Lenten books are now where I can reach them to use them this year and the Arthurian novels where I can re-read them. I will have no regrets if I buy no new books this year. There is plenty to read right here.
Looking at them--there were even several on herbs and gardening--reminded me of the stages of my life, the progression of interests where there even to three or four little paperbacks of Freud's writing and one of Jung (that one hit the discard pile! I can't stand Jung.) There will be things for a yard sale when the sun shines again.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Pie for Breakfast
Apple and Pumpkin. Friends have been feeding me and the days are getting away from me! Chinese food for dinner Monday and a very enjoyable and challenging conversation with my friend who is an economist. He makes me think and stretch my brain! Thank you!
Yesterday lunch with my nearest neighbor and dear friend who also brought me the pleasure of an amaryllis last year. It was red and white and well-photographed. It will appear soon on my cards here. This year she brought me one which is supposed to be pink and white. We will see.
Last night dinner and presents with my dearest girl friend G. We have known each other since before our hair turned gray and our joints arthritic! Thank you!
So yummy food has been a theme for the last few days!
As if all this were not enough fun, UPS delivered the Amazon package that I purchased with my families gift certificate. How did they accomplish this so fast? I had just received the email about the shipment and it was at the door! So glad for this.
Yesterday lunch with my nearest neighbor and dear friend who also brought me the pleasure of an amaryllis last year. It was red and white and well-photographed. It will appear soon on my cards here. This year she brought me one which is supposed to be pink and white. We will see.
Last night dinner and presents with my dearest girl friend G. We have known each other since before our hair turned gray and our joints arthritic! Thank you!
So yummy food has been a theme for the last few days!
As if all this were not enough fun, UPS delivered the Amazon package that I purchased with my families gift certificate. How did they accomplish this so fast? I had just received the email about the shipment and it was at the door! So glad for this.
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