It Takes Two

They are babbling. They make each other giggle. They hit each other. They tag team. It's got to be great being born with a built in best friend.
We also find it easiest to contain them. In baskets. For now anyway!

This is their protector. Rocky. He's awesome.

These are their parents. They are awesome too! And really really busy!

Song: Love Me Two Times, The Doors

Native

The first time my Polish grandmother visited Wyoming, she picked and took sagebrush home with her and planted it in the black dirt of North Dakota. She had never seen the wide open prairie quite like the one we live on. She had never seen Antelope race across the brush and into the distance. She had never seen to rock formations that are all over parts of Wyoming from the days of the dinosaurs. She was in a foreign land.

As much as I hate to admit...and though I don't own cowboy boots, chaps, or spurs.....I am a native. I was born and raised here. My family were farmers. And on mornings like today, when I have just a moment of time, I drive into the country to breath and take in all that is familiar to me. The wide open air. The antelope. The baby coyotes. The fox. The rabbits. I saw them all this morning....and I'm happy to call this home.

Song: Looking out my backdoor, CCR

Vanilla Orange Yogurt Mousse

Ever since I started experimenting with desserts, I have come to love mousse. I had never tried mousse until a couple years ago, and what I like about it.... it's fluffy. I love fluffy light food. There's something about it that makes me feel light and happy. Kinda feel like I could dance atop the clouds or take a nap there.

I found this new awesome recipe. I jazzed it up a little and it turned out completely fantastic. The kicker.... I put granola on it. IT MADE IT SO GOOD!!! It was a sweeter type of granola, but it still had nuts and oats, etc. LOVED IT!

Ingredients:
1 package granulated gelatin or 6 sheets of gelatin
1/4 c. water
1 3/4 c. yogurt, plain or vanilla (can also use a fruit flavored if you want to)
2 T. powdered sugar, or to taste
2 T. frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pint whipping cream
Granola for topping

Preparation: Soften gelatin in the water for 5 minutes (for sheet gelatin, soak in plenty of cold water until soft, squeeze through and then heat to dissolve gelatin).Mix yogurt with sugar, orange juice concentrate and vanilla to taste. If you are using plain yogurt you may want more sugar.Heat and stir gelatin until just dissolved. Do not boil.Mix a little yogurt into gelatin and then mix the gelatin into the rest of the yogurt, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.Place container in a refrigerator and cool until it starts to thicken. (I let mine set overnight)Whip the cream until stiff, fold into the slightly thickened yogurt and refrigerate for several hours. ( I added about a tablespoon of powdered sugar to make sure it stiffened just right!)To serve: Wet a spoon or a scoop with cold water and form pretty scoops on a plate. Finish the dessert with fruit compote, pureed fruit sauce, fresh fruit or other. You may also wish to use the fruit and cream alternately in a parfait glass for a beautiful presentation. Do this before the cream gels and place the glasses in the refrigerator until serving time. Garnish with mint leaves, fruit, or granola.

Go give it try!

Feel Like A Teenager Again

So I have a confession..... I REALLY like painting. I mean, it's not relaxing to me or anything, but like driving in a car alone...I get to get lost in my thoughts.

In high school my dad and I painted houses in the summer for a job. It was aperfect summertime job. I also spent weeks with my grandmother painting things around her house. Afterward, in the evenings I would sit and play cribbage with her and then watching some sort of Nick at Night rerun. Mainly Dallas. (She always acted surprised when JR got shot.) The days were normally scorching hot. I normally ended each project with a deep dark tan that I would pay for later in my life. It does not go without saying that there weren't times that I didn't want to be painting anymore....like the time I was painting a shed on a farm, and had been lying on the ground...when I got up a bull snake followed me. I had been painting atop a snake den. My dad killed it with a shovel and I went about my business. Or the time I was bitten a dozen times over on the feet by red ants...not knowing I standing in a pile of them. I also had a wild rabbit come sit in my lap while I was painting a fence once. That was a good beautiful serene moment. All in all... I have really good memories attached to painting, and although the smell is bad, I like it. I reminds me of people I love.

So, for the last couple weeks I've been painting, and painting and painting. Mostly inside, which isn't quite as fun. But I went out and painted outside just to get a little fresh air. I have so many colors started I can't hardly keep track. Can you guess where all these colors are going?! And now, unlike when I was sixteen, my back hurts, my fingers hurt from gripping the brushes and on and on.......

Song: All Those Years Ago, George Harrison

I Heart Earth Day

This week is Earth week. We started it out pretty well... but have been sidetracked with unexpected home work, so I haven't gotten to do as much with my little bird as I planned.

We started a little early with annual highway cleanup and I want to thank everyone for helping us, without you guys, we wouldn't be able to do this every year. And I'm sorry the highway department didn't get our sign right... it was suppose to say "and friends."

I also have heard there is going to be a shortage of tomatoes this year so I went and bought some immediately. My garden isn't even tilled yet or near ready to be planted,mostly because I'm sure there is a snow storm in our coming any day. So, I'm keeping them warm in the house right now.

I also received my new composter this week. What a great week to get it. I have been saving all kinds of smelly stuff to put in it so I can have beautiful black dirt by the end of the summer.

Gross huh?


Hopefully today we will be able to do something fun.

So go celebrate! Recycle something!

Song: It's a Living Thing, ELO

Sweet Peas

April is the month of Sweet Peas.

My dirty joke telling, noodle making, high heel wearing grandmother use to say to toss the seeds out on St. Patricks Day and they would be perfect for blooming. I can never get myself to get seeds planted on St. Patty's as it's normally blizzarding here.

But directly at the beginning of April...we were out there, my little bird and I trying to find a place for these. I haven't spent a lot of time outside this old house so it was an adventure to me. So, we finally decided after much deliberation to plant some in front of the house and some under the mailbox so the mail-lady will have something sweet to smell.

Song: Sweet Pea, Amos Lee

Warm Enough

Last weekend was the most beautiful weekend. Sunshine early in the morning melting the little bit of frost on the trees. Warm enough for little guys to be outside in short sleeve shirts.

And warm enough to bring itty bitty ones out to see what it's all about out there.

Song: Seasons in the Sun, Terry Jacks

Nooks

The thing about old homes is that most of them have little nooks and crannies that newer houses just don't have. I love nooks and crannies. Little places to follow the sunlight around and sit and work or read or watch. Watch a little boy run circles around me. Watch the puppies chase one another. Watch the wind blow through the trees outside and the rain or snow fall. This is another nook for me. Complete with a custom cushion and oodles of pillows.

Song: Friday I'm in Love, The Cure

Just a little FYI...I opened up the comment section so you don't have to have a google account anymore, but they are monitored.

Motherly

I've been getting quite a few of these lately.
The mommy and the baby.
I think I tend to gravitate toward the mother-child photos a little bit more.... mainly because I know that the moms are normally the ones behind the camera and are normally the catchers of the moments instead of the catchees.

So, here is another.

I love this.

So very....nurturing and motherly.

Song: Mother and Child Reunion, Paul Simon

About that Red Color

As I was hauling boxes back and forth from the truck while moving into my new old house... my friend, who had volunteered to help (bless her heart and will probably never ever help move again after seeing how much STUFF we have), noticed my front door and commented on how green it was...how grossly green my front door was. I hadn't noticed it as much until then but after that it was my mission to make it better, she was right... its hideousness needed to go!

It only took me four months to get to it. (There is a LONG LONG list of things to get to.) But now that's it's done.... I don't know how I lived without it!

My little one picked the color. I told him I wanted it red and he could pick the shade. I think he did an AWESOME job at picking.

This is what it looked like before and yes the previous owners really liked to decorate with computer monitors and fake leaves and you can't really see the stains on the walls or ceilings either...but believe me, they were there.

Oh, and I couldn't forget the Gaelic welcome knocker!

Song: Red Wine, UB40

An Older One

It's not often I get to shoot the older ones. When I do it's a big treat... as there is little running and chasing involved. They sit still. They do what I tell them for the most part and they can have conversations that last longer than a couple seconds.

Seniors these days....at least the ones I've photographed, seem to have real plans. Much more so than I ever did. They have so much more of an idea of what they want to do with their lives for the next 10 years.

He was no exception! Plus... he gave me a great clue of where I can get great New York style pizza, which I need to do in the next couple days!

Song: Graduation Day, Chris Isaak

Edible Crayons

My little bird has a favorite color. Red. Which, is kind of abnormal for kiddos of that age, it has been his favorite since the beginning, never waivering....and for a while it was HIS favorite and could not be shared with others. Now he's all about sharing. Thank goodness, because red is my second favorite color. I really really like red. There has to be some sort of personality test for the both of us describing all our dominate traits connected to this color.

Well, we're at the age of coloring. Staying in lines. Making things the color they actually are. So today......we ate our crayons!

And they were delicious.

They were super super easy and would be fabulous for a birthday party, or back to school treat, or any other gathering involving kiddos.

You just need a couple things: Candy Melts (any color, can be found at any craft store or specialty food store), large pretzels and wrappers which you can find the templates here.
Dip the pretzels on both ends and let dry on wax paper. Wrap with printed wrappers (I used doubled sided tape to keep them together.

And there you go! An awesome treat!

Song: All for Love, Color Me Bad

My Bicycle

We spent yesterday morning on the Greenway. It was a beautiful way to start the day. My little bird and I jumped in the car (after throwing in his little bike), grabbed some coffee and cinnamon rolls and headed outdoors. He rides and rides and rides. He honks his little horn with a straight face as others pass by, always encouraging them. He would yell to the much bigger, much more professional riders "GREAT JOB YOU GUYS!!!!" They would often yell back.. "YOU TOO BUDDY!" He's such a positive little one!

Song: My Bicycle, Queen

Pastel

Easter, for most people living in Wyoming means... it's coming. It's not here yet. As usual, we celebrate the day with snow on the ground and stellar winds. Let's just say that we will rarely have one of those scenes in Steel Magnolias...where everyone is attending an Easter Egg hunt in sundresses and bonnets. We wear ski masks to keep the snow from going up our nose.... but we'll be darned if it doesn't keep us from hunting those eggs anyway.

Park and I attended one hunt. At the Botanical Gardens. All the eggs were full of seeds. It was really awesome and he will be able to plant them and watch them grow.

This was the boys this morning. All pastel-y. Looking sharp.


This is my dog that looks like a furry rabbit sometimes.....he likes his belly rubbed. I think he channels Budda.

And this was my table. Surrounded by people I love. Covered in food that was FANTASTIC! (that's my dad... he's telling stories!)

It was a beautiful day. Perfect in every way and I am very thankful for what I am surrounded by....and especially growing up all over again through the eyes a little boy that lights up my world.

Happy Easter Everyone. Alleluia!

Naturally

We tried a little something new this year with Easter eggs. At least the first batch.

We dyed them with natural food elements.
Red Cabbage: Beautiful Blue
Beets: Pinkish-Brownish
Turmeric: Bight Yellow/ Gold
Coffee: Brown

That's all I had time for. I boiled each of these things in water and then added a bit of vinegar. Dunked the eggs in and let them sit over night. I LOVE how they turned out. Very "me."

I also wrapped leaves around a couple of them. Then I wrapped them in panty hose to keep the leaves from moving. I LOVE how they turned out too!!!

Song: Naturally, Gilbert O'Sullivan

His Turn

I have a small collection of older cameras. Mostly ones that my dad has picked up for me here and there... or other sweet friends that know I enjoy photography so much. Today, I thought it would be fun for my little bird to try these out. He's always asking about them, and I'm always willing to feed the fire of interest.

"hmmm" he says...."what should we get next?"

This one was "amazing!!"

Then it was my turn. Boy can he get any older looking??

Because it fit the mood today..

Song: Shantytown Carnival, Jehro

Different Kind of April Shower

Not exactly the way one would picture April arriving. Instead of sweeping in on a soft gentle breeze it blows in on a cold breath of wind dropping three inches of snow along the way.
And to celebrate the beginning of April...I sat in front of my fire and ate soup.

The sun is shining this morning.

The snow will be gone before I can blink twice.

And complaining about a little snow seems trite ...considering what day it is.



Song: Irene, Toby Mac