Well, it certainly has been a long time hasn't it? I won't bore you with excuses when I can bore you with a new project. It's a big one. It's . . .
That's right, I'm at the very early stages of planning a remodel and renovation of my beloved cottage.
There's been a little bit of planning, meetings, sketches and other preliminary things. If this was a trip to the movies, we'd have looked through the paper and decided what we're going to see. We've checked our wallet for that last $20 and we're planning the night's itinerary.
Don't worry, you haven't missed the previews.
I love passionate, even obsessive, people. Why just do something? Be meticulous, unwavering and dedicated. Why just consider a subject? Devote yourself to it. It is so easy to be lukewarm and milquetoast, I have to remind myself to indulge in passionate interest.
Lately, I've run across two people who create works of art (multimedia and culinary) from their passion. Maira Kalman is in love with Abraham Lincoln and Anthony Mangieri is clearly dedicated to the pursuit of perfect pizza.
Their interest and wonderful insanity is contagious.
Yeah yeah, it's another flower photo. But with the hot weather last week, the roses are freaking out. This profusion of blooms has meant my back garden has become Bee Central Station. The hum is pretty powerful.
I attempted to sit and read with a cool drink, but all that soothing white noise put me right to sleep. At least the bees were productive.
Here's a terrible photo of a beautiful frittata. But it's not just any frittata, it's a frittata that exists purely for the purpose of offsetting the extravagance of my lemon curd.
I know the dozen yolks needed for the curd weren't going to break the bank, but it sure feels wasteful to stare at a bowl full of whites and contemplate their destiny. What does a girl do with a dozen egg whites? One can only make so much eggwash, right?
So, I decided on a ridiculously healthy frittata was in order. This one has caramelized onions, an assortment of peppers, spinach, roasted broccoli, garlic and a bit of feta crumbled on top. I popped it in the oven and made sure not to overcook it. Then I served it piping hot with some lemony mixed greens. Ooh, I also added just a wee dollop of pesto to keep things from getting bland.
The result, a tasty meal that used up what might've been wasted (I know, people actually throw out their leftover egg whites!) and a hodge podge of veggies from the back of the crisper.
It's been pretty steamy around here. I know if I look at this poppy in the dead of winter, I'll be able to feel the sun-baked terracotta tiles and the vague mugginess of the air.
I have come to the realization, that not everyone loves lemon curd as much as I do. I think it tastes of everything good about springtime and I can't imagine a fruit or baked good that couldn't benefit from a little dab. It's like frickin' sunshine in a bowl people! But I guess other's inexplicable preferences just mean more for me (and my friend L, a fellow addict)!
So despite the above epiphany, I whipped up a couple batches (it freezes beautifully) and brought a bowl to a picnic this weekend. It accompanied strawberries (planned) and homemade banana mini-muffins (unplanned). While some wrinkled their noses and said "what's that?", the majority of us dipped to our heart's content.
After all that rich lemony goodness (and a few bottles of Champagne), naps in the dappled shade were required. Ahhhh, it was a good weekend.
I am proud to admit that I come from a frugal people. Both sides of my family, regardless of relative wealth, are filled with thrifty shoppers, crafters, cooks and putterers. For example, my wonderful and unique great-aunt was a shrewd shopper and could wrangle a good deal out of anyone. I have many stories about her thriftiness, but one of my favorites is about her final gift to me. When she passed away, my mother was responsible for handling her estate and had the job of sorting through all her possessions. She found a wonderfully kitschy ceramic hen bun-warmer* filled with Betty Crocker points . . . from the last 25 years.
I used them to buy all my kitchen supplies at a discount and think of her every time I use my silicone spatulas. That, my friend, is thriftiness that spans decades.
*If you don't laugh when you type "bun-warmer," there's something wrong with you.
I love paper. I love the way it feels, smells, folds, crushes and tears. I especially love cutting it. Good scissors or a sharp blade make it a joy to slash, shred, score and slice. I'm getting chills here. When I can't indulge myself with paper destruction/creation, I like to see what other people do with it.
Michael Velliquette makes glorious colorful scenes, his serpents are just amazing and look at these wonderful crazy creatures (gnomes!).
Julene Harrison made this intricate and thoughtful papercut that reminds me of a crosstitch sampler. I love the sentiment and the execution is just lovely.
Hooray for paper!
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