Two weeks ago I had no intention of starting a new blog. I was more certain that I wouldn't be blogging at all than I was about starting something new. But some little light turned on and suddenly I was inspired. So last week I started a new blog. Maybe it's because I turn 40 today. Maybe it's because I'm not the same person I was a year ago. Maybe it's because I'm not the same person I was even a few months ago. And when I came back to this space after being gone so long, I realized I... Continue reading

How in the world did that happen? I turned around and the next thing I knew it was July. But I wanted to stop in and say "hi" and tell you that all is well. Things are just busy and summery, and I hope to get back to this space very soon. Until then, I hope you are enjoying the sunshine and pretty days. Continue reading

I pay attention to what I eat. A lot of attention. I try to do the normal things like eat seasonally/locally/organically but I also do a bit more than that. I pay attention to how foods make me feel (which is a lot, good or bad) (sugar, I'm talking to you!) and I thought I kinda had it down. I thought I was staying away from the things that didn't treat me kindly but it turns out I was a little right and a lot wrong. Turns out my body is allergic (or intolerant) to almost everything I eat every... Continue reading

Old shingle houses on the way to the shore. Paned-glass windows and white trim. Little rivers in the sand. Beach grass and black hills. And sky that never ends. Conversations in the wind. A beach house kitchen. And handmade milkshakes. Games by the fireplace. And bittersweet goodbyes. ANY Continue reading

Thank you dearly for your tips for getting through the hard seasons. It seems that for some it's the heat, for some it's the sun, for some it's the stifling humidity, and for some it's the cold, dark gray. The most difficult part seems to be the unrelenting sameness of it all. The day in and the day out of waking up to the same, tiring thing. I guess I'm a Midwestern girl at heart so I need at least some semblance of four seasons, however short or minimal they may be. But my people are here. And my people... Continue reading

I know, it's a tired complaint. Really tired. I complain about it all the time. I can't help it. I do try to love it; I try to make it work for me. Every year I'm hopeful it will get better. But it hasn't gotten better in 18 years. In fact, after 18 years I think it's gotten worse. What if you spent three months out of every year waiting for them to be over? What if you spent six? What about eight? What if you spent eight months out of every year wanting to skip them? That seems like... Continue reading

I know, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day so why a Hungarian dish today? I don't have a good answer for that. But I happened upon Hungarian Beef Goulash at Dinner with Julie the other day and I was totally interested. And totally motivated! When I saw the beef with the paprika I was like, yummm. When I saw the little dumplings I was like, ohhhh. When I saw the bacon I was like, Do we need bacon on top of all that? But then I told myself not to argue with the bacon and oh my heavens was it delish!... Continue reading

I don't know if it's the weather, the time change, or just the general blah-ness in the air but I am feeling completely unmotivated in the kitchen. My old dinner standbys just aren't cutting the mustard anymore. Yesterday, though, I made it super easy on myself and just mixed a bunch of different containers together. I had very low expectations for this dish but was quite surprised by the results. I'm not sure it requires a written recipe but here it is in all its simpleness: Rice Penne with Chicken, Pesto, and Ricotta 1 cup cooked chicken breast (I used... Continue reading

Like I've said before, Miss A may no longer be obsessed with real horses but her love of model horses (and what she can do with them) is still alive and well. This horse is from a Breyer Custom Horse Kit and she researched different ways to paint it so that it looked as realistic as possible. Here's what it looked like before--bald, pale, and slightly alien-like. To paint it, she ground up different colors of chalk pastels and dabbed them onto the horse with a dry paint brush. Between each layer of pastels, she sprayed it with a matte... Continue reading

I wasn't much of a food adventurist in my younger years. I liked what I liked and if there was a food my mother didn't make or bring home from the grocery store, I pretty much had never heard of it (i.e. bagels and cream cheese). But one day in high school, I was so hungry that I tried something new. In high school, there were many mornings where I (quite literally) rolled out of bed, grabbed my backpack, put on my shoes, and ran out the door as my best friend's mom beeped for me out front. No time... Continue reading

- Watching these blooms turn from bare stems to flowers in a matter of hours. - Listening to my little guy practice his book report. - Listening to my girl practice her speech. - Turning up the heat on a stormy afternoon and taking an indulgent (though much needed) nap under a blanket. - Bringing our ten-year-old family station wagon into the shop for an extraordinarily thorough cleaning, inside and out. Tremendous. - Getting to the middle of Harry Potter, Book Six. Brilliant. - Listening to my little guy practice the piano. One of my favorite sounds in the entire... Continue reading

All I ever want to do is take pictures of food. I can't help it. I'm even starting to photograph food I've already photographed before, like Molly's chili. It is a rather fun and challenging thing to photograph, though, (and, of course, a wonderful thing to eat) so I guess it stands to reason that it makes a second appearance here. Now if I could only enjoy cooking food as much as I like photographing it. Must crack the code on that one... ANY Continue reading

It was a week after Perry was born. My friends put together the obligatory meal-making schedule that is required of all friends of a new mom. A woman I didn't know very well generously offered to be a part of the schedule and called me one afternoon... Her: "Hi. I'm making you guys dinner tonight. What's your favorite meal?" Me: "Hi. Oh...umm...hmm...I don't think I have one." Her: "Come on, what is it?" Me: "Umm...(I was thinking Chicken Cordon Bleu)...well, I don't think it's possible to make it from scratch. I think it's only possible to get it at a... Continue reading

ANY ANY It was a rainy, windy, blustery day. School was out and we decided to meet the mister downtown. We had a bite to eat and toured some new art. It was wonderful to see him, in his element, in the middle of the afternoon. Must do it again soon... ANY Continue reading

Sunday dinners are starting a little earlier around here. I'm heading into the kitchen around 4:00 pm and having dinner served by 5:00 pm. With all of the showering and bathing and dish washing and laundry that needs doing on a typical Sunday night, I'm liking a more leisurely pace. You know what else I'm liking? This delicious Spinach, White Bean, and Turkey Sausage Soup from Closet Cooking. Though I changed mine up a bit and used chicken sausage and Swiss chard instead of turkey and spinach, it was so, so good. I also topped it with Parmesan cheese (I've... Continue reading

ANY This kid does it to me every time. ANY Continue reading

ANY ANY ANY ANY ANY ANY ANY Trying my best to claw my way back after a hellacious few weeks, shaky though I may be. I spent yesterday morning in the garden, clearing weeds and readying some beds for planting. And, truthfully, hoping a little digging would clear more than just soil. Maybe it will. ANY Continue reading

A simple Dutch Baby Pancake, made by my hubby... And a new iron skillet, given to us by my sis... Have changed the way our family does Saturday morning breakfast. Instead of the kids racing back and forth to the table to finish their pancakes, We eat together, all together. Rather indulgent for a Saturday morning, but scrumptious all the same. ANY Dutch Baby Pancake 1-1/2 cups flour 1-1/2 cups milk 6 eggs 1 tsp. salt Approx. 1/3 stick butter 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with skillet in oven. Mix all ingredients except butter in a bowl. 2. Take... Continue reading

ANY ANY ANY ANY ANY ANY ANY ANY Lately we've been... Watching the rain, working on book reports, reading tons of old comic books, working on greeting card assignments, messing up the kitchen, and driving each other just a little bit batty. That's life in a small house. ANY Continue reading

ANY Gazing out the window, nibbling on my new favorite snack: Waffle with ricotta cheese and honey. My goodness that winter sun feels good. ANY Continue reading

You saw this home tour coming. I mean, how could I resist? I love their house. Not only because it's beautiful and lovely and exquisitely decorated, but also because it's the backdrop to so many of our family dinners and special occasions. It's become a part of my children's history. There are bits and pieces of my past here, too. Things from our old house that I've forgotten about. Things of my grandmother's that are so cemented in my memory that it's shocking to see they actually exist. I loved taking pictures of their house and I loved talking to... Continue reading