What a Weekend!

I guess it's just a blogging kind of day for me - I just have so much to share!

Do you ever have those weekends that you can't believe you have done so much?  Well, I don't usually either.  This weekend feels like it lasted several days.  I had so much fun!


FRIDAY:

When I got home from work on Friday, Aspen was begging for attention, so I just put down my lunch dishes and my purse, sat in the grass, and played with my kitty!  She rolled around while she let me pet her, and we laid in the grass soaking up the sun.

















I then went in and opened up the house, and when I opened the back door, I remembered that my first shipment from Door to Door Organics was coming today!  YAY!  I had wanted to get in on a CSA from a local farm, but that is usually done much earlier in the season, and Im sure all of the shares are sold out by now.  So I did the next best thing:  I am ordering from a company that delivers organic fruit and veggies (and anything else I order) every week or every other week.  They use local farms whenever possible, and they will soon be offering a "local only" box.  I can see what is being sent for each shipment, and I am able to switch out anything that I don't like.  As you can see, I also ordered organic milk from a local farm.  Why does milk taste so much better when it come from a glass bottle?  The large beans in front are English Peas.  I popped open the pod and ate a few, and I just couldn't stop.  I don't think Im going be able to make a dish with these because I'm going to eat them all raw before I have a chance!

Friday night I met up with a guy I just met.  Ok, it was a date.  It was fun - we'll see ...


SATURDAY:

I started Saturday with one of my favorite past times, a trip to the farmer's market.   I didn't even buy much this time - a bunch of rhubarb, a few succulents, and some tea.  But I love the energy there.  It is so grounding and soothing.  

I also had breakfast with my brother, Seabrook.

When I went home I did a bunch of weeding and care-taking in my garden, also planting the new succulents.

On Saturday afternoon I visited the farm at my friend Katy's parents house.  This summer they have been working hard to build enclosures for chickens, sheep, and pigs.  I named this one Mildred.  They also built a beautiful HUGE garden (sorry, no pictures), they keep bees, and they have a couple of very energetic dogs.  We learned how to make mustard and horseradish, and finished the day with homemade pastrami sandwiches, and then a walk through the woods.  Such a cool place, with this amazing energy!

SUNDAY:

After all of the farming and garden fun of the previous day, sitting by the pool in the 80-degree weather sounded perfect.  We floated and sunned, with a few cannon balls thrown in for good measure.  I had also prepared an easy dinner to throw on the grill, so we ended the day with Marinated flank steak, crispy garlic potatoes, grilled corn, caesar salad, and a fruit salad of pineapple & strawberries.

Samantha had perfect technique of bringing her drink with her when she crossed the vast pool on the float.

Seabrook lounging, wearing the Bumpa shorts.

And how was your weekend?

Peace.  Love.  Serene.

Spring Garden 2

'Tis the season for gardening.  I shared the first flowers of the season in a previous post, but more have come up, before what I consider the "summer flowers" start to bloom.  I love tending my garden and watering first thing in the morning.  I try not to wear shoes, so I can also have a grounding effect - connection with the earth.  You can almost hear the flowers say "thanks for the drink!"  Here are more of the spring flowers:

MORE IRISES!

THESE ARE PART OF THE PHLOX FAMILY, BUT MY MOM THINKS THEY ARE A REALLY PRETTY WEED:

THE FIRST SET OF LILYS.  SO MANY MORE TO COME!

THERE WERE ONLY A FEW PEONIES (BUT THEY WERE GORGEOUS!) - THERE WERE SEVERAL BUDS THAT NEVER DEVELOPED - DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY?

POPPYS ARE BLOOMING - THE WHITE LUMP ON THE BRICK WAS A HUGE POPPY THAT WAS TOO BIG FOR ITS OWN GOOD!

THE BEES ARE HERE!  THE BEES ARE HERE!

PEACE.  LOVE.  SERENE.

Geocaching

I've been looking at geocaching emails for about 2 years, and I've had the app for about a year, and I JUST searched out my FIRST geocache!

Geocaching /ˈdʒiːoʊˌkæʃɪŋ/ is an outdoor recreational activity, in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world.

A few Sundays ago I was at work, and was fiddling with the app, and put in my current location.  It turns out there was one hidden that was VERY CLOSE!  So after I closed up the office, I deposited my computer in my car, and opened my app & GPS to find the little sucker.  First I looked at the map to see its approximate location (although this felt a little bit like cheating since maps are so accurate), and then when I got closer, I switched to the GPS coordinates.

I didn't have to go far - it was in the far corner of the parking lot of my office!  That's how close it was ALL THIS TIME!  It was placed there in 2011, and it was a well-taped and waterproofed pill bottle glued to a magnet.  It was stuck to the underside of the guard rail between the parking lot and the gas station, and it was SO COOL!  This one just had a sign-in sheet, which I happily added my name to, but I know others have little prizes inside, so I have to remember to have something to trade.

Dare I say Im going to be geocaching in every city I visit?  The thrill of the hunt!  The feeling of flight of the navigator!  Ahhhhh!

WHO'S READY FOR SOME GEOCACHING?

Peace.  Love.  Serene.

Dinner @ The Lark

I have had the opportunity and the pleasure, several times, to enjoy dinner at one of Michigan's only 5-star restaurants, The Lark.  It's an amazing French restaurant set back from a fairly busy intersection, but you would never know it.  The exterior is adorned with trees and whimsical landscaping, so that you truly feel like you are stepping into a villa in France.

The restaurant is small (approx 8-10 tables), with only two seatings per night.  They fully expect their guests to enjoy the food and company in a relaxed and appreciative manner.  While their normal menu and experience is exquisite (granny took me for my birthday for several years), my Dad was in town recently and made reservations for night that happened to be a special theme night.  "A Northern Italian Dinner".  We were asked our preference of fish or lamb a week before the dinner, and that was our only choosing.

We were seated next to the fireplace adorned with fantastic fresh flowers, with a view of their flower and herb garden outside (well, the place is so small, everyone has that view).  We were offered a substantial wine list from their large wine cellar of wines from around the world, which the owners personally travelled to and purchased.  We were also given the option of a wine bouquet, which was a small glass of wine specially selected and served with each course.  3 of the 4 of us chose this option. The 6-course dinner is as follows:

Primo Antipasti

Grilled figs wrapped in San Daniele prosciutto with black pepper fett'una, mussels "alla Tarantina" steamed with limoncello, shallots, and Italian parsley, and spring vegetable fritto misto.  These figs were the most amazing thing I've ever tasted!

Seconde antipasto

Roasted quail "scorzonera alla romana" with hazelnut polenta and Saba (sauce similar to balsamic).  I was so excited to eat it that I forgot to take a picture ...

Pasta

Homemade gnocchi with morel mushrooms, broccoli rabe cannelloni beans, & shaved Parmesan.  I even ate the mushrooms!

Primo piatto

Lobster alla piastra with fennel, orange segments, & zabaglione sauce

Second piatto

Wood grilled Bronzino with pic holing olives, Italian new potatoes & Sicilian lemon-oregano sauce

Dolci

Strawberry tiramisu with amaretti, marscapone, lady fingers, & fresh strawberries

Fried Nutella ravioli 

Homemade vanilla gelato

GIFTS!  They also passed out roses to all of the women, and gave us all gifts with these beautiful bracelets inside!

 What an experience ...

Peace.  Love.  Serene.

Spring is here!

Ok, so I completely retract my "take advantage of the season" post.  That was before winter got much much worse, and much much longer.  I never did get to go skiing last season.  I know, the most snow ever, and I couldn't find time?  It seems like time flew by this year - Halloween - Thanksgiving - Christmas - New Years - Seabrook's Awesome 40th Party - Granny's passing .... and the aftermath.  So now I have these GREAT White Columbia snow pants for next year.  Im hoping my friend Melissa is still up for skiing with me!

BUT NOW I really can get into this spring season.  It feels more amazing than ever.  Like how good food tastes when you're really hungry, or how good it feels to pee when you really have to go!

My garden is really coming along - blooms coming over night to excite me each morning!

The tulips and daffodils are now gone ...

The columbine is AMAZING.  I hope these come back in the fall like they did last year

 You know it's spring when ...

The Glory of the Snow were confused - they came up AFTER many of the plants were already growing.  I had to pull many of them because the plant looks like grass, and I just didn't like how it looked.  And I didn't know which of them were ACTUALLY grass

The Herb Garden is in!  Can't wait till these grow up and fill in!

So many plants coming up - so exciting!

The IRISES are here!!  YAY!!!

The peonies and lilies are just about to make an appearance

And finally, the annual Gazenias that I love so much!

All plants and flowers are beautiful, but the artist in my loves the flowers with interesting colors and textures.  Give me irises, gazenias, columbine, and lantanas all day long!

Peace.  Love.  Serene.

We Are The Champions ....

Yeahhhh my hockey team won our league championships this weekend.  What a great feeling, and what a great end to a nearly undefeated season.  We lost one game, and tied a few, and won all the rest!  But it hasn't always been this way.  A few years ago we won the Ruicci Cup after being second to last in the league.  Now THAT was an upset.  Here is our team pic, all sweaty and all:

I would like to try and explain the camaraderie of being on a team.  And I mean on a team sport.  I was a gymnast for many years, and yes, I was on a team, but being out on the ice / court / field together is a different story.  You have to depend on them, and they have to depend on you.  You win together, you lose together.  But for me, there's more to it.  I haven't been good about keeping in touch with everyone on my team in the off season, but as soon as you come back together, it's as if nothing has changed.  But for those couple of hours a week, THEY are your support system.  And there is something magical about getting in that locker room, and on the ice, and just forgetting life for a little bit.  No matter how big or small your problems are, you don't have to think about that for that couple of hours.  I'm happy the season ended so well, but sad that it's over for 6 months!  OK, bring on the sun now!

Me with the Ruicci Cup * Ted Lindsay giving me my award

Me stretching before the game

A funny before game diving ritual from a couple of my teammates

Me and my defense partner, Sherri

The ice after we won

GO METRO BLADES!

Peace.  Love.  Serene.