A Great Movie at a Great Theater Thursday, January 29, 2009

My friend James and i decided that we wanted to see as many movies up for an oscar as possible before the big event. On tuesday we went to see Slumdog Millionaire. I had heard that themovie was great and it is up for like 10 oscars. To not go on for 10 pages i will simply say, go see it. GO SEE IT! This movie was awesome! and i have a very special spot for movies that dont rely on a famous name to carry the show. i cant wait to see it again.

Better then that, we went to see it at our local neighborhood movie theater. I also have a special spot for local family owned theaters that dont rape us with ticket prices. Roseway Theater is perfect with $6 seats. It used to be kind of run down and had ok sound and screen. Then they closed for what seemed to be forever. i worried that they were done but slowly things started happening. Now they have the most gorgeous screen with a digital picture and a digital sound system that is almost overwhelming. Plus the seats are plush and big and they rock, literally. They play one movie at a time and dont generally know which one will come next until you drive by it and see the name on the marquee. Support our local theater!!

Snowy Solstice Sunday, December 21, 2008

Happy Winter Solstice! We made it over the hump and the days will be getting longer, albeit colder! Portland has welcomed winter in like i have never seen in my 18 years here. As I write this I am watch the snow/ice pellets pour out of the sky for the second consecutive day. Now i am not from NY or Wisconsin so this is all quite intriguing to me…in 2 days i may be blogging death threats to the winter snow gods but at this moment, i have nowhere to go and nothin to do.

I am however, watching as little WINTER STORM WATCH 2008 for, i kid you not, the 8th consecutive day, as possible. The media is so out of control with this weather, i am surprised THEY arent getting death threats. Whoever decided  to cancel The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the original of course) on a cold snowy saturday night of xmas break to pound us to death with snow warnings should be flogged… oh well i digress.

On a happier note, my friends Anne and Nicole came over last night for meatloaf and kale and wine. it was so nice to see people and they ROCK for driving last night…of course one is from Chicago and one is from Boston so YEAH for people who love to drive in the snow! Today my neighbors brought me over fresh stickybuns that  Lori made this morning. They were the BEST sticky buns i have ever had and tasted like buttery cinnimon toast. And i just made a fresh batch of shortbreads, partly to stand in front of the warm oven and partly to smell them baking. (my NEW furnace isnt working).  I have almost finished an 800 page book that i have set aside because i dont want it to end and some movies i am excited to see but am tossed between watching them before the power goes out, or wait in case i am trapped in my house for a month. i guess with 6-8 more inches coming down tonight, i may have many days opportunity to get it all in

While all of this is happening I take camera in tow to capture the bits that makes me smile.

Of course i have been keenly aware of my feathered ladies outside. right now they have 8 inches of snow on their roof and 3 heat lamps to keep their water thawed and their bums warm. i am still getting eggs so they must be relatively happy, although i know they want to get outside.

Gladys came out to say hi on the first snow day and looks absolutley shocked dont you think? Now they  dont even try to come out of the coop as i am shoveling snow away from the door to bring them treats like leftover oatmeal, kale and bread crusts. They seem very grateful

While inside the bean, I have hunkered down. i am battling a bit of a cold and hot tea, fireplace, down comforter, good book and critters seems to be the perfect remedy.

And of course i have my snow bunny who would live in a snow drifts if i let him. here, he is just showing me his snow angels.

he is soooo happy in this weather

So Happy Winter Solstice!  I hope you stay warm and cozy this week and if you have to travel, be safe and make it fast!

Mr Big has found his Winter Solstice Sunshine, i hope you will too.

Preparing For Winter Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The weather around here has definitely let us know winter is on its way. All the leaves are off the trees now and i was like a drowned rat just going from the house to the car and my car to the office. why did i even bother drying my hair this morning? To be honest with you, I LOVE this weather! Yesterday i had a fire going, listening to music, working on a project (coming soon!) and i even made a meatloaf. mmmmmm. The cats were snoozing, the dogs were snoozing and the storm was blowing outside.

All were hunkered down, except for the ladies. I watch them out the window; heads down, bums up and the wind is ruffling their feathers all over the place. They could care less about STORM WATCH 2008.

 

The coop is ready for snow, wind and rain. There are tarps on 3 sides and a peice of plywood on the front side and fresh bails of straw inside.  I love stomping out to the coop in the blustery weather and as soon as the coop door closes  I hear the rain pattering on the roof, the tarps  billowing and the ladies all warm and dry. It is quite cozy. I havent had to use the heat lamp yet but it is ready to go too.

Be On the Lookout Thursday, November 6, 2008

I LOVE the Farmer’s Almanac. I get it in my email about once a month and it is chalked full of sage advice from wise wise folks.
This month it is preparing us for the long cold months ahead.

Apparently the good people who guide me believe in a combination of scientific fact and an eye on nature. Personally i am pretty sure they could tell me brownies were going to grow on rose bushes come May and i would carve it out in stone…ok only maybe.

However, Farmer’s Almanac did provide me with some signs to watch for of a long cold winter

Here they are;

• Geese fly south at a high altitude.
• Oak trees bear many acorns.
• Chipmunks are abundant.
• Lakes and rivers freeze later than usual.
• Onions grow thicker skins than usual.
• Squirrels are gathering a large supply of nuts.
• Woodpeckers appear early.
• Lots of berries.
• Corn husks are thicker and stronger.

Does anyone find this as wonderful as i do? (read: am i a complete dork)

i also learned that Tedd Roosevelt was the first president to travel outside of the US in 1906 and that November is the best month to cut wood.

Now, you can all sleep peacefully tonight  and dream of large nut piles.

Oh and if you too want to be as well informed as I am,  go HERE.
I should add that their webcams are a bit disappointing…one is dark (assuming it is night) and the other is wet and dark ( my windshield perhaps?)

What are the candidates eating? Tuesday, October 7, 2008

I just read in Edible magazine that John Adams, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt all planted victory gardens on the White House Lawn! Honestly with all the mumbo-jumbo we are fed on a daily basis about our future presidential options, I think a decision based on this has just about as much merit and credibility and anything else that dribbles out of the media’s gaping craw. Dont you? Grow some carrots and shut up already.

Just Get Up and Dance Friday, September 12, 2008

At first i thought this was charming and sweet but then as i watched it i got goosebumps. I think it is a mix between jealousy and admiration. SO FUN!

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080722.html 

Raindrops on Roses and Warm Woolen Mittens Thursday, July 31, 2008

I got into work early this morning…like 25 minutes early! This is monumental for me considering I balance that scale out by arriving 25 minutes late most other mornings. I waltzed into the office waiting to see my boss’s eyeballs fall out and he isnt even here! and now it is my usual arrival time and he still isnt here…in fact no one is here. hmmm am i supposed to be somewhere for a meeting? damnit!

well since no one is here and it relatively quiet, i am going to write about a blog entery i read from my friend Sami this morning. She is a fabulous writer by the way and well worth a second cup of coffee in the morning.

She wrote about what makes her happy. Seriously how often does one sit down and write out a list of things that makes one happy?? Of course i immediately start singing the song from the Sounds of Music and have visions of that HUGE mushy bed Maria gets to sleep in and the big storm outside and all the big and little critters nestled under her covers while she sings of her favorite things…yeah, you know what i am talking about. how could i not do it too. What i think would be most fun is to do this once a year and see how many things change. i could make a whole list solely based on food too

• my garden humming with fat bumble bees
• Gladys jumping straight up to eat blueberries from my hand
• going to bed on friday night and not setting the alarm
• buying gossip magazines for a day by the pool
• mr big snoring
• the perfect bite
• getting a free copy of the paper on my doorstep (especially on a sunday morning)
• coffee with cream
• a letter in the mail
• gatherings with good friends
• paying my bills and having money left over for a treat
• a good haircut
• planning a trip
• live music
• a clean house
• planning how to spend my tax returns
• catalogs
• fall mornings
• campfires

OK this list could go on and on and on! GEEZE Sami, how do you know when to stop???

I am signing out before i get caught up in a day of favorite things. oh, and it is now 9am and still no boss…you would think it was his birthday or something

Pugs like Costumes Monday, July 28, 2008

…So i have heard and read from every possible resource. I, being the happy owner of a dear little pug, refused to dress Mr Big up in anything. I hoped it would release me from the weirdos i had met with pugs in the past.

So while i was sitting in my car one warm saturday morning waiting on a friend, i noticed this little gem left in my car by my friend’s son and i was bored. I have to admit, the pug likes his costumes. He barely moved, fearing it would fall off….or he thought a huge bird had landed on his head and would eat his eyeballs if he moved. He was also hot and might not have noticed it was even there. Whatever the reason, i wont do it again so here you go

Mr Big and His Big Bird Hat

 

A Sense of Place Thursday, July 24, 2008

home

 

When i recently returned from my trip, it took me awhile to readjust to the daily routines i had left behind. It seemed the typical pattern upon my return home  always included some horrible cold or sinus infection that forced me to sleep and re-coop for at least a week. Well this time, i refused to get sick and took lots of bee propolis to help my immune system along. In exchange for good health, I became a complete hermit crab. I didn’t want to leave my house. I spent days basking in the sunshine in my jammies, rooting around in the garden in my jammies and poking around the house in you guessed it, my jammies. I would talk on the phone to all the people i love but dodged reasons to leave the comfort of my cocoon. Now dont get me wrong, i was really excited to see everyone and find out what everyone had been up to and tell travel stories and just enjoy my friends again. But not yet. It took me about 2 weeks to come out of my little pod and release myself upon the world again.

The weird thing is, I am not an anti-social person at all. I LOVE being with my friends as much as being home. But it was a little disarming to just not want to re-enter the world again. I would periodically  think there was something wrong with me. I think the pets loved me being home after such a long absence but i was a little surprised at my complete lack of interest in “anything outside the green bean”. Hind-site being the greatest gift of all has now allowed me to appreciate my little retreat and I totally look forward to its return someday. I discovered it was all part of the process. I was being gentle with myself and my old routines. This had been something forced upon me by my traveling colds. So what broke me out?
Our local farmer’s market!

On my first Saturday morning home, it was a gorgeous out! The early hours (thanks to harriet) were crisp and sunny. I put on my white cotton sundress, a pair of cute flip flops and my Audrey Hepburn glasses and headed downtown to the farmer’s market. I had a total of $27 to spend and a hankering for fava beans. As soon as i turned the corner to the market, i giggled with glee. Our market was in full glory a good 30 minutes before the bell rang. I got myself a strong cup of coffee and began to wander through the stalls mentally checking off all the goodies I would pick up. I found my fava beans and apricots for $1 a lb! shallots and my favorite goat cheese covered in fresh chantrelles and garlic. YUM! (side note: this cheese with arugula and my walnut oil is all i need((ever))

After my purchases i used my last couple dollars to pick up a Pinestate buttermilk biscuit with fresh butter and whipped honey on top. I went to find a place to sit down and ended up front and center for the rogue river string band.  They were just fantastic and it occurred to me that this is our music and it was good to be home! I really love Bluegrass and it makes me think of my roots and my family and all the pictures i have of them with mandolins and pianos and guitars and instruments i cant even identify anymore.

This day  encompassed everything I love about living here in Oregon. I have such a pride for this place and the people who also call it home. Just like that, snap, i was back and wtih a huge grin on my face…and a lot of honey butter. I raced home to bake an apricot pie for the BBQ i would go to and cook up some fava beans. (recipe at the bottom if you want it)

Here are some pictures of the incredible markets i visited in France…no bluegrass though! too bad for them!

Slab of meat anyone?

  
San Tropez Market

 
Sarlat Market

 

Aix en Provence Market

 
 
Sarlat Market

 

 

 

Let the Sun Shine In! Wednesday, May 7, 2008

 I have lived in the green bean for 4.5 years now and i have loved pretty much everything about my little house except for one thing, my bedroom. I am a slut for sunlight and i need windows and sunlight and perhaps a pretty view. My bedroom was cozy, basically becuase it had one window that faced out to a covered patio…it made me feel like i lived in a trailer and was looking out at my trailer awning. I hated it. I even moved my bed so i didnt have to look up at the awning when i woke up. It was cozy because i kept my curtains drawn.

That being said, I decided to do something about it instead of yabber about it another year. I had a huge hole punched out of my wall and had a lovely window installed. It looks right out to the garden! This is how i discovered that i had a Robin living outside my window, MY NEW WINDOW.

Now my room looks so much bigger and when the sun is streaming in and the breeze is blowing my curtains about, i feel like i am in a Jane Austin book., complete with cozy kitty.