tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76489546331239034862012-02-06T12:09:22.715-05:00A blog about my adventures in cooking, living, gardening, crafting, laughing, sewing, knitting, playing, reading, loving, baking, learning.C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.comBlogger1091100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-41694279892066198242012-02-06T12:09:00.001-05:002012-02-06T12:09:22.722-05:00

I've decided that my 2012 theme word is going to be "adventure". It's trending that way already, in both good and occasionally trying ways. I've taken 4 plane trips in January, two for fun and two for work. Through some awesome Groupon discounts and my own sense of adventure I've signed up to try belly-dancing, pottery making (in a couple of months), glass bead making (late February), and

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-59729247057197116052012-01-25T23:37:00.002-05:002012-01-28T11:16:05.932-05:00

I'd been curious about the book The Happiness Project whenever I saw it on bookstore shelves, and when my sister commented on it and posted about it, my interest was piqued enough that I picked up a copy on one of my recent trips.  I finally just turned the last page on a (yet another) flight this afternoon.  There was a lot there that I want to absorb, enough so that I think I'd like to re-read

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-83925012935841455632012-01-25T14:48:00.004-05:002012-01-25T23:29:27.213-05:00

So, in 2011 I adopted the idea to have a "theme word" or key concept for each year.  I had a lot on my agenda, I wanted to do and be so much and so many things, and as I thought on it, the word that came to me was "Power*Full".  I achieved all I set out to do in 2011, sometimes in ways that were surprisingly challenging and allowed forced allowed me to grow. I've been thinking a lot, an

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-28556282941522331022012-01-17T16:35:00.001-05:002012-01-25T23:29:45.092-05:00

My company is a big advocate of the Gallup Strengthsfinder, and the more I have the opportunity to observe myself and others, the more I am a believer in the truth and value of the assessment also.  My top 5 strengths (in order) are:  Relator, Restorative, Achiever, Harmony, Intellection. My next strengths (in order) are: Analytical Deliberative Arranger Input Self-Assurance Command

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-165055573649733502012-01-12T23:28:00.001-05:002012-01-12T23:28:19.156-05:00

See the Northern Lights Ride in a Hot Air Balloon Participate in Octoberfest in Munich See Yo-Yo Ma in concert Visit Monument Valley in Utah See the pyramids Visit Australia or New Zealand This is just the stuff off the top of my head.  In looking at other people's ideas for their bucket list, I realized I've done a bunch of cool stuff already and count myself pretty darn lucky. What's on

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-20294997799630068762012-01-11T00:48:00.001-05:002012-01-11T10:02:54.457-05:00

I found this quote today, and it speaks so much to thoughts that have been on my mind lately. “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-25685731150958438442011-12-25T19:33:00.004-05:002011-12-25T19:34:03.262-05:00

I decided to make Banana Upside Down Muffins (recipe here) for a late afternoon Christmas snack.  They came out pretty tasty.  I sort of wish I would have cooked the topping a bit more, and also that my bananas were more toward overripe than under.  But, all in all pretty darn good.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-45440525404059899052011-12-17T20:02:00.005-05:002011-12-17T20:03:48.691-05:00

This is a wallet I made for a "scrap happy" swap.  The outside is scrap fabrics sewn together, and inside are bigger pieces of the fabrics to make a zip pouch, cash pocket, and credit card pockets.  This was a ton of work (and re-work) as I tried to figure out the assembly just from looking at pictures.  The pictures I took myself were sort of blurry, so I'm using the ones my partner posted

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-9997657929246081782011-12-17T18:12:00.004-05:002011-12-17T18:14:03.833-05:00

A Prayer for the World Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges,the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations.Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect.Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows.Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken.Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly,So that we can see beyond

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-12490139271350433882011-12-09T08:07:00.001-05:002011-12-09T08:24:30.472-05:00

I have a confession to make.  I am not a 'real' Hokie.  And by that I mean, I have not attended Virginia Polytechnic University in Blacksburg, Virginia.  My love for this school and this town formed when I adopted them both as my own.  First the school, when I married a Hokie in 2002 (John Baute, class of '94), and then the town, when I moved to Blacksburg in 2008.  I am confident that I could

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-26711893100844262102011-11-26T09:18:00.001-05:002011-11-26T09:30:55.153-05:00

I realized that I haven't been posting anything that shows the crafting I've been doing, and wanted to give an update.  The shot above is a super easy and quick Halloween apron I made for a swap.  I used this tutorial. Next up are a couple of Monsters with mouths made from the pattern here.  My partner is a huge Star Wars fan, so I made Yoda and an Ewok. For an earlier 'Monster' swap

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-75525850331326045962011-11-23T14:51:00.001-05:002011-11-23T15:51:29.748-05:00

My dear friend Lisa shared this with me, and I think it is just beautiful and wanted to share it with you (and save it for myself for later). Listening to Autumn Autumn is slipping through summer’s branches                 and I am listening. I am listening to the dying                 flowing forth from autumn’s being. I am listening to the life                 hidden in the dying.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-134024497308734932011-11-18T08:54:00.001-05:002011-11-18T09:34:25.404-05:00

Ok, I am way behind! I am going to skip any forced date associations and just list some stuff that I've been thank*full for lately. - Hokie Football, Logan Thomas and the whole amazing team - Seeing family and friends that we haven't seen in a long time (Dad Baute, our marvelous friends Teague and Crystal) - The Master Gardener program, and the Junior Master Gardener program which I was lucky

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-77633941592931375872011-11-14T09:09:00.001-05:002011-11-18T09:34:06.038-05:00

November 8 Aren't we all so blessed to have such great technology?  I mean, think about how far we've come.  I posted something the other day remembering back to typing on carbon copies on a typewriter.  What a miserable experience that was...  Each typo there in triplicate forevermore.  I spend hours each day staring at a computer - a mixed blessing, maybe, but I think a blessing nonetheless. 

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-88799712320466173612011-11-09T09:39:00.001-05:002011-11-14T09:08:56.526-05:00

November 7 I would like to give thanks for an awesome community of coworkers, an awesome job and a phenomenal company.  I got together over lunch with some of my coworkers today to do NaNoWriMo sprints (where one person provides a prompt and everyone writes), and I was able to get another 1000 words closer to my goal as a result.  The people I am surrounded by care about each other, and I have

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-71565157198143563412011-11-07T18:37:00.000-05:002011-11-07T18:45:51.698-05:00

I could proceed to run down what feels like an obligatory list of extended relatives, friends, and loved ones, but I am not going to do that. This is about the things I am truly grateful for as they occur to me, or whatever makes the biggest impact of a particular day. If you want a shout out, feel free to try to make my day. :) A few more days' catch up: November 4th   I have to give

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-11889097282750743612011-11-04T10:35:00.003-04:002011-11-04T10:39:23.757-04:00

Word count, per MS Word, as of yesterday (11/03/11): 3,119Only 46,881 words to go.Did I mention I'm traveling to Atlanta this weekend (14 hours of driving)? And I have a lot to do tonight to get ready for my quick trip.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-60106527616486728572011-11-03T23:23:00.005-04:002011-11-03T23:35:42.698-04:00

I am totally stealing this idea from someone else - listing something you are thankful for each day in the month of November. I need to catch up, so today will be THREE things I am thankful for.For November 1, I would like to start out with saying I am thankful to have gotten so close to my Dad, and that his battle with Multiple Myeloma seems to be going well. I have come to truly appreciate

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-75174356506730120402011-11-03T20:54:00.003-04:002011-11-03T21:13:40.905-04:00

Ok, so it is November, and the annual occasion of "NaNoWriMo," a.k.a. National Novel Writing Month. During the month of November, writers around the world sign up for NaNoWriMo and try to write 50,000 words before the end of the month.I recently joined a group on our internal Chatter site (like Facebook, but internal to my company) for Writers and some of the folks there were talking about doing

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-79840341228872669282011-10-26T20:41:00.004-04:002011-10-26T20:45:57.266-04:00

I realized I was looking for "one" place to post some crafting updates, and none of the first places that came to mind 'worked' for what I was looking for (Facebook, G+, Twitter...). Then I remembered my BLOG! Perfect!Just a little crafting update, I've been doing a lot more lately and I've not posted anything up here.We'll start with Halloween, an 'upcycled' cameo that I found on sale for

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-13368031935175687392011-09-15T09:22:00.002-04:002011-09-15T09:25:07.519-04:00

So I will post here until I can find it!Planted today in the left side beds:Bed 1 (closest to house): Hardneck Garlic "Music"Beds 2 & 3: Hardneck Garlic "Belarus"Bed 4: Softneck Garlic "Red Koch"All from Green Mountain Garlic.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-87438910471395984102011-09-13T00:25:00.005-04:002011-09-13T08:26:47.766-04:00

Interesting messages coming up in my life right now. I'm trying to learn (become?) the lesson of balance. A blog I read said "Balance isn’t steady-state. Balance is constant movement, constant change."; this rings so true to me.It reminded me of a time when I was very young. I was riding in the back seat of the car, and I had one of those replica toy dashboards, steering wheel and all, set

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-45120859020419880162011-08-13T00:32:00.003-04:002011-08-13T02:08:58.991-04:00

And, frankly, depressing. They lack the bitterness under the tongue of real life. As a youngster I was consumed by the romance of romance, stories of love and strife, painted with an extravagant wash of drama. In these tales the story was almost always this: the man would first battle his own nature and then, in the end, fight for the woman. A woman, I might mention, that is inevitably a

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-36034765441273047352011-08-07T08:56:00.005-04:002011-08-07T09:09:42.424-04:00

It's early; I am at the kitchen sink awaiting the final chorus of the coffee machine. In the corner of my eye I see what appears to be the tail end of a young black cat walking by against the sliding door of a house with no cats. As I turn to look she slips from view. I follow her onto the back porch (no cat in sight), and find a hummingbird sipping from the fire bush, flower after flower.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-69598288639317869872011-06-28T22:10:00.005-04:002011-06-28T23:47:58.864-04:00

On the plane, a tall, angular black woman makes her way down the aisle. Her knobbed elbows form a sharp bracket around her body. Two hats are stacked atop her dreadlocked hair, and small thick-framed glasses perch above a small gold nose ring. A loose scarf is wrapped around her shoulders. I imagine her to be a voodoo woman, and myself falling to my knees to beg her to help my father. She

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-44429392503076347172011-06-09T23:23:00.001-04:002011-06-09T23:23:38.987-04:00

I have tried to imagine a world in which I did not care and place myself in it...

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-6776232846736886132011-06-09T12:26:00.001-04:002011-06-09T12:27:25.800-04:00

My theme for 2011: powerful. I have come to see that this is not only owning (being responsible for) power I have, but also seeking and seizing (responsibly) all of the power that is available to me.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-11989917727240112512011-06-01T09:52:00.001-04:002011-06-01T09:53:37.694-04:00

I’m posting this to enter a contest offered by Dish Network at Aiming Low! I want to win the Google TV!

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-47900603067770497222011-05-26T12:30:00.009-04:002011-05-26T12:42:09.187-04:00

I've been in San Antonio, TX for business this week. It's a happy coincidence that my company's headquarters are in SAT, as are my father and my sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews.I went to dinner with Dad, Sis, and stepmom last night - what a great evening. We started talking about family and history, and sis and I were asking Dad about growing up during the depression. His father (

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-54880257787294802382011-05-02T20:22:00.008-04:002011-05-02T20:38:53.866-04:00

I'd planned on making a stir fry for dinner but realized when I got home that I'd forgotten to get tofu, so that got scratched. Instead I threw together a super easy enchilada casserole. I wasn't planning to do a Meatless Monday post going in, so there's no photographic evidence, but here's a quick recap. You could probably just use whatever taco-like ingredients you have on hand and be

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-39843926791348908772011-05-01T13:26:00.006-04:002011-05-01T13:45:07.562-04:00

We got to fully open and examine the hives for the first time yesterday since we installed the bees. We were able to check and make sure that the queen had been released a few days ago, but today was the first real look to see what was going on, removing each of the frames in our 8-frame deep boxes.Hive # 1 (the westerly hive, to your left looking up the hill) has seemed much weaker than the

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-39374386028991694542011-04-24T12:06:00.001-04:002011-04-24T12:08:01.288-04:00

Went on a quick morel hunt this morning with a small amount of success...!

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-20360678640256279892011-04-23T15:58:00.004-04:002011-04-24T11:00:52.423-04:00

I went on a wildflower walk this morning with Dr. Holly Scoggins. It was offered through the fantastic local Hahn Horticulture Garden, where I've been spending a lot of time lately in pursuit of my Master Gardener certification.It was a wonderful walk through a secluded and little-known area protected by the Nature Conservancy. I took a lot of pictures and did my best to capture all of the

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-76397003061340987192011-04-22T08:15:00.008-04:002011-04-22T09:08:18.607-04:00

Finally got a few minutes to edit down the video of our bee installation (on YouTube) and wanted to share. It's still a bit long (just a hair under 8 minutes), but you get to see us bumble around (ha! get it? bumble?) first and then install the bees for both hives. Enjoy!Update: Although the info I saw from YouTube said that the video would be available in the US, it appears some folks have

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-68750156863655060592011-04-17T19:49:00.009-04:002011-04-18T20:02:13.533-04:00

I posted recently about garlic spray, which can be used to control pests as well as disease such as late blight. One pest that I am in search of a good solution for is the tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata).Tomato hornworms are closely related to (and sometimes confused with) the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta).One natural control for these pests is the Braconid Wasp, which lays its

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-13183560468580041412011-04-17T14:18:00.020-04:002011-04-18T12:37:36.867-04:00

Great weekend working outdoors. I love it! Yesterday was insane weather; we started out with severe thunderstorms in the morning, which blew through by early afternoon and were followed by sun and crazy wind gusts to 30+ knots.The apiary (thankfully still empty at this time) blew over, which sent John and I out in search of wind break plants to put nearby, and straps to strap down the apiary

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-69474153570578585092011-04-12T22:17:00.006-04:002011-04-12T22:51:31.797-04:00

Finally some of the long-awaited pictures! This post will be brief in words, but will give you a better visual on what's going on around the old humble homestead.Charles and the (empty until next Tuesday) apiary, by our back fence:Looking back at the house (that's John on the back deck way down there, between the windows and the double doors; our six raised garden beds are to the right):Tiny

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-51310979284382561552011-04-09T12:54:00.008-04:002011-04-11T10:06:41.463-04:00

Time is flying by. I can't believe it is already APRIL! And, with this week (5 weeks before our last frost date (I err 1 week toward the more conservative end of the last frost date window), it is time to plant out the leeks and cabbage that I started from seed back on March 6.There is something that seems to happen to me every time, maybe you can help me with a suggestion on how to avoid this.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-58446019240347608512011-04-06T20:16:00.008-04:002011-04-09T12:49:51.675-04:00

(I drafted this a couple of days ago, decided to wait to post it until I had the pics uploaded - here you go!)Just finished assembling this recipe; it's in the oven for the final cooking step now. I didn't take any step-by-step shots, but I'll try to get a good shot once it comes out of the oven, and once we get some out to eat...A *lot* of prep work involved in this one! The cooking itself

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-27502467539656831802011-04-05T23:23:00.029-04:002011-04-06T00:30:37.271-04:00

We went to the VA Tech apiary on Sunday. We had our final beekeeping class for most of the day Saturday, but it was too cold to open up hives (sleeting, snowing, high in the 40's), so they rescheduled for Sunday afternoon - which wound up being perfect and gorgeous, around 70+ degrees (welcome to Blacksburg!).We spent Sunday morning staining our brand-new hives here at home (pics later) and then

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-312660286035445422011-03-29T17:20:00.006-04:002011-03-30T13:01:23.804-04:00

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” - YodaSo there's a whole 'nother post that I'll work on about Yoda's belief system and how it reflects other religions near and dear to my heart. It's becoming more and more obvious to me that the source of most things hurtful is fear. I tap in to a bunch of resources about this - fear.less

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-89967118763252556782011-03-26T21:55:00.001-04:002011-03-26T21:57:29.543-04:00

Isn't he adorable?

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-55792206416482857162011-03-21T20:06:00.005-04:002011-03-21T21:12:12.993-04:00

Well, the seeds are sprouting beautifully. Everything sprouted except the Tropeana Round Onions, and I'm betting that's because those seeds were 2 years old (I just threw them in to fill up the last 6 grow pellets in the mini-greenhouse). Never fear, however, those grow pellets did not go to waste. I had a few extra leeks and one cayenne pepper that were thinned which got moved over to the

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-29613400840566469142011-03-20T14:53:00.008-04:002011-03-21T08:28:53.097-04:00

Driving gives me the opportunity to do something I love doing: listening to NPR and the BBC on my Sirius satellite radio. They have got such great, thought-provoking shows! Today I listened to BBC's The Forum, which featured a discussion about "Hypocrisy, multiverses and artificial leather: mind-stretching thoughts about life." The show touched on something I think about a lot... Our

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-51271124957203479852011-03-18T21:41:00.008-04:002011-03-19T08:59:55.475-04:00

Let me start by saying, YUM! I've tried making homemade granola before without much luck. Seems like the stuff always gets burned before the recommended cook time is up or something else goes wrong. I saw a picture on Inspired Chunky Mama's blog recently of a granola bar recipe she'd made, and it got me started thinking about trying the homemade granola bar again. I'm not much of a breakfast

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-11417899643095973822011-03-15T23:29:00.009-04:002011-03-15T23:42:36.199-04:00

First: drawing updates. On day 3 I discovered the eraser, and it was good. Also, in case you were wondering, I never intend to draw eggs.Day 2:Day 3:I had to adjust the "shadows" quite a bit to get all the pencil to show up under the flash, so this isn't quite so dark in person. Also, those white lines in the shadows of the bottom image are some kind of phantom from the flash, quite possibly

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-39788874945151447912011-03-13T19:19:00.007-04:002011-03-13T19:56:54.949-04:00

Today I made a new entree that I've never tried before; rockfish. I wanted to try making one of the less common varieties of fish and see if I could turn it into something good. No salmon, tuna, or swordfish for me. I was ready to go for "striped bass," which was supposed to be available at a great price at the Gourmet Pantry this week, but when that fell through John offered to check in at

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-47465950062649121052011-03-13T15:18:00.010-04:002011-03-13T15:49:02.961-04:00

I am interested in starting a nature journal, so that I can draw and document some of the natural world around me as I hike, garden, or generally just appreciate my surroundings. I'm inspired by Marion Roach's The Naturalist's Datebook excerpts that I catch periodically on Martha Stewart Living Radio on my Sirius satellite radio.Toward that end, I picked up a book called You Can Draw in 30

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-5868857019717492782011-03-12T10:04:00.014-05:002011-03-13T15:42:32.074-04:00

Well, I've tried this twice now. I'm following the directions for Neufchatel that you can find here. It's a great, super detailed site with a lot of information. The only downside is that this guy is using his own fresh goat's milk, and I suspect that simplifies the process somewhat!Cheese making, episode 1: The Phantom Break*I was so excited. I'd followed all the steps, and it was the

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-90996762568444452102011-03-09T20:23:00.002-05:002011-03-09T20:32:59.512-05:00

The cabbage and come of the collards are up (they were really close yesterday, and today they have leaves!). Some of the leeks are about to pop. Nothing much out of the peppers (it may not be warm enough for them in our ~68 degree house). I love watching this spring miracle.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-85952661983649195652011-03-06T22:35:00.005-05:002011-03-06T22:49:18.671-05:00

Well, we're finally at that point in the year that we can start GARDENING! At least, start growing seeds indoors. One of my favorite resources for this is courtesy of Little House in the Suburbs, it is their Spring Garden Planner. It says 2009 but will work for any year since you fill in the dates inside yourself. It has very helpful info about what to start indoors at various points, and

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-39146930220897692182011-02-02T23:54:00.005-05:002011-02-03T13:03:03.639-05:00

I've got chaos on the brain. Thinking about midsummer and the cusp between perfect verdant, beautiful, restrained growth and wild, dangerous, savage tangled overgrowth. Thinking about concepts of fairies and brownies and Pan and Puck... Wild things on the edges. Things that seem innocent and sweet, and then, when the light is right (wrong?) fall under a darker shadow of mischief, toward

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-21555030149838135462011-02-02T21:31:00.007-05:002011-02-03T13:03:50.220-05:00

Here's another one I've been holding on to for a week or so... I'm tired of waiting for it to fully bake, I'm going to start this one off and come back to it later as I may have more to say.I posted this much in a comment on my sister's blog, and maybe it is enough: I am finally relaxing into my life. And today, a beautiful day, as I was driving toward a graveyard and thinking about death, I

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-42528784889840497612011-02-02T21:21:00.006-05:002011-02-03T13:04:17.224-05:00

Life isn't perfect, and neither am I! I have this voice in my head saying I should wait to write this until I have a perfectly composed post, organized thoughts, meaningful and specific things to say. I've waited for that day before and I find that it never comes... Instead the doubt and judgment manifest themselves as long absences from being present and sharing the jumbled mess that I

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-11245262662629691062011-01-30T19:40:00.007-05:002011-02-03T13:05:54.616-05:00

So much going on lately!! I know, I know, I haven't posted in forever.John and I went to a beekeeping class yesterday, and today I ordered two packages of bees...! They should be here around the beginning of May. We still need to put our order in for the hives, but we have a bit of time on getting all that together (albeit not too much). We have a fairly large back yard, and are going to set

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-48508254887180176062011-01-06T21:39:00.008-05:002011-01-06T21:59:47.586-05:00

I've looked at Craftster a lot in the past, but never really took the time to become an active participant on the site. I was searching for crafts online and came across a bunch of CRAFTY SWAPS happening, and I got so excited to participate that I finally decided to sign up! And then (insert dramatic "Dun dun DUN..." here), I found out that you have to do 10 posts before they'll allow you to

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-82101238741126054702010-04-26T20:12:00.005-04:002011-02-03T00:18:32.515-05:00

The voices in my head are constant. It's the voice my mother passed on to me. I remember getting out the ironing board, ironing for the first time on my own. I was so proud of myself, thinking I was doing a good thing, doing it on my own. Then, my mother. "You're doing it wrong." Offering to help cook, in the kitchen chopping vegetables. "Oh! You are SO SLOW! Give me the knife." And on,

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-2767303899334351482010-03-01T07:43:00.001-05:002010-03-01T07:44:02.699-05:00

So, I know I've been MIA in the Meatless Monday world lately. When it is so wicked cold and windy outside, I just want to come in and hibernate!! I've been taking the "easy out" strategy - making a huge vat of soup on Sunday that we can then live on all week. John doesn't seem to mind (too much), and the soups are pretty tasty. This is one of the few "just go and make something, no recipe

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-39518006830706590752010-02-27T11:00:00.000-05:002010-02-27T11:43:16.206-05:00

Ten of my favorite foods:1. Salmon (so good, cedar-plank smoked, yum!)2. Basmati Rice3. Cheese (pretty much any kind)4. Pickles5. Eggs6. Spinach7. Chard8. Frank's Red Hot Buffalo sauce9. Tofu10. Bac'O's (they're a soy product!!)

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-41210557557316111472010-02-09T20:30:00.014-05:002010-02-27T12:02:58.000-05:00

This winter has been crazy here in Blacksburg, VA. This video (taken earlier today) pretty much summarizes most of what I am going to remember about December 2009 through March 2010: Charlie LOVES the snow. He'll just go out and sit in it until I call him in (usually he'll even wait until I offer the anticipated 'cookie' bribe).

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-20263603430047723822010-01-23T08:59:00.011-05:002010-01-23T09:17:45.591-05:00

So, a quick update on the meal planning I started earlier this year. It started out great - I planned out my recipes and shopped for the week's ingredients. I carefully and dutifully prepared the first two meals. Then something unexpected happened: we went out to eat. The ingredients I'd planned to use for the meal that night needed to be used: my first recipe shuffle. I visited the

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-62025761796114613522010-01-23T08:34:00.004-05:002010-02-27T11:58:50.326-05:00

1. Dancing2. Roller skating3. Hiking4. Skiing5. Walking6. Yoga7. Kayaking (nothing fancy, just the sit-atop type)8. Whitewater rafting9. Biking10. (you know)

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-32060216959443045522010-01-19T20:52:00.010-05:002010-01-20T08:00:22.242-05:00

As promised, the fantastic Pad Thai Recipe!! Adapted from this recipe on About.com.Pad ThaiIngredients:8 oz. Pad Thai rice noodles (thin, flat linguini-like noodles)(Like these) 2 eggs4 cloves garlic, minced1/4 cup purple onion, finely chopped3-4 "heads" of baby bok choy, roughly chopped 1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts2 green onions, sliced1/3 cup fresh cilantro1/4 cup ground (or well-chopped)

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-87604774934409583672010-01-07T20:18:00.009-05:002010-02-27T11:58:34.792-05:00

This is one of my favorite meals so far. It is super easy and one that can be done with mostly pantry items. If you keep a reasonably stocked kitchen, the only things you should need to pick up are corn tortillas and cilantro, and probably some salsa because this recipe calls for quite a bit of it. If you wanted to make it super easy, keep some corn tortillas in the freezer to have on hand

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-1240429822090903642010-01-04T20:59:00.002-05:002010-01-04T21:03:34.921-05:00

"There was a story that was widely circulated a few days after the attacks of September 11, 2001, that illustrates our dilemma. A Native American grandfather was speaking to his grandson about violence and cruelty in the world and how it comes about. He said it was as if two wolves were fighting in his heart. One wolf was vengeful and angry, and the other wolf was understanding and kind. The

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-88736180237897478262010-01-03T20:00:00.011-05:002010-01-04T23:06:27.863-05:00

I've decided to start off January by getting organized and putting together a 1 month meal plan. I was inspired by Simple Mom's menu planning guide, which I stumbled upon in a round-a-bout way by starting with her 20 Questions for a New Year’s Eve Reflection download, finding her grocery list download, and then backtracking to the menu planning info.The system is pretty easy, because you

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-34104015964645471202009-12-31T09:55:00.012-05:002010-02-27T11:41:33.671-05:00

Here is a list of some beers I like, as much for my own future reference as anything... I'll add to it as I think of more!Summer beers:Drinkable:Abita - Purple HazeBlue Moon - Belgian WhiteDelightful:Julius Echter - Hefe WeissbierLeinenkugel - Sunset WheatSweetwater - BlueWinter beers:Drinkable:Lion - Lion StoutLeft Hand - Black Jack PorterClipper City - Heavy Seas Peg Leg StoutDelightful:

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-68930909143502078302009-12-29T21:28:00.025-05:002009-12-29T22:10:13.401-05:00

Anyone will tell you, I've always been a fan of Growing Your Own. Why spend your hard-earned money on expensive imported stuff that's traveled hundreds of miles, when you can grow it yourself, in your very own house?We're here today to talk about growing your own... live veggie sprouts! Hahaha!!!If you've ever had a sandwich or a salad topped with raw spinach or broccoli sprouts, you know what

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-11254415530919367292009-12-28T21:16:00.006-05:002010-02-27T12:02:37.020-05:00

Posted a few pics from the Christmas trip to DC here.We found a great flat in Dupont Circle via one of my favorite resources: the VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) site.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-29587453793367058102009-12-28T20:53:00.013-05:002009-12-29T22:03:24.779-05:00

First, a quick update on that onion tart. It was MAGNIFICENT! It froze, defrosted, and reheated marvelously. It tasted phenomenal. I really just can't say enough good things about it. I've been having leftovers every day for the last couple of days, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. That is how good this tart is. Go make it. Now.If you're still here, this next one is another fantastic

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-67694500147638093192009-12-21T19:50:00.017-05:002009-12-29T22:05:54.607-05:00

This is a recipe from the awesome book, Vegetarian Classics. In all honesty, I can't tell you how it tastes just yet, because I made it to travel... I want to be able to pack it up and eat it later. I'll post a follow up on how that works out (!). I can tell you that it was relatively easy and the finished product *smelled* fabulous!!Notes: I used my mandolin* to make my slices, and they

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-91897975730586478252009-12-20T17:30:00.008-05:002010-02-27T12:03:20.231-05:00

We got our second big snow of the year already - it started on Friday afternoon and kept going right on through the better part of Saturday, dumping about 14" here at my house. Charlie is a huge fan of the snowy weather and seems to want to stay out in it as long as we'll let him, and then some. It was sort of a mess - I had trouble getting home on Friday, and it took John 2 or 3 hours to get a

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-53753970391628830212009-12-09T13:48:00.006-05:002010-02-27T12:03:43.106-05:00

It's winter now. This morning the trees were sparkling silver with ice. It was like a dream.We have a new Welsh Terrier puppy, Charlie (that's him in the picture, along with our Mini Schnauzer Grace). He was born on August 28th and came home with us on November 8th. He is a rascal, but I'd expect nothing less.Life comes in ebbs and waves for me, times that I can't stop doing a certain thing (

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-4170224824005665032009-06-25T23:42:00.003-04:002010-02-27T11:59:50.089-05:00

Fireflies rise in the nightfrom verdant fields of greenlike slowly rising embers.Sparks from a dying fire...The field is ablazewith a June night's summer magic.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-86745019847671075172009-06-25T23:35:00.002-04:002009-06-25T23:41:21.735-04:00

This is a very meaningful quote for me. Its lessons are ones that challenge me. It is my struggle. It is my downfall. I include it here in hope that I will one day release myself.The ego is a monkey catapulting through the jungle:Totally fascinated by the realm of the senses, it swings from one desire to the next, one conflict to the next, one self-centered idea to the

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-55858522208418939872009-06-15T18:48:00.027-04:002009-06-16T18:28:14.039-04:00

Tonight's Meatless Monday recipe is...Super Easy Veggie EnchiladasThis is another one that you can keep virtually all of the ingredients in your pantry and freezer to have on hand for a quick meal.Ingredients:1 can Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes1 can whole kernel corn1 can large black olives1 can black beans (or pinto, or probably most any bean, except maybe those weirdly large butter beans..

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-6741123897615662252009-06-14T17:50:00.022-04:002010-02-27T11:59:27.572-05:00

John and I hit the Blacksburg Farmers' Market yesterday, as we are wont to do on a gorgeous Saturday morning. As summer is progressing, the selection just keeps getting better and better. We decided to pick up some of our standard appetizer fare, since one of John's college buddies + fiancee were coming into town.Our selection included a fantastic pesto bread, our favorite olive tapanade,

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-9311567333883427562009-06-11T21:05:00.004-04:002009-06-15T21:13:00.511-04:00

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-32138055729261270012009-06-08T23:20:00.032-04:002010-02-27T12:04:01.511-05:00

OK, so I have to admit that I don't have a recipe prepared for my Meatless Monday post today. I have an AWESOME recipe that involves portobello mushroom caps, goat cheese, a bit of balsamic vinegar and either pine nuts or walnuts, but I don't have pictures for that yet! So I'm doing a bit of a cheat to tide me over... Two posts in one, if you will. The portobello recipe is soon to follow.But

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-53855212645234227992009-06-07T00:33:00.008-04:002010-02-27T12:05:03.466-05:00

June 5th was one month.Still missing my little man.I always will.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-49681621820038809692009-06-06T23:58:00.008-04:002009-06-07T00:16:48.332-04:00

So here are a few updated pics of the garden, including one showing all six beds that we finally got finished up with about a month ago, thanks to John's dad who was in town visiting and helped wrap up the last two. The first pic below shows the bed with various leaf lettuces, including Forellenschluss, Merveille des Quatre Saisons, Val D'Orges, Rocky Top Lettuce Salad Mix, and European Mesclun

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-6899617317996469582009-06-06T23:08:00.010-04:002009-06-15T21:13:13.530-04:00

And, since I didn't do such a great job of showing the wild garlic in that last video, here's a picture of some I pulled up locally here in Blacksburg a few weeks ago.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-80818902249666419952009-06-03T22:24:00.009-04:002009-06-04T17:36:21.883-04:00

You may wonder why I close out or mention somewhere within all of my food recipes "It's delicious." Interesting thing, that. You see, once I had a phone conversation with Martha Stewart. Yes, THE Martha Stewart. Of course, due to my paranoid office mate Melissa, I was masquerading as "Melissa" at the time. Be that as it may, I did, in fact, speak with Martha.I had a two minute conversation

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-43035090016306313202009-06-02T18:59:00.001-04:002009-06-02T18:59:56.011-04:00

Success is not final,failure is not fatal:it is the courage to continue that counts.~Winston Churchill

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-81478074244891727062009-06-02T09:14:00.001-04:002009-06-02T09:15:25.037-04:00

OK, so I'm using this template and couldn't figure out how to get comments to work... But I finally figured it out and now they're working. Comment away!

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-89307575742241362542009-06-02T08:03:00.008-04:002009-06-07T00:27:17.329-04:00

1. In the bathroom, getting ready for work. Realize you need your prescription, which you picked up from the pharmacy yesterday. It's in your bag on the kitchen counter.2. Head to the kitchen and see the huge stack of dishes from the meal you cooked last night. Decide to unload the dishwasher, and reload and run it with all the new dishes.3. (10 minutes later) Return to the bathroom to

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-24414054262820340602009-06-01T22:26:00.028-04:002009-06-06T17:30:55.181-04:00

And now for something completely different...This one is straight out of one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks of all time, Veganomicon. I had to make a few adaptations based on what I had on hand, so we'll see what happens! Full disclosure, part 1: I'm making this at 10:30 at night and don't plan to eat it until tomorrow. Part 2? I've never made this recipe before! I'll post a follow up

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-54585679702718167012009-06-01T16:39:00.003-04:002010-02-27T12:00:10.578-05:00

"The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.Don't go back to sleep.You must ask for what you really want.Don't go back to sleep.People are going back and forth across the doorsillwhere the two worlds touch.The door is round and open.Don't go back to sleep."- Djalal ad-Din Rumi

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-78803267116711204472009-05-27T23:35:00.003-04:002009-06-02T09:17:26.024-04:00

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-28991278622225853542009-05-25T22:41:00.007-04:002009-05-26T16:39:36.959-04:00

These gorgeous roses are blooming all over the rose bush in my backyard... In spite of my poor care! Thanks to Robin and Malachi for this one..."When the night has been too lonely,and the road has been too long,and you think that love is onlyfor the lucky, and the strong...Just remember, in the winter, far beneath the bitter snowslies the seedthat with the sun's lovein the springbecomes the rose

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-2916481547924748612009-05-25T21:28:00.027-04:002009-06-02T09:16:20.264-04:00

OK, so I promise that curry is not all that I make. I do love it; it is easy!! I'll come up with something completely different for next week. This recipe is vegan, based on my best look at the ingredients lists. Of course, I threw in a bit of fish sauce that I had, which made it not even vegetarian, but that's optional!!Red Curry Tofu with Rice NoodlesIngredients:This is rough-ish. The

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-8108611515632309972009-05-22T00:04:00.010-04:002010-02-27T12:00:27.997-05:00

This is where I spent a good deal of time yesterday afternoon. On perfect days, I like to lay in the grass, looking up and just listening and absorbing the goodness... This was my view:Grace was a bit confused, but definitely wanted to be part of the action... and I would never deny her.

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-63368193664919446612009-05-21T19:32:00.003-04:002009-06-02T09:17:43.869-04:00

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-18000565757433185822009-05-18T20:48:00.012-04:002009-05-18T21:11:19.203-04:00

I'm going to start a new series called Meatless Monday, in honor of the campaign, and also because I am a semi-vegetarian. I say semi, because I now eat fish, and I also enjoy cheese and dairy products. Here we go...!Chickpea CurryThis is a super easy vegan recipe that you can whip up with pantry food on a moment's notice. John & I will often just eat this served over some Basmati rice (the

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-34546605494887576072009-05-17T21:01:00.006-04:002009-06-02T09:17:14.078-04:00

This has been a bit of a long time coming. I'll keep these coming more regularly going forward... I promise!

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-80514549700022897932009-05-17T20:30:00.011-04:002009-05-17T21:00:25.987-04:00

Saturday was a perfect weekend day for me. We started out our morning at the farmer's market and then headed out to Floyd. I bought the awesome hand crafted coffee mug shown below, we looked around a bit and hit my favorite store on the way back toward Blacksburg. We stopped in Christiansburg and picked up some gorgeous flowers for the front porch and mailbox and headed for home. I spent the

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-41308550379206978512009-05-16T23:23:00.001-04:002009-05-16T23:24:38.872-04:00

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." -Friederich Nietzsche

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-64176021153627436952009-05-11T19:41:00.001-04:002010-02-27T12:04:20.971-05:00

Murphy Baute01/04/2002 - 05/05/2009I am sorry for my silence; it is not without cause. Last week, my seven year old little boy died in my arms. There are some who will mock, diminish or disdain the love I have for Murphy. I ask those to please keep any such thoughts to yourself. I have no children. Murphy is my son.John took Murphy to the vet on Monday, one week ago today. Murphy had been

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-57938155844441241742009-05-01T21:08:00.002-04:002009-06-02T09:17:01.242-04:00

Here is my second update with another of my videos documenting my trip for the Wild Foods Weekend in North Carolina. I've uploaded the pics and you can take a look at them here. PS... I LOVE the still that the video elected to use for the opening screen. Awesome horse face I've got going on there. :)

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7648954633123903486.post-50904555611390699842009-05-01T17:50:00.000-04:002009-05-09T21:10:49.737-04:00

Interesting / gross development I found yesterday...I was out watering my gardens and noticed that along the side of one of the beds, the interior dirt was pulling back from the board. As I looked closer, I discovered that there was some of this nasty thing lovely gem growing down under the dirt, against the board, between the board and the main part of the bed.The pulled out version looks like

C-Rellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03694755106272319354noreply@blogger.com0