the ordinary everyday

last week was a long one.  and, it rained.  but this weekend there was a sunny view from my kitchen window, plants thriving on the sill, and something sweet cooking in the oven while i washed the dishes.

 

and while i readily admit that i am one of those "monica" types who actually enjoys most mundane housekeeping tasks...

(because, c'mon, isn't clean and organized pretty?)

...that doesn't mean i don't appreciate a little reward when i'm done.

happy valentine's day

here's to lots of flowers and candy, lovey dovies!

tgif: red

while i won't be visiting the eiffel tower this weekend, or eating lobstahs in boston, i will be giving some thought to a trip i am  planning for later this spring.  closer to home, there will be a visit to the farmers market, which is sure to inspire some serious cookbook perusal.

happy weekend!

sometimes, it's as easy as opening the paper

this recipe + just the right amount chocolate in the cupboard = a delicious excuse to break my 'no sugar' resolution.

stewed apples

so glad i had apples in the house while i was sick. 

peeled, chopped, and simmering in a pot with some cinnamon and tangerine rind...more or less inspired by this recipe.

so simple.  so good.  it was the perfect comfort food and just what i needed. 

sick day

i am sick this week -- scratchy throat, earache, sinus pressure -- so i don't feel up to doing anything.  though i did manage to take my christmas wreath off the front door.  finally.  yes, i'm aware that it's almost february, but i find the end of the holiday season a bit depressing, so i hang on.  this year, apparently, i hung on until this wreath became a desiccated relic of its former lush self.  still, i couldn't help but notice its pretty silvery green shades as i prepared it for its new place in the green rubbish bin.

i was exhausted, then.  so, i went inside, ate a banana, and took a nap.

you can't make this stuff up.

tgif: blue

...the blue waves of the pacific ocean

...blueberry muffins

...this blue blender for making (pink) shakes 

in other words, my plans for this weekend. 

love them little mousies

is there anything cuter than the marc jacobs mouse flat?  i'm trying to convince myself i don't need them.

aren't they sweet?  the sherpa-lined slippers are sleeping.  eyes closed, see?

oh, yeah.  i just love them mousies.

a nice pouilly-fuissé

recently, while trying to find french butter online, i came upon paris grocery in seattle.  i did find the butter, but the real discovery was this mention on their blog of a french white wine known as pouilly-fuissé.

image courtesy Paris Grocery Seattle

now, i don't know a lot about wine.  i mostly know that i like it.  and i know i prefer reds.  but at christmas my sister kc jokingly mentioned that she likes "a nice pouilly-fuissé" and it became a running joke throughout the holiday.  none of us knew much, if anything, about pouilly-fuissé, but that didn't stop us from repeatedly and enthusiastically declaring it our favorite wine of all!  (okay, maybe that was just me.)  so, when i saw the photo above and read the accompanying description of the 2008 albert bichot pouilly-fuissé as "zesty" with "notes of lemon and beeswax", i was curious.    

me, enjoying a red

i recently consulted my copy of oldman's guide to outsmarting wine and learned that pouilly-fuissé is a french white burgundy made from chardonnay grapes grown in the mâconnais, a sub-region of burgundy.  aha!  pouilly-fuissé is a french chardonnay!  for those of us more familiar with california wines that description is enormously helpful.  it also could have been the end of the story.  

me, again (there is a surprising/troubling number of photos like this)

as mentioned, i prefer reds.  i'm not a fan of chardonnay; it's too, well, much.  but, i kept reading, as i am wont to do.  and it turns out that where the typical california version has, as one chardonnay-loving friend puts it, an oaky-buttery quality, the french version has a "lean, clean, appley elegance".  and that sounds good to me.  pouilly-fuissé: light, crisp, refreshing!  and, possibly, a new favorite?  as soon as i make the right meal (something with shrimp, perhaps) and invite someone to share this bottle with me, i'll let you know.

p.s. to read a bit more about pouilly-fuissé, check out this interesting article.

christmas past

Christmas was wonderful and over much too quickly.  Here are some highlights...come on in!

 I drank lots of coffee from my favorite mug.

Arranged the crèche (even though I couldn't tell which one was Joseph).

Gazed at the Christmas tree, with its twinkly lights and favorite ornaments.

 I may have eaten my weight in these delicious cookies.

And got lots of puppy love!

in the pink

one of my favorite people in the world has a birthday soon, so i will be doing some shopping.  here are a few items in her favorite color that, i think, would make lovely gifts.

this sweet top

and this one, for when it's cold

for toasty toes

for a sunny windowsill

for cake!

for a daily (and pretty) reminder

so, birthday girl, see anything you like?

warm and pretty

store some stuff.

have a seat.

get cozy.

welcome november

pretty things in autumnal colors.

popsicles

It was hot here today.  At last.  Tonight when I got home I opened all the windows, turned on the fan, and thought to myself, finally, finally it feels like summertime.  And as I puttered around in my bare feet, watering my geraniums, and thinking vaguely about a dinner of corn on the cob, it hit me.  Popsicles.  That's what I wanted for dinner.  What could be more summery and refreshing?  Popsicles are grass-underfoot-running-through-the-sprinklers-cicadas-singing-in-the-trees perfect summer food.  And if it were not for the three hour freezing time and my rampant laziness, I would have run right to the kitchen to make these watermelon popsicles.  

In my defense, I didn't have all the ingredients.  Okay, I didn't have fresh mint (I'm working hard to justify my laziness here), but I'm sure the mint is essential to a recipe of only five ingredients.  Tonight I settled for a slice of watermelon.  It's supposed to be hot all week.  Tomorrow I buy mint.

someone's been eating my porridge

these bears might have to come live in my house.

from this lovely shop, which is having a summer sale!