So, until then, I leave you with these funnies…

“Dude, what the heck are you wearing?”

“Really, is this embarrassment necessary?”

from xkcd

Kinda funny that after <many years>, the lesson about Schrodinger’s Cat is the one that sticks with me.  Loved it then … love it now.

Today, I am grateful that saying didn’t apply.

Today, I am thankful that we prevailed.

Tomorrow we’ll face the challenges still ahead and how to navigate this new terrain, but today, I am dancing on the inside.

source: abc.com

The big news – in case you couldn’t see – is that L caught her first fish. I’ve been dying to get her and S to the park to go fishing. She’s quite the fisher – this impatient child can actually concentrate on fishing longer than I can! For the past few months, all I’ve heard is “I just want to catch something.” I figured that if she was ever going to catch anything, S. could help her. We had originally planned on going the next day, but S unfortunately had to work, so we went after C’s party since L was going to spend the night anyway. That hubby of mine is a fishing genius – he picked the perfect spot for her; as soon as we put her line in the water, she started to get nibbles. and then her bobber went down – and it was on! We managed to keep the (baby) fish on the line and reel it in – no small feat. It’s a smidge bit complicated to pull up while reeling, but she did it. She couldn’t stop yelling – “I caught something, I caught something!” Luckily the fisherman around us, just laughed. Several came over to congratulate her. That was the only fish for the night, but she did also manage to snag a turtle – which I didn’t get a picture of. I think the turtle-catching was actually a bigger deal than the fish was.

So, now, we have a new word – turtle-ishing (fishing for turtles!)

In other news, I sewed this weekend – I know, gasp! I wanted to make a tote bag for C to go with the “Creative Family” book I got her. Mom loaned me an old machine – that I love precisely because it’s so old. I figure that I can’t mess it up too much – it’s obviously lived a lot! Anyway, a huge thanks to my Mom, who rescued the day by showing up early Sunday morning to help me figure out the whole threading thing. It turned out great – I even lined it, which really for me, is a huge step. It turned out really nice. S. even said that he thought his daughter would be “all over it” and I should make her one for her birthday. HUGE compliment, I tell ya. Normally, he just puts up with my crafting, but this one … well, it was really cool.

Then to top it off – I made another bag on Sunday – this time for me. It’s beautiful. Heck, I’m loving it so much that I may make everyone bags.

Nothing else too interesting going on – a birthday party for L on Thursday and then her birthday with her friends and a wedding to go to on Saturday. Thank goodness for Sundays!

Before I leave – here’s 2 of my favorite pictures from the weekend, ’cause who can resist these 2?

although she doesn’t look it, she was actually quite happy – i didn’t even have to bribe her to take her picture (really). love, love, love this face

how’s this for some cuteness? why is it that i only get this smile when he’s beating on me? LOL

1. 1137 Laurel, 2. Pomme de Granada, 3. Watering the Wall of Indifference, 4. Green and Yellow, 5. Mooouakkkk, 6. New Nikons, we approve, 7. The colors of Morocco, 8. apple crisp, 9. A Kiss For Teacher, 10. Prenent un Bany. Taking a Bath., 11. yodell ♫ lay-od-lay-od-lay-he-hoo, ♫ lay-od-lay-od-low yodellay, ♫ yodallay, yodal-low… ♫ and they fly low supreme! ♫ little egrets from bali- egretta garzetta ♫, 12. rabbit suit, hanging down…

here’s a fun little blog game:

• Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
• Using only the first page, pick an image.
• Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into mosaic maker.

The questions:

1. What is your first name? Laurel
2. What is your favorite food? anything with lentils
3. What high school did you go to? Blue Springs
4. What is your favorite color? Yellow Green
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Kevin Bacon
6. Favorite drink? Coffee
7. Dream vacation? Morocco (again)
8. Favorite dessert? Apple dumpling
9. What you want to be when you grow up? Teacher
10. What do you love most in life? Home
11. One Word to describe you. Questioning
12. Your flickr name. Laurel (I know – not original!)

So, much fun – try it out and post a comment, so I can see what you came up with!

If you read my blog, you’ll see that earlier this year, I signed up for the gocco swap offered by Sarah at cloth.paper.string. My mom and I first came across the Gocco too many years ago to remember. We took at class offered at our local Paper Source and instantly fell in love. And by instantly, I do mean instantly. So much so that immediately after the class we purchased said Gocco and then proceeded to Gocco almost everything we could think of. Bags for my mom’s business - check. Christmas Cards – check. Just because cards – check. We even almost did my wedding invitations on it – until I realized that I needed to use fairly small print and it wouldn’t print that well.

Eventually, it found its way up to the craft-storage-of-the-long-forgotten, which is otherwise known as the guest room. Like the velveteen rabbit, it languished there and if not forgotten at least not always remembered.

Skip to 1/13/2008. I had resolved just 13 days earlier to do more creative things. You see, I have a tendency to just think of creative things. I admire people who find time to create – people who move the thinking into action. That has been one of my biggest sticking points – how to find time to move from the idea stage to the action stage. Sure, I get to do some creative things at work. But really, let’s be honest – it’s work – no matter how fun it can be. Then I saw Sarah’s blog.

Oh, the plans that ran through my head. Let’s do something representing the budding trees that seemed at that point just around the corner. Then a cold snap came back and I thought I would add a bird looking up at the trees – waiting for spring and the foliage to arrive. Then while at work, parked under a tree … well, I think you can imagine what happened. And so I wasn’t so in love with birds any more and since every morning when I walked outside, I got to revisit the presents several had left (remember, it was a cold spell – so no car washes were running) and I didn’t think I would love birds for a while. Plus the original thought for the print wasn’t turning out well – splotchy lines, weird fading print.

Maybe my ink was old. No problem, I’d just buy some more.

While I was waiting for my new ink to arrive (Really, I would still be on time to mail them at this point.) I came across some of my pictures and my journal from Morocco. As I read this passage, an idea came:

“When I first found out that I was headed for Morocco in Africa, I had dreams of heat – deep, sweltering, dessert heat. I thought that I would miss the seasons of Colorado – the fall, the winter, the spring. Surely, I thought, I will be lucky if we go below 50 degrees. How can I, the person who hates summer solely because it’s so hot, possibly live in Morocco?

Well, let me tell you, I doubt I will long for winter ever again. Ait Hoediggen {edited to add: where I lived} in February is cold – bitingly cold. And by cold, I mean, here, you get to wake up to see that water you so carefully prepared the night before is frozen solid. Sitting in the house is unbearable, so you try to find tasks you can do outside in the sun, but really the only thing keeping you warm as you trundle through snow past your knees is the fact that you are carrying 40 litres of water up the hill from hell. Where else can you see your breath – in your house? The tiles that line your walls, in the summer offering such solace from the heat, suddenly become your enemy, radiating that cold throughout your room. I swear today I woke up to find the tiles with frozen with ice crystals. I crave central heat and warm showers…”

Oh, the tiles of Morocco – they were beautiful.

I know that the colors do not have much to do with mid-winter, but for me they are reminiscent of some of the colors of Morocco. Whenever I see that combination (this one is from Paper Source’s fantastic collection), I think of the Djemâa el Fna – the fresh squeezed orange juice, the colorful spices, and djellabah’s.

They’re not perfect. I’ve thought of things I would change on the design. But I like them. And only a week past the deadline, I finally got them in the mail. To all of my swap-mates, I apologize for being so late.

Now, I get to open all the one’s I received so far. Whoo Hoo! I just opened one (’cause I couldn’t resist after writing that!) and I have to say I’m more than a little intimidated. I hope everyone likes mine as much as I’m liking their’s.

Pictures coming soon …

But this week, I have been all about creating something – about pulling together food that not only looks good but tastes great. First, I was inspired by her to try to return to my vegetarian phase. (For those of you who don’t recognize her, she was my sitemate while in the Peace Corps and he was, well, if not a sitemate, an adopted one anyway.) Reading her entry brought back memories. I mean I used to love pulling together fresh ingredients and coming up with something totally amazing that I couldn’t wait to make again. After reading her entry, I thought I probably just needed some inspiration, so I was off to epicurious to see what I could find. I had really only 2 rules – that it be simple and quick. I just wanted to see what would inspire me… just to get my feet wet, you know?

I started with the lentil salad with tomato and dill. Let me tell you, freakin’ amazing. Then I found a recipe for lentils, butternut squash and walnuts. And because I simply could not just use a recipe as written, I kept the spirit of it, but ended up with something totally different, I’m sure. And let me tell you, I was a little bit concerned, but it ended up utterly amazing – if you like lentils and butternut squash, try it – I promise you’ll love it. Then I ran across this recipe for a Chickpea Salad from Orangette. Again, because well, I like to use what I have on hand, I ended up just using it as a jumping off point (although, I’m sure that this recipe as it stands is utterly amazing). And let me tell you, she’s right, there is something about the lemon juice that just brings out the flavor of the garbanzo beans and the tomatoes. (Orangette says it much better than I do.) I really wanted to lick the bowl out when I was done with it – I mean, I didn’t, but I really wanted to. I know that I am slightly biased, but seriously go out and buy yourself some lentils and chickpeas and make these two recipes.

Moroccan Lentils + Butternut Squash

1 small squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 c. raw lentils
although if I ever found canned lentils, I would certainly give them a go!

1 small red onion, diced

1 tbsp ras el hanout
I got mine from my sister for Christmas and I believe she got it from here. The smell brings back Morocco for me. Thanks C!

1/4 – 1/2 c. dried cranberries or sour cherries

Preheat your over to 450. In a shallow baking pan toss about 2 tsp olive oil with the squash until combined well. Bake squash in middle of oven until almost tender, 20 minutes. Then remove pan and add in your diced onion. Cook another 5-10 minutes until the mixture is tender (or in my case, caramelized).

While squash is baking, in a saucepan of boiling water cook lentils until just tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Drain lentils in a sieve and transfer to a bowl.

When the squash is done, add mixture to bowl. Add your ras el hanoot, cranberries and salt and pepper to taste.

That’s it. The cinnamon and cumin of the ras el hanout makes this dish simultaneously savory and sweet.

Garbanzo’s Salad

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 c cherry tomatoes

1/8 c feta cheese

olive oil, lemon juice, garlic salt + pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients – except the feta – into a bowl, stir to combine. Add feta and gently mix.

Then grab yourself some crusty, rustic bread and a spoon. It’s got the feel of a winter meal, but it also tastes like spring – probably the cherry tomatoes, huh?

Really, they’re good. I even think my husband might like them.

Give them a whirl and let me know what you think!

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