30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 30

Day 30: A picture of someone you miss



I'm not choosing a person because I live about 3,000 miles away from my family and friends back "home". I miss them all! I also frequently am missing my hubby who is gone flying missions all over the world. The common denominator? A plane (in this picture it's a C-17 of course). I have to get on one to go see the people I miss, and one always seems to be taking J away from me!

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 29

Day 29: A picture that can always make you smile

I love baking, and this is one of my favorite recipes: honey wheat bread. I make this for no reason, but I also make it for special occasions and it reminds me of those times now. YUM

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 28

Day 28: A picture of something you're afraid of


Roller coasters ... horror! It combines many things I dislike: heights, being confined in a small space, not being in control. Unbelievably, I rode this one in the summer of 2008. Why or how I have no idea. I remember hating every second and barely being able to stand upon exiting the ride.

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 27

Day 27: A picture of yourself and a family member


I'm getting tired of pictures of me, so here's a shot from behind. With my brother.

Spring

It is a beautiful day in April. Yesterday was damp, chilly, and rainy. I think it may have been the last of our rain until winter. When the rain stops all the beautiful, lush green surrounding us will start to fade and die and we'll be left with a HOT and very brown summer. I'm still not sure about green winters and brown summers...

This is a shot from our backyard today. If you look hard you can see a palm tree.

 Despite acquiring a lawn mower, the grass still seems to be long more than it's short. The only reason it's green is because I've been watering it almost daily. We've also been having a lawn service some out to kill weeds and help boost the color and growth. When we moved in the back looked terrible! The previous family had a dog that dug, and never watered so it was all mostly dead. It's still not perfect, but it's way better.

 A few weeks ago the housing folks here on base gave away free flowers for us to use/plant! There are in the back patio. The "empty" pot has seeds in it ... wonder if they will actually grow?

 Can't take any credit, this was in the front of the house already, but it's pink and pretty.

 Would ya know, this is rosemary?! It has such pretty blue flowers. I've used the rosemary in the kitchen. Yum.

 These I did plant out front.

 Another potted flower and a cute welcome sign I unearthed in the garage a few weeks ago. The bee is especially appropriate because J's squadron here are the bee-liners.

 Our little tree out front. Most of our blooms are gone and the trees are full of leaves. But there are a few left on this little guy.

The plan today is to go pick up my Dad in Sacramento and then head home and grill! I've got ground sirloin for burgers, baked beans, and really, what else do you need to grill out? A nice bottle a cold wine...don't mind if we do. I love this weather! I loooooove having J around to share it.

"He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes." -Deuteronomy 10:21

"Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts" - 1 Chron. 16:9

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 26

Day 26: A picture of something that means a lot to you


I got my tea set when I turned 21. It's beautiful. I have acquired much of the china service that goes with it now and use it for holidays. It's special because of who it's from. It's also special because it's lovely china, and it reminds me of some of my favorite things: the Anne books, going to tea rooms, Jane Austen, summer, West Point Market.

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 25

Day 25: A picture of your day



I managed to get through the entire month without missing a day ... until the 25th! So this is late, and out of order, but you can see why. I was really busy that day!!

Happy Easter

We had a great Easter weekend! Friday night we colored Easter eggs. I want you to notice the excitement on J's face... ;-)

Saturday we spent the day in Napa with friends. It was cloudy, but it never rained and it was fairly warm (60's). And despite it being a Saturday on a holiday weekend, it really wasn't very busy. we took advantage of our wine club membership to do several free tastings and went to our standard Napa lunch spot: Gott's Roadside. YUM! We stopped by Mumm, and finally decided to join their wine club. It's such a great place and we are always stopping in, so why not get a discount and lots of freebies?! However, we've decided that two wine clubs is our limit. No more. The end.

Sunday we woke up early to go to the 8:15 church service. It's so nice to see people really dressed up at church. It was a nice service and then we went home and had cinnamon rolls and then headed over to a different couple's house for Easter lunch at 1pm. There were 10 people for lunch and the food was all excellent. We had a really fun time! I made a strawberry pie, complete with homemade crust, and it turned out very well for a first try. We made it home with just two little pieces left ... I'm willing to bet they will be gone after today. 

Today J was up at 4:45 for work and I've been up since 6am cleaning the house. My Dad is coming into town for a week long visit tomorrow, and shortly after he leave my grandparents are coming for a week. It's going to be busy around here!  

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 24

Day 24: A picture of something you wish you could change


I wish I could change all of our giant grocery stores, filled with processed and frozen "food" into beautiful outdoor markets containing local and organic items, homebaked goods, and fresh cut flowers.


I think changing the decade would be fun too... I never lived through the 1950s, but it sure seems nostalgic and idyllic. People still took care to look nice and dress up, the cars were much cooler, church was a big part of most people's lives, things like the drive-in were big, there was such a thing as being polite and having manners.

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 23

Day 23: A picture of your favorite book



So technically it's 8 books ... but it's all one series!

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 22

Day 22: A picture of something you wish you were better at


I tried my hand at gardening when we were living in OK. and the lack of quality produce was severe. I found that while I enjoyed it immensely, I had a lot to learn! Because of our frequent moves that has been the only time I've been able to garden, and even then it had to be in a variety of large containers.

This year I'm focusing more on pretty flowers, maybe starting some roses and then a few smaller items such as tomatoes and herbs. The wonderful, fresh produce available here almost negates the need for a home garden. And in a rental home, digging up a plot of the backyard isn't really an option.

Someday (J and I frequently refer to someday and both mean the day when we're done with the Air Force and can settle someplace for good) I want to have a proper garden!

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 21

Day 21: A picture of something you wish you could forget

This class scarred me for life. Because of it I can no longer comfortably eat salads in public (forget about salad bars altogether), use a water fountain, touch the fixtures in a public bathroom, etc. I had germ-a-phobic tendencies, but this class made me paranoid.

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 20

Day 20: A picture of somewhere you'd like to do travel

I have always wanted to travel to Europe. If I had to pick one place, it would be Great Britain. I've always wanted to see London, have tea at a fancy hotel and say that I've been shopping at Harrods. I really want to ride a red, double-decker bus and find one of those old, red telephone booths. I really like the color red, and it seems, London does as well. But I want to see more than just London. I want to visit Bath, and some of the college towns, and the country side. I want to pretend to be a heroin in a Jane Austen novel.

I'd also love to see Scotland and Ireland. Two more of my favorite authors write about those places. Oh, and of course I want to visit Austria, Vienna, Prague. I'd like to maybe follow a great, world renowned orchestra around for their summer tour in that part of the world, get lost in the real live Sound of Music.

I dont' have any desire to see Paris, but maybe some of the French countryside? I have similar feelings about Italy; none of the big touristy cities appeals to me there, but I'd like to see their beaches, vineyards, open spaces.

I could go on and on. Having never been to Europe it all seems frightfully romantic, historic, and perfect. I think it would be really lovely to go, spend a good long time and not be rushed. But of course I would need fantastic traveling companions as well!

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 19

Day 19: A picture and a letter

I'm not exactly sure what this means... so here's my take on it!

"My Darling,

You’ve only been gone a few hours and already the house is waiting for you. I cam back from driving you out to the avenue and began mentally putting away our life together to make room for the new one alone. The main difficulty was that there is too much of you here. Your magazines, your books, your ash receiver, your papers still where you dropped them last night, your clothes spilling out of your closet, and even your pajamas flung on the bed. But it wasn’t till I picked up the shirt you’d worn last night that the feel of you was unbearable. Then this morning’s dashing, and packing and tearing around, and the ride out to the avenue, and the 15 minutes I sat there in the car after your trolley had disappeared in the distance, all came back again—and snatches of our life together, some funny, some sad, some gay, some mad, were all there, between us forever and not to be wiped out. I stood there holding the shirt thinking it must go to the laundry. But I couldn’t put it in the hamper. I couldn’t even lay it down. And that’s what it was like. Except that no words can get down to the awful unreality and finalness of it, the knowledge in one’s mind, still unaccepted by the senses. That you, the best-natured and most tolerant person in the world, should have to learn to hate and kill is just as incredible to me as the fact that the peculiar oneness of us as a family should be broken. I’m going to bed—I’ll pretend we’re together, and that every once in a while I must nudge you to make you move over, or stop snoring. And If I dream about you, tomorrow will be a lovely day.

I love you, Sigrid"
*Excerpt (p. 12) from 'Since You Went Away' by Judy Barrett Litoff and David C. Smith

Books, cupcakes and other news

I just finished up this book today. It's fairly short, and an easy read. The majority of the book truly is about her family, her childhood and growing up Black in a segregated South during the 1960s. Just the very end of the book talks about Washington D.C. and politics. Whatever your personal or political opinion of this woman I would highly recommend the book! I really enjoyed it.









I happened upon this cookbook at the library the other week. I was really searching out summer oriented cookbooks, but I picked this one up. Fantastic! There are many recipes that look good enough to try, even in this picky household. The photos are beautiful. Another bonus are the little cooking tutorials it provides throughout. Have you ever wondered how to cut a mango? Look no further.

It was my week to make the snack for our small group last Wednesday. I chose a recipe out of this cookbook's spring section to try.

Cupcakes
2 ounces cake flour (about 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup egg whites (about 5 large eggs)
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp grated lemon rind

Lemon Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp 1% milk
1-2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Edible flowers (such as pansies or rosebuds) optional

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.  Place 16 paper muffin cup liners in muffin tins. Set aside.
3.  Lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cup; level with knife. Sift together flour and 3/4 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Repeat twice.
4.  Beat egg whites and salt with a mixer at high speed until frothy (about 1 minute). Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar a Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. sprinkle flour mixture over egg white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time; fold in after each addition. Stir in vanilla and rind.
5.  Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. (I used a ziplock bag with a corner cut off. Also be sure you fill the liners from the bottom up without any air pockets as this batter wont settle!) Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until lightly browned. (I found this was too long!! Keep the cupcakes near the middle-top of your oven and watch them closely). Remove from pan, let cool completely on wire rack.
6.  To prepare frosting, beat butter with a mixer at high speed until very fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; beat at low speed until just blended. Add milk and lemon juice, beat until just fluffy. Add more lemon juice as needed to adjust the consistency. Garnish with edible flowers if desired.

I didn't have any edible flowers on hand, but I did have fresh strawberries! There is a little strawberry stand that sits just off the road not far from the back gate. They grow their strawberries right there beside and behind their stand. it opened last week and I thought fresh California strawberries would be just the right garnish!

My other news consists mainly of the arrival of new phones. J's such a technology smart guy, he just has to have the latest phones, TVs, computers, etc. So we switched from Blackberry phones to new Droid phones. I barely know how to answer an incoming call much less navigate the endless other things this new phone is able to do! J is thrilled =D That was our Friday night though, several hours talking and then purchasing the phones at the store in town.

Saturday was beautiful! J went golfing with 3 other guys from work and I planted flowers. The housing folks here on base gave everyone free flats of flowers and soil. We now have a nice little splash of color in the front garden and in several pots around the house. After golf J mowed the lawn and then we spent the evening relaxing outside at a friends house. The weather out here has completely spoiled us!

J should be around the office and at home for a while. There are a lot of changes happening at work right now! It's the start of summer which in the Military world means moving. Our squadron commander is getting ready to leave in just a few weeks. On top of moving season they decided to try and change the deployment schedule for the C17s and it's a mess. The schedulers have been running around pulling out their hair for weeks now. So what do they do? Naturally, they decide that half the schedulers should head out on the next deployment rotation. oy! That means J will be upgrading from a ground scheduler to a flying scheduler. More responsibility and more stress. But it's a good thing because it's a highly visible position too. So anyway, as always, lots and lots of change in the AF world.

One good thing, we are not among those moving this summer! It seems absolutely unreal that we've been at Travis for a year now. Time just is flying by. it also seems very strange not to be moving. For the first time in about 4 years, it's not our turn to move. I'm very happy to be staying put, but at the same time I have a bizarre urge to pack something...

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 18

Day 18: A picture of your biggest insecurity


Betty Grable. One of the most popular pin-up gals during WWII. She also had a fabulous set of legs that were reportedly insured for over 1 million dollars!

I wish I had million dollar legs, but unfortunately they're one of my biggest insecurities. I don't much like shorts and skirts because I feel like I've got short, stubby, pale legs. Oh to be tall!

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 17

Day 17: A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently…

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 16

Day 16: A picture of something that inspires you

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 15

Day 15: A picture of something you want to do before you die



Prince Edward Island

I would love to visit PEI and see all of the Anne of Green Gables sites in person. You can tour the house which is located in a National Park, there is also a historic and living village. The beaches looks divine. I'd also love to have a fancy tea at a big hotel there.

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 14

Day 14: A picture of someone you couldn't imagine your life without

There are many people I couldn not imagine my life without. But I truely don't know what I'd do without this guy.

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 13

Day 13: A picture of your favorite band or artist

I grew up listening to church and classical music. The only radio station I remember was NPR. By the time I made it to public school in 8th grade I was well out of the current and hip music scene. I never recovered. I am happy to report that I'm perfectly content listening, in large part, to the same things I did growing up.

I was lucky enough to have the world renowned Cleveland Orchestra in my backyard back in Ohio. We started going to the Blossom Music Festival each summer during high school. They put on a spectacular 4th of July show!

On July 4th 2006 J proposed at the Blossom concert.

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 12

Day 12: A picture of something you love

"If you are cold, tea will warm you; If you are too heated, it will cool you; If you are depressed, it will cheer you; If you are excited, it will calm you" -Unknown

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." -C.S. Lewis 

Zane's Quilt

This was quilt number two, but my first one all on my own from start to finish. The design came from the book Alex Anderson's Baby Quilts with Love. I don't own it, it was borrowed from the library. However I am thinking I will purchase it. I really like the projects, photos and directions. I also borrowed from the library Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting. It is a fantastic reference book about each individual step of the quilting process. It also has an index of various blocks and a guide to planning your own quilt top design as well as charts to help you figure out quilt sizes and fabric amounts. It is another book I'm going to have to purchase! (But for now, thank goodness for the library). Note: Please excuse the photo quality. I took most of these pictures with my phone. There are some nice ones at the end though.

I purchased the fabric in mainly greens, with brown and bit of blue accents. I knew baby's nursery was green and brown, and all little boys need a bit of blue in their life.

 It all starts with cutting! Here I am cutting strips, which I then cut into squares to make the blocks in the middle of the quilt

 All done. Aren't they pretty?

 The next step was sewing the white and green together. I drew a line down the middle and then sewed 1/4 inch on either side

 Like my big kite tail of blocks? I had sewn them, but not cut them apart yet. (This was a time saving technique I learned in my class).

 A closer view so you can see what I'm talking about

 Now I used my original line in the middle as a cutting guide

 I still get nervous and triple check every time I have to make a cut in my fabrics

 After the the seam has been cut, the block is folded open and you press the seam to reveal:

  Wash, rinse and repeat... I mean, mark, sew, cut, press and repeat. A lot!

 Once you have 25 lovely squares you then sew them together in strips of 5. Once you have your 5 strips 5 you sew those together. Once you're done with all those 5's you have the center of your quilt. YAY!

The white strips around the center of the quilt are called sashing.

Next I cut, pinned and sewed on the boarder. It involves the exact same steps as the sashing.

And ta-da! My quilt top is complete. Don't let that fool you though. I still have to attaching the batting and backing, quilt the quilt (sounds funny I know) and then cut, pin and sew on the binding.

This is the quilt with the batting (middle layer) and the backing. I used a spray adhesive instead of pins or stitches. We did this in class and for a quilt this size it works really well. The adhesive is special for quilting and washes out with the final wash once you're all done.

And this is finally the finished quilt! (These are also pictures taken with a real camera). I did the quilting instead of sending it out, so it's pretty basic. Lots of what they call "stitching in the ditch" and straight-ish lines. I had fun with the binding and used 4 different green fabrics. I also stitched the binding onto the back of the quilt by hand. I think it looks nice and frankly, I'm too scared to do it on the machine!

It's hard to see the brown back with the brown stitching, but you get a better idea of how I actually quilted this from the back.

And so it is finished! It went through the washer and dryer without falling apart or exploding or something else awful. So it is baby ready! I hugged it goodbye and sent it away in the mail today* to a very special little baby boy named Zane. I hope he will use, enjoy and love it for a long time!

*today isn't really today as I wont be posting this until after the quilt arrives. It's a surprise.