missing this heavenly kitchen...

I am missing this view... It was such a wonderful sight to catch while I was in the kitchen during our week in Maine. Heavenly. A nice breeze coming through the door was one of the perks. Although if the back door of the kitchen, opening to the clothesline area, then the cross breeze blows put the flame on the gas stove... Kind of a pain, but tolerable. The accoutrements in the kitchen are, at times, lacking. Who really needs a baking pan not crusted with years of food anyway? That said, I love cooking there... Many people, always clamoring for what I've made.... Figuring out how to make do with the things we have... Fun, good energy. I miss it all year. What a wonderful kitchen to be blessed with.

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away too long.... and back from Maine

I miss blogging. It has been too long, and I need to start writing again, and taking good photos. I have just come back from a week in Maine that was glorious. The weather was exactly what I needed. The weather in CT has been unbearable for me this summer: mostly over 90°F for weeks, and very humid. Ugh. I must be part polar bear, as this type of weather makes me miserable, unproductive, and wanting to be indoors all the time where it is cooler.

So, Maine, where the days are warm, and the nights are cool for good sleeping.... wonderful. A large group of people gathered, that I can make food for... happiness. A kitchen where the view out the door is  beyond compare. The scenery and backdrop for photos is spectacular, and makes one appreciate the natural beauty around us, and keep fresh in our minds that which is truly important in the scheme of things.

the view from the house... standing on the back deck

I took many photos, as usual, but this time relied on my new-ish phone to take the photos. An 8 mega-pixel camera... they look pretty good, but now that I have loaded them all onto my Mac, I see that they are not up to snuff at all. They are grainy, and the definition and lighting isn't quite right. So, never again, will I rely on that for quality photos. But, alas, I must live with the consequences of my actions, and settle for the only photos I took.

Buried Treasure

Finding treasures.... The other day I came across an amazing journal. It was written in 1805 and was kept on a journey on a boat from Ireland to an island south of there. Reading through it, and the descriptions is what was brought and even what they kept track of.... completely intrigued me.

pond juice

this "Pond Juice" drink was fabulous and it's the 'signature drink' at a local tavern. It is huge, and quite tasty. Doesn't seem like you are having a "drink" so it is kind of dangerous, although it wasn't strong. It reminded me of having the HUGE drinks of Long Island Iced Tea when I was at school in West Virginia, and we used to go out dancing at "the Stables" and would get blitzed! yeah... I was 19.... 

Wonderful Wisteria

I walked out of the barn today and was confronted with the most heavenly scent! I turned to the right, and found that it was coming from the beautiful vines that drape and envelop the little seating structure next to the entrance to the barn. It is so rustically beautiful. It always seems very grounding. I love this little, almost hidden, treasure at the barn.. which is so impeccably appointed This seems so incongruous....

I love it, and snapped off a few tendrils to enjoy the scent on my drive home.

wonderful skiing

It was breathtaking every time we came around the corner and saw this windmill... This photo does not do it justice. It was majestic and beautiful. Jiminy Peak was a great place for skiing the other day. I played hookey from teaching skiing at Sundown, to ski with my friend Sarah at another mountain. So glad we drove the 2 hours to spend the day here! The skiing was great, it wasn't crowded, and it was nice and warm. and because I teach at Sundown, I was able to get my ticket for only $15! yay!

Apparently much of the power at Jiminy is from this windmill. They are very 'green' there. I will definitely be going back here. I loved the slopes and had such a wonderful day! It is nice to hear (from a few people in the last few days) that I seem to be a "graceful skier". I absolutely love skiing. I am very happy when I am skiing. I forget everything else, and just concentrate on what I am doing, how my body is moving, how much fun it is to ski, and how beautiful are the vistas from ski areas. I love mountains.

Emmett's karate

Emmett has been doing great at karate. He is really dedicated and has been going 4 days a week for a few months now. He is learning respect, focus and discipline. Fabulous!

Almost 2 years later....

It's been almost 2 years since my bunion surgery. I am so glad I had the surgery! I find it interesting that many of the hits I get on this blog are from people hunting things about bunion surgery.

People had told me it hurt (or asked me if it did)... well of course it did!!! They cut my foot open, hacked away at bone, did things to it that I don't want to know details about, and sewed it back up again. It hurt like mad! but, that said... I was hobbling on it within a week, and putting enough weight on it and walking well enough, to have the other done 3 weeks later. And yes, I used meds to keep from being in pain. Pain meds were my friends. They got me through and now my feet are great.

I don't regret it for a minute. And more than that, I am soooooo happy that I did it! My feet look like normal feet, I have no pain, and I can wear great shoes without any problem. I don't have full range of motion in my right toe, but that was the second foot that I did, and I ran out of patience with doing physical therapy. Hindsight, I would have been more vigilant about it.

Anybody debating whether or not to have the surgery? Do it!!! don't wait any longer! I have had other friends use my same doctor, and they have been happy too. The foot surgeon I used was wonderful. His office does about 300 bunion surgeries a year. They know their stuff! Ask questions about that to your doctor. How many they do a year. Are they a podiatrist? or a surgeon? 

And then get it done! One foot at a time. Your recovery will be easier, and you won't ever be totally incapacitated by not being able to walk at all. At least with one at a time, you can hop when it is really painful in the beginning. And you can put weight on the other foot, and gradually put more on the 'new' foot :)

You won't regret it!

Skiing in Maine

Took the boys up to stay at my cousin's house in Maine. She has offered in the past for us to use it. I finally took her up on it, and the boys and I were treated to a weekend near Shawnee Peak. We could basically walk to the lodge from the house. 

The house itself was great to stay in, had a big screen TV for the boys to enjoy, and also foosball (which I apparently stink at). The hot tub n the deck was wonderful, and the boys and I cranked it up to be nice and warm, so we could sit out at night, in the freezing cold weather, but be incredibly warm in our bathing suits! We could hear the people on the slopes, and see the lights on the trails.

great farewell lunch

great lunch at Toshi... before sending them off back to Florida. It was a wonderful week. Can't wait to see them again!

Visit for days....

My old friend came to visit. We hadn't seen each other in 18 years. We had a huge fight back then, and hadn't spoken to each other since. She lives in Florida now, and has 3 kids. Facebook brought us back together, and she and her 3 kids came and stayed with us for 6 days!
Amazingly... 5 kids who have never met, in the same house, for 6 days, only one tiff! fantastic! we went sledding, they did video games, went to the movies, saw fireworks downtown on New Years Eve, and more... was so much fun! Emmett was so sad when they were leaving. He wanted them to stay!

they had so much fun in the snow. when you live in florida... snow is a blast!

yummy cheese log

I had this at a party last week, and got the recipe, as it was soooo good that a friend and I could not stop eating it!

1 scallion, the green part only- sliced (or use kitchen scissors to snip into rounds)
1 block of cream cheese (neufchatel), room temp
2 Tbsp crushed pineapple
1/3 cup pecans, chopped - to mix into the cheese
2/3 cup pecans, chopped - to roll the log in afterwards
1 box of Wheat Thins. MUST be wheat Thins!!! this makes a huge difference. trust me.

chop the scallions (with a knife or with kitchen scissors)

mix just the green part with cream cheese and pineapple

mix all together

chop 1/3 cup pecans

mix into the cream cheese mixture

mix well

blob onto  2/3 cup chopped pecans

and sprinkle some on top also

put your hand inside a sandwich baggie and carefully roll in the pecans

ayyyaaaa!!

It is loud, and the kids love it! Emmett started karate and is doing great!
He seems to be singled out frequently to demonstrate good form. He's into it!

 

Sarah's... I'm in heaven

I love being at Sarah's... life is good there. I love being around all of the animals, and the natural beauty around the area. Virginia in the fall....

notice the pig in with the horses? (his name is cheetah)

I love this... peaceful puppy....

damn it was fun!! just all out cantering along the pond!