Friday, December 28, 2012

{these moments}

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Wet and Sandy
Max trying to cover up his beautiful face.

Max and Kitty on a walk in the sunshine.

Max spinning the prayer wheel at Medicine Buddha, he's spinning it clockwise, though he is walking backwards. It's important to spin those wishes in the right direction.
Coleman shopping for his dad's gift.

Friday, December 21, 2012

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo, a single moment to savor and share. 
inspired by soulemama.com 
 

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Peace.

I'm still thinking about the families in Connecticut. I'm not alone in this, I know. Our nation is reeling with pain and anger and bewilderment. There is no making sense of this event. I am holding my own close. Wishing for a more peaceful world and better gun control in my country, and better assistance for those who need mental health care. And for careful thought and determined action that will bring us closer to safety and healing.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Eat: Tortellini Soup

The official name of this soup is: "Wendy's Amazingly Delicious Sausage & Tortellini Soup". And it is delicious. My friend, Wendy in Seattle served this to us when we were there one year and I just found the recipe card recently. I had dreamed of that soup regularly in the winter months for the past 8 years. Had I known the recipe card was in my little book, I'd have been eating it for many winters now. We dined on this one night during Chris' birthday week. It was surprisingly easy to make, and I think you should give it a shot one cold, wintry night. This is not gluten, dairy or meat free, however. It's got em all. 

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 lb Italian chicken sausage
2 large onions
3 celery ribs, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, cored & chopped
Reserve a handful of green fronds
2 large inches red pepper flakes
salt & black pepper
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 quarts chicken stock
2 9-oz packages of fresh tortellini
1 1/2 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup fresh flat parsley, chopped

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:
Preheat a large soup pot over med-high heat with 2 T olive oil. Add sausage and break it up as it cooks - 3-4 minutes. Add the onions, celery, garlic, fennel, red pepper flakes and salt & pepper. Cook stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for a minute. Then add the chicken stock. Put a lid on the pot and bring the soup to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover the pot, add the tortellini and cook for 5 minutes. Once the pasta is cooked through, add the basil and the parsley, then taste and re-season with more salt & pepper. Chop up the reserved fennel fronds and stir them in. Sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 8

Friday, December 14, 2012

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo, a single moment to savor and share. 
inspired by soulemama.com 

 

Thursday, December 13, 2012

::Grateful::






::I am grateful for::

A pile of sleep
Funny bumper stickers and a giggle
Homework helpers
Beautiful little voices (you can just see Max's eyes, left of center)
The sunshine
The rain
The forest
Candy Canes
My Family

Wishing you all your own pile of things to be grateful for today.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

{these words}

I am the Sun
by Max

When you see the sun
You see me, I am the sun
The sun is me.



Monday, December 10, 2012

"Peace Begins With a Smile" ~ Mother Teresa


Christmas is heading our way faster than a speeding bullet. Holiday music is playing in the kitchen, the lights are hung outside. There is still a Christmas tree to chop down, ornaments to hang, gifts to make and wrap and mail, hunting and gathering of various kinds. Somehow I fit a little photo shoot in the other day! Joy.

We're sending everyone a smile for Christmas, and a wish for peace in the new year.









Friday, December 7, 2012

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo, a single moment to savor and share. 
inspired by soulemama.com


Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Birthday Thanksgiving Remembered



My best friend and husband had a big birthday the day before Thanksgiving this year. I have known him twenty years now, that's most of my adult life. I feel like since we've met, though we were "adults" we've grown up together. He's part of who I am and I like to think we've made each other better people. That we've pushed one another further than we would have gone on our own in directions we may not have gone without the other. He's adventurous, honest, tender, dedicated, almost as funny as I am, a great cook, a seeker of a better world, a musician and he's mine. 

We had a full Birthday Thanksgiving week of celebration and fussing dedicated to him. The week was filled with family, food and lots of love. Chris' family flew down from Canada and Oregon. My mother swept in from Boston (swept being the operative word). My boys have never (in their memory) had so much family at once in their own home. We usually have one or two guests at a time in our tiny space. We had five at once for the Birthday Thanksgiving. Lots of cooking and cleaning and talking and touring and getting to know Chris' family better. The boys really loved having everyone here. They hadn't spent much time with Uncle Paul who lavished them with gifts and goofed around enough with them to be "one of the boys".  Max is still playing his Native American Flute from Grandma Tania and is saving his money for a bigger, deeper sounding one for his next big purchase! They are both still drawing with their new, very special art supplies from Grandma Marylin. We all deeply appreciated everyone's time and presence here for the week.

Chris' birthday song, with a little help from Max.

Marilyn, Nana, Max and Coleman

Coleman, Grandma Tania, Paul and Max

Getting ready to be seated for the Thanksgiving dinner.

The Thanksgiving table.

Marilyn and Nana at the beach in Capitola.
One of many coffees enjoyed by one of us that week.
The apple pie Nana made for Max's harvest celebration at school.
Constance picking persimmons.

Friday, November 30, 2012

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo, a single moment to savor and share. 
inspired by soulemama.com