The Quiet Beauty Around Us

Today I am inspired by the quiet beauty around me, whether that be in my own home, or in some remote place. The day is nice enough for me to open the windows and let a breeze into the house. I will make cookies and bread as I work.

The red Amarillas that was supposed to bloom at Christmas, but shared its glory this week. This way we noticed and enjoyed it more, rather than it simply being part of the riot of color we have during the holiday season. Next year I think I will buy some of these preplanted bulbs near Christmas so that I can have this joy repeated.

I also love my snowflake light for many reasons - the clean lines in the design, the glow it radiates, and the memory of our trip to Wisconsin a few years ago. I am tempted to buy a few of the other designs from Kronlume Scandinavian Lighting.

I love the plants in the windows of my kitchen. They, too, are linked to a memory, that of my mother-in-law, Eleanor, who is no longer with us.

I am inspired by this girl, Klara Harden , and her Icelandic journey. I also love the music.

MADE IN ICELAND from Klara Harden on Vimeo.

TheWind from Klara Harden on Vimeo.

I've spent part of my weekend putting together an Indie Music playlist. I have gathered a number of bands and artists to consider:
*Fleet Foxes
* Mumford & Sons
* DeVotchka
* A Hawk and a Hacksaw
* Leonard Cohen
* The Shins
* Bon Iver
* Band of Horses
* Grizzley Bear
* My Morning Jacket
* Cold Play
* Death Cab for Cutie
* Modest Mouse
* Iron and Wine
* Elliott Smith
* Cat Power
* Regina Spektor
* Bright Eyes
* Rufus Wainwright
* Sufjan Stevens
* Jose Gonzales
* The Weepies
* Remy Zero
* Ray LaMontagne
* Joanna Newsom
* laura Marling
* The Wailin' Jennys
* The Unthanks
* The Civil Wars
*Alexi Murdoch
* Cary Brothers

What other music might you add to my list?

A Helmet Liner for Kathy and More Jane Austen - Oh, Emma!

Coach Kathy is such a wonderful and generous person. I tried to give back to her whenever I can. She love hot, neon pink and I thought she needed a wool helmet liner to go with her neon pink helmet.

Alas, I could not find neon pink 100% superwash merino wool. I got as close as I could with a nice pink and a reasonable purple; they were not what I had hoped for, but it was as close as I could get.
I could have gone with acrylic, but that would not have been as warm as wool. She received it gladly and says that she will wear it during her bid at the Cyclocross World Championship this Sunday in Kentucky.

Here's how I made it:

2 balls of Cascade superwash Merino DK Wool
Size 1 double pointed needles
Size 1 16" circular needles
Size 3 double pointed needles
Size 3 16" circular needles


Cast on 96 of the main color.
Rows 1 Knit the row without joining. Straighten yarn on the needles to be sure will not be twisted once joined
Row 2 *K2 P2* to end. Place a marker.
Rows 3-10 *K2P2* (continue this until the ribbing is how you like it. Mine is about 1'.)

Change to size 3 circular needles. K1, add 1 stitch, K49, add 1 stitch (100 stitches.
Continue stockinette stitch until the hat measures 7.5", creating patterns that please you.
K 1 row, adding markers every 10 stitches.

Begin Crown Reductions =
Row 1 *K2t, K9*
Row 2 *K2t,K8*
Row 3 *K2t,K7*
Row 4 knit stockinette
Row 5 *K2t,K6*
Row 6 *K2t,k5*
Row 4 knit stockinette
Continue until you are down to 9-11 stitches, draw threads through all live stitches. Thread the yarn through the hole to the underside of the hat. Pull tight and weave in ends. Finished length of hat should be 8"-8.5".
---------
I think I am nearly finished with my Jane Austen inspired movie fest. I left off with "Emma" which I think I like best. I watched the version with Gwenth Paltrow. She is a wonderful Emma. I am add "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" into the mix, too, though it is not strictly a Jane Austen film.

Wintery Scenes with Glowing Sunrises and an Awesome Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Some mornings I am lucky enough to raise at just the right moment that allows me to sit in my warm, cozy bed and enjoy the glorious sunrise. For much of the year I notice and enjoy it while I am on my way to work. But there is something special about being able to sit quietly and take in the beauty of it all.

Or how about this one?

This tree is off on the other side of the house. In the late spring I am cheered by the chorus of birds who seem to have their morning coffee and chats in my branches.

In trying to mix things up a bit, this is what we had for dinner. It was a hit!

Creole Spice Shrimp and Cheese Grits
via: Katria Runs for Food blog

GRITS

2 Tablespoons of butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup milk
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 cup water, and additional may be needed to thin grits.
1 cup quick cooking grits
1/4 cup EACH of cheddar, parmesan, gruyere cheeses.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp

1/2 cup butter, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons creole or cajun seasoning
1-1/5 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 64 shrimp)
8 ounces dry white wine*
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup finely chopped tomato
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Garnishes: julienned prosciutto, crumbled cooked bacon, chopped fresh chives
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic and 1 tablespoon thyme; sauté 1 minute. Add milk and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; whisk in grits. Reduce heat to lowest setting; cook 10 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally. Add cheeses and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. If they set too firmly when ready to serve with shrimp, add water or milk to thin and reconstitute.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add garlic, celery, bell pepper, onions, thyme, cajun seasoning; sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp, and cook 7 minutes. Remove shrimp and veggies from skillet.
Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to low; whisk in remaining butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in lemon juice, tomato, and parsley. Cook 3-5 minutes. Return shrimp and veggies to pan. Stir to mix with butter tomato sauce. Serve over grits. Garnish, if desired.
* If you would rather not use the wine, use broth or lemon juice.

Birthday Cake and Phantom

Photo by Glenn Ross for the Denver Post December 2011


It was a fine weekend for relaxing. Saturday morning Ethan and Larr went rock climbing. Ellie return from a sleep over at a friend's house and I mostly hung out. I cleaned a little, watched a "Sense and Sensiblity" (I am on a Jane Austen movie streak) and tried to decide on my next knitting project. I am pretty sure it will be a pair of mittens.

Saturday evening we all met back up to go to the Weisner home where we shared fine company, a wonderful meal and a birthday cake made for me.

I was touched that they would do that for me.

Most of the folks then headed off in the fluffy snow to take in a University of Denver hockey game. Wendy, Caroline and I stayed home. Caroline and Wendy began decorating the felt heart cut outs from the kit I put together for them. I balled four skeins of year and we chatted a lot.

I have come to realize that I appreciate a quiet, thoughtful knitting project every January; one where I can nestle into a chair or couch and simply enjoy the process and the magic of witnessing the emergence of the pattern. I had considered a few different patterns including:


I gave "Deep in the Forest"

mittens some very serious consideration. If I had the proper yarn on hand, I would have gone that direction.

Hiroshage Mittens.

I like Kanagawa, too. I actually purchased that pattern and will knit them in more social situations where I can't focus on a complicated chart.

In the end I have settled on Tourbillion mittens done in shades of purple.

On Sunday my mother and aunt were to go to the Boulder Dinner Theater to celebrate my mother's birthday, but my aunt was sick so I went in her place. I always enjoy time along with my mother and I love the theater, so it was a great afternoon. They put on a small scale version of "Phantom of the Opera" that was very clever. The costumes and acting were great. Even though I knew what as comig, I cried at the end of the story. My mother thought that was a little funny.

Tiny Putz Houses - A Job Done From Love and Memory

One of my favorite things at my mother's house during the Christmas season is her little Putz house display. For the past few years I've been looking at patterns and Putz houses that others have made. This year I decided to take it on and make a few of my own. I originally thought I would give them to her, but now I am not so sure. They were such a labor of love, taking much more time than expected, of course, but seemed to come together very suddenly at the end. It was very gratifying! Besides, I am not even certain that they are the same scale as her set.

Saying Good Bye to the Holidays, Seeing a Few Good Movies and Visiting with Friends

Today I am back to work. The anticipation of break being over is always hard to take, but once I am back, I slip right back into what I do - teach.

The first two days of the year have been wonderful. After a great birthday on New Year's Eve, I had a relaxing day. The house was mostly clean and there was plenty of food that could be heated up for meals sitting in the fridge.

Ellie and Ariana showed up at our house rather early as the eletricty in Golden had gone out and the girls were cold. I made them a nice breakfast which provided them with the fuel to go ice skating at the lake in Evergreen. I was happy to see that she was able to get on the ice again.

Ethan slept in and spent the day doing his own thing. Larr read and I worked on finishing the Putz buildings. I am quite happy with how they came out, though they were much more work than I had anticipated (as most projects are.) I learned a lot in the process which I will write about on another day. I also cut out a new skirt, did some knitting and watched "Mansfield Park" on my netbook computer while sitting in the glow of our Christmas tree. Sipping tea, knitting, watching a movie and having my family about - it was almost magical.


The next day the kids were off to school, but I was not. I spent much of the day with my mother, by myself - a rare treat. We went to Sam's Club and to see "Hugo." It was a really wonderful film. I will have to own it once it is available on DVD. I may even go to see it in the movie theater again. I'm certain that my boy would love it, too.



We hurridyly picked up Ellie as we had friends coming over. Iris, Maxl, Pam and Stephen were joining us for dinner. The kids would hang out and play video games. We ladies ate at a leisurly pace and visited. It too, was wonderful. The boys were sad to go, but we promised that they could all get together again soon.

I resisted going to bed, even though Larr, who is still feeling ill, had already headed up. The time to take the tree down has come. I always hate that - it is like saying goodbye to a friend that I will not see again. I know the cats will miss it, too. However, it is also a nice feeling to have the house free of the clutter of holiday decorations, no matter how festive they are. It is time to move out of the holiday season and embrace the possilities of the new year that is ahead of us.

A Low Key, Relaxing Birthday (Plus Recipe for Ginger Butter and Sweet Potato Pancakes)

Yesterday, New Year's Eve, was my birthday. He was very thoughtful about making my birthday great. We began at Snooze, a very hip breakfast joint on 2263 Larimer Street in downtown Denver. Larr and Shawn ate there a while ago. Larr had this gem tucked away for a special occasion.

The food was wonderful. We started out with coffee and Chia. They serve Third Street Chia, which is great stuff. I thought it was interesting that it was served in a pint glass with a cozy.

Ellie was too much of a sleepy head to join us. We had to roust Ethan out of bed to join us, but we had his permission. It is a very popular place and so we aimed to be there at 7:00 a.m. when the doors opened.

Ellie would have appreciated the decor. It was very fun.

It was difficult to decide what to have. Here's what we ordered:

Snooze Spuds Deluxe A heaping portion of our hash browns, covered with melted cheddar & jack cheese, scallions plus two veggies , meats, or combo of your choice

Corned Beef Hash Snooze’s signature shredded hash mixed with locally made corned beef, caramelized poblanos and onions. Topped with two eggs your style & toast or tortillas.

Breakfast Pot Pie Snooze’s homemade rosemary sausage gravy smothers a flaky puff pastry, topped with an egg your style (we’d say sunny side up!). You’ve reached breakfast bliss, complete with hash browns.

They also gave me a special birthday sweet potato pancake topped with caramel sauce, chopped pecans and ginger butter. It sounds weird, but is really very wonderful. (I'd like to figure out how to make them at home.)

That evening we watched a few movies on Netflix while the kids were out doing their thing with their friends. Ellie went to the 16th Street Mall New Year's Eve party and fireworks display with Ariana. Ethan hung out with friends and took photos of the fireworks display.

"Balzac and the Little Seamstress" (with subtitles)


"Amadeus" (This is one of my favorite films. I did a cutting from the script for dramatic interp. in forensics in high school.)

-------
Ginger Butter
via Epicurious

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons finely chopped drained stem ginger in syrup,* syrup reserved

*Stem ginger in syrup is available in Asian markets and some supermarkets.
print a shopping list for this recipeview wine pairings

preparation

Beat butter and chopped ginger in small bowl to blend. Beat in 2 to 3 teaspoonfuls ginger syrup to sweeten to taste. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Ginger-Butter-5779#ixzz1iG4Kp9U7

------------
Sweet Potato Pancakes
via Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

3/4 pound sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
Directions

Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan of boiling water, and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and immediately immerse in cold water to loosen skins. Drain, remove skins, chop, and mash.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Mix mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk and butter in a separate medium bowl. Blend sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture to form a batter.
Preheat a lightly greased griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter mixture onto the prepared griddle by heaping tablespoonfuls, and cook until golden brown, turning once with a spatula when the surface begins to bubble.