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| Tuesday, January 26, 2010 |
| head in the clouds |
i've been starting to think about all the things i want to grow in my garden this year. beans, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, peppers, chard, herbs, spinach, zuchinni, cabbage, many types of lettuce and greens, carrots, beets... if i had planned better i would have planted the garlic before the freeze came. maybe just maybe i can get some in just as the ground thaws and have results. anyone have experience with this?
i like winter and the things you can do in it, but it hasn't been that great of a winter. too cold to enjoy the snow or too warm so that it melts or even rains. gets dark by the time i'm home from work and is just barely light when i leave in the mornings. my scant weekend time is usually eaten up by just trying to do regular chores so there has been very little time to do anything outdoors. my snowshoes are feeling very neglected again.
looking forward to some time in warm sunshine, letting my bunnies exercise on the grass, having recreational fires in our firebowl, walks in the park, riding my bike, and maybe picking up a few fun new things to do during the warm weather.
until then, i'm going to be swathed in wool, covered with a blanket or cuddling a warm fuzzy animal (or my hubby the heater) in an attempt to feel less chilled. finding plenty of things which need to be done indoors and finding new ways to procrastinate doing them.Labels: daily life, garden, musings, winter |
posted by Jen @ 9:11 PM   |
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| Saturday, November 21, 2009 |
| hunting and gathering |
it's that season again, when the menfolk head out into the woods in search of meat which will get us through the winter. i, for one, am hoping mine gets at least one to help with the food budget in these tight times. that leaves me what is commonly referred to as a "hunting widow". not that i mind that much. gives me some time to myself, me time.
this morning's me time is consisting of writing on my much-neglected blogs, figuring out that my hosting for some of the photos on said blog has been closed without notice and trying to ressurect them, making some excellent breakfast, drinking fair trade coffee with agave syrup and milk, washing some laundry, thinking about what i need at the store to complete the tortilla soup i plan to make, thinking about all the other things i also need to do today, and so on and so forth.
there is of course, the matter of the 6 heads of cabbage outside our house which i hope haven't spoiled that i should make into kraut before making said tortilla soup this evening. and there are all the leaves which have fallen all at once from the giant maple next to the livingroom window which should be bagged before it snows. oh and the garden which should be tilled under and the garlic planted for spring. and the mounds of crap in our house we have been meaning to weed through and simplify. and the checkbook to balance. and the floor to sweep and mop. and the list goes on.
for the moment, i will be peaceful and content in the consuming of my coffee and my experimental eggs (which have turned out delicious).
Experimental Eggs for one
Ingredients:
3 maple flavor breakfast sausage links chopped into 1/4" coins
1/2 very small yellow onion chopped
2 new potatoes (I used the tiny ones that came from our garden) chopped into 1/4" cubes
2 eggs
Tabasco sauce
salt
Directions:
Cook sausage, potatoes and onions in a skillet with a little bit of oil (of your choosing, I used Sunflower) over med/ low heat until potatoes are soft and sausage is done.
Scramble 2 eggs in a separate bowl and add some Tabasco. I think I added about 6-7 shakes.
Pour eggs over the cooked sausage potato mixture and cook like scrambled eggs. Turn over half way through to be sure neither side is really runny.
Sprinkle with a little salt and enjoy. Sweet Spicy Egg Scramble thing.Labels: daily life, food, musings, winter |
| posted by Jen @ 11:14 AM |
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| Friday, September 19, 2008 |
| New Blog |
| Every now and then, I get a hankering for a new project. This one is a new blog about food, one of my favorite things. It's just getting started, but you can find it here. Labels: food, musings, photography |
| posted by Jen @ 9:46 PM |
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| Tuesday, March 18, 2008 |
| Before and After |
I can't remember how long I've been letting my hair grow, but it has to have been at least 2 years, back to the last time time I had braids I think, which was the summer I went to Cornerstone.
It's been fun, but I've been needing a change lately. Something less heavy, less blah. I want to be able to wear my hair down and not feel overwhelmed by my hair, or have it get stuck under my arm or in my shirt or jacket. Time to have something lighter and more modern and lighter on my neck (been having more neck issues lately, probably connected to the sheer weight of my hair and putting it up at work every day.)
So today I made the switch. First, I perused several galleries to find styles I liked to print out a few for the stylist. Then I took some photos for posterity of my uber-long hair. I trekked down the street to Fantastic Sam's and the rest is history. See for yourself below.
Before:
After:
I think my new hair is fab and makes me appear to have lost some of my winter hibernation weight already (making my face look slimmer). Thank you stylist Diva at Fantastic Sam's in Uptown. You made my day.Labels: musings, springtime |
| posted by Jen @ 12:38 PM |
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| Sunday, January 06, 2008 |
| From Scratch |
In attempts to make our food budget even smaller (most people would drop dead to hear we spend less than $200 in an average month on groceries - partially due to coupon and sale items), I have taken to making a greater number of things from scratch. Not only is this fun for me as I've always loved cooking and baking, but it's been really great to pick up some new skills. Mostly skills which our current culture has caused to become nearly extinct (except in some ethnic traditions where this kind of thing gets passed down as a family heirloom).
I have started baking bread regularily, up to 3 times a week. So far the favorite has been this "Rich Egg Bread". It's slightly chewy when cooked just a few minute less than the recipe calls for (which in my opinion is the better way than over cooked and dry) and good with just about anything on it, or nothing at all. I let the bread machine to most of the work on this one: mixing, kneeding, and the first rise. Then I take it out, punch it down, shape and let it ride again before baking.
Also tonight I attempted traditional flour tortillas. Though without the proper authentic equipment and no Abuelita to instruct me (being Scandinavian and all), they aren't quite circular an a little too thick in some places. I now long to own a Comal and Palote (tortilla griddle and wooden tortilla rolling pin) to have a better chance of getting it right. I'll have to update you on how they taste later as they are slated to be part of lunch tomorrow with a spicy sausage, onion and green chili filling: taco of sorts.
Last week, I made a pizza and two installments of calzones with dough made from scratch. Well really the whole thing was "from scratch" except I used a jarred spaghetti sauce. The sausage I used was some of the venison sausage we made previously. Oh, and I didn't make the cheese, but I did grate it off a large block.
 Labels: food, musings |
| posted by Jen @ 9:51 PM |
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| Saturday, October 27, 2007 |
| Free Taco on Tuesday |
A little something the just arrived in my email by way of a free things to do web group I'm a part of:
Free Tacos For America 10/30/07/-2pm-5pmLabels: food, musings |
| posted by Jen @ 11:49 AM |
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| Tuesday, September 25, 2007 |
| For sale: 1992 Honda Civic |
It's come to this, I need to find a new loving home for my Honda Civic. It's got some quirks and is by no means perfect, but it's a great car and would be perfect for a college student or someone looking to replace an SUV or truck and save a bundle on gas. Contact me off this blog for more details. I might be willing to work out a "someone I know" discount.
 Labels: daily life, musings |
| posted by Jen @ 10:58 PM |
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| Wednesday, August 29, 2007 |
| Blingo |
Normally, I don't refer people to register for websites or sweepstakes, but since you're likely to Google things anyways, I should tell you about Blingo. It's Google with prizes. You sign up, you Google like usual and if you win, a window pops up and you get a prize. Many many given away each day. Most of them are little, but you never know. Besides, you're going to Google anyways, so why not have a chance to get something free. You can click on the link below to join me in Googling for prizes. :)
Labels: musings |
| posted by Jen @ 9:15 AM |
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| Sunday, July 15, 2007 |
| To sorta quote Nietsche "Blog is Dead" |
 My blog isn't "all dead", it's only "mostly dead". (see the Princess Bride if you didn't get the reference). I have been neglecting it in favor of spending my free time (when not working) creating life with someone I love. I find I'm much rather be in the presence of another human than creating things electronically.
Seems many of my friends have also let their blogs go. Every so often, I look to see what people are up to if I haven't had the chance to see them lately (which is happening more and more as my work schedule gets longer). Or maybe everyone's out camping. :)
I haven't taken all that many photos lately (something I mean to remedy), but I did just finish a wedding album which was shot over Memorial Day weekend in Pennsylvania (that's them on the right). It's gotta get mailed out Monday morning. I have another waiting on deck from 4th of July weekend.Labels: daily life, musings, photography |
| posted by Jen @ 10:12 AM |
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| Wednesday, April 04, 2007 |
| The Drought Will Soon Be Over |
Dear blog readers,
I'm sorry I have neglected you. Rest assured, the blogging will return, and very soon. In the meantime, enjoy this photograph taken mid-March. It is entitled, "Springtime Beauty Rituals" (well no, it's not, but it was a funny title that came to mind).
-this girl
 Labels: musings, springtime |
| posted by Jen @ 11:15 PM |
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| Thursday, February 22, 2007 |
| Spring Fever |
As you have noticed by now, my blog has received a facelift for spring. I have really started to feel winter ending. Even if more snow is emminent, spring is definately on it's way. My cravings for fresh fruits and veggies has returned, as has my desire to be outside. I nearly opened the windows in my house yesterday (before realizing it was 20 degrees colder out there than inside) in a quest for fresh air. I've begun to plot how I might commute to work by bike.
And have been itching to simplify again. Spring cleaning must be on the horizon. I've become bored to tears with my surroundings and need to change some things for the new season. Long ago I became less than impressed by the layout and color scheme of my blog. It seemed so droll, so dreary, so dead. I needed to freshen it up and give it new life.
So, after much searching for the perfect template (which I found, but it doesn't work for Blogger) and some tweaking of said template to reflect the perfect image already created in my mind, this is the final result. Perhaps this will start a return to more regular blogging - but don't hold your breath.Labels: musings |
| posted by Jen @ 11:30 PM |
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| Wednesday, January 24, 2007 |
| Wait... what's your name again? |
 Say what? I coulda sworn that less than 2 years ago, Cingular ate my beloved AT&T wireless (which I'd had since 1998 with no problems ever and the greatest coverage ever) and made me buy a new phone and be on their new network.
Yes, that's right, less than 2 years ago it was. And just about a year after they made me get a new phone, said phone decided to start puking on me on a weekly basis by not recognizing new voice-mail or text messages and sometimes not even ringing for incoming calls. Most of this was finally fixed after about 50 trips to the retail location and a couple calls to tech support in Timbuktu and one massive download sent by the only technician to have a freaking clue. At which point, I missed my AT&T so very much.
Looks like I"ll be getting them back, though I'm sure it will never be the same again.Labels: musings |
| posted by Jen @ 8:18 PM |
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| Sunday, January 07, 2007 |
| Lost in Translation |
| A good portion of my heritage is Danish and my last name stems from that land as well (quite a long story with the originator of the name defecting from Sweden and changing his name). While I was online translating a Danish website today, I plugged in my last name to find out if it had a deeper meaning in my ancestor's' native tongue. Lo and behold, it means "foods, foodstuffs, or provisions". Strange, but true. Labels: musings |
| posted by Jen @ 2:11 PM |
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| Monday, January 01, 2007 |
| Hopes and Dreams for 2007 |
Taking a page from Michelle's blog, I have decided to write down my so called New Year's Resolutions, but instead to call them my Hopes and Dreams for the New Year because I do not prefer the whole convention of making resolutions. It seems far too often we make them without intent to follow through or without real belief that these things can or will be completed. My list of Hopes and Dreams are things I have asprirations to pursue in the coming year.
1. take up belly dancing (and other various forms of Mideast dancing)
2. pare down my belongings to a set of things which are both useful and lovely
3. become a Minnesota "compacter"
4. take at least one road trip, preferably spontaneous with little direction and to locations yet unvisited by me
5. open a savings account and make regular deposits to it
6. dirty my mountain bike on the River Bottoms trails with Matt
7. try winter camping at least once and regular backpacking at least once more
8. learn to snowboard
9. ride my bike to work [weather-permitting]
10. create a list of long-term goals and dreams for myself (ie. 5-years, 10-years)
11. enter at least one art contest/show with new work
And that's what I've got for now. No doubt I'll find a way to add to this list before the year is well under way.Labels: daily life, holidays, musings |
| posted by Jen @ 12:00 PM |
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| Tuesday, December 26, 2006 |
| Chasing McDonald's out of town! |
| Read how it happened in this British town! Labels: musings |
| posted by Jen @ 10:39 AM |
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| Tuesday, December 19, 2006 |
| 4 year olds say the darndest things |
While waiting for the farmer when picking up my milk today, the little daughter of another waiting lady came over to talk with me. She had just visited with another waiting family at their van where most of the children were napping.
In our small-talk, the 4 year old asked me "where are your children?"
"I don't have any children" I responded.
To which she said (very matter-of-factly), "yes you do".
I couldn't help but laugh out loud.Labels: musings |
| posted by Jen @ 5:39 PM |
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| Friday, November 17, 2006 |
| The wisdom of children - now with photos! |
 Because I spend 3 days a week playing with children, I am now being reminded of what it is like to be a child and to enjoy life just cause you're living it. As adults, we often complain too much, expect too much, and subsequently disappoint ourselves.
 On Wednesday, I was reminded that the cold isn't a bad thing, nor should we shy away from it (though proper attire does make it less daunting). The cold simply means that snow is on it's way and all the fun things one can do in the snow.
 The kids were so excited about it being cold enough to snow, they felt the urge to sled. My adult self said "you can't sled without any snow". Boy was I wrong! You can sled without snow and it's quite fun. And you don't get wet from melted snow on your clothing and you don't end up face first in a snowbank and you can easily get back to the top of the hill without slipping down.
In fact, sledding without snow might just be more fun than sledding with snow, only you just can't go as far. It was much more fun to stop thinking like an "adult" and start sledding instead.
  Labels: musings, winter |
| posted by Jen @ 7:25 PM |
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