Better

I've accepted a 30-Day Arm Challenge.  On the first day you do 5 push-ups, 5 dips, 10 bicep curls, and punches for 10 seconds.  By the end of the month, you do 50 push-ups, 120 dips, 150 bicep curls, and punches for 150 seconds. Right now I can't even complete one regular push-up.  I'm hoping to notice vast improvements in my physical ability by mid-month.  After the 30 days, it'd be nice if by arms were visibly more Sarah-Jessica-Parker-y (circa Sex and the City) or Michelle-Obama-ish. 

Albaldah, or, The Town

I skipped the usual Star Bright post last Monday, which means that we're more than one week into March and I haven't even shared my favorite desktop with you.  It's beautifully bird-y and vibrant as usual.  Here are the other tops from the week (or two).

I'm in the mood for new yoga wear (these galactic capris and this all-in-one tank).

A song that quietly resonates.

I've got chicken accommodations on the brain big-time.

Four scarves tied sixteen ways.

That Which Amuses

If you're looking for a few new blogs to peruse, here are a few that I enjoy:

Aesthetic Outburst by Abbey  Hendrickson
Abbey Hendrickson hasn't been blogging super consistently over the last year, but there is still a ton of great stuff in the archives.  I particularly identify with her farmhouse conversion and her artistic sensibilities.  She also has 50+ wonderfully curated Pinterest boards.  I often find that my personal taste is very much in line with hers.  Plus, once upon a time, I was the winner of her book.

A Cup of Jo by Joanna Goddard
Joanna Goddard posts every weekday (excluding some holidays) and sometimes more than once per day.  I find myself checking A Cup of Jo for new goodness nearly every day.  She blogs (and hosts the occasional guest blogger) on many facets of life (food, sex, fashion, parenting, and much more) in a mazine-esque style.  She also pins.

Manger by Mimi Thorisson
Mimi Thorisson conveys a tremendous sense of feminine elegance that I admire and am, honestly, a little envious of.  Her husband is a photographer which I'm certain adds a visually seductive element to her posts.  Her blog content centers around food [with family in France].  She also pins minimally.

"Me-ow"

Happy Valentine's Day!  I don't have any lipstick for writing messages of love on the bathroom mirror so I used the alternative banana-gram.*  The banana and this year's You're the Cat's Meow Card put the cutest smile on J.'s face.

For professing my love on Valentine's Day, I'm partial to the holiday collections from Rifle Paper Co. and Wit & Whistle.  I also like Emily McDowell's cards.

*Thank you Pinterest for the idea.

Home for Feet

There's something about braided rugs that really appeals to me.  I like the variation of color and I'm a big fan of lines and circles (ovals too, I guess).  Maybe it's because they feel homey.  Well anyway, I saw a Pin on how to make your own.  The DIY tutorial got me to thinking that maybe I can make one.  Any bets on if and/or when it happens?

Bread and Butter

For maybe the first time ever, I gathered all of the required ingredients (in their requisite states) prior to beginning a baking recipe.  What I didn't do was read the recipe all the way through first, but there's always a next time.  As it turns out, the Browned Butter Buttermilk Banana Bread with Strawberry Butter is pretty straightforward and delicious.

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Poppy

I finally got around to making the Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake that I had been craving for a few weeks.  It was more adorable than tasty.  Although I'm developing a taste for olive oil and lemon cakes, I'm a bit overwhelmed by the strong flavor.  Even so... the cake didn't last 24 hours.

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Using Protection

Most of the tomatoes (40+*) are planted in the backyard and hopefully safe from deer.  Even with that many out back, and after giving some tomato starts away to the neighbors, there were still more.  Due to space restraints, the leftovers needed to be planted in the unfenced side-yard.

As of yesterday, the tomatoes are safe within the confines of their chicken-wire cage.  I'll have to figure something else out once they reach heights above 2'.  This particular garden square will be a testing ground for what can be accomplished in the full-sun part of the yard that isn't fenced.

* Gasp... I am fully aware that I will be canning and dehydrating my brains out late this summer.

You Are Here

19 november 2011 . saturday . (day six hundred eighty-four)

During my usual Pinterest meandering, I took notice and repinned a feet-photos-as-self-portrait pin.  As it turns out, I have quite the collection of my own.  I'm not sure if they feel like self-portraits, but they certainly remind me of being in a particular place at a particular time.  

Michelle was here...

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Sandwich Cookies

Although not quite a Pinterest fail, the Homemade Oreos I attempted didn't totally turn out as intended.

The cookies were supposed to be approximately two inches around.  I figured that the 1.5" cutter that I had would work okay, but I think that they ended up being a little too small.

Also, the cream filling was too thick for the round piping tip that I have, or maybe the piping tip was too small.  Either way, I had to use a different tip and ended up creating more of a floral-looking, creamy center with edges of cream that came out too far or not enough.

The real shortcoming may have been that I didn't have dutch process cocoa power on hand so I just picked up a container of Hershey's cocoa powder.  The cookies are supposed to be darker and more cocoa-y.  As it was, they seemed a little salty.  All in all though, I would try these again and stick more closely to the recipe.

Raindrops on Roses, or, Favorite Things

05 april 2013 . friday . 
(day one thousand one hundred eighty-seven)

Fridays don't really require a pick-me-up, but these are a few of my favorite things from this week anyway.

Organization and its evidence.

This reunion.

Tools for financial fitness.

P.S. Isn't Rifle Paper Co.'s 2013 Garden Calendar the cutest?  Thank you Santa.

Miss Michigan

If you can't be Up North, bring Up North to you.  Yummers!

Not much beats using the wood stove to make pudgy pies for dinner.

J.'s first-ever pudgy pie, a reuben on sourdough, was cooked to perfection.

Being out of practice, it took me three attempts to get into the swing of things.  My first mushroom and swiss on sourdough was a tad overdone.

P.S. Dear Mom and Dad, thank you for the pie irons and my Mitten State t-shirt.

Pinned Up

It's true, this Simple Gibson Tuck hair style is super easy.  Also, it prompted a random old guy to say, "Nice hairdo."

Craft

Carving pumpkins is pretty much the best.  

Can you guess which one is mine?

30 october 2012 . tuesday . (day one thousand thirty)