Salmon and Squash

When God created the salmon, I'm almost certain he had this one in mind. Tonight we ate the little Silver (Coho) that I caught this weekend. We ate the WHOLE THING. Because, with a little butter, Johnny's seasoning, honey, and the grill, it was amazing.

Joe wants to make sure I give credit where it is due. He tied the line and fileted the fish. But I caught it. So it's mine. And I deserve most of the credit. Right?

And I made acorn squash for the first time. I think it must be the easiest side dish ever.  Not the best picture, but I couldn't resist showing it off.

Acorn Squash:

Cut it in half, scoop the seeds, and bake face down in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes to soften.

Place one half in a small casserole or baking dish and fill the cavity with some butter and brown sugar. The put the other half on (like a lid) and put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes.

And you're done.

Why haven't I made that before? And it was cheap. 59 cents. Nothing is 59 cents anymore!

Chihuly: a Photo Retrospective (doesn't that sound posh?)

My first encounter with the glass work of Dale Chihuly was at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. There I was able to see close-up the amazing artistry of what was then a newly installed piece.

Here are my photos from that day.



Small piece in the gift shop. Alas, I do not have $8000 to spend.


A couple of weeks ago, I spent a wonderful time in Seattle with some of my very lady-like friends. On a gorgeous Saturday, we hit the Seattle Center and the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit. Not cheap at $19, but worth every penny.


This "bowl" is about 2 feet tall. Note the layers of glass and the 3-D effect.


I had seen the chandelier style of his art, but was struck by the different glass work that Chihuly has done.

Loved the crab. He's about 6 inches tall. Quite a departure from the bright colors I am used to from Chihuly.



My favorite exhibit. The colors and the artistry literally made me speechless.

It was fun to people watch at the exhibit. They were all doing the same thing I was. As I entered one room, I was struck by the immensity, the beauty, the intricacy, and the artistic vision that creates such wonders. At one point, I looked at a friend and told her I wanted to sing "Pure Imagination" from the Willy Wonka. 

  

One of the many colored "chandeliers" hanging from the ceilings.

Then, I would turn my head, get a glimpse into the next room, and gasp. Every room did this to me. 

A closer look.

Large, probably 2 1/2 feet across, bowl. Stunning colors.

A glimpse at the Needle through the floral chandelier.

Rock candy.

I'm not sure that I want to know what these little black suckers are escaping from under this log into the purple forest.

Hold your breath
Make a wish
Count to three

Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of
Pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination

We'll begin
With a spin
Traveling in
The world of my creation
What we'll see
Will defy
Explanation

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Wanta change the world?
There's nothing
To it

There is no
Life I know
To compare with
Pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Wanta change the world?
There's nothing
To it

There is no
Life I know
To compare with
Pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly
Wish to be

More gift shop goodies.

If anyone is looking for birthday gift ideas, I think this one only ran $6500.

Apartment Therapy Style Cure: Day One

I am participating in Apartment Therapy's month of Style Cure. Essentially, this means I am gutting a room and making it not just full of hand-me-downs and a catch-all, but re-making it to represent me. The room I am tackling (an appropriate word since I will need a linebacker's muscles to do this) is what is supposed to be my guest/reading room. What it is currently is a repository for all the stuff that doesn't have a home elsewhere. I will post a picture this weekend, much to my shame, just to keep me honest.

The first task of the "cure" was a self-interview. Sort-of an introspective what-kind-of-crazy-nut-are-you? style-wise quiz. Because what I discovered is that I like a bit of everything. How I answered this was listing the first things or persons that came into my mind. Hardly scientific, but odd.

1. List your favorites in each category

Actor: Sean Connery. Loved him in Darby O'Gill (when he had amazing hair) and in Hunt for Red October (in which he didn't). Oh, that voice.
Actress: Melissa McCarthy. Chubby and hilarious? You're my girl.
Artist: Dale Chihuly. Just saw more of his work in Seattle. Inspiring. And Fredrick Childe Hassam. I've enjoyed him since seeing his work at the Joslyn in Omaha. The grays and greens are just lovely.
Writers: Harper Lee, JK Rowling, CS Lewis
Music: No preference. It changes daily.
Restaurant: I love good food and good service. Honestly, I don't have a favorite.
Automobile: 1972 Jeep CJ5 or a 1970s Jaguar
Movies/TV: Princess Bride, Law and Order, Dr Who, or anything by Joss Whedon
Clothing: pencil skirts, tank tops, big earrings
Furniture pieces: mid-century dressers, IKEA, vintage dinnerware

2. Choose three words to describe your personal style
Vintage, outdoorsy, eclectic

3. Think back over the homes you've lived in, both as a child and as an adult. Which rooms would you choose as your favorites and how would you describe them.

Childhood: The livingroom I had in high school. High ceilings, wood paneled walls, rock fireplace, cozy and inviting.
Adulthood: My last kitchen. Modern appliances and vintage dinnerware and bright colors.

4. Who do you consider a role model?

My friend Erin. You know who you are. 
What three adjectives describe the qualities that you most admire in this person?
Loving, generous, godly

5. Every home has areas that are "just right". Which three spots or things in your home do you feel are beautiful and feel proud of, right now, as is:

This stinks, as the only spot I love right now is my black and white photo wall.

6. A month from now, at the end of the Style Cure, how would you like your friends to describe your home?

Welcoming, a good mix of masculine and feminine, tidy, and personal

What has this taught me? I think I am bi-polar. Or perhaps this mix of likes is normal. Probably. Either way, my goal is to transform my reading room into a place that I want to spend time, to curl up with a book, and a place that when friends come to spend the night, they recognize my influence and taste.

A Day in the Desert

We spent today (it was 100+) at the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum and Zoo with my mom. It was wonderful.  This is the kind of place that if I lived here it would be worth buying an annual pass to, just to see it in all different seasons. I could write a long-winded commentary, but you can just peruse a few pictures instead.

Momma and baby groundhogs

Harris' Hawk

Saguaro buds. We are a week early for all the stellar blooms, but they are still beautiful.

Grey Fox. I'm pretty sure this little guy wants to come home with us. The kitties won't mind, I'm sure.

Prickly pear in bloom.

The requisite "I'm holding my arm out to take a picture" shot.

Sweet dove nesting atop a saguaro cactus. My favorite shot of the day, as I just happened to look up and see her settling in.



I believe these are called Firework Cacti (or something like that).

As a matter of fact, an ordinary desert supports a much greater variety of plants than does either a forest or a prairie.  ~Ellsworth Huntington

Hanging out in Casa Grande

Joe and I at Old Tucson

Yesterday was a bit of a wash-out. After seeing some lovely home gardens for the annual Garden Tour, I ended up with a nasty nasty nasty headache and spent the rest of the day down-and-out.

I thought this painted wall in one garden was so interesting and coolingly beautiful. I would never have thought to paint the wall blue. Now mom and Bruce are thinking of doing the same.

Blue Garden Wall

 Today we are going to bowl with Mom (aka: Ms. My-League-Team-Came-in-6th-in-State). We shall see if I can break 100 with my game the way the thermometer is!

Mount Rainier from Above

This was the gorgeous view of Mt Rainier peeking her head through the clouds as we headed south to Arizona last evening.

I think Joe might have been sorry that he pointed it out to me, because then I was pretty much leaning from the aisle seat all the way over him to take pictures (while attempting to keep my seatbelt fastened).  It was so beautiful the way the clouds on the mountain lay in the crevasses...looking so soft and smooth that you could just slide right down.

In the Sonoran Desert

Welcome to Arizona. The US Border Patrol helicopter flew over while I was taking this picture. I don't think the smiley faces are standard.

 Things are prickly here. This tree looks so nice and fuzzy....

Until you look a little closer.  I know some people like that. But that's another blog post.

These big ones are Saguaro Cacti. They are pretty darned awesome. Please keep in mind I've only seen them in pictures before. This one was about 20 feet tall.

Montana

Just south of Red Lodge, MT.

Looking southwest at my parents' now-sold little house.




Because I like old barren farm architecture.

 

From the deck of the Hotel Lorentzen.

Mommy's Little (Bro) Helper

It would probably be much easier to change the linen on the bed without assistance from Little Bro. But I just can't seem to deprive him of the pleasure of helping. As soon as the bottom sheet goes on, he races on the bed and buries himself in the fresh top sheet.

Little Bro, get out of the bed.

La la la. If I can't see you, I can't hear you!  Besides, I'm helping you, Mommy.

I guess I'd better get off the computer and go kick this killer beast out of the bed so I can finish making it.

Ode to Little Bro

This is Little Bro. He is, in Joe's words "a bit of a dummy". But he's the sweetest little lovebug. How can I resist that little ball of energetic love? Every night when I come home, I cannot sit down unless I plan to be there for a while, because instantly I have him snuggling with me.

What a baby.

The Artist in the Family

I have quite an artistic heritage to live up to. My mom, Julie, has always been creative and talented. She sews, quilts, refurbishes absolutely useless pieces of furniture into something fun and usable, scrapbooks, and has a great eye for decor and design. Last winter, while wintering in Arizona, she learned to take a simple gourd and make it into something lovely.

This one is mine. She won't let me have it yet, though...she wants to show it to her siblings first. But it's mine. And they can't have it.

It's the smallest of the three, but I chose it because I love the turquoise, and that she used pine needles from her own yard to create the trim.

Mom was pleased to find the shell adorning the front of this one during her last trip to Washington. It was conveniently pre-drilled by nature.

The one  below is a gift for my aunt. This gourd is the largest. It has leather trim and sweetgrass around the top. And elk teeth. Aunt Jo will love it.

Gorgeous!



San Juan Island in December

At the end of December, we took the ferry up to San Juan Island. Gorgeous, sunny weather. But don't let the blue sky deceive you, it was bitterly cold. On such a perfect day, my camera got quite the workout, and here are a few of my favorites. One of the nice places we took a walk was a little pullout we found that had trails along the bluff on the west side of the island.

Looking west from San Juan Island

Joe, contemplating whether a double or triple gainer is possible from this height.

Actually, he's not even close to the edge.

Lime Kiln Lighthouse, San Juan Island

I went for a hike earlier this week at Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island.

Perhaps "hike" is a bit of a misnomer. I actually just strolled along some very well groomed (but muddy) trails through the woods to Cranberry Lake.

Well, "lake" is a bit of a misnomer as well. The trail ends abrubtly at a marsh. A large marsh, to be sure, but certainly not a lake.

I did see some evidence of beavers. And I startled a mama deer with a spotted little one by tromping loudly through the underbrush to get a picture that didn't even turn out, but my camera wasn't nearly as fast as they were. That's a lie. My camera is very fast. I'm not.

Then I wandered out of the woods and down to the beach. I would like to say that the picture at the bottom does not do this hill justice. It's a killer. So near the top I turned around to "take a picture". What I really needed was to get my breath.