Hi! You know me.

So, I've been trying to do this good deed all day. I don't say that to brag. The fact is I am an underachiever lately in the good deeds department. I was raised to babysit for free, to tutor my knucklehead cousin for free, and to do whatever else I could to help a broth'a out. Helping is a good thing. But, a couple of years ago, I decided to take a break from volunteering. 

Break over. Now, I am feeling the need to be of service in some small way. So, at church on Sunday, I got a feeling that I should make dinner for this adorable elderly couple in our neighborhood. He is in his mid to late eighties and has been struggling with health challenges. I've chatted with them several times. They kind of know me, but not necessarily by name. You know how that goes. Those familiar faces you find yourself saying hi to repeatedly, but you have no idea who they are exactly. After a certain point, it's too embarrassing to ask. It seems you should already know their name. But you don't. Or is it just me that gets into these jams? Anyhow, the woman is from Pennsylvania, as am I, and that is what we talk about when I see them. 

So, I get this wild hair to make them chicken noodle soup with homemade bread: a simple do-able plan. Today was the day. I called late this morning to try to set up the delivery. The soup already made, the bread in progress. No answer. I walk over to their house and wrap on the door. I'm afraid to ring the bell in case the husband is resting. No answer. I call mid-afternoon. No answer. I figure they may not answer the phone if they don't recognize the name and decide to call again and leave a message. "Hi! You know me. I'm the girl from Pennsylvania who walks her dog on your street when you are doing yard work. I would like to bring you soup and bread for dinner today. Please call me back to set up delivery." I wait all day. No call. 

I call their next-door neighbor, who is their close friend figuring she can get me into the inner sanctum. She calls them. Boom, they answer - just home from a doctors appointment which lasted all afternoon. She advises them I will call soon. She calls me back. I call them. "Hi! You know me. I am the girl from Pennsylvania one street over. Can I bring you over dinner tonight?" 

Cha-ching. "Yes," She says, "and then I'll get to meet you." But you know me, I wanted to say, but didn't. The bread is in the oven. It will be done in fifteen minutes and then I'm heading over. There are few better gifts than bread warm from the oven. Of course, as soon as they see me, they will recognize me. Good deeds, no matter how much red tape they involve, are worth doing.

rockin' the boots

Learning is my drug of choice. I was watching a BBC special on the brain and it said that continually learning new skills and facts is a key to preventing Alzheimer's disease. 

Also, it said that juggling is the all time best activity for increasing brain function.

So, I'm planning to take up juggling. Why not? I figure Quiet Guy and I can spend our retirement years juggling on the beach when we're not scanning for treasure with our metal detectors. 

In the meantime, I started my second photography class today: advanced digital photography... ooooh... aaaaah. 

In the first class, we learned the basic rules. Now we are learning to throw away all the basic rules and get artsy. It doesn't get much  better than learning more about something you love. Photography is amazing.

May you find what you love and keep on learning. And may you one day get a chance to juggle on the beach. And may you never commit a Glamour Don't as egregious as this one.

Yes, the dork on the elliptical rockin' the black leather ankle boots at the gym yesterday was me. The gym is on our way home from church, so QG and I always dash there as soon as the service lets out to get in 30 minutes of cardio before yoga class. I remembered all my workout gear except the sneakers. That's what happens when you have to leave the house before finishing your morning coffee. Zero brain function. I didn't want to waste my cardio time driving home to get the proper footwear. Who needs sneakers when they're already wearing stylish boots? So much for making it onto this year's People magazine best dressed list. Maybe next year.

live large

Happy October Saturday. Today, just remember to

Love life,

Live large,

Laugh long.

turmeric dyed scarf for about a buck

Have I mentioned that I love the color yellow? I am emotionally attached to yellow. It has been my numero uno, color-wise, my whole life. To me, it represents hope and a hazy, comfy homeyness, and, if I'm being honest, fear, as in yellow bellied. all of these have been part of my journey.  

So, I got the idea of making a yellow scarf out of cheesecloth. Got a big package at Wal-Mart for five bucks, which makes about five scarfs. Turmeric is what I used to dye it. The only other thing you need is some white vinegar. Here's how to make the scarf. It is easy. 

Cut off 80 inches of cheesecloth, following one thread line for a clean edge. fold in half, joining ends, then half again. Set aside.

Boil 2 cups water. Add 4 teaspoons turmeric, 2 teaspoons of white vinegar, stir, removing from heat. Cool a little. Put into a glass bowl.

Fill another bowl with water and a couple tablespoons of white vinegar.

Now. take the cheesecloth in your hand, holing it on the end with the raw edges. Dip the other end in the turmeric water. Hold it here for a couple minutes with just the end submerged. Now dip it a little deeper, but keep the clump in your hand out of the dye. Hold it there a minute or so, then gently pull it up and press out the dye water. 

Plunge the whole scarf in the vinegar water and swish it around for a minute or so. Dump out the water and fill the bowl several more times with water and rinse until the water runs clean, then do again for good measure.

Press out the water gentlly, do not wring. Blot with an old towel or paper towels. Now you can ever so gently open up the fabric and lay it outside to dry on an old towel or smooth surface. Be careful of rough surfaces, as they might snag precious. 

If it is breezy, you can tenderly unfurl the scarf to dry and glisten in the breeze. 

 When it is dry, you can wear it with pride, or give as a gift. It should be colorfast due to the vinegar, but you may want to be careful wearing it with white until you have washed it a couple of times. Enjoy!

the results are in

So, as to the dehydrated oranges sprinkled with sugar or a tad of maraschino cherry juice, the verdict is in.

Yum.

The texture is pleasantly chewy. 

The only caveat is that the clump of white pith in the center is a bit bitter, so you need to cut that out either before or after you dehydrate. 

The lost Huckleberrys

Sad news. Funeral services for goldfish Charles and Sally Huckleberry were held this morning. It was a quiet, toilet-side affair and they went down in the manner in which they had enjoyed these glorious past five days: together. It's not illegal to flush goldfish is it?

I don't know what happened. Perhaps it had something to do with the water change operation I conducted yesterday. All I know is they were alive last evening when I said goodnight and turned off the light. But, sunrise disclosed a different tale. A grim tale. At least I gave them five happy days in their own bowl. They were humble pets nee "feeder" fish and I will miss their cheery presence. 

The lady at the pet store tried to convince me to get a beta, but goldfish are so much prettier in my view. Perhaps I will try the beta, or one of the official "pet" variety of goldfish with the bulging eyes. Opinions, anyone?

On a happier note, I a concocting an experiment in my dehydrator. 

 Orange slices sprinkled with either a little sugar or some maraschino cherry juice.

This could turn out to be a new healthy vitamin-C-packed treat sensation or a gloppy mess. Tomorrow, people. We have to be patient, as the dehydrator will not be rushed. 

PS. Whoever said you shouldn't play with you food had it all wrong. You should definitely play with your food. And then take pictures.

picturing calm

Something about each of these pictures brings me calm. It is interesting how some pictures  generate a distinct feeling inside me. I read in yesterday's newspaper that the emotions generated from positive activities, such as looking at happy pictures, has been proven to increase emotional resilience. I hope that these bring you a happy moment.

Citrus Almond Cranberry Granola

Do you ever get stuck on one thing? For months, I've been stuck on a breakfast of plain non-fat yogurt topped with homemade granola and walnuts. I've been experimenting with various ingredients for the granola. Here is my latest recipe. I think it's the best yet. It is healthy and yummy with a fair amount of protein. 

Citrus Almond Cranberry Granola

1 huge or 2 medium oranges
5 cups rolled oats 
1 cup wheat bran
1 cup raw, shelled pumpkin seeds
1 1/4 cups chopped raw almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
2 Tablespoons almond oil (you may use all coconut oil instead, but the almond oil enhances the nutty flavor)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

A day or two before you make the granola, grate the top skin of the orange or oranges and set it aside (in the sun if possible) to dry into zest. Do not include the white pith, only the top orange part. Finely chop the zest when dried.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line one huge baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Combine the oats, bran, dried orange zest, and nuts in a big bowl. In a saucepan, combine the oils, vanilla, sugar, syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil. Cool slightly then pour over the dry ingredients, mixing well. Spread evenly onto baking sheet.

Bake until crisp and toasty, about 20 minutes, mixing in the cranberries for the final 5 minutes of cooking. Remove from oven and cool. Store in airtight container. Can be frozen in zipper lock freezer bag till ready to consume. I like to freeze in weekly portions to keep it fresh. Enjoy!

chill day

My husband, Quiet Guy, and I have a tradition. Saturday is our special day to hang out. We call it Super Fun Day. Hey, life is busy. Everyone should set aside time to chill and refuel. We go to the gym (how romantic), then usually out to lunch and a movie or adventure. 

So peeps, today's movie was stellar. If you have not seen Argo yet, then run to your nearest theater to see it. Run I tell you. It was the true story behind what happened to the six Americans trapped in the Canadian Embassy in Iran in 1980 after the Shah fell. 

Also, today was high holy day in the thrifting community: half price day at Goodwill, which is right by the gym so we stopped on the way. I limited my speed-browsing to 30 minutes due to QG's waiting, or should I say hovering, near the exit. We have a mixed marriage. QG is not into Goodwill. I snagged two amazing bargains. QG said the place had nothing but junk, but here's the thing, you have to dig to find the gems. I should remind him that I have a good eye and that he was my best bargain ever. 

We also hit a local blue grass festival where we enjoyed some sweet tunes and saw a lot of Wrangler jeans and cowboy boots. Love it. This leads me to what I'm thankful for today.

1. Bargain number one. Over the shoulder Coach bag in like-new condition. Black leather. Ten bucks. (Yes, that's the half-price price.)

2. Bargain number two. Adorbs J Jill sweater. Two bucks.
3. The Farmers Branch Bluegrass Festival. Whoot, whoot.

 3. Nightlights. Cozy. These were for sale at the festival.

 4. Jamie. Dog or angel? I can't tell.

5. Roses. So lovely. This one grows next door.