random thought {february 7, 2023}

I've always liked Dr. Seuss. His odd and whimsical way of looking at the world got him to be one of the number one childrens' writers.

This quote illustrates that being different, unique, or “odd” is what it takes to be number one. Be real, and stay true to yourself, because In the end, that’s what really matters the most.

Possibilities are limitless when you’re not worried about others’ opinions. In the end, self-confidence, courage, and a realistic approach are what it will take to get there.

monday's mulling: colors {february 6, 2023}

Winter colors in the Midwest are very neutral: grays, browns, whites, cool blues. They lack warmth but they're easy going and soothing.

It's interesting how when you feel drab and neutral,  quotes about art and how it brings color to life, regardless of the season, pop up in various social media feeds. The universe syncs up with what you need.

“I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art.” 

~ Helena Bonham Carter

🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 🎨 

My very talented artist friend, Patricia Saxton, has been posting about color and she's  having fun with it. She posts teasers with her art and color combinations. I can't wait to see where this next series takes her.

Patricia Saxton, 2023

"The craving for color is a natural necessity just as for water and fire. Color is a raw material indispensable to life…" ~ Fernand Lager, "On Monumentality and Color", 1943

"Color is the place where our brain and the universe meet."  ~ Paul Klee 

Yes...create something. Even if you think it is lousy, you will bring color to someone's life.

thinking of spring {february 5, 2023}

We’re halfway through winter and I’m thinking about my vegetable gardens. Will there be a couple raised gardens or will I dig up the grass to make the plots? Along with the garden planning, I’ve read The Planter of Modern Life, a biography about Louis Bromfield, a WWI ambulance driver, a Paris expat, a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist who hung out with other expat writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edith Wharton. He got tired of life in Paris so he bought a rundown monastery outside of Paris and turned it into a productive farm. As WWII approached, Bromfield returned to his native Ohio and created Malabar Farm outside of Mansfield, where he pioneered organic farming and lobbied against the industrialization of food production. His name has faded into obscurity but his mission is just as important now as it was back in his day.

..."My inner eye sees past the snow, And in my mind my garden grows.”

~from “Winter Garden”

the days are getting longer {february 4, 2023}

December 21, 2022. The first day of winter and the shortest day of the year. February 2, 2023. Groundhog Day and halfway through winter.

Even though the hours of darkness outnumber the hours of daylight, it's noticeable that the days are getting longer!

I've taken late afternoon walks and have gotten home while it's still light out. T has grilled dinner while there's still daylight. The school buses are now picking up the kids in the daylight. Little hints of spring are in the air.

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ 

Yesterday, the wind chill factor at Mt. Washington in New Hampshire was -108 degrees. Unfathomable cold from the polar vortex.

the friday feed: hot stuff

Hey there, hot stuff!

I enjoy a little bit of spicy in my food. Every culture has its own version of chili paste or chili powder and I have a few in my fridge and spice cabinet. 

That Calabrian chili paste is the Bomba! A little while ago I had an amazing Italian succotash that introduced this smoky, spicy condiment to me. I had to buy some because this dish was so good and I wanted to make it at home. And now I've prepared it a few times. The first time was like the restaurant served it, with corn and Brussels sprouts; subsequent times have been corn, Brussels sprouts and whatever else and finished with the chili paste. A little while ago I used the Calabrian chili paste in a sweet and spicy sauce over delicata squash. Wow wow wow! 

Yes, some of these chilis are interchangeable, but I am a sucker for using what the recipe calls for, hence lots of spicy spices around. I really like the Aleppo pepper. This spice is about half as hot as the crushed red chili flakes you put on your pizza, and easily twice as flavorful. Like salt, Aleppo pepper is a flavor enhancer. It combines slow-building heat with earthy, cumin-y undertones and a little hit of fruity tang—and yes, it is delicious.

groundhog day {february 2, 2023}

Today is Groundhog Day! Back in the day when I worked as a paralegal, my boss loved Groundhog Day. It was her favorite holiday of the year. She brought in donuts and other goodies to celebrate. Prior to that, I had never paid attention to Groundhog Day but now I remember with much fondness Betty’s enthusiasm for this furry little prognosticator of springtime.

Even though it’s not a federal holiday, Americans tune in to see if the famed groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow every year on the same day, February 2. The festivities begin at sunrise at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Groundhog Day’s roots are in the Christian holiday Candlemas, the midway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. During Candlemas, Christians honored the changing of the seasons and lit candles to predict how long winter would last.

The first official Groundhog Day happened on February 2, 1887, in the very town it is celebrated in today. The celebrations made a permanent home at Gobbler’s Knob the following year. According to History.com, it was a newspaper editor and groundhog hunter who declared Phil, a groundhog from Punxsutawney, the true predictor.

Unfortunately for Phil fanatics, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the groundhog has “no predictive skill.” In fact, he’s only gotten it right about 40% of the time. Oh well, whether Phil sees his shadow or not, winter is here for six more weeks. But one thing is for sure, daylight hours are getting longer.

wordy wednesday...wednesday {february 1, 2023}

Have you ever wondered why Wednesdsay is spelled in that utterly ridiculous way?

The ancient Romans named the days of the week after the planets as they understood them at that time. The planets in turn were named after the gods. Germanic people then adopted the own names to their own language and gods.

The Old English word for Wednesday indicates that the day was named for the Germanic god Woden, also known as Odin, who was compared to the Roman god Mercury.

Wednesday is Woden's Day, which explains why the word is spelled so unusually. 

Under Woden's supervision, the earth and sky were created from the dead body of a giant named Ymir. Woden also helped create the first man and woman from an ash tree and an alder.

In Romance languages, the name is derived from the Roman god Mercury. For example, Wednesday is mercredi in French, miercuri in Romanian, and miércoles in Spanish.

We're halfway to Friday!