good luck food

Celebrate 2009 with some good luck by fixing up a big pot of Hoppin' John (black eyed peas and rice). It is a belief of many (mostly Southerners), that if you eat black eyed peas on New Years Day, your year will be filled much good luck. The little black eyes on the peas (or beans) are said to signify coins or wealth. If you also serve a side of collard greens, it will add to your wealth as the green signifies money.

Now I am not from the south, but for the last 4-5 years, I have served some version of black eyed peas and rice on New Years Day and well....I can't complain. Traditionally this dish is made with a ham hock or fat back, but many substitute bacon. I have mixed up the recipe from year to year, sometimes making it all vegetarian, sometimes adding lots of peppers and cayenne, it is really a matter of taste. If you search, there are a zillion variations out there. This year I am planning on taking a few thick slices of locally raised bacon (chopped up) and sauteing in some onions, garlic and celery then adding in the cooked beans. Served over a big bowl of rice and a dash or two of hot sauce....good luck or not, it is a tasty meal. If you have never had black eyed peas, they have a very unique nutty taste worth giving a try. You can find them in cans, but I prefer the overnight soaking method. It takes a little extra planning, but often it is the time and intention you put in that makes a special meal, well...special.

Happy New Year to all and a very Happy Birthday to my father, Doug (a New Years Day baby) !

winter wonders

Who says you can only pick flowers in the summer. Well I guess these are technically not flowers, but they are no less beautiful. I spotted these spiny burs on a snowshoe outing this weekend and they reminded me very much of sea urchins. I happen to be working on a mixed media piece that is inspired by the sea, so I snapped off a branch and kept on trekking.

Once I started looking, I found an abundance of inspiring winter plants. These dried Sumac could easily pass as bits of red coral and this frozen skeleton of a Queen Anne's Lace plant, looks like it was just plucked from the ocean floor.
After getting home and realizing that my work bench was already bursting with multiple projects, I popped them into a lovely vase to enjoy until their grand transformation.

Nature in winter can be so breathtaking. Starkness and stillness often hide it's treasures, but for those willing to investigate, true beauty waits to inspire.

4 calling birds

As Abby and I turned the corner to head home from our snowy walk yesterday, a group of four Mourning Doves caught my eye. Their pristine grey feathers and the unique way they were alternately perched on my neighbors fence made me pause to enjoy them. After a few seconds the 12 days of Christmas started playing in my head... "5 golden rings....four calling birds.." Ha- how crazy is that?

I quickly put Abby inside and walked back around the corner, camera in hand, with the hope they would still be there. Graciously, the foursome stuck around for me to snap this photo before they flew away. Tomorrow, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for 8 maids of milking.

Merry Christmas everyone !

mistletoe

The night of my 30th birthday party, my then boyfriend Nathan snuck into my apartment and push pinned the small bunch of mistletoe I had hanging in doorway and relocated it to right above my bed. When I crawled into bed that night, my heart melted when I saw what my love had done. I was smart enough to keep it , and last year I applied several layers of shellac, mounted it to some lovely vintage Christmas wrap and enclosed it in a shadow box. It is my favorite Christmas decoration...in fact it is up year round.

The legend of how kissing became associated with mistletoe starts with an 8th century Norse legend. Balder the god of summer had a dream he was going to die and when he told his mother Frigga, goddess of love, she told all the creatures of the land to not harm her son, but there was a loophole, that Loki god of evil found. Since mistletoe is a parasitic vine that grows by attaching to another rooted tree....it was considered to not be a plant itself and therefore able to poison the god with its berries. As legend states, Frigga's endless tears and pleas for her dead son turned the berries from red to white and Balder was brought to life. Frigga thanked everyone with a kiss as they walked under the branch.

Equally interesting, the Celtic Druids believed the mistletoe had magic fertility powers. Elaborate rituals would be performed during the Winter solstice, which is when the plant would bear it fruit berries. Although poisonous, the berries were sacred because their color and consistency resembled that of semen.

As charming as that might be, it seems the modern ritual of kissing under the mistletoe comes more from the Scandinavians. Considered a symbol of peace, fighting couples, friends and family would pause under the branch to call a truce and forgive each other with a kiss. Some accounts say that the man must pick a berry from the branch each time he takes a kiss. When the berries are gone...so are the kisses. Thankfully, the mistletoe I now hang each year has berries that are permanently attached, so my kisses from Nathan are never numbered.
Merry Christmas

wine ornaments

After years of saving wine and champagne corks, I finally came up with a perfect use. Ornaments. Besides the everyday ones, I have several extra special corks that are signed and dated. First night of honeymoon, picnic on the hill, and Nathan's 30th, etc. Those were the ones I wanted to highlight a little more than just collecting in a jar.

It was a cinch to do. Drill a small hole thru the entire cork, tread a medium gauge flexible wire thru, add a few beads and twist to secure the end and hook the top.

Last year I used them as an great centerpiece. A large vase filled with colorful glass balls and some twisty branches from the backyard. (adorable dog not included )

A really unique and personal gift for a loved one.... recycled too. This year, I will be adding a very cool one that I saved from our election night 2008 celebration.

My new nephew

He is finally here...and just in time for the holidays

Evan Jacob
Wt: 7 lbs, 9 oz
Length: 20.5 inches
Born: Monday, December 8th at 12:44PM

Isn't he the cutest ever ! We are seeing him in 2 days and I can hardly stand the wait.

Cash in the attic

Nathan came up with a fabulous way to save a ton of energy this winter and built it this week. We live in a darling 2 story Cape Cod that is about 95 years old. We are lucky the previous owners replaced all the windows, so we are being efficient there, but there were some other areas that were big energy drainers. The biggest culprit, the attic. As soon as you took 2 or 3 steps upstairs, you were greeted by a noticeable change in temp. Like you changed elevation 300 feet instead of just the 3. Realizing there had to be a way to keep that air from escaping from the pull down ceiling door, Nate constructed a plywood box that sits upside down over the opening so the foldaway ladder had a place to go, while blocking any big air leaks. Covering the entire exterior of the box with insulation, created an extra toasty barrier. The result....INSTANTANEOUS. Seriously, we noticed the change that very night, the heat hardly even kicked on. What a wonderful handy husband I have. Thanks sweetie.

We keep our home pretty cool in the winter. Often 62-65. Winter is all about bundling up, so layer on all those winter fashions. Wear that toasty sweater around the house with big wool socks. Buy a plush snuggly blanket, wear that super fuzzy robe over your PJ's while watching TV, or treat yourself this holiday to some great shearing slippers. A 2 or 3 degree decrease in your thermostat can save you around 5% of your bill as well as conserving energy resources. Your body will adapt quickly and it is actually a much easier transition for when you come in and out of the elements. For other easy ways to weatherproof..check out PowerHouse.

Zumba

Since the thought of me going to my usual 5:45 AM Spinning class when I am now going to bed at 2 am is...well- really no longer a thought, I have been perusing my health club's class schedule for a substitute. (enter ZUMBA). I had seen the signs all over the healthclub this summer- ZUMBA coming soon , Don't miss ZUMBA and Try Zumba today. Well, I guess all that marketing worked, so yesterday at 8:45 I tried Zumba.

What is ZUMBA you ask?...what isn't it. Sixty minutes of Latin inspired dance routines designed as a toning/cardio workout. Broken up into 8-10 songs, the "routines" were performed to Latin, Indian or other world music. The instructor often shouted out visual cues such as "Imagine you are Carmen Miranda with 30 lbs of fruit on your head", or "strike a pose". I thought it was in a showchoir practice for a minute. Freedancing, cha cha cha's and lots of "HOW YOU FEELING" from the instructor.... I couldn't decide if I was at Carnivale or on a Carnival cruise.

The cons: Complicated moves (even if you have rhythm) and a lower calorie burner (according to my heart rate monitor 270). The pros: it is a great venue for non-exercisers to get into fitness. It was a non-intimidating environment that encouraged lots of 'letting go'. Also it is a great way to break up a structured fitness routine. Your body gets use to you going to the same spin class or running 30 minutes on a treadmill everyday. You use different muscles when you try something new and that can really help your overall health. Even now I am noticing my ankles and hips are a little sore.

So, although Zumba is most likely going to be one of those things I tried just the once, it did get me out of bed on a snow covered 25 degree morning and a provided few good giggles too.

For more about Zumba check out this link.