I have a job! I have a job! I have a really real, permanent, non-temp job! It's in retail, we'll see how it goes. I start on Monday! Yay! I think it's going to be good. But now I have to pack up my stuff and find a place to live in Sedona, so that's going to be a bit of a pain. Eh, it'll work out.
In other news, I'm loving my Jack LaLanne Power Juicer. It's awesome. I've been juicing stuff just about every day. And I've lost weight so that's good.
In knitting, I finished all the knitting on my Eyelet Surplice Dress yesterday. I'm not crazy with the way certain parts of it turned out, but I'm going to try to make it work. I'm now hard at work on my Tilted Duster, although I need to finish up my Knit Knack exchange items too. The Chinese knotting books I ordered came in the mail, so that's about all I need to finish the pasties. The purse is currently in lining limbo.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Cookies and Juice
Wow, it was kind of a busy weekend. I was home all weekend in honor of Mothers Day, plus it was the first day of the farmers market in Prescott, and the first Mountain Artist's Guild show of the summer. I got my paws on a jar of honey wine jelly at the farmers market. It should be pretty yummy, but I didn't have the heart to open it yet. Then came the art show, which was huge. I was not entirely prepared for the magnitude of the entire courthouse square in Prescott to be taken up with vendors. Fortunately, not nearly all of them were remotely interesting. There was a lot of cut-out sheet copper in the shape of roadrunners and coyotes. It's just not what I'm into. I did snag a pretty great pair of earrings and Mom got a bracelet from the same artist. Oh, and I ordered a bracelet from a guy who does glass enamel work, and he's going to bring it to the next show for me. So that was pretty cool too. Otherwise we just bought food.
Then we went and got me one of these. I tried it out on Sunday and what can I say. It makes juice. And pulp. Yeah. I'm pretty excited about it, but I made the decision not to bring it back to the camper with me for a week then have to cart it back home again. So I'm gonna be all over the juice diet next week.
Sunday I finally got to bake again. It's been a while. I'm sort of discovering that, as I told my mom, I really enjoy the process more than I enjoy the finished product. I think that's a good thing. It means I'm not going to gorge myself on cookies just because I can. I was cruising blogs last month and found this recipe for saffron cookies on pieknits and really wanted to try the recipe out. So I gave it a whirl, and I'm pleased to say they were delicious. It's a fairly simple recipe too.
Sadly, the kolachky experiment that followed was not nearly so successful. But I salvaged half the dough in the freezer, and I think half the problem was the shape I was trying to do. So I'm going to try again with the rest of the dough.
So the saffron cookies went to work with me today, and although they turned out quite a bit harder today than they were yesterday, they were still pretty much gone by lunch time (I snagged the second to last one). The failed kolachky, which still tasted good despite being a failure, stayed with my parents.
Then we went and got me one of these. I tried it out on Sunday and what can I say. It makes juice. And pulp. Yeah. I'm pretty excited about it, but I made the decision not to bring it back to the camper with me for a week then have to cart it back home again. So I'm gonna be all over the juice diet next week.
Sunday I finally got to bake again. It's been a while. I'm sort of discovering that, as I told my mom, I really enjoy the process more than I enjoy the finished product. I think that's a good thing. It means I'm not going to gorge myself on cookies just because I can. I was cruising blogs last month and found this recipe for saffron cookies on pieknits and really wanted to try the recipe out. So I gave it a whirl, and I'm pleased to say they were delicious. It's a fairly simple recipe too.
Sadly, the kolachky experiment that followed was not nearly so successful. But I salvaged half the dough in the freezer, and I think half the problem was the shape I was trying to do. So I'm going to try again with the rest of the dough.
So the saffron cookies went to work with me today, and although they turned out quite a bit harder today than they were yesterday, they were still pretty much gone by lunch time (I snagged the second to last one). The failed kolachky, which still tasted good despite being a failure, stayed with my parents.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
On Russia and vampires
Gasp! Two posts in a single week?? What is the world coming to?
I'm completely addicted to streaming movies on Netflix. Tonight I watched Nightwatch and remembered why it was so awesome in the first place: dissolving subtitles. Seriously, it sounds silly, but you have to see it to know how kick-ass it is. Usually the subtitles are just kind of there, but in this movie they're kind of integrated. They disappear behind bodies in the foreground and turn red and dissolve like blood into water. They're actually expressive. Not to mention that the effects are pretty great, especially considering the movie was made for something like $15 million.
Ok, that's all I got. My mind is too blown by the good vs evil crazy seasick battle cinematography, and also by the dude who pulls his spine out and it turns into a sword. Seriously. Wow.
I'm completely addicted to streaming movies on Netflix. Tonight I watched Nightwatch and remembered why it was so awesome in the first place: dissolving subtitles. Seriously, it sounds silly, but you have to see it to know how kick-ass it is. Usually the subtitles are just kind of there, but in this movie they're kind of integrated. They disappear behind bodies in the foreground and turn red and dissolve like blood into water. They're actually expressive. Not to mention that the effects are pretty great, especially considering the movie was made for something like $15 million.
Ok, that's all I got. My mind is too blown by the good vs evil crazy seasick battle cinematography, and also by the dude who pulls his spine out and it turns into a sword. Seriously. Wow.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
I love you Netflix, but, um, what?
Dear Netflix,
Yes, I love the works of Hayao Miyazake. That's apparent, as I've pretty much rented them all from you. However, I'm not really making the connection between "Princess Mononoke" and "The Garbage Pail Kids Movie". Maybe you know something I don't, but I kind of think the suggestions you make are a little mixed up.
On the other hand, I'm totally loving the "watch instantly" thing. Yeah, it's pretty great.
Yours,
Morgan.
Yes, I love the works of Hayao Miyazake. That's apparent, as I've pretty much rented them all from you. However, I'm not really making the connection between "Princess Mononoke" and "The Garbage Pail Kids Movie". Maybe you know something I don't, but I kind of think the suggestions you make are a little mixed up.
On the other hand, I'm totally loving the "watch instantly" thing. Yeah, it's pretty great.
Yours,
Morgan.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Hiking...and knitting.
Wow, I meant to post yesterday or the day before, and just kind of forgot. Oh well.
Last week Wednesday was Administrative Professionals Day (formerly Secretarys Day, but then that became un-pc or something) and I was a little disappointed that nobody took Jessica and me out to lunch, but we got roses, so that was cool anyway.
They looked really beautiful on Friday when I left work, and I made sure to add some extra water so they wouldn't die over the weekend, but they did anyway. They're all sad and droopy now, but I haven't gotten rid of them yet.
Saturday was hiking day, and as usual, hiking in Sedona is beautiful:
That's a pretty cool looking dead tree we encountered. That is, it's beautiful until my hiking buddy loses the trail several times, and walks me around for 3+ hours on steep angled rock leading down to a sheer cliff and a drop to my certain death. While I'm exhausted because his pace is much faster than mine. Yeah. We circled Chimney Rock looking for the trail, walking a little, looking over the cliff at the trail below wondering how to get down to it, then walking a little more and looking again, until we came back around to the path that had lead us up there in the first place. It looks lovely when you look at it from far away, it's not so much fun when you're walking around it trying to find a way down.
All of which played a part in prompting me to go out the next day and buy some real, decent hiking shoes, just in case my hiking buddy wasn't so fed up with all my whining to never head out with me again. Check 'em out!
They have sticky rubber on the bottom so I can't fall off the rocks as easily! Hopefully I'll have a chance to try them out this weekend.
In knitting knews (hehe, I'm a dork) I managed to finish part of AJ's birthday present today. That's one down, one to go, and her birthday was only last Thursday, so considering my track record over the last few years, I think I'm doing fairly well.
I also finished the first panel of the super secret bag for the Knit Knack Purses and Pasties exchange. I learned intarsia for it, which was pretty difficult at first, then I got the hang of it, so it's not so bad. It didn't help that I came up with a pretty complicated chart for my first foray into intarsia. But that's just how I roll, I guess.
I can't wait to finish all the pieces and felt it, something else I've never actually done!
Wow, I hope the guys singing and playing accordian across the street pack it up before I go to bed...accordian-induced insomnia may be fine as the subject of a song by The Who, but in actuality would kind of suck.
Last week Wednesday was Administrative Professionals Day (formerly Secretarys Day, but then that became un-pc or something) and I was a little disappointed that nobody took Jessica and me out to lunch, but we got roses, so that was cool anyway.
They looked really beautiful on Friday when I left work, and I made sure to add some extra water so they wouldn't die over the weekend, but they did anyway. They're all sad and droopy now, but I haven't gotten rid of them yet.
Saturday was hiking day, and as usual, hiking in Sedona is beautiful:
That's a pretty cool looking dead tree we encountered. That is, it's beautiful until my hiking buddy loses the trail several times, and walks me around for 3+ hours on steep angled rock leading down to a sheer cliff and a drop to my certain death. While I'm exhausted because his pace is much faster than mine. Yeah. We circled Chimney Rock looking for the trail, walking a little, looking over the cliff at the trail below wondering how to get down to it, then walking a little more and looking again, until we came back around to the path that had lead us up there in the first place. It looks lovely when you look at it from far away, it's not so much fun when you're walking around it trying to find a way down.
All of which played a part in prompting me to go out the next day and buy some real, decent hiking shoes, just in case my hiking buddy wasn't so fed up with all my whining to never head out with me again. Check 'em out!
They have sticky rubber on the bottom so I can't fall off the rocks as easily! Hopefully I'll have a chance to try them out this weekend.
In knitting knews (hehe, I'm a dork) I managed to finish part of AJ's birthday present today. That's one down, one to go, and her birthday was only last Thursday, so considering my track record over the last few years, I think I'm doing fairly well.
I also finished the first panel of the super secret bag for the Knit Knack Purses and Pasties exchange. I learned intarsia for it, which was pretty difficult at first, then I got the hang of it, so it's not so bad. It didn't help that I came up with a pretty complicated chart for my first foray into intarsia. But that's just how I roll, I guess.
I can't wait to finish all the pieces and felt it, something else I've never actually done!
Wow, I hope the guys singing and playing accordian across the street pack it up before I go to bed...accordian-induced insomnia may be fine as the subject of a song by The Who, but in actuality would kind of suck.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Today I am grateful for yarn shops and mountain roads.
And also for weekends.
I drove through Jerome today to get home, because I needed to buy some yarn for the Knit Knack exchanges that are going on (purses and pasties). And I'm super-excited about the yarn I got! It was like a big bag of love!
See what I mean?
Jerome was freaky crowded though. It was hard to find parking, but from where I parked, as you walk into town you get a lovely view of the Verde Valley, which seems a lot more hazy than it did last year about this time.
I remember being up there and being able to see the Red Rocks clear on the other side of the valley, and today you could hardly see anything.
Erica at Knit 1 Bead 2 was awesome, and extraordinarily helpful, as always, and I had a beautiful drive the rest of the way over Mingus to Chino Valley with the car window open and my arm hanging out. I'm gonna end up with trucker's arm, for sure.
I drove through Jerome today to get home, because I needed to buy some yarn for the Knit Knack exchanges that are going on (purses and pasties). And I'm super-excited about the yarn I got! It was like a big bag of love!
See what I mean?
Jerome was freaky crowded though. It was hard to find parking, but from where I parked, as you walk into town you get a lovely view of the Verde Valley, which seems a lot more hazy than it did last year about this time.
I remember being up there and being able to see the Red Rocks clear on the other side of the valley, and today you could hardly see anything.
Erica at Knit 1 Bead 2 was awesome, and extraordinarily helpful, as always, and I had a beautiful drive the rest of the way over Mingus to Chino Valley with the car window open and my arm hanging out. I'm gonna end up with trucker's arm, for sure.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Tonight the Charoset, Tomorrow Passover
Yay, my first blog post ever! Or something. Since I have no readers or anything yet, I'm going to post a link for nobody to an awesome collection of charoset recipes, none of which I'm making for tomorrow night's Seder. Here's the link Ok, so I sort of took suggestions from all the recipes, but I've got picky eaters to cater to, so no raisins for my dad, change up the walnuts for pecans for my mom, mashed banana just sounds kind of wierd in charoset to me, and so on. So my charoset recipe is as follows:
3 apples (whatever looks good)
walnuts
almonds (the sliced kind, although I guess if you're gonna chop them up it doesn't really matter)
dates
red wine
cinnamon
powdered ginger
Then you kind of chop everything up and mix it all together. It's not supposed to be pretty, y'all, it's supposed to look like mortar. Amounts are totally however much you feel like putting in, and pretty much the ingredients are up to you too, with the exception of apples, nuts and red wine. Technically it's supposed to be kosher wine, but I hate that thick Manischevitz shit, so I chose an Australian Shiraz that was on sale for dirt cheap. Some recipes seem to call for sweet red wine and some call for dry. I know absolutely shit about wines, so I chose what was on sale.
Oh yeah, that link also has a recipe for something called Huevos Haminados, which is some kind of hard cooked eggs, all Sephardic style, which sounds pretty awesome. I'm gonna have to try it one of these days.
3 apples (whatever looks good)
walnuts
almonds (the sliced kind, although I guess if you're gonna chop them up it doesn't really matter)
dates
red wine
cinnamon
powdered ginger
Then you kind of chop everything up and mix it all together. It's not supposed to be pretty, y'all, it's supposed to look like mortar. Amounts are totally however much you feel like putting in, and pretty much the ingredients are up to you too, with the exception of apples, nuts and red wine. Technically it's supposed to be kosher wine, but I hate that thick Manischevitz shit, so I chose an Australian Shiraz that was on sale for dirt cheap. Some recipes seem to call for sweet red wine and some call for dry. I know absolutely shit about wines, so I chose what was on sale.
Oh yeah, that link also has a recipe for something called Huevos Haminados, which is some kind of hard cooked eggs, all Sephardic style, which sounds pretty awesome. I'm gonna have to try it one of these days.
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