Week 16

Images from last week, Baby, when apparently your tripled in size. I'm afraid I will too!

Queen Maxine, otherwise known as the oldest child.




The Autumn winds are knocking down the pine cones.




Great place to view a movie, especially during pregnancy.




The neighbor's abundant grape arbor.




Did you know apple trees only produce apples every other year?




Desi, now the baby, soon to be the middle child, loves peppers!




Mama likes to shoot berries. Deal with it.

Week 16

Images from last week, Baby, when apparently your tripled in size. I'm afraid I will too!

Queen Maxine, otherwise known as the oldest child.




The Autumn winds are knocking down the pine cones.




Great place to view a movie, especially during pregnancy.




The neighbor's abundant grape arbor.




Did you know apple trees only produce apples every other year?




Desi, now the baby, soon to be the middle child, loves peppers!




Mama likes to shoot berries. Deal with it.

It's October!

Where did my summer go? Oh, yah, I got pregnant. I guess I got my first big lesson, the one that all pregnant women talk about: surrender. I had big plans for this summer, for this blog, for my camera, for my CSA. Indeed, I surrendered all my plans because none of those plans came through. Or rather, I should say - I could not follow through with any of those plans. And now it is October.

October! Part of my favorite season - Autumn!

I love the cooler air temps, the chilly rain, the warm sweaters, the fingerless gloves, the hats, the stews, the soups, the squash.

I can't wait to make a butternut bisque with the gigantic butternut squash I got yesterday in the CSA delivery. I'll share the recipe next week. The CSA was such a big box this week. I hadn't expected that. That's the great thing about signing up with Harmony Valley CSA; it keeps on coming until December. Of course November and December only have two delivery weeks, but for a girl who spent her summer in a pregnancy-nausea induced fog, the fact that the CSA is still going strong is a such a treat. I've found that we pay a bit more for this particular CSA as compared to others in the area, but HV's delivery season is much longer and much more varied. I admit I despaired this summer, but now I feel more certain than ever that we will sign up again next year. I get so excited thinking about mashing up CSA veggies for baby food! I've heard this leads to less picky eaters and that's one thing I will really struggle with if we have a picky-eating baby. The Big D has a niece who claims to be vegetarian but as she was growing up all she would consume was milk, butter and noodles. Oh! The thought of that just breaks my heart.

Vegetables not only taste great, but they also look beautiful!



The peppers, the lettuce and the baby bok choy were such beautiful colors I just had to shoot the three together. Last night I had planned to do a braised bok choy but had none of the sesame oil needed for the recipe. Instead, I stir-fried the bok choy (white parts first), then added the peppers, then garlic and scallions, finally finishing with soy sauce and the bok choy leaves. It was such a wonderful side dish to the chicken I baked!

These were the pepper I used in the stir fry side. Such sweet, little bell peppers.



So precious I could barely keep the kitty away to take a photo.



Ok, so, I'm sure anybody that's anyone who isn't a vegetarian has had a chance to look at the faux fried chicken recipe at A Good Appetite. Last night I tried it and it turned out to be absolutely fantastic! Probably the best baked chicken to come out of my oven. It was great incentive to try the powered buttermilk that I've been hearing so much about lately. The flavors were numerous, yet blended so well together: garlic, lemon, parmesan, thyme.

And the hoecakes? Oh. My. God. So simple to make, so incredibly delicious. Acquiring the ingredients made me more familiar with the bulk bins at the Eastside Co-op. Sure I've gotten stuff there before, but for some reason, yesterday's experience was an eye opener for me. A chance to see how I can more easily fit organic into our budget without feeling like I gotta forfeit a new pair of shoes for baby every time I buy an untested, supposedly staple ingredient that may or may not get used up.

The food was so good that I couldn't be with bothered with getting the exact shot that I wanted for this blog. The first shot I couldn't quite get into focus and made me think maybe I'm getting a little too old to rely on manual focus. Spent the day looking for an used auto focus 55mm lens.



Then, I resorted to the ultimate shooting sin. I popped up my flash. The result was an icky photo that not even photoshop could rescue. But what the heck, I got a clearer photo.



My apologies to the folk at A Good Appetite if my photo makes the meal unappetizing. I loved it. And so did the Big D. But best of all, I think I'm getting my cooking mojo back. And there's still a month or more of CSA left to consume!

It's October!

Where did my summer go? Oh, yah, I got pregnant. I guess I got my first big lesson, the one that all pregnant women talk about: surrender. I had big plans for this summer, for this blog, for my camera, for my CSA. Indeed, I surrendered all my plans because none of those plans came through. Or rather, I should say - I could not follow through with any of those plans. And now it is October.

October! Part of my favorite season - Autumn!

I love the cooler air temps, the chilly rain, the warm sweaters, the fingerless gloves, the hats, the stews, the soups, the squash.

I can't wait to make a butternut bisque with the gigantic butternut squash I got yesterday in the CSA delivery. I'll share the recipe next week. The CSA was such a big box this week. I hadn't expected that. That's the great thing about signing up with Harmony Valley CSA; it keeps on coming until December. Of course November and December only have two delivery weeks, but for a girl who spent her summer in a pregnancy-nausea induced fog, the fact that the CSA is still going strong is a such a treat. I've found that we pay a bit more for this particular CSA as compared to others in the area, but HV's delivery season is much longer and much more varied. I admit I despaired this summer, but now I feel more certain than ever that we will sign up again next year. I get so excited thinking about mashing up CSA veggies for baby food! I've heard this leads to less picky eaters and that's one thing I will really struggle with if we have a picky-eating baby. The Big D has a niece who claims to be vegetarian but as she was growing up all she would consume was milk, butter and noodles. Oh! The thought of that just breaks my heart.

Vegetables not only taste great, but they also look beautiful!



The peppers, the lettuce and the baby bok choy were such beautiful colors I just had to shoot the three together. Last night I had planned to do a braised bok choy but had none of the sesame oil needed for the recipe. Instead, I stir-fried the bok choy (white parts first), then added the peppers, then garlic and scallions, finally finishing with soy sauce and the bok choy leaves. It was such a wonderful side dish to the chicken I baked!

These were the pepper I used in the stir fry side. Such sweet, little bell peppers.



So precious I could barely keep the kitty away to take a photo.



Ok, so, I'm sure anybody that's anyone who isn't a vegetarian has had a chance to look at the faux fried chicken recipe at A Good Appetite. Last night I tried it and it turned out to be absolutely fantastic! Probably the best baked chicken to come out of my oven. It was great incentive to try the powered buttermilk that I've been hearing so much about lately. The flavors were numerous, yet blended so well together: garlic, lemon, parmesan, thyme.

And the hoecakes? Oh. My. God. So simple to make, so incredibly delicious. Acquiring the ingredients made me more familiar with the bulk bins at the Eastside Co-op. Sure I've gotten stuff there before, but for some reason, yesterday's experience was an eye opener for me. A chance to see how I can more easily fit organic into our budget without feeling like I gotta forfeit a new pair of shoes for baby every time I buy an untested, supposedly staple ingredient that may or may not get used up.

The food was so good that I couldn't be with bothered with getting the exact shot that I wanted for this blog. The first shot I couldn't quite get into focus and made me think maybe I'm getting a little too old to rely on manual focus. Spent the day looking for an used auto focus 55mm lens.



Then, I resorted to the ultimate shooting sin. I popped up my flash. The result was an icky photo that not even photoshop could rescue. But what the heck, I got a clearer photo.



My apologies to the folk at A Good Appetite if my photo makes the meal unappetizing. I loved it. And so did the Big D. But best of all, I think I'm getting my cooking mojo back. And there's still a month or more of CSA left to consume!

The Heights

First off, let me say that if you live in the Twin Cities and haven't gone to The Heights Theater, please make this a priority in the next month. I remember going here when I was really young. There are new owners and a fabulous renovation. So good that it makes me jealous I hadn't thought of such a thing myself. And it makes me wonder why I haven't tried to buy the Hollywood Theatre that's located right here in my own hood for a similar renovation. Sure, the screen isn't as big as those gigantic new Mall theatres. But the interior is beautiful and there is even a curtain that draws back right before the movie begins. It would be such a great place for a poetry reading night or even a burlesque show. It's the interior that inspires that last comment. I just imagine beautiful women in showy, ostentatious clothing prancing around the velvet walls and crystal chandeliers. Wish I had been allowed to take my camera in to take a picture. I guess you all will have to just take a look for yourselves.

I have some new pregnancy resources that are all about finding comfort and spirituality throughout the experience. One thing that was mentioned was finding time to indulge oneself without feeling guilty about it. I decided to go to a movie. My second such solo outing since getting pregnant. And the Heights Theatre is perfect for the pregnant movie-going experience. Especially is one chooses to sit in the very back row, just mere steps away from the women's bathroom.

The first such outing was to Julie & Julia. I've read several bloggers who mention the oddity of identifying with a movie character for the first time, Julie being a blogger and all. For me, the viewing just made me hungry and inspired a renewed interest in my CSA. The theatre was filled with old folks which for some reason I wasn't anticipating, but perhaps it was for that particular movie.

As I pulled into the parking lot yesterday, just minutes before the start of the movie, I found I was the only one. This picture doesn't really show how many empty spot there were in the lot, but I do love my Jeep and I can't resist posting another picture of it's cuteness.



I thought maybe I'd be the only one in the theatre and that maybe they would cancel the viewing. As it turns out, there was another movie-goer. And, I was glad there weren't any more for how much I cried throughout the movie: The Time Traveler's Wife. I had read the book, so I was crying in parts that I imagine other non-pregnant people would not cry. It might have seemed like I was crying for no reason. I went into the bathroom immediately after the movie ended and found that my face was littered with tissue lint. Nonetheless, I achieved my goal of relaxation and indulgence, and found a fantastic place for it!

The Heights

First off, let me say that if you live in the Twin Cities and haven't gone to The Heights Theater, please make this a priority in the next month. I remember going here when I was really young. There are new owners and a fabulous renovation. So good that it makes me jealous I hadn't thought of such a thing myself. And it makes me wonder why I haven't tried to buy the Hollywood Theatre that's located right here in my own hood for a similar renovation. Sure, the screen isn't as big as those gigantic new Mall theatres. But the interior is beautiful and there is even a curtain that draws back right before the movie begins. It would be such a great place for a poetry reading night or even a burlesque show. It's the interior that inspires that last comment. I just imagine beautiful women in showy, ostentatious clothing prancing around the velvet walls and crystal chandeliers. Wish I had been allowed to take my camera in to take a picture. I guess you all will have to just take a look for yourselves.

I have some new pregnancy resources that are all about finding comfort and spirituality throughout the experience. One thing that was mentioned was finding time to indulge oneself without feeling guilty about it. I decided to go to a movie. My second such solo outing since getting pregnant. And the Heights Theatre is perfect for the pregnant movie-going experience. Especially is one chooses to sit in the very back row, just mere steps away from the women's bathroom.

The first such outing was to Julie & Julia. I've read several bloggers who mention the oddity of identifying with a movie character for the first time, Julie being a blogger and all. For me, the viewing just made me hungry and inspired a renewed interest in my CSA. The theatre was filled with old folks which for some reason I wasn't anticipating, but perhaps it was for that particular movie.

As I pulled into the parking lot yesterday, just minutes before the start of the movie, I found I was the only one. This picture doesn't really show how many empty spot there were in the lot, but I do love my Jeep and I can't resist posting another picture of it's cuteness.



I thought maybe I'd be the only one in the theatre and that maybe they would cancel the viewing. As it turns out, there was another movie-goer. And, I was glad there weren't any more for how much I cried throughout the movie: The Time Traveler's Wife. I had read the book, so I was crying in parts that I imagine other non-pregnant people would not cry. It might have seemed like I was crying for no reason. I went into the bathroom immediately after the movie ended and found that my face was littered with tissue lint. Nonetheless, I achieved my goal of relaxation and indulgence, and found a fantastic place for it!

Cement Tapestry

I think they are berries; they are some sort of fruit from a tree on the boulevard. Looked to me like a tapestry in my psychelic pregnancy-induced state of mind. "Lotus in wonderland" is what my daily walks feel like these days.