proper noun: sherlonya

My love affair with the beet is still in it’s honeymoon phase. I had never known, upon glancing at the pedestrian root vegetable that it could be so delicious. However, recently I came across a recipe for a beet salad that I knew I had to try. I modified the original recipe in a few minor ways. This recipe calls for pickles. I happened to have some homemade pickled peppers and some homemade pickled green beans, so I used these in the salad. Also, this recipe called for a can of peas; i used frozen. Overall, I was very glad to have made this salad and was even happy eating it for the fourth time, like four meals later.

I can’t tell you when I started knitting the Chevron Rib Tank. I can tell you this though, I know I was still married at the time, because I remember working on it as a passenger in the car when my then husband was driving. Eventually, I finished knitting the thing, but by that time, it was too small for me. No fault of the knitting or the yarn, ahem. In the last year, I have been running and trying to exercise more regularly and lost some of the weight that I had put on in the two years prior. When cleaning and accessing my belongings, recently, I came across this piece of knitting and felt brave enough to try it on. Lo and behold, it fit. I would have worn it the next day had the ends been woven in.

So, I decided that before it becomes too cold to even think about a tank top that I would finish with the top already. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it did not take me a bazillion years (or a trip to the store) to put my hands the appropriate needle for the task. Twenty minutes and several pounds later, I have a top that I can wear. Probably just once before the weather makes that prohibitive.

Yea to finishing what you start!

The third Monday of the month goes a lot like this:

6:15 Wake up and get myself ready for the day

6:45 Wake Alex up and get him ready for the day.

7:00 Breakfast

7:30 Leave for school

8:00 Drop Alex off at School

8:30 Meeting at work

12:00 (or so) Try to squeeze in a lunchtime run (and on a day like today, fail)

5:30 Go pick Alex up from School

6:30 Meet Alex’s dad to drop Alex off

7:00 Meeting

8:00 (or so, varies) Head home.

8:30 get home, try to wind down, go to bed.

Get home and waste time on the internet or playing a silly game like Burger Rush.

Drag self to bed.

Along with apples and pumpkins, pears are one of the tell-tale signs of the season to come. I love pears, and have been known to eat them to the point where the core is merely a string barely holding onto the pear seeds. My pear-love is one of those taken-for-granted loves. Pears have so much potential, yet I barely delve into the possibilities. So, I decided, at least, to make pear butter.

So, I looked up a recipe. And went to town. Now neither the yogurt nor breakfast grains have to be naked!

The recipe that I used was pretty basic and called for 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water for every pound of pear that you used. I added cinnamon, allspice and ground ginger. Alex can’t wait to have some!

Goal number 8 is to improve my drawing. This, like improving cardio endurance or improving one’s cable-knitting skills, is a matter of practice.

Yesterday, when I was wasting time on the Internet, I came across an image on Sugar City Journal. It was striking to me. Her image appears to be collage, it is of little red riding hood as she approaches the woods, the wolf peering at her from behind a tree. I bookmarked the page to return to it later.

I decided that this image, one that was so striking to me would be a good candidate to draw. I did a very quick and hasty freehand sketch of the image last night. This morning, with the sketch sitting on the table where I write this blog, it called to me, saying, “paint me.” I think that the image could have been really cool done with watercolors; however, it was sketched on a recycled sheet of copier paper and I wasn’t interested in making a big mess so close to my computer. I turned, instead, to my super cheap student cakes of gouache. Then, I went at it. Without referring again to the original image. It is interesting to me to see the ways that my memory of the image were different than what I originally saw.

It occurred to me that I haven’t drawn or painted in so long that I don’t even know where my supplies are. I have paper for this sort of thing, a variety of (cheapo student) brushes. I have all sorts of supplies to make these things happen, things that I have accumulated over time, the pack rat that I am. However, I have failed to create an environment in which doing these things comes easily. Once I committed to the idea of putting pencil, then brush to paper, this took little time at all, and was, indeed satisfying.

I am not beating up on myself, after all, I have a young son, a full-time job that challenges me, and other hobbies. I try to cook well, and exercise and get enough sleep. There is much going on and little lazing about on a nearby couch passively taking in the flicker of a TV. (Confession: I do waste a lot of time online.) Ultimately, though, this is about choices, about being responsible for the allocation of what may be one’s most valuable resource, time.

Things to think about.

I am really proud of this tomato because it grew from a plant that I started from seed. I didn’t maintain the plant, but take satisfaction in the success of the seed starting. Woo-hoo, heirloom tomato. Seeing the tomato, the vegetable of summer (in my mind) makes me feel like the season isn’t winding down.

At the grocery the other day, I came across squash. I am a summer gal who thinks that if you’re not sticking to any surface upon which you sit, then it is not hot enough. However, I have to admit that there is something seductive about squash. I like to look at them, marvel at the variety that exists. I always have grand plans to take advantage these guys when they’re plentiful, but I have yet to do it. I think this will be the year. Already, I have several recipes earmarked. The squash will ease me and mine into the crisper, cooler season.

Earlier this week, I decided that I would power up the rice cooker and make a bunch of rice. I figured with it’s versatility, I could come up with a lot of ways to use the rice.  And I have been, it has been featured in breakfast this week as well as in more than one lunchtime salad. However,  imagine how fated it felt when I came across a recipe that called for 2.5 cups cooked brown rice. I just needed a few additional ingredients and dinner was mine.

Alex was not a fan of the arugula, nor the shallots, nor the green onions, but he liked the rice and cashews.  I’ll definitely make this again. I also think that the sauce would be good with tofu, nuts, shallots and green onions. I’ll have to try that soon.

Heidi Swanson posts some amazing recipes. I haven’t tried nearly enough of them, but her recipes are of those I return to again and again which a big statement from me as much as I enjoy the novelty of a new recipe.

Just thinking about her recipes makes me want to whip up some Lively Up Yourself Black Lentil Soup or Curried Egg Salad.

It’s funny how a commitment to post to this blog every day suddenly makes me want to work on one of my novels. After all, if I am making progress on one of those things, I have something to post about here. However, a general wild exciting schedule has made it difficult for me to get into the novel. However, I always have time to make mental notes. Today’s observations are tomorrow’s poems or novels or plays.

On the way home, I almost ran over a cat so large and scary looking that I felt, momentarily, like I was in some messed up Stephen King novel, that the cat was going to get into my car and that somehow I would wind up on a road that I never knew existed before to have a very disturbing experience.

I heard a very strange story involving footwear that has to show up somewhere.

I saw a closeup of a a tiny but soft-looking midriff.

Who knows where these details will show up. The writing group will be the first to find out.

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I nearly broke my behind for these apples.

I was on a ladder on some uneven ground reaching a bit too far. *shudder*

The plan was to make apple butter for putting up. But then I realized just how small and, well, homely these apples were and realized that I was not going to peel and core them all. So, I looked at what I had peeled and decided that would still cook them.

Knowing that this was destined to top oatmeal or yogurt in the near future gave me creative license with the recipe. I am afraid, however that I was pretty conservative. Brown sugar + apples + lemon juice + water + pumpkin pie spice + heat.

If it tastes how it smells, you may hear me moan with delight as I eat it over breakfast.

Sometimes you know that you will be away from home for a long time and that this will require sustenance. Such was the case today. I was scheduled to work 12-6, but had to pick up Alex from my mom in Flint and get a few items from the grocery store. Without planning ahead, this inevitably would have ended with me at Jerusalem Garden, even though I try not to go there because I find their customer service lacking. And since I was there, I would have ordered the baklava. Since one of this year’s goals is to develop visible abs, I have been trying to pay more attention to what I’m putting in the engine. So as I stood in the kitchen this morning at 10:00 or so, I knew I had to come up with something.  So, I made a tabouli-like salad-like thing based on the ingredients on hand.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1c couscous

1 shallot, sliced thinly

1 cucumber, chopped

1 tomato, chopped and a few small yellow pear tomatoes if you have them, also chopped

handful of Italian parsley, finely chopped

Juice of one lemon

generous splash of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Heat one cup of water over medium heat in a saucepan. When the water begins to boil, add shallots and couscous. Stir and remove from heat. Allow to cool.

Add the couscous to your container, then add your cucumbers, then add your tomatoes, then add your parsley. At this point, you have pretty, colorful layers.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over top of this concoction.

Take to work and eat for lunch until you’ve had enough.  Take out again and have for dinner.

Be glad you’re not spending money when you didn’t need to only to be greeted with crappy service.

The end.