Sunday, March 3, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013
NaHaiWriMo - Day 28 - kitchen
It is the last formal day of the NaHaiWriMo. It was good for me to wrack my brain to come up with something from someone else's prompt.
The kitchen is the center of the house and home. I love puttering around the kitchen with family and friends. Before the digital revolution, the dinner table was were all the juicy tidbits of the day were shared.
I catered for close to 20 years so the kitchen was also a work place for me. I loved it because everyday was a new challenge. After catering all week, I would still spend 2 hours making dinner on the weekends so I could eat what I wanted. For five years, my best friend and I did our catering - they were some of the best times I ever had.
sunday afternoon
pots, pans, utensils everyhere
week's worth of cooking done
It is the last formal day of the NaHaiWriMo. It was good for me to wrack my brain to come up with something from someone else's prompt.
The kitchen is the center of the house and home. I love puttering around the kitchen with family and friends. Before the digital revolution, the dinner table was were all the juicy tidbits of the day were shared.
I catered for close to 20 years so the kitchen was also a work place for me. I loved it because everyday was a new challenge. After catering all week, I would still spend 2 hours making dinner on the weekends so I could eat what I wanted. For five years, my best friend and I did our catering - they were some of the best times I ever had.
sunday afternoon
pots, pans, utensils everyhere
week's worth of cooking done
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
NaHaiWriMo - Day 27 - garage
Two moves ago, I had to empty a basement and a garage. I was only in the house for five years but I amassed a ton of stuff. I had family help me sort what I was taking (and not taking). I had a very cathhartic purge letting go of stuff I had moved with me for years and never opened and realized that I don't miss.
readying to move
prioritizing memories
culling garage
Two moves ago, I had to empty a basement and a garage. I was only in the house for five years but I amassed a ton of stuff. I had family help me sort what I was taking (and not taking). I had a very cathhartic purge letting go of stuff I had moved with me for years and never opened and realized that I don't miss.
readying to move
prioritizing memories
culling garage
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
NaHaiWriMo - Day 26 - closet
Once, when I was much younger, my parents left me in charge of the younger siblings and went to a political function. One of my sisters got locked in the closet. After trying to get her out for a while, I called my parents who promptly came home. I did manage to get my sister out before the parents got home, but locked her back in as I heard them coming up the driveway.
The next day, my father took all the locks off the doors inside the house except the bathroom.
sister's locked in closet
parents on the way home....
what to say...what to say....
Once, when I was much younger, my parents left me in charge of the younger siblings and went to a political function. One of my sisters got locked in the closet. After trying to get her out for a while, I called my parents who promptly came home. I did manage to get my sister out before the parents got home, but locked her back in as I heard them coming up the driveway.
The next day, my father took all the locks off the doors inside the house except the bathroom.
sister's locked in closet
parents on the way home....
what to say...what to say....
Monday, February 25, 2013
NaHaiWriMo -Day 25 -dining room
The house I grew up in did not have one of these. In my dream house, there is not one because I would rather have an eating in kitchen or a breakfast nook. I think it makes a house much more homey.
Only one of the places I ever lived in had a dining room in it - but it was a very cool room with stained glass door and a glass chandelier over the middle of the table. I lived with a bunch of ladies over a span of ten years and have some very wonderful memories of time spent in that room- especially on the weekends. We would have bowls of leftovers a new main dish. We would catch up with each others' weeks and there was a lot of giggling.
saturday night-
refrigerator review
grace dining room table
The house I grew up in did not have one of these. In my dream house, there is not one because I would rather have an eating in kitchen or a breakfast nook. I think it makes a house much more homey.
Only one of the places I ever lived in had a dining room in it - but it was a very cool room with stained glass door and a glass chandelier over the middle of the table. I lived with a bunch of ladies over a span of ten years and have some very wonderful memories of time spent in that room- especially on the weekends. We would have bowls of leftovers a new main dish. We would catch up with each others' weeks and there was a lot of giggling.
saturday night-
refrigerator review
grace dining room table
Sunday, February 24, 2013
NaHaiWriMo - Day 24 - bathroom
Now this is a loaded room to pontificate upon.
Sharing a house with five / six other ladies was interesting. Talk abut time management - we all had to get out of the house within a span of 1.5 hours. Luckily we had two bathrooms. The one on my floor had a claw foot tub, the other one had a shower. I would onlu use the shower on test days because I would scribble equations on the shower door to remember formulae. And yes, I am a geek / nerd / vectorhead.
I do not have a tube these day and I sorely miss it. My only solace is that the bathroom is the warmest room in the house - in the winter that it is a very big deal.
morning toilette-
enjoying the warm floor
a few seconds longer
Now this is a loaded room to pontificate upon.
Sharing a house with five / six other ladies was interesting. Talk abut time management - we all had to get out of the house within a span of 1.5 hours. Luckily we had two bathrooms. The one on my floor had a claw foot tub, the other one had a shower. I would onlu use the shower on test days because I would scribble equations on the shower door to remember formulae. And yes, I am a geek / nerd / vectorhead.
I do not have a tube these day and I sorely miss it. My only solace is that the bathroom is the warmest room in the house - in the winter that it is a very big deal.
morning toilette-
enjoying the warm floor
a few seconds longer
Saturday, February 23, 2013
NaHaiWriMo- Day 23 -bedroom.
I really like my bedroom with the exception of the light darkening curtains I had to buy when I got my present shift. This place has a set of shelves for one set of my closet so I can organize and sisplay stuff I'd like to keep at hand.
It is place of sanctuary on a rainy or snowy day and especially after a long hard shift.
post shift from hell-
enjoying the sunrise rise
travel through my bedroom
I really like my bedroom with the exception of the light darkening curtains I had to buy when I got my present shift. This place has a set of shelves for one set of my closet so I can organize and sisplay stuff I'd like to keep at hand.
It is place of sanctuary on a rainy or snowy day and especially after a long hard shift.
post shift from hell-
enjoying the sunrise rise
travel through my bedroom
Friday, February 22, 2013
NaHaiWriMo - Day 22 - living room
After colors we move on to household rooms - No I don't get it but I will go along for the ride.
The house I grew up in had grey wall paper when I moved into it way, way back in the day. It has been seen a multitude of colors over the years.
When I was growing up and into my collee years, it had the only TV in the house and we had to actually decide what to watch.
My sister and her family now live in there. In the last two years, the floor was replaced and a bay window added. Every now and then when we are all together, I remember daddy in his chair, smoking his pipe and commenting on the shows (I guess that is why I talk back to the tv).
looking at tv
in my mind's eye
daady's in his chair
After colors we move on to household rooms - No I don't get it but I will go along for the ride.
The house I grew up in had grey wall paper when I moved into it way, way back in the day. It has been seen a multitude of colors over the years.
When I was growing up and into my collee years, it had the only TV in the house and we had to actually decide what to watch.
My sister and her family now live in there. In the last two years, the floor was replaced and a bay window added. Every now and then when we are all together, I remember daddy in his chair, smoking his pipe and commenting on the shows (I guess that is why I talk back to the tv).
looking at tv
in my mind's eye
daady's in his chair
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
NaHaiWriMo Day 19 - blue
I like blue because it is a component of purple. I really like blue in the garden - it is very soothing. I love the blue in the sky after a spring rain.
Navy blue has been a staple in my wardrobe for years- especially now I work for Big Blue.
For some it is the color of sadness or the description of a hazy state of being known as a funk.
spring rain
washing the slushy grey
from the sky
I like blue because it is a component of purple. I really like blue in the garden - it is very soothing. I love the blue in the sky after a spring rain.
Navy blue has been a staple in my wardrobe for years- especially now I work for Big Blue.
For some it is the color of sadness or the description of a hazy state of being known as a funk.
spring rain
washing the slushy grey
from the sky
Monday, February 18, 2013
NaHaiWriMo Day 18 - green
Green. Kermit the Frog. The Emerald Isle. Money (US Dollars). The Rainforest. The anchor color in my garden during the summertime. Rich Mullins playing the hamer dulcimer. All of these are evoked when I think of the color green.
The biggie is the green eyed mosnter - jealousy. I have noticed that folks just don't want others to succeed (before they do) or have nicer things in their lives than you. I have seen it a lot on the job lately. I have struggles with this myself recently but rested on one of my mantras "God is God and I am not".
colleague's promotion-
his eyes narrow a split second
and then says"Congrats"
Green. Kermit the Frog. The Emerald Isle. Money (US Dollars). The Rainforest. The anchor color in my garden during the summertime. Rich Mullins playing the hamer dulcimer. All of these are evoked when I think of the color green.
The biggie is the green eyed mosnter - jealousy. I have noticed that folks just don't want others to succeed (before they do) or have nicer things in their lives than you. I have seen it a lot on the job lately. I have struggles with this myself recently but rested on one of my mantras "God is God and I am not".
colleague's promotion-
his eyes narrow a split second
and then says"Congrats"
Sunday, February 17, 2013
NaHaiWriMo Day 17 - black
How cool it was to see the other half of my favorite color combination for today's prompt!
Winter is winding down and I am looking forward to working in the garden soon. One of the first things available here are crocuses and pansies. A few years ago, I found black pansies that I planted in several spots in the yard.
I usually have a combination of black and red mulch in the garden. I hope to have a black flower garden in the next few years.
year's first garden project
framing the crocus bed
red and black pansies
How cool it was to see the other half of my favorite color combination for today's prompt!
Winter is winding down and I am looking forward to working in the garden soon. One of the first things available here are crocuses and pansies. A few years ago, I found black pansies that I planted in several spots in the yard.
I usually have a combination of black and red mulch in the garden. I hope to have a black flower garden in the next few years.
year's first garden project
framing the crocus bed
red and black pansies
Saturday, February 16, 2013
NaHaiWriMo - Day 16 - red
Love the color red- it is the up in your face, you will notice me color. Red and black is my favorite color combination.
When I started coloring my hair, I had a chat with my beautician because I wanted red. She outright refused at first but I told her that was what I wanted and I wanted a red that was not in any of the color swatches she had to show me.
A few days later, I saw someone with the shade of red I was looking for. I bought in a picture and she was able to get very close. It came out wonderfully and I have been getting the color ever since.
beautician chat
time to touch up
my non-hoochie red
Love the color red- it is the up in your face, you will notice me color. Red and black is my favorite color combination.
When I started coloring my hair, I had a chat with my beautician because I wanted red. She outright refused at first but I told her that was what I wanted and I wanted a red that was not in any of the color swatches she had to show me.
A few days later, I saw someone with the shade of red I was looking for. I bought in a picture and she was able to get very close. It came out wonderfully and I have been getting the color ever since.
beautician chat
time to touch up
my non-hoochie red
Friday, February 15, 2013
NaHai WriMo - Day 15 - orange
I love the color orange - especially in nature. If it were up to me I would have a totally orange garden. But then, it would be a blur and I would not appriciate what I put in the pots and the ground as much.
I am taking a Master Gardener class and I get to design and tend an herb bed. The first thing I want to put in it is nauturiums. I was introduced to them back in my catering days when they were used as a salad garnish.
Since I always like to wear a pallet of compliemetary colors, I decided that I need to have purple and yellow/gold in the herb bed. I looked up some herbs to get the colors I wanted as the anchor for the design.
I might sneak in a persian sheild and maybe one or two other striking plants in the herb bed as section dividers.
this year's herb garden
orange nausturiums, perilla
and tricolor sage
I love the color orange - especially in nature. If it were up to me I would have a totally orange garden. But then, it would be a blur and I would not appriciate what I put in the pots and the ground as much.
I am taking a Master Gardener class and I get to design and tend an herb bed. The first thing I want to put in it is nauturiums. I was introduced to them back in my catering days when they were used as a salad garnish.
Since I always like to wear a pallet of compliemetary colors, I decided that I need to have purple and yellow/gold in the herb bed. I looked up some herbs to get the colors I wanted as the anchor for the design.
I might sneak in a persian sheild and maybe one or two other striking plants in the herb bed as section dividers.
this year's herb garden
orange nausturiums, perilla
and tricolor sage
Thursday, February 14, 2013
NaHaiWriMo - Day 14 - harbor
I wasn not really thrilled with this prompt....it initially took me to a light house, Baltimore Inner Harbor and finally the stranded cruise ship that desperatrely wanted to get to a harbor.
There was also the concept of safe haven as in any port in a storm.
Then there was festering feelings that folks do not deal with unless forced to.....maybe.
dying aunt
her silent siblings
still habor grudges
I wasn not really thrilled with this prompt....it initially took me to a light house, Baltimore Inner Harbor and finally the stranded cruise ship that desperatrely wanted to get to a harbor.
There was also the concept of safe haven as in any port in a storm.
Then there was festering feelings that folks do not deal with unless forced to.....maybe.
dying aunt
her silent siblings
still habor grudges
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
NaHaiWrMo - shade
The word shade can have a lot of meanings. I wanted to go with the concept of a specific hue rather than a nuance.
I was baking for the guys who work for me for their Valentine's goody bag and I was doing red velvet cupcakes that were actually healthier than the ones I have been scarfing down the last six months. They batter was labor intensive and when I arrived at the point I would be putting them into the muffin liners I didn't really like the color of the batter. I had some in the freezer from the last batch I made and decided that I wanted them to be a little darker. My hue ku hit me as I doctored the bowl.
red velvet batter
flick a touch more cocoa powder
for the perfect shade
The word shade can have a lot of meanings. I wanted to go with the concept of a specific hue rather than a nuance.
I was baking for the guys who work for me for their Valentine's goody bag and I was doing red velvet cupcakes that were actually healthier than the ones I have been scarfing down the last six months. They batter was labor intensive and when I arrived at the point I would be putting them into the muffin liners I didn't really like the color of the batter. I had some in the freezer from the last batch I made and decided that I wanted them to be a little darker. My hue ku hit me as I doctored the bowl.
red velvet batter
flick a touch more cocoa powder
for the perfect shade
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
NaHaiWrMO - river
I was musing about my haiku retreat again today. A group did a ginko that led us to a small river that had rapids at the top of it and absolute still water at the bottom of the rapids. It was amazing to walked down the bank and having the spray not hitting your face in the space of half a dozen steps. A lot of us tried to capture that moment at a workshop later that day.
afternoon ginko
rushing river rapids
rippke into silence
I was musing about my haiku retreat again today. A group did a ginko that led us to a small river that had rapids at the top of it and absolute still water at the bottom of the rapids. It was amazing to walked down the bank and having the spray not hitting your face in the space of half a dozen steps. A lot of us tried to capture that moment at a workshop later that day.
afternoon ginko
rushing river rapids
rippke into silence
Monday, February 11, 2013
NaHaiWrMo - Day 11 - woods
I am not a big outdoorsy nature person.....I am a product of the hustle and bustle of the big city. Which is odd since both ot my parents are small town and farmer folks. There is a lot of green space in cities these days and I love to garden so In make sure that nature is near me.
The last time I was in the woods was at a Haiku retreat my group sponsored at Bon Secour retreat center. I really enjoyed it and think about it fondly. Every so often, I think about scheduling a personal retreat there. Hence....
clogged head
walk in the woods
renews my wonder
I am not a big outdoorsy nature person.....I am a product of the hustle and bustle of the big city. Which is odd since both ot my parents are small town and farmer folks. There is a lot of green space in cities these days and I love to garden so In make sure that nature is near me.
The last time I was in the woods was at a Haiku retreat my group sponsored at Bon Secour retreat center. I really enjoyed it and think about it fondly. Every so often, I think about scheduling a personal retreat there. Hence....
clogged head
walk in the woods
renews my wonder
Sunday, February 10, 2013
NaiHaiWriMO - garden
Gardening is of of my passions. I started gardening because of one my houemates loved flowers and I was used to having them in the house after living with her for 10 years.
I started with a few plants int he yard and I was hooked after I started weeding and realized it really relaxed me.
After years of trying, I am finally doing a Master Gardeners Class. I am learning a lot and it is fun to be with others who like gardening as much as I do. We have to design and tend to a garden bed. There was a few herb beds left and my partner and I were given one. The past weekend we found we were given a herb bed and are brainstorming as to what is the theme for it and what will go in it.
weeken confab
planning herb garden
what color nausturiums
Gardening is of of my passions. I started gardening because of one my houemates loved flowers and I was used to having them in the house after living with her for 10 years.
I started with a few plants int he yard and I was hooked after I started weeding and realized it really relaxed me.
After years of trying, I am finally doing a Master Gardeners Class. I am learning a lot and it is fun to be with others who like gardening as much as I do. We have to design and tend to a garden bed. There was a few herb beds left and my partner and I were given one. The past weekend we found we were given a herb bed and are brainstorming as to what is the theme for it and what will go in it.
weeken confab
planning herb garden
what color nausturiums
Saturday, February 9, 2013
NaHaiWriMo- glacial
Today's prompt was not as bad as it could have been. The first thing that came ot me was Galcier National Park, the stares folks give or get and of course the huge block of ice. None of them really grabbed me so we moved on to glacial as in speed.
I let the concept of very slow speed roll around in my brain for a while and I was struck by how quick folks can decide something and how low it takes them to change their position.....hence
glacial-
the speed that management
shifts it paradigm
Today's prompt was not as bad as it could have been. The first thing that came ot me was Galcier National Park, the stares folks give or get and of course the huge block of ice. None of them really grabbed me so we moved on to glacial as in speed.
I let the concept of very slow speed roll around in my brain for a while and I was struck by how quick folks can decide something and how low it takes them to change their position.....hence
glacial-
the speed that management
shifts it paradigm
Friday, February 8, 2013
NaHai WriMo - Hiking / hike a trail
It snowed here today. I was gtaeful because we were not slammed like most of the northeast US. I checked the streets around 5PM and saw my outside cat sitting on my curb, watching the cars go by.
When I came out later, there was a trail of cat prints in the backyard to the food bowl and back to his hidey hole.
I like falling snow if it is not in blizzard quantities - being the first to blaze a trail in it is fun. Walking / hiking / ambling can be very cathartic.
into the woods-
hiling a snowy trail
to quiet my head
It snowed here today. I was gtaeful because we were not slammed like most of the northeast US. I checked the streets around 5PM and saw my outside cat sitting on my curb, watching the cars go by.
When I came out later, there was a trail of cat prints in the backyard to the food bowl and back to his hidey hole.
I like falling snow if it is not in blizzard quantities - being the first to blaze a trail in it is fun. Walking / hiking / ambling can be very cathartic.
into the woods-
hiling a snowy trail
to quiet my head
Thursday, February 7, 2013
NaHaiWriMo - milk
Being lactose intolerant, the only time I have milk in th ehouse is when I do baking for the men who work for me. After I got on my own, the only milk I consume is with cookies or the occasional bowl of cereal when I am out eating breakfast.
After hurricane Sandy, I had no power for 9.5 days so I lost a fully packed referigerator and freezer. The food in the fridge had a plethora of mold on it. The milk I had in there was now spoiled buttermilk with a slightly bluish hue.
My last bit of baking had me using buttermilk. In my catering days, we used to make our own instead of buying it. A whiff it reminded me of my kitchen cleanup that day.
after the power outage
removing buttermilk
from the fridge
Being lactose intolerant, the only time I have milk in th ehouse is when I do baking for the men who work for me. After I got on my own, the only milk I consume is with cookies or the occasional bowl of cereal when I am out eating breakfast.
After hurricane Sandy, I had no power for 9.5 days so I lost a fully packed referigerator and freezer. The food in the fridge had a plethora of mold on it. The milk I had in there was now spoiled buttermilk with a slightly bluish hue.
My last bit of baking had me using buttermilk. In my catering days, we used to make our own instead of buying it. A whiff it reminded me of my kitchen cleanup that day.
after the power outage
removing buttermilk
from the fridge
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
NaHaiWriMo - Day 6 - rice
It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I love rice. I was able to get my old household to only eat sushi rice so we only had two kinds in the pantry ( the occasional brown rice).
Today I made a killer meat sauce and I had it over a bowl of rice. As I was thinking about today's word as well as enjoying my lunch, I thought back to the last nice meal I cooked for someone that was not family. I lugged out my battered but trusty pots and pans. Dinner was fabulous. Hence...
important meal-
finding the battered rice pot
and mommy's pans
It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I love rice. I was able to get my old household to only eat sushi rice so we only had two kinds in the pantry ( the occasional brown rice).
Today I made a killer meat sauce and I had it over a bowl of rice. As I was thinking about today's word as well as enjoying my lunch, I thought back to the last nice meal I cooked for someone that was not family. I lugged out my battered but trusty pots and pans. Dinner was fabulous. Hence...
important meal-
finding the battered rice pot
and mommy's pans
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
NaHaiWrMo Day 5 - vegetable (any)
Today's prompt was appealing because most to the time, folks don't really notice vegetables in a postive way - remember your mom saying "eat your vegetables or no dessert for you" or salad being thought of as "rabbit food" when you have to loose weight or how brussel sprouts are the worst things EVER.
I love veggies because of catering becausethere are boku kinds and even more ways of prepping them. I remember fondly doing crudite tables and making animals out of fruits and veggies for decoration.
It is actually the beginning of asparagus season and I really love asparagus when it is not much thicker than a pencil.
Hence today's offering-
today's treat-
roasted asparagus
caramelized nuts
Today's prompt was appealing because most to the time, folks don't really notice vegetables in a postive way - remember your mom saying "eat your vegetables or no dessert for you" or salad being thought of as "rabbit food" when you have to loose weight or how brussel sprouts are the worst things EVER.
I love veggies because of catering becausethere are boku kinds and even more ways of prepping them. I remember fondly doing crudite tables and making animals out of fruits and veggies for decoration.
It is actually the beginning of asparagus season and I really love asparagus when it is not much thicker than a pencil.
Hence today's offering-
today's treat-
roasted asparagus
caramelized nuts
Monday, February 4, 2013
Today's prompt is "spice/s". I found out the garlic is not a spice (bummer). Cinnamon was the only one that I wanted to use but the baking reference was not lending itself to my supposed breif cathect. This is from the last time I was uprooted and plopped into a new space.
NaHaiWriMo Day 4 -spices
after the move-
restocking the fridge
replacing spices
NaHaiWriMo Day 4 -spices
after the move-
restocking the fridge
replacing spices
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Today-s prompt is "cheese". I was thinking of many specific types of cheese (robiolo, asiago, goat) but I could not work one into the format I was going for. So I decided on winter staples that are helping me keep the flue at bay.
NaHaiWriMo - Day 3
battling a cold-
tomato soup and grilled cheese
lots of hot toddies
NaHaiWriMo - Day 3
battling a cold-
tomato soup and grilled cheese
lots of hot toddies
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Today's prompt - "egg". Let me be clear about this.....I hate eggs. The sight much less the smell of a cooked egg skeeves me big time. But my challenge today is to overcome that and work the concept of an egg into a haiku.
I am saving for a family trip in a few months and realized I needed a vaction fund so I had to forgo a few things to have a pot of ducats when I get on the plane(....ding, ding dingggg - nest egg). Here goes.
NaHaiWriMo - Day 2
start of vacation nest egg-
week of bagged lunch menus
canceling Netflix
I am saving for a family trip in a few months and realized I needed a vaction fund so I had to forgo a few things to have a pot of ducats when I get on the plane(....ding, ding dingggg - nest egg). Here goes.
NaHaiWriMo - Day 2
start of vacation nest egg-
week of bagged lunch menus
canceling Netflix
Friday, February 1, 2013
I haven't done Haiku on paper consistently for a while - blogger and my computer were not liking each other very much. Now they are back on on speaking terms and I need to cathect many things so I decided to try the NaHaiWriMo this year. It should be less stressful than the NaNoWriMo I did in 2011. The cool thing is that you get a daily prompt to focus your writing on.
Today's prompt is pasta - my favorites are gemelli, farfalle and campanelle. I was thinking back to the last great comfort food I had which was a bowl of campenelle with an excellent bacth of homemade sauce.
NaHaiWriMO - Day 1
writing break-
steam dancing above
saucy campanelles
Today's prompt is pasta - my favorites are gemelli, farfalle and campanelle. I was thinking back to the last great comfort food I had which was a bowl of campenelle with an excellent bacth of homemade sauce.
NaHaiWriMO - Day 1
writing break-
steam dancing above
saucy campanelles
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