Meow is like aloha - it can mean anything. - Hank Ketchum

So it has been said that cats can help relieve stress.  I agree and disagree.  I agree when they are sleeping and disagree when they are awake.  Ok, not all the time.  Just when they are naughty.  Awake and playful is ok too.
However, the most peaceful thing that I think a cat can do is lay down their little head.  Every time I see my cats with their head down it makes me stop and think - peace.

Would you agree?

This isn't exactly what I mean but I couldn't leave

one of my cats out and he's so cute. 

Gluten . . . I think I love you.

So I recently tried to go gluten free to see if it would help make my headaches and leg aches go away.  I was gluten free for 5 1/2 weeks.  Unfortunately I didn't see a difference and have therefore decided to go ahead and eat gluten again. 

My favorite meal of ALL time is Pasta Primavera.  I haven't had pasta in over 6 weeks and decided to make pasta primavera tonight.  It was fabulous, as always.  I took a picture while I was making it....

It was eight o'clock by the time it was finished (I didn't start cooking until almost 7) and I was starving so I didn't happen to capture a picture of it on my plate. 
But I will give you the recipe.  I got this recipe from my favorite vegetarian cookbook, Recipes from a Vegetarian Goddess - Delectable Feast Through the Seasons by Karri Allrich. 

I have tweaked the original recipe to my liking and the recipe below is my tweaked version. 

Pasta Primavera

1 lb Linguini
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Yellow Onion, chopped

1 Medium Leem, white and light green parts only, sliced

4 Garlic Cloves, chopped or crushed

1 Large Carrot, peeled, julienned

1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1 Medium Zucchini, sliced, quartered

1/2 Cup Roma Tomatoes, chopped

1 Cup Vegetable Broth

1/4 Cup Dry White Wine
White Pepper

3 Tablespoons Cream

1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil
1/2 Cupt Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta as usual.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the onion and leek for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, carrot, and red pepper and saute until carrots are tender.

Add the zucchini tomatoes, vegetable broth, wine, and white pepper.

Bring to a high simmer, then lower heat and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in cream and fresh basil.

Drain the pasta and pour into warmed serving bowl.

Add 1/2 cup parmesan and mix together, then add the skillet vegetables

and sauce and toss together well.

-Enjoy-

Besides breaking up the recipes into ideal seasons, (Pasta Primavera comes from the Spring section) a very fun part of the cookbook is the little blurbs that go along with each recipe.  And this one is the best... "This appetizing dish could also be called Aphrodite's Pasta.  Set the mood with glowing rose colored candles and chilled glasses of white wine.  Then grab your love by the hand and step outside to drink in the colors of the sunset."

So Delicious....... You should try it!

Out of nowhere

This caught my eye on my way to work.  I am not really sure if they are flowers or weeds but I think it is cool that they are growing out of the sidewalk. 

This makes me think of a little blurb on the introductory pages of my favorite book "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn".  It states: "There's a tree that grows in Booklyn.  Some people call it the Tree of Heaven.  No matter where its seed falls, it makes a tree which struggles to reach the sky.  It grows in boarded-up lots and out of neglected rubbish heaps.  It grows up out of cellar gratings.  It is the only tree that grows out of cement.  It grows lushly. . . survives without sun, water, and seemingly without earth.  It would be considered beautiful except that there are too many of it."

How great is it that such a little thing can put a smile on my face on my way to work.

WHAT A FIND!

The day: Almost a month ago.
The occasion: Celebrating Kyle no longer being on call.
The activity:  Estate sale-ing.
The find: Books, books, books. 
I wasn't even expecting to find something for myself.  I was along for the ride.  But out of the blue... I find myself in a room surrounded by books.  Old books. 
Immediately I start seeing authors I recognize from the same time period as my favorite author.  But I go through all the books in the room twice and do I see a single book by my favorite author.  No.  Almost crushed, Kyle encourages me to keep looking - lots of more rooms and books in each one.
And so I press forward.  And then I see it.  From across the room, I see a book shelf that looks like my book shelf at home.  Could it be.....? I slowly make my way across the room and....Yes!
An entire book shelf of my favorite author.  The great California writer - Kathleen Thompson Norris. (1880-1966).  I start organizing.  Separating which ones I already have at home and which ones I don't have and WANT.  48.  FORTY EIGHT! Forty eight books that I don't have and here they are at my finger tips. 
Well as the coordinators of the estate sale wouldn't make me a bargain, I was going to have to choose which ones I wanted and leave some behind.  How could I walk away? Every time I see a used and rare book store I go in to look, lucky to find one that I don't have at already.  But I do it, I walk away. 
But inside I am feeling tortured.  I want to go back but I am having a hard time justifying the hour drive back and spending any more money on books.  But...the next day with minutes to spare we rush back to see if they are still there. 
By the time we got there the books had been pulled off the book shelf and combined with all the others on a big table.  So with a little digging I, with Kyle's help, found them.  And as it was the last day of the estate sale the coordinators were willing to make me a deal.  In the end for $23 I got about 50 books.  You can't beat that!

When I got home, I grabbed all my new books and all my books by Kathleen Norris that I already had and thought I would have a little fun with them.  This is what I got?

Although I have already introduced my blog with two posts, I consider this to be the first REAL post.  My first experience I am passionate about and wish to share with you.  Thanks for letting me share.

Why "These I Like Best"?

Maybe you are wondering why I chose to name my blog, "These I Like Best."  The explanation is quite simple.  Since I have decided to start writing again, via blog, I decided I only want to write about things I like, things that make me happy. I don't want to write about frustrating things or bad experiences. 
And so I vow... and I hope I don't forget... to only write about things I am passionate about and experiences that make me smile. 

Welcome to my blog...

Why have I started this blog?  High school.... English was my favorite subject.  Of course I didn't enjoy all of my writing assignments but for the most part I did.  And I didn't really care for remembering all the rules of grammar, and let me just tell you right now, I didn't remember them.  That wasn't the fun part.  I liked starting with a blank piece of paper, or sometimes blank computer screen, (that's right - it wasn't until late in high school that assignments were required to be typed.) What did I tell you about grammar - right now I am wondering if all my parenthesis and commas are in the right spot.  Anyway, the blank piece of paper or blank screen  - It was time to create.  Stories, points of view, letters... etc.  It was in high school that I decided I wanted to be an author.  So I decided to major in English.  Well when you go to a small college and not enough people sign up for the class, it gets cancelled.  That is what happened to me.  Every semester, 1 or 2 of my classes would be cancelled and I would be scrambling to fill in my credits.  And so.... I slowly got away from English and writing.  My days were filled with other assignments, work, and so on.  My life now revolves around photography, which I was able to learn about in college.  And I do love it.  But lately, I have been inspired to write again.  And so I have started this blog.  Of course I value any one who reads it but I am also doing this for myself.  Just a way to express myself - even if it is to myself.  This will be fun.  I am looking forward to this...
Thanks for visiting.