What do you want to be when you grow up?

A couple of days ago, an eight year old asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I couldn't help but laugh out loud.  She giggled too and said, I mean, "What would you want to do if you decided you didn't want to keep doing what you were doing now?" And she really wanted an answer.
Slight panic set in.  How should I answer?  This isn't really something I think about a lot.  My work history goes back many years but is actually very short.  Meaning, that even though I have worked 15 years, (over half my laugh at this point) I have only had 3 jobs, including my first job and a short job I had in college.  I just stay put in one place for a long time.  For example, I have been at my current job for almost 9 years.  Talk about a comfort zone.  I actually fear having to look for another job at some point in my life.  Just the thought scares me. 
So when this 8 year old, asked such a simple question, I didn't have a simple answer. 
But like I said, she wanted an answer. . .
So here's what I said.  "I guess I would like to do what I do now with less stress."
What did that mean.  I explained.  I really love to take pictures but taking pictures for people and of people can be stressful.  Many people don't like what they look like and so when they see pictures of themselves they aren't always happy.  What I meant is that I want to take pictures of beautiful things I see and then sell them to people who see them and also think they are beautiful.
Ironically, that happened a couple of days later. 
At work, I have some of my photos hanging up on the wall.  They really are just there for decoration, not for sale.  But a customer expressed interest in one of the photographs, so we told her we would be happy to print her a copy for her.  And so she bought one. 
I have had people want my images before, friends I mean.  People I just give my pictures to.  So I guess this is the first one I sold and it was fun.
Want to see what she bought?

Glass Beach

I certainly do like this best...

After all, I do like writing about what I like best and I can't wait to write about this...
What???  Woman's best friend... Chocolate!
A few months ago I tried to make truffles.  I looked up one recipe online and off I went. 
Well, they were delicious but they looked ridiculous.  A thought occurred to me -
What if there was a class I could take to learn how to really do this. 
And then the thought passed. 
A few weeks later I saw a deal on a truffle making classing. 
Half off the regular price.  What a deal!
I booked it. I just had to.  And I am so glad I did.

At first I wanted to ask a friend to join me.  But it was still kind of expensive to ask a friend to buy a ticket.  And then I thought about it and decided I wanted this to be something just for me. 

I had a 2 hour drive to get to the cute little town of Sausalito to arrive at the commercial kitchen of Coco Luxe.  I didn't want to be late.  It felt like the first day of elementary school.

What was so awesome about this 3 hour class is how fun it was.  There wasn't a lot I had to learn; just a few tricks of the trade and voila..... deliciousness!

I was so pleased with my results and I just can't wait to make them at home.  I just need to get the awesome spatula/thermometer they had for us to use to temper chocolate.

Want to see the results?  It might make you want to lick your screen...(I wouldn't recommend that though.)

And to top it all off - A picture of myself that I actually like. And that never happens.

It's the final countdown

A month in the making.... Research has been done, reservations have been made, plane tickets have been purchased, time off from work has been granted, and we can barely contain our excitement.  The countdown calendar proves it...

 

As soon as I post this, we will run to the fridge and make an X through 6 and only 5 days stand in our way. 
What are we counting down to? you might be asking.

Our 5th wedding anniversary trip to ......... SEATTLE!

We have adventured and explored Seattle in two quick day trips, but this time we get two full days and 2 half days.  We aren't strictly planning the trip to know what we are doing all day each day but some of the things we can't wait to do are: A tour of the Theo Chocolate Factory, dinner atop the Space Needle at Sky City, a visit to the Seattle Aquarium and the Experience Music Project, exploring many Seattle neighborhoods, a stay in a downtown suite (with a negotiated price matching that of a regular room), and exciting trips through two major airports. 
Only two "real" work days stand in my way, (let's just face it, next Monday I am going to be practically useless walking in circles even though I have a list a foot long of things to accomplish that day.)
The countdown is on and I am ready. 
Pictures detailing our adventures to follow.
See ya.

Gray vs. Blue

Gray vs. Blue: Which one wins?
In almost any situation I would pick blue. Maybe because it is my favorite color. I would take blue over gray in cars, clothes, paint, pretty much anything. But there is one aspect of gray that wins over blue in my book. What might that be?

The sky. I would take a gray day over a sunny blue sky day any day. I know gray days bring a lot of people down but I have a wire crossed in my brain and a gray day makes me smile.

Take today for example. It has been gray all day. A little blue tried to peek out but the gray won. And I don't mind it a bit.

There is one thing that beats a gray day and that is a rainy gray day. (I hear from my husband working 25 miles north of here that it is raining up there. So I'm hoping the rain is headed my direction.)

I've discussed this before but as I just might get a few drops of this glorious liquid today I just can't help from sharing a video that I just love. (Thanks for sharing mom.)

I hope you enjoy this video. You don't have to watch the whole thing but at least watch the first minute or so. Or at least until you hear thunder. Better yet listen to parts of the first minute with your eyes shut. (But the whole thing is amazing if you have the time.)

By the way. Before I could publish this post I had to look up to see what the correct spelling was for gray. G R A Y or G R E Y. I have wondered this a million times and now I know the answer. Both are correct but gray is usually used in America where as grey is used in England. (Just a little tid bit for ya.)

Leftover strawberries? What ever will I do?

Three pounds of strawberries.  

That's how many strawberries I bought to make crepes.  

Therefore, what shall I do with the two pounds I didn't use. 
 

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!!!!

I love strawberry shortcake and I haven't made it in a while. 

While I am making strawberry shortcake, I figured, why not make homemade whip cream.  

And why make regular whip cream when you can make strawberry whip cream.

Voila!....

Better late than never

Summer never passes before I make crepes.  

Uh-oh! Summer just passed.
It's ok.  I fixed it. It happened to be the second day of Fall, but better late than never, right?

One of the things I love about crepes is you can make them difficult or simple.  Since I was just making them for myself and Kyle I decided to go simple.  I didn't need every type of filling in the book. Strawberries would be just fine.  And...

Luckily the store had a sale on strawberries and they were beautiful and sweet too.

A few more ingredients and I was ready to go.  

And they came together beautifully and deliciously. 

Now I just want more!

Results of a shopping trip bring back a childhood memory.

When I have time I really love to cook.  Having time allows everything to go smoothly.  My favorite recipes usually require a lot of veggies.  Getting to wash and cut them all up ahead of time makes the cooking process a lot easier and actually quicker.
Every once in a while I get a week day off and I like to make a really good dinner on those nights. 
I had last Friday off but what was I going to cook.  Not the same old thing...again.
So what sounded good?  Pasta, of course.  But what could I do differently?
Hmmmmm?  I felt adventurous so why not wing it.
I knew I wanted to use white wine in my sauce.  I wanted it to be light and refreshing.  And of course, it was going to be vegetarian.
Are you wondering where the childhood memory comes into this story?
It's coming I promise and this following photo helps introduce it.......

While I was prepping my veggies I found myself alone with my thoughts.  All these gorgeous fruits and veggies and I pondered on the fact that although I really don't like the summer because of the heat I do love the produce it brings.  Summer brings so many things...
And that is where the childhood memory comes into play.  Growing up one of my favorite books was Summer by Alice Low with the very true line - Summer brings so many things.

Here's the cover

I used to like summer more than I do now.  Probably because school was out.  We spent a lot of time at the lake.  The frosty was open.  And where I grew up it didn't get really hot. 
As a teenager I had a job that was really fun and busy in the summer.
The difference now is I live in a place that gets a lot hotter and you don't get summer break from work. 
Back to the book - Let me share just a few pages with you. 

Can't you just feel the heat.
Stuck in the heat- in traffic.

But when you turn the page.....

Now you can feel the cool refreshment.

And now back to the results of my shopping trip.  I came home with watermelon, lemons, apples, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, green onions.  I already had the carrots and the lettuce was fresh from a co-workers garden.  How refreshing!

A good dinner needed a good drink to go with it. 

Fresh Homemade Lemonade.

 

And dinner... turned out delicious.  I am calling my creation Summer Pasta.
And really quite simple. 
Red Bell Peppers, Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Garlic sauteed in olive oil.  When veggies are tender add chopped sundried tomatoes.
In a saucepan, simmer white wine, butter and a splash of lemon juice.  Add to veggies. Toss with angel hair pasta and sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese.
The final result.....

I can't wait to make it again.