Us and Them

Take in each moment and 
truly watch them, 
feel them, 
think like them, 
smell them,
laugh with them,
listen to them, 
learn from them.
Enjoy every spec of them.
And when you think you've had your fill,
do it again.
And again.
                 
photograph from here

Freekah Pilaf

      Freekah pilaf with spiced caramelized onions, cherries and pistachios

I made this today for our small dinner party tonight.

It  is YUMMY goodness..

perfect for a wintry evening. 

From a favorite daily read bliss blog

                                                          

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion thinly sliced
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch of cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 ½ cups freekah or wheat berries
1 cup fresh cherries
½ cup pistachios, toasted and finely chopped
½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Method:
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and the remaining teaspoon of salt to a boil, add the freekah and cook uncovered until the freekah is tender but still retains some bite, about 45 minutes.  Drain and set aside while you prepare the onions.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally and reduce the heat to low once they have softened slightly.  Cook until caramelized and golden about 20 to 25 minutes.  Add the cinnamon, allspice, cardamom and cloves and continue to cook for 2 minutes or so until the mixture is fragrant.
To finish,  add the freekah and balsamic vinegar to the onion mixture and cook for a few minutes to incorporate the flavors.  Gently fold in the  cherries and pistachios and sprinkle the feta over the top.

TGIT

                                                                            art by peter age 6

right about now

                                                                  found

                                                                      

LANA DEL REY

I'm starting off my week
with this one.
How about you?

The Makers

Nice bits of color and bolts of inspiration.

artists
LILY STOCKMAN  
SHABD
LENA CORWIN


photographer
JENNIFER CAUSEY  
from
The Makers Project

Needle Pulling Thread

NEEDLE PULLING THREAD
Winter SEWING workshop
3 Fridays  4-5:30 pm
JAN 6, JAN 20, FEB 3
Children will develop the same projects over the 3 dates including fabric wallet, purse, shoulder bags and puppets. Design and execute patterns, practice hand sewing and an intro to the machine.
For kids ages 7 and up.  $130

Memee Ola

Oh Memee Ola!

You have touched many hearts and hands,

and have spread love and laughter throughout your journey.

 You showed me how to play pouf pouf and roast a chicken, 

step carefully in the garden, watch for the birds and make lemon squares.

 Shared with me your collections, your loves and paper hearts,

taught me to see beauty in the most simplest form,

and shoo'd me out of your home when you had had enough. 

Voila!  Je suis fini.

Forever in my heart, your old heart.

Safe travels down the river, my dear Memee.

  

                                                       image here

C is for Calendar

kauniste tea towel calendar

  

  milimbo calendario

 the dolphin studio

flora douville

All that GLITTERS

                                                              Beehive   

                                                          First Night

                                                         Boston

HAPPY 2012

 Absolument!

 found 
 here

Merry Murmuration

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

What a spectacular gift.
This is for you, Memee  xo

thank you Sophie
thank you River Shannon
thank you starlings
thank you Nomad Soul

Merry Christmas!

HEY NINETEEN

every year I set the birthday table with candles, funny wind-up toys,
Twizzlers, Cheez Doodles, and many  photographs of the guest of honor.
Today is ELI's 19th (holy moley) Birthday.
Just now,  I grabbed this collage off my bedroom wall..
contact sheets of Eli (almost three) posing.. or not..  for a portrait for Spark.
He brought his tambourine and honey stirrer.
David Caras took these photographs that  I will forever cherish.
I remember that day like it was yesterday.
Happy 19th Year E!

sweets for the sweet

This is easily one of my favorite gifts that I am giving this year.
I cannot take credit for this sweet idea, I found it on pinterest and ran with it.
I come from a long line of ice cream fans and it seemed perfectly perfecto for me.
I whipped up a strong batch of chocolate sauce and found
jars not TOO big ( but BIG enough) to fill.
Added assorted mini candies, gummies and chocolates, waffle bowls and cones.
Packed in a sturdy box and VOILA!
Sundae Box..
JUST ADD ICE CREAM
..YUM!