Culinary Explorations

I have an apron that I got when I was working in the sales department of the cruise line. They started a program for onboard culinary classes while I was there entitled Culinary Explorations and then they gave them out to the entire department... I think the culinary explorations embroidered on the apron is appropriate for me in the kitchen... here are a few of my most recent explorations in food:


• Pettit Fours
• Poured Fondant Icing
• Борщ{Borsht} (Made almost entirely of home grown vegetables courtesy of Mom, Wade, and Bro. Robinson.)
• Vegetable Broth
• Зелёные Щи {Green Shchi} (Made with the vegetable broth)
• Gum Paste Cake Decorations {Ballet Shoes}
• Egg Drop Soup

Next on my list to try: homemade noodles, rolled fondant, and chocolate buttercreams. Anyone know where I can get good candy flavoring?

Yard Art

...the good kind, that is.

Redbud Blossoms

Crab Apple Blossoms

Camellia

Rhododendon

Camellia

Roses

Cut roses in the evening sun...

Flowers and Frogs

Yummy cream cheese mints for our YW activity... too bad they are gone!

Three trips...

You would think that three trips to the store would get you all four ingredients to make a casserole for Sunday dinner... Nope, still had to improvise. Silly me!  My mind must be elsewhere.  Let me know if you see it!

Hair Cut

Yep, I finally cut my hair.  I think it was time... after all February 2009 was a long time ago.  I cut off about 4 1/2 inches all by myself.  I was sad to lose the length, but I wanted to get rid of all of the layers and the horrible "V".  Now I have happy, layer free hair! 

Oh, and this is the stuff that helped me avoid cutting my hair for such a long time.

It really worked for me!

Two Little Girls...

Here are two little girls, with cute little curls...

As Madilyn put it, we put "curling sponges" in her hair, and Emma's too.  Sometimes the first time you try something new, it can be scary and they were both very brave! Madilyn let me brush the tangles out, and Emma let me use the blow dryer on her hair. Plus they did not utter one complaint about the curlers being uncomfortable to sleep in. Maybe that is because I told them they looked like they had pink crowns on. They were both so excited to have curls that I was worried what would happen if it did not work. But no worries, their hair look so cute for church and the curls lasted all day.

It reminded me of when I did this with my sister.  What happy memories! 

Hmm...

You may wonder about me,

but I really like these.

I use them all of the time at work. 

Maybe that is why I like them.

Nope.  I just like them.

Lament for a Lost Favorite

Charcoal Grey was so uncommonly comfortable, so unreasonably adored. Times spent with Charcoal Grey, as with anything, were not all happy, not all sad, but treasured. The loss was public to my undying shame. My response, once I realize you’d left me, was so distressing to my niece that I was prayed for three times in that affectionate little dear’s prayer over the evening dinner. You laugh. I know I am silly to still feel a loss I should have relinquished after the passing of so much time. I reason with myself that, yes, Charcoal Grey can be replaced both in form and in function, yet I cannot reason with attachment. I will never again be the same without Charcoal Grey.