Tombstone

I went to Tombstone the other day to visit my friend Emily, who is teaching high school there. So after school on Tuesday, to Tombstone Darcy and I went! I don't think she quite knew what to think...especially after I had to slam on the brakes and she went flying off the seat :) 

It was a GORGEOUS drive there, a great time with a friend, and a GORGEOUS drive back to Tucson in the morning. The drive back also included sights of 3 deer, a hawk, and a scary police man...good times!

A day in the life

We have been doing a unit on telescopes in my astronomy class. Today, we got out my 8 in Cassegrain that was so generously given to me, used the solar filter, and are going to spend the day looking at the Sun!

I'm typing this outside on my phone, marveling at how different each of our lives are. Hope yours is as great as mine!

Below is a little taste of my day

Gregory Alan Isakov

I don't believe I've posted about this musician before - but I very much should have!  His name is Gregory Alan Isakov, and he's got such a great voice.  On occasion Brandi Carlile has sung back up for him.   I have been enjoying his music for quite some time, so I thought it was about time I posted a video!   It's very rich and succulent...simple instruments, but complex sounds...mmmmmmmmm. This song is one of my favorites (and illustrates what a sappy romantic I truly am!) - plus, the sound quality is awesome on this video, which is always a plus on youtube.

Enjoy!  Turn it up LOUD and listen carefully with a glass of wine and perhaps a signif other ;)

 

Irish Stew and French Macaroons

The other evening I spent much too long making Irish Stew with Guinness and pistachio French macaroons.  The stew took about 4 hours (you let it simmer for a LONG time so the flavor's very rich), and in between I made the macaroons.  The stew was pretty good, but I feel like somehow it could have been better.  The recipe called for caraway seeds, which was an interesting ingredient, but I think next time I'll find another recipe to try.  There's this amazing bakery in Columbus, OH, called Pistacia Vera, where I got the idea to make them.  And although I don't think ANYTHING can compare to Pistacia Vera, these were still pretty good.  If you're ever within 100 miles of this place, GO!

the humble beginnings of the stew
my favorite ingredient
the recipe called for parsnips and turnips instead of potatoes, but that just wasn't something I could do...
simmering in my new, beautiful, and awesome Dutch oven
Sorry for the terrible lighting! My kitchen was so dark by this point...I whipped them a little too much so they were rather pool-esque
the filling
baked

and done!
I have had such a great time starting to make the recipes I love, but I'm realizing cooking is like most good things in life, you have to be careful that they don't consume you and there's no room left for anything else.  

Astrophotography

I would LOVE to get into this...something I'm praying and saving for for 2012 - a DSLR camera :)

Best Night-Sky Pictures of 2011 Named

The clouds

Don't you just love the clouds today? Thanks God for the beautiful weather!

SCHOOL IS STARTING!!!

((And just cuz this post felt a little wordy and picture-less, here's a link to some of our church's awesome tunage.  Play while reading!))

AHHHH!!!!  School starts TOMORROW!  But I think I'm feeling prepared (possible?) and here's why::

More details to come on the lovely evening I had and the plans God gave me for the year (which was so dear and wonderful of him), but I wanted to jump start everything by detailing the gifts that were oh-so-lovely today:

-I am down to one dog again.  REJOICE.  But Lizzie took one last nap with me on my bed this morning while I read...

-Persuasion.  The book I was reading while the dog was having twitch-provoking dreams...by Jane Austen (of course!) and it was...there's no better word than LOVELY.  It was a morning of REST.  Staying in my pajamas, drinking an Americano, eating tortillas - all on my fluffy, wonderful bed.  It was just such a LOVELY morning.

-The Village.  My church is such an amazing place.  If you've never gone you should - Sunday nights at 5 PM.  Rod's message was awesome, and it makes me think how grateful I am that we can all be our true selves there.  

-The Auld Dubliner. God has been telling me all week to go sit there and spend time with him.  I have been disobedient for the sake of economy.  And he told me tonight that he will take care of me if I spend $15 on a date with him.  So, I went!  It was so encouraging and yet very random (more to come).

Hope your Sabbath, your DAY OF REST, was just as wonderful - realizing yet again how GOOD and GIVING Jesus is...and that you were able to rest in him being GOD and you being HUMAN. 

Nesting

My friend Hannah was saying after spending time away for the holidays that she and her husband Steve were very into redoing their bathroom, to which she termed "nesting".  Now I normally had thought of that word in terms of preparing a baby room, but I realized I've been doing the same thing!  We have both been redoing our bathrooms, and here are some of the elements going into mine...completion photo to come soon :)

Along with this nesting idea, I've been cooking and baking like crazy! It's been so fun! Homemade marinara with meatballs, pumpkin whoopie pies, and meringues! which I found on this lovely blog.  I LOVE meringue when it's soft and chewy, so if you like it like me, just don't make the meringues too thick or they don't back all the way through.

Terrariums

I love little terrariums!  Especially because I generally suck at keeping plants alive, so I wonder if the mini-version is any easier...???  Etsy put out a cute little video about making terrariums so we'll see how it goes!

How-Tuesday: Light Bulb Terrariums from Etsy on Vimeo.