whispers of winter

the days are getting shorter. the sun sets well before we come home from work and is just barely up as we head out. soon, it won't rise before midday. i have been trying desperately to generate the motivation to get up early and head to the gym for an early morning, anti-arm flab, workout and sauna before starting work. needless to say, this is proving tricky.

more importantly, it appears winter is upon us because everyone is driving like idiots--snow tires not on, quick stops fail often.  neah and i were almost hit on our way to the holy day tonight. stopped at a corner facing west and getting ready to turn south, one of the cars coming from the south in the northbound lane (this reminding you of a fifth grade word problem yet) slammed on brakes and in an attempt to not rear end the other cars came careening towards us--only to be stopped (and us saved) by the pole that holds the stoplights about four feet to my right. ugh. dear idiot with the big truck....please please do the speed limit and remember its icy...we'd like to live another day...thanks, EVERYONE.

Been trying out some new recipes....so the roast

is from those adventures. neah was very intrigued---perhaps too intrigued because her tummy doesn't seem to like us tonight. 

It has been nice to have some friends over for dinner and kinect and feel like we are settling into this house. neah has been great about the new people, only barking for a minute or two before warily wandering around until peanut butter pretzels stealthily appear in new hands and the intrusion into her space is forgiven. 

odds and ends

 The picture only sort of does it justice....make it big and you will realize that the pile of snow on top of the car is higher than the windshield. It makes me wish we were already in our own place---still waiting for the sellers to get approved and all that jazz.

Some days the snow comes faster than others.
The last two, not so much. Let me tell you. I prefer white snow to yellow snow and there are a lot of doggies in our apartment complex.

Luckily, the temperature has been hovering respectably just below freezing--meaning i don't have to zip my jacket to take neah out or worry about frostbite. It also means i could wear a dress and leggings to work and not worry about getting lost and dying in a snowdrift bigger than i am. a very real challenge of driving is that the large amounts of snow mean you drive through valleys....and often have to ease out a little into the road to see what is coming.
More importantly, however, is that it means that Bob and Lissa might not freeze to death when they abandon the balmy tropics to come hang out for a few weeks (read: the Baha'i Fast month) with the grand-dog, party it up at the Fur Rondy, and watch the Iditarod. Parental bucket list item: Iditarod, check.

I have been doing some cooking again--trying to find new and fun things to eat. So the other night it was citrus collards and chard with a breaded garlic orange tilapia and sweet potatoes. mmmmmm.

being southern it is hard to imagine how to cook collards that doesn't involve bacon, ham and hours of slow simmering---but they turned out super yummy and much more fresh tasting with the blanching/simmering in fresh orange juice method.
 Which leads me to the less impressive meal concoction of the week.....affectionately known as "laundromat dinner".

40F....

happy friday.when we were off on that camping trip, i took a bunch of pictures of weird mushrooms....and today is the day you get to see the one that looks like a cracked egg.

Weeping egg mushroom



this morning was a whomping 40 degrees at our little apartment. i should probably remember that the next time i pull on my hoodie over my t-shirt, slide feet into flip flops and head out the door to convince the dog to do her business and not to try to play or eat the leash at 745 in the morning.  Let's be real though, the coffee hasn't worked its magic at that time of morning and i, therefore, cannot be held accountable for whatever stupidity ensues. also, for the record, i haven't broken out the winter jacket yet, just the vest....and i've only worn that once.



tastes like pig ear?

also, in tribute to football season, neah tried to bite the football. alas, her mouth isn't big enough. adam did rescue it before she managed to remove the laces....she was working hard on them.  it bounces and moves differently than her tennis or baseballs....so it took some getting used to.

And last but not least is the start of dinner the other night...quinoa, chard, and my favorite hand towel. while one of the ladies i work with will ACTUALLY be making moose in the kitchen (slicing up a kill from last weekend) i will stick with the moose/mess theme on the hand towel.