Words to live by…

Every time I feel myself slipping, I repeat these four words. Try it… It doesn’t have to be these words, find words that inspire you…

• Happy = content
• Healthy mind, healthy body.
• Wise…  Better yourself through knowledge and good judgement. (Quite the opposite of myself 15 years ago.)
• You never know what someone is up against, always try to make someone’s day better, not worse. Be kind.

So much goes through my head this time of year, I LOVE new beginnings… I am so excited for 2014!! Before that I have to close out 2013… I will start with brussels sprouts.

Be very jealous, they were fantastic! We had friends over for our now annual Thanksgiving left-over party. We decided it was a good time to share our last bit of garden. I’m just so excited to have grown them… from seed I might add!

My mom’s cranberry sauce ranks up there with sunshine. And makes me miss her like crazy!

Fire… Of course!

We stayed in the city for  my favorite holiday, St. Nick Day.  Chicago has nothing on downtown Boston. The wind whips around those buildings… pure misery. We have decided to save our weekends in the city to warmer months. It’s no fun if you can’t walk around. My husband is a saint for putting up with me when I’m hungry or cold. God save us all if those two ever happen at the same time.

However, inside was a blast!

The view from our room…

Honey! I’m home…

Jazz brunch at the Beehive….

I’ve been searching for these for-EVER! I remember making them when I was little. Fun times.

He is such a good sport…

Right after I took this picture, the cookie sheet popped and we had to re-do all of them. Son of a bitch… We got to make them twice… twice the fun.

While my princess took an unusually long stiffing break, I stood and listened to this little guy play Christmas carols. They played so soft the sound of my footsteps would have drowned them out. Lucky for me  my dog is sloooowwwwwww.

The last picture of my 1000 year old windows. We finally got them replaced… on one of the coldest days of the year. My poor husband froze his ass off while Wynn and I got to go to work. Love, love, love  New Hampshire for allowing dogs in salons.

Winter cilantro.

The only image from our Solstice party. It was a blast! Love our little group…

There is a crazy  four hour parade that winds through Lynn on Christmas Eve, lucky for us it goes down the street less than a minute from our house. So with hot chocolate in hand we headed to the festivities…. Perfect Christmas Eve.

The Mr. got homemade corned beef hash in his stocking…

My Christmas present (insert squeal of delight). Normally I don’t open Christmas presents before Christmas but J knew I would want to open it before. My mom gave me most of her record collection including all her Christmas music. I almost cry every time I play a record, they bring back so many childhood memories. I’m beyond thankful…

I got this ornament last summer while shopping with my oldest sister at one of our favorite antique places. Sadly it was our last trip, they’re closed now…

One of my favorite thrift store finds…

Baby cilantro.

My husband makes a mean lamb stew…

Snow day! Again…

She has missed this spot so much…  Even though it has been freaking cold pretty much every day, when the sun shines bright, I let her go hang on the porch.

She is my sunshine…

I know I’m very late in saying this,  but a very Merry Christmas  just the same, Loves!  AND Happy 2014,  I hope it’s the best one yet. It’s gonna be for us, I can feel it.

P.S. WordPress used to notify me when someone commented on a post, they do not do that anymore, so I don’t get your comments until I log in to write a new post. Please forgive me for responding late… Love to you ALL!!

Happy Thanksgiving Loves!!

I’m finishing up my turkey brine for the turkey I’m cooking tomorrow night. I do love turkey… and Thanksgiving, and friends coming to dinner.

I can’t say I’ve always been a thankful person, I used to be an unappreciative pain in the ass. I guess that’s part of being a youngest child. It certainly had nothing to do with my parents, they taught us well, it just took a while for their lessons to sink in.

I am most thankful for my parents, without them nothing else comes into play. Everything I am thankful for somehow stems from them, even if it’s in a very round about way. They made me a thankful person…

Some say it’s crap to only be thankful on Thanksgiving. I think most are thankful every day, they just voice it on Thanksgiving.

Here is my list:

• My husband thanks me at every meal.
• I get to have a garden.
• I have a job that makes people feel beautiful. I love hearing, “it’s perfect, it’s exactly what I wanted…” with a huge smile on their face.

• I get to go to bed when I’m tired and wake when I’m rested.
• I am healthy.
• I have access to good quality food.
• My husband and I like the same food.

• I have loving in-laws. When you marry an only boy with three sisters, things could get ugly… they never have.
• Right when I wrote the above, I got a message from my sister in-law “Happy Thanksgiving, miss and love you!”
• My mom taught me to cook.
• My parents still love each other.
• My siblings and how much we love each other.
• I get new windows in 18 days.
• I remember most of my dreams.

• Growing my very first pumpkin.
• This post keeps getting interrupted with texts from friends and family with messages of love and thankfulness.
• My family loves my husband.
• Photography came to me at just the right moment in my life. I still remember exactly where I was at that moment.
• I live in an area where the seasons are all equal.
• I grew the brussels sprouts I’m making tomorrow night.
• My friends.
• My education, and the people I met during.
• I get to talk to my mom all the time, and usually for no less than an hour.
• 16 nieces and nephews.
• I was fairly young when all my grandparents passed away, but my husband lets me borrow his grandma. She gave me this Christmas cactus, it’s blooming right now.

• After four years of my goldfish plant not blooming, I finally got a fish!

• My house and all my treasures.

My basement insulation…

These were my grandma Natalie’s…

For a year the women in my life scoured thrift stores for amber and  green glass for my wedding. I have it all over my house. I can see four different pieces from where I sit. They remind me of that beautiful September day, and those great ladies who helped make it so perfect.

I finally got my back porch, yard,  and garden tucked away for the winter. It was the most perfect late fall day. The light was amazing, not anything “beautiful” I don’t think most people would think it was anything special. It was thick and grey and clear, the colors were saturated and hazy at the same time. I know a picture is worth a 1000 words, but there was a feeling that went with it that couldn’t be captured with any lens. It was one of those moments you put your camera away and just soak it in.

My hand print from kindergarden. I did not like my kindergarden teacher, but I am thankful for this.

I am very strict on no Christmas before Thanksgiving… Actually, I don’t like Christmas between Halloween and the day after Thanksgiving. However, I always choose a Christmas wine charm at the Wags’,  I keep Christmas lights up year-round, and I buy vintage Christmas treasures whenever I see them.

Cheese! with a face full of cheese…

• This little girl is always happy to see me when I come home, even if I’ve only been gone ten minutes.

My Mr. and two of his more ambitious friends did the Spartan Race at Fenway… He dislocated his toe right out of the gate, had Rudy pop it back in and finished the race, he is such a badass.

A very happy day of turkey dinner,  family, and thankfulness Loves! I’m off to make pie.

• Pie.

I find a GQ picture of James Franco to be completly acceptable to wrap a two year old’s birthday present… We got her wine last year.

This blog is going to be totally lame. I got nothin’ loves.

I will tell you 15 things about myself to make up for my lack of bloggedness: (I feel like an eight year old trying to entertain the crowd because her dad is passed out drunk.)

1. Every year I put out every single Christmas ornament and decoration I own. If I was a Christmas ornament, and Christmas was the only time I got to shine and someone left me in the box, I’d be very sad.
2. It makes me lose my mind when people let the water run while doing dishes.
3. One of my very earliest memories is my mother giving me a bath outside in a metal tub.
4. My two smartest decisions ever: going to photography school, and marrying  Mr. C.
5. I will never retire.
6. I keep Christmas lights up year-round.
7. I am now a morning person after being a night owl my whole life.
8. My mom listened to classical music while she was pregnant with me. It is still one of my favorite types of music.
9. I’m nearly always cold. (like now)
10. I hate to exercise… except yoga.
11. I have to sleep covered, even when it’s hot.
12. When I make a wish, it’s almost always the same one.
13. I want to be a farmer when I grow up.
14. I’m most thankful that both my and J’s families are full of kind, loving people.
15. If I could have any job in the world it would be working with really old photographs and negatives at some big ol’ museum.

Please make my day and tell me at least one thing about you that I don’t know…

I miss your face…

Trick or Treat!

These were my favorite Halloween candy when I was little. My sister would trade me all her milky ways for my snickers… I miss her.

My favorites…

The last of this years hot peppers…

“Oh you need to hard boil your eggs in the oven, it’s so much easier.”

Ok, I’ll give it a try…

So, I go to this site that gives you the specifics. My first clue that this would not end well was the lady complaining how hard it was to fill a pot of water, bla bla bla, really? Since when is it a pain in the ass to fill a pot of water? She sounded like a bad infomercial… Anyway, 325 for 30 minutes, it’s that easy. Bullshit. My eggs were overcooked on one side and had a slimy raw spot on the other, and would not peel. I don’t know why I felt compelled to do this being my mom taught me how to hard boil eggs forever ago and they come out perfect…

• Place eggs in boiling water (even new eggs) for 11-15 minutes (depending on the amount of eggs).
• Take them off the heat, drain the hot water out and keep replacing it with cold water until the water stays cold. You might get a cracked one here and there,  just eat that one first.

Oven eggs suck.

There you go Loves…  Now go clean out your refrigerator, or give to someone in need…

Good morning my lovelies… It will no longer be morning when you read this, but it’s a beautiful New England morning at this moment.

The last of the summer blooms…

It’s kind of a trip living in an area where it rains in the fall.

My very last pansy bloom.

Goodbye heat, don’t let the door hit you in the ass.

My brussels are tiny but still alive, which is more than I could have hoped for. They looked pretty sad in the early summer heat… They will be enjoyed with our turkey dinner.

Have I mentioned I’ve banned negativity from my life…? No matter how I feel, I refuse to be negative. I have a couple slip-ups from time to time but I just go to my happy thought (my mom) and it goes away.

Mr. C’s crab cakes were pretty amazing…

My carrots are beautiful… I’m leaving them in the ground as long as I can, pulling them only when needed. I heard they’re pretty hardy and can stand the cold, we will see.

I have one habanero plant, I am thankful I didn’t plant two. It is going crazy! I already have too many…

My first mum bloom of the season, all my plants are transplants from other areas of my yard. They all seem happy in their new homes…

This little guy was suppose to be an annual. (I planted these last year.) He decided to come back for another year, I’m so happy he did.

Last of the watermelons… We ended up with ten from two plants, not a bad haul for my first year.

I am a canning machine! Applesauce and apple butter being my thing last two weeks. I loved the applesauce so much I went back for two more pecks.

We made steel cut oats in the crock pot, I highly recommend.

• 1 c oats
• 4 c water
• 1/2 t salt

Throw in the crock pot for 6-8 hrs… wa-la!

Makes 4 cups  (it reheats nicely). Divide recipe down if needed.

We have a quart and a half mini crock pot, but the recipe says you can put it in a normal sized one. If you divide the recipe down, I think it may cook too fast in a large pot, so reduce the time.

My new ride… Perfect for a photographer with ADD.

Our last minute meals would rival most people’s planned…

We do this… I love living by the ocean.

I wrote a huge, long paragraph about why I dislike entities that fool people into thinking that certain things are good for them, (when they are not) only for profit. It sounded very negative and a little conspiracy theroy-ish (not that it isn’t true). So I will simply say, I went to a color class…

I had to go to my happy thought… twice.

Ahhhh, and we arrive at our anniversary weekend…. Another happy place, and there’s German wine there. Score!

We stayed here…

Our stay just happened to land on the fall equinox, (to which it was named) Serendipitous to say the least.

It truly was the most fantastic weekend. 

There were huge black and whites from the early years all over the hotel… Could you just die! So amazing!!!

Early morning stroll before yoga… All the sidewalks around there are made of marble. Sure beats our ugly. as. shit asphalt sidewalks in Lynn. (That was not negativity, that is the truth.)

View from our room… Mountains (close enough) I’ve missed you.

We ate here…

Dinner was AMAZING!! The Mr. chose wisely…

Wedding clothes still look great…

Dessert… Ironically made by NECCO (New England Confectionery Company (I don’t know what the O stands for)) which we drive by all the time at home….

View with breakfast…

A bit of Vermont fall…

LOVE THIS!! We passed it on the way…

Yeah, I have no idea either…

And back home again…

I looked outside and saw this lovely glowing in the morning sun.

Shortly after we got home, I was laying on the couch late at night and got this thought in my head, I hadn’t seen my big camera in awhile (I have two, the old one is my little and the new one is my big). I took only the little on our trip. So I looked in all the usual spots, then I looked in the not-so usual spots… Then I freaked out. I started sweating and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I did a few more laps around the house. Shit, shit, SHIT! Did I leave it at work? I could drive to Exeter in the middle of the night because if I don’t find it, I won’t sleep anyway. Did I leave it on top of my car and drive off?  My present self has absolutely no confidence in my past self. Why in the hell would I put in on the top of my car?? I have never in my life done that. And I wouldn’t leave it at work, I don’t just leave it places, I always have it so I don’t leave it (if that makes any sense at all). Did I leave it outside? Again, why would I do that? I headed outside anyway, in my robe and uggs. It was a lovely site let me tell you… I proceeded to search around my side yard in the dark for a black camera. Of course my neighbor picks that time to come home, maybe she won’t see me. Nope, she looked right at me. Oh well, another neighbor that thinks I’m a wacko.  I headed back in the house wondering how I’m going to come up with a very large chunk of change for another big camera. At this point I’m near a stroke. My husband is now awake because I am the opposite quiet, he could tell I was about to pop a vein. One more lap around the house… and over to a basket where I keep my reusable produce bags. I look inside while I’m remembering that’s where I hid the little bastard before I left on our trip. I hide things when I leave, I have external hard drives stashed all over the house. How on earth did I forget I did that…? Right when I found it I looked up at the clock,11:11.

Moral of the story… remember you’re neurotic.

Wynn in her sunny spot…

The Mr. came and had a spa day… And yes, you can have dogs in salons in New Hampshire:)

Fall is officially at my house…

Year 2 pumpkin from the MIT Pumpkin Patch…

And one for a gift… Because you can’t just settle on one.

Then off to The Sauce Party…

I just love her…

Of course I chose the Christmas charm…

Happy American Touch Tag Day Loves! Make it count;)

I married my Mr. Right.

Thank you for constantly showing me how lucky I am to have you on this journey with me.

We celebrated our anniversary this past weekend in Vermont,  twas a magical weekend. More on that soon…

Happy day of our marriage Loves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been trying to get caught up since I got home from Montana. Right when I can see the light at the end of tunnel, something else happens and I’m back feeling frazzled, behind and unorganized.

I have a hard time functioning when any part of my life is not in check. I can’t start cooking or canning projects if my kitchen is not clean and organized. I now find myself not photographing any new images when I still have a bunch that need to be put up here… and when I don’t photograph for awhile, it affects me and causes problems all on its own…  Sigh.

I have decided to go back to work three days a week; I am working at a perfectly quaint little spa in New Hampshire. It’s nice to have an excuse to wear something other than gardening clothes and pajamas… Plus, I have down time there that will allow me to keep my little journal updated more often. I don’t want to be on my computer at home, it’s too easy to get sidetracked.

The Mr. and I have  started to plan out our meals two weeks in advance. When you give up “processed” food you cease to have anything on-hand that’s quick. We had a lot of nights when I realized it was dinner time and I hadn’t taken anything out of the freezer…. leading to more eating out than necessary… leading to no left-overs for lunch. We’re on week two and it’s working great.  We spend one whole day prepping and making soup (we eat a shit-ton of soup) and whatever else we can make in advance and freeze. J has been stepping in as household chef more than a couple times a week too, love that man…

I am hopeful that one day I will be better at just living life, rather than constantly figuring out a ways to make it run more efficiently…

My favorite task this gardening season is digging up potatoes. I’m like a little kid digging for buried treasure. I love the sight of dead potato plants…

Another good place to eat close to home…

This is what little care packages want to be when they grow up…

I hope you are loving your new treasures, Miss Jane.

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My surprise peppers…

They were suppose to be pepperoncinis, they are not. The look like a small cherry pepper but taste like a cayenne. They are hot little bastards…

I think I love gardening because it reminds me of Christmas… or the other way around.

My first batch of canned tomatoes…

I have done another batch since then, I love these tomatoes for canning… I will grow them forever. The plants are HUGE! 

My perfect pumpkin.

I smile every time I look at it. It’s not out on display yet since it’s not quite fall in my book, yet.

I have not burned any fall candles, or painted my toes a fall color… or watched Hocus Pocus.

Soon though… I just haven’t gotten that fall feeling.

It seems like forever ago since my in-law family was here to visit. It’s almost time for us to head down there to see them.

Always love spending time with them…

His sister was here too, I got very few pictures of her visit. Mostly they are all on a waterproof disposable camera we took kayaking. I don’t even know how to drive to cvs and drop film off anymore…

Summer squash and green onions from the ol’ plot. I love having meals where our home grown makes up all, or the majority of our meal.

We cut up our first watermelon… it was not quite ripe yet. I have since learned how to tell when they are ready to pick.

Our second one was much better…

The neighbor kids are waiting patiently for “their” watermelon to ripen. This week for sure… I have seven that will be ready very soon.  (I’m a watermelon gardening baddass).

The end of the cucumbers… you had a good run boys.

Dill…

I’ve had this picture on my kitchen sink windowsill in every house I’ve lived for the last 15 years…

I rocked the poofy hair!

That was 20 years ago…

Happy end of summer, and almost fall Loves!!

This is my 100 post…!

It’s beyond late, I’ve had a lot going on since we last met.

I’m trying to get on a more regular schedule in my life, I am finally winning the battle… more on my next post.

For now… Montana!

The theme this trip… Bloody Mary’s.

One of the main things I went home for was to help my parents renovate their bedroom.

I loved physically being able to help them on a project, rather than giving my opinion from 3000 miles away.

I was thrilled my mom wanted my art on her walls…

A little “Annie” time…

I hit flathead cherry season, I feel sure I ate ten pounds of cherries while I was home.

Fam time…

I got my great grandmothers pickle recipe. I have yet to use it since I couldn’t find where I packed it until after I was done pickling for the year.

Next year for sure

My mom’s recipe book…

My parent’s neighbor has the sweetest yellow lab ever… I love all over him while I’m home.

To all my gardening friends in Montana and Wyoming… GO HERE.

It is at the four way stop when you’re coming off the zoo exit toward king ave (in Billings).

It is the best gardening supply store I have ever been in. You will think so too.

Love.

I’ve missed you Mas Taco.

My friends are badasses.

Roadie to southern WY with my girls…

Those are not pop…

More Bloody’s…

And Dan.

HA!!

House full of photographers…

Hmmmm.

Of course…

I LOOOOVE me some lemon squares.

Insert Marlon Brando voice…

Mr. P,  I figured you couldn’t hate this lens flare…

Photo gals… and their master.

That’s my girl… pure class.

I wish you two all the best in the world… Love you both!

My favorite doodler…

My grandmothers kitchen aid…

My Wynn fix while I was away…

I forgot to wish my sister and her hubs happy…

And back home again…

Thanks for the splendid trip, Loves!

Visual aid for those who don’t know what a celery root looks like… (myself included).

I love my family…

Yes, I know it’s been awhile…

(When I’m away from my computer for long periods of time, the margarita I spilled on my keyboard comes back to haunt me.)

I had every intention of writing a little post while I was in Montana/Wyo, I knew I wouldn’t.

The Loves take priority.

I took a few images, not many… those later.

This is how my July started…

My first garlic scapes, ever. The cooking of them did not go so well…

I’ll grow hardnecks from now on just for these pretties. They did better than the softnecks.

In the end I killed them both (with the potatoes help).

Next year I’ll know…  

It was beyond lovely to see you again, my friend…

Korean BBQ…

Korean S’mores…

HAPPY 4TH!!

My bachelor buttons are blooming, my first flower planted from seed.

I had them in my wedding bouquet.

This seems like such old news…

THIS is what I had to deal with for three hours while waiting for a tetanus shot (thanks to the naughty dog down the street) .

I loath the disney channel.

And I was hungry.

There are around four separate occasions within a month my husband should get a medal just for dealing with me.

He is a good man.

I almost forgot! The loudest puker in the world.

He screamed while he threw up… and moaned a lot.

His girlfriend had it worse.

Beets and arugula out of the garden…

Caramelized onions, my new favorite topping for everything.

That is a true picture of summer…

I have a drawer full of cucumbers in my fridge. I need more jars.

I might have enough dill growing that I don’t need to buy any ~big happy sigh…

My first potatoes…

How every potato wants to go… Fried in butter. With bacon.

First (probably only) raspberry of the season.

Next year…

My happy accident pumpkin.

It’s almost full orange now… It will be an only child (the plant is dying) but I still get this one  to enjoy through the fall.

Spaghetti squash plant didn’t do so well either.  I think I’ll end up with three, not bad for the first year.

It’s such a pretty green before it turns yellow.

Can you see it…?

Oh bean…

First batch of beans… into lamb stew (that kept my husband alive while I was gone).

First aid on my pumpkin plant, I found a vine burrower… bastards.

You will not be so lucky next year, I know you exist now.

I made seven veggie lasagnas  with our zucchini surplus. The other thing that fed the Mr. in my absence.

Okra has the most beautiful blooms. They are hard to catch…

See you soon Loves… two more to go.