Rachel, In Full Color

We're having a...

2012-01-24T16:53:00.002-05:00

I first have to say that I feel so loved. I can't believe all the people that are coming along on this journey and are sooo excited to find out our good news!!

Are you ready?

Are you sure?

Okay, Here it goes..........

Yeppers! We are having a girl! Bear drew all of this himself. Yeah, I'd say he's excited!

This was such an exciting and emotional day. You see, this was Bear's first ever Baby Appointment. Despite "Button" moving around and kicking A LOT these days he has yet to catch a kick himself so I'm sure the idea of our baby had yet to become "real" for him. On the way to the appointment I asked him "From 1-10 how excited are you" and the answer came quick "50"! Having him there with me in the room and watching his face as he saw his baby for the first time was priceless. I have to admit I had tears running down my cheeks.

I have the world's greatest husband.

Week 19 is a Mango? Hmm...

2012-01-21T14:07:00.004-05:00

Hello there dear Readers. It's me again. January is here and today we finally have our first snow fall of the winter. It's not even 2" and the top is a layer of it is sleet but I'll take it. It will all be melted by tomorrow so I'm enjoying it for the moment.

Some of you have been asking when you'll get to see my next "Belly" shot, well here it is!

Thanks to Bear the photographer!

This is what week 19 looks like. They say that "Button" is the size of a Mango this week but I could not find a 6 inch long Mango anywhere. This particular Mano is only 5 inches long but it will have to do. "Button" is suposed to be 6" from crown to rump. How in the world does all of that fit in there? This past week has really been an active week for Button with all day Flips, Twirls, and Kicks. This is quite an active baby already.

This morning was the first time I could feel the kick on the outside of my belly. Quite a feeling.

Week 11/Lime, Week 15/Naval Orange, Week 19/Mango

Now this is something I didn't think of ahead of time... How I would feel seeing myself pictured over time. I knew I wanted to take these pictures but I never thought how weird it would be to watch my body morph. It's funny how you get used to yourself changing little bits every day but as I look back over these pictures...well simply put, this is one amazing journey that's only going to get more amazing.

A HUGE thank you goes out to all of you who are coming along with me on this journey. I couldn't do this with out you.

I promise my next post won't be so long in coming as this Tuesday Jan. 24th is when we find out if "Button" is a girl or a boy!! Stay tuned!

Does Absence Make the Heart Grow Fonder???

2011-12-28T14:00:00.004-05:00

This year is only days away from closing out and sadly I have been away from you dear readers for some time. For that I do apologize but I promise, it was for a good reason.

You see, I have been working on what is my largest handmade project to date...

A BABY!!!

If you know our history you know we move at relatively a snail's pace.

Bear / Bean

11yrs old/6yrs old (when we met. I moved in right next door)

22/17 (we decided we liked each other enough to start dating)

27/22 (yep, we liked each other well enough, so we married)

38/34 (after nearly 12yrs this marriage thing is perdy cool so why not try parenting)

On October 3rd 2011 we got the little "yep I think that's a baby" positive pregnancy test!

This is a picture of "Button" at 12 weeks and already a huge Thumb Sucker!

Here I am first at 11wks at Thanksgiving. Button is the size of a Lime. Then there I am at 15wks on Christmas morning. Button has graduated to a Navel Orange!

I think this is my favorite picture so far. A last minute hey lets hold the orange here, kind of shot. I'm loving every minute so far. All tests indicate that Button is healthy and growing well. I am doing wonderfully having had no morning sickness at all. My Dr. winked and told me not to tell that to anyone ;) The only symptom I had was EXTREME exhaustion. Bear said he knew I was pregnant even before the test because as he put it "No one over the age of 5 falls asleep at 7pm" There were whole months when I didn't even finish one TV show in the evening. There were days I slept 12hrs straight plus a nap in the afternoon, but I'll take that over morning sickness any day.

I'm happy to report that I've gotten most of my energy back, no naps and I can stay awake till nearly 10pm now!!

As this belly rounds out I just get happier and happier.

On January 24th we hopefully find out if Button is a boy or a girl! Feel free to weigh in in the comments section below wether you think Button's a He or a She. The votes have already started rolling in.

Button is tentatively due to be unwrapped June 15th 2012

(we all know how due dates are)

Rounding out July...

2011-09-04T18:16:00.004-05:00

There are times when life is so good you snap photo after photo and share every event and then there are times when life is so good you forget the camera and you just live it. The latter has been true for me lately. I have been enjoying life and have simply not felt the need to blog. I've finally come up for air and just like that 2 months have gone by! Summer is shrinking and Fall is knocking on the door. We are slowly reaching for the door knob and soon she'll be in our parlor drinking warm spiced cider. But before that happens allow me to recall just a few highlights from July.

Completely unexpected Fireworks from two streets over that rivaled any show I've seen in many many years.

Standing on our front stoop we had to shout to hear each other. When it was finally over after nearly 20 minutes the entire neighborhood erupted in applause.

Our 8 tomato plants were beginning to burst with lovely green maters.

The best flowers are those you never planted.

Those that greet you one day and bring a smile to your face.

Almost too brilliant to capture in photo form.

Lots of sewing took place! Cup Cozy anyone?

Sunflowers that I planted were finally taller than me and beginning to bloom.

A new adventure on every petal.

There's nothing that will bring a smile and feeling of warmth and well being quicker than a Sunflower in your own back yard.

Not all Sunflowers are yellow you know.

They brought me such joy that I turned them into a card and envelope!

Creativity in general overflowed in the month of July. A rare peak at exactly what that looks like here at the Artistic Bean Studio. Everything you need to make a happy, happy girl!

New Etsy Shop and New Art Blog!!!

2011-07-02T16:15:00.007-05:00

Hello dear readers! For about the last year I have been working on a project that has been bringing me great joy. This project has included everything from old hat talents like sewing to new ventures such as teaching myself graphic design software. It continues to be challenging as well as very rewarding and my hope is that you'll come with me on this journey and have as much fun as I am.

What could this project be?

What is Artistic Bean?

Artistic Bean is my official Creative/Artsy side, my Brand so to speak.

This adventure is starting with my fantastically fun Cup Cozies but it won't stop there. Who knows where it will lead. Check out the links below to see what all the buzz is about.

I'm really excited to announce the opening of my very own

Artistic Bean Etsy Shop!

And with this new adventure comes a brand new

Artistic Bean Blog!

(Don't worry, Rachel In Full Color isn't going anywhere I promise)

Artistic Bean on Facebook!

Great things are happening in the studio every day! You don't want to miss out, trust me.

The Mystery Painting Revealed...

2011-06-30T07:38:00.006-05:00

For months now I've been talking about painting. How I've been spending lots of time in the studio, how my mother was bringing my new paints to play with etc. The creativity has been flying around here and it feels FANTASTIC but you may have noticed I wasn't talking about what I was actually painting. It's been a mystery, till now. It had to remain a secret because it was a gift for a dear friend and I had to wait till it was safely delivered.

My I present to you

The Soul Shenanigans Wine Label

Photographed before it was shipped 3,000 miles to Ireland where it will live out it's days.

Safe, sound and framed!

A brief history of this painting...

My great friend and very talented DJ, David who lives in Ireland has a weekly radio show called Soul Shenanigans every Thursday 3-5pm EST on Radio23.org LIVE from Kiltimagh, County Mayo Ireland. He'll get you to shake your tail feather! When trying to come up with an idea for a birthday gift the thought of combining his love of fine wine and his wonderful show sounded like the perfect marriage and the idea of the Soul Shenanigans Wine Label was born. It took me months to get it right as this is the first ever acrylic portrait I've ever done, so unfortunately it was a "belated" birthday gift. I hope he feels it was worth the wait.

What's the next painting I'm working on? Well that will have to remain a mystery ;) so stay tuned!

A Visit From Mom and Inspiration Runneth Over...

2011-04-24T19:24:00.007-05:00

I've been so busy these last few weeks that I barely have time to tell you about MommaBean's visit last month before she arrives today for another visit. Sheesh, time sure does fly.

Last month MommaBean got to come and visit us for a WHOLE WEEK! A full week with nothing to do but sit, relax and just be with each other. No rushing around, no big sightseeing trips etc. just relaxing and creating.

Bear and Momma Bean!

I mean look at those smiling faces. Who wouldn't love them to bits?

When MommaBean comes you know what that means don't you? It means 2 things...

Eating great food...

and Art!! Lots of ART!

This is what my studio looks like when you put two painters together and someone calls out

"Ready, Set, PAINT"

My mother can inspire anyone to do anything just by being her. She is a Muse.

She inspired me to paint something I had been thinking about for some time but I wasn't sure how to go about it.

You may remember this photo from my Ireland trip a couple years ago.

Click here to see my post about Poulnabrone. (scroll down to the end of that post)

Below is the photo that I wanted to use but I wanted to paint it to show how I felt at the time, not just paint what it actually looked like. Does that make sense?

With my mother behind me all the way encouraging me and giving me a suggestion when ever I got stuck, this is it. I LOVE it!

I am so in love with this painting. I can't tell you how good it felt to finish this and have it turn out just how I wanted it to. My mother is a Muse among Muses!

Here she is actual size.

I can't wait to see what kinds of fun fantastic creative things we get up to this time.

All I know is, it's gonna be a blast!

A is for Amaryllis...

2011-04-15T18:59:00.007-05:00

I've never had a green thumb. I don't know what it is, it just doesn't come natural to me. I'm better off with an animal, a creature that can more easily communicate to me it's needs and wants. I speak dog, not plant.

Upon moving in here last November our friend Leah gave us an Amaryllis bulb as a "welcome back to the neighborhood" gift. I knew it would be beautiful, if I could manage to not only keep it alive but help it thrive. I did some research and found a great Amaryllis Site that showed me step by step what I needed to do. It was a great site because, well see the result for yourself...

I had patiently watched and waited as it grew. Some days it grew so fast I thought for sure I could actually watch it. I mean that stalk actually grew 6" one day! Incredible. When the day finally came when she started to bloom I could barely contain my joy. She was way more beautiful than any flower I have ever known.

Nature simply takes my breath away.

Sadly I knew her beauty wouldn't last forever so I moved her into my studio to capture her beauty on canvas. My mother-in-law's birthday was just around the corner and I knew she would love to have her likeness to put on her little collectibles shelf.

Beautiful large or small.

When it's just too beautiful not to share, paint it!

Mmmm, Muffins...

2011-03-21T01:00:00.002-05:00

Muffin Monday!

I recently had a huge Muffin Fail. I have often thought that it might be nice to have a savory muffin so when I found a recipe for Olive, Goat Cheese and Rosemary Muffins I couldn't wait to make them. The Bear and I love all those flavors so how could things possibly go wrong right?

Well trust me, the can go terribly wrong. After assembling all the ingredients with care I eagerly awaited for the timer to go off. The smell was mouth watering. I patiently waited for them to cool enough so that I could shove one in my mouth! The moment finally came and the muffin was promptly shoved.

BLAH!

IT TASTED LIKE WALL PAPER PASTE!

How was that possible? I did everything right. I wonder some times if these magazines even test the recipes before they publish them.

Hanging my head in disappointment there was nothing to do but walk away with my unsatisfied muffin shaped hole.

___________________________________________

Cranberries to the Rescue!

The next morning I was desperate to fill that muffin shaped hole in my belly so I searched the pantry to see what kind of muffins I could whip up.

SUCCESS!

As a matter of fact, such a success that Fabulous Foodie Friend Jennifer requested the recipe!

Cranberry Pecan Muffins

(my personal version of this recipe)

(makes 1 Dozen)

1/2 Cup Butter, softened

1 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Cup 2% Plain Greek Yogurt

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Fresh Grated Nutmeg (ground in the jar is just not the same)

1/4 tsp Salt

1 heaping Cup Frozen Cranberries, slightly thawed and course chopped

1/2 Cup Pecans, chopped

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

In a mixing bowl, cream Butter and Sugar.
Add Eggs one at a time, beating well.
Add Vanilla
Fold in Yogurt
In a separate bowl combine Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Nutmeg and Salt.
Stir in Flour mixture to creamed mixture until moist.
Fold in Cranberries and Pecans.
Pour mixture into a greased muffin pan.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool 5 mins before removing from a pan and cool on a wire rack.

These muffins didn't last long around here that's for sure. They would be great to send with your loved ones to enjoy during their morning commute.

What's your favorite muffin flavor?

Let's Play A Game...

2011-03-19T01:00:00.000-05:00

Can you find the Blanket Bug?

Look closely or you'll miss it ;-)

Aw, there it is!

We play this game all day every day because you can't take a step or sit on a couch without first knowing if a Blanket Bug is hiding there already.

Do you have any Blanket Bugs in your house?

Socks...

2011-03-18T01:00:00.001-05:00

Self Portrait Friday

The concept that a "Self Portrait" doesn't have to be a picture of your face is one that fascinates me. What makes me, me? If I had to take a picture that represented a part of "me" what might that be?

Socks!

Let's start with socks. I love socks. Fun Socks, toe socks, striped socks, knee socks, etc.

I am so known for socks that I was given the nickname Socks by my best friends.

Socks can take an ordinary outfit and make it an extraordinary statement! I'm not one to walk about life anonymous or understated and socks are one way to make a personal statement.

If I were a museum, this would be just one of many many exhibits.

What kind of Non Self Portrait Portrait would you be?

Green Eggs...

2011-03-17T14:29:00.002-05:00

I dedicate this post to my lovies that are dancin their arses off today in Ireland!

In the words of my favorite Irishman...

"It's like Christmas Morning...but without the presents and turkey dinner"

So my dears I dedicate this all Green Post to you!

What's a girl to do when she finds herself home alone with some hard boiled eggs, food coloring and sunshine?

That's right! Let's make Green Eggs!

Oh you can't just make one kind of Green. We shall have three.

Soaking, soaking. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

What is your favorite thing to do on this glorious Patty's Day?

Missing my lovies somethin awful. Big Irish hugs go out across the pond.

Sunshine Out and In...

2011-03-02T18:42:00.004-05:00

Walkie Wednesday

"I am emerging from my cocoon and everything seems shiny and new." Me

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." Marcel Proust

During the last couple months it seems like one thing after another conspired to keep me under the weather and yearning for my energy to return. Everything form a mystery rash to the Flu followed by a loverly cold kept the sunshine from my brain. Well I'm happy to report that I'm back baby! And there's no stopping me.

Have you ever noticed that one day you'll wake up and the world seems different? The angle of the sun has changed, the light casts a warm glow despite the still cool temperatures and you feel like stretching and opening a window even if for only a moment.

Do one better, slip on that hoodie, grab your camera and step out the door. The early morning light plays magic on the frosty world.

Even the path you might walk every day changes with each passing minute. As the light moves and morphs the landscape winter becomes just another favorite sweater folded one last time and put away till next year.

If I never stepped out my door I would never have met this wise wonderful woman. Yes, she's a woman, just look at those beautiful curves. Oh the seasons she has seem come and go.

Just one walk around your own familiar neighborhood can change your whole day. Step outside, take a deep breath and feel the sunshine filter into your brain. I promise, you won't regret it.

THE Chair...

2011-02-28T20:44:00.000-05:00

IT'S HERE, IT'S REALLY HERE!

Have you ever loved a piece of furniture so much that it hurt?

A couple years ago my hubby saw a chair at his sister's place and fell in love. She didn't think I'd like it. Well guess what?

I LOVED IT.

A promise was made that when we finally moved into a place big enough to have it, it would find it's way to us.

It would take 2years for that dream to come true...

Present Day...

My wonderful Sister-in-law came to visit us and with her came...

the most fabulous chair known to planet Earth.

Simply meant to be.

Wiener the Wonder Dog has already called dibs when ever there is a delightful sunbeam to be had. Just no arguing with that adorable baby.

The lines are gorgeous. Every inch of this chair screams my name.

So if you call and I don't answer it's probably because, well I'm in "the chair". You understand.

Mmmm, Fiber...

2011-02-28T01:00:00.002-05:00

Breakfast Monday

Alright, let's kick off this week, this month (March is only a day away after all) and this season with the most important meal of the day. Spring is not only in the air, it should be in your step as well don't you think?

My love of fiber is pretty famous among family and friends. Yeah, I love Fiber, what of it?

I mean have you really looked lately at the food you eat? Where has all the fiber gone? You really have to work hard to get yourself even close to the recommended 25-35grams a day.

I laugh at most of the products out there that label themselves "High Fiber".

2grams does not a "High Fiber" product make.

Bob knows what I'm talkin 'bout! Bob's my man.

10g of Fiber per 1/3cup serving.

8g Insoluble/2g Soluble = one happy gal ;-)

And don't forget your vitamins! Gummy Vitamins RULE!

Spring is truly in the air. Even my vitamins in the early morning light seem more colorful and almost downright cheerful.

How do you like to start the day?

Jeans? or Jammies?

2011-01-11T15:20:00.003-05:00

I don't know about you but I love nothing better than a pair of comfy pants. Pants that fit like an old comfy sweater, you know the kind that has been stretched out over the years and molded to fit you perfectly. Kind of like Homer Simpson's butt groove on his couch. Since I work from home I spend the greater part of my life in what would be considered "Don't go out in public like that" outfits. Well, at least not unless it's after midnight and you are running to the grocery store with the rest of the "curlers in the hair" crowd. Been there!

My long time and very close friend Jenny Jencks is an Avon Rep and Last week I sat down to do some shopping through her Avon Site and I was SHOCKED to discover that they sell Leggings that look like Jeans! Could it be true? Now I'm sure like me, you have seen those crazy commercials for "Pajama Jeans". Those commercials are nutz and there is no way I would trust even the first 5 digits of my credit card with those people. But Avon? Why not. Could it be true? Could I step outside my door to walk the dog or get the mail in what technically would be jammies but no one would know? The answer is an emphatic YES!! You can have lazy comfort and style all rolled into one!

I squealed with delight when the UPS man rolled up to my door and I wasted no time ripping open the package.

They look great but how would they feel? Would the fit be comfy? Would the construction be sound?

The seams looked good. They certainly look like jeans.

They are indeed comfy. They flex, they bend and hug in all the right spots. I'm only 5'4" and surprisingly they aren't a million yards too long. I am in the middle of a complete studio reorganization and they held up beautifully to the "floor test". This is where I spread EVERY creative thing I own on the floor and reorganize it. I'm up, I'm down, I'm crawling and reaching and not a butt crack in sight. Oh come on, you know what I'm talking about. Plumbers cracks aren't just for plumbers anymore.

At the end of the day it comes down to this...

Do you want Comfort?

Do you want style?

Don't have an Avon Rep?

Use mine, she's Fabulous!

I wouldn't trust my order with anyone else.

Just follow the link below...

Jenny Jencks

You can order via her site from any where in the States and the UPS man will bring it right to your door, just like me! You no longer need to live in her neighborhood. I have moved all over the country in the past 10yrs and no matter where I land,

She's only a click away.

Don't live in the states? Avon Reps are in over 100 different countries. Go to Avon.com and find you nearest Rep. That means you Claire ;)

Avon

Now with Jammie Jeans!!!!!

Random December Highlights And Mentions...

2010-12-24T15:30:00.006-05:00

I thought that I would post a few random things from this month.

Early in the month we had a bit of snow. Just enough to say hello.

I found inspiration in a bit of coffee on the counter and I went wild with the fun!!

I painted the design for this year's Christmas Card using coffee and then embellished with a touch of watercolor. Then scanned it into my computer for a bit more fun.

Christmas Card Production Line. Staining each card with a coffee ring. This is only part of the pile I made :)

My fabulous friend Jennifer Moore of Indulgent Health has a cartoon named Jenny Quips and now you can get her on T-shirts!!! I absolutely LOVE mine. She is adorable and makes everyone she meets so happy, won't you go and get yours today? JennyQuips.com

Weiner has finally discovered that if she turns around on the loveseat, she can survey the whole neighborhood. She says it's better than cable, "Next time on..."When the neighbor gets in the car..." She's utterly addicted.

I made Chicken Paprikash for the first time and man oh man was it delicious!

Oh we aren't just interested in dinner around here! Desserts baby, that's where it's at. We held a Tiramisu contest and we both agree that the smoothness of the Kahlua is nice but if we combine it with a touch of Brandy then we think we'd have Thee Perfect Combo.

Living with Hard Wood Floors = Cold Feet

Our solution?

You guessed it, awesome rockin fuzzy Crocs. Never seen these at the store before? Well that's because apparently they keep all the cool stuff online! The Bear says he's never shopping in an actual store ever again, online is where it's at.

My first Morning Dove.

I simply had to run and get my camera. What a way to start the day.

I hope that all of you have had a wonderful December filled with Kindness, Joy and more Love than you could ever hope for.

Cheers,

And may it only get better from here!

Green Goddess, Meet Persimmon Siren...

2010-12-24T14:51:00.005-05:00

Green Goddess Dutch Oven, may I introduce you to Persimmon Siren Stand Mixer.

YEARS ago we promised that if we ever found ourselves living in a house with an actual kitchen we would purchase the coveted Kitchenaid Stand Mixer of our dreams. Well that time has finally come my dear readers. After some debate about color choice the decision was made and the order was placed. While out and about one day, I arrived home to the following scene.

Merry X-mas

To: Cuisiniere

From: the Epicurean

(The BEST Hubby a gal could ever ask for)

She is more beautiful in person than I could ever have imagined.

It took me a few days to gather the nerve to get her messy. I mean her Orange paint job is one to rival any high end sports car.

What was the first recipe you ask? Why it was my lovely Aunt Nanny's Caroler Cookies! Perfect for this Holiday Season.

What kitchen addition are you hoping Santa will bring you this year?

My TastyKake for a Castle...

2010-12-20T18:38:00.013-05:00

Tis a wondrous thing to share gifts. And even more so when it's with someone special.

As most of you already know, my best and closest friend E lives in Ireland. I occasionally send her packages with sweets, treats, etc. from "home". Anyone who has lived far away from the comforts of what you know, knows how important it is to receive that little something that says "no matter where you are, you are home".

A little while ago I sent my beloved E some TastyKakes. Well when her dad heard that she and her hubby were indulging in some TastyKakeness he was a bit jealous, having moved away from the distribution area. Well a few clicks of the keys and I knew what had to be done...

Send Daddy Mac some TastyKakes!!!

I would package up and send a little taste of memories to him and he in turn would send me a Hand Carved Fairy Castle! How exciting is that?

SHE ARRIVED TODAY!

Safe and sound.

The Bear and I both are so in love with her! Daddy Mac you did an out of this world job. She's simply gorgeous.

View from the back.

I mean the DETAIL!

The natural bark from the Cottonwood complete with tiny bits of moss still on it. I was told how difficult Cottonwood is to carve and how fragile she is. (That's why she's on a cloud of FiberFill. I'm taking no chances here)

Much to my GREAT surprise in the package was a bonus hand carved Ornament!

A picture with a ruler for scale.

There simply is nothing better than sharing with good people. Whether it be sharing a meal, a moment, a phone call, a letter/note, an email or a handmade gift.

Daddy Mac, thank you. Thank you for sharing such a precious item with me. I greatly appreciate it. You are a remarkable craftsman.

E, thank you for sharing your father with me. With out you this exchange would never have happened.

There simply is no substitute for good friends. They are what make the world go round when you think there simply is no way to keep it spinning.

Simply...

THANK YOU!

This is one happy gal!

Home Tour, Part 1...

2010-12-05T19:41:00.000-05:00

I mentioned previously that I would explain my recent retreat from public life, well this is why. We've moved! Yep, that's right. After nearly 5 years in our cave like apartment in Alexandria Va, we've moved back to our old haunt of Frederick Maryland. It almost feels like moving home. We've rented a new Townhouse in a nice subdivision and we are slowly settling in and loving every minute of it.

We have the end unit! Yep that means only one neighbor. So far our neighboring house is empty and we are LOVING that.

After living in a very dark, small, depressive, mostly underground cave-like apartment with a rowdy 5yr old that stomped and ran around over our heads CONSTANTLY, this is Utopia!

Come on in won't you?

When you come in the front door you have a choice, up or down.

Let's start with down and work our way up. That seems logical.

When you step down this is what you will see...

Brian's office, Bathroom and living room.

Brian's office is the first door to the left. He's in man cave Heaven. He has a door he can shut and not have to hear my music.

The next door is Brian's bathroom. His office has a connecting door.

Then you walk into our living room. The utility closet and my laundry closet are to the right.

Doesn't our TV look so small now?

An evening light picture to show my lighted garland and gas fireplace.

Stepping through the sliding doors you are out on my patio overlooking the yard.

This picture looks a little weird because I stitched 2 images together. Beanie loves running around in her fenced yard. She is in pup heaven.

Next up, Level Two, studio, kitchen and deck!

So check back in a bit and see what's doin on the next level.

Home Tour, Part 2...

2010-12-04T22:17:00.000-05:00

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of our tour. In this episode we will explore the upper levels.

This time we will take the stairs up.

The view from the top of the stairs. I've started to decorate for the Holidays! Yay!!!

Welcome to my studio/office. I still need to organize, shelve books, get an office desk etc. but that will take some time. Please excuse our mess, pardon our dust, we are under construction. ;)

I have room to sit and read, to do the daily work to keep our company running as well as dance! Yep, that's what the Bear says, Shall we dance?

The tree is waiting for decorations. Where the tree is right now will be my painting area. Plenty of light for many paintings to come!

I even have room for sewing once the holidays are over. I've never had so much room to create! Look out 2011 cause here I come!!

Need to use the Loo? Well you go right on ahead cause we have 4!

From my studio you head right on into the kitchen.

Plenty of room to sit, chat and cook up a storm! I am LOVING this kitchen.

The first place where we've ever had room for a dining table. It's a dream to be able to cook and serve a meal and sit down to eat it at a table like adults and not in front of the television on a TV tray. How grown up is that?

The stairs lead up to the 3rd floor, 3 bedrooms and 2 more Loo's.

From the kitchen you can saunter out to the deck. We may not have any deck furniture yet but we sure do have a view.

We are having so much fun watching the wildlife. So far we have seen, 2 blue Herons, a heard of deer, 3 different Hawks, MANY geese, a groudhog or for you Ohioans a whistle pig. I get up each morning, usually before sunrise, get my coffee and stare out over the wetlands and watch nature wake up. This is what I've been waiting for since living in Nevada.

Next up, a quick peak upstairs and Christmas!

Home Tour, Part 3...

2010-12-04T21:20:00.000-05:00

Up to the 3rd and final floor. Thankfully these stairs are carpeted!

Take the stairs up and this is what you'll see.

There's a small linen closet there to the left, followed by a small bedroom on the left. Straight ahead is the guest bedroom that is already set up and the 3rd bathroom, well, that's obvious I would think.

A better view of the fabulous quilt made for the Bear years ago. Isn't it gorgeous?

Turn right and through the French Doors is our master bedroom. Way more room than should be given to one bedroom.

To the left would be a HUGE walk in closet and to the right is the Bear's big closet. And ya, those are French Doors into my bathroom.

Separate his and her sinks to the left, a soaking tub over looking the wetlands and a shower stall and thrown to the right. Room for days really. I've actually haven't used this tub yet but when I do, you won't hear about it ;)

Lots of you have been asking about my X-mas tree. Well here he is. And yes it's a he.

We had gone out with the intention to get a fake tree but ended up coming home with a real Frazier Fir. He's so naturally gorgeous I almost hate to put lights and ornaments on him.

All lit up! LED's and what few ornaments we have will have to do. We are used to a much smaller tree. I love his natural shape and character. He's actually inspired this year's X-mas Card.

Silent Night

I love my fresh garland wrapped in lights. I've never had a banister to decorate before.

Yes Kim, I still have this and I LOVE it!

Merry X-mas everyone and I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into our new home. We miss everyone of you and wish you a very Merry X-mas.

Rally Day and a Bike Date...

2010-11-06T07:37:00.009-05:00

It's been a full month since I've disappeared from public life but I promise you I'm slowly getting back in the saddle. But more on that later.

I know by now this is old news but I've had the pictures for this post ready for a couple weeks now so hear it is. All of you already know about "Thee" Rally. Yep, that's right, the Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert Rally to Restore Sanity and or Fear that happened on Saturday Oct 30th . We wouldn't have missed it for the world. We also knew that hundreds of thousands of other sane/fearful Americans also wouldn't miss it so what was our plan? Yep, we biked it.

These bikes have not seen the light of day in years. So of course our day began with some minor maintenance such as pumping up completely flat tires, a bit of tightening and oh yeah wiping off the layer of dust they had on them despite being covered. How did that happen?

We started our journey by biking down to Shirlington where we paused for a quick picture to prove at least we started the journey (at this point we weren't sure just how far our out of shape legs would get us).

The smiling Bear.

The smiling Bean and Bear. Erynne, I wore my Peeps hat in honor of you babe.

The Weenie Beenie!! Though I've never eaten there I'll still miss it.

Approaching Pentagon City. You can see the Air Force Memorial!

We finally make it to the Pentagon!

Okay, so after an encounter with a very cranky Pentagon Policeman we ended up here, on the side of the friggin highway. How's that you ask? Well apparently the Army Navy marathon was going on and we were denied being able to ride on the path around the Pentagon. "Which way do we go the" we asked the cranky policeman. "That way" he says pointing towards the highway on ramp. "How do we do that on BIKES" Bear asked him. What was his helpful answer? " Oh I wouldn't know that". Yeah, cops can be dicks. So off we went to traverse our way cross the country side by the highway, round the pentagon and across the GW Parkway. I mean no one does this, there's not even a Bum Path here. But you know what? It was actually a shorter route!

Yay! We made it to the bridge. Pause for a picture for proof!

Picture pause at the Jefferson.

Still having fun! Man the weather was absolutely PERFECT!

Finally made it to the heart of the Mall. See those people behind us? Guess where they are all walking to.

Rally! Rally! Rally!

It was NUTZ!!! We've NEVER seen so many people. We literally got STUCK in the crowd. Brian was holding on to my shirt cause if you didn't hang on to each other someone would slip inbetween you and within seconds you'd be lost. There were sooooo many people that Cell Phone Service went down. Yeah, that many people.

We had fun spotting all the people in costume. It was amazing to be apart of something so HUGE. There was no shouting, no shoving, no yelling or any uncivil behavior. It was almost eerie how quiet the crowd was as it filtered in through the streets and onto the Mall.

Where's Waldo? And Waldo, and Waldo...

Appears someone had something to say.

After the festivities we stopped for a street vendor (heartburn) Hot Dog and made the return trip home.

Yep, we took our off road short cut again!

We stopped for dinner in Shirlington then it was straight home for a nap. What a day, what a day.

And The Winner Is...(drum roll please)

2010-10-24T23:28:00.002-05:00

The winner of our Hypno Bunny GiveAway Contest is...

Kristin!

We here at Casa Mohler felt that her story of being so scared that she's NEVER been able to return to a Haunted House is, well frankly it's just plain sad.

Allow me to explain...

I LOVE all things scary/creepy. I started reading Stephen King at an early age and I've never looked back. I am constantly seeking the thrill of the scare. Sadly, now-a-days I am hard pressed to find a movie that actually "does it" for me anymore.

Fall time is the best time of year for those of us who love all things Horrifying. There are scary movie marathons on TV, creepy corn mazes to explore and best of all Haunted Houses! Yes, Haunted Houses. The thought that she was so scared that she's never been able to return, in our eyes is well deserving of the prize.

May Hypno Bunny bring joy to her life and give her the courage to step out there and let herself experience the joy that is

The Haunted House!

Congrats Kristin!

May this be the year that you scream like a B Movie Queen!!!!!

Grand Opening! Come One Come ALL...

2010-10-22T22:26:00.007-05:00

I have talked before about some of the wonderful things my fabulous and oh so creative family member have been up to.

Once again I'm proud to showcase some wonderful talent!

I am so very proud to announce the Grand Opening of my lovely Aunt Nancy's Website

NanaNanQuilts on Silk Fair

She specializes in handmade cozy fleece and flannel toddler blankets

and 100% cotton baby quilts.

Please take a moment to use the link above to visit her site. You just might find that very gift you have been looking for! Why not buy a handmade item for Christmas this year?

"Circle of Salamanders Textured Touch Blanket"

The colors will amaze, and the quality and love that goes into each item will have to coming back for more.

"Pink and Yellow Butterflies"

What Itty Bitty wouldn't want to roll around on this "magic carpet"?

"Puppies and Their Bones"

We all know that toddlers love puppies so why not get them one of their very own?

And these puppies are guaranteed not to pee on your carpet!

She's adding new items as they become available so please check back often. Why not bookmark her site so you can peak in on her from time to time? You never know what you'll find.

She even makes throws and bed quilts for grown-ups!

Everyone deserves a blankie, no matter what age you are!

It's Give Away Time Again...

2010-10-22T21:56:00.003-05:00

Well OK, it's more like a Moving GiveAway. As I go through my things, box stuff up and prepare to move I'm coming across things that need new homes. I've selfishly held on to some things out of sheer love for them. And this brings us to the oh so adorable Hypno Bunny!

Isn't she adorable?

She even has a cute little tail.

She needs a new forever home. Someone to love her and have great adventures with her.

During this wonderful, magical and creepy Halloweeny time of year wouldn't it be great to give this adorable cuddly Hypno Bunny to some unsuspecting human in need of a new creepy best friend to run around with? She has magical powers in her Hypno eyes!

You will try to win her. You will love her!

This is how it works. I'll pose a question and you post a comment with your answer.

We here at Casa Mohler will pick a winner.

This contest ends Midnight on Sunday Oct. 24th.

QUESTION:

What is your scariest/creepiest Halloween Memory?

Quiver Of Love...

2010-10-12T18:31:00.004-05:00

No self respecting artist should be without a Moleskine (Mol-a-skeen'-a).

They are legendary, they are beautiful and they fit in a purse or a pocket.

What could make them more perfect?

Well guess what? I've found it.

A Leather Pen Quiver made just for Moleskines!

No more searching in your bag for a pen, BRILLIANT!

While on Facebook (yes I'm on about how great Facebook is again) I saw an add for this fantastic invention. I immediately forwarded the website to those who share my love! Since it was just before my birthday Momma Bean bought me one and one for The Bear as he has a Moleskine too!

They come in two different designs. One is for a single pen that wraps around the spine and one that is for 2 pens that hugs the front cover. The quality is really great, the price very reasonable and how cool do they look?

They both have quality elastic so they fit very snug and will not fall off.

I'm so excited. I can't wait to take it out for it's real world debut. My friends are going to be soooo jealous. Hee Hee ;)

I also LOVE their logo. How cleaver. This Quiver has combined my love of all things Moleskine, writing instruments and Robin Hood! I used to dream of running through the woods or on horseback with my beloved Long Bow. If I can't have a Long Bow then by gawd I'll have a Quiver!

They arrived with oh so cute drawing instructions on how to slip them on you Moleskine!

How artsy!

If you have a naked Moleskine then please RUN don't walk to their site and order yours today.

THANK YOU MOMMA BEAN!

You are the BEST!

(The Bear says thank you too. He LOVES his.)

Guess what?

**DRAW BREAK**

33yrs And It Just Keeps Getting Better...

2010-10-07T20:42:00.003-05:00

I am truly blessed. I am surrounded, supported and loved by the greatest people a gal could ever ask for. Every year when my birthday rolls around I think to myself that it couldn't possibly get any better than the last one, and I'm always proved wrong. You my dear loved ones are what great things are made of. From the bottom of my heart, I Thank You.
These gorgeous flowers arrived at my door today and nothing could accurately describe the quizzical look The Bear had on his face when he opened the door to accept them on my behalf. I'm sure he was very curious to take a peak at the card to see just who was sending his wife flowers. My Aunt Susan and her husband Ed along with my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Dennis came together to send me a bit of Fall colored Flower love. Here in Virginia we don't get near the color that my home state of Ohio gets so to have a little bit of that in my cave of an apartment is just what I needed. Thank You guys, really. I love you to bits for this.
Some of you have been hearing me rave about The Blood Orange Dreamcicle Cupcake from a place here in Olde Towne Alexandria called The Lavender Moon Cupcakery. I love every one of their cupcakes but this is by far my favorite.
How could I resist these beautiful Gerber Daisies? One look in the Florist's window and I was done for, they were mine :) That was of course before I know I had beautiful flowers on the way to me from my loving family.
Again with the damn cupcake? Here's why. During my weekly "Irish Thursday" phone call to my sister Erynne in Ireland I got to chat with her wonderful hubby David for a few minutes. He was asking me about cupcakes. Why you ask? Well it seems as though there are no are no cupcakes in Ireland! Can you imagine? The have other little cake like items but nothing that comes close to a real cupcake. So he requested that I photograph my lovely cupcake darling before devouring it. So here ya go my dear darling David!
Of course as with any cakey dessert, the icing is the best part.

Again, a warm all encompassing huge hug of thanks to all of you who helped to make this a wonderful day. I love and miss you all. Here's to the next fantastic 33yrs and then the 33 after that!

What is your favorite birthday tradition or memory?

An Evening of Laughter and a Hippo...

2010-10-07T20:17:00.002-05:00

Would you like to go see David Sedaris speak at the Lisner Auditorium? Um, duh!

The first book of David Sedaris' that I read, okay listened to was Me Talk Pretty One Day and that's all it took. I was hooked. He had me in stitches. I mean there is nothing funnier than listening to David reading his own book, with his lisp talking about his lisp. Really, you need to run not walk and go get you a copy of that audio book. There's just one rule you should follow when listening to a David Sedaris audio book, NEVER and I repeat NEVER listen to this outrageously funny man while lifting weights. You run the risk of bursting out laughing and dropping a weight on your foot. Sadly, I learned this the hard way. Ouch! So Craig, Tiffany and I rode the metro across the river to DC to seek out the Lisner Auditorium! There is nothing more entertaining than sitting and listening to Mr. Sedaris read excerpts from his books and his diary. Yes, his diary. I envy his ability to observe every day life and find that golden hilarious nugget. Hats off Mr. Sedaris, hats off.
When we were leaving I whipped out my camera to snap a quick pic to remember the evening by when Tiffany said "Stick your head in there"! Genius Tiffany, genius.

I'd like to thank the academy!

Thanks Craig for arranging the evening and getting me out of my cave and across the river for a great night out with fantastic friends.

Thanks Tiffany for the great photo idea! I'll forever be on the lookout for "When Statues Attack" photos!

What favorite author of yours dear readers have you ventured out to see in person?

Green Goddess Dutch Oven, Gumbo Anyone?...

2010-09-29T21:11:00.002-05:00

The moment I brought The Green Goddess Dutch Oven (my new love) into the house The Bear took one look and screamed GUMBOOOOOOOO! I do make a mean gumbo but never have I been able to make it in a true Dutch Oven. So tonight I made his dream come true. Gumbo it is baby!

I know for my last post I gave out a detailed ingredient list and directions, but this recipe? Well dear readers this recipe is top secret. I can't give em all out can I? Besides, the idea behind "Gumbo" is, throw what you got in the pot and call it YUMMY.

I will share one trick with you though and this is truly the trick behind a good gumbo, how to make the roux. You mix your flour and oil in the Dutch Oven and you put it in the oven. Yep, that's right you bake it in the oven! No more standing over a hot stove stirring constantly under threat of burning! Simply heat your oven to 400 degrees and bake the flour and oil mixture stirring occasionally until it's cooked to your desired brownness. A good roux is the foundation of any good gumbo.
My chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp gumbo served over rice; nectar of the Gods around here.
A bowl of homemade gumbo, a frosted glass of ale and we're celebrating a Wednesday baby!

What should my next recipe be? Perhaps homemade baked beans? I don't know, what do you think?

If you're really interested in the recipe I might be persuaded to share ;)

Green Goddess Dutch Oven, My New Love...

2010-09-29T18:28:00.007-05:00

I can't even tell you how long I've wanted a Dutch Oven. It seems like every time I get excited to make a new recipe the directions start with "Get out your Dutch Oven". Damn, I don't have one. Well now I do baby so watch out. I found this beautiful Green Enameled Cast Iron Goddess at Marshals and I LOVE her. Now, what to make first, what to make... I've decided to christen this baby with a Bone-in Pork Shoulder Braised in Belgian Beer and panchetta. But wait to see how I serve it, oh man this is a tastey meal.

Here are my ingrediants.

6oz Panchetta (Italian Bacon), chopped (I could only find it prepackaged and sliced)

2 Onions sliced

6-7lb Bone-in Pork Shoulder

2Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 Head Garlic, minced

1tsp Fennel Seeds, toasted and ground

1tsp Coriander Seeds, crushed

2 Cups Belgian Beer

1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Stock

For Caramelized Apples (this is the secret touch)

1Tbsp unsalted butter

1 peeled, cored and sliced apple (I used a golden apple)

2Tbsp Sugar

Finally, for serving; thick slices of rustic bread.

Preheat Oven to 300 degrees

*Crisp Panchetta in the Goddess Dutch Oven (GDO) until fat is rendered. Remove crisped Panchetta and reserve.

*Add onions to GDO and cook till caramelized. Remove and reserve.

*Season Yummy Pork Shoulder with S&P. Add oil to GDO and with fat side down place shoulder (pork shoulder not your shoulder) in GDO until golden. Flip and repeat.

*Add garlic and spices to GDO and about a minute until fragrant.

*Add Beer, stock, panchetta and onion; bring to a simmer.

*Cover and transfer to oven, basting every hour until meat is falling off the bone, about 4 hours.
The above picture is right before it was transfered to the oven. Isn't she beautiful? Mmmm.
Here she is about 4hrs later falling off the bone! What's that up in the left hand corner you ask?
In a skillet melt 1Tbsp unsalted butter. Place one peeled, cored and sliced golden apple in the skillet with the melted butter. Sprinkle 2Tbsp of sugar over apples and cook over md-high heat stirring occasionally until the apple is caramelized.
Now, ready for the meal? Place one slice of rustic bread on a plate, put some shredded pork shoulder on the bread slice and drizzle jus from the GDO over the pork; make sure pieces of onion and panchette are in the jus drizzle. Top with caramelized apples and a drizzle and caramel sauce from pan. ENJOY!

I can't tell you how delicious this meal is. When The Bear and I sat down and the first bite hit our lips all you could hear were MMMMMMmmmmmms! And don't you even think about skipping the caramelized apples cause that's the icing baby, the FRIGGIN ICING!

Now, what happened to the "bone" in the Bone-in Shoulder you ask? Well you have to know that Weiner the Wonder Dog is involved, right? Of course she is...
Have you ever seen such love? I mean look at those eyes, complete obsession.
She tried to take it into the other room and on the carpet but I stopped her. Ugh, you stay in the kitchen on the rug that I can throw in the washer, thank you.
I mean LOVE!!!! I let her chew on it for a few minutes then I took it away and saved it for later. This type of "treat" is so rare that she's not used to it.

I love my new Goddess Dutch Oven. Tonight I made my world famous (okay family famous) gumbo. I took a picture so stay tuned for gumbo!

Do you have a Green Goddess Dutch Oven? If you do please share what recipes you make with it cause baby, I'm on a roll!!!!!!!

99 Luftballons, Minus 93...

2010-08-20T22:21:00.014-05:00

Some facts: I am from Ohio, North Canton Ohio to be exact. When people ask "Where is that" there are two ways to answer. I can either answer "The home of Marylin Manson" or if that doesn't work I say "The home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame" which I might add I am proud to say I have NEVER been to. On their site they actually state "The Pro Football Hall of Fame is close to everything!" Trust me when I say this is a bold faced LIE! Trust me. But I digress. Every year the city of Canton throws the Pro Football HOF Festival which is at the very end of July into the beginning of August. Among the many attractions is the Balloon Classic Invitational. I grew up seeing the sky filled with these magical delights. They even have Team Racing and Target Drop Contests. One year there was a target painted on the street in front of my house and I was in awe watching the balloons float over and try to drop a bean bag as close to the target as possible. Talk about magical!!

During this last festival my sister-in-law stepped out her door and snapped a great photo of some balloons coming her way. She sent the picture to my hubby in an email and that was it, he wanted me to make it into a painting.

(click on any image to make them larger if you wish)

Here she is! What do you think? do you love it?

The scene even wraps around the edge, cool eh?

Are you ready for a little secret?

Well scroll down...

Ta Da... Did you know it was that small? I bet you didn't.

It's so adorable I just love it. I still don't know how I was able to get all the detail in there. I mean, down spouting?!

I am working on a full size painting that measures 18" X 24" but it's not an exact copy of the small one, more of a dreamy translation. I hope that the big one turns out even half as good. Stay tuned to see if I can pull it off.

What kinds of projects are you all working on?

It's Good to Share...

2010-08-20T19:05:00.008-05:00

I personally think that Facebook gets a bad rap. There are those that wrinkle their nose in disgust like they just smelled a decomposing corpse before I even finish the word. I don't know why that is really. I have found people from my past that I thought were long lost, I've gained many fabulous new friends that I would NEVER have met otherwise and get inspiration by what my creative lovelies are up to. Such a wealth of creativity going on out there in the world! People are inspiring me with everything from their Grand Everyday adventures, to new recipes, sharing music, places they've been or are going to and the list goes on and on.

The following is a just one shining example of just such a new connection. Here's a little bit of back story. For those of you wrinkle nosed Facebook haters, bare with me, will you?

I recently became Facebook Friends with a wonderful awe inspiring gal who currently resides in Alaska. She is a friend of my VERY close friend Erynne whom I consider my soul sister. Once we started peering in on each other's posts we soon discovered that we have so many things in common. She is fantastic! Among her many talents is Guerilla Art! Yes, Guerilla Art. She knits and crochets little things that she leaves in various locations around her town with a little note that says it needs a home. It's a wonderful idea. Wouldn't you feel better if you were walking into a building to let's say, visit the Dr. and on a ledge outside the office you came upon the most adorable little crocheted Lion who needed a home? I DARE you not to smile and feel better about the world at that very moment.

While organizing my Closet O' Doom I discovered some small remnant balls of yarn from projects past that would be perfect for her little knitting/crocheting Guerilla Art projects. So off in the mail they went, bouncing their way across the country to find new purpose in life. Low and behold before I could even ask if they made it safely I opened my door and there was a package. "What's this?" I asked.
It was from Alaska!! I GOT MAIL FROM ALASKA! Jealous? Oh you can admit it, I know you are. Inside was a card, handmade soaps AND a Bunny made from some of the very yarn I sent her. How friggin cool is that? She wrote "One good turn deserves another". I feel like the luckiest gal alive. The soaps smell divine and I can't wait to use them.
A closer view of my precious Bunny. Isn't it adorable?

My philosophy in life is simple...In order to get mail...you HAVE to send mail. In order to have great friends...you have to BE a great friend.

Mom, I'm sorry it took me so long to learn and practice what you had been preaching since I was little. Why is it that we have to learn these lessons ourselves? Why can't we sit quietly, listen to the wisdom of our elders and just say "Thank You". Well I'm saying it now, Thank You Momma Bean!!!!

Now go forth and SEND MAIL Baby! You'll be very excited by the response you get, I promise.

One Book Can Lead To Sew Much Joy...

2010-07-20T19:42:00.000-05:00

A follow up to The Adventures Of Super Bunny! Many of you have wondered and asked me if I made any other bunnies, Why YES, yes I did, thanks for asking!

When Momma Bean was here the other week we found ourselves at the book store, of course, and she found a book titled "Socks Appeal" by Brenna Maloney and that little book has brought so much friggin JOY!!! For instanse...Meet Argh, my very first sock bunny! I love him so. I thought the he would look more artsy and have more character if the sock were inside out.
Weiner the Wonder Dog isn't too sure about him. She's waiting to see if he truly wants to be friends of if he's up to no good! The utter joy that I had from making Argh, turned into a whole troop of bunnies!
Meet the gang. Nature Super Bunny, Hypno Bunny, Pink Sister Bunnies and New Baby Bunny!
Nature Super Bunny comes with his own Nature Bunny Super Cape and mask! Every little Nature Lover should have a cape, don't you think? He's currently in the post finding his way to a very special little Munchkin I know in Ohio. Hope he likes his new friend.

These sisters were special made for a pair of utterly adorable, cheek squeezable Sister Munchkins that I'm absolutely in love with! I'm happy to report that they have arrived safely and are currently being squeezed to bits! YAY!
Lastly this cutie went to live with a brand new member of the human race that I look forward to getting to know in the future. She's about a month old now and though I know she's too young right now to truly get to know her bunny, my hope is that one day when she's older and in need of a friend, her mommy will pull out this little fuzzy pal and she'll tell him all her troubles.

This is Hypno Bunny! You will look into her eyes and you WILL love her.

I fell in love with her eyes and designed her around them. She's the only bunny that wasn't made for any specific munchkin. I'm thinking of holding a special Hypno Bunny GiveAway Contest so that my lovely lovies can have a chance to win her for a Munchkin they know. What do ya think? Is that a good idea?

Homemade Pesto Anyone? Hellz Yeah...

2010-07-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

I mentioned that when Momma Bean was here a couple weekends ago she brought me a Thai Basil plant. Well the occassion to use a bunch of it finally arrived and I leapt at the chance. I was surfing my all time favorite food site Foodgawker and found a fabulous recipe I had to try. If you've never been to Foodgawker you simply must have a look. It's food porn for the eyes, seriously. The recipe is for Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken and it comes from the blog The Parsley Thief by a lady named Katie in Norwalk CT. Here is the link to the Recipe and here is a link to the Home Page of her blog. Her recipes are really great and totally worth a look see even if you don't enjoy cooking, her photos will convince you otherwise.

I followed her recipe exactly except for two things, I used baby spinach instead of arugula and I used half my Thai Basil and half fresh Sweet Basil from the store as I wanted to use my basil but didn't have enough on my plant to make the pesto.

This recipe is GORGEOUS, not only to look at but to eat. This one is a definate 2 thumbs way the hellz up! Homemade pesto is so out of this world that you will never use store bought again.

I love this time off year. The produce is beautiful and everything tastes fresh and fragrant.

What sort of pasta dishes have you been making?

Friday Food Fun...

2010-07-16T20:26:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we were watching one of our favorite shows, Good Eats with Alton Brown and discovered that YES, frozen crab is easy and oh so tastey. The episode was Crustation Nation III Feeling Crab. Now I know what you're thinking, Bean, WHY in the HELL would you want to eat frozen crab when you live a stones chuck away from the coast? Wellllllll, just watch the episode and you'll find out. It all has to do with location, type of crab and getting the most meat bang for your buck. Plus, we LOVE eating for cheaper at home, who doesn't?

Today I was out getting my Mane Tamed ;) by the oh so fabulous Lorraine, owner of Lorraine Aprile Salon in Old Town and on my way home I stopped to pick up our crabbie dinner, 2lbs of Dungeness Crab and 1lb of Snow Crab. Sort of a crab taste test evening. I wanted King Crab legs but all they had we ones that were still frozen and I didn't feel like waiting over night for them to thaw in the fridge. I'm hungry now dammit! As you know, eating crab can be a bit messy and since the weather was perfect in the late afternoon we moved our delish meal to the porch! It was so much fun. I felt like royalty sitting on the porch of our ghetto apartment building listening to commuters drive by on their way home to TV dinners after a long day in the hamster wheel. Aw, now this is the life baby.

This is one half of a Dungee with a side of clarified butter! Doesn't it look delish? The clarified butter is sooooo very easy to make. The recipe also came from Alton Brown's show. The butter really does make all the difference.

As for the taste test results...

We both felt that the snow crab legs tasted slightly sweeter but they are a lot juicier/messier and a little harder to get to the meat. The Dungees have a great taste and the meat is WAY easier to get to and there's a lot more of it. So if we had to choose between the two I think we would both go for the Dungee. The price was only a few cents difference between the two, Dungees being slightly more expensive but totally worth it.

So there you have it. Friday at Casa Mohler and Life is Good. What did you have for dinner?

Adventures of Super Bunny and Super Boy...

2010-07-09T14:11:00.005-05:00

Some of you may have heard rumor of a new Super Hero in town. Please put your hands together and give a warm welcome to..... Super Bunny!!!

He comes complete with removeable cape and mask. I know of a very cute Crime Fighting, Super Hero Loving Munchkin that Super Bunny was aspecially made for.

Super Bunny was carefully packaged and sent off to meet Super Boy!! YAY!!

The Super Duo meets for the first time. I believe that it was love at first flight. Watch out evil vilans, there's a new Super Duo in town.

Super Bunny and Super Boy display their feats of strength.

Pooh Bear was not to be left out of the party.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's SUPER BUNNY!

A shoulder ride after a long flight.

Super Bunny was invited to a picnic. Among some of the delecacies were sprinkles, fig jam, roasted red peppers and of course every Super Bunny loves anchovies!

After a looong day of fighting crime it's time to sleep. Sleep well Super Duo.

The next morning found the Super Duo on their way to school. Super Bunny was proudly shown to friends with a short demonstration on how his cape and mask are easily removed.

My hopes had been that Super Boy who loves all things Super Hero would like the special bunny I made for him but his utter joy at Super Bunny surpassed my hopes at light speed.

May they continue to have endless days filled with Grand Adventures!

A Visit From The Fam...

2010-07-08T06:12:00.009-05:00

Hello my lovies! Have you missed me? I assure you that all is well here at Casa Bean. I've been so busy visiting family, preparing for friends to visit, as well as a ton of creative projects that there aren't enough hours in the day. Shall I begin to catch you up? The other weekend my charming aunt Susan and her hubby Ed came to visit us. "I was feeling a little homesick for you" she said. Isnt' she the sweetest? I think they are an adorable couple.

Another reason they are so sweet is that they brought Momma Bean and Casper with them!!! Yay! That's Beanie the Wonder Dog on the left with her brother Casper on the right. What a pair!
Among the many places that we ate was Jackson 20. It deserves a mention for many reasons.

They have WAY cool antique metal menu covers and little piggie napkin rings!

Their bathroom is gorgeous. I mean look at that tile, and fresh Ochids? I'm in LOVE! Yes, I photographed the bathroom ;)

They have a brass piggie! The hostess was wonderful, the waitress was fabulous, the food (I had Rabbit Brunswick Stew) was great and it was all shared with loved ones.

One of the things on the MUST DO list was take my mother to the Library of Congress. We got her a library card then went to see about looking up some books. We had a fabulous time, including walking in the tunnel to get from the main building to the Adam's Building where they were sending the books she requested so she could sit and look at them. We had a WONDERFUL time staring at all the Art Deco on the walls, sketching and giggling like only two Book Lovers can.

The view from the King Street Metro station where we changed trains from the Blue Line to the Yellow.

After a hard day of site seeing you just HAVE to have some to die for Tiramisu. I may have found the best in town but I'll have to go back and have another just to make sure ;)

Also on our MUST DO list was visit the Natural History Museum. Always a great choice, as long as you get there before all the screaming children and grumpy parents. Even my mother said "Let's get the HECK out of here before we get trampled". Go EARLY people cause the stampede comes at about 1pm and they are hot, tired, hungry and PUSHY. Personal space people, personal space. You've been warned, you violate it and I'll dart you and put you on display next to the Mammoth as a warning to the rest of the group. Just sayin.

At the Natural History Museum they had a special Butterfly display that you can walk through. They have 400 Butterflies with 52 different species. It was magical. Well except for the obnoxious asian lady and her two kids, but we won't go there.

I was the only one of us to have one land on me. I couldn't believe it. "Mom...mom....MOM LOOK"! I was giddy with delight. Momma Bean said that it was because of my Lemon Verbena lotion.

Did you know there were Bull Mummies? Me neither.

Little clay figures that Momma Bean and I stood and sketched. *sigh* if only she lived closer so we could do this all the time.

Of course I had to take a pic. I mean come on. Thoth is so rare that when you see him you gotta capture it.

What a great trip. I got to show Susan and Ed my town for the first time and Momma Bean brought me a Thai Basil plant that I am very happy to report is still alive and well. You may not know this but I have two black thumbs. Give me and animal and I'm golden but give me a plant and you sentence it to a long slow suffering death. Just ask my hubby, I've killed an air plant. Yep, that's no joke.

Thank you so very much Susan and Ed for taking the time to come out and see me. I hope you enjoyed our town. It was a blast. Love and Hugs to you both.

Late at Night a Leopard Moth Takes Flight...

2010-06-03T00:35:00.002-05:00

At dusk The Bear and I took our Moth out onto the porch and opened the lid to his bug hunt and proceeded to sit and stare. Bear laughed at me, sitting there in my chair with my chin in my hands, eyes wide open just waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. Not even so much as a twitch of a toe. I finally gave up and came inside, thinking that perhaps he needed some private/quiet time to soak in the great outdoors. I kept peaking out the window but still nothing changed. 10:30pm came and went. 11:30pm came and went, still not even a toe wiggle. Finally Bear had to go to bed as he has to rise early and go to work. I was determined to stay up and watch what would happen. At 12:10am I went out on the porch with a journal and a glass of water and just sat there a wrote about the days events when suddenly out of the corner of my eye there was movement! I sat wide eyed with anticipation. His first few movements were shaky and unsure then with a stumble and a thrust he was over the lip of the container and on the ground. He flopped around a bit then as if drunk, he made a zig zag dash for the nearest bush (only 3feet away). He made it to the base of the bush and quickly and skillfully climbed to the top of a sturdy branch where he beat his wings several times then just sat there. With some quick thinking and very creative photography that included a scrap of red fabric, a rubber band and a flashlight I am proud to give you the last night time photo of our dear friend. I went inside for a moment to take my camera inside and upon returning outside, as if goodbyes were just too hard, he was gone. All grown up he took flight into the night and was out of our lives forever.

Ever since he made his cacoon I have been dying to take a peak inside so now that he was gone I took his leaves and stick out of his bug house to see what it looked like.

I carefully unwrapped it like a tiny package. It was really well constructed. Not as easy to unwrap as one might think.

I like this picture a lot. Can you see what used to be his face when he was a Woolly Bear?

This whole entire process from start to finish has been an utter joy. I'm so glad I could be there to see his first steps into nature and watch him beat his wings. Pure freedom.

Woolly Bear Adventure Part 4 the Giant Leopard Moth...

2010-06-02T15:34:00.007-05:00

Remember this little guy from 3 weeks ago? Well I've been carefully and oh so patiently waiting to see who would emerge from the chrysalis. I checked on him every morning and night. Tomorrow would mark 3 weeks exactly since he popped his skin and turned into the chrysalis. I checked on him this morning and not really any changes to note. While on the phone with my mum this afternoon I just casually wandered by his bug hut and GUESS WHAT? This is what I saw!

Look at that adorable pudgy belly! I wish that I could pet it cause it looks so silky soft.

I took him in his bug hut outside to photograph him in the natural sunlight but I was afraid at first to open the lid so this pic is taken through the plastic cover. If something went wrong and he got away I wanted at least some sort of photo evidence. Now that's good thinkin.

When viewed at certain angles you'll notice some of his "black" spots are actually a brilliant irridescent blue/green.

I carefully unzipped the lid and poked my camera inside for a closer view.

Simply breathtaking. Now you see the blue.

Now you don't.

I wish I could get a picture of his wings outstretched. But I refuse to touch him. I'm very respectful of his personal space. I mean really, think about it. He just woke up after 3 long hard weeks of transforming, a strange giant creature carries you out into the bright light and shoves this weird camera thing in your face. That's gotta be weird right? I wonder, does he remember me? We did spend some nice quality time together.

One last final belly shot after I zipped him back in. Tonight at dusk we will take him out and open the lid and wait for him to take flight out into nature. We are surrounded by old growth trees and it's sorta quiet here in the evening considering we live in the city. He should have a very good chance of finding a mate and starting this life cycle all over again. I'm so very glad that I did this. This has truly brought me such great joy. I hope you've had fun following along. You truly never know what adventures await you just steps from your very door. You don't have to wander for days out in the woods to find wonders of nature, just step outside and look around. That's all I did and I can't stop squealing with excitement because of it.

Art Contest GiveAway Winner...

2010-05-22T07:55:00.004-05:00

After carefully reviewing all contest entries we here at Rachel In Full Color have made our selection and we are ready to announce that

The Winner is.......

(drum roll please)

ROB AND DEBBIE

We felt that their answer was perfect and one that should be celebrated. Their item allowed them to stay longer in order to have more quality one on one time with nature cherishing the trees.

CONGRATS ROB AND DEBBIE

This little beauty will be on it's way to you very soon.

Like our last contest give away, this one was also designed for a specific purpose. I wanted to get you thinking a little more simply. You don't have to spend money to have an adventure. All it takes is a little time and the closest park you can get your feet on. Take a friend or just go by yourself, just you and the dog. Don't have a dog? Perhaps you can borrow one from a neighbor who doesn't have time, or a family member who just had a baby. No matter how you get there or who you get there with, I promise you will feel so much lighter and happier just by being out in the fresh air. Nothing clears a hectic mind or eases the tension in the shoulders like a nice simple stroll through nature.

You never know what you will discover once you step out your front door.

If you need a little encouragement, then think on this...
You are no good to anyone when you're battery light is flashing "LOW".
So step out, relflect and recharge. I promise it won't hurt a bit.

As always, anyone who wishes to lodge a complaint about our choice for winner is encouraged to contact our "Customer Service" Dept. She'll try to make you feel better but we'd like to warn you that you will probably end up giving Her a hug and a pep talk instead!

It's GiveAway Time Again...

2010-05-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's about time I got around to sharing a little art with you don't you think? Since moving here to Northern Virginia I haven't produced much art but here's one I'm pretty proud of. If you're a long time reader of this blog you will know about my mother's adventures with painting in acrylic. She's amazing at it and as would follow such great talent, award winning as well! If you didn't see my post about it then you can click HERE ! Needless to say, she inspired me to pick up a brush and tubes of paint and just do it already! This little beauty was inspired by a stroll along the Blue Bell path at Bull Run park located in Manassas VA. You can click HERE to revisit that post if you'd like.

A detail shot for you.

This is an acrylic painting that has been sealed so no need for glass. It's meant to sit on a shelf or table. The image measures 5x7" and the outside of the frame measures 7 1/2 x 9 12".

This contest is open to EVERYONE. Here's how it works. I pose a question and you simply post your answer here in the comments section. We here at Rachel In Full Color will pick our favorite answer from the group and that winner will recieve this gorgeous Rachel Original in the mail! Simple as that!

Are you read for your question?

If you could only carry one item with you on a stroll through the woods, what would it be and why?

( This contest will remain open until Midnight Friday May 21st.)

Tomatoes, Pulled Pork and 10yrs of Marriage...

2010-05-16T19:14:00.005-05:00

Today The Bear and I spent a lazy day doing what we like best, walking through a park with Wee The Wonder Dog. We drove over to Manassas and took a little stroll and Wee wandered and sniffed around. The weather was beautiful and everyone we encountered was in good spirits. This was the only photo I snapped because some days you're just having too good of a time to pause and *snap*. After the park we stopped at our favorite Farmer's Market and picked up some very delish tomatoes and a loaf of bread to make sandwiches later. Then on the way home we stopped at little road side place that's only open on the weekends and picked up some Carolina Pulled Pork and Ribs to bring home and dine on. What a delicious adventure. Wee kept licking her lips and staring at the pork container! Mmm, finger licking good.

When we got home we settled in and dove into our delicious food. Wee even got to nibble on a rib! After dinner I took Wee for a little stroll down the street and look what we found. I had to come in and get my camera to capture them. How adorable.

Today marks our 10 year Anniversary and we spent it just how we like it, together, out in nature and enjoying a great meal at home. Ya, we are an old married couple and we like it just fine!

(Sadly I have almost no pics of us in the same photo so this one is from June 2008 at our friend's wedding)

Do Squirrels Nap?...

2010-05-16T09:28:00.002-05:00

Well apparently they do! Who knew? Sitting on my porch on a lazy Sunday afternoon and I happen to look up. Hmm, there's something a little weird about that "lump".

Some days just call for a nice little nap.

It's a Hard Knock Life...

2010-05-15T13:00:00.001-05:00

I thought I would share some random pics with you of the many faces of our little Wee. I promise I did not pose here for any of these pics. These are all of The Wee in her natural habitat. Taking a nap with Shaun the Sheep.

Not sure if she should send that email or not.

Sliding down the slippery slope of sleep.

Um, What? I thought you said...Oh never mind.

Our Customer Service Dept. hard at work.

Some days you just need to rope in a buddy. Wee has had that stuffed puppy since she was a teeny baby. They are best buds and never go anywhere without each other.

What kind of pet drama do you have in you life?

Woolly Bear Adventure, Part 3...

2010-05-15T08:45:00.001-05:00

This has proven to be the toughest photo challenge I think I've had to date. Please accept my apologies right here at the start for the photos. This little guy chose a really tough locale for photos.

Lets take a peek shall we? On Saturday May 8th our little guys started to spin a little home for himself. Let me tell you it was a very slooooooow process indeed. No time lapse photography here like on the nature channel.

He started to "knit" together some leaves around himself by the side of his "house" which made for some challenging photography.

Can you see his fuzzy/furry black shape?

He's all nicely tucked in there, all comfy.

There's a close-up of the leaves he "knitted" together. You can see the web sticking the two leaves together where they meet. This view is looking down from above, he's directly under these leaves.

Over the course of a week's time my Woolly slowly started to slow down until he barely moved at all and I began to wonder if he was dead since nothing seemed to be happening. Well I awoke this morning to find this!!...

He had just, right before I peaked in on him, popped his skin off! Here he is all freshly shed and now in his pupa phase! It's simply amazing! I mean really, The Bear and I paused for a moment last night to take a peak right before we went to bed and he was looking the same as the first photos posted here, no change. Now he's all bright and shiny and new. AMAZING! I can't say it enough, I'm speechless.

I was really happy that I was even able to take this picture. This was really hard but so very worth it because in just a short couple of hours he turned all black.

Here he is a few hours later after he's turned black. I thought the other pictures were hard to capture, no, this one was way harder since the light no longer shines through him.

In this picture you can see his "skin" that has now shrunk and is on the end of him on the left there. You can still see some of his prickly skin.

According to what I've read, it will take several weeks for him to emerge as a Giant Leopard Moth. So now all there is to do is sit and wait. Rest assured that I'll let you know the moment he comes out from his slumber.

Time Line:

April 21st-Scooped up Woolly from the porch

May 1st-Second Photo Shoot

May 8th-Woolly started to "knit" leaves together

May 14th-Woolly turned into Pupa

Woolly Bear Adventure, Part 2...

2010-05-14T19:10:00.004-05:00

Second Woolly Bear photo shoot! I gathered up this little guy from my porch on April 21st and he's been doing very well. Eating tons and very active. If you missed the first post Woolly Bear Adventure, Part 1 then you should go and check it out. These pictures were taken 11 days after I first scooped him up. He spent his days sleeping either under a little self made leaf tent or under the top ridge of his Bug House.

Over the 11 days he started to get a little used to me. I could open his house and pet him without him getting scared and rolling into a protective ball. Aren't his little feeties so darn adorable?

One evening I reached in and he just crawled right on to my hand. It's the most amazing feeling when a wild creature from out in nature trusts you enough to go crawling around on your hand, knowing that you won't harm it.

How beautiful nature is. Thank you Mom. If it weren't for you I wouldn't have even taken a second glance at this little guy when he walked on by. I love you.

At this point I had no idea how long it would have with my little Woolly Bear before he started to turn. At this point he's still very active and shows no signs of slowing down.

Stay tuned and see what lies just around the corner.

White Beans and Greens...

2010-05-13T21:39:00.004-05:00

Okay, I know, alright already! For all of you who have been waiting with baited breath, here it is, the recipe you've all heard me talking about for a long time. Well here it is in technicolor! Yeah that's right, in full color! Sorry, I don't have smell O vision yet.

I have a hard time repeating recipes but this one has become a staple. I want to reiterate that I only only pass along a recipe that is "Bear Approved".

Here is the ingredient list...
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 sm Shallots (finely chopped)
2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped
1Lb Mustard Greens (washed, cleaned and trimmed)
1 Lemon Juiced
2 tsp Brown Sugar
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
14.5 oz Veg Broth or Stock
28oz. Diced Tomatoes (undrained)
(2) 15oz Cans White Beans (I use Cannellini)
(Instructions on the cooking process to follow at the end) Unfortunately I found that I didn't photograph all the ingredients on the list and I also realized that I pictured "Stewed" tomatoes in this picture. Once I went to add them I realized my mistake and changed the can to actual Diced Tomatoes that the recipe called for.

Here are my finely chopped shallots and garlic. Do you like my knife? Bear bought it for me a little while back and I absolutely LOVE it. I use it every day!

Since my local grocery didn't have Mustard Greens I was forced to use Kale instead but the process is the same. You take the Greens and you rinse them then you trim them to bite/mouth size pieces removing the thick heavy stem part. Mmm, yummy.

This is how it looks when you had the first pot full of greens.

Mmmm, the greens are starting to wilt.

After photographing the initial ingredients I realized that I had neglected to show some of the ingredients like lemon juice and bay leaf.

Mmmm, this is the pot almost ready to eat. All I have to do at this point is scoop it out and put it in my belly!

Ready for my tummy!

This recipe never lasts long around here. We LOVE our veggies in this house. So with out further ado, here are the directions...

Heat oil in a large pot over md-low heat.

Add the shallots and cook for 4 mins.

Add the garlic and greens and cook stirring unil the greens wilt, about 3-5 mins

Add Lemon juice, brown sugar, bay leaf, red pepper, broth and tomatoes w/juice.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until greens are tender, (not soggy) about 10-15mins

Add beans and cook till heated through.

Remove bay leaf.

Season with S&P if desired.

ENJOY!

This is really a yummy recipe that is so easy to make and is so nutritious. I encourage all my readers ot go out and make this delicious pot of nummy goodness for themselves and their loved ones.

What tastey recipes have you made recently?
(as always, if you find a problem with my recipe please let me know.)

Bittersweet and Butter Beans...

2010-04-26T19:15:00.004-05:00

This past Sunday found me dancing around the kitchen to one of my favorite bands Bittersweet. Their album The Mating Game is great. Here's a link to the YouTube Video, go and check it out. I think you'll really enjoy her sultry voice.

A really great friend of mine just passed along a simple soup recipe that is now "Officially Endorsed" by The Bear. I have one rule when passing along recipes, if the Bear doesn't give it two thumbs up then it doesn't get shared. He's my greatest critic, always has been, always will be. 4C Veg Stock (the whole box pictured here)
2 (14oz) cans Butter Beans, drained (next time I'll add 1 more can or maybe 2. We LOVE beans)
4 Tbsp Sun-Dried Tomato Paste (the whole tube) you can substitute regular Tom Paste
5Tbsp Basil Pesto
(Optional, 6 Sun-Dried Tomatoes from a bag, cut into pieces with kitchen shears, yummy)

In a large pot add Veg Stock and Beans
Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 Mins
Add Paste and Pesto, stir to combine well
(if opting to add the additional Sun-Dried Toms, do so now. I did and it was yummy)
Cover and simmer 5 Mins
Remove 4 Laddles worth of the soup into a blender or food processor and blend well. Return blended to pot. This will thicken up the soup

Here's what she looked like right before I slurped it down. The Bear's Birthday is tomorrow, hence the cake mix on the counter! I see CupCakes in our future. Mmmm, CupCakes.

Here's a typical site in our kitchen. I cook and Wiener the Wonder Dog is right there in the mix. Even if there's no meat to be found she still hopes something will fall to her level so she can sample what's for dinner! If it doesn't look promising then she just sits there with her eyes closed and pouting. Poor dear.

The Bear said that this soup would be just PERFECT in a thermos and packed for a picnic or a hike through the park. Yep, it's that good. Note to self, I think The Bear wants to go on a picnic.

Oh, I do hope you try this simple and satisfying recipe. Please let me know if you do and what you think about it.

I hope you've enjoyed this Musical Culinary Adventure. What music to you like to groove and cook to?

Woolly Bear Adventure, Part 1...

2010-04-26T02:00:00.001-05:00

About a week ago while sitting on the porch just after sunset I noticed something black crawling along the edge of the wall. What do you suppose that is, I asked. Why it was a Woolly Bear. But it's not your typical Woolly Bear that I'm used to seeing with a Brown middle section. This one's all black. What do you suppose it is? Well, upon further research on the internet I discovered that it was going to turn into a Giant Leopard Moth. How freakin COOL is that? That got me to wondering. Could I capture this beautiful creature and watch it morph into a gorgeous moth? Why yes, yes I could. So off to the store I went in search of a Bug House. I found this at Target for$12. Oh so much fun!

I can not express just how much fun I'm having with this little project. I mean I'm 32, married, no children, one dog and I'm giggling like a little girl over this little Woolly Bear. You should try this, really, you'll feel young again.

Under one of those leaves laying on the bottom is my little woolly bear. It makes a little leaf tent to sleep under for the day time hours. So cute. Let's peek under briefly shall we?

There it is. Hopefully I didn't disturb it too much trying to take it's picture.

ZZZzzzzz.

Once the sun went down and my Woolly Bear woke up the photo shoot began.

I brought the bug house in from the porch. With a little lamp, let's begin.

Aw, isn't it cute? How Cuddly.

Sorta like a little Koala Bear don't you think?

Back lit so that you can see it's adorable little feeties!

I had to find a way to show you Scale. Just a little finger shoved in there. For anyone who knows me, they'll know that "short" nail is so not typical. I usually have "talons".

I LOVE my little woolly bear. It's going to grow into a majestic Giant Leopard Moth. Stay tuned and follow us on our journey. May I challenge you to go out and search your own back yard for something equally as fun as my Giant Leopard Moth Woolly Bear?

A Good Start Means a Good Day...

2010-04-26T01:00:00.001-05:00

I try to start every day with a Cup O Joe, something tastey. A good start to the day means that no matter what comes up that day, atleast a good tone was set from the start. And as always, there is one rule in this house that must never be broken. Always have a book in progress!

More Grapefruit and some times the Joe is served on the rocks.

Siggi, meet my readers, readers meet Siggi! I am a HUGE fan of Greek yogurt. I love it but this, this is like Greek yogurt of ROIDS! I'd never even heard of Icelandic Style Skyr yogurt. It's even creamier than greek and has more of a wang. If you are up to the tangy challenge you should try it sometime. I'm a fan of anything flavored with Ginger.

Chobani? Yes PLEEEEAAASE! I think that Honey is my favorite flavor.

Okay, I think that the Orange/Ginger is good but this Pomegranate/Passion Fruit isn't worth it. Just sayin.

How do you like to start your day?

Kyoto Saturdays...

2010-04-25T14:53:00.002-05:00

The Bear recently tried sushi and it was love at first bite. We are lucky enough to have a GREAT Sushi place down the street Kyoto Japanese Restaurant, and we go every other Saturday for lunch. Okay sometimes during the week too, shh, don't tell! The Miso Soup is devine and the salad dressing is to dye for. We are now regulars and she brings us our soup and salad even before we order! It's wonderful to go out where people know you and make you feel welcome.

The Bear's platter is the Chef's choice and it's a delicious piece of art.

They bring out creatively carved oranges with your check. How cool is that?

We just keep ordering different things off the menu. I think we are just going to go down the list and check things off till we've had it all. Sounds like a great plan to me.

I mean seriously, they must think I'm either a food critic or a crazy person since I'm always so enamored with the dishes that I have to whip out my camera and snap a photo. It's beautiful AND delicious. Nothing could be better.

Do you like sushi? What's your favorite? What do you recommend for my next meal? No, seriously, what do you suggest?

Oh Wonder Book and Video, How I Missed You...

2010-04-25T13:10:00.003-05:00

Years ago when The Bear and I lived in Frederick MD, one of my favorite places to go was Wonder Book and Video. I would go there, get lost in the stacks of book, smell the aroma of second hand volumes, then make my way to the video side and rent a movie to bring home. In those days it was usually a Season of the Sopranos since we didn't have HBO then. Oh Tony, how I miss your nose whistle! Good times, good times. Any ways, I digress. A couple months ago The Bear and I went to visit our dear friend Leah who lives in Frederick and I couldn't resist dragging every one along into the store. Can you belive that Leah practically lives around the corner and has never been inside? It's almost criminal. I wandered around the Art/Photography section among others while The Bear and Leah found themselves enjoying the Engineering/Math section. You just never know what you are going to find in here. It's always a treasure hunt.

What used book store wouldn't be complete without a Stephen King section? Erynne, this pic is for you. Anything you want me to pick up next time I'm there?

I found this stack next to the check out. It made my day. I mean seriously, what could be funnier. Scientology for UNDER $1. Guess it wasn't the smash hit it was hoped to be.

If you aren't lucky enough to live close to a Wonder Book no worries cause you can always get your fix online! Yeppers, take a gander and see what you can find! Wonder Book and Video.

Spring Blossoms 2.0...

2010-04-25T07:53:00.004-05:00

These are a few of the pics I took during the last of the blossoms around the neighborhood. Just thought you'd like to take a peek. Enjoy.

I'm so thankful that I have a little cranky pup that forces me to wake up everyday and get outside for a stroll and just take in the fresh air.

Beanie's Easter Egg From Mother Nature...

2010-04-04T08:38:00.002-05:00

Beanie stepped out the door the other morning for her routine "wee" and discovered that Mother Nature left her a Spring Gift. Just off the patio some new mother mistook our mulch for a nice nesting spot.

We routinely throw out seed and nuts for our little feathered and furred friends. We get so much out of watching them every single day.

That little spot down on the right? Yepp, that's it. That tiny little itty bitty egg. So cute.

You never know what you'll find when you step outside the door.

The Awakening Of The Spring Blossoms...

2010-04-03T19:33:00.003-05:00

We wait with baited breath, afraid that if we breathe too hard they will float away before we can have even a promise of a second date. At the very first sign of one fresh bud you can almost feel the collective sigh of relief from all those individuals that call our DC Metro area Home. The sun shines, the air turns warmer and everyone sheds their winter frocks for brightly colored outfits. Everyone smiles and actually looks forward to saying "Hello" to a stranger.

You can almost count the hours by how many blossoms have opened. Blink or stop to have a cup of coffee and you'll miss it. It will slip so easily through your fingers and before you know it you'll have to wait a full turn of the calendar to recapture the magic.

While out on one of my morning strolls I was engrossed in taking pictures. Nose in the air, camera to my eye and thoroughly enjoying the spell that Spring casts on me when a woman, a stranger, walked up, paused next to me and smiling, she sighed "If you pause while standing below and take the time to just look up, well, it's just plain MAGICAL". And like a petal on the wind, with a smile and a nod, she was gone. Lost in her own magical wonder land.

Only during this special season do you get that kind of random connection with a stranger. A moment in time where, despite your background, you know EXACTLY what the other is saying.

It almost feels like a slower pace around here. You notice everyone is smiling and actually strolling instead of rushing to that meeting, the bus stop, to run that errand.

When this is what awaits you just outside your door in the morning how can you not take the time to breathe it in? It would almost be a sin to not take time to pause, reflect and appreciate.

Please dear reader, every morning for a week, step outside your door and just take a moment to let the fresh air soak into you. Smile and say thank you to Mother Nature who has once again woken up from her Winter slumber and painted us a precious gift.

Morning Walk With Beanie...

2010-04-03T17:32:00.003-05:00

Starting just before the Blossoms were due to come out, you could almost taste Spring. Imagine being able to stick your tongue out and instead of catching a snowflake, you caught a pink cotton candy blossom. Oh how sweet that would be. Beanie and I started going to Fort Ward Park just down the street for morning walks to clear the winter webs out of our brains and prepare our "inner" space for the coming Nature Color Show. There's nothing better for mental health and inner peace than a morning stroll with your favorite four legged baby. It just sets the tune for the whole day.

Beanie and I choose to wander off the path into the "field" and pretend that we aren't in the middle of the city. It's easy to do if you don't look hard through the trees.

Just like my mother, I'm a sucker for knotty trees with no leaves. I love their shape. They have so much character. If they could only speak, what tales they could tell.

Sometimes you just have to take your shoes off and feel the grass. Living in the city, I had almost forgotten what it felt like to walk with your toes in nature's lush carpet. That's what I miss most about growing up surrounded by fields, goats, chicken, horses, angora rabbits and just about any other animal that wandered through our lives. *Sigh* Those were the good old days.

What things from your childhood do you miss or haven't you done since then?

Um, What The? Seriously?

2010-04-03T17:19:00.002-05:00

I mean really people, who thought THIS was a good idea? Was the designer tripping on acid or was it just a really bad joke played on the In-Laws? I just HAD to snap a really quick and secrect shot of these and share them with the world. I mean Come ON, you know you love them. The funny thing is, I think that if we had bought a house, The Bear would have loaded these bad boys up and I'd be figuring out what color wall paint goes with these "interesting" pieces.

What are your thoughts dear readers. Love Em, or Blow Em Up?

But You Said I'd Get A Backyard...

2010-03-29T22:17:00.002-05:00

Howdy dear beloved readers. Spring is in the air and my camera finger is gettin pretty darn itchy after our dreary winter that seemed to last forever. But, before I get to posting the magic that is the Cherry Blossom Spring we are just getting into I thought I'd give you a wee little update.

Before our last snow storm I had announced that The Bear, Beanie and I had officially begun house hunting. Well for those of you who haven't already heard I thought that I'd better let you know that we will be staying here in our apartment for another year. Long and complicated story short, the housing market here in the DC Metro area is s*&t. So, we have signed another year lease, bought ourselves a HUGE, larger than Christ himself TV (55" LED) oh ya baby, it makes living in this place for another year seems almost like an actual choice we made instead of a result of a crap market where people think that mold is a feature.

Sadly, I don't think anyone in this apartment is quite as upset about living here for another full year as Beanie. She had her toes crossed in the hopes that that perfect backyard was soon to come. I can't really blame her however, I mean, 1 year for us is as you know, 7 years for her. Poor Dear.

Spring Means Eating The Colors of the Rainbow...

2010-03-29T21:53:00.005-05:00

Let's face it, no matter the time of year, nothing starts the day like a good old cup o joe. Now, what you choose to let share your table with your joe is up for grabs. A little while ago The Bear and I went back to a Greek Market that I discovered some time ago and we grabbed ourselves a chunk of Pistachio Halva. Dear readers, this is some tastey tastey stuff and pairs BEAUTIFULLY with any delicious cup of joe. If you get a chance to grab yourself some of this little slice of heaven then grab it with both hands and enjoy. Breakfast is so important. I find that I don't like to eat a traditional meal in the morning. I prefer something lite. Perhaps a bowl full of a segmented grapefruit? Mmmm, now that's good eats.

Now that Spring is really underway I enjoy filling my breakfast bowl with the colors of the rainbow. Nothing says "Rise and Shine Campers" like a bowl of berries.

The Cherry Blossoms have just opened and all is truly right with the world.

What are you choosing to start your day with? Let me know. I'm always looking for new ideas on how to start my day.

Snowman V Snowman, Battle Royal of Blizzard 2010...

2010-02-09T16:45:00.004-05:00

After being snowed in for many days, it appears that some creative person found a way to stave off killing those he/she was couped up with by tapping into their creative and very comical side. Please, come on an adventure with me and see what Beanie and I discovered this afternoon on our unsuspecting Poo Walk. You won't regret it, I promise. While making our way down the freshly shoveled sidewalks there appeared to be something Red in the snow. What could it be? Perhaps a dropped pair of gloves, a scarf, a hat? What?

Oh my, what cute snowmen! But wait, something's wrong. There seemed to be a scuffle underway.

Oh My!!! I was a Full Scale BATTLE!!! WAR WAR WAR! BLOOD EVERY WHERE!!!!!!!!!!!

Swords were crashing. The fresh white snow was running red with Snowman Blood!

It appeared that it was the Blue swords Vs. the Orange swords. It appears that the Orange swords were taking more casualties.

Battle Axes were dropped by the wayside as the mortally wounded took their last gasps of freedom.

Helmets were blood spattered as the victors raised their arms in Victory!

So dear readers. Let this be a lesson to us all. Days and days and inches of snow later, even Snowmen have their breaking point.

(No matter what the situation, apparently, there is ALWAYS time for art)

Bean Reporting Live from Blizzard 2010...

2010-02-08T23:18:00.003-05:00

Gee, does this sound like Deja Vu or what? Barely 2 months ago I was reporting live from Blizzard 09. Well that one was about 17 inches of snow. This time we got 20 inches and in our old town on Frederick MD our friend Leah reports 30 inches, and that's just 45 mins away from here. This is crazy considering that 2 weeks ago it was hitting 70 degrees and I was wearing a Sun Dress around the house. The Weather Channel reported that the snow would begin to fall on Friday at 10am and Lo and Behold we spotted the first snow flakes at 10:17am and they just kept a comin. Now "Princess" Beanie will only do her, ahem, "business" if you take her for a walk. Now after that much snow the only thing to do is to suit up and take her out front of the building to find a tire track to walk in. It seems to have done the trick! The snow was so deep she could barely see out of the tire track over the snow.

Here's the front of our building in the trench that I personally shoveled just to be able to get out of the door. Beanie was not happy with me for taking what she thought was a very long and unnecessary time to take a stupid picture!

Here's what my car looked like after my FIRST attempt at snow removal. Just this amount took hours till I finally gave up. I did finally manage to free it today after many more hours of work. Why, where was Brian you ask? Well we won't get into that, we'll just say that I was up and out working at this early and we met in the hall way when I was finished and he finally got curious! He made up for it though by VERY thoroughly cleaning my kitchen. I mean what a great job! He scrubbed and took the gas stove top apart and got every little last bit of grease and baked on goodness off. He's truly the hero of the hour. I'd rather shovel snow any day than tackle that job! I love you my Bear!

Last blizzard we went out and took pictures to share with you. Well this time around we thought, "You've seen one you've seen them ALL"! So this time we stayed in so I don't have any great photo spread to share with you but I do have some nice "Complimentary Color" Night Photos from my porch to share with you.

So Breathtaking. There is nothing more lovely or romantic than to sit on the porch with the love of your life, in the dark, quiet calm after math of a Blizzard.

I wish my neighborhood was this magical all the time.

This brings us to our "Lessons fo Being Snowed In with a Loved One" section. Luckily The Bear and I are very well versed in spending long periods of uninterupted time together so it hasn't been as painful as I imagine it has been for some of you. But there do come times of uncontrolled laughter over absolutely NOTHING that funny, and food creations that end up so gosh darn yummy, your tummy SCREAMS Uncle like it's Thanksgiving. You let The Bear loose in the kitchen and you know it's not gonna be good for the waist line. Like these Cheesy Bacon and Scallion Fries served with Ranch Dressing, for dipping of course.

Or this first ever Homemade Thai Bubble Tea! Ya, that's right. Oh man was that good. I made from scratch Chicken and Rice Soup to keep us going and we ended up running our of crackers. Well Bear to the rescue. He got so bored today that he went online, found a recipe and make crackers from scratch! Yes FROM SCRATCH! That's what a Blizzard will do to a person.

What did the Blizzard make you do?

Mail Art and the Month of Love...

2010-02-05T19:46:00.003-05:00

During the very grey and depressing month of January I tend to look for lots of Colorful Inspiration. Artful Blogging Magazine, Mail Art Books and Creative Blogs, to fill my brain with colorful happiness and get me through till Spring FINALLY arrives. Many of you know that we have been House Hunting, that is proving to be a very exhausting adventure. Well I recently discovered that some time ago, like 2yrs ago, I picked up some paint samples in order to help inspire my creativity. After flipping through one of my favorite books "Good Mail Day" I thought, "Hey, why not send out these fabulous color samples out as Inspirational Post Cards"! What a joy it was to sit with all these wonderful and fabulous colors! I got out all my stickers and markers and just went to town. I had so much fun that I almost couldn't stop making them.

This is the one that I sent my Oh So Fabulous Mother back in Ohio. I tried to match people up with paint samples that had names of colors that related to them somehow. My mother us a HUGE Nature Lover and raised me to appreciate the wonders of the out doors so I picked a sample that had names that related to our love of Nature.

These PostCards, I hope made some wonderful people in my life really smile. Even in the depth of depressing winter you can make your own Spring! There truly is inspiration every where, you just have to be open to it.

If you didn't recieve on and wish to send me a messege and one will be on it's way!

What do you have around that is begging to become Mail Art?

Happy Feb Every One!!!!!

Coffee and Quinoa (Keen-Wa)...

2010-01-31T10:09:00.004-05:00

Morning my dear readers. I sure have missed you. Hopefully you will forgive me for my lack of posting these last few weeks. It sure has been busy roller coaster ride here at Casa Bean and Bear.

This morning started off with a Cup O Joe, a bowl of Quinoa with yogurt, peaches and cinnamon. Mmmm, what a great start to the day. How's that look Jennifer? Did I do good?

The main reason that there has been radio scilence around here is that The Bear and I have been Officially House Hunting! Yay! With that said, man it takes a TON of your time. The housing market around here is just drive you nuts crazy. I will not bog this blog down with all the boring details but just know that it's emotional and exhausting. I'm sure that many of you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Come this May The Bear and I will have been married for a full decade! I think it's just about time we settled down and signed up for this thing they call "A Mortgage" and put down some property roots, don't you? We've had our fun criss crossing the nation apartment to apartment and we are finally in a position to take "Making a House a Home" seriously. I think that all our family and friends are happy at the thought that we'll hopefully finally have an actual "Guest Room" for them to stay in unlike the air mattress on the floor of the Den/Living Room they've been accustomed to all these years.

I also appologize for the lack of pictures in this post but rest assured that once we finally nab a house there will be lots of pictures to share. So far we have looked at hundreds (not an exageration) of houses on line, about 16 in person, have been interested in about 4 of them and actually placed a bid on one only to find it was already sold and we are cuttently waiting to hear back on our most recent bid. The situation changes so often that it would be impossible to keep you up to date here so until there's something serious to report just know that we are plodding along. I can't even tell you what town we are looking in as that too changes from morning to night depending on what's coming on the market. I can tell you however that we are looking in Maryland surrounding DC. We have given up on Virginia. Please don't take it personally Virginia, it's us, not you! You've been good to us, it's just that we feel that we'd prefer to go back to our Ex, Maryland! We'd like to remain friends and still see you from time to time.

So dear Readers, what has the first full month of this New Year been like for you? Anything new and exciting happening in your lives? I'd love to hear about it. Drop me a line and let's chat.

Attack of the Night Blizzard Guerilla Artist...

2009-12-27T17:01:00.005-05:00

On the evening of the now famous Blizzard 09 the following happend...

Night had fallen, the snow was still coming down by the cloud full. I was on the porch shoveling a path for Weiner the Wonder Dog to use as a potty pad. I spied a person across the street playing around in the snow picking up sticks and looking at them very intently as if to inspect them for a very specific purpose. "That's weird" I thought to myself but went about my shoveling till The Bear came out and asked what was going on in the street. I walked out to get a better view through the trees and flying snow and this is what I found...

There seemed to be a figure standing in the median strip of the street. What could it be? A snow covered peoplecicle? I just had to know, so I grabbed my camera, a coat and boots and went out to investigate. Why it was a snow person! A Guerilla Artists had struck under the cover of night. A lone snow person in the middle of the street in the middle of the night and in the middle of a Blizzard. How cool is that?

It even was complete with legs! Once I turned on my flash you could really see the snow was still flying.

I'm so glad that I suited up and ventured out to document this wonder. I could just imagine how much joy he/she was going to bring everyone. The snowplowers would see it and smile. Children waking up in the morning would be greeted and inspired. It just really made me smile to know that someone had taken the time to make this winter wonderland a little bit more special.

UPDATE: I am VERY sorry to report that when I woke up the next morning some A Hole had completely destroyed him/her. Nothing remained but a crumpled pile of snow and boot prints. I'm just glad that I was there to capture the moment and enjoyed it while it lasted.

Bean Reporting Live From Blizzard 09...

2009-12-19T18:25:00.000-05:00

Some of you have heard of our Blizzard here in the DC area. Well this is one time that the weather man actually got it right. Wow, we are getting hit. So of course what did I want to do? Why go out and play in it of course! So goin us as we romp through the snow. Could it be a Christmas Tree?

The Bear celebrating the fact that we can walk right down the middle of the street. Mainly because the sidewalks are under 15" of snow and more is comin down.

I plowed myself into a drift in the middle of the road to show you what we are dealing with here. Yay! I can't even tell you just how many layers of clothing I have on at this point. I left NO room for a chance to get cold.

The Bear was so excited to gather ice on his beard. "I've never been able to do that before". Aw, doesn't he look so happy! When I casually asked if he'd join me out for an afternoon of snow play I never actually thought he'd say "sure". Falling in love with him all over again.

This is Fort Ward Park down the street. I LOVE how the yellow looks in this picture. Just HAD to snap a pic of that.

After going all the way into town, finding that Blockbuster was actually open, getting some movies and having Chinese Food (you HAVE to have Chinese especially when they are open in a Blizzard and Oh so happy to see you) we wandered back home. We stopped again at Fort Ward for a little photo shoot. Here I am trying my best to act casual and cross my legs despite the billion layers I have on. I felt like the kid in A Christmas Story.

The Bear paused made a funny face and before I could ask him what was up he actually DOVE into the snow! What a kid.

"I can't see"! Well That's what you get for diving face first into the snow you goof!

Walking back and forth through town we encountered other people walking, a stuck vehicle and the occassional snow plow. The Bear and I started to make up our own 12 Days of Christmas Song naming things we've seen.

I thought the drifts on tops of the cars made a good visual for you all.

And once we returned home I shoveled off the porch to make a place for Beanie to potty and to lay some seeds for the birds. The birds greatly appreciated it, they came in droves.

So, yes we are in the middle of a Blizzard, right now it's about 6:30pm and there's about 2 foot of snow outside that has all come in less than 24hrs. We are stocked up on food. Dinner is Meatball Stroganoff, and the drink of choice is a delicious Wassail with a splash (or two) of Knob Creek :)

Hope you enjoyed the photo tour. I have really been in the Holiday Spirit so this has just thrown me over the happy limit! I love you all and wish for you a VERY Merry Season.

A Bouncing Bean Thru The Snow...

2009-12-19T17:27:00.009-05:00

It's not a far stretch to call our little Bean a "girlie girl". She doesn't like to cross little streams of water for fear of getting a toe wet. She doesn't like to get dirty. If you've ever seen the TV Show Monk you'll know exactly what I mean when I say she'll walk on a nature path and then give you that look that screams "Wipe! Give me a WIPE!! I've got Nature on me!" Well when you get 15" of snow and more on the way there's not much you can do do avoid getting in the snow. Here's what happens when your hubby says "I'll pick her up walk her to the plowed street to do her business". She realizes how crappy the weather is and turns and runs full steam ahead bunny hop back up the hill through the snow to the safety of the couch. Enjoy! I wish it were a video.... Where's mom?

There she is.

Oh CRAP it's deeper than I thought.

And POOF, into the snow drift. Panic sets in.

HELP!!!!

Not able to see with snow in her face she runs past me in the general direction of safety leaving The Bear in her wake.

Wandering Through Time with Statues and a Pagoda...

2009-11-27T23:44:00.007-05:00

While working a job The Bear discovered a fantastic little nugget of beauty that we had no idea existed inside the beltway of DC. The place is called National Park at Seminary. If you are interested you really should go visit their website. It's history reaches all the way back through 3 wars serving to rehabilitate wounded soldiers, a finishing school for girls in 1894, a lovely Inn in 1887 and finally back to it's original origin as a tobaco plantation. The gathering of architecture is out of this world. There's everything from and English Castle, a Japanese Pagoda to a Dutch Windmill. All I may add are for sale as either condos, townhouses or single family homes. So if you always wanted to tilt toward your very own windmill home, then this is your place! The Bear, Beanie and I decided to get out of the house yesterday and go explore this magical place. I had been hearing about it for days from The Bear so I was eager to get started.

It seems that no matter where you turn as you wander there's a statue of some kind. So awsome.

As we wandered further into the woods it began to feel like we were being swallowed by the secret garden.

I am just so very glad that all these beautiful buildings are being saved. It would be a horrid shame to let them disapear.

It's hard to belive that just a little ways through those trees is the very busy DC Beltway. The sound of the traffic a constant reminder that this land with it's magical buildings and statues are very precious and must be saved.

Little worlds everywhere.

On the left are stone stairs leading up the slope lined by what we belive to be Yews. On the right you'll notice the castle! Yep, that's right, a castle.

I feel like a fairy tale character. Princess rescue anyone?

She's been asleep for a long time.

This image is actually 2 photos stiched together. I wanted to try and give you a sense of what it felt like to wander around there with all the different trypes of architecture all connected together. This area sort of connects the older section with the castle to the newer section that has been turned into condos already.

As promised, here's the Pagoda. Yes it is for sale. Wouldn't that just be so very sweet? Invite people over and when then ask which one are you? Oh, just the first Pagoda on the right!

As we made our way back through the wonderland I couldn't help but walk up to the castle and peak in some holes in the boarded up doors. When I turned around to walk back I saw this image. What girl wouldn't want to live in a castle and wake up to walk out her door every morning to see a wishing well.

This magical tour could not have been possible with out The Bear. Days like these are just one of the many reasons I fell in love with him. You have to love a man who takes you to wander around a castle and secret garden statues, then when the weather suddenly turns dark and starts to hail on you, takes you for coffee afterwards.

No Travel Turkey Day...

2009-11-27T22:51:00.002-05:00

Early in the year The Bear and I made the decision that we would not be traveling home for the holidays. There were many factors that were involved in this decision but let me tell you, once you put your foot down, decide it for certain and make the announcement to the friends and family back home, a weight is lifted, the stress is gone and all that you are left with is the feeling of Holiday Season Bliss! I mean I even found myself smiling and humming along to Christmas music in the aisle of the grocery store! Yeah, I know, that is soooooo not like me.

Turkey Day is my all time favorite holiday. I just LOVE the feeling of the season. Thanksgiving is about letting those that you love, know that you love them. You don't need to stress out, spend lots of money or travel hundreds of miles to do that. It's as easy as sending a card or making a phone call. To me Christmas is WAY too commercial and superficial, and though I could really go on and on here and give you my HUGE list of problems with X-mas I will refrain and leave that for another day. I want this to remain a nice post about a delicious turkey and a cute little pup that just loves meat, freshly pulled off the bone meat to be exact. The Bear and I spent the day home alone preparing a delicious meal that we would have the benefit of having ALL the leftovers all to ourselves. Let me tell you, this meal was soooo good.

There is a rule in our home that if there is meat, you will be stared at intently while carving it. This is a stead fast rule that is never broken. She never barks, she never makes a scene, just stares and if you are successfull in ignoring her she'll move to step phase 2 which is to sit on your foot till you trip and drop some on the floor. If that doesn't work then she'll pull out all the stops and give you her most pathetic "Please mummy" face till your heart melts. Trust me, this one always works. What's a mom to do?

Our spread included, Turkey, Mashed Taters, Noodles, Corn, some of the best from scratch gravy ever made and new to us this year some very delicious homemade REAL Cranberry Sauce complete with orange zest! Where is the pie you ask? There must be pie, right? Tell me you had pie! Well yes we did have pie, a homemade pecan pie that is not pictured here because it barely lived long enough to even think about photographing it!

I hope that all of you dear readers had a most wonderful and loving Thanksgiving no matter where you were, who you were with or what you ate. Hugs to all of you.

Now, let the X-mas season begin! Christmas tunes anyone?

With Friends at the Old Mill...

2009-11-08T20:40:00.005-05:00

Any of you ever see the movie State and Main? Well if you haven't you should, it's a good little flick. It's a good comedy where the characters are making a film about "The Old Mill". Anyways I digress.

This weekend out dear friends Leah and husband Tim came to hang with us and we went for a little trapes around Colvin Run Mill in Great Falls VA. Leah and I just love to go places and take pictures. We also like dragging out hubbies around with us!

View as we were approaching the mill.
I don't think that you could take a bad picture of this so cute place.

A view of the inside. The light was beautiful, don't you think? They actually run this mill on Sundays and sell the flour and meal in their general store. I bought some Yellow Corn Meal because The Bear promise to make me Corn Bread! Yummy.

Even though I'm sure the hubbies rolled their eyes when they heard where Leah and I wanted to go I think they had a great time wandering around looking at old equipment discovering things we girls were overlooking.

This was the most popular view. There were actually several artists that were set up painting the mill. If you look at the lower right hand corner you can see an artist's canvas on and easle.

I was sad that the wheel wasn't running but that wasn't going to stop me from snapping some pictures.

Old swirly windows always catch my eye.

Sometimes getting a good picture means sitting on a bridge!

I love reflections in water, don't you?

Leah said " Check out the size of this old stump". She got right in and the cameras started snappin away like she was a Celeb and we were the paparazzi. So much fun!

Tim shooting Leah! With love of course :)

Leah took this picture of us checking out the inside of the mill. You can only go inside if you buy a ticket for a tour and we decided not to since it wasn't running. I have to say that I truly love you, dear readers, because otherwise I wouldn't post a pic of my dairy aire! ;)

Another pic by Leah. I was looking at the Holly in order to take a pic of it for my blog banner come winter time.

There is nothing better than getting out with good friends, exploring a new place in the crisp Autumn air.

Thank you Leah and Tim for coming out to play with us. Next time we come to your neck of the woods. Perhaps explore a Vineyard?

A Much Needed Weekend Away...

2009-11-01T09:33:00.004-05:00

The Bear had to be in Charleston WV on a Friday afternoon for work, so why not make a long weekend out of it? We had hoped to get away in the Spring but it didn't work out. Since the weekend was already chosen for us, how could we argue with the universe, right? She was basically saying "Here, you have to be out of town anyways, sooooo what's the problem?"

Once Brian was done we had a 3hr drive to find the cabin we rented. By the time we got there it was PITCH BLACK out! It was fun driving the roads, watching it get darker and darker, finding the key in the lock box and getting through the gate. Navigating our way to the front door and trying not to crap my pants as I step inside and search for the light switch while every single shadow seems to be a serial killer. I watch lots of horror movies and this is a strange house in the dark. Before you call me too big a wuss, note that I was the one to walk through the door first and find the lights! ;)

Since we arrived in the dark we had no idea what the view looked like. I woke to the sunrise, and in slippers and a blaket walked out onto the deck and there it was, my view. The morning light was beautiful. There was a warm golden glow to everything and I just breathed it in slow and deep. This is the view of the cabin from the river. It was perfect, very clean and very well stocked.

This cabin really made me feel at home. The Bear and I are not city people at heart or by origin and this cabin was just what we needed to relax and remember who we are. We weren't circling eachother around the apartment, taking turns in the kitchen where we tend to elbow eachother etc.

Brian spent his time fishing among other things.

I spent a whole afternoon painting on the deck. Unfortunately the sun barely came out that afternoon but who cares right? Atleast it wasn't raining. Oh I had sooooo much fun. It had been so very long since I sat and painted, 3yrs I think? I wasn't going to pack all that but Bear said, "get those canvases out of the closet that have been there for YEARS". That's all the encouragement I needed. I'm so glad that he knows just what I needed. He's great that way.

Beanie even found a new pass time. She liked to sit on the futon and observe wildlife from the screened in porch. She's a city girl at heart and prefers to see nature rather than touch it. She spend half her time looking up at you and saying "MOM, I've got nature on me". Now she's a wuss.

The man loves to cook outside, what can I say. The only problem is that he cooks for us as well as the 4 teen age boys that we don't seem to actually have. "I thought you'd eat more" he says. I just look at him lovingly as I wrapped the leftovers up and place them gingerly in the fridge knowing that we won't be eating them since we only have 4 nights here and the Bear has steak, hotdogs, and sausages on the menu along with the 7 pieces of chicken he just grilled. Oh how yummy everything was, so good that I wish I could eat like 4 teen age boys!

Can't beat waking up to views like this.

And you definately can't do this in our apartment. Well we could string one up but then how to get the river in here as well. Hmm, workin on that one.

What relaxing adventures have you had or are planning this Fall?

Let the Fabulous B-day Gifts Be Posted, Two...

2009-10-31T15:12:00.003-05:00

I know I know, but let's face it, time gets away from us and before you know it 2 weeks have gone by without another blog post. So before the complaints start filing in here it is, Oh man and is it a good one.

I know that by now you all know the Very Creative Sabrina of Pink Coffee Beans fame. If you haven't checked out her blog lately you really MUST go there and see what she is up to. To my utter giddy delight I recieved a great handmade knitted mug cozy from her. I LOVE green and you all know by now my nickname is Bean. How great is this mug cozy?

Her and I are both HUGE Starbucks addicts. We truly are. So she even included a package of their brand new Via instant coffee so that I could instantly enjoy my mug cozy! Soo very thoughtful of her. She truly is the greatest.

If you don't remember, Sabrina is married to my very musically talented cousin Adam James Hall. He recently took a month long sebatical from his day job to work on yet another album. I had put in my order for a copy as soon as I heard it was going to be coming. What great glee to find that arrived in time for me to enjoy it for my favorite all time season of the year. PLEEEASE support my "Little Bro" and go buy his CD at cdbaby.com

I am so very very blessed to have such drippingly creative people in my family. There are so many ways to be creative that I try to sing loud and proud about any and every bit of creativity I see in people.

Sabrina and Adam, thank you so much for sharing such wonderful treasures with me. I just can't say "I love you" enough.

Let the Fabulous B-day Gifts Be Posted, One...

2009-10-19T20:15:00.004-05:00

I have to say that if you put great handmade vibes out there into the world they will return to you ten fold. If you follow this blog even a little, you know just how much I love to send out handmade mail, little sketches, recipe postcards etc. It gives me great joy to let the ones that are near and dear to my heart know that I care and that I'm thinking about them throughout the year.

Well, this year I was the VERY greatful and oh so surprised recipient of some extranary gifts for my birthday this year. I will be taking some time here on my blog to showcase them.

Fabulous handmade gift #1. I returned home one afternoon to find a package leaning against my front door. My birthday being some days away I was left wondering, what is this, who is it from?

Well here she is, my dear readers, in all of her handmade glory... Some of you may remember the post "And the Mystery Gift is..." on Sept 4th where my very talented cousin Noelle made me a purse. Well she surprised me with a new tote! Isn't it just gorgeous? And guess what?

It's reversable! Yep that's right. And it also has a pocket as well. I am so in love. It is my new Library bag and I can't wait to use it. I always take a bag with me to the Library but the problem is, the bag I usually take is WAY too big and I end up bring home WAY too many books. So many that I never actually get through them all before they are due back. So with this great new bag on my arm I'm sure to bring home just right number of book home in style!

Jealous? I know you are. Well, Noelle is really a sewing fool and if you ask nicely and send her a piece of loverly mail I'm sure you too can get something hew and handmade in the mail.

Thank you soooooooo very much my loverly little sis for the special gift.

Be on the lookout for other posts of even more handmade Bday gifts, cause there's more to come!

Adventures with Nathan...

2009-10-19T18:35:00.006-05:00

Our nephew Nathan (man I hate saying Nephew, since that makes me Aunt and that's just weeeeeiiiiird) came for a wonderful week long visit. We has so much fun. We went to the Home Goods store and found some fun things that made us giggle.

Really? A pepper grinder bigger than a toddler? It too can be yours for the one time price of One Hundred Big ones. Um, let's just take a picture instead!

We had festive Octobery beers just about anywhere we ate. Tis the season you know *wink*.

Nathan got to ride the metro for the first time. "Man, this isn't so bad." That was Nathan's observation while we rode into DC around 2pm with only 20 other people. His view changed completely once we rode back with ALL the commutors at the end of the day. When he saw all the drones stepping off the metro train only to line up again to catch a bus his comment was this, "They they get home and open a vein".

And that my dear readers is why we work for ourselves! Nuff said.

While in DC, Nathan and I went to the Air and Space Museum. Air Panes! Wee!!!

And here's our bad selves on the National Mall. It's a beautiful day, the weather was perfect, and oh yeah, it was my Birthday! Sweet!

After the Air and Space Museum we walked over to the Capitol for a look see.

Gotta do the shadow wave, right?

Here in the Nation's Capitol we have what I like to call "The Dork Tours". There's nothing that will bring a warm satisfying chuckle to my lips like a group of these aimless wanderers crossing my path. Come on, you know you wanna laugh too!

Talk about a beautiful day.

Some of you may have hear us talk about the new Capitol Visitor Center that was built under ground in front of the Capitol. I had yet to actually go there. Last I saw it it was a gigantic pit under construction when Brian and I were working night shift surveying inside the Capitol building 5 or 6 years ago.

This picture above is of the scale model of the Statue of Freedom that is located on the top of the Capitol Dome. She's pretty cool don't you think?

Since the Visitor Center is below ground they put in cool sky lights that let you view the Capitol Dome from under ground. Also pretty cool.

Back on our side of the river in Virginia, this is the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center located next to Dulles International Airport. While Nathan and I were at the other location in DC we realized that the plane he really wanted to see what actually at this location. So, another roadtrip was born! Neither The Bear nor I had ever been here yet!

This place is HUGE inside! Seriously, they even have the Space Shuttle "Enterprise", no not from Star Trek. ( I know that was what you were thinkin cause that's what I was hopin for, hee hee. Who doesn't love Jean Luc Picard?)

This was the bad boy that Nathan wanted to see. Pretty impressive eh?

I think this pic speaks for itself!

Now this pic sure is a good one! I can't decide wether The Bear's face is one of surprise at me whipping out my camera or if he's gaurding his prize "Americone Dream" ice cream. If you are a fan of Stephen Colbert, and I KNOW that you are, you'll know how hard it is to find this dairy delight!

It doesn't take much to amuze these boys. You take them to dinner out at the Eden Center for some seafood Pho and a bright red shiny table with sparkley stars on it and they are instantly teenage boys giggling and asking for their picture to be taken!

All I have to say is that I really and truly LOVE these boys. Thank you sooo very much Nathan for helping to make my Birthday Week a very very special one. Including the sneaky way you put my Card out when I wasn't looking!

Mmmm, Maple Roasted Chicken...

2009-10-19T16:49:00.003-05:00

First I feel that I must address my month long absence. I'm so very sorry. It seems like it's either feast (hee hee) or famine around here. For that I'm sorry, if you are one of the few readers I have left, I thank you from the bottom of my blogger heart.

Okay, let's do this thang!

You must know by now how I just LOVE making new recipes. Recently when I was flipping through a magazine (I think Real Simple?) I found the most easy and yummy sounding recipe. It looked so simple and delish that I went straight to store and grabbed the ingredients. Oh it really smelled wonderful. Too bad we don't yet have Smell-O-Blog.

This recipe for Maple Syrup Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potato and Onion is one that I feel EVERYONE of you should make. Any recipe that is Bear approved I immediately make some of my famous Recipe PostCards and mail them to family and friends. If you did not recieve one and would like me to pop one in the mail to you, PLEASE let me know!

As I was pulling the gorgeous dinner out of the oven I heard a little pitter patter coming to get a better sniff. Aw, I thought, how sweet.

Well stupid me, she was just taking the opportunity to bring me a present, that she wanted me to give right back of course. Indian Giver!

Surveyors and a Bowl of Clam Chowder...

2009-09-19T08:27:00.003-05:00

What could these two things have in common you are asking? How does one lead to the other? Well my dear reader come on a little journey with me will you? May just give you a little insight into how things come about sometimes here at Casa Bean.

My other half The Bear is a Professional Land Surveyor who through out his days when working from home logs onto a Land Surveyor Messege Board and follows the conversations of the day. Now, this is a group of Surveyors but trust me, by NO means does that mean the topics of discussion are only about boreing old work. I periodically hear him burst out into fits of laughter which usually means a "Hey come and look at this" will be shouted my way soon there after. And sometimes, just to make it feel like a real office we'll send eachother Instant Messeges or Emails from accross the room!

The other day, I recieve an Email from The Bear with a recipe for Clam Chowder attached and the subject reads "Yummy". Apparently there had been a debate on the Messege Board about which is better, New England or Manhattan Clam Chowder. Somewhere during this debate a recipe was posted that peaked Brian's interest and taste buds.

So, the ingredients were purchased and the Chowder was assembled to our great delight, it was soooo very good. I mean you can't go wrong with Bacon drippings, Half and Half, and clams right?

So to keep with the interactiveness of this blog, if you are interested in the recipe, just leave me a comment and I'll send you one of my famous Recipe/PostCards in the mail.

Mmmm, don't forget the oyster crackers!