Cooking With Fire

Mmmmm... can you smell the basil?

As you know, a new part of my job is brand promotion and marketing for... well for a wine company. As part of the process of becoming at least remotely expert enough to discuss wine without sounding like either a pompous ass or a complete idiot, I have been attending wine classes here.

It is a fantastic opportunity, and the classes are much more academic and rigorous than you would think. There is lots of reading (Kabinett? Auslese? Trockenbeerenauslese? This week was heavy on the German) questions, and intimidating commentary about the industry.

And yes, when we do taste, we spit.

Since the class is at ten AM on Monday it's for the best, really. Plus, not all of the wine is too my liking. Some of it is interesting, in that it has a flavour that I have never experienced before, and some of it probably shouldn't be tasted without some sort of food accompaniment.

I don't count the water crackers as food, by the way.

Some of it I just downright don't like - though I think that may be as much the fault of the people selecting the wine as it is the actually varietal. For instance, we had a Spanish cava this week that was god-awful, but I have had some wonderful and very inexpensive cavas. This one, for example.

If you want champagne - errrr... I mean sparkling wine - on a beer budget, this is the wine for you!

It has really opened up my mind to trying a lot of different things, things that challenge what I think I would normally like. Happily this has extended itself to my kitchen. I am finally finding the motivation to get more experimental in the kitchen again.

And I really like it.

My shopping is limited to Fresh Direct, for the most part, but I have the space for a well-stocked pantry, so I am trying to take advantage of all the spices and whatnot I have floating around.

Mom sent us some amazing jam so this week I made a pork loin roasted and glazed with her jam and red pepper. I don't think that I am exaggerating to say it was pretty phenominal.

Just ask Eugene. Really! Just ask!

Maybe it is just the nature of getting in touch with my palate, that I want other things to taste just as interesting as the wine does. I have a long way to go before I can be regarded as anything approaching expert - this is one of those situations where the more you learn, the more you realize that you know nothing. Nothing!

In the meantime, tonight, it's shrimp with mushrooms and basil (we're growing it in the apartment) with lemon, olive oil and organic fussilli. And an Orvieto I've never tried before for accompaniment.

Wanna come over?

Just A Little

Somewhere among my possessions there are three rolls of film from the Diana, ready to be taken in for developing. Sunday there's a writing deadline that I am wholly unprepared for. But the holiday party shoes will arrive on time and a photo I forgot I put into the desktop rotation totally made my day.

Will I Ever Blog Again?

I can see why you'd ask that. Not that I know the answer, but at least you have a new photo to look at now.

You can't really limit this much cuteness to one day

For Halloween this year, we decided to depart the usual realm of cute animal costumes and go for something a little more intergalactic.

When we (and by 'we' I mean 'I') decided to dress the boys as Darth Vader and Yoda for Halloween, a number of people asked me how I decided which twin was Yoda and which was Darth Vader.

It was easy, and I think that when you see the photos, you'll know why.

YODA: Come here often do you?
DV: Leave me alone!

YODA: Alone, I will leave you. Hrmmmm.

DV: I'm ready for you! Wait, why does your saber light up like that? That's not right! I should have a saber that lights up like that. Mommmmmmy!

DV: I'm going to conquer the force in my own way. One popper at a time.

YODA: Wise this singing man is.

DV: I want more lemonade. Why didn't the Applebees waitress give me lemonade? Don't I deserve lemonade? Mommmmmm!

YODA: Drink my water I will. Hrmmmmm.

DV: Why are my Imperial Slaves being so nice to Yoda?
Yoda: Nice these people are, bite them I will not.

Yoda: Strong in the force are you, little Ada!


DV: Where is my helmet? I will wear this hat until I find my helmet.
YODA: Hat looks silly, it does.

YODA: CARS! CARS! CARS!

DV: Finally, a ship worthy of my skills

YODA: To home take me please. Need a clean diaper, I do.

DV: You can't control me! Oh wait, I'm stuck on your shoulders. Mommmmy!

The photos were taken at: our building Halloween party, playgroup Halloween party, Applebees after visiting my office, and at HK and Thor's Halloween party

I found just the right thing

First, Happy Birthday Heavder! I can't wait to see you in Napa this weekend! So fun! So fun!

Anyways, I just want you to rest assured that I found just the right thing for you.

xoxo
A

Off Again

Kate and I are headed down to Santa Monica for a swanky weekend in the sun. My life is too good these days. I'm bringing multiple toy cameras and about a dozen rolls of film, but I was looking through old photos and it got me missing my digital camera for a change. Dropped it on the deck in Napa and it just hasn't been the same since. Oops! That trip had two camera casualties, but was totally worth it. Can't wait to go back for my birthday next week!

Napa Was Mad Glam

I Had No Idea How Badly I Would Need To Leave

But it did turn out that way. So thank god for the green and white shoes. They might have to go with me again.

Boyville

When the boys were born, I am ashamed to say that my first word were 'I. Am. So. Screwed.'

This was because when I was pregnant we didn't know what sex they were, and as soon as we knew they were boys, my life flashed before my very eyes.

It was a life full of snowmobiles, ATVs and tractors.

Only 18 months old, and already the fun has begun.





This weekend we are celebrating Eugene's birthday in Vermont and I predict more tractor hijinx. We'll be saving the karate and Star Wars for later.

Aftermath

So, because you asked for it and I am too wiped from the week to write anything remotely pithy... here is the follow up video to our earlier twin battle royal. Don't I sound just like mom? I mean, um, a mom?

Happy Birthday P.S.!!

Hey guess whose birthday is today? Allison's!! Lurkers, er, I mean, quiet readers, are highly encouraged to leave a comment saying happy birthday. Without her, I would never have written my share of the 914 posts we have created here, and for that and many other things, I am very grateful.

So glad I got to see you just the other day, puppy! It was so fun, just like always. Can't wait to see you again. XOXOXO H

More and Elsewhere

More photos from the water park!

The writing week was so great, lots of stuff rattling around in my brain right now. Gonna take a break from the words here for a bit, but there are lots of photos, so check me out here.

More Scenes from South Dakota

Well, obviously the old tyme picture you posted was the piece d' resistance, but I thought perhaps I would share a few of or more... domestic shots from the trip.

I love this photo because it looks like Grandma Ellen and the boys are running all over the house together. Not that they didn't love her, but I think they were really just stalking her for her walker. They had a lot of fun with the walker.

Out to dinner... the boys look so mild mannered, but you know what hellions they really were - spilling the water all over the place, dropping food on the floor, playing with knives. Oh wait, maybe I shouldn't have included that last part. But they were only butter knives, right? I didn't give them any steak knives!

The rest of the table - I wish I had gotten you in this shot with your cute dress. Or that I had taken a picture of you on the porch of the restaurant in that dress with the boys. That is the perfect picture from that evening, unfortunately it only lives in my head.

Grandma Lucia chasing Max on the streets of Deadwood. This is how I spend most of my free time - chasing the babies!


Thomas, enjoying lunch out in Deadwood. This is before we got the overcooked chicken. I think he liked the fries, though.

When we got home from Deadwood and the boys needed to cool off. Notice how Max is shying away from Thomas wielding the hose. He knows a dangerous situation when he sees it.

Yup, Thomas loves some good hose time.


At the water park. Another occasion where I wish I had taken more photos. But I find that when you have two toddlers and that much water around, taking photos is kind of the last thing on your mind.

Even if Auntie Heather is looking all smokin' in her bikini. That would have been a GREAT picture!


Packing up Sunday morning. Thomas enjoying my Oil of Olay, while Max gets some love from Grandpa Gary for Mr. Kitty.

We don't really pack them in the suitcase... at least not until they are two and we have to buy airplane tickets for them.

Getting read to by Auntie Heather. Love The Fur Family. Even if it is a little bit creepy. Margaret Wise Brown is the bomb!


Obviously, you are admiring his large head and adorable golden curls. Right?


Our attempt at a portrait with Grandpa. There were actually some more 'successful' ones. But I think this one says it all.

Finally, a picture with Grandma Ellen. I love it that she is looking at them in such a sweet way. The photos in this series have some of the happiest expressions I have ever seen on her face.

Ranch 360. In Case You Were Wondering.

I Was Tamed By Rock & Roll

I had this therapist once, who used to talk to me about things that were grounding. That was back when I was just starting to admit that I was kind of pissed off, simmering, beneath it all. She had a list of things, I imagine things like, say, jogging, maybe? Or, well... I don't know, actually. The only one I remember for sure is singing. That was the one that stuck with me.

I'm a lot more used to myself now. If I love you, you can still get me pissed off, but I don't simmer as much. I still get keyed up though, overwhelmed at times, and that can turn into something like simmering. Writing weeks are always one of those times. Too much good stuff, ironically. Hours and hours of talk, about things I care about in the most essential way. Lots of satisfying hard work, reading, commenting on manuscripts. This ranch is where I get the best food I get all year, it's the place I look forward to taking photos, and seeing some of my favorite people, and where I get to see the dogs I know best in the world, with their beautiful, haunting wolfhound howls. Even so, after four intense days, I get a little crabby. I had to admit that tonight, and I was sorry about it, but it's really better to get it right out there and deal with it.

Music is like cross-training for writers, is how I like to think about it, sometimes. Especially the way Jeff Tweedy does it. I think about something different every time I listen to him, every time I watch Sunken Treasure, or see Wilco in concert. Sometimes it's about how a concert can be like church, or how church should be, the way he talks about it in Sunken Treasure, the whole communal thing. Sometimes I think about the lyrics, about connection, talking to each other, things we mean to say, all that. Tonight, though, when we put Sunken Treasure on and sat around in Pam's living room, after the last workshop of the day, before our one day off (before the peach pie), when Jeff Tweedy starting singing the title song, I was thinking about singing.

Just singing. The grounding kind of singing. Singing that is breath leaving your body, your throat resonant with sound, your chest filled with it, your ears - all of you, really.

I didn't sing along with the movie. Pam turned it up loud and something about the way Jeff Tweedy's voice held those notes so imperfectly meant that I didn't have to. He was singing for me. It was more satisfying to sit there, do nothing, let myself be filled up with the sound in that other way. But it was so good it felt like that grounding kind of singing, like therapy, and I stopped simmering and was ready for some pie and more of what we came here for.

When In Doubt, Come Back Here

The stories I was thinking of on the airplane all took place somewhere other than where I was headed. The road trip story took place in Soap Lake, Pendleton, Boise, Snowbird, Missoula, I-90, the heat wave story was Seattle. My luggage was full of distractions, designed to protect me from being in South Dakota. Allison's text the day before said "I think we're going to have to do a food intervention here," so there was proscuttio, tiny cheeses, wasabi peas, dried mango, salami, a few of the first apples of the season from the Ballard Farmer's Market. There were three magazines, four cameras and two dresses for every day we would be there. I had six rolls of film and three days until my writing deadline.

It was still close to 80 degrees in Rapid City by the time Lucia landed and we stepped outside with my dad, to the mini-van where my sister waited to drive us all to Belle Fourche, to the AmericInn where my grandmother had booked my father and step-mother one room, and me another.

"Check out my mini-van, yo!" my sister said, and dad said, "Hon, why don't you let me sit in the front and give directions." But Ali had directions so I got the front, and dad said "Ok now, hon, we need to keep an eye out for that cloverleaf," but he still got in the back with Lucia.

We missed the cloverleaf, and found ourselves in front of a chainlink fence and a guard shack instead. Allison was asking questions about my love life that I didn't really have answers for, and the directions were on her Blackberry, which I didn't know how to work. She gave it to me to navigate from anyway, and when dad asked which map program we were using, Ali said Google and he did that disapproving sucking air through the teeth thing. "Dad, it's fine," she said.

And it was, pretty much, unless you count the fact that we were a little lost when the red and blue lights started to flash in the rear view mirror. We can skip the getting-pulled-over part of the story for now, because in the end he was a very nice officer who gave us a warning rather than a $240 ticket, and we made it back to the AmericInn where there were no less than four animal heads on the wall, and I retreated to my room where I wrapped pieces of proscuttio around the little cheeses and thought about the way the heat wave had made everything smell like it was on fire, so that you couldn't help but ask yourself, is that my engine? The elementary school? The pumps at the gas station, a brush fire on I-5? The fur of the animals in the zoo? What is it that's burning?

Aunting

I'll have you know, this is my lap, and he went there on purpose.

It Was Deadwood.

What did you think was gonna happen?