I was all excited to start Livi in daycare. Excited for some freedom, excited for her to play with little people and to socialize. And then the reality of dropping her off and LEAVING HER hit me today. Continue reading “Livi’s First Day at Daycare”
Little Livi Moments
I am sitting here at my table watching my baby eat raisins. Sometimes it just hits me how lucky I am to have her. Continue reading “Little Livi Moments”
Livi’s Favorite Game
Livia at the age of one.
This was my first favorite photo of you. I think you look like a little elfin baby. Continue reading “Livia at the age of one.”
My Shameful Bosom
I had a job interview several weeks ago. I won’t name the employeer. It’s a contract gig, so technically they would be my client.
I had two seperate interview’s with two different groups of people.
Both went well. However, after the second interview with all men, I had the following conversation went with the recruiter.
Recruiter: “Sharay, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?” Continue reading “My Shameful Bosom”
Wine in the land of ???
“If you like Pina Colada’s….”
So those who know me, know that I am passionate about food and particularly food and wine pairing. There is nothing better when something that tastes pretty good on it’s own is elevated into an entirely different level when yin, food and yang, wine are brought together for a perfect pairing.
To me, having a glass of wine with a meal is just a natural thing. Maybe I should be living in Europe where this practice is deeply rooted in the culture, unlike the U.S., where there are merely pockets of this accepted practice. It’s sad really.
Instead, people including friends and family, raise an eyebrow when I have a glass of wine with a meal or when I am watching the sun set sitting in the hay with my husband and my kid, dogs, cat and ponies.
I don’t get it???? I even had a friend today call me a “Wino.” I know it was tongue and cheek, but it got me thinking.
Why is it not as accepted in our society to pair wine, beer, cocktails, whatever your preference with a meal, as it is in other countries?
Did it start with Puritans when they landed here on the Mayflower? Who gets to decide what is acceptable and not acceptable for an entire culture?
Very complicated questions when you really start to think about it.
Maybe it’s because like with everything else, Americans also drink alcohol in excess. We overindulge making it oh so much easier for those finger shakers to vigorously shake.
Living here in Utah makes partaking especially awkward.
Alcohol consumption of any kind is frowned upon by the prevailing faith here.
It really creates such an odd feeling. You sort fell shame, which is complete and utter B.S. and you know this, yet you can’t help but feel like you are being naughty and should be ashamed. It’s a very conflicting thing.
It’s hard to explain unless you have lived elsewhere and then live here.
Now, excuse me while I go have a glass of wine. “It’s only 11:20am” you say? You do realize they have wine with EVERY meal in Europe right?
Fine, I will wait until 5pm.
Damn peer pressure!
Where is this coming from???
That was my reaction too!
I think my dark dreams have really taken a new and very twisted turn.
Hillary Clinton and me in……how do I delicately put this…….in an encounter in her bedroom. OMG!!!!!!
This is so random and disturbing. I mean, Hillary Clinton??? Come On!!
Not my first choice if I was gay.
I won’t go into details and frankly, don’t think I could stomach it anyways.
My Garden
This is my second year growing a garden here where I live. I don’t count the first year. That didn’t go so well.
We had lived in a home in downtown Salt Lake that was built in 1908.
This was an amazing house with an amazing, well established yard. The soil was unbelievable. It didn’t take much effort to grow gorgeous, bountiful tomatoes.
So when we moved to our new house that already had a front and back yard in need of real help, growing just tomatoes and herbs was not kind of an afterthought.
The soil was clay. Hard as a rock. But, I tried and within weeks, my plants were choked.
I was bummed. No fresh summer tomatoes.
Luckily the next year, my hubby tilled, hauled in a ton of riolite (sand) and compost and then tilled some more to try to break up the clay.
This year, the soil was even better.
I decided to go beyond my usual tomatoes and herbs and try my hand at some other veggies.
I only have a couple of tomato plants that I actually planted, but I have tomatoes coming up everywhere because we tilled in the plants from last year. Probably not the best idea.
I have the usual herbs: sweet and thai basil, oregano, sage, rosemary and then I thought I would try some tarragon.
I decided to try growing some arugula, beets, chard, fennel, leeks, peas, spinach and zucchini.
So far, it’s worked out pretty well.
I plan on coming up with recipes using the booty / bounty, whatever, from my garden and posting it all here.
Check out the Beet Risotto that I made last night. It was amazing and yes, I am gloating.
More garden delights to come.
Beets are your friend
I know there are many out there who don’t like beets. Not me. I loved them when I was a kid and still love them.
I decided to plant some in my garden this year. OMG, they are amazing. I am going to double my plantings of these jeweled beauties next year. I planted the “Early Wonder” variety.
They are not a huge beet when mature: only 2-3 inches. But, what they lack in size they make up for in flavor.
Not only are they gorgeous, but you can pretty much eat the whole plant. Which I did last night in this beet and beet green risotto. Continue reading “Beets are your friend”
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These are the best oatmeal raisin cookies ever. No seriously. They are. And they are super easy to make. Come on, you know you want one. Continue reading “Oatmeal Raisin Cookies”