THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY TUESDAYS

I've done it again folks. I let a week slide with out writing things down on the list. So yesterday, during lab meeting, I wrote down a bunch of things hoping that I captured something from the week and not just the weekend.

Kind of figuring out why my Westerns aren't working Being so busy that day zooms by Pineapple upside down cake with coconut gelato BTT's quesadillas. The put squash in there y'all! Stopping at Coffee Slingers before heading to the Farmer's Market Seeing Wayne and Michelle Coyne at Coffee Slingers. They are so cool. Finally getting over that sinus thing The bustling market Scott grilling up a HUGE slab of tofu for me The Vespa Barbie at Toys R Us New bras (sianara saggy boobs!) Feeding the dog peanut butter toast Chocolate hazelnut gelato Making up some of our meals for the week days in advance Cheese grits! Sleeping And this. This right here. Makes me so happy.

GARDEN DIARIES

Things in the garden are progressing, slowly but surely. I think birds are eating my lettuce and cantaloupes. Need to hang some sort of whirly gig to keep them away. Today I bought a bag of egg shells (it was like a buck fifty for a full sandwich sized baggy already crunched up) and sprinkled it around all the plants. Misti got me a replacement tomato from the Frontier and it seems to have made itself at home.

Now we are just waiting. I think it's a miracle that anything has grown as much as it has. We've had the oddest weather and the wind has not been kind. But...despite it all, things are actually growing. It won't be long before we'll have beautiful spinach and tomato salads and homemade pickles. I better get on that task of learning how to make mozzarella.

THINGS WE SAY

Chris and I watching a documentary on Appalachia featuring Barbara Kingsolver:

Barbara Kingsolver: There were as many shades of green as there are words in the dictionary.

Me: Oh my God. She speaks the way she writes. If that had been me, I'd have said "it's so green and purdy".

Chris: I mean it's really green. Like really really green.

Me: Like all colors of green.

Chris: Yeah. Like super green. I mean really really green.

Me: We are so word stupid.

THANKFUL FRIDAYS

This week has been one of the most physically demanding weeks I've had in a long time. I've been swamped with my own projects at work topped off with some of the other post doc's projects (I need to learn to say no). Sleeping has been a bit wonky this week and all of this sounds a little whiny. Well, OK, a lot whiny. But the weekend is free and clear (well, not the weather) and I have plans. Big plans. First, I plan on doing a little extra sleeping. Then I might finally take the blue toenail polish off of my toes (been there since the first of April) and trim my nails. I'm going to re-watch some things on Hulu, do some laundry and grocery shopping, attend a graduation party, and sleep. Oh...I might go to the mall and use my free panty gift card. And I suppose what I'm really grateful for today is the freedom of flexibility and spontaneity. I have zero lofty goal to accomplish this weekend, nothing that has to be done or else (oh, except our insurance paper work).

I am thankful for the rain that is nourishing the vegetable garden. I am thankful for my meditation practice that has been so important for me this week. I am thankful for Chris for many many reasons. I am thankful for the day.

Have a great weekend!

LOVE THURSDAY

This mobile has been with me since graduate school. One of the other grad students had it hanging in her office. One day I commented on how much I love elephants and that I really liked that mobile. She hopped up onto her desk, pulled it free from the ceiling and gave it to me. Just like that. It was an unexpected gift.

In every place we've lived since then the mobile has hung some where in our bedroom. The best is when a light breeze enters the room and all the elephants gently sway and turn. It calms and soothes. But that's not why I love it. I love it because it's a reminder of a simple act of kindness and reminds me to be a little kinder and little generous each day.

Happy Love Thursday

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY...WEDNESDAY?

Yesterday I was so busy I barely had time to sit down to lunch, let alone write up a blog entry. I thought "that's OK". I'll just write it when I get home. Then the internet was down which led to Chris having to call and argue with the cable company about what they were and were not supposed to turn off. So the list gets posted today.

Finding extra time Not having to wear a coat Riding the V all week long, even out to the studio on Lake Hefner Filling my gas tank for $1.95 Making pizza dough with a new organic white flour Grown-up Mac-n-cheese Attending a coming home party My mom's herb/veggie garden The horse in my parent's pasture Amanda and I sneaking into a neighbors pasture for a 365 day picture Playing hide-and-seek/tag with the kids at Mom's Lucas and his new vocabulary People watching at Iron Man 2 Noticing people have been buying the Froast from Forward Foods Finally getting the chance to really look through my latest Vegetarian Times

Have a great day!

GARDEN DIARIES

Well, we've had our first casualty. A tomato plant succumbed to the wind. I was hoping to save it, but it just wasn't happening. The good news is that every thing else seems to be doing fine. The last of the seeds have sprouted. We now have cucumbers, cantaloupe, and chard sprouting up from the ground. Another pepper plant has bloomed; Chris's mom will be happy. The Christmas beans are growing by leaps and bounds.

I'm still amazed that there's stuff growing up out there. From seed! We are growing vegetables from seeds! This weekend, I took Christmas beans home to all the women in my family. It felt good to pass seeds on. Hopefully the seeds grow for them and they are able to find just as much joy from watching them grow as I am.

THANKFUL FRIDAYS

I can't believe this week is already over. And it's been a good one. I've been just busy enough at work. The weather has held out most of the week so I've been able to ride the V every day. I am thankful for this because it gives me a bit of independence and allows Chris to just go home at the end of the day instead of following me from yoga class to yoga class.

Also, this Sunday is Mother's Day. We will be traveling to my Mom's on Saturday to visit. Even though my mom has a tendency to drive me a little batty, I am thankful she is still around. I am thankful that she's always there when I need her even if it's for something simple like how to make pizza dough. I am hoping that on Saturday she will be happy.

The week may have zoomed by, but there was still time and plenty to be thankful for. I am thankful that Chris is on the mend. I am thankful for these strawberries from the Farmer's Market that I've had in my cereal every morning. I am thankful for the guest seminar speaker we had at work this week (kept the boss distracted and gave me another contact).

Happy Thankful Friday!

LOVE THURSDAYS

I saw these peonies on our walk and fell in love with their pink cotton candy like fluffiness. I think this means it's summer. At least we're having the summer like weather and that means scooter riding (not quite as fun with out Chris, but he'll be back in the game soon).

There's so much I love about this time of year and even this week. I had been trying to figure out a way to ride the scooter to work on the days I teach my 6 AM classes. I couldn't work out the details of all the crap I'd have to carry with me because I'd shower at the Y. Then I decided to just shower at home. The only reason I was getting to the Y so early was so I could do my meditation before class. Switching things around actually gave me more time, time for a savasana and meditation.

Even though I'm still dragging this cold thing around (I'm to the coughing stage of things), I am enjoying every second I get outside and on that scooter. Happy Love Thursday!

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY TUESDAYS

I didn't forget! This is just the first time today I've had a chance to sit. Busy day, but good because it's almost over.

Finishing up all of the Tudors series on Netflix Strawberry shortcake from scratch Cupcakes for lunch Cayenne pepper Talking about raw food recipes with one of my yoga students Shorts and flip-flops Farmer's Market at work Vegan tamales The owl at The Jen's house Open windows Sunshine When the dog howls Testing suitcases with Chris Sleeping in until 9:30! Brunch at Cheevers Ms. Swan planting this random square of sod in the front yard Riding my scooter!

Um...that's it for today.

GARDEN DIARIES

Not a whole lot to report this week in the Garden Diary. Last week I ended up planting some green onions in the bed we reserved for herbs and staked up some of the taller plants. We had a tomato plant downed from all the wind. I'm hoping that it will recover.

Each day things seem to be getting a little bit taller. The Christmas beans are still the most fascinating things out there to watch. It's like Jack and The Beanstalk. There's a little bloom on two of the pepper plants, but really...that's about it.

Oh, I have added a little gnome in among the tomatoes

THANKFUL FRIDAYS

I am thankful that today is payday and that we can replace that tire that we keep putting air into every other day. I know it's a really basic thing to be thankful for. I am also thankful for Kleenex since this cold thing has decided to migrate out through my nose in buckets. I am thankful for the rain this morning because the veggie garden needed it and saves us from having to do it. The list of thankful today seems a bit abrupt for the week, but I think it's only because I"m surprised that I even survived this one. I took one day off to just be sick and then hit the ground running. Every day has been full and I keep thinking "I just have to make through Friday evening". I have no idea what Chris's plans are for the weekend, but mine involve laundry, grocery shopping, and sleep. Uninterrupted sleep. Sleep that doesn't involve me leaning against the wall so I can breath.

I hope that everyone gets a chance for peace and quiet this weekend. Happy thankful Friday.

LOVE THURSDAY

My friend Misti has been trying to get us out to help her cheer on the marathon runners in our Memorial Marathon for some time now. She and her friend Martha do it every year. And since this is our year for doing, we were there standing on that corner at 7 AM Sunday morning.

Misti leads a pretty hectic life, but last week was a little on the extreme for even Misti. Our friend was hospitalized for a blood clot and Misti was there taking care of MGirl and re-enacting scenes from Terms of Endearment. In between times, she worked a full day every day and put up with a crappy groom at a wedding she was bar tending, a second job she picked up due to the slow economy. She works hard. But Sunday morning, there she was cheering her heart out to all those runners.

Misti, you are my Love Thursday entry because I love you. I love all of your enthusiasm and joy for life. I love that I know I can count on you as a friend and as a sister. I remember when I was a freshman in college, you and your friend walked into the dorm lobby. I thought you were so cool. If someone had told me then that you would end up being one of my closest friends, I would have said "no way, there's no way she would ever even know my name". I am blessed that you are a part of my life.

Happy Love Thursday!

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY TUESDAYS

Last week was a good week. I may not have gotten everything down on the list, but it was a good one.

The totally awesome tempeh tacos I made last week. Eating dinner at the Festival of the Arts Mashed cauliflower The class I taught Thursday morning Having a good lab week Plants growing up out the dirt! Cheering on the marathon runners Ring tailed lemurs New grocery stores that carry Froast! Breakfast with Misti and Martha Naps John's crazy asparagus fern Feeling better

I've got the ick that appears to be going around. I'm happy that I took off Monday, but that goes on the list for next week. Happy Tuesday!

GARDEN DIARIES

Turns out that this is the week I wax poetically about the plants sprouting up in the garden. I went out Saturday morning to plant a few seeds and realized that my Christmas beans where popping up from the dirt. On closer inspection it seem that the spinach, lettuce and leeks are also coming in. No word yet on the parsley.

I am in shock and awe over the garden. I can't believe that we've actually grown something from seed! Chris's mom planted the starter plants I bought from the Farmer's Market last week. She got a little carried away and ended up planting on top of the leeks and lettuce, but all that stuff is coming up any way. So, we'll just have leeks and lettuce growing around our peppers. It will make picking for salads easier.

Things purchased for the garden this week:

• marigolds (to go in around the tomatoes....heard they helped keep pests away)
• camomile
• Thai pepper plant
• fennel

Seeds I planted:

• cantaloupe
• chard
• cucumber
• wheat grass

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

P.S.: Parsley says "hi"

THANKFUL FRIDAYS

It has been one year and three months since my last sinus infection. I was reminded of this when we came home on Monday to a sick Ms. Swan. She was sniffly, congested and hacking and asked me for some "mend-ee-sin". I thought to myself "huh...I haven't done this in over a year!". OK, I had that throwing my guts up incident, but anyone could have gotten that bug. I used to get sinus infections once or twice a month and they were guaranteed every time the weather changed. Now, things are very different. So this week, I am thankful for my health and general well-being. It seems the Universe is trying to remind with little hints this week just how important your health can be. We had a friend admitted to the hospital yesterday for an emergency angiogram for a blood clot in her brain. It's pretty scary stuff, but she's going to be OK. I am so thankful that she's going to be OK, but it really is one of those slap-in-the-face moments that remind me how fragile we really are.

This week I am grateful to myself for taking care of me and I am thankful to the family and friends I have because we take care of each other.

Happy Thankful Friday!

LOVE THURSDAYS

Chris took a picture of a list he was writing the other day. It was a list of all the travel plans we have for this year. When I first glanced at it, I winced and immediately began to worry about the hows and whens and the OH MY GOD I NEED A NEW SUITCASE! But then I looked again thought "Wow! We got some big plans!". And then I get all giddy and excited because, y'all, I'm going to New York City and we're going to knock some things off the Life List!

You often hear people say things like "I want to travel more" or "we should travel more", but then end up going no where. I'm guilty of that. And it's really easy to carried away with the what ifs and all the logistics required to get you from point A to point B. I know all of that will fall into place. I'd like to think that this is our year for doing not say we're gonna. Maybe that's really what has me worried, not getting to fulfill Chris's travel list. But again, I know all will fall into place. It just reminds me of times when I was still a kid and we'd do summer vacations every year and there would be about five different camps I would go off too for weeks at a time.

I am ready to get on that bus.

Happy Love Thursday!

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY TUESDAYS

I think I did a little bit better job of adding to the list from things that happened during the week and not just on the weekend. It's more challenging, but there's a few in there.

Western Blots that work the first time I do them The two teen boys at Falcone's who were really nice and polite and made up a fresh veggie pizza so I could have one slice Riding Chris's broken scooter home (suck it Tow Truck!) Chris's mom saving the cantaloupe seeds because she thought I'd want to plant them Saying or doing something that makes Chris laugh and simultaneously groan because it hurts to laugh The perfect head of lettuce we bought at the Farmer's Market That little girl being carried into the store by her dad with an inflatable Giraffe under her arm Making a compost bin! Tomatoes from the Frontier The azaleas in front of that house down the street My dumb ass dog The busy, busy Farmer's Market People who think more highly of me then I deserve My new galoshes Clean yoga blankets Getting grocery shopping done on a Saturday Anticipating the food I'm going to eat at the Art Festival this week Seeing other scooters on the road Lab meetings that end early

Wow! What a list?!?

GARDEN DIARIES

Plants purchased or donated to me this week:

• sage
• cilantro
• hot chili pepper
• sweet pepper
• basil
• three tomatoes (two from the Frontier)

This weekend has been wet and rainy. Not a good weekend to put some plants in the ground. In fact, as we drove to the Farmer's Market, I had decided not to buy any plants that day. But once inside, I realized that most of the things for sale were plants. So I bought plants. They'll have to wait a few days for things to dry out a bit, but they're ready for the ground.

Nothing has sprouted yet from the seeds planted last week. I'm a bit impatient and I constantly worry that we planted the seeds too deep or packed the dirt down on top too hard. Growing from seed is truly a practice in patience. Chris's mom chopped up a cantaloupe and saved the seeds for me. Those will also go in the ground sometime next week.

We have also started a compost bin. Actually, Chris's mom has been the biggest contributer to the compost bin. It almost seemed like she went intentionally out of her way to produce vegetable garbage once I told her to save it. Now we have a Rubbermade bin (need to drill some holes in the lid) that contains layers of kitchen garbage with shredded news paper. It's really amazing how much vegetable waste we produce in a week. Hopefully, now I'll be able to put it to good use.

That's about it for the Garden Diary this week. Hopefully by next week I'll be able to wax poetically about the sprouts in the garden.

THANKFUL FRIDAYS

Well, this is a bit obvious. I am so thankful Chris is OK. He's got a couple of broken ribs, but he'll mend. He'll be back on that scooter in no time.

I am thankful for the tiny vegetable garden that we planted (before Chris's accident). I keep looking out there to see if anything has sprouted. Nothing yet, but I have high hopes. I'm thankful for my friends who have people in their families that grow vegetables and that those people are willing to help and even give me some tomatoes.

I am just really, really thankful for all that could have happened, but didn't. Thankful for the things and people in life right now in this moment.

Hope every one has a great weekend!