Mega Picture Post!

I've been meaning to blog about our garden for a long time now. To be honest, there hasn't been much to blog about until recently. Our last frost date is May 15th and with projected highs in the 40s this coming week, it might be extended. We have been able to see progress with some perennials planted in the past couple of years, some bulbs, new perennials, and hardy lettuce/spinach in our very small back yard. We're even seeing things beginning to bloom in our front yard! Side note: I should let my husband, the photographer, take pictures from now on... please excuse my lack of skills with the camera!

Arugula and spinach

Chives are our only surviving herb from last year. We plan to plant some basil as well when the weather is warmer, but we don't plan on doing anything else. We cook a lot, but just didn't use the amount of fresh herbs that we thought we would last year when we bought a ton.

I loved this frog that we saw at a local nursery and my parents bought it for me when they last visited (and of course purchased one for themselves too). We filled ours with succulents purchased from the Denver Botanic Gardens spring plant sale.

For some reason, I hated phlox when I lived in Georgia, but think it blooms beautifully here (probably because it is the first thing to bloom). We have three different colors in our yard and I love seeing color in our yard even when there is snow on the ground.

This is a crappy picture, but this is a nice raised bed J made in place of a puppy sand box. There are all sorts of succulents, flowers, grasses, and one day there will be some beautiful sea holly.

This is the look at one side of the yard (why yes, we do indeed like mushrooms). There is a honeysuckle vine (not pictured), a peony bulb, a columbine plant, and a raspberry bush. And don't forget the dog who just loves to chew on wood chips...

Yet another wood chip-lovin dog... I am grateful for their sake that we don't get a lot of warm weather here. I would be panting like crazy with that coat!

This is delphinium row. We have three delphinium, (delphinia?) some plant with orange blossoms, a peony plant, (can't wait to see how it turns out!) and some gladioli bulbs popping.

Our rose bushes are coming back this year! One is doing well so far and the other is taking its sweet time. We paid an arm and a leg for these last year, so I have high hopes.

This corner of the yard comprises a clematis, some grasses, some red flowering thing that is really pretty late in the summer, emerging gladioli bulbs, emerging lily bulbs, and penstemon. I can't wait to see how these progress over the next month.

Strawberries, more spinach, and red bibb lettuce (one of these days)

We're really excited to see how the front yard progresses this year. We've planted some hosta bulbs and are seeing progress on many of the plants (almost all of their names are escaping me currently). Since our front yard is north-facing, it is taking things a lot longer to wake up, but we should see progress by the time June rolls in...

Last year we planted a ton of pansies and violas in widow boxes. Some of the seeds must have fallen below because a few have come back this year. I guess these guys can be perennials in Colorado if you're semi-lazy about your gardening!

J and I saw this plant yesterday in Denver and he was lamenting that we can never get ours to bloom. Lo and behold it is blooming this year after all.

I've also completed a few yarn projects!

This is my husband with the knit scarf I made him. It took forever, but I think I get the whole knit/purl thing.

This is my first big crochet project, an adult-sized granny square blanket for the house. I made the squares and found a joining method online. It is a very delicate blanket, which is not what I was intending, but I think it was fine for my first go.

Finally, I tried my hand at some dog sweaters! These were fun and easy, but I can't seem to get my real dogs to model them, so I had to get Pound Puppy to model for me.

Sorry I haven't been around much this year. I kind of vaguely referred to some stuff in an earlier post, but I will try to update more as my garden grows and I craft more.

While You Were Out...

What happens when my co-worker and I leave the office for an out-of-state conference...

Lately...

I was lucky enough to have a five day weekend starting last Thursday. I had worked the previous weekend and am generally over full time hours anyways (unless we're on call for reference, we generally make up our own schedule, which usually gets out of hand with meetings, programming, etc.) so I had the time. It has been a great 5 days of catching up on reading, baking, and trying new things.

For example:

I read: I finally finished The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, which came highly recommended. It was really good, but I don't think I was fully present for that read. I also read about 150 pages of Villette (less than 100 pages to go and loving it!) and also finished A Wrinkle in Time, which is one of my favorite books. I've decided to re-read all of L'Engle's children's books this year. My current read is The Ladies of Grace Adieu (short stories) by Susanna Clarke.

I baked/cooked: cookies and cream mini-cheesecakes, homemade doughnuts, Lobster Colorado, etc. All were very good, but now that I'm sitting in a canola-oil smelly house right now, I'm kind of regretting the doughnuts.

I tried: cross-country skiing. This was my first time skiing... ever. My parents never took me as a kid, and I was not about to learn how to downhill ski with 3 year olds skiing circles around me. I figured that even level skiing would be a bit easier (knowing full and well that it is quite a workout). We went with some friends who do this often, but who are also relaxed about the sport. I fell twice going downhill (and once going uphill) but finally got used to the weight distribution and gliding towards the end. Having special tracks in the snow helped a ton and being in Wyoming at the time didn't hurt either. It wasn't crowded at all. We all spent some time in Laramie after the skiing, which was cool, since our friends had previously lived there. We went two days ago, and I'm still sore... ouch!

Today, the library is closed for President's Day, so I'm trying to cook for the week, make sure the house can survive the upcoming work week, and catch up on my knitting. These next few weeks (okay, through the first part of April) are going to be immensely crazy. I will update when I can.

Mission 101 Update

Wow... time has flown by! Let's just say I have about a year and 2 months left to complete by 101 goals. I thought of this recently because I've taken up knitting (which I shall blog about later) and realized that I haven't written about it in a while. So see any updates below.

Like a good librarian, I've coded the list.

BOLD=completed goals

Italics= in progress

Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.The Criteria:Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Start Date: July 18th, 2008
End Date: April 15th, 2011

Creativity:

1. Experiment with food design and making food look pretty.
2. Pick up some form of sewing or knitting and have one project completed. (embroidery projects)
3. Draw and paint again .
4. Ask Jon to teach me basic photography techniques.
5. Ask Jon to teach me basic Photoshop techniques.
6. Make something with the bulk of dried lavender I accidentally bought last year. (Jon is working on sachets with our new sewing machine).

Financial:

7. Establish a ROTH-IRA to supplement any retirement earned through an employer. (Haven't started, although both Jon and I are contributing maximum amounts to our accounts)
8. Start contributing to a cause... likely something to help animals and people who help animals (Humane Society or some ASPCA.) (Colorado dachshund rescue)
9. Make an effort to tithe more.
10. Continue to pay bills in full and on time.
11. Continue to stay credit card debt free (neither Jon nor I have ever been in cc debt) and continue to only use cards for what we can afford.
12. Pay off Wonda, my car.
13. Get Jon a new car/truck, and only after my car is paid in full to avoid two car payments.
14. Prioritize major purchases for the house and only purchase another major item when the item of higher priority is paid in full.
15. Only dip into high interest savings either in a dire emergency or to use towards school.
16. Continue to contribute any small amount to the high interest travel fund.
17. Stay insured for health and dental even if unemployed.
18. Do not impulse buy books because they'll likely be donated within the year anyways.

Food:

19. Bake at least one confection per week, excepting vacations.
20. Grow an herb garden.
21. Bake bread more often and learn how to hand knead.
22. Better icing technique and piping skills.
23. Attempt a fancy pastry like a napoleon or an eclair.

24. Focus more on cooking.
25. Get used to high altitude baking.
26. Bake a soufflé (stole this one from Amanda.)
27. Start getting milk products from a dairy delivery service instead of the grocery store.
28. Learn how to cook an authentic foreign dish.

Fun Times:

29. Get a dog and successfully train and socialize it.
30. Get a bike and use it.
31. Host some form of a get-together once per quarter.
32. Have board/card game nights as much as possible.
33. Watch all Doctor Who DVDs available on Netflix.
34. Go see a drum corps show if they come to Denver at any point, since I haven't been to one in a while.
35. Watch one watered down horror movie with Jon... during the day time... when it's sunny.
36. Watch the original Star Wars trilogy.
37. Attend some sort of theater event.
38. Go to at least one festival (food, Renaissance, etc.)

Health/Environment:

39. Pick up an activity/hobby that requires exercise and/or being outside.
40.Walk as much as possible.
41. Join a club of some sort in Fort Collins to meet new people.
42. Make an effort to get out more.
43. Do not commute to any job more than 30 minutes, unless our financial independence relies on it. School would be an exception.
44. Continue using reusable bags at grocery stores.
45. Eliminate coffee to very special occasions and drink only tea for caffeine needs.
46. Drink only one soda per week. (I'm actually off of sodas completely now... thank goodness)
47. Replace all lamp bulbs with energy efficient ones.
48. Get a physical once every 3 years.
49. Go to the dermatologist every other year.
50. Wear sunscreen when exposed to the sun for long periods of time.
51. Learn to ski (I've never tried.)
52. Eat red meat at the most twice per week, preferably less. (I really need to work on this one)
53. Eat at least 3 servings of fruit/vegetables per day.
54. Start stretching and become limber again.
55. Learn how to shoot a gun.


Home/Organizing:

56. Never leave dishes unwashed.
57. Plant flowers and bushes around the house and maintain them to become a better gardener.
58. Decorate tastefully for Halloween, Christmas, and Easter.
59. Do not decorate for Christmas before the day after Thanksgiving (yeah, I might fail at this one.)
60. Devise a storage system for kitchen items.
61. Dog-proof the house.
62. Put up dry wall in the garage and devise an organized system for Jon's stuff.
63. At least make plans to have the basement refinished so Jon can have his office/man cave.
64. Get a bedroom set.
65. Establish the guest room.
66. Make a set and realistic house cleaning schedule and stick to it.

Learning/Career:

67. Consider schooling for possible new paths and try to avoid student loans to finance education.
68. Pick up French and Italian again, or learn Spanish, as it is more practical.
69. Read at least 3 history texts, mainly in European history (one on England, one on France, and one on Eastern Europe.)
70. Take a business or entrepreneur course if switching careers.
71. Re-read The Elements of Style by Strunk and White since I'm awful at grammar and writing, as well as other grammar books.
72. Have at least a part time job by October, whether it be as a librarian or something else.
73. Vote in 2008 election.

Personal:

74. Get married and change my last name.
75. Make an effort to start my marriage off on the right foot by establishing alone time, us time, and keeping communication open.
76. Establish a living will.
77. Consider pregnancy or adoption by the age of 29 (having a child by 30.)
78. Be less private about my relationship with God, but do not overstep boundaries and do not rub religion in people's faces.
79. Attend church more often.
80. Get to know the in-laws better, as well as my own family.
81. Learn how to drive a stick shift.
82. Have my hair cut at least 5 inches sometime after the wedding.
83. Make an effort to be more social and pursue quality friendships.

Reading:

84. Read 100 classic novels that I have not previously read.
85. Read one book outside of my comfort zone.
86. Read and complete a Tolstoy novel (Anna Karenina was a failure for me.)
87. Read all current and past Printz, Newbery, and Caldecott Medal Winners.
88. Attempt the Lord of the Rings trilogy again.

Travel:

89. Visit at least 10 national parks that neither Jon nor I have previously visited. (We have a lot to do though since we've only been to one so far)
90. See New Zealand.
91. Visit at least 2 of the 4 states I have left to see in the U.S. (Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, Idaho.)
92. Get back to Europe, preferably England again, but I wouldn't complain if I visited Prague, Greece, or Italy either.
93. Camp at least once per year.
94. Go to Dinosaur monument.
95. Take the Colorado Train
96. Drive through Independence Pass.
97. Take Jon to Devil's Tower and Little Bighorn.
98. Renew passport (can't travel internationally without it!)
99. Find a good and safe place to board the dog(s) when traveling.
100. Go home at least once a year.
101. Visit the Northeast again during summer.

Faux-Reos

These are yummy.

And yes, a glass of milk is required for their consumption.

Homemade Bagels

Forget grocery store bagels because they don't taste that great, and definitely forget speciality store bagels because they're too pricey! Making your own bagels is surprisingly easy and the taste and texture are wonderful!

I've been trying to make all of my own bread products since I moved to Colorado. At times, it has proven difficult for me because baking in higher altitudes can be tricky. Add the boiling component of bagels, and I was pretty darn intimidated. I decided to go with the simplest recipe possible, which meant I was using white bread flour, not whole wheat flour (I've had issues in the past).

I'd love to do a step-by-step, like PW but I just don't have time time to chronicle recipes (I actually started this blog Saturday morning and had to put off finishing it because I was busy *EDIT* Although now that I have posted the blog, it says that it's Saturday at 9:53am... believe me, it's Sunday evening). I used my favorite baking handbook's recipe which can also be found here.

I think they took me three hours from start to finish. I had ordered online the one ingredient I hadn't heard of previously, so if you ever decide to make these be sure to get/search for this ingredient ahead of time.

Here is my final product.

Uggh, I couldn't get the above picture to turn (I still haven't figured out my Mac)

They were exactly like bagels should be (although maybe not as pretty)... they had shiny, chewy crusts and soft middles. As for the taste? I had three out of the 8 and J ate 5. I made them Thursday and they were gone by Saturday morning. These were true winners. I think I will make them again soon!

2010 Goals-- Organization!

Why don't we take a stroll in my left-brained/task-oriented mind? I'm sure it won't be a complete surprise to most of my readers, who seem to share the same mentality. I read far too many bloggers with the same sentiments!

2009 definitely got away from me. It wasn't the best year and it wasn't the worst either. I didn't lose any family members, although I did lose one that was as good as family (a blog post for another time). I did find myself extremely stressed for the majority of the year though, which put a damper on my personal life and homemaking.

I'm hoping a few tries at good old organization (January is National Organization Month after all) to get me through what is panning out to be a similar year to 2009. So how will this plan for organization make my life better?

1. Reading

I think I mentioned in earlier posts that 2009 was just a blah reading year for me. There were some real gems, but nothing like what I had experienced in previous years. I think my main problem last year was that I was trying to read too much at one time. There were many months where I had five books going at once because I didn't want to spend months on one long classic. I've tried this before and it just makes me frustrated.

In 2010, I'm going to try to do something different. I still want to read classics, no matter how long they are. So, instead of reading classics and modern fiction and nonfiction at the same time, I will read 50 pages of a classic in between other books. So far, I've read 100 pages of Villette which I LOVE so far and am reading my third book for completion for the year. I also want a better variety of fiction reads this year, since I'm no longer working with one particular age group in my profession. So, I'll switch from reading an adult work to a J-Fic work and back to my favorite teen works. All three have a veritable place in literature (it really bothers me when people allude that children's and YA novels are sub-par in any way) and I'm hoping that I can gain a better understanding of all three this year. I may read less classics overall this year, but I think I will have a better understanding of each classic that I do complete.

How on earth am I keeping track of this? Well, on my sidebar, I have a list of books completed for the year (2 so far). I've been doing this since 2007, but I just thought I would point out that it is there. I also have my Goodreads account where I can rate books. Finally, I have a spreadsheet that I keep for personal uses where I can color code reads to make sure that I am staying "well-rounded."

2. Crafting

J and I are both hoping to be a bit more crafty this year. I don't do much beyond embroidering. I prefer to stay in the kitchen. But this Christmas blessed us with a brand new sewing machine. A couple of years back I mistakenly bought dried lavender in BULK. It was funny at the time, but for a long time we had no clue what to do with it. J knows how to use the sewing machine (and I'm hoping to channel my very talented late grandmother to learn things myself as well) so one of these days we'll plan to make drawer sachets out of the lavender. Let me know if you want one because we'll be able to make plenty! Our ultimate goals with the sewing machine? A duvet cover (with hand embroidery embellishments) and modern curtains.

I'm working on a few projects right now... they're all stitching. One is going to be a VERY late xmas present, one a birthday present, and one is stitching names on stockings for our dogs. Maybe one of these days I'll try crocheting again or knitting since I haven't had much luck with crocheting (Ashley, I wish you lived here to teach me).

3. In the kitchen

My parents were very generous this Christmas and decided to gift us a freezer for our basement. I have been lusting after one for a while so this was a perfect gift. J wasn't so sure at first until we spoke with friends of ours who could really speak for its money-saving goodness. When we finally went to purchase one, we found a damaged (no lock) version of the largest model the store had for over $200 off of the normal price. We decided to go for it and save the money for our parents!

I immediately checked out all of the freezer cooking books we have at work and have managed to moderately fill up that sucker. Since we got the freezer, we've only gone out to eat once! I truly think going out to eat was preventing us from saving more money and was also pretty bad for our health. I already notice a difference in my figure because we eat much less processed foods and I feel 5 times better. After an exhausting 10 hour day at work, I can come home and cook a meal that I have already prepared instead of doing all of the planning and preparing that goes with starting something from scratch. I'm hoping to get a lot out of my freezer this year and put the money we save in savings!

I'm hoping all of these attempts at organization in 2010 help clear my mind and make for a more pleasant general well-being. I'll be sure to update as the year progresses.

En Zid

New Zealand was a wonderful honeymoon and well worth the year long wait.

Christmas Fun

Thanks Ms. Ashley for our scarves!

Opening stockings...

So Behind...

Yes, I am very behind on my updating. I promise to put something (New Zealandish) on the blog this weekend. I also need to update on a fabulous new reading challenge I've taken on for 2010.

But for now, I leave you with this...

Stitching Fun

Here are some stitching projects I've been working on lately...

All except the bib are for a male co-worker. Yes, I'm giving a guy tea towels for his birthday... at least they all have things he enjoys on them! I have no clue who the bib is for. I had some left over bibs from when a local friend had her baby in July and I wanted something to stitch... something Holiday-themed.

I won't be around much until Christmas time. We leave the country for two weeks this Saturday and I have one heck of a week ahead of me before I can even dream of late spring weather instead of fall (feels like winter here) and driving on the left hand side of the road.

I look forward to reading lots of interesting blogs when we get back!

Book Review: Lord of the Flies

Author: William Golding

Originally Published In: 1954

Read in: October 2009

Poor Piggy. Lord of the Flies is an interesting study in human nature. This was one of the many books I missed out on in high school. I recall my friend Susan mentioning reading the book and I always thought it had something to do with corn (maybe Children of the Corn?). My interest was sparked this year when I realized that a lot of my patrons read and like the book. It was also mentioned on this show which I thought I wouldn't like, but ended up a follower anyway.

The story takes place on a remote island. A plane crashes leaving only British school children as survivors. No adults. The survivors must find a way to summon outside help and also create a society of their own. Ralph, a blonde-haired boy is the first elected leader. His right hand man is a chubby boy named Piggy (although he doesn't want to be called that) who is constantly picked on even in this new situation. He wants the boys to have fun, build shelter, and build a fire to summon help. Jack, whose choir boy group becomes the hunters of the pack, becomes Ralph's main adversary. Jack and his pack of hunters become increasingly insane when a corpse on the island is mistaken as a beast, resulting and crazy rituals and even more serious occurrences.

I liked this book, although I expected to like it more than I did. The book is very allegorical, so I think I would have understood all of its nuances had I read it in a class rather than on my own. Overall, I'm glad I read it and now I can understand all of those pop culture references to the book!

Book Review: The Monk

Author: Matthew Lewis

Originally Published: 1796

Read in: September and October 2009

The Monk is a creepy reminder of the capacity for evil in humans. The story describes the downfall of a prominent Spanish monk named Ambrosio at the hands of Satan. This is Gothic literature at its best and most detailed.

Ambrosio begins his descent when a woman named Matilda disguised as another monk, tempts him. As an instrument of Satan, she encourages him to commit horrible acts throughout the book, of which I will spare the reader because you all should read this yourselves!

There are many diversions (for example, the bleeding nun) in the book, which honestly slowed my reading of this book, but it's usually my preference to stick with the main story. Overall, I was justifiably appalled by the main story (in a good way because I would recommend this book to anybody who likes Gothic literature). I often felt like Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey while reading the story because I had trouble walking into dark rooms after reading the book. It was a great fall early evening read.

I'm happy about finishing this book before Halloween because I was able to complete this year's R.I.P Challenge. This was also a Classics Challenge read. Both challenges end on the 31st, so I'm just in the nick of time. Thanks to the hosts for encouraging people to read read read!

Fulfilling a Childhood Dream : Cherry Clafouti

Anybody who was friends with me growing up knows my mom is a super baker. It was inevitable that her love of baking would transfer to me. I started baking hard-core in college with easy recipes that became more elaborate and refined as I got older.

My mom feels that in order to gain a love of cooking and baking, you have to start young. I don't know if this is true, although I do plan to bake and cook with my kids. I have many distinct memories of standing on a stool and staring at my reflection in the stand mixer, stirring when allowed, and waiting to lick the whisk or paddle depending on what was being created. I remember looking on with envy during Christmas season when my mom would make spritz cookies with the cookie press (Way later I learned that my mom gets very frustrated making cookies with a press... the humidity in Georgia makes for many repeats. When I lived with my parents for two years before moving to Colorado, I would be the spritz maker in her place).

So, naturally, I received cookbooks in addition to fiction as presents when I was a kid. I think it was my 5th birthday when I received Yum yum! I'll be my own cook by Monique Felix. It is an obscure (I think) illustrated kid's cookbook and is obviously translated from French. I remember fantasizing about making all of these fabulous recipes. In reality, I think we made only one thing from the book... the directions were vague and we often had our own recipes for many of the dishes. Regardless, I still covet this book because who doesn't like reminiscing about a good childhood?

I generally like to bake something on my days off and today I decided to fulfill one of my Yum yum! dreams by baking a Cherry Clafouti. I was perusing through one of my favorite baking books, when I came across the recipe I would use. I had some sour cherries left over from spring baking, so I decided to make use of them after some major pumpkin overload over the past few weeks.

So here are a couple pictures of the Yum yum! recipe. Notice how I circled the recipe in the right hand corner because I wanted to make it.

Also pictured is the final product before baking... illustrated.

Here is my final KAF creation. I had to make the custard-y version in a 9in. pan because my only 10 in. pan is a springform, and the batter would leak through...

I'm too lazy to type in the recipe, but here is another KAF recipe that I bet is just as good.

Fall Madness

So, I can't believe it's been over a month since I last blogged! A couple of weeks back, I tried to chronicle our awesome trip to the pumpkin patch, etc. but I didn't end up publishing it for some reason.

I had a wonderful 4 day weekend planned, but of course things got in the way. I ended up working more than I wanted to (which was not at all) but it does mean less work during the week. We're pretty jammed packed schedule-wise until our big trip overseas next month, so blogging will be sparse.

I will, however, chronicle some of our fall madness over the past few weeks. I should mention that there is 2 inches of snow on the ground as we speak, so it feels more like Christmas right now than October.

A couple of weeks ago J and I went to a pumpkin patch in Ault, Colorado. The dogs had a blast (even if Quincey got a bad reaction to something and we had to rush him home to give him medicine) and we walked away with 15 pumpkins for $17. Jon and I love different varieties of pumpkins, so we were satisfied. I immediately ran home, pureed one of the white pumpkins and made a lovely pumpkin chiffon pie. It may not have been orange, but it is one of the best tasting pies I have ever made. And yes, that is homemade cinnamon whipped cream... yum!

Jon and I decorated the front of the house with the rest of the lot. We decorated the window boxes with gourds and winter squashes and the doorstep and porch with pumpkins. We don't have a picture of the entire front yet because we're waiting to carve some pumpkins closer to Halloween. We do, however, have a picture of some of the pumpkins... one is particularly fluffy (trust me, he looks like a rat when wet)!

So it's been a busy fall so far at our house! More later with some home improvements!

Updates

The smell of fall is in the air in Colorado. Okay, well, it's still pretty warm here, but the mornings and evenings are perfect! So what has been happening in the life of the G. family???

• I have convinced hubby to semi-decorate the house for fall. He thinks that I decorate for seasons far too early (understandable since I once decorated for Christmas in October) but I have convinced him at least to let me change out decorative pillow covers, candles, kitchen linens, place mats, etc. to fall colors. The fall color scheme is by far my favorite, and I'm loving the warmth it brings to my house. J. even bought me a small pumpkin to make the place more festive. When I do go all out, I will post pictures (hopefully a couple of weeks from now).
• I have experienced success in the bread baking department! I have been baking bread for a while now, but moving to an elevation more than 4,000 feet higher than my previous location has been bad for baking... especially whole wheat breads. I have tried everything under the sun to adjust recipes and nothing has worked. I was so close to buying a bread maker when I checked out a high altitude baking book from the library. Alas, success with a whole wheat bread! Now my small kitchen can be spared from a huge clunky bread maker and J. and I can eat well.



• I am reading too much at the moment: The Monk, The Devil in the White City, Sea of Monsters, and The Sunday Philosophy Club (this one is for a book club at work). I feel like I'm finally back to a reading routine, which makes life seem just right again.
• We're slowly preparing for our big trip to the southern hemisphere in November. Does anybody know anything about getting a temporary cell phone that works overseas? We've already decided that we don't want to take the laptop with us because we'll be traveling all over the north and south islands, but don't want to be completely isolated... it would be nice to communicate with family once in a while.
• As if I wasn't already a nerd, I have forged new paths of geekery and am now taken with this show. I found out recently that my best friend from college attended this this past weekend. I continually wondered why we never explored these interests in college! Sigh, the life of a nerd.

Better Late Than Never, I Suppose...

This is an interesting article, but about 5 years behind the curve. We were discussing this very same topic when I began graduate school a whopping 5 years ago. It never ceases to amaze me how many stereotypes there are out in the real world about libraries... like how anybody who works in a library is a "librarian" or "books will be completely obsolete in a few years." I don't see why it's so weird that libraries have evolved/are evolving, considering that every industry/profession does the same. It's obvious that I am way too involved, and that I wouldn't be shocked if this wasn't my life, but I'm shaking my head nonetheless. Seriously, who has seen a shushing, bun-wearing librarian with pointy glasses in the last 10 years?

I have to wonder what I tend to stereotype, and who is shaking their heads at me...

Book Review: Madame Bovary

Author: Gustave Flaubert

Originally Published: 1857 (after the back lash)

Read in: July and August 2009

After months and months of reading British literature (my favorite) I decided to move back to my college roots and read a French author. I don't know much about Flaubert (I have only read "A Simple Heart" up to this point) but was interested in reading Madame Bovary. I had a much easier time finishing this book than my last classic, perhaps because the main character was a bit on the tragic side for my tastes.

The book is basically the story of what happens when a woman, Emma, gets very bored with her life and lives for a fantastic ideal. At a young age, her father hands her over to Charles Bovary, a second-rate physician. She is almost immediately tired of the marriage and is repulsed by Charles. The physician thinks she needs a change of scenery and moves her to a different town. The new location only distracts Emma more and she begins to form relationships with other men. Emma also has a taste for the finer things in life and her reckless attitude with money combined with her passion for... well, passion creates dire consequences for her and Charles.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Flaubert's writing style and his attention to detail were amazing. But I LOATHED Emma, mainly because I am not a romantic. I realize that the novel was likely a social critique of the time, so she had to be over the top, but I have never read about a more self-centered character. Sadly, I think we can all see some part of ourselves in Emma, because nobody is perfect.

Next on the list? Matther Lewis's The Monk. Should be creepy!

What I've Learned In 4 Years of Blogging

I can't believe it! My beautiful blog turned 4 earlier this month. I had blogs before this one, all of which failed, mainly because I took blogging too seriously and spilled my heart all over the internet. I was able to stick with this one though, even though its conception started during a rough summer for me.

This blog got me through my last year of graduate school, which was a very productive time in my life, but also a time of degraded self-esteem, which was all my own fault. I was giving up an activity that defined me for years, holding on to relationships that I should have let go when I moved to Indiana, and most importantly, dealing with living out of state by myself, without knowing a soul (admittedly, I was much more comfortable with the latter by the time I started the blog because I had made some friends). From graduate school, I moved back to my hometown with my parents for almost two years. I received my first professional job offer, re-met my husband (obviously he wasn't my husband at the time) and began traveling. New friendships were formed and old friendships blossomed. Then came time to pack up once again and make the long journey to Colorado, where I was offered a new job (thank goodness) and married. It's been quite a journey! So what have I learned over the past few years?

• Don't change the font color for every blog... not worth it. I realize that most people don't do this, but I did it all the time when I began my blog.
• Simple layouts work best (for me). I'm content using one of the basic layouts and changing the colors seasonally. In fact, this blog will become orange on September 1st!
• I don't have to find a clever quote to title each blog.
• I don't have to update periodically. Who has the time to update frequently??? I'm lucky if I get two words in every week. This week is exceedingly special... two blogs!
• Books are great! I think book blogs (and baking blogs) are the best things out there. I admire such wonderful, positive communities... something I don't see on a lot of social networking forums and specialized blogs. What a better way to bring people together than book challenges or Bakerella's beautiful blog.
• Don't fuss about comments or followers. Blogging is a good archiving method for me, since I don't journal. I can look back to late 2005 to see all of the exciting or mundane things I was doing. Lack of comments and followers will not be my demise, but getting more busy might just be the ticket.
• Pictures! I love pictures when I look at blogs. They add depth and help me connect with the author. I want to post more pictures in my blog... I shall work on this.

It's been an interesting 4 years blog. Let's see where technology takes us during the next 4!

Marriage Survey

For all you married people out there! Tag your married friends that you want to know about!



1. When is your "engagement" anniversary: I think it was early to mid-October 2007. I don't remember the exact date.



2. When is your "marriage" anniversary: October 18th, 2007



3. How long have you known your spouse: I met him at band camp (snort) when I was in 10th grade... so 12 years.



4. How long did you date/court before you were engaged: About a year



5. Where did you meet your spouse for the first time? Band Camp in South Carolina



6. What is your spouse's full name: I refuse to post that...



7. Do you have any children: I'll go with Ashley and say "two furry ones!"



8. How many - boys/girls: one boy and one girl :)



9. Do you have any house pets: see above



10. Do you own a house or rent: own



11. Do you live in the country or town/city: A Town



12. What is one of your favorite activities together: Walking, which sometimes leads to hiking, watching movies, running errands, and most importantly, eating and traveling



13. Do you have a favorite vacation spot: I'm not sure, but we're hoping the honeymoon becomes the favorite spot. We have travelled a lot all over the west, but we've planned for much more



14. When did you first kiss? Christmas eve, 2006



15. What church do you attend? St. Josephs



16. Is this the church you were married in? No... we were married in a university chapel in Illinois (where my grandfather taught)



17. What town is your current address at? Fort Collins, CO



18. Do you work or stay at home: I work and so does Jon. If we have children in the future, I hope to go down to part time and would love to be a stay at home mom, which is it's own complicated job.



19. Where did you go on your honeymoon: We haven't gone yet. We're going this November to NZ.



20. What was the funniest gift you gave when dating? There were many, but all I can remember right now is the "I Dewey" shirt



21. How long have you been together? 3 years



22. How long did you know each other before you started dating? About 10 years being acquaintances

23. Who asked who out? He asked me.



24. How old are each of you? I'm 27 and he is 28



25.Where do you each work or go to school? I am a librarian for a public library district in a nearby town and he is a medical animator


26. Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple? For me, it's making dinner... I never know what to make for dinner and never have the energy to make it!


27. Did you go to the same school? High School and College, but not Grad School



28. Are you from the same home town? Yes



29. Who is smarter? I would say the same... although in different areas



30. Who is more sensitive? Me



31. Where do you eat out most as a couple? The Rio, Suehiro, or Sri Thai... all local restaurants



32. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? Well, living here, I would say Georgia



33.Who has the craziest exes? I don't think either of us have crazy exes



34. Who has the worst temper? Me.



35. Who does the cooking? Both.



36. Who is more social? He is... he is confident in making friends and I am shy



37. Who is the neat-freak? Depends on the day



38. Who is more stubborn? Me



39. Who hogs the bed? Jon would say me and I would say him



40. Who wakes up earlier? Me



41. Where was your first date? Throwing frisbee at the park



42. Who had more boyfriends/girlfriends? Equal for us, or at least close.



43. Do you get flowers often? No, but I don't want them a lot because they'll die.



44. How do you spend the holidays? I prefer it with just him instead of running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to satisfy both families.



45. Who is more jealous? Me



46. How long did it take to get serious? We were serious about 4 months into the relationship



47. Who eats more? Him.



48. Who does the laundry? Me



49. Who’s better with the computer? Him.



50. Leave a piece of advice for the other couples. Don't sweat the small stuff and only spend what you can afford!