Homemade Graham Crackers

A while back I started thinking about what kind of junk was entering my sons body via additives and preservatives in his snacks. I am sure packaged graham crackers are just fine but because I was wanting to be able to really monitor what he was eating I found this recipe. I had a hard time finding graham flour so I just called a local small health food store and they special ordered it for me at no extra cost. They ordered the Bobs Red Mill brand. These turn out so good everyone will love them...and you for making them!

My husband was a little confused at first because rather then making them square I used a round cookie cutter to cut them out with. He kept referring to them as flat harder cookies. "No Dear they aren't hard cookies they are graham crackers. " Next time I will make them square so no one gets thrown off.

MIX:

3 c. flour

3 c. graham flour

1 tsp. salt

1 c. brown sugar

MOISTEN WITH:

1/2 c. oil

Water to make a stiff dough

Make a stiff dough and knead until well formed. Roll out thin, make sure you dust the area with flour first. Cut into squares and prick with a fork. Place on cookie sheet. Bake until crisp at 35o degrees. I sprinkled mine with a little sugar...yummy!

Quick Pickles

For Christmas dinner one year I decided to go with a BBQ theme. What would BBQ be without pickles? Well if you have spent any time in the south then you know you simply can NOT have one with out the other! A truly southern treat would have been fried pickles, but I am not ready to have a coronary yet so I went with a basic version. This is so unbelievably easy it makes my heart flutter. Is it bad that my favorite part of dinner were the pickles? This recipe is good for 2-4 people, depending on how many pickles you like (wink, wink!) 

1 large cucumber sliced in rounds 1/4 inch thick
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup white sugar
1 Tbs salt
couple dashes of dill
couple dashes of celery seeds
5 black pepper corns

Place cucumber slices in a bowl or mason jar, then bring all other ingredients to a boil in a sauce pan. Boil on low for about ten minutes, when done pour over cucumbers. Place in refrigerator until you are ready to eat these tasty tokens of love!

Best Ever Parfait!

I have created the best ever: vanilla infused granola, blueberries and lemon cream parfait! I repeat BEST EVER!!!

Just look at this picture if you aren't sold by it and it alone, then you might as well move on. I have to admit that the recipes individually were not my own, but finding them and weaving them together is where I will take the credit. LOL!

I have NEVER had homemade granola that was remotely good. I have been eyeballing these pretty little bags of locally made granola at Whole Foods. But paying eight bucks for the small bag wasn't very appealing to me. So I decided to get back on the horse and find that one awesome granola recipe that I knew had to be online some where! I found that recipe with Alton Brown. For some that will be no big surprise I am sure. I did make a couple of changes to his recipe just so I wouldn't have to run out to the store and buy any ingredients.

I used walnuts rather then cashews. I added a little but of unmelted coconut oil only because I thought I was out of shredded coconut. Then I looked in my freezer and found a big jar of it! Hurray, so it had both. I tried grinding up just a Tbs or so of flax seeds to add to it. But sadly my grinder was jammed. WHICH by the way, if you are new to grinding your own flax seed make sure you clean your grinder very well, or you may be in for a little not so nice surprise the next time you pull it out of your cabinet. Gurrrr! So I added a couple spoonfuls of sunflower seeds to my little bitty food processor and the flax seed and tried to grind it up that way (the flax alone wouldn't have ground up in it) some ground up and some stayed whole. WHAT EVER, its not important really! Also I omitted the raisins. I then stored the granola in mason jars with vanilla pods, to lightly infuse it! All I did was slice the pods length wise, scrape the seeds out and place the pods inside the mason jars, then fill them up with the granola.

Best ever homemade granola recipe ~thank you Alton Brown!~

Next I went out to search for an alternative to using yogurt in my parfait. I am not sure how I stumbled onto this recipe but it is so insanely good you have to use it instead of yogurt!!! Its tart and refreshing and adds the perfect zip to this parfait! I added more lemon juice at the end to make it as tangy as I like. This recipe hails from the Tasty Kitchen site. If by the way you haven't used this site before its time to get going! Its just like Allrecipes only it is newer and seems to be a little more human friendly (I have had recipes pending to be published on that site for MANY years now.)

The third and final layer in this parfait is fruit. I choose blueberries and it was the perfect simple healthy option! I wouldn't change that as long as they are in season.

All you have to do is layer these in pretty glasses or use a small mason jar like I did for a nice country effect. I used a wide zester to make pretty little lemon curls on top, which are totally edible!

Here are the links to the two main recipes:

Granola: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/granola-recipe/index.html

Lemon Cream: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/lemon-cream-fruit-dip/old i

To blog or not to blog, that is the question.

So here's the deal I have multiple blogs, and rarely add to any of them anymore. There are just too many for me to wrap my time and attention on any one specific one. Blah! Its like ADHD in blogger land around here!

I am going to import my posts from my other blogs onto this one, and only use this one from now on. Simple enough.

The picture above is from two summers ago. We took T-man to Disney Land for his fifth birthday. He was really into "spy" stuff that year. Man he is a good looking kid!

I am that mom...

I have been seeing a lot of these, so I simply MUST join the fun. I have seen this post at the following blogs: http://sumbthucker.tumblr.com/post/850235773/im-that-mom http://unschoolinglife.blogspot.com/2010/07/im-that-mom.html http://zombieprincess.blogspot.com/2010/07/im-that-mom.html http://justabaldman.blogspot.com/2010/07/impromptu-blog-carnival-i-am-that-dad.html

I am that mom, who sometimes looses her cool, but knows how to ask for forgiveness. I am that mom who turns the car around when her son misses seeing some thing from the back seat. I am that mom who will kiss a booboo a hundred times if it helps it go away. I am that mom who's shirt is also her sons napkin and tissue. I am that mom who hovers a little to close sometimes because I love my child more then anyone could ever know. I am also that mom who allows her child to be free and roam further away then my heart can possible stand because I know it makes him a stronger person. I am that mom who has helped build a strong child only to secretly worry if he might some day be to strong. I am that mom who worries what other moms think but who sticks to her guns because I know in my heart my child is what matters the most. I am that mom who still sleeps with her child because that is the only bed he knows and wants. I am that mom who has a sharp ear out ready to pounce on anyone being hurtful to a child. I am that mom who wants to pick up that other moms child who is crying. I am that mom who has the right to change her mind at any given time. I am that mom who HATES to hear anyone tell my child what to say or do. I am that mom who was given the BEST gift of all...MY SON!!!

Half breath= Half dead!

How much thought have you ever given to your breathing? I think about my breathing every once in a while, mostly at night when I am trying to clear my mind so that I can fall asleep. But what I haven't given any thought to until just moments ago is what about all the other times I am breathing, and how my "half breaths" might be killing me! Ok if this doesn't make sense please keep reading, I am going to try and make it make sense.

I don't know how many times I have heard someone talk about how many days people can live without food, and then how many days a person can live with out water. Doctors will tell you the average person can live 4 to 6 weeks without food. Obviously there are numerous factors that can influence this number. Without water the average person can live somewhere between 3-6 days, this will fluctuate according to the temperature. So what about air? I never hear people talk about this. We have all probably tried holding our breath to see how long we could last, maybe in a pool or at a party (ha!) I have read that anywhere after 3-5 minutes without air your brain will start dying. THREE TO FIVE MINUTES! That is all. Our body's MUST have oxygen, it is ESSENTIAL to life. So what happens if you spend your life only breathing half way???

It was brought to my attention recently that I needed to "work" on my breathing. I was left a little mystified. Not sure what to do or think about this comment.I started by really trying to think how I normally breathe. I guess the fact is that I give little thought to the quality of my breaths, I take in oxygen and air but I never think mush about the quality of that air. The more I research life, energy, and of course breathing, the more convinced I am that learning to REALLY breathe will ensure me a longer, healthier and happier life.

So how do you do it? Here is one neat little trick I learned so I thought I would share it here. This is called Prana: the breath of life.

Sit in Lotus pose, close your eyes, breathe in and out slowly for as long as feels comfortable, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, focus on breathing in and out for the same amount of time, count your breath if this helps, hold the palms of your hands over your navel, feel the movements as you breathe in and out, try doing this everyday, if you can: start with 10 minutes and gradually increase to one hour over the course of one year. I found this pose in a book called The Chakra Bible http://www.amazon.com/Chakra-Bible-Definitive-Guide-Energy/dp/1402752245/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276553305&sr=8-1 Here is a quick video on youtube that also shows Prana breathing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7WFq17NxWA

As a parting note I will leave you with the original question at hand: What if we only half breathe all our lives???

Updates

Well, life is very busy these days, and my blog has been collecting dust. At this moment I am snuggled up in bed with Thomas at an RV park in Mira Mar (San Diego) California. Here there is cable and internet...more then we have at home, LOL! I think its a bit weird to be on vacation and hook up to all these things...but I wont go there at the moment. Instead I will take advantage and tell you what we have been up to lately.

Let me start with latest development. As part of my thirty year crisis I went to the hair salon for the first time in over two years. I think the universe punished me for my vanity (ha!) and I received the worst hair cut of my life! I went in with hair to the middle of my back and came out with hair shorter then my military husbands! I will say no more on this subject or I might throw up! Pat should have been more agreeable on me getting dreadlocks...

We are snug in our new home. Thomas has a great big tree, that he climbs daily. He is a climber! I cant write about it and do it justice. This is one of those things you have to witness to truly understand.

Our clothes dryer wont work in this house (its electric, the house requires gas) so I have been hang drying EVERYTHING. This is life not a fun experiment that I can deviate from. It was to cool out to get anything dry out side, although that is changing now. So I have been hang drying everything around the house. "If you brush your teeth, move the socks, please!" Turns out dryers are not a necessity.

Life with out cable and internet, is proving to be good and interesting. There were and possibly still are moments of with drawl. For all of us. Pat and I get to use computers at work and school so that helps with the little things. Not enough time to use them for blogging or much else, but we do have a slight access to them.

Pat pulled out Thomas portable DVD player a few nights ago and when I am not around will occasionally (I think twice) lets Thomas watch videos. I am very opposed to this. Even a little tv time makes him act different.

School is turning out to be such a JOY for me! I love what I am learning and where I am going. I just finished my first 6 weeks. I am really excited about the next 6 weeks, as it is all hands on. I am going from three classes to one. The same class for six weeks, which is all cooking all hands on. We each get our own kitchen station and after Chef demonstrates something we go on and do it our selves. I will miss Chef Gilbert from my last six weeks, the most. I was able to make it a couple hours early almost every day and he allowed me to work with him and learn bits and pieces. He has certainly inspired me. I have been reading a book called The Perfectionist. It was written about life from his era and takes place in France (wish is where he is from) so I am becoming oddly consumed with all things French these days. LOL!

Well, my wee little RV shower is calling my name! I am wondering if the hot water will be in fact hot....

American Made products

We have been talking in depth lately on the effects of buying AMERICAN made products. Just getting people to open their eyes to were stuff is made is huge! Seriously, I BEG you to start reading labels. Turning items over and checking to see where they are made before you buy them. PLEASE!!! Almost everything is labeled and once you do this a few times you will become an expert on finding these labels quickly. On shoes, look under the tongue. Shirts, look on the tag, if its not there there is usually a small tag on the inside seam. Check there! Toys are usually stamped on the bottom (printed right into the plastic,) so if you don't have the packaging you can still check. You will soon become outraged at where your "stuff" is coming from. Or RATHER were your hard earned money is going!

You may run into obstacles. But I assure you, you can over come these. Example: (oh, I have many of these!!!) Clothes pins. I went into five different stores and not a single clothes pin was made in the good old USA. I will add I didn't run around wasting gas looking for the clothespins, but when I was in a new store would check on these. So I went home a picked up a copy of last years Lehman's catalog and sure enough...Clothespins made in the USA. Eureka, I found it! The same can be said about dish towels, and shoes. If you don't have a Lehman's catalogue I recommend you get one. What a great store. They list on every item they sell weather it was made in America or if it was imported.

Shoes are tuff, but there are a couple brands you can buy in stores near you if you don't want to get online and order some of the neater, spunkier styles from smaller companies. New Balance sneakers, are generally made and packaged in the US. Sass, is another old school American brand. But http://www.americansworking.com/shoes.html looks like it will be my next shoe company...I like the Keno sandal. There all sorts of options from work boots to sneakers, to sandals and babies- adults. Here is a great website to use when you are in a pinch for an AMERICAN made product... http://www.americansworking.com/index.html

The other day Pat came peaking around the corner with a big smile on his face. He told me he got me a present. Then he pulls this giant box from around the corner. " A new vacuum!" Now I was ecstatic for a split second. You see my poor, pathetic old junky plastic (toy looking) vacuum. Was well beyond its last leg in life. If you need to open a window to clear the smoke and smells from a room during and after its vacuuming session, then in my opinion you are in sad need of a new one! Which was my situation exactly. So here is this box with an image of yet another plastic toy looking vacuum. Most women (and men) would have been elated to see a Dyson, in their home. I mean after all, haven't we all seen the commercials? It is the best vacuum in the universe according to that smart looking man on the boob tube. Sheesh!

I don't think Pat got it, when he saw my eye brows curl in and my expression turned to a look of annoyance. But really, did he just not get it? Did he just not get me? How much preaching must one do, God bless his pretty little soul (LOL.)After a long conversation he finally stared getting it, and me! So we marched back to the store and returned it and got me my BELOVED Oreck. It looks like a vacuum my grandma would have owned. For crying out loud it looks like a VACUUM not a toy (I am breathing in a sigh of relief and great pleasure.) Pat is more proud now of that vacuum then I think even I am (if that is possible!)

One last note we spent a nice afternoon walking around the out-let mall the other day. This was really a day of learning for my sweetie. I am not sure which rock he has been living under but apparently he was under the illusion that clothes and shoes were still being made in AMERICA. Well they are, but not in the way he imagined. Store after store he would poke his head in and flip over the tags on shirts, pants, belts, and shoes only to see that NONE of these clothes were made here. But rather Taiwan, China, India, Malaysia, Bangladesh and so on and so on. It was slowly starting to register with him. Just because the stores name is as AMERICAN as apple pie, like Timberland or Nike does NOT mean it was made here.

We finished our little adventure by stopping into a shop called AMERICAN Apparel http://www.americanapparel.net/ were we purchased (out of necessity-not want)one pant, one shirt, several socks, and a pair of undies all made in down town LA just for Thomas. There are no obnoxious characters or designs on these clothes. Just simply made by a company who verifies that their workers are tax paying citizens... in AMERICA! Thomas is so proud of his AMERICAN made clothes, and let me tell you how cute he looks!

If we all make a small change in the way we shop we CAN make a BIG difference! I will start posting my favorite AMERICAN made items on here.

Really Really Free Market

I am really really thrilled to tell you about the really really free market(from here on I will simply call it RRFM!) RRFM started out of San Fransisco. Now they are popping up in cities all over the world. RRFM's are exactly what the name says: free markets. Groups of people gather together and set up these markets. Sometimes they are in parks, sometimes they are in parking lots and I even know of one city that holds theirs under a high way over pass. People put out what ever they want to give away and other people come and take it. No money, no bartering, no trading...just FREE! At some markets people come and entertain with free music, sometimes people come and donate their services (any one want a free massage?)No matter what it is all free with no strings attached.

This is such a great way to help curb consumerism. Keeping perfectly good items out of land fills and passing on used items for free rather then at a price. A lot of people donate their old things to thrift stores. But then people have to go out and pay to have even this un wanted stuff. I personally don't have a problem with these organizations. Although I have heard people voice their disstane for some of these organizations based on where and how the money from these donations are spent and who it benefits or lack there of. I just think coming together for the common good and not having to have a penny in your pocket is the most beautiful thing!

I live in a city of over two million people and was pretty bummed to find out there isn't a RRFM already happening here. Since I love a challenge I have started setting the stage for Las Vegas' first RRFM. I have already found many others who are eager to jump in and get their hands dirty in making this happen. RRFM's are created by groups and not individuals so I am so happy to have a team to work with. I will post some links below. My mom is going to start one in her town. She is in her sixties and lives in a town with only 18,000 people. So no matter how big or small your city is and no matter what your age or background is you can start a RRFM in your town. So why not start a RRFM in your town? Whats stopping you, come on and lets spread the love together...the FREE love!

http://www.reallyreallyfree.org/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YP5lQoO6U8 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Las-Vegas-NV/Really-Really-Free-Market-Las-Vegas/278619351484?v=app_2373072738&ref=ts#/pages/Las-Vegas-NV/Really-Really-Free-Market-Las-Vegas/278619351484?v=wall&ref=ts

Downshifting Life

Where do I begin???? Well life is certainly a journey and thankfully so! Going from the standard conventional American to a sort of Nouveau Bohemian has been a long slow process. What I thought was healthy, right and environmentally sound six years ago compared to two years ago compared to today are all entirely different. Which automatically leads me to wonder how I will feel and think three years from now, and even twenty years from now.

So where does that leave me? Well we gave up our cell phones a while back, and haven't regretted it for a second. We stopped letting Thomas watch TV, and that has been great. But we are still distracted by it. And cant you tell how distracted I am by the Internet? I am and so is Pat! We would rather surf the Internet or watch TV then engage in one another. If one of us is playing with Thomas the other is devising a way to sneak off and grab a few moments online.

Television and Internet are our two biggest distractions from life. But there are others as well. Or even just every day tasks that could unite us but don't because "we" have created ways to quicken and ultimately remove ourselves from the actual task. Just like food, but I shouldn't even get started on that topic! You know the whole idea about how far removed we are from our food sources and how eating chicken is just like eating air for the simple fact that we give no thought to where it came from, how it lived and was treated and so on and so on... But this isn't so much about that topic so I will stop now. For your sake (your welcome, lol.)

We will be moving into our new house in the next week. With this move comes a great opportunity to try and implement some more new ways of life. I just think the move will help make this all happen a lot smoother, especially for our little guy. So here is what downshifting life is going to be looking like for us. This list includes some things we already do but need to do better, and of course brand new things as well (in no particular order.)Also the list puts me between a rock and a hard place in some instances because while I would love to live with zero consumption (aside from food) some of the items require- consumption! I am sure I can find ways to work this. And part of it is not to drive myself or my family crazy in the process but just start doing more, simply because that is the stage we are at! Tell me what you think... (Oh and if your wondering how we will communicate with out the Internet, I have a plan for that as well. Pat and I each get a day once a week or when ever we feel like a break and can go ALONE to the library and steal some Internet time.)

Onto the list, and (x) means we do it but can do more. (?) means I wonder if we can do it! And well you get the point- now onto the show! Enjoy...

No cable
No Internet
No cell phones (x)
No blow dryers (x)
No dishwasher (?)
Hang dry clothes (?)
No alarm clocks (x)
No video games (x)
One car (?)
No processed foods (?)
Composting (x) (with worms!)
Recycling (x)
Reading books (To Thomas yes, me some and Pat none)
Eat Local (some-hardly enough though)
Grind own flour
Make bread weekly
Make sour dough starter and stick with it
Edible gardening (ugg, try as I might nothing ever seems to grow or work out)
Sew
USA made only (x) (but we need to be firm this year)
Donate, donate, donate (x)
Organic clothing
Organic wool mattresses (but how can I do this if we aren't suppose to consume?)
Meditate
Make a quilt
Write more
House plants to remove toxins
Make yogurt
Less junk mail
Find alternatives to prepackaged items
Homemade shampoo (x) (need something better then the baking soda method)
Homemade laundry soap (x) (did this and need to get back into it)
Veggie bags (instead of plastic) (X) (I only have two)
Reusable grocery bags (x)
Kerosene lamps (we go without lights during the day, could we at night?)
Buy second hand items (x)
Sugar (I am always looking for alternatives but: is it really possible...is it even right!?!)

I have been formulating my lists and ideas about this for quit some time. Yesterday I saw this DVD for sale called No Impact Man. I went home a rented it from Blockbuster. Its a documentary about a man and his family who go a year trying to make no impact on the earth. While not making an impact wasn't my initial reason for doing this it certainly plays its part, and ultimately comes together in the big circle of things. Here is a link to his blog http: http://noimpactman.typepad.com/ You will find his book and DVD information there as well all other new No Impact Man thoughts, tips and ideas.

Some of this came to me from the ideals of the Slow Food Movement. Which is basically the idea that we need to slow down and create meals from scratch with love and integrity for our families and our communities. Then it dawned on me why should this idea only be about food. Why not be the basis of how our families are ran and our lives our lived-all encompassing!

Here is one more link, this time to a short video (20 Min's.) Its called The Story Of Stuff: http://www.storyofstuff.com/ If you ever scratch your head and wonder why we are such a buy, buy, buy society and wonder all the where, when, why and hows about the stuff we buy this is a great video to watch.

I never want to come across judgemental-as I certainly have no reason to be. So I figure we all need to just DO what we can and be satisfied, happy and always in a constant move forward, to be better, to be at the next stage... Whats the next stage for you?

Where am I...

In case any one is reading this I wanted to let you know that I have not abandoned this blog, but have been putting my food writing skills to the test lately with my old blog. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. Looks like I might be headed off to culinary school early Feb. Keep your fingers crossed for me! Now go check out my other blog... http://scritchityscratch.blogspot.com/

I don't have any photo editing software, So I found some for free online. I played with it on a couple pictures. The top pictures are the originals and the second ones have been touched up. Not huge differences but it was fun to play around with them.........................................................

Once upon a Marigold

I recently joined an online community of swappers http://www.swap-bot.com at swap-bot. This is such a neat site and I am getting so much inspiration to get creative just by joining swaps. Dare I tell you that -I- (YES, yours truly) is finally starting to have some original ideas...It seems like eons have gone by since I have just sat down and produced something that I am proud of, simply because it came from me! The first swap I joined is called A Rainbow In The Mail. We get partnered up (mine are from Texas and Thailand) and then we swap through the REAL mail. For this swap we have to create packages filled with goodies that remind us of the colors in the rainbow, red, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple and so on... I thought I would share my little project for the color ORANGE. I originally was going to put a package of carrot seeds into each box but then when I started digging through my seeds I found this envelope of Marigold seeds and dried Marigold leaves that I harvested this summer. I wanted to show case them, so I created these clear pouches with a vintage card in each one, then sewed them together with dark orange thread. I think you can get an idea of how they turned out... I personally love them! I hope to share the full Rainbow with you as soon as I am done. Oh, and of course show you what kind of Rainbows show up in my mail box also!

Celebrating fall and Martinmas

Fall has seemed at arms reach for quit some time. Living in the desert gives seasons a whole new definition. As in we have 2.5 seasons: Hell seems cold- HOT, Cold (for a couple weeks) and then everything in between, which seems to be mostly WIND!

Yesterday Thomas, Winston (our dog) and I spent the late afternoon at a park. It was absolutely perfect outside for Thomas to ride his Skuut (wooden bike) around. As we were wondering around the park the flame intense colors of the trees really popped out. Brilliant reds, fiery oranges and citrus shades of yellow. Thats when I nodded my head and agreed with myself that Fall was FINALLY in Vegas!

A few weeks back when my friends around the states were headed to the apple orchards I was feeling slighted. Walking down the rows of apple trees when it is still in the 90's just didn't give me that fuzzy fall feeling deep down in my soul.

Martinmas is coming up in just a few days. It may prove to be my favorite of the obscure holidays. Something about making lanterns and watching my little guys face glow from the little flame as we walk around our neighborhood that makes me feel extra warm.

So if you are new to Martinmas here is a little description from the book All Year Round. The traditional way of celebrating Martinmas is with lantern walks or processions accompanied by singing. St. Martin recognized the divine spark in the poor man of Ameins, and gave it the protection of his own cloak. When we make a paper lantern, we, too, may feel that we are giving protection to our own little 'flame' that was beginning to shine at Michaelmas, so that we may carry it safely through the dark world. It may only be a small and fragile light-but every light brings relief to the darkness.

I would love to hear some songs that people sing while doing their lantern walks. I am not sure what kind of singing we will be doing...if any! But you never know!!! Never the less Fall is finally here.

Cast iron woes

I just wanted to take a quick second and tell you all about my new cast iron skillet and dutch oven. We were at the BX (base exchange) and couldnt resist getting these for our new camping adventures. When we got home last night Pat and I were both eager to give them a try. Pat asked me to fry him an egg, but I wasnt sure an egg was the best thing to try out first on our new cast iron. Instead I noticed a bowl full of mixed organic apples that needed to be used soon. So I opted on making some homemade applesauce. We had some discusion on how to clean the cast iron and weather or not we needed to season them before cooking. Some how all this info went in one ear, translated to something completely obscure and with a quick rinse under some slightly less then hot water I started the apple sauce in the dutch oven.

The applesauce finished cooking in no time and smelled wonderful, warm and inviting. The thought of eating this made me feel all cozy inside. So with that I filled up two bowls with the piping hot applesauce. Pat was working up stairs on the computer so I brought him up a bowl and then went back down to indulge in my very own. I ate about half the bowl and decided that was more then enough for me. It wasnt nearly as wonderful as my moms or my aunts homemade applesauce. I figured it was because I used a mixed varity of apples and sweetened it with honey rather the sugar.

A little while later as I was (excuse me here) leaving the restroom I noticed in the mirror a dark shadow coming from within my mouth. I got closer, squinting through all the smudgy handprints my darling son had left on the mirror saw the horror left behind, from my not so fabulous first attempt at using cast iron. BLACK! My teeth were black and grey!!! I couldnt stop snarling my lips up in the mirror. Then I remembered Pat upstairs. I ran up, swung open the door and asked Pat if he noticed anything odd about my teeth. As I smiled his expression went from curious to horrified in two seconds flat! With out words I examined his teeth, I shook my head "yes," his too were black.

After much scrubbing our teeth came clean. For the next twenty four hours or more I noticed we kept secretly looking at each others teeth and then giving reasurring smiles to one another. Our teeth are now free of all stains but I cant help but wonder what our insides must have looked like after this little event.

Since then we have done PLENTY of research (thanks to the internet) and have sucsessfully cleaned and seasoned both cast iron pans. This morning I made pancakes and they were uterly fantastic. Hip, hip, horay, for cast iron sucess (after much error!)

Why are all my pictures so bright?

Lately you may (or may not) have noticed my pictures are extremely bright. You may be asking your self, "I thought Michelle was taking photography lessons?" Well to answer your inner thoughts, I am taking lessons! My photos may appear to be getting worse not better but that is simply because I am implementing some things I am learning and do not have the proper computer soft ware to work on my images after taking them. I hope to be getting the soft ware soon, but for now its just to expensive.

So what is it I am doing to my images? Well when I take pictures now I am purposely over exposing them, just enough. I have recently learned about the grey scale and the histogram on my camera. Understanding shades of grey has allowed me to better understand how pictures are formed. Then when I learned what a histogram on my camera is and how it works I was able to start taking better pictures. Well pictures that will appear better after I work on them in the digital dark room (once I get my hands on this program!)

Humm, how do I even begin to explain the histogram? http://www.livingroom.org.au/photolog/tips/histogram_tips.php Ok just click on that link, it will take you to the webs ten best histogram sites. But what I was taught that you may or may not get from these sites is this, and listen up close because this will change your life in photography from here on out. The histogram has several columns,all the columns equal one hundred percent of your picture. But the histogram is not visually divided equally. The very last column on your histogram equals 50...yes FIFTY percent of your pictures lighting data! The first several columns combined equal the other fifty percent.

So when you take a picture (now get your camera set up, so that you see your histogram with every picture you take!) you must make sure that some of the data is read on that very last column on your histogram. Other wise you have lost 50...yes FIFTY percent of your data.

By over exposing your pictures just enough you will push your histogram to the right and now you have 100 percent of your pictures data to work with in the digital dark room.

It took me 3...yes three hours to learn this (complete with pictures, drawings and hand on work.) All under the guidance of a professional. Not because I am slow (well that may be part of it, lol) but because as he put it, this is the most important bit of information that a photographer can learn. So if I have royally confused you in the ten minutes it has taken me to type this, please don't give up. Just do some more research and learn how to use your histogram and learn to push it to the right.

As soon as I get my computer soft ware I will post before and after pictures to show the effects of all this.

1st Winnebago trip

Our first vacation in the new (new to us) Winnebago. We went to Valley of Fire, which is only about 50 miles or so from Las Vegas. The first day was a bit stressful because Thomas wanted to touch and flip every switch in the RV. Let me just say there are LOADS of switches for little fingers to get in trouble over. By the second day things began to fall in place and go a little more smoothly for us all. We took one afternoon and drove to Lake Mead. Hiking was a blast, and Winston (our dog) seems to have a little Billy Goat in him! He hiked like a champ. Thomas is a future mountain climber as you can see in one of the pictures below. Well my little camper is needing some immediate attention so I must cut this blog post short for now...
PS. All these photos are bright (over exposed) on purpose. I just couldnt wait to post them, before working on them...but that will be the topic of another post down the road. Enjoy!