taking time to smell the flowers

I really am trying this year to notice spring. It seems like over the last few years I pause from the hecticness of life and realize I've completely missed spring and it's already full blown summer before I know it. So, even though it's back to freezing today, I stopped rushing around and took some pictures. I love springtime, especially the blossoms on the trees and I hope it doesn't snow today- like predicted.

in memorandum

Ivan, the cat has gone to kitty heaven. She was 13. She died in her sleep on Saturday. I must say I've been fine until I started writing this, now I'm crying. It just that she's been in our family most of our married life, and although she was a little stinker and would just as easily bite you as start to purr if you tried to pet her, we still loved her. We are happy she's reunited in dog/cat heaven with Enzo (the Siberian Husky, pictured above), her best friend most of her life who has been gone 3 years now. We will miss you Ivan, you little pill.
These pictures are from before we had children, once children are born you stop taking pictures of your pets, unless they are in the picture with the kids. Since the kids were all scared to pick Ivan up and would only chance the occasional petting, I couldn't find any recent pictures. Or maybe if we didn't have so many (thousands) pictures these days I could have hunted one down. I guess it's all good, you get the idea and she was looking good, (no weird aged kitty problems) until she finally shuffled off her mortal coil.



This whole thing has made me think about Rubin and Ed. Super wacky, you gotta love Crispin Glover in this cult classic.

Paradise

Yes, this is the actual Paradise Bakery sugar cookie recipe, and the cookies taste exactly the same delicious.

Paradise Bakery sugar cookie

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg, beaten
4 1/3 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Plain or colored sugar, for decorating

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, cream together sugars and shortening using an electric mixer. Mix on slow speed 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
Slowly add vanilla and beaten egg while mixing.
In a separate bowl, combine cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, mixing on slow speed until just blended. Do not overmix.
Scoop with an ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet. Flatten slightly with palm of hand.
Bake 9 to 10 minutes. Cookies are done when small cracks appear and are pale golden. Ideally, do not let edges brown.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Dangerously delicious. I shouldn't have this recipe. Not because I came about it illegally- it was in the Salt Lake Tribune last week, but because I longer need to drive 40 minutes to get my fix. The cake flour is key, make sure you have some on hand.

took the words right out of my mouth

spring break wrap up

Oh... a week off of life was lovely. Spending a week at Grandma and Grandpa O's is always grand. You can learn all sorts of things that you can't learn at home in the suburbs (is that where we live?) This little garder snake got manhandled for a good solid 20 minutes, C. wanted to know what his name was and as you can see- was not too worried about getting close.


Here is the quilt my mother-in-law Jan is currently working on. Hello... gorgeous. It was propped up across the room from me as I sewed aprons in the cabin, quite a masterpiece to ponder.


Good times cooking hot dogs and marshmallows over the open fire, "another smore? oh I really shouldn't... OK, well- maybe just one more..."


Joe Bennion joined us for a few days, he had a rock laying class in Torrey. The kids loved making pots and little dog sculptures with the clay he brought. He impressed us all with tales of misfortune and fun at Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon.


These two little doggies were made and then buried in the ashes of the fire to cook. The kids dug them out the next morning, and have been very carefully taking care of them ever since.


Izzy on of the models for the clay dogs pictured above (see the resemblance?) the "wild dingo" doggie having the time of her life in doggie dreamland.

Jan and Owen a big huge thank you for your tremendous hospitality. You guys are the best, we love you!

running in sagebrush

Sometimes hiking with your grandpa takes a turn for the worst. After playing at the sand dunes, you take off running after your brother through the sagebrush and don't see the barbed wire fence strung across the path in front of your face. WARNING: Graphic image coming up!


The Wayne County Health Clinic doctor advises your mother that if it was his daughter he would have it stitched up by a plastic surgeon... in Utah County (a 3 hours drive). So you jump into the car in your sweaty, bloody hiking clothes and speed to the fancy plastic surgeons office (your mom spends most of the drive fighting with the insurance company about out of network coverage and anticipating a long appeal process). You get to the plastic surgeons office and the nurse questions your mom seriously on the topic of herbal medicines, but I think what she really wanted to ask is if my mom ever wears deodorant or makeup and if I attend public school.
Getting stitches right by your lip hurts really bad, but Dr. Jones was nice and he did a good job, but the V shaped cut is a tough one to stitch no matter what your credentials are. Now you just cross your fingers and hope that the drive/plastic surgeon visit was worth all the trouble and you don't end up with a puffy, weird scar on your cute little face anyway. Then you stop into your real not-on-vacation-any-more house, because you live in Utah County... to shower. (aahhh- finally) You climb back into the car for the 3 hour drive back to grandma and grandpas house because you are afraid you be missing out on some fun, and your mom might be tempted to clean the house if you stick around any longer. Whew... what a crazy day that would be.

spring break

We are spending a splendid but chilly spring break in Torrey with granny and grumpa O. We really hope it warms up so we can do a bit more hiking and mountain biking. Here is the view out the kitchen window.

Of course I am doing plenty of sewing. As a bit of a procrastinator I have lots of aprons, skirts, and purses to sew up for the Beehive Bazaar coming up here May 9th and 10th. Looking at the big picture- or as some call it- the calender, can really make me panic. Here is a stack of finished aprons (yeah!)

ladies night

Saturday night just the girls went to to see Annie at Kingsbury Hall, part of the Broadway on Tour series. It's such a perfect musical for kids. My 8 year old was very impressed when 'Sandy'- the real live dog ran out onto stage. I have seen the movie ohh maybe 100 times over the years- we used to sing "It's a Hard Knock Life" when we did our chores as children (I'm sure my Mom loved that.)
My kids have only seen the movie a few times- apparently too 'old school' for their generation... (whatever) and we even have it on DVD... Anyway, live on the stage we all enjoyed ourselves, how can you not- stage performances are always such a treat.
I think Wicked is coming to SLC soon...

Traveling Circus

From the travel section of the NY Times Style Magazine:
"Now that bureaux de change are doing brisk business in rubles and yuan, it’s clear there’s a new world order in travel. ‘‘People from everywhere are going everywhere,’’ says Ian Bremmer, the president of the consulting firm Eurasia Group. And with new wealth come fresh stereotypes — remember the Ugly American? Bremmer ascribes clichés to ‘‘pure economics. It’s who’s spending the most money and annoying the locals.’’ Here, a pop-anthropological look at the travel universe now." -ANNA LOUIE SUSSMAN

Click here to view the details on the Americans, British, Gulf Arabs, Russians, and Chinese. Extremely entertaining.

everyday art

the boys room

Oh boy, am I glad Ikea finally came to town. To be able to just pop in for some shelves on any given day is quite a luxury. This room looks about 100 times better and tidier than it did before. It's amazing what a difference some cupboards (with doors) and a few shelves can do for one's mental health.

felt treats are the only treats I need to have around

What is it about felt food that is so stinkin' hilarious?
I love this flickr group. Thanks Hailey for passing it along today. I didn't make this felt cake pinktoque did (instead, I made a real cake this weekend- chocolate with dark chocolate butter cream frosting... yummy).
Although, I would like to try my hand at felt food soon, and trick visiting neighbor kids. I have some candles that look like cupcakes in my kitchen. Every now and again a new small friend will come over and all of the sudden relate how hungry they are or just try and take a bite when no one is looking. Hey, what can I say?- I would probably have done the same as a child and... perhaps even now.

cozy chair

Something about Stefan Zwicky 's 1980's concrete chair "Grand confort, sans confort, dommage a Corbu"> speaks to me- as well as the other designs featured in the NY Times Jagged Edge article.

If I had grounds and not just a backyard I might need a couple of these for pausing and reflection.

Millicent

Today on Radio West: The Book Bizarre, "Tuesday, we're offering a list of bizarre books for this most foolish of holidays. From fake works like the book on silence - consisting of entirely blank pages - to serious tomes with titles like "Inquiry into the Medicinal Value of the Excreta of Reptiles," our team of local booksellers has seen it all."
I throughly enjoyed this episode, I found myself madly scribbling down titles authors and publishers, and reminiscing some I have read (Geek Love by Katherine Dunn) Then someone mentioned the publisher Harlin Quist and the children's books they published in the 70's. When they said "Millicent the Monster" it was like I suddenly stepped back in time. I have had pictures from this book in my head all my life but have never been able to put any words or a title to it. It was like all the stars lined up- finally putting it all together. I just found a copy online that will arrive on my doorstep in a few days. I sure I will embarrass my kids when I blubber through the first reading and a few more after that.

Now if I could just find some more info on Iris the Virus- a kids TV show from back in the day. Anyone recall it?