Lime Cilantro Dressing...

1/3 cup lime juice
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 T sugar
1 T chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 1/2 T Cholula Hot Sauce
4 T Red Wine Vinegar
1 garlic clove

Throw it all in the blender. I served it over mixed greens with sweet corn, salsa fresca, black beans, a little Mexican cheese and some lime chicken tenders in pieces. Good eats. (a little avocado would have been delish).

Jillian Michaels Trouble Zones...

My sister sent me this work out.. as .. just a small hint.. you're a chub.. get off the couch! Thanks Boo! :) Anywho.. we tried it and OUCH! But, actually quite fun! Really.. Thanks Boo! We looked ridiculous and can't do push ups at all, but we had a great time!
P.S. We didn't have any small weights so I asked little c if she wanted to use some cans of soup for our second go at this deal.. She said dryly, "Do we get to eat the soup after?...??"

Flower Head Bands...

I have seen these everywhere recently, but think that these from Banner Boutique are particularly cute.

A little corner of paradise...

...in my mother's beautiful garden.

Thank You for the Thank You...

... they were beautiful & delicious!

Independence Day...

I love the stories of the revolution and to read about the amazing strength and fortitude of the men and women who founded this great nation. I hope you won't mind if I share a favorite of these stories.

During the early spring of 1783 General Washington's officer corp had become angry to the point of violence. Those soldiers who had served in the major campaigns of the war, who had been true and faithful, had not been paid for a great while. There was serious talk that the very same soldiers who had fought so valiantly for their country, now angered because of their grievances against the congress, were mutinous and threatening to overthrow the government they had suffered and bled to establish. Any reasoned man could understand their feeling. They had risked all and suffered much and then were forced to have their hands out like beggars.

Washington wrote to congress many times on their behalf without satisfaction. When, the situation became critical, Washington came to address his men who were angry and hostile. He gave his word that he would continue to advocate for them. He told them with great feeling of his gratitude for their service. They were unmoved.

Then, he said, "You will (thereby) give one more distinguished proof of unexampled patriotism and patient virtue rising superior to the pressure of the most complicated sufferings. And you will, by the dignity of your conduct, afford occasion for posterity to say, when speaking of the glorious example you have exhibited to mankind: 'Had this day been wanting, the world had never seen the last stage of perfection to which human nature is capable of attaining.'"

The soldiers still were hostile.
(The following is taken from Benson Bobrick's book Angel in the Whirlwind.. pg. 475)

"Then, remembering that he had brought a letter with him from a sympathetic congressman, Washington took it out to read it, paused for a moment as though he were having difficulty making out the words, reached into his pocket again, and took out a pair of eyeglasses. Apologizing for the delay, he remarked quietly, 'I have already grown gray in the service of my country. I am now going blind.'
That completely personal, seemingly offhand remark-- 'so natural, so unaffected... as rendered it superior to the most studied oratory,' wrote one major-- recalled his audience to themselves. 'It forced its way into the heart, and you might see sensibility moisten every eye.' When he had finished, the officers thanked him, asked him to intercede on their behalf, and quietly left the hall'"

We live in a country made by men & women like Washington... true leaders. They inspired a generation to rise above and become their best selves. Entitlement was not allowed, selfishness could not survive such examples of valiance and sacrifice. They created a great nation built on the concept of Liberty. They have willed these freedoms to us. Have we forgotten them? Do we know their stories? Do we understand well the concepts the generations before us and even some in our own generation have fought to preserve. What is it worth? For so many it has been worth their blood and their lives. Freedom truly is not free. I ask, is it worth some little of your time, your study and your contemplation.. every day, but especially on days like today? Happy Independence Day!

Tea with Mussolini...

How did I miss this one?? I never saw this film until just yesterday and it is a beautiful thing.

I loved the story of the lovely old English ladies who had decided to make a home amid the beautiful art and sun filled landscape of Florence and the garish, swaggering Americans who set the tea service askew and how in the end, they find a mutual respect in a fight to save art and liberty together.

If you haven't seen it.. it's a must see. If you haven't seen if for awhile.. I'd check it out again. Lovely.

P.S. Cher if by some miracle you ever read this.. Do a standards album. I have never heard Smoke Gets in Your Eyes more gorgeously done. Stunning.

Gattaca...

I have wanted to see this film for a long time because it has come so highly recommended. Even though I'm not really a Science Fiction/Fantasy fan, I thought it was pretty interesting. I just have some brain sprain during shows like this that keep me from enjoying it properly.. like, "If they can visit the moons of Saturn, then why can't they cure spinal cord injuries." "If they can genetically engineer folksies down to their eye color, then why can't they cure spinal cord injuries." "If they can chop your legs off, and put them in halos and grow your legs 2-3 inches.. after your growth plates have closed.. then why can't they cure spinal cord injuries.. and even alcoholism now that I think of it." You see how this goes around and around.

This movie came out 11 years ago and some of the Science Fiction is a reality... or technology has bettered film fantasy.

In the film they scan fingerprints, but now we have a retinal eye scanner. A company in Salt Lake called Sarcos develops these amazing exoskeletons that can assist a man in lifting heavy weight and all kinds of things.. when you see it, it makes you think of Marvel Comics super heroes. I guess in a way we live in the future some of these older films dreamed of, happily, the future has been much brighter than imagined.

Witness for the Prosecution...

Other than the character of the nagging, annoying nurse, this film is timeless. Originally a famous short story by Agatha Christie, it was then a play and then adapted for film. The screenplay is well done and the dialogue moves along at a quick clip. Charles Laughton was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor for his part in this film and it shows. It's a good one.

Kids Room Furniture..

Costco is selling some very cute furniture for children's rooms..

See HERE
&
HERE

Home to Holly Springs...

The characters in Jan Karon's books are so three dimensional that you expect to meet one of them at the market on Saturday. I love them all...

Karon's books are truly about the Christian principles of grace, love and redemption and about perfecting the ability to forgive. But, if there is a dark theme in her books that theme is from Exodus 34:7 where it says, "visiting the iniquity of the fathers up on the children... unto the third and to the fourth generations."

Father Tim spends an inner lifetime trying to understand his father, wondering why he never received or could earn his love, praying for his father and looking for grace to have touched his life. What he finds is a terrible incident that left an emotional scar in his father's life that did not heal and tormented his grandparents, mother and self even beyond his father's passing. While he doesn't understand, he tries to empathize and to forgive and to find peace.

The book is a gem.. but, I always listen to these books on tape and there was a new reader .. and I missed the deep, resonant voice of John McDonough who sounds just like Father Tim.. to me.

Snow Flower & The Secret Fan...

Snow Flower & The Secret Fan is a book about the exquisite pain, maneuvering for power and the friendships that are created in the upper room behind the lattice window of a Chinese home in the 1820's...
Lily narrates this book about her early life from the time that she walked a long the river bank with her older brother and the cool river water ran over her feet... to the time when she meets her laotong and signs the contract of friendship that will last her entire life... to the time when she and her laotong have their feet bound and broken to become golden lilies... to the time when she makes grave errors in her fidelity and empathy with her friend... to the time when she makes great efforts to forgive and redeem herself from her mistakes.

The book shows how easily we can dismiss the suffering of another and even how hard it is too see and to empathize from a place of relative comfort. It is about the emotional violence that those who truly love each other still commit against those the beloved without feeling or seeing the hurt that is caused.

Beautiful prose that tells a story of great suffering from a place of dignity rather than pity. Snow Flower would approve.

Little c's New Room.. The Details...

Little c chose the wall color and it goes on record as being the brightest of any wall we've ever painted! But, we think she has great taste and we love it! .. even if it makes the hallway glow like a nuclear reactor in the afternoon sun!
We found the little chair at Four Sisters Furniture in Ogden.. They have some fun unfinished pieces and then you can paint them whatever color you like. We chose Caribbean!

The photograph is one I took of our roses just after a rain storm. Hi Big Fat Pig! (Do you see him in the corner.. happily we haven't sent all of the fun childhood friends away.) Uncle S named the pig so don't blame little c.

Dear little c. I hope that you love your new room. I hope these bright happy colors will make it so that you can never be sad here and that being home in your own little space will make you feel always safe and loved.. We love you very much! Love, Mom

Writing Desk...

I love this classic little white writing desk from Crate and Barrel and am considering it for little c's room.

Pillows for the new room...

Thursday, Friday & Saturday little c, cousin j and I spent making pillows for the new room.
I was particularly interested in making a heart pillow with buttons.. I saw something like this somewhere a long time ago... I'm not a seamstress so it took awhile and it didn't turn out quite how I'd imagined. Next time make the pattern a third again a large as I would like it to turn out in the end... it's a bit small. And, while I worked and worked on the shape.. I never got one I really loved.

But, we had a great time. Little c made a pillow for her room and j made one for hers.

If you are wondering what the image is on one of the pillow (with the hair bow...) It's Mints the dog... She's the auxiliary back up dog to Pancake's main alpha dog status around here. :)

We had a fun time and added more color, which is always good.

Mrs. Miniver...

This is certainly a white washed version of what the English suffered during the first years of the war. It was made as a propaganda film that was meant to inspire American support and end the isolationist policy and feeling that had been prevalent since the end of World War 1.
"The film won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director."

It's a bit fluffy and melodramatic, but a fascinating to observe piece of pop culture and a must see for that reason alone.

Get some pop corn though. It's so long you could starve by the end.

Becket...

I once heard Peter O'Toole say in an interview something like... "I act for free, they pay me the big bucks to wait." He may not be a patient man, but he is a great actor!

This film is stunning and it was good to see it again. You are simply mesmerized by the characters that Burton and O'Toole create here.

The script is fascinating as well, but it's watching these two masters at their craft perform that is simply spellbinding.

Surprise Crumbs...

A box came in the mail and since I'm already at that stage where I can't remember what I did yesterday, I often get quite excited about a box delivered by mail.. Did I order something wonderful and now it's arrived?
Yesterday, was better. Surprise cupcakes arrived in the mail from New York City from my brother S who is a summer intern at a fancy schmancy law firm there.

Little c and I were giddy with happiness and jumping for joy! Surprise cupcakes have to be ranked up there with one of the best surprises ever... Hooray!!!

Thank you S. :)

Rain in June...

A little Madness in the Spring Is wholesome even for the King.

Emily Dickinson

Do you see this hail? It's happened twice this June. Amazing to watch. June is normally one of the driest months in Utah. But, this year it has rained almost every day it seems like, but look at this rose and this green grass.. everything is so clean. Happily, little c has an exciting series to read and so it's been beautiful and lots of fun.

The Crab Cooker.. Newport Beach

I was looking this place up a few weeks ago and hoping that after about 27 years, it would still be there. It was. I was so excited. This is a place that we would come to on our yearly vacations to Newport when I and my brothers and sisters were children ourselves. The cups of the best ever Manhattan Clam Chowder are still only $2.50 so I can't imagine what they cost all that time ago, but it must have been a good place to feed a lot of kids and I remember that we once had 16 children in our group so that would be a lot of kids.
It was our favorite place and we begged to go here. They have these sour dough bread balls the size of a larger marble and you are to drop them, sink them, submarine them in your chowder which we did with great enthusiasm.
I was worried about going back after all this time. Would it be a dump? Would the food be awful? Would little c think I was dumb for liking the place so much. Well, it was a little smaller than I remember, but it was charming and wonderful and better than I remembered... and little c loved it. It was so wonderful to share a favorite childhood memory with her and have her enjoy it too.
Visit HERE.