Bittersweet. . .

  I'm very sorry for how long it's been so long since my last blog post. I have been busy busy busy and also waiting for edited pictures (which I still haven't completely finished editing) so I can put them in here. That said, here is a blog post from April.


     A few memorable things happened this last week; some good, some bad. The first of these things was my aunt passed away. I have so many memories of things my sisters and I did with her. Ever since we were little, we would bake cookies at Christmas time. Have Christmas (or Christmas Eve) and day-after-Thanksgiving dinner. As we got older we went sailing also. It's hard to say goodbye to someone you love.
   The other events that happened this week were: I went on an airplane for the first time; and I got to visit the places where I grew up; the places that I think will always feel like home. 
   Here are some highlights that I wrote during the week...

4/11/11
   I finally felt the familiar cold, saltwater feeling of waves rushing around my feet. It was absolute bliss to be near the roaring waves again. Just the smell of the ocean was amazing. To misjudge how far the waves will come in and, as a result, get your jeans wet even though they are rolled up. The sand clinging to your feet all the way home.

4/12/11
  As if I didn't love Trader Joe's enough, I have found another reason. I went there today with my sister and found that they sell non-dairy ice cream made with coconut milk, the same idea as Coconut Bliss but about two times cheaper (And Trader Joe's only has chocolate and strawberry, while Coconut Bliss has quite a few more flavors). Along with one of these we got green tea Mochi, whole wheat tortillas, and roasted garlic hummus. Mmm mmm...
  We also went to two thrift stores that we used to go to a lot, and I got a Martha Stewart magazine from February and a Towne and Country wedding magazine (for dress designing ideas) :).

4/13/11
  I am currently doing...nothing. Except using the computer and occasionally looking out the window to see the beautifulness. I painted my nails pink, and later I'm going out for coffee/tea with two of my good friends who I haven't seen for over a year :O
  I was going to wear an orange dress today, but as it was raining, I decided not to, and now wonder if I should have because the sky is very blue. But...oh well.
  Oh. I also went into an Urban Outfitters for the first time yesterday...It wasn't that interesting...Mostly because I couldn't find the sale section. Hahaha.

4/19/11
 After two flight delays, we finally made it back home. My sister is quite happy to be home. Back to her husband (who, I am told, was not himself while she was gone), and the regularity of life. For me it's bittersweet. But I keep having to remind myself to enjoy where I am right now, and not mope, because I am going to miss out on a lot of wonderful things in life if I do.

                                                                                                                              ~ <3 ichelle ~

I don't like goodbyes....

  "I'm laying in bed at 6:45 in the morning, trying to get a little bit of sleep before waking up again, but I find myself thinking about my sister, L----. She was here, getting ready with me almost three hours ago, and now she is either sitting in the waiting area of the airport, or, more likely, already boarded and sitting in the airplane.

   These past nine days and a morning are gone too soon. The last few days didn't go by as quickly as the rest of the days, but they are gone, none-the-less. Time goes by especially fast when it is 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. Sometimes I wish the person visiting wouldn't come at all if they're just going to leave again. But  in the end, in spite of all the sadness, it's most definitely worth it..."

                                                                                                                                  ~Written on March 28, 2011, 6:45 a.m.~




The day my sister got here, she had a craving for something chocolate-y...something like brownies. Luckily for her, she has a sister who loves to bake anything ;) So, I looked through my cookbooks and found a recipe in my Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar cookbook! (I was very excited to find a vegan recipe :) )  I made them, and they turned out really good! I didn't sift the ingredients, so I was kind of worried about that, but they ended up being fine.

The next morning, I made omelettes. I haven't had much experience making omelettes, so I wasn't sure how they were going to turn out. They might not have looked like perfect omelettes, but they were really good. I used parmesan cheese, mushrooms, and red bell peppers.

 

         One evening, the sky looked like a painting. It was so amazingly beautiful...

 It snowed on one of the first few days my sister was here. My sister was pretty excited :)

The beautiful tart that my sister's mother-in-law and my sister made for my brother-in-law's birthday...Does that make sense ;)

" 'Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all." ~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson, From In Memoriam

The End

Hey Sugar....cookies

I made these last Thanksgiving, but didn't really love them because I used nutmeg instead of cinnamon. I made them again last week, using mostly cinnamon and a tiny bit of nutmeg, and liked them a lot. They are drop cookies, but both times I have made them, I rolled them out and then used cookie cutters and it went smoothly.

I originally got the recipe from The Joy of Cooking cookbook, but found it online. Here's the link:
http://www.johnpenaloza.com/recipes/JPsugarcookies.html

I also added some chopped almonds to half the batch and those were super good.

                If I could substitute something for the eggs, this would be a vegan recipe :)

                                                                                                                     Love.... <3 ichelle

Mmm, apple muffins....

I made some yummy apple cupcakes the other day, and wanted to share the recipe (and pictures ;) )

It's actually a cake recipe, but it's super simple to convert into a cupcake recipe :)

Raw Apple Cake

 http://www.twinhillranch.com/raw_apple_cake.htm

4 Cups Apples
2 Eggs
2 Cups Sugar (I used 1/4 cp. less than called for and they turned out fine. I think you might be able to get away with half sugar)
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Cup oil
1 Cup chopped nuts
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt (optional)

Use Gravenstein, Jonathan, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious
Peel and chop apples. Break eggs over apples and mix with fork. Add sugar, cinnamon, oil, and nuts and blend well. Mix in flour, soda and salt. Grease and flour 9 X 13 pan. Pour mixture. Bake 350 (F) for 55 minutes.
If you are making muffins, change the temperature to 325 (F) and the time to 25 minutes. Also, make sure to cook the muffins on the middle rack. I also want to note that the batter doesn't look like a lot in the bowl, but as it bakes, it really fills out. Enjoy!

<3 ichelle     

My infatuation.....

Sliced Persimmon Plate - www.Anthropologie.com

www.anthropologie.com

I walk into the store, aisles of clothes, shoes, and purses lay before me. I walk past each aisle, trying to find what I came here for. My arm brushes a smooth, silk scarf, but it fails to steal my attention. Finally, my eyes catch a glimpse of a sign, half-hidden by a clothing rack... My heart beat quickens with my pace as I enter the aisle. Shelves of dishes surround me. Where do I start? I pick up a glass from off one of the shelves and, as my fingers grasp it, my breath catches in my throat. I gaze at it for awhile and then place it gently back in its place. I move to the next shelf and a smile plays on my lips as I run my finger along the smooth edge of a tea cup, and then that of a porcelain bowl. The precise designs etched on a crystal goblet, the glistening tumblers... I wish I could spend the day just drinking it all in, but after about an hour, I decide to leave; taking the glances coming from the sales associates as a hint. I take one last look at the snow-white teapot, and walk out if the store.

                                                                                      

www.Anthropologie.com

 

Ok, maybe I'm not that bad, but I have to admit, I LOVE dishes. They are so beautiful and have so much character. There are so many possibilities with colors, designs, and shapes.....

Swim Around The Rim Bowl - www.Anthropologie.com

www.anthropologie.com

Jimmies-On-Frosting Plates - www.Anthropologie.com

Piecrust mug - www.Anthropologie.com

Piecrust bowl - www.Anthropologie.com

Champignons Plate - www.Anthropologie.com

De Vincennes Dinner Plate -www.Anthropologie.com

From The Deep Cup & Saucer - www.Anthropologie.com

www.Pier1.com

Bottega Copper Tumblers - www.Napastyle.com

www.Potterybarn.com

www.Potterybarn.com

Flood of memories...

I am missing the place where I'm from more than usual today. I miss the beaches the most, I think. I miss the people I know. I miss the vineyards and the rolling hills. I miss the fog that creeps in in the evening. I miss the smell of that fog. The smell of apple orchards. The smell of creeks. The familiar sidewalks. Wearing flip flops during the winter. Black and white cows. I miss oak trees. Grocery store workers who I know, only because I went to those stores so often...Redwood trees...Side roads I know so well, I can travel them in my head. Eucalyptus trees. I miss sunny, warm December days. I miss childhood memories that I can't go back to. Story-time in the playhouse. Star gazing in our back yard. Making forts and having sleepovers with my sisters. Re-enacting movies with Laura in our backyard. I miss memories...

I'm sure you could make a list as long, or maybe even longer, of things that make the place where you grew up special. Someday, if I ever move away from the
place I'm living now, I know I will say I miss it, and maybe I will make a list of all those things that made it special too. Sometimes I get more "home" sick than usual, and I have all these memories in my head that need to go somewhere. So, there they are.