A Fanciful Twist

Daydreams + Anne {& other tid-bits}

Transported through a glimmer, a hint of another place, secret passageways, a looking glass, a dream.  What does it take to transport you?  I opened the glass door to an antique piece of furniture, the wavy glass acting as a mirror, picking up shadows and light from two mirrors that face each other.  And just like that, daydreams...

For a second, I was in a magnificent English mansion...

Then I was in a fairytale cottage in the woods, looking out upon a stream, reading in a corner nook, treasures on the walls...

Candles flickered, because even in the height of daylight, there was a cool darkness brought on by the towering forest trees.

Pancakes cooked.

Pumpkins baked.

Squirrels ate nuts, and birds chirped.

And then, I snapped into reality, where pumpkins are really cooking.

In fact, I am on my second day of pumpkin cooking.

You see, I have had to pull some pumpkins from the vine a hair too early (they are already orange, but I like to leave them out a little bit longer), as worms found a way to snuggle into several, sending them to the compost heap.

I have cooked about 6 wormless pumpkins so far.

Scraping out the meat, and pureeing it for baking.

The scent is sublime...

It's that scent, a reminder of carving pumpkins at the end of October, that gets me every time.

It brings so much with it.

Childhood memories.

Recent memories.

All bundled together...

As I cook my pumpkins, with a slight cloudiness outside (monsoons taunting), I don't know why, but I can't help but think and think about Marilla and Matthew.

About Anne Shirley.

My heart gets full, bursting full.

She was such a huge part of my early years, and I carry her with me still.

I decide to make oatmeal pancakes.

My mom always talks about, and cooks up pancakes, when it gets cloudy... (her mom started the tradition)

Oat flour doesn't give me a headache like white flour does.

We don't cook much indoors during summer, so I very much enjoy cooking on the burner side of our gas grill, under a great big tree.

I just adore it.

And so, heart healthy flap jacks via plein air, it is...

(don't count the butter & syrup, haha!)

Our Vermont maple syrup was missing (Lovee! he probably drank it, he has such a sweet tooth), so we used this Trader Joe's syrup.  It is grade B, but it was lovely.

Oatmeal Pancakes, recipe by memory, let's see...

-----------

1 and a half cups of oats

1 cup of buttermilk

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegtable oil (I use extra light olive oil)

--------

Using a food processor, grind one cup of oats into flour.

Then, throw in remaining oats, and all other ingredients.

Process until it becomes batter.

Cook on a hot griddle/pan that you have put a bit of olive oil or butter on.

Just like you would regular pancakes.

Cook until browned on both sides.

Be aware that this mixture thickens quickly, and is a thicker batter altogether.

Makes about 8 - 10 small cakes

(today I accidentally poured in a tiny slurp of orange extract, instead of vanilla.  It wasn't very much, so I added a hint of vanilla also, which created a sublime result)

Note:  I use regular large sized oats, from the big bin at the natural foods store.  So, I am sure any oats would work :)

There you have them...

 

Oatmeal pancakes, under a tree, on a giant spool table...

Whilst still in a funny little dream-state.

Curious, how that happens, isn't it?

Dream-states, I mean.

Mmmmm, Prince Edward Island..........

 

Time to wash dishes, and check on my cooking pumpkins, as a start to a list of chores (just ran out and popped mail in the box, just in time, phew!  Don't you just love the mail truck?  And mail, and how convenient that it comes to your very own mailbox?  Seems too good to be true.  I love you Unites States Postal Service!  Even though my last 6 parcels were smashed.  One parcel even came with an apology letter from the post office, taped to it, for being so smashed, isn't that wild?). 

Now, how will I ever get anything done, with dreams on the brain?

 

 

Pink + Flowers in Ice

Such beautiful days.  Running through the rain, planting more seeds, having picnics in the garden, pink sunsets, savoring the moment...

I looked up dates for summer's beginning and end.

Summer began on June 21st (here it has been warm since the end of March, with a cool snap in April, and then hotness ever since).

Summer doesn't end until September 23rd.

This means that we are just about, right smack, in the middle of summer.

(not really, but almost)

Sooooooo...

That means, summer fun treats continue.

Isn't that grand?

Something I like to do is taste edible flowers.

So, this weekend, I tried an experiment...

I collected flowers and herbs directly from my garden...

Roses, carnations, mint, lavender, basil flowers and basil leaves...

If you want to know more about edible flowers, click here, not all flowers are edible.  Just remember, experts warn that flowers from a florist are not edible.  And, I am not responsible for any flowers or herbs you might eat.

I took my flowers and herbs, and placed them in an ice cube tray, filled them with water, and froze them.

Now, I must confess, there is a proper way to do this.

I just don't really follow rules.

(actually, I didn't know there were proper rules when I did this, I just jumped in and tried an idea, not even knowing it had been perfected already)

What you should do is, fill the tray halfway with cooled boiled water and your flowers, and freeze.  Once your half ice cubes are frozen, fill the rest of the way with your cooled boiled water and freeze again.

Then your flowers will be in the center of the cubes.

I don't much care about that though.  So, I just tossed them in, filled with filtered water, and froze.

And voila!

Beautiful little specimens.

I have to tell you, I delivered Mister Lovee some cold water with flower herb ice cubes, and can I just say, he loved it.  Thought it was the best thing ever.

I can't convey in the photos how pretty these really are.  Especially floating in your glass, as the ice melts and the petals and herbs float around.  Loveliness!

You can make ice flower bowls and all manner of things too.  I am certain you have seen those before?

I looooooved the flavor of the icy water, herby and delicate...

So fresh.

A real summertime treat, I'd say...

Just so so pretty in person...

Cheeeeers!

From our tiny house, to you!

Look at these pretty frozen flower treats...

I am inspired to try more, how about you?

Love, V

Important Note:  Not to repeat myself but, if you want to know more about edible flowers, click here, not all flowers are edible.  Just remember, experts warn that flowers from a florist are not edible.  I am not responsible for any flowers or herbs you might eat, okiedokie.  Consume flowers at your own risk.  Also,  if you are allergy prone, you should be very careful.  Read more about edible flowers here.

 

 

 

ps:  Let me be an over-bearing furrybabymama for a sec...

Soft, funny, playful, happy, nutty, adorable soft soft soft fur love.

Beyond cuddle-able.

Miles.

His brother Matty took off as soon as I brought out the camera.

Matty is always on high alert.

But sleepy Miles, the King, will sleep even if you jump on the bed next to him.

Although, if food is involved, why, he can hear someone eating a corn chip down the road.

He is getting huge...

But, he thinks he is still a baby.

Which he is.

However, he has no clue how huge he is, and jumps in between me and Lovee onto a loveseat.

Squeeze.

When he was a tiny baby puppy, sometimes I couldn't find him, and eventually, we would realize that he had taken himself to his bed.

Oh. My. Heart.

It's mini Miles.

Sniffle.

At then end of August, he will be 8 months old.

And, he is now, as big as my bed :)

Well, not really, but almost.

He is more playful than ever.  If you wake him, he puts his paws over his eyes and goes, rrrr, rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, rrrrrrrrr.

And then goes back to sleep.

He spends a huge amount of time on his back, looking at the world upside-down, and silly growling.

So, there is a little Miles update.

I often call him Mimer-Mimer (my-mer).  I don't know why, ever since he was little, I would say, Hi there Mimer-Mimer.

pss:

Protector, who majorly attacks me with love in the morning.

My little soldier.

(He knows how to hug, if I ask for a hug.  I ask for about 50 hugs a day)

Matty-cakes.

Of Curious Change & Giddy Goodness

There's something going on out there, in that place called summertime.

The season is twisting and turning.

It is still hot, and will be until Halloween, and the summer has been ever so long and heavy, and oh so hot.  I gave myself to the garden this summer, as you well know.

It has not been easy.  I won't lie.

It has been a full time job.

But a job I would do gladly, again and again.

As this shift in the season approaches, I begin to gather baskets of goodies.

In my garden it is harvest time for lots of edibles.

I feel a deep respect for farmers, for growing food.  It is so easy to access food with grocery stores and such, that I had forgotten all that goes into growing what you eat.

And, can I just say...

Pumpkins really taste like pumpkins.

Cucumbers really taste like cucumbers.

Tomatoes really taste like tomatoes.

(not to steal from Willi Wonka there)

But seriously, the flavors of my oh so organic edibles, are intense.

If you buy organic, or grow your own, you know what I mean.

So scrumptious.

And so, now I collect.

Snip.

Hug.

Love.

(Btw, all the beans you see around, are from the mesquite trees.  I have raked up 5 wheelbarrows full already, and they still keep dropping off the trees.  We are used to it.)

You know how when you were a kid, and you were going to Disneyland (approaching the entrance to the parking lot), and you got so excited that you bounced on the seats of the car so hard that you would bonk your head on the car ceiling?  Whilst clapping, and make all sorts of happy bursting kid sounds?

At least, that is what I did.

Well, this morning, with orange globes a plenty, I felt like that.  Giddy giddy giddy goodness. 

And, then I was sad.  Sad because I realized that, if I got that excited about something in public (as an adult), I might be committed.

:)

So, the first true collection of the babies for this pumpkin harvest season are trickling in.  I have gifted some, and eaten some, and still have some, plus waiting for some...

I have inspected each one...

Lovingly and with care.

Thankfully too.

With butterflies in my stomach, for the autumn they remind me of, that is yet to come...

A few white ghosties are showing their faces...

In a sort of déjà vu from last year, I am in love once again.

There are still a handful of pumpkin patches in my garden.  More babies growing.  Why do pumpkins make me so happy?  I can't figure it out?

Growing by the gypsy wagon...

Crawling up the trees...

Surprises in the flower garden...

A gift below, for my neighbor who grew her own pumpkin vines from some of my seeds.  She got 5 babies of her own, but needed one more.  You see, she is making pumpkin ice-cream, and she said I would get a taste.  Hooray!

The pumpkin patch in the front garden is flowering now, with babes to come within the next few weeks...

I can't wait to see what surprises it has in store...

I am sort of feeling funny.

I have had a very very very very very long summer.

And yet, the rapid change in my garden, shows me that it really is August.

Then September.

Must soak it in, like, now.

Come dance in our jungle at twilight...

We'll be waiting for you....

 

Love, V

 

 

 

Thoughts right now...

Don't you love late summer thoughts?  They waft in, they waft out.  Intense at once, and then fading so quickly, convincing us they had never been.  A menagerie of feelings fluttering about.

 

Thoughts right now...

I feel a longing, but I don’t know for what?

I feel excitement, but I don’t know about what?

For a mere moment, I feel concerned, but I have nothing to feel concerned about.

It feels silent. 

What is to come?

 

It feels like there is a change on the horizon.  But I haven’t a clue what could change?

Everything changes from moment to moment I suppose… 

Ever changing time.

 

I see a few tiny grey strands in my hair for the first time, sneaking in, getting cozy, like they want to stay.  And I like them.

I am not afraid to grow old.

I find a peace in aging.  I am beginning to look less 25 in the mirror, and I don’t care.  After-all it was a decade ago.  For me, it's easier to let go, than to hold on.  But inside, inside I feel young as ever.

 

I find a calm in throwing my hands up in the air.

I have made pacts with myself, about trying not to lose myself, and I have made myself a map, as to how to get back if I do happen to lose myself a bit.  Do you do that?

 

I have a huge desire to please.  Only this time, for once in my life, it is to please myself.

 

My perceptions are changing.  Sometimes I wish the girl in me now, could have stood up for the teenage me.

Alas, the old adage comes to mind, if I only knew then what I know now.

Then again, the past is history, no point in even losing one inch of thought on what could have been.  It’s over, there is nothing we can do.  Nada.  Zip. Zilch.

So, we let go.

 

I have enjoyed my youth until bursting.

And will continue to do so.

I look upon my twenties with great fondness, even the angst ridden introspective times seem vastly beautiful from this vantage point.

I have so many friends that are much older than me, that I have learned so much from.  The greatest thing I have learned is that life is long, and we are not old, at the ages we think we are.  Whoever decided what age is young and what is old, was cuckoo in the head.  Life is long, and age is but a number.  You can be youthful, for as long as you want.  You do have a choice in the matter.  Only the added bonus is that, now you have wisdom too.  What a gift!  No one ever mentions that, do they?  So silly.

 

The world may seem scary and sinister sometimes, but there is so much goodness and beauty too.  I turn my face away to the yucky stuff, and work at living the best life I can live.  And I believe that somehow, if I hold on to a thread of hope, everything will work out.

 

I have all these thoughts in my head, and yet, nothing is going on in my life that should cause such thoughts.

Just the long hot summer sneaking in,  having a date with my brain...

I pick up feelings from people around me.  I have always been like that.  I can feel other people’s feelings at the drop of a hat. 

I have all these feelings dancing around me today. 

Are they yours?

Are they mine?

 

Are they feelings searching for a home?  Dancing through clouds?

 

Am I just having a reaction to shellfish?

:)

Nah.

So many thoughts.

Right now I think I need one bite of coconut cake.

And that…

That is a good thought.

I loved your sharing of tales in the last post.

It was so exciting for me, to get to hear your snippets.

Just loooved the sharing.

Thank you for that.

(Tori Amos, Thoughts.  Early B-sides)

I think we should do that more often.

 

Love, V