hot hot hot

Another list of randomness...

Recipes are written for a reason! At 7:30am, after a night of not much sleep, it is most utterly important to follow the recipe. When it calls for 1 chipotle pepper don't dump the whole can in without a thought to what it might do. Follow the recipe! {mouth on fire now!}

We've been having fun lately exploring the coast. Trips to Half Moon Bay have been fun. We've found a sinking boat, watched pelicans dive bomb for their dinners, and caught a couple spectacular sunsets.

Wedding planning is underway - fun but a little stressful. So much to get done!

Friday we're heading to Tahoe for the 3 day weekend. Yay! Here's hoping we catch some good weather for pictures and don't run into any bears in the moonlight.

another sewing project

Lukas was certain I would never make this case. And then, once I was started he was certain that it would never be finished. But, lo and behold, it got done. Maybe it took a bit longer than expected, but it's done!

This all started with an idea... "I could make that". That idea got me in trouble before with the toiletry bag. And like the toiletry bag, at the end of this I am quite proud.

There are four slots for filters covered in micro fiber and padded with some thick interfacing. The outside is brown canvas with a pocket outside for some cleaning clothes. {gosh darn spray off the ocean}

The lesson I learned from this "little" project... hand baste the bias binding first before sewing it down with the machine. Things went much more smoothly after I had that break through. Minus the tender fingers from shoving the needle though the zillion layers.

Heather Ross is coming to Santa Cruz!!

Imagine my excitement when just the other day I clicked on a link that led me to Heather Ross's blog. I'd found it before, but for some reason it hadn't made it onto my google reader yet. {it's there now!} Well, I scrolled down the page and read this little line of text, almost hidden past a post on tamales, "I will be visiting Santa Cruz, California from Sept 2-10th." I did a complete double take, reread the paragraph looking for some fine print. The only catch, she will be at Hart's fabric on a Thursday afternoon and evening and I have to work. Book signing from 4-6pm and then a class from 6-8.

Well, I quickly got over the "catch". I can leave work early! I called up Harts and reserved my spot in the class. And I am excited! I've got a major crush on her fabrics and love my copy of Weekend Sewing.

So, if you're in the Santa Cruz area {or even over the hill like me} come see Heather Ross at Harts. She's also go a class the next week at The Crafters Studio in Santa Cruz.

image from Heather Ross.

There's a cricket up my skirt

Saturday we took a big adventure up the coast. Our first stop was in Stinson Beach for a hike up and then down Mount Tamalpias. We’d done this hike once before and remembered how challenging it was right from the start. First you go up and up and up. And the second half is all down, which you think would be easier, but… all that pounding on the knees, feet sliding forward in the shoes and straining muscles to keep from running down out of control really works numbers on the body. Lukas ended up with 5 blisters between two toes and we are both still sore. But, it was beautiful and totally worth it.

Lukas quick stepping under a fallen tree.

After the hike we continued up the coast to Point Reyes National Seashore. The goal was to check out McClures Beach and a few other spots that looked like they could make for good picture taking. The day was hot, even when the fog rolled in. The walk back up to the car from the beach left us both sticky with sweat. So, we rolled down the windows as we drove across the country roads to the next spot – Chimney Rock.

We were talking and driving when out of the blue sky something flew across the inside of the car. With great skill, this “something”, hit Lukas in the face first then glanced off my face, hit my leg and fell to the floor. “Hey! What was that?!” Lukas exclaimed. “I dunno,” I responded, “But whatever it is, I think it’s down by my feet now.” Lukas proceed to glance at my feet and noted the crumbled McDonald’s hashbrowns wrapper there. “Must have been that,” he said. And we forgot all about it until…

Sunday we were back in the car heading over the hill to pick up my engagement ring. We had just pulled onto the freeway going south when something hopped on my bare leg. Yes, I was wearing the one and only short skirt I own. With a little squeal I quickly tossed whatever it was off my leg with the back of my hand. It went straight for Lukas who let out a surprised shout. Upon looking at it closer he identified the “something” as a cricket. “Gosh, Megan. It’s just a cricket. No need to get us killed. Keep driving.” And I did try my best to keep driving as the cricket proceeded to hop all over the front of the car landing on my legs numerous times. It was a tense couple miles.

Finally, of its own accord I hoped up on the side of the door. I could barely see it out of the corner of my eye. “There it is,” I told Lukas. “Well, roll down your window.” So I did and used the back of my hand to relocate the cricket to the outside of the car. The tension eased noticeably until…

I felt something crawling up my thigh. With attempted nonchalance I hurriedly swatted at my thigh. “There’s something else in the car,” I said trying to keep nerves out of my voice. Out of the corner of my eye I could see something hop here and there. Lukas confirmed that it was another cricket. Two crickets in one day?! Lukas tried to encourage it to hop out of the car, but finally he lost it. The rest of the way to Santa Cruz I kept envisioning it climbing up my skirt. What a day to choose to wear a skirt.

Unloading the car in Santa Cruz I found it hanging out on the back window. Had to get its picture before flicking it off into the bushes. Actually, it was pretty cool with its spotty markings – not at all like the boring dark crickets that you might buy at the pet shop. But, as cool looking as it was I did not want it hoping all over me when I was driving – ewww!

Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was pretty adventurous.

it's official

We were sitting on the couch two Friday's ago. I was unwinding from the day, had breaded the challa and was totally putting off getting dinner made. Lukas asked me what I wanted to do over the weekend. I listed the errands we were planning on running and my swim that I was gonna do on Sunday.

"What do yoooou want to do this weekend?" I asked back.

"Well," he said. "I was thinking we could go pick out an engagement ring." That stopped me in my tracks. I blinked, trying to get this question to sink in. "Does this mean we're getting engaged?" I had to ask. He nodded yes. "So, do you?" I teared up and nodded back to him. "Is it ok that it wont be a surprise?" He asked a little worried. I told him yes, that was fine I was just so happy. Lukas told me how earlier that week he had gone to six different places with his mom looking for the right ring, but hadn't found it. With such an important task he didn't want to pick the wrong one.

Eventually, I did get off the couch and make dinner. Then Saturday we went hunting for the right ring. I wanted something unique with a touch of vintage/antique feeling. We went back to all the places Lukas went to earlier and I didn't find one that was quite right either. So, we decided to go down into Capitola Village to see what we could find there.

The display outside the shop caught Lukas's eye and he called out to me as I was just about to walk into it. He pointed out this pretty silver and gold ring to me. "Oooooo," I said. "Let's got look at it." And so we did. It was the winner, I knew it. But just to be certain I glanced that the other rings in the shop. When it was still the clear winner we got it {ok, Lukas got it}. It wasn't mine yet - it had to sized and Lukas still needed to give it to me.

One week later it was ready. We picked it up, I tried it on just to be sure it fit and then I gave it back to Lukas. We drove up the coast to one of our favorite spots - Shark Fin Cove. With a little bit of nerves Lukas asked if I would marry him. I said yes with a silly grin on my and he slipped the ring on my finger. It was official.

And that's the story of the ring!

a little extra fiber with your pesto?

I need a new wooden spoon. A couple nights ago Lukas was helping me in the kitchen. While he put the groceries away I set to work stretching out the pizza dough and making the pesto. His mom has a CSA that she often shares with us and lately we’ve gotten a bunch of basil. Pesto is so simple – basil, garlic, parmesan, pinenuts… yummy!

I tossed the basil and garlic in the blender to get it all chopped up fine. Switched it on and watch the blades spin tossing the basil up into the top part of the blender without cutting it much. Stop, grab a spoon, push it all down and turn it on again. Seconds later I was repeating this routine. Five times through this little dance Lukas was done with the groceries and watching my ever slow progress.

“Here,” he said, hand out for my wooden spoon, “Let me.” So I handed him the spoon and flipped on the blender when he said go ahead. That is when he pushed the spoon into the blender to hold the basil down. The crunching, cracking sound that came next did not sound good. Quickly I stopped the blender and he pulled out the mangled spoon. Only about half of it remained attached to the handle.

We dumped the half chopped basil into a big mixing bowl and went on a hunt for the missing pieces of the spoon. As we got most of the big chunks out Lukas pieced it together to see how much was still missing in the way of tiny bits of wood. Only a couple centimeters worth. Added fiber, right?

Needless to say, after this episode Lukas ran with head hung in shame from the kitchen never to set foot in it again. {Ok, that’s not true, but he did get out of there pretty fast that night.} And, I am in need of a new wooden spoon.

Cruz Cruise

It was still foggy in the mountains when I woke up early Sunday morning. Early for a Sunday – the day made especially for sleeping in and laziness. But weeks before when I read the email that announced the Cruz Cruise, 2 mile rough water swim my only though had been, that sounds like fun. Within minutes I had printed off the sign up sheet and made out my check. And without letting it settled I simply put it in the mail. Even a few days latter it still just sounded like fun. But as race day approached my stomach began to turn itself in knots. Two miles is far! And the Santa Cruz harbor is filled with cold cold water. Still though, even with questioning thoughts as to my sanity I was excited to give it a shot.

Absorbed in my thoughts about how to best avoid the “brawl” at the beginning of the race I completely missed the turn. At the edge of town I made a u-turn and headed out to the coast. Check-in went quickly, the air biting at my exposed arms as my shoulders were marked in Sharpie with number 12s. I waited trying to calm my nerves for the prerace instructions. Hands on hips I looked out at the grey water scanning for the orange buoys that marked the course. They looked impossibly far away – just dots against the immense ocean and sky. Prerace instructions came with a warning for first time open water swimmers like me, “Consider what you’ve gotten yourself into. Two miles is quite a ways and the water is cold.” Yeah, what had I gotten myself into?

Hearing this was my first open water race the woman standing next to me gave me a few pointers. “Just take it easy, try not to get all hyped up. You’ll do fine!” She gave me a bright red cap to borrow so I would be easy to spot if I needed rescuing. Gosh, they do a good job of trying scare off anyone with second thoughts. Swim cap on I slipped out of my warm clothes and shuddered a little as my toes sunk in the cold sand. None of that Megan, I told myself. This is gonna be nothing compared to that cold water so buck up! I followed the gathering swimmers down to the edge of the water. A few were out, knee deep getting wet before the race. Sucking up what courage I had I joined them.

The water was like pins and needles – as if I had just put my feet in an ice bath after a long run. {I’m just imagining here as I would never be so silly as to do a “long run”.} At each joint the level of cold got exponentially colder – past ankles, then knees, and just stopping mid thigh. Just go for it. And with that I picked up my feet and sunk down backwards into the water. Seconds later I was up and sputtering. 57 degrees really does feel as cold as it sounds. As I walked out of the water I heard, “One minute to the start! You’ve got one minute.” Ah! I forgot about the cold and ran back up to the line of waiting swimmers. Heart pounding, I was ready to go.

Tweeeeeeeeeeeeet and we were off running into the water. I stayed to the far outside, avoiding flailing arms and splashing water. Then I dolphined in and began to swim. Immediately I was struck by both how limited my vision was and by how buoyant I felt. I got over the fact that I couldn’t see more than 3 feet in front of me and took off with strong, powerful strokes. I wasn’t noticing the cold any more. Instead, every couple strokes I looked up for the orange buoy marking my first turn. Sooner than I expected I reached it and made the turn. Each passing buoy on the long leg of the swim seemed to come in due time. I was surprised not to have lingering thoughts of “Gosh, that buoy doesn’t seem to be getting any closer.” Really, I didn’t think about much expect the feel of gliding on the top of the water and riding over the gentle swells. For most of the swim I didn’t see anyone around me. Once in a while I had to navigate a patch of kelp or barrel through it. Towards the end I could see a lifeguard on a paddle board when I turned to breath. Gosh, I hope I’m not last and they’re making sure I come in ok, I though momentarily. But then I let that thought go and went back to enjoying the swim.

The cold really was starting to sink into my muscles as I sited the last buoy. It wasn’t like I “felt cold”, just that progressively my muscles were not responding as well. Hard to explain, but that’s what it felt like. I push through, knowing that the end was so close and surprised that the time went so quickly by. {The hour continuous swim in the pool always seems to take forever!} Now I could see the finish arch and began wondering if the bottom was close enough for me to try to put my feet down. I gave it a couple last powerful strokes and then stood up. Splashing and running quite ungracefully through the knee-deep water I made my way up the beach. Ahead of me a woman was slowly jogging to the finish. “You can do it!” I “sped” past her. She saw me coming, took two quicker steps and then slowed back down. I was handed my finish number as I stepped through the arch. On the next step my leg stopped working and I saw the sand leering up at my face. Stumbling, I managed to stay on my feet. Wow I did it. I’m done.

On shaking legs I made my way to my bag and my towel. Again I didn’t “feel” cold but the way my body wasn’t responding to my commands to move told me that I was super super cold. It was challenging to change out of my swimsuit under my towel being all sticky from the salt water and lacking muscle coordination. I made my way to the tent where they had munchies and piping hot chocolate. My arm was shaking so violently that half the hot chocolate ended up on the sand but I didn’t care. It felt so good as I sipped it – warming me up from the inside. I was still shivering when I was done, but by the end of my second cup of hot chocolate I was pretty much back to normal. Meaning, I could feel that I was cold now, but could also feel all my toes again and didn’t feel like I was walking on stumps.

I collected my stuff and headed back to the car. I could feel the muscles in my arms, legs and back and it felt good. I was proud of myself for doing it. {I didn’t finish last, actually I was pretty much in the middle.} I did it and I loved it!

Meal Planning Monday

Time to jump on the bandwagon and start publishing my meal plans for the week. I have been pretty good about doing my planning and sticking to it, but this will help as well.

Monday: Pesto Pizza - homemade dough set to rise while I run to the grocery store for my weekly trip

Tuesday: something new... Honey Glazed Cashew Chicken with fried rice. Fingers crossed that this is a winner.

Wednesday: something new again... Shredded French Dip. I'm gonna give this a shot in the Dutch oven 'cause I lack a slow cooker, but I think it should work.

Thursday: Grilled chicken sandwiches with pesto greenbean potatoe salad. This meal might get the boot if we have lots of left overs that need to get eaten.

Friday: Fish nuggets with garlic fries and corn on the cob.

{happy cookin'!}

happy sewing

Here's my first quilting project on my new Pfaff - quilted couch pillows. My color inspiration came for the mat we have by the front door {sorry, no picture}. But, I wasn't very good at picking the right colors. {lack of picture when I was at the fabric store} I liked what I picked when I choose them, but the more they sat the more I wasn't sure about them. That was until I started sewing them together.

I mapped at an off-center, irregular log cabin pattern on some graph paper and picked my color pattern. Then away I went with my rotary cutter - those things do wonders. I sewed my tops and made my quilt sandwich with lots of basting pins. Really, I think I did over kill on the basting pins wish I had a picture for proof.

For the quilting I was inspired by these diamonds. But after I got the first set of diagonal lines done I actually really liked it just like that. {And I wanted to finish that night and it was already getting late.} So, this was the way they stayed. The colors actually turned out really well together and I think they look good with the couch.

Now I can't wait to put some new blocks together for a lap quilt with some fun Heather Ross fabric I got on esty. Gosh darn those out of print fabrics!