pure deliciousness

I wish I could have either written this poem or had it written just for me....


Gold (by Donald Hall)

Pale gold of the walls, gold

of the centers of daisies, yellow roses

pressing from a clear bowl. All day

we lay on the bed, my hand

stroking the deep

gold of your thighs and your back.

We slept and woke

entering the golden room together,

lay down in it breathing

quickly, then

slowly again,

caressing and dozing, your hand sleepily

touching my hair now.



We made in those days

tiny identical rooms inside our bodies

which the men who uncover our graves

will find in a thousand years,

shining and whole.

So many storms

The storms lately have been fierce and intense. Incredible shows of lightening with deep thunder crashing overhead and then rumbling off into the distance.
I love the looming darkness just before a storm. The buzz of electricity in the air...the rush to get indoors where you'll be safe and dry.

Rain, rain go away

I was actually going to blog last night for the first time in too long. Instead I had a baking disaster that added up to a bunch of lemon cupcakes that turned out bright yellow and sunken in on themselves. Thank goodness for supermarket bakeries. No pictures need be shared of the catastrophe. I even whipped up some yummy lemon buttercream frosting. Must find something else to do with it tonight.

New season of Project Runway started last week. I just love it! And it's indulgent TV that doesn't make me feel quite so guilty for some reason. Not that it's any classier than anything else on TV, but certainly Tim Gunn adds to the epicurean value, no!? And Heidi Klum is just too cute for words. How can you not want to have the two of them over for coffee!?

I'm currently stuck at work because it's raining so hard outside and I have not only no umbrella but a VERY thin little dress on. No need to put on a show for all my colleauges as I run by the windows in the rain!

Today I'm grateful for: girls' nights, being hopeful about love, houses in the woods, nights in with a good book

Book recommendations?

Book recommendations please?

Keep in mind, it's summertime and hot here (today it was about 91F and very humid). Do the seasons affect what you like to read?

Apologies and cookies for all

I have so much I want to blog about but a lack of energy to delve into any of those things and actually commit the time to it.

So for now, I'll leave you with this cookie recipe instead.


White Chip Cocoa Cookies (courtesy of Nestle Toll House)

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (12 ounce) package white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups pecans, walnuts or other chopped nuts (0ptional)
  

DIRECTIONS

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
2. COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes: I've been making these for years and everyone always loves them. I bake them no longer than 9 minutes, otherwise they get too crispy and I like my cookies soft and chewy. These are quick and easy and always a hit. They don't look incredibly pretty, but the taste more than makes up for it. I"ve just recently started adding nuts to this recipe and they're not necessary, but they add a bit of oomph to an already delicious treat.

MIA

Usually when someone does not blog for weeks it either means that life is better or worse than normal..... Nothing too specific has happened with me, but I've been having a few rough weeks and needed some space on my own to sort through some things.

So an update on what else I've been up to:

Reading: Norweigan Wood by Haruki Murakami. Can't seem to put it down! The characters have such an emotional depth and have drawn me into their lives by inciting sympathy, anger, lust, confusion, nostalgia, and longing. A must read.

Listening to: J'adore Carla Bruni and I've recently discovered the Talking Timbuktu album by Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Toure and can't get enough

Wishing for: a plane ticket to appear on my doorstep. Running away for a few weeks, basking in the sun, picking wildflowers, breathing fresh air, sleeping on a cloud, taking long walks.

Daydreaming about: a trip to France next year with a college roommate.

Packing for: a weekend away in Vermont, camping with 10 of my closest friends. My best friend is flying back for a few days and that makes it even better! Going to walk in the woods, eat s'mores, go on an alpine slide, buy and subsequently eat lots of cheese, laugh, talk, sing, drink. This is exactly what I need.

Life isn't so bad after all....sometimes I just need to take a step back and look at the little things.

Today I'm grateful for: 2 bunnies with the softest fur, raspberries, baking, air conditioning, packages from lovelies in Holland!