Friday, August 27, 2010

twice in my life i've planted my own full garden. and both times i've moved before harvest.  rather tragic, really.
i visited my old house the other day. where my sad, under watered, under loved garden wilted in the summer rays.  basil, tomatoes, peas, eggplants. all dead or dying.  but my underground crops of beets and carrots were salvageable. so i pulled the baby beets and brought them home to pickle.

one day i won't wander.  and oh! what a harvest i'll have!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

vanilla cupcakes

a. asked for vanilla cupcakes for his birthday. with vanilla frosting.  beautiful yet boring. so i hid a salted caramel filling in the vanilla bean cakes and topped them with a sweet buttercream.

Friday, August 20, 2010

the mixed tape

yesterday i returned to find a parcel from ireland at my door. my first mail at my new home (i also love mail but will save that for a later posting). in it there was the most brilliant mix! it opens with the lou reed classic 'walk on the wild side' and proceeds with a blend ranging from dusty springfield to the eels, stereophonics to buddy holly. the treasure amongst all the tracks is a version of steve earle's 'galway girl' done by mundy in irish.  while i figure out how to post the mp3, have a listen here.

my older brother made me my first mixed tape. while i cannot remember exactly what was on it, it was certainly an odd collection of punk, metal, and covers. just last year, he plunged into the modern day and made his first mixed cd. it was perfect blend of his current favorites sprinkled with the rancid and lita ford of our past.

my younger brother was born a master of the mixed cd. when i lived abroad, he sent me a mix each month. introducing me to new sounds by cleverly folding them in with the familiar.

i love mixed tapes. (now playlists and cds) love making them. love receiving them.
it's an art really. creating a musical sampler.
both random and thoughtful.
flowing perfectly from track to track.

thank you dgmc. and everyone else who has ever made me a mix!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

peaches

at home. canning peaches with mom.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

mocha cupcakes

i don't mean to make so many cupcakes.
it just works out that way.
they're lovely and bite size and make people happy.
who can argue with that?

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

oreos

sweet petit chocolate cupcakes.
oreo buttercream.
mini oreo toppers. en masse.

Monday, August 2, 2010

red velvet

d. is beautiful. bold. and classic fun.
could there be a more fitting birthday treat?