Loving

• Pandora's Neutral Milk Hotel station. I mean, the Smiths, Mountain Goats, Four Tet, the Shins and Elliot Smith all on one station- even better than a playlist mix!

• Amanda Soule's blog. I have read it religiously for longer than I would like to admit and it never ceases to make me feel hopeful and re-centered

• Oregon passed tax measures 66 and 67. I am so proud to live in such a progressive state!

• Regina Spektor's "Fidelity"

• Memories of hiking through SW England last winter. I can't believe its been a year since we were exploring hillsides in Dorset and laughing at the sheep that were everywhere.

• This amazing banana chocolate chip bread recipe. I have been in search for the *perfect* banana chocolate chip bread recipe and this is so good I want to make another batch!

• The promise of spring. I know its not yet here, but soon enough. A girl can dream...

Yeasty goodness

I love baking just as much as the next person but, when it comes to baking homemade bread, I have been known to cut corners. Who can knead for seven minutes straight anyhow? I start to get lazy after about four minutes of kneading so I was really excited when I read about a no-knead bread recipe from Mark Bittman's blog.


This bread has changed my life- no lie. Easy peasy. All you really need is a day lead time. Also, with the mock steam infusion, the crust is crisp and the light, airy bread within is so soft and flavorful. This bread is well worth the wait!

Cloud Break!

Most days in January have been bleak, gray and drizzly. Luckily, lots of crafting has been getting done like this crocheted filigree bowl I am working on.

But, this afternoon there was a cloud break! Me and my cat, Will, made a break for it and ran around the backyard soaking in the blue skies.

The grass is so green these days- practically neon!- and even our daffodils are sprouting. Even though it is still rather bleak outiside and the trees are pitiful and bare, you can almost feel the spring coming.

Revisiting ye old abondoned blog

We've all done it, so don't pretend like you're above it. This blog has some cobwebs that's for sure but, in the spirit of a new year, a new decade, I am blowing out the dusty corners and polishing it up a bit. Stay tuned!