Back in the saddle

It does fry my brain a bit that I just returned from Kenya a little over a week ago. In fact, a week and one day. It seems like ages. I returned directly into the thick of the busiest time of year in my job. I knew this.. and expected it. Doesn't make it any easier, though. I am beaten and tired, head hurts, back aches, etc. And the fun continues on Monday.

To console myself, I just placed the most awesome online order ever. A good friend gave me a gift card to Barnes and Noble for my birthday, and I've been scheming over what to treat myself to for months. The items are as follows:



Um, I'm not sure where I start with this one. Like, omg sooo good, and stuff. I watched the three episodes that made up 'Season 1' of the new BBC adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes stories back when they aired here in the US - in late October and early November - and I'm still reeling. They brought the famous detective into modern times, and hit it with a dose of fantastic casting, like dear Martin Freeman (aka Tim from the UK's The Office) as Dr. Watson. Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock is amazeballs. And oh yeah, the best casting ever for the character that arrives at the end of the third and final episode. I won't spoil it.

Of note, the Sherlock obsession dovetailed nicely with my whole recent psycho obsession with British television. I'm so very fortunate to live in Dallas because our PBS station is so Brit TV friendly, they even have a blog devoted to it called Tellyspotting. Heart. The last episode of Life On Mars (the original UK version) just (re)aired this week and it was so so good. And tomorrow, we finally get to see Downton Abbey. Swell!

But back to my shopping.



When Penguin came out with this series of hardcover classics designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith, I swooned over all of them. To have a shelf filled with that set, they'd be such a treat to look at and to read (I'm ashamed at how few I actually have read). But a whole shelf is a bit costly, so I decided that eventually I'd get my hot little hands on my favorite book in this lovely edition, if nothing else. Thus, Wuthering Heights. Isn't it pretty? Coralie is the bomb.

And lastly...



I'm super embarrassed that I haven't picked up Alicia's newest book yet. I would try and find it in the book shops now and then but never had any luck, so I'm left to ordering it. I don't embroider but I've come so near to teaching myself that I've bought all the supplies, so surely it's not too far-fetched a prospect! And besides, I still love Alicia the mostest and I know what a deeply personal subject embroidery is for her, so I can't wait to pour over the pretty pictures and her warm and familiar words. And with luck, the needle and thread will come soon after.

Goodness, what a haul. I do hope the package will arrive at my workplace during one of those moments when I'm on the verge of tears with stress and fatigue, and instantly make my day. One must plan ahead for these things.

Also, yes indeed, there ARE photos of Africa. Alas, I do not know when I'll have them all uploaded. But it was beautiful, and I do wish I was still there, drinking a Stoney Tangawizi and enjoying the lovely sunny days and cool nights. I felt calm and happy there, and far away from all that is my life, and I think that's the best that anyone can ever hope for in a vacation, no?

Cover models

I was just reading about this book Chicle the other day, and though the idea of a book all about the history of gum is fascinating, what really grabbed me was its cover.



Oh my gosh, isn't it amazing? I want it blown up to poster size and put on my wall. It's SO GOOD. It didn't take much searching to find its designer, David Drummond. He even has a blog where he chronicles his book designing exploits, sharing his covers and some insight into their creation and what inspired them.



It's not something one usually thinks about, is it? Book cover design? This one was great. According to David, "The only stipulation was that concept had to feature a cigarette prominently." Naturally.



He also does some book catalog design. I love this image. Thanks for sharing your work with us David!

As for the boots, yes I decided to keep them, I was a little worried about how much I'd be able to wear them, what with my new work dress code (no jeans), but I'll just stock up on more skirts and corduroys for the fall. Plus, as several people pointed out, these are Fryes and will last forever. Anyway, I'm going to use the freelance paycheck I've got coming to me to pay for them. I deserve some sort of treat for cranking out those two projects. They were so not fun and at the time I would have much preferred to be doing something else. So in exchange: boots.

Reading, and chocolate, is fundamental

I bought some knitting needles today. I'm very excited to test them out. I have a book that a friend lent me, which seems to explain things clearly. I'm sure I'll still have questions, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try. My first crochet attempts were rather lumpy but I still wear those early scarves with pride.

I also whiled away a huge chunk of time in Half Price Books. I find these days I really don't like buying new books. It seems wasteful. I'm sure I'm way behind the curve on this one, but it's a semi-recent thing for me. Well, for a while there I wasn't buying books, because I was getting freebies at work (magazine editors get loads of books, and I worked for one). When that eased up, and I got to where I was wanting new reading material again, I just couldn't bear to pay full price. So maybe this is more me being cheap than eco-friendly. Oh well. Ain't no shame in digging around in thrift stores for books (I do this too).

So back to Half Price Books. It's no Strand - God I miss the Strand - but it'll do as a substitute. It's a good bit easier to move around in on a Saturday afternoon, at least. Though it's harder to find things I'm interested in. Those big tables at the front at the Strand - I would always bust the budget before I made it past them. Here, I went in circles. The hunting and finding was not as intuitive. But I did find a couple of books I'd been wanting to read, plus that Ogden Nash collection I'd been hankering for. Remember that E? You don't need to get me one now. :)



It contains such gems as this:
I test my bath before I sit,
And I'm always moved to wonderment
That what chills the finger not a bit
Is so frigid upon the fundament.

It doesn't get much better than that. I love that this copy is old, and the pages are yellowed around the edges. I had to wait forever for my pad see eiw order at Titaya's, so I was glad I'd just bought it, and had the sense to bring it in. It kept me from getting too grouchy.

Speaking of food, this cake was part of me maxing out on my summer zucchini allotment. I'm not interested in eating any more. No thank you. I had bought a lot to make the pie (remember the pie?), then found I didn't need that much. So I had some left, and then brought more back from my dad's - fresh from the garden too. So it just couldn't go to waste. Finally I was so maxed out that I found a way to eat it in a cake. Yes thank you! I'll take that. Yum.



As usual, I took a big hunk of it into work, cut into easy-to-grab squares. It went over so well that I had to share the recipe almost immediately. You want it too? Okay. This comes from my From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce cookbook, and is credited to Scotch Hill Farm. Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

3/4 cup oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk (I soured some milk with lemon juice)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and cloves (I didn't have cloves so I did 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
2 1/2 cups flour
small bag of chocolate chips (here I bought a bag of dark chocolate mini chunks from Whole Foods and poured in half the bag - I think the amount worked well, and the dark chocolate was a nice touch)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients and pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. Consume.

Bueno!

I have a crapload of these Loteria cards. I just love them, but I've never done anything with them because I don't know what to do. Do you have any ideas? Once, in Mexico, I bought a box covered in them, which I still use as a jewelry box. So that's been done 'round here.



I've never even played Loteria. If it was one or two I could frame 'em, but I've got like two full sets of the big cards and one set of the cards you draw. Anywho. Maybe someday I'll figure it out.

Right now I am...

-Counting down the hours to the Lost finale.
-Really loving Jeannie Ralston's book The Unlikely Lavender Queen. I've had an advance copy lying around for quite a while now, and just happened to pick it up to read as it was being released. This was mostly prompted by the Lavender Festival being just around the corner. And now I find she's doing book signings and such here in town. I wonder if I should go to one. Hrm.
-Wearing a pimple cream mask. Yay!
-Working on this crochet heart pillow:

Well not at this precise moment obviously, but I was working on it a little while ago. I'm not making it for any particular person or reason. I have a lot of yarn leftover from the baby blanket, and I wanted to tackle something just a wee bit more challenging, but not so challenging that I can't work on it while watching So You Think You Can Dance, ya know? Of course you do.
-Really hankering to bake something. What should I bake? It should probably have fruit in it. I've got a lot of fruit 'round here lately. Watermelon, apples, pears, strawberries, and I've had my eye on the cherries at the store. They're almost perfect. Might have to peruse my Cooks Illustrated online subscription to see if I can get inspired. I don't use that thing enough and really it's the coolest. I can search by ingredient, and there's a high success rate for me with their recipes. Especially their baking recipes. Then again, why I think cranking up the oven when it's 95 degrees outside is a good idea, I'll never know.

Just because

I've been so obsessed with Jane Austen lately (I blame the PBS Complete Jane Austen series). I bought this huge book that contains all her novels back in February. So far I've only read Persuasion. Perhaps next I should read Sense and Sensibility?

Take the Quiz here!

PS - I am either finally being affected by the notorious Austin pollen or I have some sort of cold. My throat hurts and I'm feeling a bit cranky.