Fridays at home in Madison

My new apartment, featuring my lovely (non-functional) fireplace, and, along the left side... pocket doors! I love pocket doors, especially with fancy handles and pretty moulding.

A Month Without Internet Access

Well, it's not quite true. I have internet access at work, and when I go to my parents' house, but when I'm at these places it's usually because I have things to do... Things that are not blogging.

But oh, have I ever been doing things worth blogging about! And if Mal's going to get back into it, then I suppose I can, too.

At the end of December I started moving into my new apartment. I've been having tons of fun setting things up, decorating, putting my kitchen utensils in appropriate drawers and so on. With everything just about in order (for now), I threw a little housewarming party last weekend to garner some compliments and give myself an excuse to cook excessive amounts of appetizers.

The Menu
Pita chips with hummus and almond-eggplant dip
Stuffed mushrooms
Broiled polenta rounds with tomato-bean sauce
Corn & feta filo purses
Felafel stuffed with goat cheddar

Reasons Why I'm a Fool
1. Forgot to take any photos
2. Completely forgot to fry and serve the felafel

...So in addition to a housewarming party, I also had a lovely felafel dinner earlier this week with zero prep.


The point: Without internet access I've been (a) wildly productive on cooking, decorating, and making things. But (b) terribly incapable of blogging.
The goal: Continue part (a); rectify part (b).

Travel Photo Wednesdays: On Ice

Okay, maybe I'm even back for real this time. I took a bunch of photos out on the frozen lake at my cabin, mostly of my sister and our dog, but also of branches with frozen over berries, footprints filling up with water, and the way the sun hits the snow. It was right after I got my new camera and it was really nice to look at the world again in the way only holding a camera makes me do.


And everybody kind of looks like an important explorer when they're backed by an expanse of ice.

I also sewed a new skirt, and I want to show it to you. How does tomorrow sound?

up north at the cabin

I'm ringing in the new year in northern Minnesota, at my family's cabin. Last night we went out for dinner, and then watched old episodes of the Johnny Cash show on PBS and tried to stay awake until midnight.

One of my favorite books when I was little.



Newly installed fireplace! An excellent addition.

Puppy and dad lounging on the couch, a choice cabin activity.


I'll post again tomorrow for Fridays At Home (cabin edition!), and hopefully with some more frequency in the new year.