Well, we’ve been home for a day, and although I miss everyone terribly, it IS sometimes nice to be back home!
QUOTABLES.
“There’s nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.”
Margaret Elizabeth Sangster
I read this as applied to a number of places…my current home, and other places that feel like “home”, such as the house of my husband’s parents. My parents divorced when I was in Law School, so I’ll never be able to go “home” again, and that’s been hard for me to think of lately….I really do miss it….ah…well…I suppose that is just life!
CELEBRATIONS.
February 23, 2012 is…
Curling is Cool Day
International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
National Banana Bread Day
National Chili Day
Play Tennis Day
I have always wanted to try Curling!! I wonder if there’s anywhere near me that offers this sport.
THE WRITTEN WORD.
Ooh, we found a couple of Valentine’s books on clearance, and just had to get them for Wee One’s next Valentine’s Day. Of course, even though they’re for NEXT year, The Mister read one to her tonight!
The Berenstain Bears’ Funny Valentine
By Stan and Jan Berenstain
I can’t wait until Wee One is able to make Valentine’s!
DO RE MI.
I remember first hearing this song when I played it in one of my early piano books.
Lavender Blue
Sung by Burl Ives
To download “Lavender’s Blue” sung by Burl Ives, click below:
Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)
Lyrics
Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender’s green
When you are king, dilly dilly,
I shall be queen
Who told you so, dilly dilly,
Who told you so?
‘Twas my own heart, dilly dilly,
That told me so
Call up your friends, dilly, dilly
Set them to work
Some to the plough, dilly dilly,
Some to the fork
Some to the hay, dilly dilly,
Some to thresh corn
Whilst you and I, dilly dilly,
Keep ourselves warm
Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender’s green
When you are king, dilly dilly,
I shall be queen
Who told you so, dilly dilly,
Who told you so?
‘Twas my own heart, dilly dilly,
That told me so.
Oh, and how I love Burl Ives…especially during the holiday season!
NOURISHMENT.
I had a spicy chicken salad while out to eat recently, and it was delicious, so I tried to replicate the recipe.
Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad from Rally and Meels
Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad from Rally and Meels
Dressing (based on this recipe from the Food Network)
The Food Network’s recipe wasn’t quite right to me, so I modified it as follows:
8-9 cloves garlic, minced
2T Dijon Mustard
2T Vinegar
3-4 T Mayonnaise
1/2 C Olive Oil
Juice from 1 lemon
3/4 tin of anchovies (chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: In a blender, mix garlic, mustard, vinegar, and mayonnaise. Stream in olive oil. Add lemon and anchovies, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Salad
Enough romaine for 2-3 people (however many you are serving)
Tomatoes
Rotisserie Chicken
Wing Sauce
Croutons
Directions: Shred the breast meat from the rotisserie chicken using a fork (don’t use the skin), and place in bowl. Top with Wing Sauce to taste (we used quite a bit). Set aside. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, and dressing. Toss. Top with chicken and croutons.
This serves 2-3 as a main meal, with lots of dressing to spare…
After modifying the dressing as mentioned above, I REALLY enjoyed the salad….I wasn’t a HUGE fan of the chicken, but The Mister liked it. I may try a different type of chicken next time…or maybe salmon or shrimp.
PINTEREST BOARD OF THE DAY.
February 23: Loafing about (aka Bread!)
ACTION.
Wee One really enjoys viewing things from a variety of vantage points. So, she just had a blast when The Mister did today’s activity.
Pretend to fly
She loves sitting, standing, being upside down, and flying!
EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT.
This is the type of story I find SO interesting!
Why Astronauts Crave Tabasco Sauce by Joe Palca
Excerpt:
Why this sudden interest in hot peppers? Part of the reason may be that after arriving in space, astronauts lose their sense of smell, which largely governs the pleasurable taste of food. An example of this is coffee. “If you hold your nose and sip your coffee, you’re getting just a bitter liquid,” says Hunter.
Why do astronauts lose their sense of smell, and what’s this got to do with a preference for fiery food? No one is sure, but there are some plausible ideas.
I don’t think I’d be very good in space!
WORK IT.
Side Leg Raises with Glute Kickbacks
(from shape.com)
Targets: Hips, thighs, butt, obliques
Stand behind a bench and hold on to the back. Lift your right leg straight out to the side until your foot is about 6 to 12 inches off the floor, and hold for several seconds. Keep your torso erect throughout the movement and slightly bend the leg that is supporting your weight. Return your leg to the starting position.
Now, slowly move the leg back as far as you can, feeling the contraction in your butt. The knee of your weighted leg should be slightly bent. Don’t arch your back or overextend your leg. Hold for a few seconds before lowering. That’s one rep. Repeat 25-50 times on each leg. Do 2 sets.
A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS.
We tried another homemade baby food today: Green Beans!
As with the peas, MUCH more colorful than the jarred stuff, and Wee One just gobbled it right down!
WWW.
A site with wonderful recipes and food photography!
A Food Centric Life
I found this in my search for vegetarian chili. The Mister makes a WONDERFUL beef chili, but I wanted to find something without the meat. This recipe looks GREAT!
Vegetarian Chili with Smoked Spices from A Food Centric Life
There are a lot of winning recipes on this site!
HMMM.
Which sport would you rather play: curling, or tennis?
It’s almost the weekend….are you excited?
Rally and Meels 