Bananarama

Okay. Here we have the cutest little game ever, which also happens to be a blast to play. It's like personal speed Scrabble. Each player gets 21 letter tiles and plays independently, until someone has used all their tiles. Uber simple. Uber fun.
I found out about it on this blog HERE, and you can purchase it (very affordably I might add) on Amazon HERE. If you like word games at all, even remotely, you will enjoy this. No more waiting around for 10 (or 30) minutes while an opponent tries to make up his mind. No more throwing the board across the room when an opponent takes your space (I've only heard of this happening - I would never do anything so immature). 
The Walker family did indeed have a terrific time playing this game. But when we started the second game and I decided to spice things up a bit by using only swear words, mayhem ensued and the game was never finished. I can't remember too clearly, but I think there was some throwing of tiles, and we lost an opponent due to the salty nature of my bad example. Oh well.   

okay I'm not so cold anymore

And here we are in the lovely country of Switzerland, one of my all time favorite places on earth. Not looking so Switzerland-ish right now, is it.....

Perhaps you have seen these photos on the internet - my friend Shannon sent them to me in an e-mail and all I could do was stare in disbelief! This is the town of Versoix, just outside of Geneva City, Switzerland. The lake you see is Le'man Lake.  
All of the sudden I'm not feeling so cold. And to be truthful, where I live in California it's hardly EVER cold. In fact, I have frequently cursed our LACK of cold. Like, on a daily basis. Yes, I am feeling somewhat small and ungrateful. 

So for those of you who really ARE facing harsh temperatures and conditions like this (that means you Joan, in Indiana, and you Kim, in Chicago!), no matter where you are on the globe, my heart and my prayers and my flippant complaining goes out to you! All my bulbs, asleep in the soil, waiting to poke their heads out in the spring and live in the sun again, are dedicated to you.

Nie Nie returns TODAY!

Dear Readers,

If you have at all followed the heartwrenching, heartwarming story of Stephanie Nielson, then you know that today is a very big day. One that thousands have hoped for, prayed for, rallied for, gone above and beyond for. Not only is Stephanie alive and recovering - which is in itself a miracle- but today Stephanie returns to her beloved blog, the Nie Nie Dialogues, and begins blogging once again. Welcome back Nie Nie :)

a tiny mixer on steroids

Okay, okay - I know I've kind of beat the hot cocoa thing to death (I guess that was kind of a pun - heh)... But seriously - especially for our friends who are suffering f-f-f-freezing temperatures right now - if you're going to have hot cocoa, or hot anything...............

............. you simply must (MUST!) have one of these! 

The tiniest little hand-held mixer you could possibly imagine. On steroids. I started using one years ago (in fact, I got my first one on eBay) and could not live without it! My current one has no name, so I did a bit of poking around so I could tell you all where to go ;) I'm such a giver.

You can find them here and there under different names, but I found the one photographed in it's package at Bed, Bath & Beyond. It's called the Aerolatte and it's right around $20. You're welcome ;)

the Chair of Many Colors

I finally brought it home. Finally. 

I had my eye on this old, paint splattered stool for, gosh, at least a year, maybe more. It was for sale in a local antiques mall, and I would faithfully visit it every time I stopped by. I couldn't figure out why I was so drawn to it. Other than the fact that I love old wood. And a lot of color. Splattered. 

Perhaps it was the turquoise paint... I finally realized this stool reminded me of my father. I'm not even sure why. I've thought and thought. I have a vague recollection of a turquoise bird house he built with my brother when I was very young. He didn't do things like that often. He had a workshop, had some tools, but my father was mainly a businessman. Strange, that an old battered stool with globs of paint would remind me of him. 
I am happy with the recollection though, and the connection. I do think it must be the turquoise paint, and all the splatters. I am very content with this stool reminding me of my father. He's been gone 13 years now. He was already in his fifties when I was born. I will be without him a long time in my life. It gives me unexpected and welcomed comfort to look at this stool and remember him. 

But I so nearly missed it, came so close to never having the chance to bring it home. The thought makes me shudder.

I wandered into the antiques mall just before New Year's, when to my dismay, the place was nearly empty. They were closing - it was their very last day! NO! I ran to where the stool had always been, only to find an empty corner. I was heartbroken. I had had so many chances. 

I inquired where the owner of the stool might be, and was stunned to find her out front loading her truck. The old stool? With all the paint? Please, where is it? It was already in storage... but she would be happy to bring it back for me - and sell it at a discount. Bless her! 

So that is how I finally brought my father's stool home. It must have been meant to be. 

Someone else decided they wanted a chance to be photographed also.

And when that cranky client left, this one decided she wanted a turn.

I'm ready for my close-up. Hellooooo!

Okay, I admit it. I had to have a turn as well :) What a great stool.

Weekend Update, Fairy Dust, and Magazine Day

Good morning! My high school/junior high kids went back to school today, and as much as I love them, and as much as we had an awesome Christmas break... I am thrilled and delighted to have the house to myself for a whole 6 hours. 

The magazines above? Those are my textbooks today. And you can tell by the covers I'm a month late reading them! I tried oh-so-many times over the break to sit down and read, but loud music, video games blasting, brawling boys, screaming guitars, kids in and out, and Christmas busyness kept me from them time and time again. I was all set to post a completely different post today - in fact, I have several terrific posts photographed and ready - but I decided to switch gears and get to those shiny pages of inspiration ASAP!

See the Mouse? See all his army gear? And the huge airsoft gun that I can hardly pick up? And the ax peeking out from behind him? And the gigantic pile of wood next to him? Well, my weekend update begins with my 13-year-old modeling the airsoft vest he saved up for AND the pile of wood that he himself chopped with that very ax.
Yes, you heard me right - the Mouse chopped that ENTIRE pile of wood, from huge logs, all on his own, with that ax. Seriously. Himself. Solo. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that. And we have enjoyed several lovely fires in the fireplace, thanks to him. Wow...
Now, I realize this is not the greatest picture, but I had to at least take a "before" so when all my roses start blooming I can remember the humble beginnings from whence they came. I already had 5 rose bushes, which I cut back when our pretend winter weather showed up for a week. The Mouse and I planted 7 more to fill everything in, and my husband helped me pour some much-needed new soil into the planter. You'd never know I had a 2 day migraine over the weekend.
And here is a project my husband and the Mouse are overwhelmingly proud of. They kept at it until we can now fit both cars in the garage. We have always been cars-go-in-the-garage people, but in moving several times and finding ourselves in a much smaller space really pulled the rug out from under us. And drove my husband insane. So the task is finally accomplished, and it only took 4 years. 
One final note - and a very exciting one! My lovely and talented friend from high school, Kim (White) Nelson, is having one of her adorable products featured today in Seattle's Daily Candy web magazine! She is the inventor and force behind Sprinkles of Magic "sprinkle dust", bringing a dose of simple, old-fashioned fun to our young ones and the young at heart. If you click on Seattle's Daily Candy you can check it all out, and if you click HERE you can read the entire write-up for Sweet Dreams Dust. Congrats Kim!

Well there you have it. I'm already late for a date with my magazines so I'm outta here :)

Banana Bread Goodness

As the holidays were winding down, I got up early the morning the Red Power Ranger had to fly back to school. I had been wanting to try this recipe not only because it sounded so good, but it makes two large loaves, so I could send one with the RPR. It sounded like a good idea at the time. 
Banana bread. Such a loyal, no-fail friend, you know? This recipe came from the talented, beloved-by-all Alicia Paulson of Posey Gets Cozy. It's her version of Nigella Lawson's recipe. Thanks Alicia, for the go-ahead to post it here - you're the best :)

Alicia's Version of Nigella's Banana Bread
Makes 2 (9" x 5") loaves

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 T. + 1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. unsalted butter, melted
1 c. sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
5 medium bananas, mashed
2 t. vanilla extract
(and no nuts! hah!)

 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and combine well. In a stand mixer (I just mixed mine by hand - and the world actually kept turning), mix the melted butter and sugar and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture until just mixed. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9" x 5" loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. A toothpick should come out "cleanish," as Nigella says.
Mine were done at exactly 50 minutes, and I let them cool for as long as my family could stand it before they were brandishing a sharp bread knife. I barely got these photos taken!
Banana bread was soon being sliced by one and all, and disappearing at an alarming speed. The RPR never did get his loaf to take back to college with him, because both loaves were literally inhaled before we left for the airport. INHALED! But admittedly, a good time was had by all :) 
Now, what I'd really like to know, is if any of you out there have a delectable PUMPKIN bread recipe - my favorite! Oh be still my heart!