Confessions of a Wanna-be-Hippie

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My three best friends from college and I have been emailing back and forth about starting a cohort farming system in Virginia. This stems from our secret desire to be hippies, live off the land, get out of the rat race, grow our own food and let our (future) children run around the compound naked. I also want dreads, but that's another story. This blog happens to be about my hippie-issue with incense.

Anyways, on our honeymoon our resort left us incense in our bathroom. I know, super romantic. We used it and liked it, the candlewood smell and all. Right after we moved to Lubbock Seth bought me some "earth" scented incense on a run to Target (the mecca of hippie goods...ha ha), unfortunately, I didn't have an incense holder. Until this morning the sticks have simply been smelling up my cupboards. This morning I happened to find an incense holder at the grocery for $1.29. I camp home and promptly set up my incense, even before I put the chicken breasts in the freezer. Well, the issue started when I accidentally blew the ash on to my tablecloth. Then, I tried to wipe it off onto my hand, which just proceeded to rub the ash into the tablecloth. Now I just have to wash the tablecloth, which doesn't seem like a very hippie thing to do. Maybe next time I'll get it right.

On my next "confessions" blog post I'll talk about my latest green hair washing adventure.

Camping

We went camping this past weekend at Caprock State Canyon. It was really refreshing to get away from town even if it was just for a night. Enjoy these photografias.

Things I love: morning rounds

This post maybe should be dedicated to how much I love Sprouts! Really, their produce cannot be beat (at least around here), their bulk spice section is the new love of my life and its the only place I can get everything bars. (I don't know what they're actually called but they taste like peanut butter and are awesome).

Last week I got a coupon in my inbox for FREE Ozery Morning Rounds. (Another reason I love sprouts - coupons for free stuff). Anywho, this last Monday after I got done locking my keys in my car at the gym after work and having to call my roadside assistance so they would come unlock my car an hour later I decided to pick mine Morning Rounds up and I may have just fallen in love with them. They're like a pita, sort of, but with no pocket, and they're smaller and fatter, but not by much. Weird description, but I thoroughly enjoy them. This particular kind is cranberry, but they also had an apple spice option. I've eaten them just toasted with no topping so far, but I'm thinking a little apricot preserves would be delicious. yummo

Bites!

I was inspired last week and made some pretzel bites. Taken from Pennies on a Platter.

Salted Pretzel Bites

Yield: 48 bites

1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
6 cups water
4 teaspoons baking soda
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1-2 Tablespoons coarse salt

1) Combine the yeast, 1 tsp brown sugar, and warm water in a large bowl. Set aside until foamy, 5-8 minutes. In another bowl, stir together the remaining 2 Tbsp brown sugar and warm milk until dissolved.

2) Add 2 1/2 cups flour and milk mixture to the yeast. Stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Add the remaining flour as needed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times, forming a smooth ball.

3) Brush the inside of a large clean bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft free area for about 2 hours, until dough has doubled in size and bubbles appear on the surface.

4) Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Lightly dust your hands with flour. Roll one of the four sections into a 12-inch rope. Cut into 12 1 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining 3 portions of the dough.

5) Let rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Again, if using instant yeast you may choose to skip this step as it only requires one rise.) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400˚F.

6) Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the baking soda and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Boil pretzels in batches, cooking about 20 seconds each, turning once. They should be slightly puffed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them back to the baking sheets. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, about 15 minutes.

7) Brush warm pretzel bites with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature. Eat 5 immediately.

Delicious autumn

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

Today my delicious autumn involved pumpkin biscotti and homemade chai. Yesterday I got a craving for anything pumpkin so I looked up about eight or so recipes and bought a few cans at the grocery story, so that's how the pumpkin biscotti came about. And my sister made this chai sometime ago and said it was delicious and now I may be hooked.

Geek Out

My day so far:
Woke up at 5:30!
There was a Living Social Deal for yoga (just as my latest pass was about to expire) Hooray. Deals are pretty much the only way I can afford to do yoga here in TX since classes are $12 a piece...far cry from good old Yoga Oasis.
Yoga class was cancelled this morning, which is discovered upon driving to the studio. boo. Thankfully there is a class before our Gospel Community this evening, so I'll be getting my stretch on there.
It's cool enough to wear a cardigan and scarf.
I had a free drink coupon at Starbucks so I'm enjoying loads of caffeine in my pumpkin spice latte (and loads of calories!)

Currently:
I recently joined ONS (Oncology Nursing Society...where Oncology Nurses Connect)! I'm pretty excited as my membership gives me free online access to a couple nursing journals. I'm about to get my research on.

My upcoming day:
A new local restaurant, Belly's Cafe, or lunch. Apparently they have delicious food, so of course I can't wait.
Small Group (aka Gospel Community) tonight!
And I just discovered there is a new season of parks and Rec on Netflicks, so I'll probably go ahead and waste sometime watching that this afternoon.

The Happy Dual Personality

Dinner is in the oven. It's rosemary chicken legs with roasted veggies. I had planned on making it just for Seth and I and now it's going to be for dinner with some of our friends. This is our fourth meal with friends this weekend. The extroverted me is so happy right now.

I also have had some time with Jesus, some gym time, gotten a few errands done, and some meals just for my husband and me. The introverted me is pretty content as well.

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P.S. in the midst of writing this I set off the fire alarm. A little smoke never hurt anyone right?
P.P.S. Seth and I set up our tent today in the backyard (that's the picture). our first trip with it is in 2 weeks and we didn't want to look like idiots when we set it up. Aren't you proud, Trisha?

Mary and Friends: Books, Again.

I recently heard, on NPR or something, that when P. L. Travlers was taken to the premier of Mary Poppins the movie, she came out and stated, "all of the animation has to go." Needless to say it was a little late for that in the process, but that story gave me the inkling to read the books. Let me preface my review by saying that Mary Poppins was my favorite movie until I was twelve (then it was Cool Runnings). I loved that crazy nanny. That is why I never thought I would hate the books. Why you ask? Mary Poppins is mean. Seriously, she is narcissistic (at least once a chapter Mary stops and stares at herself in the shop windows). She pretends the crazy adventures she goes on with Jane and George are just ludicrous when the kids try to reminisce and she does not take the kids in the painting adventure with the chimney sweep. WHY DO THE KIDS STILL LIKE HER? I can't lie, I didn't even finish Mary Poppins Comes Back (the second book) because I would rather not continue to tarnish my view of the loveable nanny.



Thankfully this book was better. I never read the original Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books, but I did see the movies. Confession: I own them. I picked up this book at the recommendation of a friend, which follows the four best friends as grown ups in their late twenties. It starts off rather grim, but of course ends much much better. I may have even cried while reading the book. Well done, Brashares, well done.

On another note, I made potato crust quiche this morning for breakfast with friends. Definitely increased my love of quiche by like 40% since I (not so) secretly hate the pastry crust.

Late Night Ramblings

Disclaimer: this post really doesn't go anywhere, so unless you feel like wasting 6 minutes, don't read this.

I do realized it's 9:57 am. But I just got off a 13 hour shift, went to the gym and ate some Trix.

I also just worked 3 nights in a row, that's like working full time in 3 days. super awesome. and by super awesome I mean I'm pretty tired right now. I had some...errr...challenging patients. I also had some patients that started challenging and ended up being pretty cool, and some that started pretty cool and by the end of 3 days were just not that cool anymore. Its just the nature of the job I suppose. One thing I have realized I appreciate is the variety of my job. My nights are never, ever the same, particularly because I constantly have different people I'm dealing with. That is one bonus. Also, chances are if I have had one patient for a couple nights in a row they won't be back the next time I work. Most of the time, that is great.

On another note, my to do list is forever long and includes things like "showering" and "wash floors" and "make something delicious to eat" so I'd better get on that. Right after I sleep away most of my day