After too many chickenless years, I've finally got some more chickens! This is a picture of Izzie the Frizzle pullet. She's either about to die or really sleepy right now. I'm hoping the latter because she is insanely adorable. I'll keep you posted. Also got 3 chicks, hopefully two silkies, at the same time...They seem to be doing better than Izzie at the moment. I've also ordered a coop for them once they are big enough to enjoy it. The nice gentleman at Atexashenhouse.com is also making me an extended run to add on to the coop. Here's a link to the pic: http://atexashenhouse.com/our-products/a-modern-wedge-chicken-coop/#all

Summertime! Well...Almost!

Thank you to MSC for the Las Vegas vacation!
A few more days left in the school year; summer
is almost here!
Still waiting to hear back on most of the vacation plans, but planning on debate camp for two weeks in June and doing the summer workshop for the team in August.
I'm hoping to go to Montana for a photography workshop in July, but not sure yeat if the class will make.
More updates as the summer progresses!

Time for the Bi-Yearly Post

The debate season has been keeping me more busy than usual this year. I will definitely be taking the kids to fewer tournaments next year! Well, I've been busy but not so busy that I couldn't find time to whip together some truly awesome bread pudding. The recipe is below, but here's the important part: Drizzle a few drops of heated apricot jam on top after it is cooked and serve with a tablespoon of lowfat honey greek yogurt as a 'sauce'. Yummy!!

Combine the following and cook at 350 in a lightly buttered pan for 25-35 minutes, or until done:

-2 Cups of milk (non fat works well)

-2-3 Eggs

-1 Cup of Sugar

-1-2 Tablespoons of vanilla

-1 Tablespoon of cinnamon

- A sprinkle (1/4 t) of any or all of the following: nutmeg, cloves, ginger powder

-1 smallish apple (granny smith, makintosh, something that will bake well)- slice up super thin in small squares. Thin!

Mix all the above, add bread (see below), toss in buttered or oiled baking dish, and bake!

1 loaf of bread, about the size of a french bread loaf rather than a whole package of sandwhich bread. I mix french bread and wheat sandwhich bread. Use whatever is handy. If it isn't stale, toast it pretty well before tearing in to chunks. Add the chunks at the end, after the other ingredients have been mixed together in a bowl.

What is this? another post? why,yes it is...

Hmmm...Here I am, posting for the third time in a single month! Its the little accomplishments in life that do one proud.

Well, I had a FABULOUS day today on my staycation. I had a great facial, a pedicure with parafin (yum), and to top it off, I found a new craft store! Yea! I signed up for quilting lessons! Yea!!

After rereading my posts (I know, it doesn't take long), I'm starting to see a trend with constantly adding new hobbies. Oh well, that's what I spend my big bucks on I guess.

Had a great lunch with Kathy on Tuesday; looking forward to her birthday party.

Not a whole lot going on around here so I'm about to go visit the Fam. I'm so bored that I've resorted to cleaning the house. Ugh! Save me from the Pergatory of housecleaning. I've already got the dining, living, and bathrooms taken care of, with the office on the agenda for tomorrow. I need a good seamstress or alterations place that isn't exorbitant...

Not much crafting going on but perhaps I'll get on that tomorrow after cleaning the office.

Midsummer Update

After a week at NFL Nationals (Megan Fountain placed 4th in Storytelling- yea!) and three weeks at debate camp, I'm glad to finally be back home. I'm still a bit brainfried and physically exhausted by the hours kept at camp, but after a day or two of vegging out and catching up on Trueblood episodes, I'm almost back to normal. I still have a ton of ideas and lesson plans to sort through from my little stay at camp. While I was away, the Hubbster's watering regime yielded these awesome tomato plants

My pitcher also survived with no cracking, probably due to me not fooling with it since I was out of town. Another month or two and I'll have the money for the ac/heater for the garage. In the meantime, I've had the lame-o excuse of being out of town to explain my lack of potting. I just went out to add a photo of the pitcher and I've realized the handle looks rediculous...I've also discovered some kind of bug that has decided my greenware makes for a nice home. All of this is a sign that I need to throw and fire more than once every 6 months. How humiliating. Well, in this heat, it will just have to wait.

On a more positive note, I had great success with my attempts at developing my pinhole camera film (4x5) and making some argyrotype prints. That, at least, I can do in airconditioning.

More posts soon with photos from my trip to Phily last Spring. Better late than never, eh?

It's been awhile...

Ok, why have a blog if you don't post on it? Here's one more attempt to get it going again...

So my little debaters did really well this year. Yea! Two of my little CX pairs went to state- yea! I won't bore you with more details on their manifold accomplishments.

With our good results this year, I've been motivated to go to "Debate Camp" this summer. Being rediculous and doing nothing normally, I'm going to stay for the extended month-long session rather than the typical two-week deal. Or at least that's the plan.

Blogging isn't the only thing I've neglected. I haven't been throwing pots since late October. I started throwing again a couple of weeks ago, now that the debate season is over. I think I really need to invest in an airconditioner for my garage/studio. Made a nice pitcher with several darted areas. I'm hoping it turns out well and keeps me motivated. The handle could still pop off or crack and then I'd be totally bummed.

My argyrotype chemicals and 4x5 film arrived last night. I'm pretty excited to give it all a try. The photography teacher let me borrow the darkroom this morning to load some film, so I'll try some pinhole exposures tonight. Still waiting on a drum agitator to arrive to process the film without having to shake it by hand the whole time.

I'll post some photos of the pitcher if it makes it to bone dry with no major issues.