Things I've been fancying lately:

1.  The Monkees 'Porpoise Song'

The Monkees - Porpoise Song (From Head) by ivaxavi

2.  We've been wanting an ottoman for awhile now, but've held out for the perfect vintage number.  This stunner stopped me in my tracks.  We bought it without even looking at the price tag.  It's. just. perfect.

3.  I really like this simple necklace:

4.  I've been reading and enjoying the installments on boingboing, so I thought I'd go ahead and pre-order Ed Piskar's Hip Hop Family Tree comic from Fantagraphics (who else?!).  It's definitely worth a read.

5.  I'm going to learn how to cook in a dutch oven.  When I was younger and went horseback riding & camping in the mountains of Colorado, all of our meals were prepared in a dutch oven. It's a whole other level of culinary delight.  I want in on that.  I seasoned the beauty we received as a wedding gift last Wednesday in preparation of trying it out this past weekend during our camping trip, but we got rained out.  I suppose I don't have to wait until we go camping to try it out, though.

Photo ripped from Apres Ski Instructor, which, incidentally, is inspiration for dutch oven cooking.

6.  I got a new fig tree cutting from the Bernice Garden Farmer's Market.  I really hope I don't foul this up because I would be ecstatic if we had ourselves a fruit bearing tree.  ATM uprooted three stumps in the front yard, which is backbreaking work.  We've got to cut down one of the camellia trees because of poor planning of previous owners.  We're hopeful to put either this Everbearing Texas fig or Japanese we're sprouting from seed in it's place eventually.

7. It's funny, I went for tacos the other eve, but when the waitress took my order, I was surprised to hear myself order a torta.   Really glad I did and I 'm sorry it took me this long to get around to it.  The ones they make at 65th St. are exceptionally boss and come with french fries!

8.  I love George Jones.  When I heard of his passing, I actually said out loud "Awww, now!".  As far as musical influences go, there was what our father listened to (rock, soul, R & B, funk, oldies), but it was our neighbors that introduced KMHD & I to the world of country and western.  This is so true:

i mean, this was the sound of the South of my childhood. Jones, Waylon, Wynette, Twitty. all gone: youtube.com/watch?v=Q9KniU…

— Bowiesongs (@bowiesongs) April 26, 2013

I can't wait to go camping again and listen to the Ol' Possum in the woods, just like we always do. RIP.

9.  KMHD & Everett hipped me to this band called SAVAGES.  Not really sure if you can handle it:

last week

WEDNESDAY / Two Rivers:

FRIDAY/parking deck:

SATURDAY/Taco Mama:

SATURDAY/bird seed:

SATURDAY/real estate:

SATURDAY/Garvan Woodland Gardens:

SUNDAY/new fig tree:

SUNDAY/Impossible film:

EXTRAS/bunny:

rude boys:

bread or dead

When I was younger, my father advised that I should perhaps consider learning a trade instead of going to college.  He figured it'd suit me better.  Honestly, it's taken me up until very recently to realize that he might be right.  And so.

I don't want my love of baking bread and wanting a new career to become confused and intertwined.  That's just timing.  But, one day, I read this article about Ashton Woodward.  He sounds like a proper learned baker with a healthy dose of mad scientist.  I really like that.  It made me want in.

I asked around for his contact information and managed to obtain his email address.  I  sent him correspondence inquiring if he'd be willing to take me on evenings and weekends, without pay, to learn the trade.  I did not expect a response.  I got one two days later.

Lets talk about this. Its a bigger commitment to learn about bread baking than you may realize. A few short tutorials won't do anything but make you a danger to flour. I am open minded, but this craft requires full immersion to achieve any real skill...I am looking for help currently, but I need someone who is committed.

This job is not easy. It is stressful at times, physical limits are pushed daily. The rewards are worth it; making bread is an experience few people know, and far fewer truly understand. Please know that if you commit to learning with me, I am going to push you just as I once was pushed. I walk in flour covered shoes, apron drawn, hundred hours a week.

This is exactly what I'm seeking.

I am intoxicated by the idea that if you are any good, you can bake bread most anywhere in the world. That's brilliant.  Obviously, I've no aim to strike it rich, but this is about my contentment.

I'm hesitant to write any of this because as of right now, there's nothing going on.  But, it's out there, floating around in the universe.  For now, I'll just do my homework. 

Gorgeous bread footage in this Djangos video:

mmm bow bow

Very recently went on a camping trip to ring in KMHD's 32nd birthday.  WHAT FUN!  Already planning our next outing.

A familiar view:

Might as well tie one on:

Binocular spying:

I know the whole 'gals with guns' thing is overdone and romanticized, but...

Best. Vine. Ever.  (turn volume up!)

Still by ATM

bits/pieces

Blair + Matt hosted a fun little party last Saturday.  They've got this wonderful deck that's up in the trees!  I'm trying to convince Blair to let a sum of us to do yoga in the sun up there.  I'll lug over the juicer too so we can have our hippie way.  You know, get our stretch on, get our base tans going, get fit.  I'm going for a 70's So Cal vibe this summer.  I just laughed  my ass off reading that last sentence, but I'm being hella sincere.  The season is upon us and my gal's got a swimming pool! 

 

Here's ATM mending our tent.  Repair, don't replace:

On Monday, ATM + I went to a cooking class at Eggshells Kitchen Co.  Chef Travis McConnell taught us how to make crépinettes, which are surprisingly easy and very delicious.  He served it with this gorgeous rye miche and some local greens.  Goodness. I may have to take some more of these classes.  I wish they'd get a baker up in it.

.

 First game of the season @ Dickey-Stephens with my gals:

 

It's A Family Affair

Weekend before last, ATM + I drove down to Lake Village, AR to meet up + spend time with our relations from Mississippi.  

We stayed at Lake Chicot State Park, which is situated right on an oxbow lake in the Mississippi Delta.  The weather was a bit on the dreary side.  The springtime sun was nowhere to be seen but, the rainy, foggy, cool air contributed to the haunting beauty of the delta and my phenomenally bad hair.  Like, all weekend long. 

We arrived at the cabins Friday, gathered up the family, and headed over to The Cow Pen for supper. The mayor's daughter, who happens to be ATM's boss, recommended the eatery.  It's one of those restaurants that dares to serve more than one kind of cuisine - in this case, steakhouse, Italian, and Mexican - and it wasn't a total nightmare.  It was quite good, actually.  I feel compelled to mention that ATM got a side of eggplant Parmesan with his steak.  I had no idea that you could get an entree as a side!  You can!

Got to meet this little fella for the first time: 

I have super cute nephews:

Fri-day niiight:

A perk to visiting or stopping in Lake Village is being able to pop into Rhoda's Famous Hot Tamales.  We'd heard about these mollys for years, so I was beyond excited to try the goods, so much that I called a few days in advance to order 4 dz tamales to-go.  Apparently, when they're gone, they're gone.  

These leetle pies are designed to share with a friend, which is really precious.  Split a pie and a beer with me?

Lemon/chocolate/coconut meringue pies, most already sold:

Rhoda:

Bon appetit!

Daniel, Karla + the little chaps couldn't stay but one night, but we definitely got some quality hang time in.  It's not lost on me that they had the longest drive, so I'm really glad they came.  Got some really good shots with the insta cam:

After they departed, ATM + I drove over to the Lakeport Plantation because we wanted to see the restoration work that some of our friends did.  Collin is in the brochure, which is pretty funny.  They weren't open, so we just walked around the property, peeped into windows:

You can see through the key holes:

Later in the evening, for a brief moment, the sun came out and it was glorious:

That night for supper, we made a ragù with fresh pasta, salad, and one of Rhoda's pies:

 

It's really easy for us to get caught up in being hella busy, so I'm grateful that we were afforded the opportunity to take a weekend off to meet up with our people.