a piñon kind of day

We ran out of the "energy-juice" that is Enfusia yerba mate, so I brewed a pot of Texas piñon coffee early this morning. More yerba mate is on the way, but I'm happy it turned out to be a coffee kind of day. I'm writing a Curator article about Peace Like a River and in my preparation, I re-read this great quote:

“.... Strangely it was the coffee Dad seemed most happy to see and which, brewed, caused our home to feel again like a place where we might live right-side-up. Dad hummed 'God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen,' as he measured grounds into the basket and lit the gas; the pot ticked as it heated; and as it perked a smell came forth like the sunlit hillsides of Mexico, a smell like morning camps described by Theodore Roosevelt in his days as a rancher in North Dakota. Then Dad sat at the kitchen table with a white ceramic cup all asteam and his King James before him ....”
[page 123]

If that doesn't make you want to drink good coffee, then I don't know what will. And so, I revisited an old photograph of mine:



I was up to much of the same ~ reading Leif Enger, writing, hot beverage-drinking, and incense-burning. I must be easily influenced by inspiration because after seeing the photo again, I burned a stick of piñon incense this morning, too. So that would be Texas piñon coffee and piñon tree incense. Now isn't that symmetrical.

Enjoy the weekend, y'all.

a book for lent?

I asked my facebook friends, so now I'm asking y'all, "Along with the Bible, which book should I read during Lent?"

Two of the best suggestions I've received so far:

:: The Life You Save May be Your Own: an American Pilgrimage by Paul Elie.

:: Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright.

I own and can hardly wait to read both, yet my husband highly recommends another book on our shelves: Bringing in the Sheaves: Transforming Poverty into Productivity by George Grant. I might have to go with that one - Johnny reads great stuff.



Ash Wednesday is tomorrow, so please speak up. Thank you kindly.

five senses sunday + monday

See.
-The Sunday morning ambiance of Antidote as we placed coffee orders to-go.
-What looked like cherry blossom trees in our Church's neighborhood. Is this even possible in Houston, TX?
-The [overpriced] visual feast that is Anthropologie. Johnny agreed to five minutes. I only purchased a small, white ceramic container with a cork top. $4.00.
-New art on my desktop - "It's Teatime" by seasprayblue (also on my Etsy wish list).
-Our bottle brush tree is blooming.

Hear.
-A little bit of Aradhna and The Welcome Wagon en route to Antidote.
-All bias aside, our Church's musicians are something else (I often catch my toes tapping together as I kneel at the Communion rail).
-Harley "talking" - he wanted to play with the nasty old shoestring. In the meantime, I heard Milo rummaging around the pantry where he ought not to have been.
-A really wretched Oscar montage - a supposed tribute to the Hollywood musical. Among the participants were Beyonce and two of the High School Musical kids. No.
-Flipping on the radio to pretty classical music. But I opted for silence while folding laundry, to ponder how the heck to begin my next Curator article....

Taste.
-Sliced taro root cooked in coconut oil and sprinkled with Celtic sea salt.
-Seriously, Johnny knows how to cook a steak.
-A big bowl of salad greens topped with black olives, raw pumpkin seeds, crushed flax crackers, extra virgin olive oil, and apple cider vinegar.
-Blueberries & coconut milk.
-Citrus spice green tea for an afternoon treat.

Smell.
-A coconut milk-mango soy candle. I might have to revisit Anthropologie sans Johnny.
-Roll-on coriander essential oil at the Kiehl's store (across the parking lot). Loved it, but I picked up the necessary eye makeup remover and splurged on my favorite deodorant instead. Tough choice.
-I'm thinking anything cooked in coconut oil smells good.
-Almost out of almond Dishmate. Say it ain't so.
-A new bar of vanilla spice shea butter soap by my sink in the bathroom.

Feel.
-Burt's Bees lip gloss in "zesty red."
-Amazingly energetic after two mugs of Enfusia yerba mate (look for my review here soon).
-Pleased with domestic accomplishments: two rounds of laundry, loaded the dishwasher, and dusted our book-laden bedside tables.
-Determined to meet this week's deadline a day early vs. a day late.
-Excited to see my parents, our friend Jenny (maybe Christine), and the Nasher in Dallas this weekend. I get to hear Johnny play drums for Donna Stuart, too. A quick, fun trip.

a saturday morning tradition

Today is one of those picturesque days which remind me to never again take for granted a peaceful domestic rhythm, a roof over our heads, and good food to eat. Since health as I once knew it was taken from me, I've come to be grateful for the art of homemaking - to the point where my gratitude might nauseate some women. But I can't help it. As God heals my body, I'm elated on the days when I feel well enough to bake, clean up the kitchen afterward, do a few loads of laundry, read, write, then take a long walk in our neighborhood. Our house is rarely spotless - we are some lint-y/dusty people and cats, apparently - but I do find joy in a peaceful home; a comfortable haven. I like to have the sink cleared of dishes, at least.

We set our alarm this Saturday for two reasons. One, Johnny's drum student was scheduled to arrive at 10:30 am; and two, I had a particular breakfast menu in mind:

-Almond flour pancakes.
-Blueberries.
-Shelton's turkey sausage.
-Texas piñon coffee.

Johnny and I made this feast together just for the fun of married life, and well, because he's better at flipping pancakes than me. However, I flipped 1-2 pancakes successfully! There's hope for me yet. Our pancakes were beauties, if I do say so myself. As Johnny took his first bite he said, "Honey, these taste like real pancakes." And so they did.

Jenni & Johnny's Yeast-Free Pancakes
[adapted from Elana's Pancakes]

3 cups Honeyville blanched almond flour
1/2 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
8 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia (or to taste)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch Celtic sea salt
Coconut oil for frying (or butter)

1. In a blender, combine the almond flour, coconut milk, eggs, butter, stevia, vanilla, baking soda, and sea salt and blend on high until smooth.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. When the coconut oil is hot, ladle pancake batter onto the skillet.
4. The pancakes will bubble - when the bubbles open, flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side.
5. When the pancakes are done, remove from heat and transfer to a plate.
6. Ladle more batter onto the skillet and make additional batches, adding more coconut oil to grease the skillet as needed.
7. Johnny poured Aunt Jemima syrup on his pancakes; I sprinkled Korintje cinnamon and fresh blueberries on mine. Amazing.

Makes 24 pancakes (I'm a fan of leftovers).

Hence, making breakfast together on Saturday mornings is now a Simmons tradition. We'll have to get up about 30 minutes earlier, though. Today, Johnny was only able to eat half of his breakfast before sprinting out to the garage studio (his coffee in hand) to greet his student. I lingered at the table with the March 2009 issue of The Sun. I read "Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer" by Wendell Berry. He is one of my favorite writers and I revere him quite a bit, but I don't always agree with his conclusions. This essay was excellent in that it makes clear the benefit of closing my MacBook for longer stretches at a time, picking up a pen, a notebook with paper pages, and writing during natural daylight. Or stepping outside to be underneath that sunshine. But I disagreed with this sentence of Berry's, "I do not see that computers are bringing us one step nearer to anything that does matter to me: peace, economic justice, ecological health, political honesty, family and community stability, good work."

Sure, if we spend too much time on the computer, the virtuous life will be lost and the internet is not the source of such values. But my own home life has greatly benefited from too many blogs and web sites to mention (though I link to many on the sidebar). Likewise, so has my understanding of peace, justice, health, politics, and even service to my husband, family, friends, and community. Just yesterday I savored Mav's and Stephanie's latest post on 3191 Miles Apart. Mav's thoughts caught my eye since Johnny and I will soon institute Sabbath evening meals in our dining room. I loved Mav's elegant, eclectic, and relaxed take on table settings; her brilliant, thoughtful hospitality. I also loved Stephanie's focus - caring for her sick daughter by making homemade ginger ale.

Or take Kate's post on the horrors of human sex trafficking and modern day slavery - this time not across the globe, but in her home state of Florida. In the United States. I fear in Texas, too. She mentioned David Batstone's book, Not for Sale: the Return of the Global Slave Trade - and How We Can Fight It. I quickly took advantage of Christian Audio's free download for this month - that very book. I had trouble finishing my lunch yesterday while I listened to part 1 - eye-opening information indeed - but we do need to be aware of such crimes. If not for audio technology, I would've listened to this important piece of journalism much farther down the line, not praying soon enough. OK, so I could've checked it out at the library, but hearing a book read aloud is also a virtue (in my opinion).

Enough disagreement for now. Wendell Berry is still a sage to me, and I loved this sentence, "....when somebody has used a computer to write work that is demonstrably better than Dante's, and when this better is demonstrably attributable to the use of a computer, then I will speak of computers with a more respectful tone of voice, though I still will not buy one." It made me laugh, and I respect his tenacity.

My take on the matter is: you don't have to own a computer to be happy or successful. Wendell Berry is proof of that - he writes everything by pencil or pen and a piece of paper. His wife types and edits his work on a 1956 Royal standard typewriter. And he has produced a cornucopia of books: fiction, essays, short stories, and poetry. I adore that man's way with words and 95% of his philosophy.

But technology - like everything else we enjoy - is a blessing from God. All good things come from Him. And like my friend/teacher, Kemper, taught me (and others) a few years ago, the good life is all about balance. Too much of anything is harmful and gluttonous; too little of the important things isn't so great, either. I'm actually working toward lessening my computer-time to get more reading, writing, and housework done; and to listen to my fascinating husband much more often. He has great things to teach me. Yet my MacBook is a necessary tool, I do believe - for the glorious application that is iCal, writing research, healthy recipes; and even just for pleasure and play. I'm ever-inspired by beautiful blogs as I mentioned in a Curator article of mine. We sure do need beauty in our lives, and should even cultivate it online.

Time to get off my soapbox and computer for a bit. I have in mind a late lunch, taking the duvet cover out of the dryer, writing upstairs, a walk when the rain lets up, and an earlier bedtime since Church comes early. And because we're gonna swing by Antidote on the way (totally my idea).

chocolate mint truffle rooibos: a review

[dessert tea for one, please]

When Johnny and I were dating, we ate a lot of ice cream. We'd often split a pint of Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk, or Blue Bell's (a true Texan's favorite) mint chocolate chip. Along with more important issues, we bonded over a mutual love for ice cream, chocolate, and more specifically, chocolate mint - we both ranked it in our top five favorite flavors.

As I heal from a systemic candida overgrowth, I can't partake of ice cream. Major drag. When I'm not scarfing down permissible recipes such as chocolate chip bread or nutty-coconut cookies, I find dietary solace by window-shopping (or just shopping) on Mighty Leaf's site. I recently stumbled upon chocolate mint truffle rooibos tea and I was stoked. Y'all know I will try almost any kind of tea - how could I pass up that description?

Of all the teas in the world, I particularly love rooibos (pronounced "roy-bos") hailing from South Africa. I even use it on my face. The beverage version has a deep, rich flavor yet it's caffeine-free. As much as I love a good cup of non-jolting chamomile or something, I prefer the heartiness of rooibos. It's über-healthy, too:

* Contains an unusually high amount of antioxidants similar to green tea.
* Anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral.
* Rich in vitamin C.
* Lessens the body's reaction to allergies and calms an upset stomach.
* Helps to relieve stomach ulcers, nausea, constipation, and heartburn.
* Relieves insomnia, disturbed sleeping patterns, and headaches.
* Gives a relaxing effect to the central nervous system.
* Makes for strong bones and teeth due to its calcium, manganese, and fluoride content.
* Soothes infants with colic, stomach cramps, and sleeping troubles. Simply mix some rooibos tea with expressed breast milk or formula.
* Etc....

[going for a second cup....]

Since a mug of sweet tea is a favorite nightcap of mine, I'm happy to report that chocolate mint truffle rooibos is amazing. My favorite preparation involves a few drops of stevia and a splash of almond milk. As my tea brews for 5-7 minutes, I can literally smell cacao and spearmint from across the kitchen. And the taste? 5/5 stars from me: a smooth, sweet, bright, honey-toned brew. I even had Johnny give it a try. He's not a tea fanatic like his wife, but he said, "Damn. That's good."

Mighty Leaf tea pouches also suit me aesthetically which is of equal importance to taste. I'd even go so far as to say they make tea into art: hand-stitched silken bags with purty loose leaves inside. The pouches are even 100% biodegradable. Jenni likes.

Seeing as chocolate mint truffle is a big winner, next up is Mighty Leaf's whole line of chocolate teas. Chocolate chip truffle black tea sounds great on the caffeinated side of things - to sip while taking in morning light. As a writer, I think "truffle" is a brilliant word to include in a tea's name. It's working on my psyche, at least.

you don't have to be small ....

....or a Mom to enjoy small magazine. I subscribe (it's free) to this beautiful online publication, so I was alerted to the spring '09 issue via e-mail this morning. Along with the 60 degree-sunny Houston weather, and a mug of an Enfusia & rooibos blend, small has my brain fully percolating and inspired. This is good because I must continue to prepare for my next Curator article today.

I mean, check out the breathtaking, vibrant art of Julie Morstad* (pages 23-24, 25-26):

[image courtesy of Crust Station ~ click to see larger]

And the illustrations of Amy Kligman (pages 85-86, 87-88):

[image courtesy of Feed Your Wall ~ click to see larger]

And, an amazing spire playhouse weaved of English willow by Judith Needham (pages 29-30, 31-32, 33-34):

[photo courtesy of Judith Needham]

There's also a honey nut granola bar recipe (pages 17-18) by Heidi Swanson, so be sure to check out the entire issue.

Of course I'll be a Mom one of these days, but for now, I am just very pro-kid in America and elsewhere. I'm also a firm believer that motherhood is one of the most creative acts ever. small magazine shines that truth a little brighter.

* - If you click "small draw" on small's top navigation bar, you can download a black & white pdf of Julie Morstad's work. It's intended for your kids to color, but I'm adding colored pencils to my grocery list. I wanna color, too.
(you can download more "small draws" from back issues of small....)

creative health

The chocolate chip bread went fast. Really fast, so I baked another loaf this afternoon. My heightened interest in cooking from scratch is humorous. It's something I'm just now coming into, in my 30's. When my brother first met Johnny, he tried to embarrass me by saying, "You know Jenni doesn't really cook, right?" There are many reasons why that I won't go into today (like laziness), but a lot has changed within 6 years. The longer I'm married, I try to make our home what it ought to be - peaceful, healthy, creative, beautiful, restful, welcoming, and truthful. And, before and after my health diagnosis, my eyes were gradually opened to the importance of good nutrition and real food - the more basic the better.

Johnny is definitely the grill master - he prepares chicken, fajitas, and steak like you wouldn't believe (maybe he'll blog about his latest feat with steak involving thick layers of sea salt). But I've always loved to bake due to the aromatic ingredients, and my sweet tooth. One of my favorite ways to scent our house is to whip up a batch of cookies or something. When my doctor said that a feisty candida overgrowth called for a strict diet, I thought my dessert days were over, or at least dismal. Thankfully, I was oh so wrong. Let's hear it for God's creation of the coconut and almond (for starters), and man's ingenuity to glean so many products from each nut. I could never have survived this diet 20 years ago.

I think, too, that a slow healing process with many days of discomfort has forced me to unearth beauty wherever I can find it. Our kitchen is lovely, and so is a warm loaf of chocolate chip bread, but it's more than that. Last night, I told my Diet Coke-loving husband that he should drink more water - a very healthy habit in so many ways. Aren't we comprised of 90% water? I know it flushes toxins out of our bodies. The thing is, my husband doesn't like water. It's a discipline for him to drink 8 glasses a day.

As we discussed this, I started to nag him. That's no good at all, so I dropped the subject of H2O. However, I realized the root of that conversation was a desire planted deep in my heart. I'm utterly inspired to cultivate health and wellness in our home due to all I've learned the past year and a half. I long for Johnny to be well, and you better believe our kids will eat real food and take probiotics from day one. But I do not desire a legalistic diet for any of us. I'm also learning the balance of tending to our health and enjoying "treats" from time to time. Like I said, my husband loves Diet Coke (as I adore caffeine-laden coffee & tea), and I gotta trust God with the aspartame. I cannot say that I'll never enjoy a cupcake or French fries again, so there's that, too.

However, finding a healthy recipe like chocolate chip bread that Johnny and I both love is enlightening. It's such an innocent treat. Honeyville blanched almond flour is packed with protein and dietary fiber and tastes amazing. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants. Cinnamon is anti-fungal and balances blood sugar levels. Celtic sea salt has naturally-occurring vitamins and minerals. Sorry to geek out, but all of this is true. To me, health is very creative.

Other than baking, I've been listening to Welcome to the Welcome Wagon by Rev. Thomas Vito Aiuto and his wife, Monique - a.k.a. The Welcome Wagon. This album is full of quirky hymns produced by Sufjan Stevens, so of course I love the music. From their bio.:

"Vito was born in Tecumseh, Michigan, and attended Western Michigan University where he developed a love for writing poetry. His first book of poems, Self-Portrait as Jerry Quarry, was published by New Issues Press in 2002. A self-described agnostic, Vito experienced a spiritual conversion at the age of 20 and soon after enrolled at Princeton Theological Seminary to study theology and prepare for ordained ministry. Currently he is the senior pastor of Resurrection Presbyterian Church, a church he planted in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY, in 2005.

Raised on a farm, by a gentleman farmer father and choir teacher mother, in the same small town as Vito, Monique moved to New York City after high school to study art, first at the Cooper Union (BFA), then Columbia University (MFA). Since then she has worked as a pre-school teacher, craftmaker for Martha Stewart, and as a mother. She also serves as The Welcome Wagon's resident visual artist.

The Welcome Wagon began as husband and wife singing in the privacy of their home. Having little to no previous musical experience or training, Vito purchased a guitar with the desire to sing hymns with his family. With Monique accompanying on toy glockenspiel or harmonica, the two would amble through old hymnals, psalters and prayer books. Their inability to read music was no big issue; Vito simply made up new tunes to old words.

While their most familiar venue was (and is) their living room, The Welcome Wagon have been periodically coaxed to small stages at bars, parties, and seminaries throughout the New York City area, often joined by friends on upright bass, drums, piano, and banjo. These intimate arrangements preserve the delicate nature of The Welcome Wagon's identity."

Maybe I'm charmed by Vito and Monique because Johnny and I spend a lot of time in our living room, too - J. often strumming a hymn on the guitar. My current favorite Welcome Wagon track is "But for You Who Fear My Name" (based on Malachi 4:2). This hand clap-filled song is lodged in my brain:

But for you who fear My name,
the Sun of righteousness will rise
with healing in His wings.

And you shall go forth again
and skip about like calves
coming from their stalls at last.

You shall be My very own
on the day that I
cause you to be My special home ....

I suppose there could be worse ear worms. When I hear such songs, I get all inspired in a different way. I'm tempted to keep bugging Johnny to teach this hymn to our Church's musicians. He's partially in charge, so it could happen.

Oh, and for you Moms, Monique posted her play dough and slime recipes, sure to entertain both her kids and yours on a rainy day. Heck, the play dough looks fun to me (age 34).

[The Welcome Wagon. Photo courtesy of Asthmatic Kitty Records.]

chocolate chip bread

I really ought to start baking during daylight so I can snap a few photos of my concoctions. I've got a lot to learn about photography, especially in the P.M.. I promise to work on my baking hours, but I whipped up a loaf of yeast-free chocolate chip bread tonight that turned out very well. Please bear with the odd amounts of erythritol and liquid vanilla stevia. I wanted to incorporate both in order to balance the sweetness and rich, dark chocolate. Anyway, this is a big yum:

Jenni's Chocolate Chip Bread
[adapted from Elana's Simple Bread]

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Honeyville blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons erythritol
1/4 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cacao chips, mashed
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
10 drops vanilla stevia (to equal about 1 tablespoon of sugar)

1. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, sea salt, baking soda, cinnamon, erythritol, and cacao chips.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then stir in the apple cider vinegar and vanilla stevia.
3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry.
4. Scoop batter into a small (approx. 6 x 3 inch) well-greased loaf pan (I used coconut oil).
5. Bake for 45-55 minutes on the bottom rack of your oven - until a knife comes out clean.
6. Cool and serve.

Makes 12 slices.


P.S. ~ I don't know that the two go together, but I cannot get enough of Harney & Sons' coconut-ginger-vanilla green tea. I could not resist the pretty lime green tin at Bookstop, nor a copy of The New Yorker, so I purchased both. And, after Greek food with my drummer on Valentine's night, I drank a little pot of Starry Night tea at Antidote (I packed a few ZSweet packets for the sweetening). That's just how I am.

a hotel with a soul

Some Friday reflections:

:: It seemed like a Texas piñon coffee kind of day, and so it is.

:: But my kind husband picked up a box of Allegro citrus spice green tea, so I'll be trying a cup this afternoon. He knows his tea-loving wife very well.

:: Yesterday eve, I baked yet another batch of these cookies while listening to David Mead's Live at Eddie's Attic 2/4/09. I'd love to see him live in Houston; even Austin. Until then, this album suffices quite nicely.

:: In other listening, a free lecture entitled "The Wound of Beauty" is very worth your time. It's by Gregory Wolfe, the editor of Image journal.

:: I discovered more tweak-able cookies courtesy of Elana's Pantry. Butter cookies? Yes.

:: Speaking of recipes, I added a Super Natural recipe search button to the sidebar. I discovered this helpful resource via the habit of being. I thought it was a great idea since some of you have special dietary needs and want to eat whole, natural foods as I do. Click the cute tree and check it out. By the way, this recipe search engine is the brainchild of Heidi Swanson - the author of one of my favorite cookbooks, Super Natural Cooking.

:: I can't wait for the unveiling of 3191 Miles Apart sometime today, and I think Shelter is super cool.

:: I received the very last issue of domino magazine. Aunt Denise gave me a gift subscription, then generously renewed it a few times. I was inspired by every single copy that arrived in my mailbox. The March 2009 issue is beautiful closure - a fun spread on Austin, TX for one thing. RIP, domino.

:: I hope this new Orla Kiely collection is stocked at our local Target. I'm headed that way today for a few basics such as Epsom salts, Kleenex, and 1-2 method cleaning supplies, but an Orla Kiely canister or coffee mug sure would be nice.

:: From now on, there will be a new format here for Curator-Fridays. It has been my pleasure to post all of the articles from the first 23 editions of The Curator, but it's always nice to change up ye olde blog. Besides, you can click that good-lookin' Curator button to your right to read a new edition every Friday.

:: Why, I happen to have an article up today ~ "The San José: A Hotel with a Soul."

five senses tuesday

["Lovebirds" by Geninne]

See.
-Milo sitting behind the Indian tapestry curtain in our bathroom, in the morning light.
-Gray clouds.
-Incense smoke curling every which way.
-A great new issue of Comment magazine.
-Tall pine trees swaying in the wind.

Hear.
-The dryer tumbling our towels.
-The dishwasher running.
-Bon Iver's Blood Bank EP.
-Rain on the rooftop.
-Johnny bidding his young British drum student, Harry, goodbye.

Taste.
-My first organic Honeycrisp apple. Whoa.
-Enfusia yerba mate + rooibos almond tea.
-Then a cup of Assam tea with safflowers.
-Simple bread (I subbed erythritol for agave).
-Raw macadamia nuts.

Smell.
-Cherry blossom incense lingering in the living room long after it turned to ashes.
-Scrambled eggs in coconut oil.
-Blue eucalyptus & lavender laundry liquid.
-Water lily + aloe dryer sheets.
-Cinnamon bar soap.

Feel.
-Shea butter under my eyes.
-An Epsom salt bath or two.
-Harley purring on my lap.
-Stuffing a handful of tea bags into a manila envelope bound for Brooklyn, NY.
-Grateful for Johnny and a lil' Valentine's date this weekend. We're thinking Yia Yia Mary's and Antidote. Maybe the Menil and a good movie, too.

meet our neighbor, maxx

That's our neighbor, Maxx. He was poking around across the street when Johnny took out the trash this morning. J. called the pup over to read his tag, then invited him into our backyard while he called his owners. It took them a good while to call back - long enough for Johnny to give Maxx several bowls of water, throw a tennis ball around, and for both of us to become smitten. I went outside a few times to scratch behind Maxx's ears and discovered that he loved to hug. As we crouched down, he put his sweet head right against our legs prompting a big hug around his stocky body. He was very obedient, too, which surprised us since we were strangers. He obeyed the commands of "sit", "stay", and "shake hands." We felt badly that we didn't have any dog treats on hand.

I love our two cats something fierce, but I started my earthbound life with dogs, so I have to say, it's a good thing Maxx's teenage owner retrieved him a few hours ago. I was getting rather attached. However, Harley and Milo are a big enough pet-adventure for now.

In other pursuits, I baked a loaf of Simple Bread last night (accidentally missing my beloved Radiohead on the Grammys) which turned out very well and smelled amazing in the process. I highly recommend Elana's Pantry to those of you who are also eating yeast-free, or sensitive to gluten (Elana's target audience). Many of her recipes call for Honeyville blanched almond flour which I'm happy to report is way cheaper than the Bob's Red Mill brand.

But back to the bread.... I used erythritol instead of agave and added a heaping teaspoon of cinnamon. It's a yummy, hearty loaf similar to Ezekiel bread. I'm planning to bake Simple Bread again with a bit more erythritol and Ghirardelli unsweetened cacao chips. I'm already drooling. Next, I'll try Elana's biscotti, flapjack, and Thai iced tea recipes with my special tweakings. I'm thinking fresh blueberries will go nicely on top of those flapjacks.

Also, it occurred to me that I ought to shop around for a yogurt maker - to make coconut milk yogurt! Any suggestions? And purchase hazelnut butter to use with those Ghirardelli chips + erythritol (or liquid vanilla stevia) - to make yeast-free "Nutella." Look, I eat lots of vegetables, fruit, legumes, and healthy meat, but I was born with a sweet tooth. I'm afraid a systemic yeast overgrowth can't stop me. Plus, I like that such a medical condition has taught me to cook from scratch since I'd like to pass that skill along to my future children (as we play in this little wooden kitchen, of course).

Lastly, I'm on a big Tim Keller-listening kick. The man has some wisdom for sure. Click here for several free sermons; I listened to "Praying our fears" yesterday. Seeing as I'm a fairly fearful person by nature, I scribbled down notes the whole time. I was advised to listen to "Praying our tears" as well, and I've been told that Keller's series on Hebrews is worth every penny.

....Does tending to Maxx count as #13 on my list?

handmade

Yesterday was time well-spent with Kimberly. Lots of quality "girl-time" chatting, black bean chili, pie & cookies, cinnamon creme brulee coffee, and embroidery. I felt like a very slow learner, but I enjoyed myself nonetheless. As you can see, I learned how to cross-stitch Kimberly's handmade pattern of "Johnny & Jenni" - so very cute. Actually, she called this particular method back-stitching and I learned new terminology such as "half-stitches." I can't wait to learn more and graduate to working with warm colors of linen (I've been very inspired by tiny happy lately).

Kimberly's a good friend because she left at 5:00 pm to make dinner for her family and such, yet she came back to my house later in the night so we could finish the above stitching. It was soothing to work with my hands while listening to The Innocence Mission, Ampersand, and David Mead; a flickering candle nearby. Though it wasn't difficult work, it was a slow-going, intricate process that made me appreciate artful handmade efforts even more. We'll need to schedule a follow-up lesson for the heart & arrow (inspired by this) - maybe in time for Valentine's Day? We shall see.

I also love Bethany's first attempts with embroidery - very impressive. I'm already dreaming of knitting and crochet.... Here's to a more handmade life, and crossing off my list.

the curator ~ edition #23 [stay home]

Johnny is abandoning me today. OK, not really, but he is leaving to play drums with Ross King. It's just for one night, though, so I guess I'll live. I'm thinking: quality reading time and a good movie thanks to Netflix. Plus, my friend Kimberly is coming over this afternoon to eat buttermilk pie (nutty-chocolate coconut cookies for me), sip tea or coffee, and give me an embroidery lesson. I'm pretty excited. Then I'll be able to cross part of #5 off my list. And seeing as I run a little tea shoppe in my pantry, I'll send her away with a paper bag full of tea - grown-up party favors?

Before Kimberly arrives, I'll be reading The Curator as I do every Friday. Today we have four great articles including a beautiful essay in words & pictures by my good blog-friend, Nicole. Within her lovely words (and photos) she mentions an essay by Rebecca Solnit, an amazing author. I've read part of A Field Guide to Getting Lost; it blew my mind so much that I put it down for the time being, but I will surely pick it back up again. Gorgeous writing. Wanderlust: a History of Walking is on my to-read list.... Anyway, Nicole's piece is quite inspiring along with Sarah's, Ty's, and Christy's:

Morality Suspended in Seven Pounds
by Sarah Hanssen
Seven Pounds: touching, or morally reprehensible?

Fallout 3:
Maturing the Action RPG Genre
by Ty Fujimura
A review of Fallout 3, which offers gamers an engrossing and rich experience that sets the bar for the action RPG genre going forward.

A Radical Proposal:
Stay Home
by Nicole Gliddon
An essay in words and pictures about a radically countercultural proposal: just stay home tonight.

Does Professional Journalism Matter Anymore?
by Christy Tennant
The reports of journalism’s death are greatly exaggerated - but the landscape is changing.

a bookish coffee date

We delivered food to some friends yesterday evening and as we walked out the back door I said, "I don't mean to be selfish here, but can we please drop by Kaboom Books to see if they have a Wendell Berry novel? I mean, we'll be in the area and all...." I also offered to request a book from the library, but then again, the Port William series seem to be worth owning and a used bookstore is not usually too harsh on the budget. Are you with me?

After handing over the eats, off we went to my current favorite bookstore less than a minute away from our Church. As we swung around to park, the space at the far end of the little shopping strip caught our eye as it always does. We can never figure out what the heck it is. There's a photography studio, a web design shop, an antique store, the bookstore, and then the mystery space that we've been praying would turn into a coffee shop. We walked down to peek into the large windows and by golly, it looked like a residence! Did someone live there?? Next to our own house and a loft, I thought that was the coolest idea ever.

We opened the heavy glass door to Kaboom and petted a sweet, soft dog named Kaylee. She was super cute. Immediately, I inquired of the bookstore owner, "Does someone live down there?" She confirmed it is indeed a guy's home. Wow-ee. My curiosity assuaged, Johnny and I set to book-browsing. I was reminded how grateful I am that Johnny is bookish, too. I'm not sure I could've married a man who thought books were optional. I'll never forget (nor fail to repeat here, I'm sure) that one of our first dates involved a huge Borders bookstore wherein Johnny purchased a Dorothy Sayers book and a Jesus nightlight for me. How could I not marry him?

Last night was another one of those dates. I really just like hanging out with Johnny, but when we find good book deals, it's like icing on the cupcake. My hubby found another Grendel graphic novel (he also admired many a history tome that I tried to coerce him into buying) and a $9.00 Wendell Berry hardback for me: Watch with Me. I also found a 1958 edition of Origins by Eric Partridge which was a great find. Kathleen Norris referred to this encyclopedia of etymology often enough in Acedia & Me to nudge me further into word-nerdiness - I already receive the word-of-the-day from Wordsmith in my e-mail inbox every morning. The beauty of this older edition is the price - a mere $15.00 as opposed to $60-something on Amazon. Plus, I like the blue-green dust jacket, browning pages, the vintage font, and that old-book smell. And this quote in the beginning:

"Philologists who chase
A panting syllable through time and space,
Start it at home, and hunt it in the dark,
To Gaul, to Greece, and into Noah's Ark."
-Cowper, Retirement



The night was already amazing with a great man and good books. But as we paid at the counter, we got to talking to the kind woman who owned the place (I stupidly didn't catch her name). It may sound silly, but I don't run into that many friendly, chatty clerks in Houston. This red-headed lady and her husband own both Kaboom locations and are recent Houstonians after escaping Katrina. They ran a three-story book shop in the French Quarter and lived in the building, too. Miraculously, their books survived the storm. It was fascinating to hear her perspective vs. everything I heard in the news. There's no way around the tragedy, but she had such a fair-minded, peaceful view regarding it all. She had that beautiful contentment I strive for. She misses her hometown, but she rather likes Houston and thinks our hurricanes are nothing in comparison (she's right).

Anyway, as we chit-chatted, I noticed a stack of postcards from Antidote Coffee. You should know that basically, I'm always scheming to find a cup of tea or coffee when we're out and about. Sooo, I sweet-talked Johnny into checking out Antidote before we headed home. It helped that the bookstore lady told us the coffee was very good and cheap, next door to the other Kaboom shop, and only five minutes away.

Johnny typed the address into his TomTom (a Christmas gift from his Mom) and off we went again. The parking situation was not great, so my patient husband circled the old neighborhood a few times until we found an acceptable space. My face lit up as we stepped into Antidote's door - I just knew it was a very Jenni-place:

-the perfect eclectic coffee shop atmosphere,
-organic and fair trade brews from Big Bend Coffee Roasters,
-an impressive Art of Tea selection (including Velvet tea),
-organic yogurt and granola,
-beer and wine,
-biscotti and scones (I wondered, is it possible to make biscotti with coconut flour? Better yet, almond flour??),
-happy hour (along with alcohol, they also serve $1.00 double espresso shots),
-free wi-fi,
-local artwork on the walls,
-inspiring postcards near the door such as Hello-Lucky and knitting lessons). We're thinking of dropping off Johnny's business cards, Curator bookmarks, and our Church's postcards.
-Did I mention it's adjacent to a bookstore?

I tried to play it cool, but I really couldn't help myself - I was visibly geeked up. I cannot deny that we love the convenience of Starbucks, but Antidote is more up our alley. The coffee was cheaper after all and tasted much better. This joint is close to our Church, too - Johnny suggested stopping by beforehand on a Sunday morning. I nearly jumped out of the retro chair to hug him.

With a single Americano in my system, Johnny kept smirking at how much I talked on the way home. I actually slept just fine, but I was über-inspired. As I heal and wait for yeast to be a positive ingredient in my diet, I tend to go into recluse-mode and hole up in the house. But it blessed my soul to get out of our lovely home for awhile, see friends, book-browse, and sip coffee with my favorite person. I don't think I'll ever tire of dates with Johnny. Nope, never.

From Origins:

inspiration, inspire. See SPIRIT, para 10.
.... 10. L inspirare, to breathe in or into, LL to breathe religious or divine feeling into, becomes OF-F inspirer, whence 'to inspire', whence inspirable. The presp inspirans, o/s inspirant-, yields the rare n inspirant; on the pp inspiratus (whence obs 'to inspirate') are formed LL inspiratio, o/s inspiration-, and LL inspirator, whence, via OF-F inspiration and late MF-F inspirateur, the E inspiration and inspirator.

[these photos were taken in early morning light]

say it louder :: sarah siskind

We have gorgeous weather for writing here and I must finish my Curator article. But you know how I am about passing along great music. Today we have Say it Louder by Sarah Siskind ~ amazing:

As always, enjoy the day before you. I have a hunch: today shall be oh so good.