inspired by::green

whether we are talking about the new green buds on the trees or the "be green" movement that is gaining momentum, i am all about green these days.
i am thoroughly enjoying the renewal that spring brings. the proof that life is an everlasting circle, and the rejoicing that happens without fail and without matter. one can always put stock in the fact that nature will parade it's wares.
the colors! the bursting forth! the declarations!
all of it is spectacular.

another thing that i think is marvelous is collaboration of ideas and solutions on how to pick ourselves out of this environmental and social ignorance that has never suited us well. i believe the human race to be compassionate and conscious and there are so many groups and organizations out there proving my hunch correct.
a small offering:
The Hunger Project
We/Repower America
Equality Now

tiny dancer

a large majority of the gifts i gave this year were handmade by yours truly. whenever i make gifts i tend to gravitate to the projects i haven't attempted before, with new techniques and materials. my projects didn't go very quickly. i started getting overwhelmed a week before christmas and a million and two things still to make.

so, after many 2 am nights and many sore fingers, i did manage to finish a few things. all my gifts were huge successes and i am particularly proud of ms. ballerina above.

is it bad to say i secretly wanted to keep her?

::joy is for you::

On this cold winter solstice evening, I wanted to wish you the merriest of holidays. May you have abundant family togetherness, peace, joy, and lots and lots of love.
The Hooligans

it's official

....i've caught that crazy holiday spirit.

and how can i tell you ask?
well, the 1 am craft marathons are a good sign.
i am also prone to bursting out in joyful song at the most random of times.
it also seems i can't get enough sugar in the form of baked goods and fudge.

so my symptoms can only mean one thing.

aren't the holidays fun?

cookies you will want to eat

i am tired but "write a new blog post" is on my to-do list.
one should never argue with the to-do list.
not ever.
so, i am going to use this post wisely and tell you all about the most delicious and sorta kinda healthy vegan sugar cookies that the kids and i made yesterday. making cookies and sharing them was our first advent activity, but we never made it to the sharing part. unless you consider sharing them with ourselves to fulfill the challenge, well then we passed with flying colors.

on to the recipe!

i adapted this recipe and it suited me and my taste buds just fine.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vegan Sugar Cookies That Are Yummy

1 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil

1/4 Cup Canola Oil

1/2 Tbs. Vanilla

1/2 Tbs. Almond Extract

1 Really Smashed Banana

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a measuring cup (make sure they’re blended well). Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using your hands form the dough into a big ball. (If it sticks together well, then it’s the right consistency. If not, add a bit of water and mix it well.) Pu dough ball in fridge for a few hours. Roll out dough and use cookie cutters for cutting out desired shapes. mixture. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each Bake at 375°F degrees for about 7 minutes. Makes about 18 cookies. Of course, decorate using frosting, candy, and sprinkles very liberally.

dedicated to the beautiful lady in the corner

not wanting to draw much attention to herself she stands in the corner alone, away from the rest.
but once you notice her, you'll never want to look away.
she wears the season's beauty draped from head to foot, pale pinks and greens.
dipping and bowing to every rush of spring wind. the petals making up her most elaborate dress are all a flutter.
wearing the fragrant aroma of awakening, you drink it in. gulping it down until you are dizzy.
instantly she transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. you are in the presence of royalty.
waking up the world around her, reminding them to shake off their winter coats and join her.
she is dressed to the nines celebrating the warmer days to come.
the dance of the season has begun.

looking for spring

the up and down.
on again, off again.
push, pull.
balmy and frigid.
sun and snow.
mercury rising, then dropping.
the tease and stringing along.
the flirtation.
cold wind blowing.
pollination and subsequent sneezing.

this spring (or not) season has gotten me a little crazy.

when o' when will real, true spring be a callin'?

get your spring on

hi there. it's been awhile.

here's a few things that i LOVED about this past weekend, just for you.

-this band rocks my world. oh, my how i enjoyed driving solo with the stereo pumping the tunes while playing the mini drums on my steering wheel. i think i will have my people contact their people and find me a spot in the band. surely i could play the maracas or something.

-sunny girl's yellow and white polka dot easter dress. too cute. even cuter when she kept bumping into the fridge cause she was a little dizzy from twirling in her new garb.

- very late night chats about everything.

-seeing a robin and butterfly in my backyard within 5 seconds of eachother. the first of the season.

-pizza that is divine. also divine is watching the punk rockers in the kitchen spinning huge disks of dough over their heads.

-playing full contact yahtzee with the family while laughing my behind off. then, laughing 'till i peed my pants after spraying crumbs all over myself while announcing that, "boys drool." cause they do.

-this video. i watched it four times. so profound. more on this in a later post.

-buds on the trees.

-easter egg hunts at the park with friends.

-having my cheeks ache from smiling so hard while watching xavi wedged between his beloved grandparents as he earnestly told them tale after imaginative tale.

-walking to easter brunch at the neighborhood diner. so yummy.

-talking with a dear friend (thank you) about matters that were weighing me down and feeling lighter after doing so.

-scandalous sea monkeys that are mating after only being alive for six weeks. is that even legal? i totally can't stop staring.

-vegan lemon pudding cake.


-bright pink yoga pants from steve and barry's.


-boing! setting up the tramp. boing!


-it's finally spring and i think that's fantastical. don't you?

Happy Solstice!!

Here's a quickie post cause we are too busy celebrating the Sun King.

OK, I'll be honest, we are still hanging around in our pj's and birthday suits, dishes are dirty in the sink, and this momma is tired from a cranky girl hollering in my ear all night. I suppose it's our own brand of celebrating.
Anyway, in place of my usual insightful and heartfelt posts (as if!) I will leave you with a poem.

Have a wonderful Winter Solstice.

The Shortest Day

by Susan Cooper

So the shortest day came, and the year died,

And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world

Came people singing, dancing. To drive the dark away.

They lighted candles in the winter trees; They hung their homes with evergreen;

They burned beseeching fires all night long

To keep the year alive,

And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake

They shouted, reveling.

Through the frosty ages you can hear them

Echoing behind us- Listen!!

All the echoes sing the same delight,

This shortest day,

As promise wakens in the sleeping land:

They carol, feast, give thanks,

And dearly love their friends,

And hope for peace.

And so do we, here, now.

This year and every year.

Welcome Yule!!

busy, busy merry making

Our tree of whimsy

I am feeling sleep deprived, like a lot. Time is zooming past at light speed and I am running behind, rubbing the sleep away from my eyes and hollering at it to just slow down already. Really, what's the rush? Can't we give ourselves another month?

Not that we haven't had fun. No, we are having quite the time with all the holiday preparations. There is plenty of joy to be had at this time of year.

Like, gingerbread house building,


And snowman constructing.


Let's not forget the holiday picture taking.

Or not.

And there is so much more merry making to be had, all squeezed into the next week!! Like, the shopping, and the Christmas Tea parties, and mama dinners, and Solstice celebrating, and let's not forget the crafting......

Golly, who needs sleep with all of this going on?

snow day

hooray for hanukkah

A lame picture of some of the food

Happy Hanukkah (I've seen it spelled a gazillion different ways so I'm just going with one and stickin' to it) everyone! This has been our first year celebrating Hanukkah and to help us we invited our friends Julie, Lee, Damek, and Kyan. It was finger lickin' good food! Beet latkas, roasted applesauce, dilled sourcream, a beautiful salad, and homemade focaccia bread. Yum, yum! I would like everyday to be Hanukkah. I would be a happy girl indeed.

cutie pie kiddos dining together

first snow

I'm a few days late in posting this, but I had to post the magic that the first snow of the season brings.

How absolutely thrilling......

gratitude is for always

our family tree

This season of gratitude and Thanksgiving has been oh, so poignant for me this year. This fall I've been carrying with me a heart swelling with joy and thankfulness for the wonder that is my life and experience. I have noticed that it is much easier to draw on these feelings of happiness in times of doubt and need, that it doesn't take as much time to dig down deep into my soul, wrangle the happy feelings, and pull them to the surface.

The meal

My in laws came up to the big city to celebrate the holiday with us. They too are vegans so planning and cooking for the big meal gave much more satisfaction than in Thanksgivings past. I guess I had never realized it before, but celebrating a meal the centers around a dead animal was rather dismal. Only being able to eat and enjoy the side dishes to the turkey, well....sucked. This year being able to imagine and put into place an entire meal that we could all take part in and relish with delight was very delicious indeed.

The table

I have been astonished at the realization that we are soon entering the winter season and all the celebrations that winter contains, and wonder where the time goes. The quickly passing time is a reminder to me that in every moment, every tick of the clock, there is always something to be thankful for.

The Thankful Tree

harvest fun for everyone

We hosted a Harvest Gathering last Sunday and had a marvelous time celebrating the Harvest Season with our friends. We played squash bowling, jumped on the tramp, shared gifts of our Harvest, and made fire.

The food was yummy, the smores were gooey, and the conversations with friends refreshing.

All in all a very memorable evening.

the seasons are a changing..........

Oh, it's Autumn time.
Truthfully, Fall has never struck me as something too special before, until this year. It has been just knocking my off my socks. Really.
Just to be totally aware, and immerse myself completely in the smells, sights, colors, light, and absolute beauty of the season has been a wonder for me.

This ginormous bush is in the back corner of my yard and it sets the whole backyard ablaze with color.

Beautiful.
Don't know the technical name for these, we call them bird berries.
Good enough, eh?

I am diggin' the fungi.

Yes, I know this picture is cheesy.

No, I didn't grow all this myself.

I did however grow, cut, arrange, and water the roses all by myself.

Whew.

Aren't they purdy?