A Little Owl

I forgot to tell how breathtaking our discovery was last night! Every so often, late in the night, I will hear owl hoots...this THRILLS me, for not only are they such mysterious, elusive birds (to me, at least) but I am quite certain that any day now my letter from Hogwarts will be arriving.
Anyways, we pulled up to our house very very late last night and there, perched on our little house-number-post, was a Little Owl! I am squealing just remembering him! He was so tiny and so-HO fantastically adorable. He flew up in a little evergreen upon our arrival, but continued to watch us as we stared and laughed and stared some more.
Oh, and this image is from the Dart Raffe Farm website...we did not have our camera with us! But this picture looks the spitting image of him.

mushrooms

A completely wonderful book, gifted to us by our neighbors! I love mushrooms!!

at last!

Ever since the very sad fall of my most favorite magazine, Domino, I have been trying to fill the void with blogs and other mags...but I think I have found the most perfect new preferred read! It is an Australian online publication called Adore Home. Please take a look! http://www.adoremagazine.com/

Sick Day

Hello! Right now, I am recoverving from a smidge of a temperature and trying snuggle as close to our heater as possible (which is in our bathroom, yay!) I took some pictures because sick days are always fun and silly days.

Here are some things that have happened in the past month!

1) My perfect husband took me to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One. huzzah! 'Twas superb.
2) My family came to visit! All five of them...the brothers-now-men, the little sister who looks like (she's only fourteen!!) a beautiful lady, and my dearest mom and dad! At the end, we all took a fab trip to Disneyland, and drove back home in the night...
3) I am now a dogsitter of many clients! I will post pictures of my next nanny adventure.
4) I cut my hair! I now have a row of bangs! And they are loved by me!
5) I really really would love this book! I cannot wait to open it and see what it holds...I know it will make me happy.

more really good cookies

Chocolate Crinkles

3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
confectioner's sugar

Mix together the butter, sugar and cocoa powder. Add the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Once combined, refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into small balls and then roll in confectioners sugar. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Makes 40-50 cookies.

Thank you, Off The Hanger!

really good cookies

1 bag Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

6 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 C sugar

1/3 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 C. chopped walnuts

In double boiler over hot water, melt the bittersweet chips and the butter. In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until thick; stir in chocolate mixture. In small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder; stir into chocolate mixture. Gently mix in semi-sweet chocolate chips and walnuts.

Using a sheet of plastic wrap form dough into two logs, each 2 inches in diameter and about 8 inches long. As dough will be very soft, use plastic wrap to hold dough in a log shape. Wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.

Preheat oven to 375. Unwrap dough; with sharp knife cut into 3/4-inch slices. Place slices 1 1/2 inches apart on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until shiny crust forms on top but interior is still soft. Cool on baking sheet.

Yields about 2 dozen cookies.

Thank you, Musings by Jacquelyn!

my new book

Thank you, Mary and Buster! wahoo!

grace! look!

Indeed! My first attempt at sewing my very own outfit,
without a sewing machine (I actually didn't sew the sweater,
just the bottom, but YES, it is still okay to brag).
Isn't it lovely? I am so excited. *hyperventilation*

One-Eyed Jack's Cabin

Kestrel About The House

I interrupted her as she was writing in her journal;
this did NOT make her happy.
Look how she glares!

She surprised me with a batch of cookies this afternoon!

The view, says Kestrel, is inspiring, even for a fish.

What a busy little girl!