Adventures in cooking: The Pumpkin
Before
Coincidentally, I found a cooking pumpkin in my kitchen last week(see: strange things I find after a kids Halloween party). So pumpkin it is.
First recipe: Soup
The recipe calls for an onion, a couple potatoes, noodles and garlic and 3 litres of vegetable broth. First step: Saute onions and garlic in olive oil and butter before adding the rest… Honestly, I was a little surprised, mostly for its lack of cinnamon and spice. I think I always imagined pumpkin soup like a liquid version of pumpkin pie.
In a typical me move, I wasn’t thinking at all about what I was actually doing-making soup-and added the noodles too early, and wound up having to decide between chunky pumpkin soup, or pumpkin/noodle puree -_-
I went for the chunks.
After
It smelled fantastic while simmering, but the ultimate test was the world’s two pickiest eaters, and – VICTORY! The oldest damn near drooled when I lifted the pot lid, and the youngest only ate the pumpkin-of course, she still refuses to believe they aren’t carrots. Will definitely be doing this one again.
I still have half a pumpkin-I’m thinking pumpkin cheesecake.
That’s low-cal, right?
Curran’s POV: Volume II
As if reader’s weren’t eager enough to read Magic Slays, the newest book in the Kate Daniel’s series, Gordon Andrews has written a second part to his fascintating journey into the Beast Lord’s head.
If you haven’t already read it, the long awaited Curran’s POV: Volume II can found here:
Am I salivating waiting for the Magic Slays release date on May 31st? Oh, hell yes.
10 great gifts for the dark ones in your life
Dark individuals can be difficult to shop for. Just because there’s a skull on it, doesn’t mean we’ll love it. We love things that create ambience, lace and weapons…probably not things you’ll find at your average mall, unless you have some idea what you’re looking for. Here are a few ideas, and you won’t even have to leave the chair your planted in right now. Even better? Most of them are under 20 bucks!
1. Victorian, steampunk, or bondage and buckles; armwarmers are an accessory no dark one will want to be without.
You can find these ribbon laced gloves, and more, at Kinky Angel. The Black Angel also has a fairly wide selection of opera gloves and armwarmers to browse through.
2. Trueblood Pinot Noir? Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon? Vampire vineyards has a wide selection of wines, ranging from $10 to over $300. Peruse the wicked wine cellar to find the perfect flavour for your dark beloved.
3. A little goth rock for the dim ones, Diminished 7′s Dim World. Save yourself time and throw it in your Amazon shopping cart.
4. Is your dark one’s status set to ‘leaves the window open at night so Edward can come in’? Then Eclipse is a safe choice. Don’t worry, you won’t have to brave the lines of swooning teens, Eclipse is available at Amazon.
If your dark one is more the steampunk/Johnny Depp type, then Alice in Wonderland is probably a safe bet.
5. Books. Amongst the given authors (Jeaniene Frost, Ilona Andrews, Laurell K. Hamilton, etc) that have driven the paranormal followers into frenzy over the years, there are several complete series that I highly recommend.
For the young adult: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. The sixth, and final, book in this series is a brand new release, and is on-sale at Amazon.
6. For the almost high fantasy fan, I highly recommend the Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop. The series is ongoing, but the first three books make-up the complete trilogy. This is an incredible story, in a fictional world that’s so real you can almost taste it, with characters your sure to fall in love with. You want unicorns? Demons? A realm where Saetan is the good guy? The Black Jewels is for you. The first three books, Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows & Queen of the Darkness, are available at Amazon, as well as the complete trilogy.
7. And for the down and dirty vampire fans, those whose tastes lean more towards the horrific, Jennifer Armintrout’s Blood Ties series is a must have.
All is fair in love and terror, and this complete four-book series, will keep your dark one burning the midnight oil. All four books, The Turning, Possession, Ashes to Ashes and All Soul’s Night, are available at, of course, Amazon.
8. This one happens to have the skulls, but anyone who says this ring isn’t gorgeous is lying.
Not quite what you’re looking for? Rock N Goth has a wide selection of rings, pendants, watches, and so on…
9. Nothing creates ambience like candlelight…
This candle sconce is only $14.95 at Mayhem Gifts. Just add the black candle…
10. Did I mention we like weapons. Shiny ones. You can find renaissance daggers for as little as $12.50 at Medieval Collectables. Or you can go for something a little more extreme(*cough cough expensive*), like this pirate plug bayonet dagger with a fully tempered high carbon steel blade for $95. *My precious…*
Not yet, not yet, not yet!!!
Holy crap, only 16 days ’til Christmas! Last week I was boycotting, and this week, after realizing that a lone-woman boycott just makes me look cheap, I’m scrambling. Let’s face it, it’s a nice idea not to have all the normal Christmas shopping stress and just have a great time with family and friends, but maybe it’s a little unrealistic. I love unrealistic ideas. But I also love gifts. Be honest, so do you. We love to give them, but admit it, we like getting them even more, don’t we? Of course, gifts don’t have to cost your life savings. Homemade gifts can be worth their weight on gold, if you’re lucky enough to be creative and gifted. Scratch that. You don’t have to be gifted. Splatter some paint on a canvas, call it art and put a bow on it. Done. People are willing to pay thousands of dollars for tacky splashes of paint, why wouldn’t they want it for free from a friend?
If you’re looking for a really out-there piece of art, something a little like this…
…then check out Francesco D’Isa on MySpace or you can check out his shop.
Gag gifts are always fun, as well. Just yesterday I picked up a naked lady that lies on the table. Her massive breasts are salt and pepper shakers. Colour me amused.
Anyway, I’m in a mad rush for gifts and chances are I will still be shopping on the 23rd…just like ever year. Do you have any idea how difficult it is for an indecisive person to Christmas shop? Should I? Shouldn’t I? Will she like it? No…yes? Pick it up, put it down, walk past it, pick it up again, leave the store, go back the next day. Repeat for three days until I buy the item or it’s sold out. It’s painful even for myself.
In the spirit of Christmas, a friend and I took the kids to a local Christmas market, where the original Coca-Cola truck(that’s right, from the commercials) was making an appearance.
(No, this isn’t me. She does look a little startled that I snapped a picture of her, but I had to take it before the kids scattered.)
There was a half an hour-long line up to walk between the two halves of the rig, but we opted to drink a cup of Glüwein, a German Christmas concoction that tastes like hot red wine and burns like whiskey, instead. Every year I wonder whether I really like it or find it repulsive. I still haven’t decided. Then it was off the bratwurst stand for the kiddies. Christmas really is the best time to visit Germany.
A contest that I’m still brainstorming an answer for has popped up for an ARC of Jeaniene Frost’s fifth novel in the Night Huntress series, This Side of the Grave. You have to choose which character to play secret santa for, and what you would buy them. And this time international entries are welcome! Enter @ frostfans.
I am pleased to announce that I will be joining forces with Melanie Kirkwood of Freestyle Saddlery in a blog pertaining to the equestrian world in general. Check back to Freestyle Saddlery for news, articles, exposes and plenty of snarky flare 
Schweine Grippe, Schweine Gruppe
So, even though the weather sucks lately and we had to pull out the winter jackets again, we decided to try our luck at the playground. The sky was churning pretty good, so it was just a matter of time before we were soaked. There Linnea, my oldest daughter, met one of her friends from kindergarten, also braving the storm to play, and she told me the funniest story.
I’m not familiar with kindergarten protocol over there, but here all the kids are broken up into groups and each group is named, usually after some adorable animal. Apparently this little girl used to go to another kindergarten where she was in the Schweine Gruppe. This girl was none too pleased about being in the ‘pig group,’ because she said everyone made her sick…with the Schweine Grippe. That’s right, the Pig Flu.
Needless to say, she is very happy to belong to the hedgehog group now where illness’ aren’t nearly so serious.
Over danse
on one of those ‘I feel like an alien’ kind of days, this song brought a smile to my face
assume(makes an ass out of u and me)
Assume:
–verb (used with object)
to take for granted or without proof; suppose; postulate; posit: to assume that everyone wants peace.
Presume:
–verb (used with object)
1. to take for granted, assume, or suppose: I presume you’re tired after your drive.
2. to undertake with unwarrantable boldness.
3.to undertake (to do something) without right or permission: to presume to speak for another.
–verb (used without object)
4. to take something for granted; suppose.
5. to act or proceed with unwarrantable or impertinent boldness.
6. to go too far in acting unwarrantably or in taking liberties (usually fol. by on or upon): Do not presume upon his tolerance.
Similar words. Similar definitions. Equally spiteful when drawing conclusions about a person and their situation.
Being one of the only english speaking people in this city, I tend to draw my share of attention when yelling at kids, dogs, strangers, etc. Since I’m speaking English, most people assume I don’t understand German. Most people presume I’m yelling because I’m a bitch. They haven’t seen the kid dart into the street full traffic and almost get hit by the bus, or the other kid just beat her sister over the head with her water bottle. Nor did they see that the dog just returned from being on hiatus somewhere in the bushes, where dog unfriendly citizens may or may not have laid out poison. Or again, decided to play in traffic, possibly with the kids. Or simultaneously decide to pull me down the street in chase of a cat, dog, squirrel, Rollerblades, Vesba, etc. They see me and they make their presumptions. Often they think they’re being sneaky about it; them speaking German when they think I only understand English is like talking in code. They can’t figure out why I’m flashing them the finger and whispering death threats, because I wasn’t supposed to understand the insult in the first place.
Of course, not all people are so devious with their assumptions. Some are so sure of themselves they will actually state your case to your face, and then continue to ask questions about this situation they have created for you.
I experienced such a situation the day before Easter. I realized I was short a few chocolate bunnies and out of dog bones. I had a thousand things to do, but managed to find a free half an hour and made the mad dash to the city before it shut down at 3pm. I had just come in from the park, for which I had dressed accordingly, and didn’t have the time, nor the inclination, to change. So, I got my rabbits, and was deliberating over which bones would last the longest – I’m indecisive, so it was quite a lengthy process. I opened my bag to check my wallet, hummed and hawed some more, closed the bag. A woman with dyed blond hair, a fake tan and a manicure who was surrounded by a cloud of her own perfume started talking. She made it so it would seem like she was talking to her boyfriend, except she was looking straight at me. “Don’t they fit in your bag, Penner?” She says to me. Her boyfriend guffawed like she’d just said something clever.
My mouth dropped open in shock. The word ‘penner’ translates into bum, hobo, homeless…basically a total loser. Of all the things I’ve ever been called, that was a first. I may have looked a little rough, but I sure didn’t think I looked like I was hard up for my next hit of whatever. Guess I was wrong. Suggesting that I was attempting to steal dog bones that only cost 4 euro was just the icing on the cake.
I was too stunned to reply. Never before had I been so disrespected. I probably would have been able to spit something out, or at least managed to throw the damn dog bones at her, if she had said it in english, but I was just…stuck. I thought of hundreds of witty thing to say on the way home though.
Amen(no offense intended)
Yesterday began with sitting in a church pew at quarter to nine. I’m not big on church, but yesterday’s service was to reminisce a recent death, so no objections on my behalf. Mourning the loss of a loved one deserves respect. So, nine am. Nine in the morning is not really early for a normal person, on a normal day…factor in two little kids, dogs that need to go to the park before you leave, and the fact that it’s SUNDAY, and nine am becomes some kind of impossible feat in defying the laws of time and space. There we were there, on time. A parade should have been thrown, a holiday declared and the day marked on calenders all around the world.
Mass has yet to start, but I haven’t had any coffee so I’m axiously awaiting the final hymn. Then the priest starts talking and he sounds like the cartoon dog Droopy, and I keep waiting for him to say ‘going dooown?’ Im already stifling my smirk when I think about a recent conversation with a cousin in which he told me the only thing he remembered from our catholic childhood was some phrase about a priest mounting a donkey. Of course, it was taken out of context, because we all know priests only mount little boys, but it was enough to trigger hysterical laughing in my head.
As a child, when everybody stood up to shake hands, then lined up to get their piece of Christ, it was a way of marking time. Nothing has changed. Everybody lines up – and I do mean everybody, and I’m thinking what the hell? As I understood it, you’re only supposed to take bread once you’ve been to confession. Huh, I thought as I sat alone on my pew, not one sinner in our midst today…maybe I should ask for autographs. So, everyone went up, even my kids – though my youngest daughter smacked the priest when he tried to bless her, and there I sat, the only stubborn Canadian not following the masses.
Later, during a lovely breakfast with pots and pots of glorious coffee, I walked in on a conversation about me, and how I didn’t go up during the service. ‘Aren’t you religious?’ Someone asked me. I prayed, actually prayed, for the determination not to roll my eyes, and wished I had a pentagram to whip out, just out of spite. What a ridiculous question. Like there aren’t other religions, with entirely different sets of beliefs? Maybe I’m Jewish, Buddhist, Harry bloody Krishna, and I am here to pay my respects, not worship your God. Or maybe I was actually following the rules of your religion and decided my guilty conscience was just too damn full to accept communion without confessing my sins. Sadly, all I was armed with was the flimsy truth. ‘Sure, I’m religious. I was raised Catholic. But I don’t buy into the system, so why should I go up just because everyone else did?’
No answer. Confused eyes. No amount pf praying could have stopped me from sighing.
your opinion counts!
I am one of those people with an almost unswayable opinion, on just about everything. Reading as many books as I do, and having an opinion that I don’t mind telling people about, whether they will like it or not, I have decided to begin a new venture in writing: Book reviews.
The idea actually came from a friend of mine, who has been researching herself into a craze on how to begin a successful business. I was whining to her about the woes of trying to find a literary agent and she suggested I “take the bull by the balls.”
She was so right. So, sometime in the near future I will have a review site up and running, and my question for you is what would be important in a book review? People don’t have a lot of time to sit down with a good book, and even less time to sit down with a bad one. What would draw your attention to a book and, other than me saying how absolutely marvelous or f***ing terrible it was, make you get up and run to the nearest bookstore?
kindle
A lot of literary agents post on their websites that they’ve gone ‘green.’ They are paper free and work completely off their Kindle. Well, that may be practical in their line of work, and I’m all for saving the rainforest, but a Kindle will never find a place amongst the three hundred books on my Amazon wish list.
Earlier this year my mom called me and asked me if I would like one for Christmas. I am ashamed to say that I had never even heard of a Kindle. She brought me up to speed, told me how it’s all the rage. Then she popped the question. My answer was swift: No!
I answered so immediately, with such conviction, that I was almost afraid I had hurt her feelings. I tried to explain that, while it may be practical to have my entire book collection at my fingertips, no matter where I was (and I read in some odd places and in questionable situations), a Kindle wasn’t for me.
Backtracking now, I went on about how it wouldn’t be safe in our house with two wild children running amok. That I would forget and leave it unguarded on a table top, or forget it in my bag, which would be discovered by the kids in the park. It would get dropped, scratched, kicked, stepped on, drowned, chewed. Every imaginable death possible for an electronic device.
And while that is true, and even if I wasn’t a complete klutz and bound to break the damn thing myself, the real danger a Kindle poses is replacing real books. My collection would no longer grow and I wouldn’t have shelves upon shelves of pretty books to admire.
Yeah, yeah, I know…What a freak. Old news. But I happen to know I’m not the only one who stares at their bookshelves in awe.
You know who you are.
