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Friday Favorites.

6 Sep

Are you ready?  For the weekend?  For a post of awesome internet things?  Both?

Here we go –

What’s this?  Only a timeline of the Back to the Future movies which, you may or may not recall, are my favorites!

The minute it gets cool again, this is on my menu – vegan quinoa sweet potato chili.

Maybe some pesto guacamole too.  I could get behind that.

I learned about a new app today.  Voxer is essential a walkie talkie for your phone but the person you’re talking to doesn’t necessarily need to listen in real time.  The message is waiting whenever you’re ready.  I’ve been voxing [what a fun new verb] with my banana friend, Krissy, who is back in the hospital with a blood clot in a vein in her brain.  It’s hard for her to text or type an email since it hurts to even open her eyes … and so we vox Adam Sandler movie quotes and beauty tips back and forth.  [And it’s free.]

Talking about poor Krissy reminds me that these are in the fridge.  I will bake them and mail them to her family.  [When I’m too far from friends to actually lend a hand or give a hug, I mail cookies.  It’s my default.]

Okay.  Enough messing around.  It’s time to get serious.  Have you ever … [long dramatic pause]

drank egg coffee?  I first heard about egg coffee when I was on internship in Dawson and remember being appalled at the thought.  However, then I read this article about egg coffee on The Kitchn in regards to coffee drank at the Minnesota State Fair.   I think it’s about time I tried. Want to come over and drink coffee made with eggs?  I’ll save you a twix bar chocolate chip cookie.

That’s all for favorite links.  This weekend I’m off doing one of my favorite activities – taking confirmation kids to camp!  jD and I planned the retreat together again [second annual!] and it should be a great time for both his students and mine.

Friday Favorites.

16 Aug

It’s a churchy and video Friday Favorites today!  Who’s excited?

First, you should know that right now, in Pittsburgh, is the ELCA Churchwide Assembly.  Nearly 1000 voting members from synods across the country meet every couple years to discuss the ministry and business of the ELCA.  My friends, Paige and jD, are there right now.  [I *almost* was able to go as the ‘young adult voting member’ for our synod but someone else beat me to the punch.  I feel like I’m missing out on trio fun.]  Paige and jD, in their typical strokes of geniuses, are filming a nightly recap of events to share with their churches [and anyone else] back home.  Their youtube channel is here if you want to check out more of their videos [with appearances from surprise guests and the awesome Pastor Charlie of Blooming] but I’ll for now embed last night’s –

The joke was that as they film a vlog each night, I would also film what I’m doing while home on the range.   I had lunch with my synod friend, Karen, on Tuesday and we accepted the challenge with a copycat/mock vlog about a very, very important parking lot –

Super exciting, right? I fear if you’re not super engrossed in the Lutheran world, neither of those may have been fun.  But you know what is fun?

At the Churchwide Assembly, an election for the presiding bishop happened.  The presiding bishop is the bishop of the whole ELCA.  For the last twelve years, Mark Hanson has served in this capacity with amazing grace.  He was up for re-election and a possible third term but as the election continued, the result was unexpected.  There was no campaigning and we trust that the Holy Spirit leads the process.  At the end, the ELCA had elected our first female presiding bishop this week.  It’s quite an exciting event!

In other non-churchy Friday favorites, I get my hair cut today.  Always a favorite.  I made these coconut oil chocolate chip cookies this week.  They got Bob-the-treasurer and Marilyn-the-administrative-assistant approval.  And, hey, anyone want to come over and make watermelon helmets?

Friday Favorites.

2 Aug

I feel like I could share this video and just call this post of favorites good because what more does a person need?  Thanks to Sara for sharing this series.  That’s right – it’s a series.  Like it?  Watch seven more.

The new IKEA catalog came out this past week.  Mine hasn’t arrived in the mail yet but I anticipate it soon.  Also rumored – that IKEA will begin carrying a line of paper/stationary goods.  Look at the photos!  I can totally get on board with an IKEA paper shop.

One of my quilting, blogging heros wrote a post about taking a Craftsy class on patchwork bags.  I’m in love with the final product.  And here she is again with a finished checkerboard quilt.  I love her color choices and always love her binding.  Her whole blog is total inspiration.

Zucchini noodles, anyone?  I have to say I’m intrigued.  And I do love zucchini …

What about puffy popover pancakes?  Yum.

It was JK Rowling’s birthday this past week and a tweet about that directed me to this – a hand drawn spreadsheet of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  So interesting!

I think that’s enough for now, eh?  On with your day!

Friday Favorites.

19 Jul

First, it’s Friday.  That is my favorite.  Tomorrow is Saturday [Bavarian Festival in New Ulm?  I think so.] and then it’s Sunday.  After worship on Sunday, I drive north.  To Bayfield.  Where I get on a car ferry that takes me to Madeline Island for my week long continuing education course at the Madeline Island School of the Arts.  I can barely contain myself.  It’s going to be a dream.

But, in the meantime –

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I made homemade strawberry fruit roll-ups and they were super yummy.  A little time consuming but worth the effort.

I devoured Where’d You Go, Bernadette? this week.  I think this one review from the Washington Post sums the book up perfectly –

Warm, dark, sad, funny – and a little bit screwball … This is an inventive and very funny novel that gets bonus points for transcending form.

What book is up next?  Well, I loved watching this story unfold this week – the story of J.K. Rowling’s pseudonym being uncovered mysteriously with a now deleted twitter account.  The Cuckoo’s Calling might be calling to me.

I’m wrapping up one baby quilt and bought fabric this past week to move onto the next.  I’m thinking stripes. Simple.  Straight-line quilting a la this tutorial.  [Spoiler alert: The fabric has monkeys.  Monkeys. I might need to add an appliqued banana or two.]  And my scrappy gumdrop quilt continues to grow on the design wall.  There is no rhyme or reason to it – only that they are scraps from my scrap egg basket.  [Most people have scrap bins.  I keep mine in an egg basket.]

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I’ve been enjoying Endeavour on PBS Masterpiece Mystery every Sunday night.  After being alerted to the joys to Downton Abbey, I’ve become more aware of the awesome programming Masterpiece offers.  Sunday night. 8-9:30pm.

I think that’s quite enough for one Friday.  Happy weekend-ing!

Friday Favorites.

12 Jul

Hey.  It’s still Friday.  For another hour and a half.

In addition to beautiful weather, another day of day camp, and being randomly selected to earn $30 from the Nielson ratings people for filling out a TV diary for a week, these are my favorite finds of the week —

I’ve been quilting up a storm lately.  When the quilts-in-progress are complete, I want to make bags.  Maybe a messenger bag?  Or oilcloth pool tote with mesh pockets?  Or maybe I’ll just start another quilt.

I went strawberry picking again today, this time with jD, Lauren, and Elliot.  [Then we went out for lunch in Faribault.  It was delicious.  And fun.]  I might attempt strawberry cinnamon rolls or these strawberry lemonade scones.  Yum.

I told you awhile ago about homemade magic shell for ice cream.  I wasn’t lying.  Here it is, spelled out.  Two ingredients.  Endless deliciousness.

Looking for a delightful movie to redbox?  Warm Bodies.  Don’t make that face – it’s about zombies.  Zombies with heart.

Time for finding favorites this week was limited …  I think that’s all I have this week.  Happy weekend!

Friday Favorites.

5 Jul

After a week hiatus, I’m back.  And I must say – three day weekends are my favorite.  It’s nice to have a holiday that falls on a Thursday and not a Monday because that means three days off for this person who has to work on Sundays.  Also my favorites –

Feedly.  Normally, many of my Friday Favorites would come from the blogs I follow on google reader.  Google reader met its planned demise on July 1st.  Google shut it down.  On June 30, I made the dreaded switch to another feed reader, Feedly.  And I love it.  Almost more than the dead google reader.

This summer veggie tortellini looks super yummy.

When you eat with a knife and fork, do you cut and switch?  This story is about the ways Americans eat … and why we should change.  I find this whole idea fascinating.  It comes on the tail end of finishing David Lebovitz’s book about living in Paris, in which he talks about how once the French start eating a meal, they never put their knife down.

I had no plans yesterday for the Fourth, which was really okay.  I did miss my Bananas, the people with whom I spent so many Fourth of July’s, having so much fun.  While missing them, I spent the day cleaning, washing furniture slipcovers, and quilting, all of which were really okay.  I dived back into a baby quilt that needs to be done soon and spent time thumbing through quilting books I had just checked out from the library.  It’s in one of those books that I fell in love –

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I want to make this quilt.  It’s primarily scraps and so simply awesome.  Think it would make a cute baby quilt?

Speaking of babies, have I shared with you this photo of a baby in a crocheted Cabbage Patch wig/hat?  There is nothing more adorable.

Friday Favorites: The Rhubarb Edition.

14 Jun

Rhubarb has ruled the internet this week.

I think the leafy, tart plant might be plotting some sort of vegetable take over.

[Vegetable, right?]

On Pinterest, on Reader, on everything – it’s rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb.

Instead of fighting it, I join the coalition willingly.

In full disclosure, I have made none of these recipes.  But I have a bag of frozen rhubarb for which these recipes are fighting.  I’m not sure who will win but I’m fairly certain the result will be delicious.

Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jam.  I love that this jam seems to be lower in sugar than most [I think].  Plus, I’m on board with vanilla bean anything.

Rhubarb Cream Cheese Hand Pies.  Nothing more needs to be said.  [Unless I should add that it’s from the smitten kitchen, a place from which all things lovely come.]

Drink your rhubarb with ideas and links from the kitchn.

And one more late edition from my twitter feed – strawberry rhubarb macarons.  How refined.

Also, if rhubarb isn’t so much your thing –

That’s all for now, folks.  Happy weekending.

Friday Favorites.

7 Jun

There is lots to love this week, people.  Lots to love.

Let’s start here.  The 13 Creepiest Things A Child Has Ever Said to a Parent.  I came across this one morning and laughed the ENTIRE day about it.  I guess creepy translates to hilarious in my brain.

Continuing, I love Joss Whedon.  I couldn’t even tell you what exactly it is but that he is something akin to my perfect man.  Hilarious.  Red-headed.  You know.  Not only is he the man behind Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, he is coming out with a new movie, Much Ado About Nothing.  I will see it when it makes its way to small-town America but for this moment, read how he invited his own friends to be extras on the film.  He is so swell.

On another Joss note, he gave a commencement address.  It was awesome.  Here’s a taste –

Identity is something that you are constantly earning.  It is a process that you must be active in.

And how about this – my favorite pins:

Happy Friday, friends. 

 

Friday Favorites.

31 May

The “keeping my chin up” edition.

It’s been a rough week here.

Burned out.

No motivation.

Tears.

Le sigh.

In the midst of it, these are happy things:

I certainly don’t need a garland of pool noodles, but, gosh, do I want to make one.  Or five.  [Sara, are you with me on this one?]

The Bachelorette began this past week and I got a tv antenna installed just in time to tune in every Monday.  The Bachelorette not your thing?  Fair enough.  It doesn’t need to be everyone’s guilty pleasure.  But maybe you want to watch The Baby Bachelor?  [Thanks to Emma for directing that one to me.]

I redbox’ed Promised Land last night.  Two of my favorites – Matt Damon & John Krasinski – together in one film.  Promised land indeed.

As my mom, sister, and I travel to Alaska in a couple weeks, we’ll be going on the fringe of rainy season.  Bring a rain jacket, my brother advised.  Well, I don’t own an appropriate rain jacket and so I ordered one.  I was going to order a calm blue one from LLBean but they were out of stock.  My next favorite color?  BRIGHT yellow.  I’m going to look like a rubber ducky but it will make any gloomy, rainy day brighter.

In the midst of a crazy not-so-good week, there were bright spots.  A phone conversation with a friend in Tennessee, running into a Dawson friend briefly while walking my dog between here and the cemetery, a skype date with friends in Montana, and a sermon writing afternoon with jD and [five minutes with] Paige.

And here’s to hoping the overall emotions of next week only go up.

Friday Favorites [from facebook]

24 May

I’ve had awesome friends posting awesome things on my facebook wall this week.  Case in point –

This article came to me via mi amiga, Carolyn, who posted it on my facebook wall.  I tease you with two lines.  First, the title: How garden gnomes are causing an uproar at one of Britain’s most prestigious events.  [heck yeah they are.]  Second, the last quote of the article: I’ve learned there is no place for gnomism in my life.  [sad life.]  You should read the rest for yourself.

Just when you think life can’t get any better [with or without gnomism in your life], this video shows up on your facebook wall.  Thanks to Sara dearest for posting it for me to watch and laugh and enjoy.  You should probably know the surprise party skit with Kristin Wigg from SNL for optimum laughter and understanding at this imitation.  Don’t know it?  Google it – watch that video – THEN come back here and watch this one.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

 

I will also share a photo, taken by a parishioner during worship on Pentecost.  I posted it to the church’s facebook page and it has received more likes than anything else.  It must be a favorite.

Sunday 5-20

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