Wow. Pics of my hometown, Seward, Alaska

I left Seward when I was pretty young, but was old enough to remember quite a lot. I went back for a long summer visit as a teen, and can't wait to get back again someday. In the meantime, I take every chance I can get to have a peek at what Seward looks like today. In some ways, it hasn't changed a bit. In others, of course, it's a whole new world.
This is one of my favorite Seward sites, but I also keep track of a few Seward bloggers. Check out the pictures just for the beauty of it...just amazing.

Some pictures. Because I want to.

I just love looking at pictures! From the time I was young, I've loved pictures and photography. We never had the resources growing up to take it up as a hobby or to get a good, quality camera so I never uber-tried to get better at it, but I LOVED going through our picture drawer! We had a coffee table with a shallow drawer in it where we'd keep all the snapshots, whatever didn't make it into albums...and it was one of my favorite things to go through all the pictures in the drawer.

So tonight, as I'm sore and achy from my "little tumble" and high on caffeine (because I wanted to have a coke, damn it!) and up at 4:30, I'm going to post some more pictures.

Because I want to.

So there.

Yeah. Real mature!

A bit of a tumble

I'm supposed to help my hubby move furniture tomorrow. Actually, he's supposed to help me. It's for the furniture ministry at church, which I coordinate. So seeing how I'm "in charge," and he doesn't even attend my church, he's definitely helping me. (And I'm incredibly grateful!!)
So we're both supposed to be moving furniture tomorrow. I was going to try to get someone else to help in addition to just the two of us, but I've had such trouble getting help this summer that I just gave up, pretty much. My independent streak had a field day and said "I'm MJ, I can do it all!!!" While this was true in Junior High when I was incredibly strong, invincible, and didn't have an aching back and neck...it's just not so any more!
Well, reality struck when I took a bit of a tumble down the basement stairs this evening and bruised up the left side of my body and locked up my neck. It's not as bad as it could have been, but needless to say - I'm not moving furniture tomorrow!
I seem to have to learn this lesson every couple of years. I simply cannot do it on my own. I am not WonderWoman.
On top of that drama, I found myself at the bottom of the stairs, telling my hubby "I'm okay!" and then bursting into tears. I broke his grampa's drawer. It's fixable, but his family will be more concerned with the state of the heirloom than what happened to me. But even that doesn't explain the on-and-off tears for the rest of the evening. I'm just extremely tearful today. And it came so out-of-the-blue, it's really catching me off guard.
We later met up with old friends that had moved away and are back in the area visiting family and friends. The wife is younger than me (I don't know why age is a big issue here, but it is) and they have three beautiful, well-behaved and precious children. (Especially when they're asleep, being carried inside after an exciting fireworks show!)
All of a sudden in the middle of the fireworks I burst into tears again at the sight of the young family interacting. I grabbed my hubby's hand and tried to look normal, but all I will say is it's a good thing we were right up close to the fireworks and no one was paying me any attention!
So I guess if it takes a tumble down the basement stairs to make me slow down and ask for help, God finally got my attention.
I leave you with 36 seconds in my front yard. The image quality is funky, but I took the video from my digital camera mostly to get the birds chirping.

My not-so-big backyard

For today's edition to Lunchcapades, I spent some time in the back yard. My camera was taking awesome closeups and I noticed lots of new activitiy on the control panel/display. Not sure how I got to the setting it was on, but I'm definitely going to look into it!!


So this is from the back of my 0.16 acre lot!
Past Peak
Looking for Attention
Wild Snacks
If I could...just...reach...the water!
Sorry Rhubarb

Wild Concord Grapes
Can't be the grapes or the cherries, but what? My fruits like to mingle. Crazy, Wild Things! (Big leaves and twirly vines are Grapes.)
The old and the new
Just a sip
Disrepair
Uh, is there supposed to be light coming through the roof?
My lovely orchid

Symetry
My hubby's aunt made the weaving, I spray-painted the canvas and mounted the weaving using embroidery floss matching the wood.
Patterns
Mmmm...lunch.
Gone.

The dip was SO good. I'll give you the special secret recipe...not! It's so simple, and I can't believe I'd never tried it before!
It's equal parts Sour Cream and a bottle of Bar-B-Que Sauce...whatever kind you prefer!
I used a Honey Chipotle and it turned out really sweet with a kick, next time I'll probably try something less sweet...even me, miss sweet-tooth herself! I got the recipe last week from Living On A Dime (dot com). They are fabulous, down-to-earth, and funny!
Well have a fabulous day everyone!

Independence Day

Happy American Independence Day everyone! We started our celebration today by going to counseling and then doing the Great American Pasttime...shopping! My hubby needed some new workbooks badly (he actually uses them for WORK) so we stopped for a pair and a new set of semi-casuals. I checked out the women's sandals, but only to really examine how they are made! I'm hoping to refashion some freecycled flip-flops into sandals I might actually wear. (Can't stand that thong between the toes-Ouch!!)

Last night, our city had their fireworks display. I think it took a lot of people off guard, not expecting it on the 3rd...because there was very low spectator turn-out. We viewed from a footbridge just downstream from the main event, and I captured these clips.


City Lights




More City Lights




Bridge Undergirding
I liked how the flash sparkled off the water in multi-colors.
I also got a few great clips of the railing, as well as the unexpected spider! Some of them turned out okay!


My goal this weekend is to clean out my house and organize what's left...quite the job! So in the spirit of procrastination, I'm blogging...what can I say?

Lunchcapades

Doesn't Lunchcapades just sound more fun than "lunch escapes?" I've decided to share fun pics taken on my hour-long lunches with my blogging public...if there is anyone out there! If not-I'll enjoy looking back! By this, I hope to gain a little more experience with my somewhat-new camera, and get a little better at photography...another one of my secret loves!

For today, sitting in line to get an oil change didn't give me much inspiration...in the heat and humidity, watching other lines going much faster than mine!! So I captured a few shots of my sunglasses. I love them...they are indeed "rose-colored glasses!" Not that you could tell that by looking at them...but they do have a slight red tint to them that make white things look pink! Enjoy!

And lastly, another clip from last night's "urban sunset" inspiration. Yeah, I know it's fuzzy...it was, after all, taken on the spur of the moment!

Re-incarnating linen

I'm looking for some input. I mentioned earlier that I work with a project at my church that takes home goods (linens, dishes, appliances, etc) and furniture, and distributes it all to those in need. I was sorting through a box of miscellaneous linens and found these two sorry pieces.
The first is a cross-stitched table runner that has a gaping hole in it (see right side of bottom pic). Oi. I was thinking of cutting up the squares at either end and making coasters out of them, but wondered if anyone else has any more exciting ideas...I would LOVE someone else's perspective!!

The second is a tablecloth stained badly but is otherwise so beautiful! As a cross-stitcher I hate to throw it out...I know how much work probably went into it! But on the other hand, I can't exactly give this to someone in the condition it's in! Some of the stains look like rust in color. The other stains look like red juice or something tomato-y. Any suggestions for cleaning?

And lastly, I'll leave you with a sort of fuzzy picture, it was taken last night while I was on the way to a delivery for the project. I call it urban sunset. I was literally driving and fishing in my bag for the camera and snapped it quickly because I was about to loose the view. The one on the top is the whole picture, the one on the bottom is a portion taken from the whole...

My (current) favorite recipe

One of my new favorite summertime treats is Grapefruit Granita. I adapted this recipe from the Food Network's Dave Lieberman (from Good Deal with Dave Lieberman).

I was searching for a recipe for Italian Ice so that I could make my own without sugar. I don't care for synthetic sweeteners and want to phase out real sugar from my diet in favor of Stevia. I won't get into the politics of stevia right now, but I personally use it as a sweetener.

So anyway...under Dave Lieberman's ingredients, my alterations are listed in parentheses and bolded:

2 1/2 cups fresh pink or ruby grapefruit juice, at room temperature (2 1/2 cups fresh squeezed grapefruit juice - about 4-5 whole grapefruit)

1 cup boiling water

1/3 cup superfine sugar (1 teaspoon Stevia)

Mint Sprigs, for garnish

Combine juice, water and sugar in bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. (Stevia is very fine, so 1 teaspoon dissolves rather quickly.) Pour liquid into a 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Freeze until hard, about 3-4 hours. (if I'm in a hurry, I use a metal muffin tin so there are smaller "pools" of juice to freeze, plus the metal helps it to freeze faster than my glass baking pans.) To serve, scrape with a fork, then spoon the scrapings into small chilled martini glasses or small glass bowls. Garnish with small sprigs of fresh mint.

It's pretty easy, it just takes some forethought. If you don't already have one, do yourself a favor and spring for a citrus juicer thingy. Even if it's one you have to twist the fruit on yourself, it's a heck of a lot easier than trying to juice a grapefruit without it and keeping the seeds out of the juice in the process! Mine is a very low-tech one that has the cone on top and a basin to catch the juice. I think it was just under $10. Well worth it!

It's crisp, cool, very refreshing, and very guilt-free!!!

Okay, no turning back now!

This is it! This is my Two Month Wardrobe Refashion Pledge!

I, MJ pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 2 months. I pledge that i shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoated, recylcled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftyness brings! Signed, MJ.

The rules go as follows:

1.
No buying new! (handmade is excepted; So this allows for Etsy purchases etc!!) All clothing must be Recycled, Renovated, Preloved or Thrifted, or Handmade only for the term. Employment related and special needs clothing (ie sports, school), shoes and undies are excepted from the rules, although you are encouraged to have a go at making these.
2.
In extreme circumstances, maybe a special event, or the worlds greatest and most amazing never to be repeated sale that you simply can not pass up, you may use the Get out of Refashionista Jail Free card. You are able to use this card once during the 2 month part of your contract. Of course you need to fess up on the blog and display the button!
3.
You must post on the blog at least once a week to let the community know what you've been up to. This will not only give you brag points, but inspire and encorouge others! Of course you need to display the button on your blog and have copied the pledge in at least one post, and provide a link to your pledge under the button.
4.
You need to be honest and admit when you've fallen off the Refashionista Wagon! Go directly to Refashionista Jail, do not pass GO and do not collect $200! Apply for parole once there.

My Lunch-Break Shopping Spree!!

I went to JoAnn's for a small amount of satin fabric to use as a sash for an alteration I have to make on a BWR (Before Wardrobe Refashion) purchase from a few weeks ago. What I left with, 45 minutes later, was this: (from the bottom, up)

1 yard of Soft flanel baby food print which I'll use to make bibs 'n things for my new niece or nephew coming in the fall ($1.50)

3 yards of blue/green checked cotton I may make into a skirt or jumper or something. Not sure yet, but I love the colors and couldn't pass up the price! ($1/yd!)

2 yards of what they called "Short Hair Poodle" on sale that I think will make a great baby blanket. ($3/yd)

1 yard of "Mint Borouque Satin" for the sash that I need to make. I decided on a whole yard because the fabric is just so yummy and the absolute best color, so I will definitely use the rest for something!! ($4.99)

A remnant of Indigo/White striped vinyl. I have been looking for something to cover up my hideously uggly stress-mat that I use in the kitchen. My feet hurt ALL THE TIME, so I picked up an industrial-grade mat to stand on when I'm cooking and baking. It makes a bigger difference than I had anticipated, but it's uuuuuu-gly! So I'll use the vinyl to cover it up! Stay tuned for how I make it happen! It was a dollar something, but then it was on sale too, so I got it for 66 cents!!! Wooo-Hooo!

My hubby took issue with the pins in our bed this weekend when I used our bunk to do my sewing on. Oops! He said the tomatoe pin cushion I have should be magnatized, so voila! I also got myself a grabbit.

Then of course, is the big splurge: The Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and York Peppermint Pattie. Well, I didn't stop for ice cream!

Creating new habits from old ones

I was getting ready for work this morning and remembered yesterday's post. I thought about the habit I have of eating ice cream every afternoon and I thought...what if I replace that habit with a healthier one? Instead of simply stopping (or hoping to stop) that habit, I can substitute something else for it.
Now this might sound strange, since my favorite food seems to be ice cream, but another one of my favorite foods is grapefruit! So I grabbed a whole grapefruit from the fridge and headed to work. I'm not adhering to a diet. I am tempted never to consider that practice ever again because my tendency is to make short-term, drastic changes, hold out for a few months, loose tons of weight, and then go back to my old ways.

Instead, I'm thinking I'll simply replace my old habits with new, healthier ones. Now on one of my old diets, it would have been a no-no to eat a whole grapefruit in one sitting, but by my calculations, a whole grapefruit is by far healthier than a pint of ice cream!
I'll let you know how this works. So far it's 10:15 am and I'm not tempted to hit the corner store on lunch break for some sweet lactose gourmet goodness, but we'll see what happens later...

A few feet away from Kasey Kahne

Lets see if this works...we got to watch and participate in a live radio interview with Kasey Kahne a few hours before the 6/29/08 race...this is just a clip.

A few camping shots...

"Camping" at the racetrack means setting up in over-sized parking spaces on a dirt lot. Here's a shot, taken from underneath our awning, a foot away from the camper on the far left of the picture...space in the distance shows camper number two, and camper number three is backed up right to our "site."
When the rain came during the race, we made our way "home." My camera battery wasn't juiced up in time to capture the ankle-deep muddy river running through the lot, but I was able to get a shot or two in a little later...







When a camper sleeps 7 people...thank goodness for bump-outs!!!


Breakfast, camping-style.