Well Tested

Remember back in August when I showed you a new sweater and mentioned something about the shoes that inspired it? Well Cash and I went for a walk in the woods yesterday and finally took some pictures.

I wanted to link to the post about our honeymini-moon, but looking back through the archives, I realized there was no post and there were only a handful of photos! Obviously we had a lot of fun and didn't write home about it. We have dreams of a big vacation chasing cyclists around France, but last year decided that we would keep it simple and drive to the Finger Lakes region of New York and do some camping. It was a fun few days of seeing waterfalls, talking to locals about secret swimming holes, stocking up on delicious foods at the farmers' markets, and picking up lunch at Moosewood.
On the last day of our trip I had one more mission ~ to stop by the Aurora Shoe Company and pick up a pair of the shoes that I was coveting ever since I shared them with you in this post two years ago! If you haven't watched the video that talks about the company and shows you how the shoes are made, click here to check it out.

I wanted a pair for the longest time, but was in love with the idea of going right to the source. The day we visited the factory, activity was relatively low. David, the owner, greeted us and fit me for a pair of shoes while another worker was cutting leather for future shoes. I bought one pair of the Middle English style in burgundy. They felt slightly tight when I first put them on, but it was nice having an expert help with the fitting, but David assured me that they would stretch and mold to my feet as I wore them. It's been almost a year, and my pair fits like a glove.





As soon as I bought them, I started thinking about how good they would look paired with jeans and woolly sweaters, and that's how the shoe-inspired sweater project began. As I said in my post on the sweater, the shoes immediately had me thinking about "cool fall days, apple picking, and another wine tour in the Finger Lakes region". One not-so-secret secret of going directly to the factory is that the shoes are about half the price of what they are sold for online or in other retailers. So who's in for a visit to the Finger Lakes? After testing out my first pair for a year, I'm ready for more. We can stock up on wine and shoes, and then go back again next fall for the apples and more wine and shoes.

Wednesday Soundtrack

wooohoooo, going to see Bruce on Thursday! Here's a little warmup::

Weekend Update

This was our first weekend at home in three weeks, and I enjoyed every moment. Other than leaving the house to pick up supplies, we stayed in, cooked up a storm, did a bit of work, watched some movies, knit, ate, convinced the dog to sleep in late... good stuff.

 I worked on an experimental marmalade with these little guys. More details on the fruit and the marmalade soon::

Last week I felt like we were living in a food desert ~ every morning there was nothing quick and easy {& healthy} to grab for lunch, and every evening I was hoping that C had a better idea than me {oatmeal anyone?} for dinner. I decided to remedy that for the week ahead and took a bunch of macro photos as evidence.

 This jar of split peas turned into soup:: The soup was so simple. Sweat two sliced leeks and two sliced carrots in olive oil. Add your split peas and the appropriate amount of vegetable broth. Simmer on low for an hour or two, mixing every once in a while to help your peas turn into a mushy goodness.

 This cauliflower was roasted with some garlic and then blended with white beans for a tasty dip:: The recipe came in an issue of Everyday Food, but it can also be found here. The dip is a nice alternative to hummus. I ate it with pretzels and slices of bell pepper. BUT before the cauliflower became dip, I nibbled on the roasted bits and discovered my new favorite way to eat that veg.

 A whole pile of lima beans, some cucumbers, bell pepper, and a handful of mint became a salad:: I topped it with a vinaigrette made of brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and olive oil. During the week, I'll eat it as a side at dinner, and add it to greens to make salads for lunch.

 Outside, the pansies we planted last fall are re-blooming in their hanging basket::

And a branch we cut off the cherry tree that was hanging a bit too low, giving me plenty of blossoms for a jar on the porch::

And finally, when the sun went down today I was back inside working on a new piece of art for the bedroom. As soon as we fold the clothes in there and put away the coffee pot {if only I were kidding}, I'll show you the final piece::

Link On

To celebrate the week's end :: a few photos from our early morning dog walks and a few fun links from my internet browsing.

A crochet project :: this simple receiving blanket

I'm waiting for this to arrive in the mail :: tree of life

A new plan for your Easter eggs :: temporary tattoos

And a new-to-me food blog with a recipe for tonight's happy hour :: grapefruit, rosemary, & gin, oh my!

Happy Friday*

Wow, I wanted spring to arrive, but I really didn't expect the explosion that's taking place out in the yard right now. I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't set up a camera to document this rush of early spring growth. I walk around the yard every morning before work and again after, and some days I'm sure there has been inches of growth where the previous morning there was only soil! Right now the weeping cherry is in full bloom::

Under its umbrella of branches, the daffodils and hyacinths are on show. While I was out yesterday morning I put the three flowers together for our first bouquet of the season!
And yes, it made our breakfast extra tasty, and the work-from-home day almost enjoyable.

Wednesday Soundtrack

Some new stuff by one of my favs.

 Song:: Love Is Making Its Way Back Home
Artist:: Josh Ritter

 Video Awesomeness :: The images are made from construction paper! There's no digital trickery, just 12,000+ pieces of paper.

 

Weekend Update

The weather? Amazing. We enjoyed it to the fullest this weekend.

We began by firing up the grill on Friday evening::

And then packed up the car and drove to Philly for C's back to back races on Saturday and Sunday. Here he is leading the peloton on Saturday::

And then joining his biggest fans for a little post-race picnic::

Sunday began with a group Skype-call to Sarah::

Followed by the calm, uneventful start of a second race::

That ended with a crash, boom, and bang {unfortunately someone's stocking doesn't lie}::

And while the bikers sat upfront to recap the weekend's events, I sat in the back and happily worked on my hexagons.:: I'll have to take a better picture soon to show you how this afghan has grown. It's large enough now that it acts as a true blanket while I'm working on it, making it the perfect project for air-conditioned trips in the car!