If you like Norah Jones...

You should like Eva Cassidy.  She is one of my go tos for days when I am in one of those "late afternoon coffee, raining outside, door open,  girly feeling" moods.

If you use Pandora...she is often played on the Norah Jones station and vice versa

Renny

3 Months

3.5 lbs

Frosty the Snowman "Renny" Walker

Alleycat - Team Cheesburger

Broken Hearts and Bicycle Parts

Alleycat Race Definition I found on Wikipedia: An Alleycat race is an informal bicycle race. Alleycats almost always take place in cities, and are often organized by bicycle messengers. The informality of the organization is matched by the emphasis on taking part, rather than simple competition. Many Alleycats present prizes for the last competitor to finish (sometimes known as Dead F*cking Last or DFL).[1] The first race to be called "Alleycat" was held in Toronto on October 30, 1989 and continued, in its original form, around Halloween and Valentine's Day for the following five years. In 1993, when Toronto messengers shared Alleycat stories at the first international messenger race (C.M.W.C Berlin), the name and the concept spread far and wide. Regularly organized Alleycats can be found in cities across North America, Europe and Asia. Many smaller cities with no cycle messenger population are also home to alleycats run by the burgeoning urban cyclist subculture.

My definition of Alleycat:  kindof like a scavenger hunt on bicycles...

So... Ben and I rode our bikes to East Atlanta to the SoPo location (see link above and check out their site to learn more about what they do...it is really cool) for the starting point and registration for the 6th annual Broken Hearts and Bicycle Parts Alleycat.

Our bikes geared up and ready to go

Ben mapping out the check points (you do not know the route until you register the night of race)

Our first stop was at a tattoo parlor.  Get a tattoo or get your face painted.  We chose face painting.  I did not take a picture, but we had to ride around Atlanta sportin' our blue mustaches.

The second stop was at Woodruff Park downtown.  Ben and I were the first team to reach this check point (Ben was proud of my speed).  So...we were rewarded with this bicycle crank arm that I wore proudly around my neck at the after party :).

One of the stops was in Piedmont Park at the gazebo.  We had to make a Peanut Butter and Jelley sandwich to take back to the last check point. I was hungry and wanted to eat it.

It was a great time!  We were able to hang out and catch up with friends that enjoy riding bikes, see the city, and enjoy one another on our wheels. Go Team Cheeseburger!

Chives

I am planning my 2010 garden and have decided to incorporate chives into the mix this year.  I have added chives to salads and dishes quite frequently for the past few months so I thought this would be a nice addition considering it is an edible flowering herb. This will be my first time planting them so I wanted to do a bit of research prior.  Conveniently enough...NOW is the time to start your process so I thought I would share in case you too would like Chives as a part of your 2010 garden.

Flowering Chive

 Ready to eat chives

Chives can be grown in almost any soil.  However, it is recommended that you start with a 50/50 mix of well rotted compost and potting soil. 

Chives like to be planted in full sun or partial shade.  They can be planted with your vegetables and/or flowers (avoid planting with other onions because this will attract onion flies).  They are fairly tolerant of drought, but it is suggested to not plant in a very dry area.

If you have previously planted chives:

You are ahead of the game and know that this herb is a perennial evergreen and can usually last throughout the winter.  Please note:  if the leaves have died due to drought, just cut them back because they are similar to the onion and have a bulb and your roots are still working and your chives will begin to grow in early spring (NOW). 

Propagation: production of a new plant from a portion of another plant

Late March - early April, is the perfect time to relocate chives to another pot, share with a friend (great gift for a lunch date/dinner party etc.), or to fill an empty spot.  Their bulbs multiply quickly.  Simply remove the clump of bulbs from the soil, separate each bulb, and plant just as you normally would above.   (propagation is not suggested for plants in their 1st year) 

Harvesting:

Cut the chives with scissors and remember to leave 2 inches of the leave above the soil.  The leaves grow back fairly rapidly.

If you prefer to use the flowering chives for decoration throughout your home, you can expect them to flower twice a year.  Once in the late Spring and once in July/August. 

I will post updates of my progress...

Destined to Accent

The wreath above has a story, like most things in my home do.  It once hung on the front porch of my home on Sullivan's Island.  It was left there from a previous renter, in the barely standing garage.  I pulled it out of the garage, dusted it off, and added it as an accent to the glassed in porch.  When I moved from Sullivan's Island, I thought about leaving it for the next dweller, and quickly decided that it was a piece of the home I just had to take (as well as a few others). 

Now the wreath hangs above my glass table in my living room and I just love to be reminded of the nights I would sit on the Sullivan's Island porch, drink wine, play dominoes, listen to the fog horns, smell the ocean breeze,  and watch the islanders roam from one drinking hole to the next on Middle Street. 

It hit me a few days ago that the wreath above has much more potential than just hanging over my table and bringing memories to just myself.  It can be accented with holiday/seasonal cheer!  I am now looking to buy a little blue bird to perch on the bottom as an accent for Spring.  I am excited to see the wreath come to life in the seasons to come.  Once I have found my little blue bird, I will post a pic!

Let me know if you have other ideas, for I believe this wreath was destined to accent!

A squeeze goes a long way.

 An easy and healthy way to treat yourself to freshness!

They've Got Soul

I would like to introduce you to the ones Lyla and I love:

Meet Fredrick:

He came into my life on my 2nd birthday.  He was a gift to me from my sister, Ellen, and my brother, Mason.  Fredrick has traveled the southeast, mostly during the 80's and early 90's.  He has seen Myrtle Beach, Memphis, numerous camp grounds, Camp La Vida, Charleston, Atlanta, and LITERALLY anywhere I have traveled (before the age of 15) and lived. He is happy to be relocated to the warm condo and out of the storage unit he lived in on the bottom floor of the building for the past 20 months. His heart is in great condition and still squeeks at age 25.

Meet Bowties:

Bowties became a part of the Martha Jane Journey in 1988 as a Valentine's gift from my Daddy.  Although his bowtie was misplaced, he enjoys wearing his souvenir "t" from Camp La Vida (our annual G.A. trip with church).  He also is happy to have relocated to the warm condo, although he is not fond of the 4 legged creature, Lyla, who often pounces on him.

Meet Big Mouth:

Big Mouth is getting used to things here in the city.  He joined the group Valentine's Day this year as a gift from my Daddy.  Currently he enjoys playing music when I squeeze his foot after a few cocktails and providing laughter for those who watch me dance (if you can call it that).

Meet Georgy and Georgy 2:

Georgy was Lyla's first toy(pictured on left).  Georgy has been to the Duluth Animal Hospital on two occassions (while Lyla's nails were so called "cut") and prefers not ever going back. Georgy 2 came into the picture shortly after when Georgy was misplaced in the bottom of the laundry hamper.  They enjoy acting as a fetching mechanism for Lyla's enjoyment and helping her show off her dog-like ways. 

Call me crazy - Call us crazy

but to Lyla and I

They've Got Soul

Baked Bacon

Have you ever wondered how to make bacon that is evenly cooked, not crinkled, with no oil splatters?  The answer is the oven! 

Place bacon on a double broiler, place in the oven at 350 (no need to even pre-heat).  Depending on your oven, it may take 20-30 minutes.  Just check the progress a few times on your first baking experience and you can figure out your timing.

It gets better - you do not have to flip the bacon, not even once.  The bacon will cook evenly on both sides.  The bacon grease no longer sits on your bacon, it drips nicely into your lower pan (save grease in a recycled jar and use with your collards or boiled peanuts).

I become overwhelmed with making sure everything is served at the correct temperature.  Now I have no more worries about eggs on the stove, bread in the toaster, fruit cut and chilled, while my bacon is burning and I am trying managing all of my other preoccupancies (I like that word - if it is a word). 

Bake your Bacon!

Lemon Ice Box Pie

• 
  
  7 - 8 lemons
• 
  
  1 can of condensed milk
• 
  
  5 eggs
• 
  
  1/4 cup of sugar
• 
  
  1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream
• 
  
  1 graham cracker pie crust (i like the deep dish)

Squeeze lemons and pour juice into mixing bowl with 1 can of condensed milk, and 5 egg yolks.  Mix thoroughly.  Pour into pie crust and bake for 45 minutes at 350.  

Allow pie to cool for 30 minutes and place in the refrigerator for one hour before serving.

Whipped Cream topping (NO, you cannot buy premade....this is easy and is your special touch)

Mix sugar and heavy whipping cream (keep cold until ready to mix) on high for 1-2 two minutes or until the cream is the right consistency of firm but awkwardly enough, fluffy.  Spoon onto pie and serve.

Endearing is "Monk"

Things I love are often referred to as Monk because since I was little, my sweet Daddy has referred to me as: Monk, Monkey, Monkey Jane, Monk Monk.

Forever endearing is "Monk."

Girls will be Girls

A few of the girls I work with get together often.  The most recent gathering was at my friend Kayte's who lives 1/2 of a block down the street on Piedmont.  Although she lives a rocks throw away, girls will be girls, we will still have slumber parties, and they never change: giggles, make-up, jewelry, and pictures you may regret:

At 5 I wanted a facial mole.  At 27 I want a facial mole.