Whirly Bird

Tiny Tuesday : Baby Animal Ultrasounds!

2013-05-21T17:03:00.000-04:00

In case you needed to know whether you should think these are weird or cute, the answer is cute. These ultrasound photos were taken for a National Geographic documentary by Peter Chinn. More photos can bee seen here.

Three!

2013-05-15T13:03:00.001-04:00

Today, we've been married for three years. Three little years, but there have already been so many sweet moments, good stories, favorite traditions, ongoing jokes, and amazing adventures all over the world. The best part is, we're just getting warmed up. Thank you, dear. I love you. I love us!

Tiny Tuesday: How baby swans get around.

2013-05-14T16:30:00.002-04:00

Photo credit: BNPS.CO.UK for Daily Mail via Pinterest

How cute is this mom swan carting around six babies beneath her wings? Unfortunately this is the closest I'll ever come to getting that sort of treatment.

SWAN FACTS: A baby swan is called a cygnet. A group of swans is called a bevy, or wedge if they are in flight. Swans have "teeth" - jagged parts of their bills used to catch and cut fish. They're not really teeth with nerves and sockets, more like chompers. Most swans can't wait to sink their chompers into you, because if you haven't noticed, they are mean as shit.

Recipe Box: Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins

2013-05-13T09:52:00.000-04:00

Here is a muffin recipe worth waking up early for, especially on a cool spring morning with a steamy cup of coffee. Fresh berries and buttermilk are always a winning combination, and the subtly sweet batter is compensated with a crusty layer of cardamom sugar baked on top. You could make these with any type of berries, but the trick here is rich, quality buttermilk, fresh eggs, and butter. As always, dairy products have my heart.

Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Heidi at 101 Cookbooks made hers with huckleberries, and topped them with rose petals and cinnamon sugar. She also suggests mixing in toasted seeds, nuts, or dried lavender flowers. I'm pretty keen on trying rose sugar and a dusting of crushed pistachios on my next batch.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 medium ripe, mashed bananas
240 ml buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup berries, plus more for topping
Cardamom sugar (3 tbsp sugar combined with 1 tsp cardamom)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack positioned in the center. Line muffin tins with papers. (I skipped the tin and used silicone muffin cups.)
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
3. In another bowl, combine mashed banana, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and butter. Stir until blended and uniform.
4. Pour the wet ingredients over dry, and mix until just combined. Fold in berries. Do not over-blend.
5. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full, sprinkle with more berries and a generous dusting of cardamom sugar.
6. Bake 25 minutes for standard-sized muffins, until golden-brown (40 min for extra large muffins).

Makes about 1- 1/2 dozen

Hand lettered signs are still alive and well in Mexico.

2013-05-08T11:59:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things about Mexico is the brightly painted, hand lettered storefronts. Instead of the heavily branded corporate sameness we have in the US, there are miles of open-air stalls and stucco facades with hand painted signs and murals showcasing the town's finest paletas, carnitas, and cocos frios. These signs are imperfect, and sometimes the letters are crude and crooked, but they have a human quality that draws me in, promising something special and exciting to be found inside. Maybe I'm romanticizing, but those hand painted, brilliantly hued scripts, icons, and anthropomorphic mascots strike me as being so endearingly proud and impassioned that my first instinct is to give the shop all of my money. (Um, true story.)

Sign painting is still a respected trade in Mexico, and hand lettered signs are called "rotulos." In Tulum, you'd be hard pressed to find many chain restaurants, but even world-renowned corporate advertisements and logos are often painted on walls and bus stops. Sometimes at closer inspection, you'll notice that a logo is a rip-off of a better known brand, like this MacGomez sign (pictured last). The golden arches are the only thing the restaurant shares in common with McDonald's. MacGomez is actually a thatched-roof, open air cafe, serving poc-chuc (Mayan-style grilled pork). Ha!

++++

¡More, more, more!

+ The Dying Art of Rotulos in Merida, Mexico

+ Is hand lettering making a comeback in the US?
The Incredible Lost and Found Art of Hand Painted Signage
The Unexpected Renaissance of Hand Painted Signs

+ Oh!! Have you seen this yet? It's really NEAT.

++++

P.S. Soon after we started dating, I asked Kurt, "If I were a font, which would I be?" He answered, "You'd be hand lettered." SWOOoooN! The perfect answer. Then we got married.

(Give me a break. I'm a graphic designer.)

Tiny Tuesday: A duckling who can't say awake.

2013-05-07T16:13:00.001-04:00

This, this, this! The little peeps this duckling makes when it startles itself awake!

Cesiak in Sian Ka'an, Tulum

2013-05-07T13:02:00.000-04:00

Breakfast on the rooftop at Ceasiak. / Kurt's ubiquitous local beer vacation photo. / Reading at the beach shack.

Who needs electricity and running water when the ocean is in your front yard?

Beautiful sunrises!

When it comes to beach vacations, I'm a girl gone mild. Who am I kidding, I'm basically non-stop mildin' out, unless prescribed codeine cough syrup, but those are not stories for a public forum. My point is, if our travel destination involves crystal clear waters and powdery white sands, then you better believe my corn-fed, landlocked ass is gonna want to look at the ocean until my eyes shrivel up, sun-dried and salt-cured from the ocean air. I've discovered that this is best done without the distractions of modern conveniences. Wi-fi, electricity, private bathrooms - all over rated when the ocean is crashing a stone's throw from the hammock of your candlelit beach hut.

Before we met our friends for a week in Tulum, we spent the weekend at Cesiak, an eco resort located down a quiet dirt road in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. Our private thatched roof shack was essentially a furnished tent on a wood platform, perched on a jungle ridge overlooking the ocean. I could have lived on the hut's porch alone, facing the shore with Kurt in the hammock, I in the rocking chair. What more do you really need? All of the huts were off the grid, with shared access to a bathhouse at the resort's solar/wind powered restaurant and welcome center.

Of all the beaches we've visited, Cesiak's was the most beautiful. Extra plusses for the friendly staff, delicious chilaquiles, and enormous sunbathing iguanas.

Love love love! (The first of many posts about Mexico.)

2013-05-02T10:13:00.000-04:00

Last week was spent on the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, wedged between the the sea and the jungle in Tulum, Mexico. Oh, I fell hard for Mexico. What was it about that place? Perhaps it was love at first sight, on the first night I stepped onto the porch of our thatch-roofed beach hut, so close to the waves that I could feel the sea spray on my skin. Could have been the paletas from Flor de Michoacan: coconut, chile-mango, strawberries and yogurt, rice pudding! Or El Fogon's pastor tacos topped with sliced pineapple, radishes and jicama. I loved the sweet-faced beach dogs who'd escort us up and down the shore while we gathered sun-bleached artifacts. I loved that the most dilapidated shacks are painted like castles, with pink and yellow and turquoise murals. I loved the clear water, stacked to the horizon with gradients of aqua, teal, and blue. I loved that beer cost as much as water.

We enjoyed a full week of these things, topped off with the best wedding I've ever attended, between two of the most lovely in love brides, Hilary and Athena. I've been home for nearly a week, but I'm still feeling the blissed-out afterglow of their beach party wedding weekend. Yay!

Love, love!

More to come ...

Tulum, here we come!

2013-04-18T16:45:00.000-04:00

Mexican Textiles via Pinterest

This weekend, we're heading to Tulum, Mexico for a week-long wedding celebration two of our favorite people. There's so much to be excited about, but right now I can't stop day dreaming about beautiful Mexican textiles. All embroidered everything, please!

Here are a few other places we plan to visit while we are there ...

Photo sources: 1. Flor de Michoacan (Paletas!) 2. Hartwood 3. The Mayan City of Tulum 4. Cenotes 5. Cesiak in Sian Ka'an

Have you been to Tulum? I'd love to hear your advice/stories/travel secrets. Tell me what's up!

Tiny Tuesday! Who needs a distraction?

2013-04-16T16:43:00.001-04:00

I just discovered CNN's Distraction page, and there seems to be a lifetime supply of sweet and adorable videos. After our rough start this week in Boston, everyone could use a little heart warming.

Weekly Notes

2013-04-12T14:19:00.004-04:00

Next week's vacation might involve this place! Via Pinterest

Recently I tried these recipes. Cooking dinner tonight? I highly recommend these:
+ Traditional Fish Stew of Bahia
+ New-Style Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing
+ Buttermilk Berry Muffins
Also, I just discovered this beautiful food blog. I'm in love.

I want:
These shoes, this swimsuit, this bike. (Can you tell I'm ready for warm weather?)

In the rare cases that I don't waste all of my spending money on coffees, candy, and cocktails (in that order), I actually purchase some of the things I pine over. Tried and tested acquisitions: pretty glass water bottle, leather pouch, tea, to-do list, and my new favorite pants.

Kurt Made me a new Spotify mix. Sweet jams to calm down my cranky old ass.

In case you missed it, the sickest dunk ever.

Evidence that I'm having a good week: 1. 2.

This video is a day-maker.

Happy weekend!

Spring things.

2013-04-09T16:27:00.002-04:00

Excited about:
+ Ranunculous in bloom
+ Foggy spring mornings
+ La Croix Peach-Pear in 12 packs
+ Vacation in two weeks!
+ Finding all of the morels.
+ NCAA Champs!!
+ Wearing shoes with no socks.
+ Jurassic Park in 3D

Tiny Tuesday!

2013-04-09T15:13:00.002-04:00

1. 2. 3.

Every few weeks I forfeit a good portion of my day to baby sloths on Pinterest.

Tiny Tuesday! Nancy Rose's Squirrels

2013-04-02T15:59:00.001-04:00

Nancy Rose's Squirrel series, via Buzzfeed.

Nancy Rose is a photographer who builds miniature sets for the squirrels who live in her backyard. Then she photographs the curious squirrels who show up to inspect the props (which often harbour secret treats like peanuts). Genius!

P.S.

Tiny Tuesday! Surprisingly adorable.

2013-03-26T15:30:00.002-04:00

Source: imgfave.com via Johanna on Pinterest

Baby puffer fish are cute, I don't care what you say.

Spring Awakening

2013-03-15T16:38:00.002-04:00

Weekly flowers. / View from Big Four Pedestrian Bridge, Louisville, KY.

New arrivals at our neighborhood fruit stand! / First hike of 2013.

Spring, I am ready!

Tiny Tuesdeeee! Sneaky Marten

2013-03-13T17:02:00.001-04:00

Source: newsfeed.time.com via Johanna on Pinterest/ Keystone / Marcel Bieri AP

A sneaky pine marten weaseled his way onto the field of a Swiss league soccer game. I stared at the marten's face in this photo for like 10 minutes. It is currently my favorite thing. Do I detect a grin on that marten's face?

This photo was taken seconds before the critter bit Zurich defender, Loris Benito.

The final score ...
Pine Marten: 1, Zurich: 4, FC Thun: 0

Tiny Tuesday! Baby flamingo's first steps!

2013-03-05T15:16:00.001-05:00

Ahhhhhhh! Watch this Caribbean Flamingo chick takes his first steps at the Bronx Zoo. Look at those knobby knees!

Weekly Notes

2013-03-01T17:00:00.001-05:00

Matilda Bay boat house by Kirk Hille. Source: travel.com.au via Johanna on Pinterest

Recipes tried and loved:
- "Ichirolls", or spicy Seattle tuna rolls, named after the dreamy Ichiro Suzuki. I seared the outside of my tuna steak, tuna tataki style. I like eating foods shaped like ice cream cones.
- Momofuku pork buns. Can't believe it's taken me this long to get on this bandwagon, but I finally made them. Dreams were fulfilled.

Currently Reading:
- Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers. This author has never let me down, and I suspect it will stay that way.
- Lucky Peach - The Apocalypse Issue!

Listen:
This American Life's two part series on one of America's most dangerous schools, Harper High School, is albeit, but important. If you have not already, you should listen to it.

Dreaming of:
- A dinner at Faviken, followed by a night at the restaurant's cozy Inn, and this breakfast in the morning. I wish!
- Our upcoming trips! Mexico in April, Alaska in August, then to Portland for my birthday in October.
- Seeing David Byrne and St. Vincent at the KY Center this July. Here they are performing my favorite song.

Love:
- This kick-ass Kentuckian.
- Just snagged the last one in my size.
- Maddie is on tour!
- These shades, these sneaks, and this notebook.
- Boing!

Good feelings:
1. 2. 3. 4.

Felted toys for wee ones.

2013-02-27T16:46:00.001-05:00

Needle Felting crafternoon with Emily!

If you're like me, and find it therapeutic to repeatedly stab things with sharp objects, then perhaps needle felting is the craft for you. Using razor-sharp barbed needles, I've transformed tufts of wool roving into lots of felted creatures. Miniature woolen versions of my pets and smiling food items populate a small kingdom on my windowsill. If I weren't making these cute things, I'd probably be buying them, so I just consider this behavior a savvy win, rather than identifying with creepy hoarder ladies who repress emotions with recreational stabbing.

Recently I taught my friend Emily how to needle felt. She got right down to business sculpting an eyeball. (Of course! Why not?) I made an onigiri. In my mind, all of my favorite snacks must be immortalized in wool. We are not strange at all.

Then, during the days following our crafternoon, something awesome happened ...

Will with his Dad, Brent, playing with his felt-bot.

Emily went on a needle felting rampage making lots of cute felted toys for her baby son, Will. Turns out, felties make great soft toys for little hands. How cute are these? My favorite is the smiling cephalopod. Seeing Will play with his homemade toys makes me so happy. Yay, Emily, you rule!

Want to give needle felting a try? All you need is some wool roving, a felting needle, and a felting mat (or I use a fabric foam block). All of these materials can be found at the Craft store.

To make a felt ball, pull off a large amount of roving and gather it into a loose ball. (Your ball will shrink considerably during the felting process.) Place this on your mat, and poke the fibers all over with your felting needle, shaping the ball with your fingers as you work. Continue this way until you have a dense, firm sphere. The barbs on the needle catch the fibers as you pull away, weaving tiny intricate knots and tangles on and beneath the surface of your felted shape. The more you stab, the more dense your shape will become and the longer it will hold up to wear and tear, so keep this in mind if you are creating toys for children. Once you're satisfied with the shape of your ball, you can add patterns or faces by tacking small tufts of different colored fibers onto the ball with your needle.

Other shapes can be made in this same way. Just manipulate the fibers until you've formed the shape of your choice. To make cylinders, simply roll a flattened sheet of roving into a log, and then use your needle to secure the fibers into a firm shape. Cookie cutters are great guides for creating different shapes. Pack a handful of roving into your cookie cutter, and use the needle to shape the wool into one piece. Felt fabric can also be attached with a needle - I've demonstrated this technique in this blog post (complete with a very rare, very dorky, video tutorial starring myself).

Felting is a unique craft, and sometimes it's easier to watch someone do it to understand how it works. I actually learned how to do this by watching YouTube tutorials. Here are a few helpful guides:

Needle Felting basics (YouTube tutorial)
Needle felting techniques
How to make a needle felted penguin (photo slide show)

+++

P.S. Emily has lots of interesting, funny, and insightful things to say about being a mom. You can read all about it on her blog.

Happy Tiny Tuesday!

2013-02-26T14:16:00.000-05:00

Hi there! I've been suffering fools left and right today. As Jon Stewart would say, this video is my moment of zen.

I bet most of the world's problems would cease if we could all be this entertained by a door stop.

Recipe Box: Best Biscuits Ever

2013-02-25T14:48:00.001-05:00

I often concern myself with finding the world's best version of classic recipes. To me, a good recipe from a celebrated source is like visiting a famous landmark. I don't just want to eat something delicious, but I also want to share the same experience as my favorite cookbook authors, and all the other cooks who have read the same pages. Finding a classic is worth a good brow furrowing over a stack of cookbooks. There have been many trials on my quests for the best, but when I find that treasured recipe, the satisfaction is unrivaled. Better than the last piece of the puzzle. Better than finishing a crossword (Ha. That's never happened to me. I suck at crosswords.) Not quite as good as finding the morel mother load, but get real, nothing is.

Here is, in my opinion, the best buttermilk biscuit recipe. It is straight from Cook's Illustrated's The Best American Classics cookbook, one of my most dependable sources.

Buttermilk Biscuits
Makes a dozen biscuits.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp butter, chilled, cut into 1/4" cubes
1/4 cup cold buttermilk

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 450 degrees.
2. Place flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Whisk together until well combined.
3. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
4. Pour over buttermilk and mix gently with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together to foam a shaggy dough.
5. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and quickly form into a rough ball. Be careful not to over mix.
6. Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, divide dough into quarters, then cut each quarter into thirds. Shape each piece into a rough ball and place on a cookie sheet.
7. Bake until the biscuit tops are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

I like to slice mine in half and make sausage and egg sandwiches, pictured at top.

You can find more of my favorite breakfasts in my recipe box (right sidebar).

Oh! I must ask, do you have any BEST recipes? Could you, would you share them with me, please?

Tiny Tuesday: Pusheen!

2013-02-19T16:45:00.002-05:00

Pusheen the cat is my soul sister. If you feel like squandering several hours of your otherwise productive day, you should visit her blog. After that, you'll probably end up buying this shirt. This will lead you on a downward spiral of reckless procrastination, ending with a search of Snopes to find out if there really is a full-grown cat that can fit in a tea cup. There is!

Photos from winter's end.

2013-02-19T16:01:00.002-05:00

1. Kinfolk Magazine's feature on the Lost Coast (Volume 5). It's strange to feel homesick for a place you've been once. 2. Library haul. 3. A tiny garden for tiny salads. 4. My window seat vantage point seems much more interesting through Harold's eyes. 5. A good excuse for furry boots. 6. Frosty creepers. 7. Winter bus stop attire (raided from husband's closet). The threat of stranger danger is much less when you dress like a skeleton!

TIny Tuesday! "Cute Aggression"

2013-02-12T21:04:00.001-05:00

We've all been there, right? You see something so adorable, your eyes glaze over from squee, and the next thing you know, you're about to cuddle something to death like Lenny from Of Mice of Men. Well, finally someone is getting to the bottom of "cute aggression." This is a huge relief.

Read all about it over at Popular Science: "Why Do We Want to Squeeze Cute Things?"

*Thanks Ivanna for the link!

P.S. My ultimate weakness is an Italian Greyhound puppy. No duh. Just one look at this guy, and I'm gritting my teeth. Soft pets ... soft pets.