Spring is in the process of springing, which means it's time for...

the Utterly Random Garden: Year 2 to begin!

I love the promise of freshly planted plants - they just seem so hopeful sitting in their pots :-) If only that would last throughout the season...

( what I planted )

...because it allows for beautiful ice sculptures to survive, like the ones that we saw at the Salem's So Sweet festival today.
( more pics )

Salem Witch

It's cold, but not snowing. I shouldn't really complain given the massive snow dump going on to the South, but...cold! Stupid Phil and his stupid shadow :P I am ready for spring.

Last week, my iPod shuffle died. I use the shuffle nearly every day (at work, exercising, etc), so I decided to replace it. The newest version of the shuffle was the cheapest, so I bought it. I figured, it's a shuffle - they can't possibly have changed it all that much between version 2 and version 5.

Oh, how wrong I was. Why did Apple think it would be a good idea to have the controls for the shuffle on the headphones, next to your chin? You know, where you can't really see what button you're pressing? Oh yeah, and sweat collects when you work out? How is that at all convenient? Grrr.

1) For Halloween, I went as Charlie Brown on Halloween:

I got a rock.

2) Knitting. ( pics )

3) Pies. Parsnip pie was a surprise hit from a few weeks ago, and tonight is a sweet potato night. Veggies (for a certain value of veggies) for dessert for the win!

When the traffic report leads with "The real problem is on *highway you're on*, where the only lane getting by the accident at *exit 5 miles from where you're currently stopped* is the breakdown lane", you know you're in for a fun ride home. A fun, 2+ hour, 25 mile ride home. But being greeted by thai food and a glass of Riesling makes it all seem better.

Currently, it is SNOWING outside. I would like to lodge a complaint to someone in authority, please. It's only October! I mean, seriously.

Yesterday, when the weather was nice (crisp fall day, as nature intended), S and I took a trip out to the Arnold Arboretum. The trees there were, unsurprisingly, quite lovely with the fall foliage and all.

Fall colors

The arboretum also hosts a premiere bonsai collection (I think the largest outside of Asia): ( pictures of old, tiny trees )

So, all in all a lovely way to spend an afternoon. I am looking forward to going back in the spring when everything is blooming :-)

One night last week, S and I were watching some of the bonus documentaries about "Red Dwarf". This particular doc (some 10th anniversary thingamabob) includes clips of famous fans of the show talking about why they love the Dwarf. One of those fans was none other than Stephen Hawking. Mr. Hawking is one of those people that are just so smart, I have a vague paranoia of somehow winding up in an elevator with him - what could I say that wouldn't make me look like a total idiot? Now I have my answer:

"Hey Smeghead!"

Perhaps I need more coffee today...

My first attempt at turnovers. Pretty darn tasty results!




I had some sealing issues on a few of them, but as none were burned and all had filling inside, I declared victory.

For the past 3 weeks, our CSA has given us 3 lbs of peaches. I've made a cobbler and a crisp, but would like to try something new this weekend. Anyone have another favorite peachy keen dessert?