Sunday, January 29, 2012

Week 4 Update

Haiku #22
All I need is time
Tick-tock added to the clock
Then what I could do

Haiku #23
A Chinese New Year
We celebrate with udon
For longevity

Haiku #24
A bright, sunny day
Such reprieve after the rain
Makes my spirit soar

Haiku #25
Polaris reaches
For the sickle blade crescent
Of the waxing moon

Haiku #26
The fog envelops
Shrouding the woods from my view
Cloaked in mystery

Haiku #27
A great piece of art
Opens the mind and the soul to
Possibility

Haiku #28
To work all day long
Only to discover more
To do tomorrow...



Recipe of the week was from the January/February Weight Watchers magazine. It was called Lemony Linguine with Sausage. I liked the flavor, but didn't care for the sausage (as I don't each much meat and ground turkey just grosses me out!). I will make the dish again with some other form of protein.
Since I could not seem to access the recipe from the Weight Watchers website, I'll post it for you:
Lemony Linguine with Sausage
1 9 oz. package linguine ( I used whole wheat organic)
1/2 lb. Sweet Italian style turkey sausage (removed from casing) ICK!
1 sliced shallot
2 tsp. of EVOO
1 9 oz. bag of baby spinach
1 lemon
Boil pasta until al dente, drain, and reserving 1/3 c of the cooking water
While pasta is cooking brown ground turkey, approx. 5 minutes, then remove and drain
Add shallots to oil-you may need to add a touch more, and cook for 2 minutes, then add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add back in the sausage and mix in the pasta, 1/3 c of the cooking water, and the juice of one lemon. Allow to cook together for an additional 3-5 minutes. Serve with lemon zest.

Last but not least, my bird creativity project for the week is here:

This was created by making a collage paper and then cutting the bird and it's wing from a template that I found here.

Almost a full month of posting and actually living up to my resolutions! Yay! With my crazy school work schedule on top of my regular work schedule cooking and crafting are a bright spot for me and I am so glad I am "making" myself do them because I feel so alive when I do!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Week 3 Update

Haiku #15
A good brew, a nap
The simple pleasures of a
Sunday afternoon

Haiku #16
A lone crow flies by
Screeching to the world below
"Look at me, so free!"

Haiku #17
The trees bend and sway
To the music of the wind
Nature's song and dance

Haiku #18
Logs crackle and pop
A blazing fire warms hearts
As we gather 'round

Haiku #19
Such uncertainty
Life throw punches like Ali
Mohammad, that is

Haiku #20
A good and true friend
One of life's most precious gifts
Treasure it always

Haiku #21
Read and study hard
Then put the books and papers
Away and go play!



My bird creativity challenge of the week:
I was inspired by these pretty little birds on wire wall hangings from World Market.

My recipe of the week was, once again, out of the pages of the January/February Everyday Food magazine. I made Spaghetti Squash Gratin. I will be honest and say that I didn't get to make it yesterday as planned because we had unexpected company come by (and bring dinner), so it ended up being a fun friend get-together. I did make the recipe this morning and just ate it for brunch. I don't think I'll make it again, but it did give me some good ideas on how to make pasta based casseroles with spaghetti squash. Also, I used a piece of leftover cornbread mixed in with the bread for the crumb topping. I have never purchased anchovies before, although I do like them, so this was good for trying something different at home.


Saturday, January 14, 2012

Week 2 Update

Okay, so the final haiku for this week is...

Haiku #14:
Saturday morning
A cup of coffee before
The world is awake


Bird Project for Week 2:
An attempt at drawing a nuthatch in pencil and chalk




And my new recipe for the week, is once again straight out of the January/February edition of Food magazine. The recipe is for Rustic Chicken Minestrone. I have yet to try it, but here is the photo of it cooking....smells yummy!



I have had a very pleasant day, thus far. It started with sleeping in until 8:00. Wonderful! I never do that, even on the weekends. Then I got up and had coffee all by myself for a little while before the rest of the family (and the kids who were sleeping over) got up. I have piddled around the house doing little odds and ends, worked on my creativity challenge project, and then got started on the soup. I am still in my pj's and am getting ready to go get back in bed to read for a little bit. If I fall asleep, so what? The world, and all the stuff I need to be doing, will be there waiting for me when I crawl back out from under the covers.

Happy Saturday!


Haiku Digest Week 2

Haiku #8:

A light misting rain
Leaves a heavy fog behind
So mysterious

Haiku #9:

The rain keeps falling
Dripping endlessly down, down
On the cold, wet ground


Haiku #10:

The ground smells of earth
Rich, moist and fertile-like spring
Not January

Haiku #11:

Thunder, lightning, hail
Torrential rains, gusts of wind
A gray, stormy day

Haiku #12:

Colorful pastels
Fiery pinks, orange, purple
Glorious sunrise

Haiku #13:

The moon hangs ripe, low
Like a fruit waiting to be
Plucked by God's own hand

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Week 1 Update

Whew! What a hard first week. Starting back to work on Monday right after New Year's Day was a little difficult. I really needed one more day to get organized for the work week, but that didn't happen. I read and completed a few assignments yesterday and still managed to get in my new recipe and my creativity challenge.

The recipe I tried was from this month's Everyday Food magazine. It was a simple roasted acorn squash that turned out to be delicious. Here's the recipe.




and for my "Bird themed Creativity Challenge" I decided to use a pretty 12x12 scrapbook I've had laying around and do four 3x3 sized projects to fit on each page so it will basically be a month's worth of projects on each page. Below you will see week 1 and my special word of the week.

Haiku 7

Haiku #7-

A gentle breeze blows
The tree branches reach for me
Come outside and play

Friday, January 6, 2012

Haiku 5 & 6

Haiku #5-
My soft, warm bed calls
Bring a book and rest your head
Sweet dreams are waiting


Haiku #6-
Heavy, gray clouds rest
On tired, old mountain tops
Waiting for nightfall

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Haiku 3 & 4

Haiku 3:

Golden hued sunlight
Drifts behind the mountain tops
Sets the sky on fire


Haiku 4:

Glistening moonlight
Stars twinkle in the blackness
Night calls heavenward

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Haiku 1 & 2


Haiku #1-

Mild New Year's Day
Brings bluebirds to my window
My heart fills with joy






Haiku #2-

Glistening snowflakes
Take flight on the winter wind
Swirling magically

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy 2012!

As it's always a good idea to verbalize your intentions and goals for the New Year, I decided to do it here at "Tales From My Nest".
It's been a long time since I have posted on here. Just to fill you in, 2011 was a tough year for my family in the financial respect. As a result of my husband's business being very slow, it was a blessing that I had two sources of income. I also decided to go back to school to get my K-6th grade teaching certificate, so starting in August I was not only working two jobs, serving on a search committee for our school's new principal, heading up the Parent-Teacher Council, and taking two online classes. Needless to say, Christmas break was a welcome one. It gave me time to ponder what is really important to me, what has worked, and what needs to be improved upon. Here's what I determined:
  • I like being busy and am actually quite organized and efficient when I need to be.
  • I am tired of thinking about food all the time and for considering food to be "good or bad" or my eating habits to be "naughty or nice"
  • I really want to hang out with my kids more
  • I miss my husband and having date nights
  • I miss doing arts & crafts projects
  • I must make more time for my friends and family

Therefore my intentions and goals for 2012 are reflective of all of those things. Here's my list:

1-To add more movement to my daily routine
2-To quit weighing myself daily
3-To create one thing each week, my theme is "birds"
4-To write one haiku every day
5-To try one new recipe each week
6-To zone clean my house

Some of my sources of inspiration in 2011 were:
Sarah Ban Breathnach's book, Simple Abundance
Mireille Guiliano's book, French Women Don't Get Fat
Misty Mawn's mixed media art book, unfurling
and the make something 365 blog about the book, Unstuck

As a result of all of this, I hope to blog again in 2012. My plan will tentatively be to share my haikus in a weekly re-cap, if not daily. I also plan to post photos of my 52 bird-themed projects. I am also working on the preliminary stages of a notebook that will help women organize their homes and lives, freeing up time for their personal interests.

Having said ALL of that in my lengthy post, I wish the blog world a healthy and prosperous 2012!