Thursday, March 11, 2010

recipe and hotpads

An apartment warming gift for paul. Skullholders from Stitch 'n Bitch: The Happy Hooker. Yarn is Peaches & Cream in bright navy and red. Ravelry Link


I made a big batch of granola yesterday and since I've been on a big chai kick I've created this amazing chai flavored granola.


Chai Granola
3 cups old fashioned or rolled oats. No instant!
1/3 cup local (or not) honey.*
1/3 cup agave nectar. (you can substitute with more honey but this cuts down on the sweetness.)
1 tbsp oil.
2 tbsp ground flaxseed (optional)
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together and spread onto a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Cook in a 300 degree oven for 45 min, stirring every 10 min for even coloring. Watch it carefully towards the end because it can go from golden to burnt pretty quickly.

*Local honey is pretty awesome. It keeps seasonal allergies at bay with the added karma of helping local farmers and businesses. I used a local clover honey harvested in Colorado Springs. It was pretty mild compared to store bought clover honey. On the second batch I used a mesquite honey harvested in Mesa, Arizona. It's a pretty amazing honey, very mild with a very slight smokey taste.

Monday, March 8, 2010

dishcloths

I made these reusable crocheted dishcloths. So sweet and bright.


Hoot. My new favorite bowl. Perfect to hold dishcloths.


"After all, we are all weaving miracles with everything we do… we just have to open our eyes a little bit wider. There are miracles all around us just waiting to be seen."


I read this on http://www.threadinglight.com/. I'm still trying to figure out if miracles exist or if it's all just coincidence, and do we create our own or are they from god, and is there even a god, or what if it's all just energy? And why does the cat keep jumping on the counter? Will I ever know?

Thursday, March 4, 2010

bath salts

My friend Paul got his first apartment. Congrats Paul! (if you ever read this.)
I decided to make all of his housewarming gifts by hand.


The container is a reused body butter container. Damn, I'm so green. I even made that scrap of paper.

Self portrait. Cracked earth pendant, dried cactus flower, lotus blossom, healing hands, buddha smile.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

bread

It has been a small dream of mine to make homemade bread, but I've always been too intimidated. I don't want to have unrealized dreams so I just dove right in. This bread is amazing!



Especially with my homemade butter.


Here's my favorite song at the moment.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

homemade butter

I made my own butter today. It was delicious...



on my last two slices of sourdough. A heart shaped butterfinger rounded out my breakfast.



My houseplant was looking limp and pale. I added more earth and gave it a sprinkle of fertilizer. It took but a few days for it to regain it's beautiful dark color and to perk up and be itself. It was a reminder that we all need a little boost every once in a while. Here's a picture of a discounted valentine's day rose that I bought for myself. It has been giving me boosts.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

time to resurrect

I'm back. With a new layout (it might change again) and with a deep urge to change everything and still be true to myself.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

daaamn, zucchini


daaamn, zucchini, originally uploaded by sagefrances.

I was weeding when I found these babies. They made me gasp aloud. They made me take God's name in vain. I did a jig. Gardening is so goddamn sexy.


I have some eggplants about the size of plums. We're able to pick jalapenos every few days, if we want. The tomato probably has blossom end rot. I'm gonna hit it with some epsom salt. I'm not too upset. Really, how can I be after my epic zucchini.

Monday, July 13, 2009

zucchini


zucchini, originally uploaded by sagefrances.

I found this and plucked it this morning! Tonight I sauteed this beauty with 2 jalapenos from my garden and some mushrooms. I served it with some lemon pepper chicken. It was a delightful dinner. This gardening thing is a hoot.

Monday, June 29, 2009

zucchini


zucchini , originally uploaded by sagefrances.

I found my first zucchini blossom! The flash of yellow made my heart skip a beat.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

I've got jalapenos!

My garden is doing quite well! I found some baby peppers peeking through the foliage today. I introduce to you Serrano, baby jalapeno, and bigger jalapeno.




My zucchini plant has spread out and it's leaves are big and beautiful. They smell spicy to me.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

zomg! tomato!


zomg! tomato!, originally uploaded by sagefrances.

Omg! Omg, I have a tomato!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

my plants x2

My bonsai. It's a ficus.


Spider and prayer plant. The spider plant was my first plant ever. Remember the one the cat ate?


My bromeliad. This is a fun plant.

my plants.

This is my arrowhead plant. It's neat.


Mint and aloe vera. The mint is my favorite plant. I love to water it when it's really warm and breezy outside so I can catch the fragrance.


This was my 3rd plant. It grows the best, although I'm having a mold issue with it.


Here is my garden. I have 3 different peppers, carrots, zucchini, and eggplant.


Topsy Turvy and tomatoes.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

cuteness!


cuteness!, originally uploaded by sagefrances.

Some knitting. Saartje's Bootees and Bzzz hat from stitch 'n bitch. Perfect for a spring baby. Look at those buttons!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Still gardening.


pea seeds, originally uploaded by sagefrances.

I planted more today. I used up most of my seeds. I have a sinking suspicion that I planted the mint seeds too deep so I started a smaller container to test it. I transplanted a lot of my taller seedlings into the water bottles so they could have more room to grow. I put more thought into the layout of my starter containers because I think I killed some by taking the lid off too soon. But, damn, those peas and zucchini shot up so quickly. I put the taller, faster growing seeds into their own container. All of my jalapenos are looking good. I love a good jalapeno.
It snowed last night, and more is expected today. I didn't get to take my seedlings out for a sunning so I opened all the windows. I hope it helps.

The view finder on my camera is broken. I use the little eye viewer but every picture still comes out slightly off. Especially when doing macros.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

sagefrances gardens?

I used to have a severe black thumb. Any plant I have ever had has died a tragic and dry death. One fateful day Gus brought me an abandoned and tiny spider plant from work. It had a tiny post-it note that said in tiny letters, "I'm free". It had two tiny leaves. The cat ate one of them the next day. I thought it was a lost cause. But then I did something different with it, which turned out to be the key to my success. Instead of finding a "perfect plant spot" for it I just left it next to my sink on the window sill. Every time I went to the sink I would see it and smile at it. And more often than not I would see it, smile at it, and give it a spritz of water. It glowed in the morning light that filtered in. And it grew.
That plant now has 6 leaves. True story.
I have since bought 4 more plants that are all equally flourishing. It's a truly amazing thing. Weirdly, my self esteem went up. Maybe because I considered my black thumb a black mark upon my hippy soul. In any case, sagefrances now gardens.

Here are my seedlings. I did a mixture in my first tray because it was my first time and I was experimenting. The zucchini and the peas are doing wonderfully. My jalapenos are beautiful, as well as my eggplant. Unfortunately I think my onions and spinach have already died. It's ok though, because I have more seeds.


This tray actually turned out pretty awesome. You soak the soil in warm water and then plant your seeds. It comes with it's own plastic covering that creates a green house effect. I do hate all that waste though.


These are the organic and biodegradable trays. Good in theory. So far not good in practice. The soil has a weird sandy quality and it dries out almost immediately. The plastic trays kept the soil wet enough so that I only had to water them once. I have to spray these at least twice a day. I planted them later than the others, that's why there isn't any sprouts.


This is my mint. If all else fails but my mint thrives, I will be a very happy person. I have always dreamed of having my own mint plant. I know it's a small and strange dream, but it's a true fact about me. My ideal life involves mint.


In a week or two I am going to plant more veggies using yet another method. I was giving plastic bottles that I am going to cut in half and use as starters. It's recycling at it's finest.

I'm knitting some baby stuff for a friend. Bright yellow with dragonflies. It's very spring.
I've made a pot of beans for dinner. One of my favorite things to cook are beans from scratch. It's fun.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Yes.

Worthless liars go around winking and giving signals to deceive others. They are always thinking up something cruel and evil, and they stir up trouble. Proverbs 6:12-14 (CEV)

A sly wink of the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will be destroyed. Proverbs 10:10 (Holman)

He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity; Proverbs 16:30a (NIV)

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Trains, planes, and....that's it.

Omg, the train derailed by my house! It was a shocking sight.

I hop on a plane tomorrow morning to go be with Jeremy on our 7th wedding anniversary. See you all (is there anyone here?) later!

Friday, May 2, 2008

movies

I saw two movies yesterday. I saw This American Life live. It was hilarious, interesting, and thought provoking. Then we saw Iron Man at midnight. I love a good super hero movie, especially at it's midnight showing. But....I fell asleep. And when I woke up to applause and the slow roll of credits, I felt old. OLD. The only people I have ever known to fall asleep at the movie theater were my parents.