mostly unrelated

The contents of this post are mostly unrelated. I would have liked to have posted several, nice concise notes about each topic. But I am not that organized. Nor do I have that kind of time. Or rather, when I do have that kind of time....... I am usually doing the things that I end up posting about on Tuesday mornings at work. :-|

Yes, I do realize that it has been a long time since my last post. This past weekend was full of good things. My dad and his friend Brian came down on Friday - Saturday to go to the Horse Expo at the State Fair. Zack and I tagged along and admired many pairs of cowboys boots, fancy saddles, and shirts with horses allover them. Oh, and we watched a guy that I have dubbed "The Horse Whisperer" train a crazy horse. It was magical.

On Saturday night I went fabric shopping. Sigh. I always get that warm and fuzzy feeling when I go fabric shopping. Zack came along and he was surprisingly helpful and patient. We picked out a nice assortment of fabrics for an upcoming project. Later we watched a movie and I finally finished hand binding a quilt that I started a long time ago. It was actually my first sewing project this year. But it sat for a long time because I didn't think that I was going to enjoy hand sewing as much as I ended up loving it. After I finished up the binding I washed and dried the quilt, and it turned out all cool and antique looking (the directions didn't have you pre-wash the fabric, so it shrinks a tiny bit in the wash and ends up looking puckery and neat). The pattern was my variation of Amy Karol's "Easy Lap Quilt" from her amazing book, Bend the Rules Sewing.

On Sunday I was immersed in sewing like a madwoman. Details of that project to come. Also, we stopped at Goodwill again and I got this great book. It's an awesome resource and it only put me out $3.75. I heart thrift stores.

In other news (i.e. Emmy news), I am thrilled that spring seems to finally be on its way! I have been enjoying the budding that is happening all around me. Some bulbs that I had in a pot finally bloomed into two beautiful ameralis. If this isn't a sign of spring I don't know what is! Emmy also really liked the flowers. So much so that she decided to eat one. This was not a good moment in the Hway household. On Friday evening I took Emmy to a big ball field by our house and played some hardcore fetch with her. She thoroughly enjoyed it. She was less thrilled about the bath that she had to get afterwards.

So.... it's another week. And I find myself in an interesting place. Since this is a blog and I have no clue who reads this thing, I am not about to spill my guts on here... but let's just say that I am contemplating allot of things and getting ready for some changes in life. Hopefully sooner than later. More details to come.

the new (old) cookbook

Last night I was out picking up some groceries for this week's small group meal. Zack and I are hosting this week, and as per the custom, the host couple plans the meal and makes the main dish. All the other couples bring items that will go along with that main dish. For example, this week Zack and I are making 2 egg bakes, and the couples are bringing hash browns, breakfast sausage, orange juice, fruit salad, monkey bread, and baked french toast. MMmmm... it's going to be good!
Anyways, in the process of searching for a good egg bake recipe, I realized that my very fave cookbook was lacking in that area. Which got me to thinking.... I could use a new cookbook. After my grocery shopping last night, on a whim, I swung into the local Good Will. I browsed the aisles at random, picking up this and that... not looking for anything in particular. Until I eventually ended up at the book section. The first book my eyes wandered to was The New Good Housekeeping Cookbook, circa..... maybe 1950? I paged through the index, looked at the aged pages and the simple line drawn illustrations. Then, tucked in the middle of the book, I found a handwritten note with a menu jotted down. The handwriting was distinct, and I found myself more interested in the scrap of paper than the book itself. On it were written things like wassail, cheese olive bake, roast goose, yorkshire pudding, and creamed onions. A few pages later I found another piece of paper. This one was a church calendar from February 1965. Of course, I got the book. For $1.50.

The wealth of recipes is impressive, but it's the history that really intrigues me. I like old stuff.... stuff that has a story; stuff that is worn; stuff that has character. So... I am happy I wandered into Good Will last night, and pleased that I have a new (old) cookbook! It has a story, it's very worn, and it most definitely has character. Oh, and it has a great egg bake recipe!

lunch spot

There is this great little lunch spot that I frequent rather regularly. It's called "my front porch". Since the arrival of Emmy into our lives, I have taken up eating at home. At first it was due to the fact that her bladder would explode if I didn't let her out half way through the day. Now... it's because I am addicted to the few serene moments that I have at home to sit and relax. The normal routine has me arriving at the house around 1, letting Emmy out, making a quick lunch (today is was pita pizza and a fruit and yogurt parfait that I whipped up in about 5 minutes), and sitting down in my favorite chair on the porch. Sunlight steams into that porch all day, making it a nice, warm and cozy temperature. As a bonus, my chair is in the perfect little patch of sun during that hour of the day. So I sit back, eat my lunch, and watch Emmy chew on sticks out in the yard.

weekend things

This weekend went by in a blur. Zack was out of town on business so my dad came to visit me. He drove down Friday afternoon and we met up at NWC for the Senior Art Show. Then it was off to Cosetta's for dinner! Saturday morning was spent walking Emmy out in the fields and throwing the stick for her (over and over and over and over). On our way back through the farm campus, we happened upon some horses. This led to two things... 1) My dad declaring "I am ready for horses again" (My parents used to own a big horse farm in Rockford, IL), and 2) Emmy going crazy with glee at meeting a new animal. I don't think she knew quite what to think. But her tail was going 200 miles an hour.

It looks like my dad was about to hit her for barking, but really... he wasn't. Whenever I get time I will edit that part out. Along with the choppy area where I am furiously telling Emmy to be quiet.

After my dad left on Saturday, I took a nap and worked on freelance. Then I spent the evening sewing with my mom's beautiful machine that she is borrowing to me. It really was amazing. I didn't break one needle, the thread never hung up, AND I sewed a button hole! Here are some pillows I made for the couch. Actually, I just sewed the covers and put them on existing down pillows that we had. The fabric cost less than $10 bucks and they were a breeze to make. Click here for more pictures of my Pillows in Blue.

class of 2008

Emmy graduated from puppy school yesterday! Her diploma is now proudly displayed on the fridge. The little turd can come, sit, lay down and walk on a loose leash (meaning, I walk her; she doesn't walk me). She also learned that people fingers are not chew toys and placing her dirty paws on the front my clean shirt (two seconds before I head out the door for work) will not get her an extra milkbone.


Here is Emmy demonstrating some of her newfound skills. Since I am a strong proponent of higher education, we will begin Level 1 Obedience in two weeks. In this next class Emmy will hone her skills and sharpen her techniques, as she learns to heel, stay, cook, clean, and do the laundry.

in the kitchen with betsy

I like to cook (sometimes). And I like to bake (when it doesn't burn). Recently, I have been doing quite a bit of cooking.... all in an effort to eat out less and consume more healthy foods. So far, so good. We have been dining on baked sweet potatoes, oven roasted asparagus, talapia, turbot, salad, pita sandwiches, and lots of fruit. The reward is a little more $$ in the bank and a little less, eh hem, "extra" around our waists.

The other night I whipped an easy, delish dinner. Here we have oven roasted asparagus, white rice (slightly salted/peppered, but not buttered), and broiled turbot fillets. I would have preferred brown rice, but at the moment, I couldn't find any in the cave I call my pantry. So, white sufficed. The turbot is pre-seasoned and I found it in the freezer section of our local Trader Joe's. Very good indeed. I didn't follow the package instructions because I wasn't smart enough to defrost the fillets ahead of time. SO I just brushed them with a teency bit of olive oil, put them in the oven (frozen solid) on broil, and kept a close eye on them. They turned out perfect... very moist and yummy. The asparagus is a new favorite. And it's so simple. See below:

Oven Roasted Asparagus. by Betsy
Buy a bundle of asparagus. Preheat oven to about 400. Rinse asparagus. Cut off ends (not the pretty end, the already cut end. Give it a fresh chop). Place asparagus in pan. I use a 9x13 cuz they fit very nicely. Add 1 tbs olive oil. Swish around so it coats the asparagus. Season. My favorites are pepper and seasoned salt. Zack has used a powered steak seasoning, which sounds very strange, but it was absolutely tasty. Any seasoning will do. Place in oven near top. Bake until they're done. About 15 minutes. Maybe? I just watch them 'till they are done. When they're done, they start to look shrively, but they still have a certain moistness to them. If they start to look dry, they're overcooked. Once they're done... serve them up and enjoy!

I also like to bake. Except when I burn things. Which is more often than I would like to admit. Initially, I was able to blame it all on my faulty oven. The thing was circa 1960 and it was clearly not functioning well. The thermostat was way off and I found myself cooking things in half the recommended time. That is, if they didn't burn first... which resulted in much frustration and an overall feeling of failure. Then, on a bright and shiny day, our landlords bought us a new oven and all my problems were solved! No more burning things in the oven! Everything went along beautifully for quite some time. Until... something inevitably burned. I couldn't blame it on the oven anymore. So in vain, I searched high and low for an excuse or a reason. At last... I came to the conclusion that I tend to burn things because I am just so darn productive. See, I am never just cooking. Inevitably, I am cooking, doing the laundry, watching the puppy, talking on the phone, washing the dishes, typing an email, and balancing a spoon on my nose. All of which leads to many things getting done, but not very well. Sigh. I am learning.

Here is a carrot cake that I baked yesterday (Zacky shredded most of the carrots for me :). I used a modified recipe from my fave cookbook, Betty Crocker's Cookbook: Bridal Edition. I got it for our wedding and it's my "go to" book for just about everything (although I love cookbooks and have many, this one takes the cake). The carrot cake turned out beautifully, and it is rich and moist. It is the perfect golden brown and I didn't burn it one bit (although... admittedly, I burned a batch of cookies that I was working on simultaneously). The cream cheese frosting is thick and smooth. Tonight I will share it with friends and indulge in dessert #1 of the week (I'm cutting back on sweets). Mmmmm.

Sidenote: Here is a sweet little story about the name "Betsy". My name is Bethany... Beth for short. But from the time I was a wee little one, my dear mother has called me Betsy. She is the only one to have done so, and secretly, I have always loved that nickname. It's not sugary, but it has a certain charm to it, and it brings me back to days of golden curls, sticky fingers, and puppy dogs. The shortened version of Bets came along as I grew up. But still, on certain days, in certain circumstances, I get called Betsy by my mum, and I always love it. ;)

list maker

I like lists. Okay, I love lists..... I like writing lists, crossing things off lists, putting things I already did on lists (just so I can cross them off), completing lists, starting lists, keeping lists... and the list goes on!

I also love post-its. For Christmas this year, I got a nearly lifetime supply of post-it notes in every color, size, and shape imaginable. Post-its cover my monitor at work, and the side of my computer; they litter my purse; fill a box on a shelf in my office; and are pinned up all over my bulletin board. During college, post-its stuffed my planner. Most of them have the following two words written and underlined at the top: To Do. Another variation is: To Do Today. Or just: Today. Recently, as my freelance work has been on the upswing, I found myself scrawling important information on post-its... such as addresses, price quotes, and phone numbers. And then....... in the midst of a chaotic night of freelance hell (deadlines to meet, no time, tired, ...), I found myself digging through a box with scraps of paper and a zillion yellow post-its, trying to find that ONE important tid-bit of information I so desperately needed. Staring at the tiny fluttering squares of paper...... I made an executive decision. This had to end. Post-its have their place, like on the wall when you walk in the door, with a hastily scribbled note... "Love you Sweetie! Hubbs"; NOT in the "business" world of a busy, scattered freelance designer. Thus, the addition of a very important member of my life........ my "list book".


Let me introduce you to my new buddy. Purchased at Target, I picked up this little guy for his good looks, charm and personality. Errr.... maybe more just because the pages looked right to me. And the lines were not too thick or dark. And the cover felt cool. And the colors were nice. ANYWAYS, the new list book has been great! Let me tell you... I must be saving millions of trees since my post-it usage has nearly ceased. The list book keeps all my important (and not-so-important) lists in one handy, compact place. No more digging through piles of post-its to find that one piece of essential information.


Now, just to give you a taste of my insanity... here is a list of some of the lists I have written in the list book recently:
- Things to buy for freelance
- To do this weekend
- Email: Kelly, Deb, etc, ...
- Things to blog
- Bucket Garden: Tomatoes, green peppers, herbs, ...
- Tonight to do
- Goals
- Things to bake for small group
- Current projects
- New Smugmug albums
- Buy at Anchor Paper

Yes... I just made a list of lists. Sigh. At any rate, I now stay very organized. :)

emmy's basket

Here is Emmy being a total goof. Just thought I'd share some of the joy of puppyhood. Be sure to watch the end. :)

On another note.... Smugmug has been totally revamped and updated!

a polka-dot tote

I realized something recently. That is... I need to actually write in this blog. I think of sharing photos as sharing snapshots of "life at the moment". But really, blogs are for writing and for reading. So I have determined that I will do more writing in my blog. Yes. Starting today.

This morning was a lovely morning. I came out of the house and into a sunny, calm, and crisp world that seemed to be beaming "hello!". Emmy and I walked the neighborhood and met a very nice fellow and his lovely dog. A mutt, he told me, who seemed to be much more interested in meeting me than the overly-excited wiggling puppy at the end of the leash in my hand. Emmy hasn't quite figured out that not everyone is dying to meet her. Every time she sees a person or a dog on the sidewalk, she practically doubles over in joy, wagging her tail ferociously and pulling towards her unsuspecting victim. Recently, I have been trying to teach her to "ignore" people and dogs and to keep moving, because, quite frankly, it gets a little old having to stop every few minutes to say hi to each and every hound, terrier, retriever, boy, girl, man or woman.

Ah yes, the title of this post...... well it refers to the bag(s) that I sewed yesterday (click here for more pictures). I used a pattern from Amy Karol's book, Bend the Rules Sewing. The smaller tote is the one that was produced when I (mostly) followed the pattern. When I got done with it, I looked at it and thought.... "What on earth am I going to do with this???" It is quite tiny. So, I promptly adjusted the pattern and made my own variation that is a little more user friendly. I used a heavy cream colored canvas and a bright green polka-dot fabric. The bag is completely reversible.... And the best part is that I whipped it up in under an hour!

best buds

Emmy went to Jack's house today. Thanks to Dan for this great picture of the dynamic duo!

back in time

While uploading photos to Alhways And Forever, our Smugmug photo site, I came across this image that I really like. It was taken on March 31 during my morning walk with Emmy. So much for March going out like a lamb! Here is the full album of our March Blizzard.

small things

Here are a handful of small things I wanted to share from the past few days. Relatively unrelated, but still worthy of note...

Spring arriving.

In the field with her stick on a foggy Saturday morning. I love this image because it looks so soft and calm.

A small turtle I sewed for Emmy.

something that simple

I sat in front on my computer today thinking about a good title for this blog........ and I realized that I am not going to be writing about anything grand or monumental. This is not going to be Quitting Is Not An Option (my last blog documenting my marathon training). It really is going to be more about simple things... like home and life and Emmy and sewing and cooking and designing. Simple, beautiful things. Things that make you stop and say.... "Wait, how can something that simple be so _________ [beautiful, fun, easy, tasty...]."

So welcome aboard. I hope you enjoy the journey...