Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Double-digits! *excited beam*

Hip! Hip! Hooray! I have ten followers! 
Okay, now I know that doesn't sound like much, especially when lots of people have triple digits... or quadruple digits... or whatever comes after that. 
But, for me this is a big deal! I remember the day I had three followers and never thought I would have any more. I was moping around, thinking that my life would be follower-less forever. 
However, thanks to you all, I am increasing in number, and I couldn't be more pleased!

And I just have to tell you, when I went from 7 to 10 in under 24 hours, my day was made! It distracted me from being sad and gave me a new burst of creativity and motivation.

Sunrise and tea?


{this is a photo i took just after sunrise, a few weeks ago. i can't decide if i like it or not. what do you think of if?}

It's 6:48. i peek out the window and hop out of bed. Fishing to the end of my bed for a pair of socks, i begin to dream about the hour to come. i scurry downstairs so i can set the water to boil. oops! i forgot my mug! Back upstairs. As quietly as possible, i empty my metal Coleman mug of the various pens and pencils it holds. The water boils and i prepare my tea. 
i decide that a sweatshirt and something to sit on atop the wet roof would be beneficial. setting down my mug, i clumsily plunge my finger into the steaming cup of tea- as instinct, i pull it out and pop it in my mouth, licking off the sweet tasting delightfulness. then i head to my brother's room, where he is  sleeping in his hammock as usual. bang! a loud noise startles me. it's me bumping into some large, unidentifiable object to my right. i tiptoe further until i reach the window. pulling back the curtain and yanking up the blind, i open the window and stretch my leg out onto the wet roof. then the other one follows.
From there i trek to the top, being sure not to tromp, because the sound of someone on the roof is quite loud, and definitely recognizable. 
when i make it up, i carefully set down my tea and begin to watch. time passes. i try not to let my neighbors see me because they don't understand how wonderful the roof is, so i imagine the just think i'm insane. 
i keep my gaze fixed on the spot where the sun rises every morning. but in stead of that warm, yellow lemon drop on the horizon, i see only a general light in the sky and a few clouds. then i feel something. drip, drip. it begins to rain and i see lightning.  so that's why i couldn't see the sun come up. all the clouds and much-needed rain waiting to come out are covering it up. so, desiring to live, rather than die by lightning at age 15, i gather up and sneak inside. And in the dining room i settle in next to the window and read the final chapter of The Hunger Games. Umm, so. good. Now i just have to locate a copy of Catching Fire before i lose my mind trying to figure everything out myself. :) So even if i didn't get to see the sun rise, it wasn't a failure.

Have a lovely day! i hope you enjoy every minute of it.

Much Love and a bear hug,

-Lindsey Nicole

{p.s. tonight cameron, libby and i made a pretty sweet fort in the reading room-- complete with colored christmas lights! i'm sitting in it right now as i type away.}

{p.p.s. i am discovering how nice it feels to write in all lower-case letters... it's almost relaxing.}

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

An Apple Pie Adventure

Not so long ago... okay, well, like four days ago, I invited my friend Emalee to hang out so we could finally fulfill our long-awaited get-together. I'm not sure how long we've been planning this, but it's been a long time! Anyway, we decided that apple pie baking should be the activity of the evening... and indeed, it lasted the whole evening and was tons of fun!

we started with our butter and flour and all that stuff to make the crust... following the directions, we kneaded it until it turned to "pea sized clumps". Then we added the ice cold water until it formed a "mass, but not a ball". Good grief! How technical can you get?


... in the process... (photo by Emalee :) I told her she could try out Hobie, and if I'm perceiving things correctly, I think she enjoyed it. :)


... Emalee kneading it...


... our two "masses"...


apples in the wash... aren't they just so beautiful? I couldn't resist!


We attempted to get out the apple peeler/ corer/ slicer, but this is what happened...


we par-baked the crust... don't ask why there are beans in there. I was just following the book... and by now we know how picky the book is, right?
Oh, but don't worry, we didn't eat the beans. ;)


As for the apples, we made up our own recipe. The two books we were using seemed like the authors were either perfectionists or just plain snobs. No, we don't feel like combining the sugar and apples for 30 minutes to draw out the juices, or sauteing them with butter until reduced by half. 


We dumped the apples into the crust... 


... added a lattice top and coated it with cream and sugar...


... and viola! A warm and delicious apple pie!




We dished it up with a generous helping of vanilla ice cream, and it. was. delicious. Of course, it was also great fuel for my race the next morning. ;)



And here we are! I'm sure you were wondering what Emalee looks like unless you've met her... or unless you are her. ;) But yeah, this is her beautiful face! :) It was so much fun! I hope you enjoyed this little adventure, y'all!




Much Love, hugs, pixi dust, dawns, sunsets, brownies, music, and fuzzy socks!

-Lindsey Nicole-

{p.s. yesterday i had to say goodbye to one of my best friends. the day was filled with many tears, 'i love you's, and countless  hugs. everything was very sudden... extremely sudden. as in three hours from when she found out to the time she hit the road sudden. she was-- and still is very loved, and her absence is a big adjustment for so many of us. i love you, Habu- forever and always!!}

{p.p.s. if you would keep her in your prayers, that would be so appreciated! Thank you!!}

{p.p.p.s. tomorrow i am planning on doing something lovely. actually it was on jocee's 15 before 15 list- #10. I am going to watch the sunrise with a cup of tea-- on the roof! :D so. excited.}

Saturday, October 22, 2011

an 'all things autumn' entry

here is my entry for Jocee's photo challenge! It isn't really typical, ya know? I mean, I guess that when you think of fall, the first thing that pops into your head is usually pumpkins or red leaves. Maybe apples or caramel. But along with those things, what pops into my head is sweaters, books, and hot tea or cocoa. And that's what I chose to enter, to change it up a bit. 



A lovely day to you!

Much Love and a hug!

-Lindsey Lou

{p.s. I made an apple pie yesterday with a friend! SO. GOOD. I'll post pictures soon!}

Friday, October 21, 2011

a mid-day moment



This was at choir before it started




This is what i had for lunch (pumpkin bagel with pumpkin shmear)




These are on my counter




This was at the store... a moment captured in the place I most want to visit.




and this I found on a treasure hunt across town. Isn't it crazy-funky-70's- awesome!?


There's a piece of my day for ya! :) More to come soon... including my entry for Jocee's photo challenge! :D Well, once I take it ;)


Much Love!

Lou


Monday, October 17, 2011

Everything Lovely {day four: touch}

Well, um, I'm kinda doing badly with this whole Everything Lovely deal, but there's only one day left! Today is touch, and I should let you know something: I'm not a touchy person. Not tactile at all... especially when it comes to my sister. Don't get me wrong, I love her, I just don't like her touching me. Anyway, I suppose I should get on with this.

the feel of...

-big fuzzy blankets-

-my kitty's soft fur-

-thick, oozey mud squishing through my toes on a creek bank-

-a hot shower on a frigid morning-

-the hug of an old friend-

-raindrops on my cheek- 

-old flannel pajamas and sweaters-

-cold night air blowing through my open window, and my numerous blankets wrapping up to my chin, keeping me cozy-

-my puppy licking my toes-

-my hair when I straighten it and it's as soft as silk (this usually only happens when Cindi's sister does it for me :)-

-a baby grand's keys under my fingers-

-our fireplace warming me up in December-

-wet grass under my feet-


There ya have it! Now, I'm going to change topics and tell you about what I'm reading... :))

Drumroll, please...


Yes! The Hunger Games! So, I haven't finished it yet, but it is amazing so far! To be honest, I've never really been as much of a reader as I'd like to be. But... with this book I read six chapters in the first day I had it. Maybe that doesn't sound like much, but for me, not really being a reader, and being farsighted and having difficulty concentrating at things up close for long, this is big. Anywho, I would suggest it if you need something that hooks you!

Much Love,

Lindsey Lou

Saturday, October 15, 2011

eighteen

eighteen. 
This is not my age, but the age of my brother. My big brother who has always been there, who has been my partner in crime, my best friend, my chauffeur, and the one who has warded off crazy Irish people giving away free hugs downtown. Yes, I live in a strange town... but I love it. And I love my brother. We've always been close, but I think we got a lot closer when I was in 7th grade. I don't know how it happened, but I'm very thankful. But now I'm going "eighteen?? How can he be an adult?"  He is, though, I guess. Before long, he'll be going away to college and I will be at home, sad and depressed, wondering what happened. 
However, he's not going away to college yet, so I'm going to celebrate with some memories!


The hours upon end of Bomba-dida and bucking bronco. I don't really know where the first name came from, but we would pile on my dad's back and he would take us around the house as we all said "bomba-dida, bomba-dida". It sounds kind of strange looking back on it, but it's a great memory.


we were always big on taking adventures... as you can see :)


Here, we are sleeping in a wardrobe for some reason...? I'm in the back, kind of hidden.


Little Cameron and his snowman. Now, tell me, how adorable is that?! 

Oh, the things we did to Libby! 


... And oh, the things he did to me. :)



Happy Birthday, brotha! I hope you have a great first year of being an adult, being able to buy spray paint, and being able to get arrested. Please don't get arrested... please. ;)

-Lou-

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

{Lately Lovely}


Hi, all! Here's a photo post of a bit of my life over the past week or two. 

happy milkshakes


raccoon hats


chocolate chip pancakes


hot chocolate with colorful marshmallows


antique mugs


antique polaroid cameras (from the antique sale- $3!)


 watercolors


sweet notes from friends


my favorite flashlight 


a jar from the antique sale


carrots from the garden


early morning inspirational sunshine


fallen red leaves


... more fallen leaves


 mini pumpkin cheesecakes


chicken pot pie I made for dinner!


pencil...


...pencils...


... another pencil... and biology homework.


one of my piano pieces


dirty feet. yes, i know you wanted to see this. ;)


sod. between my puppy and a hot July, we needed to fix the yard... so we got sod.

Much Love, hugs, mustard colored sweaters, hot apple cider, bokeh- abundant photos, music, laughter, and cake to you!

-Lindsey Nicole-