Pregnancy...Art...and Cooking

Pregnancy...

A gift from my girl Yvette, for Xander

Ok, so here I am 3 days away from being 8 months pregnant, I cannot say it enough---time moves fast when you’re having fun—or not paying attention. I had another 2 week checkup today and it went well. Heard Xander’s heartbeat, I can never get tired of hearing that, got my belly measured, got weighed and that was pretty much it. In about 3 more weeks the doctor will start keeping track of his position, I read somewhere that babies tend to settle into the birthing position somewhere between now and weeks to come, I sure hope my little one does, I don’t want to have a c-section, but what will be will be. If I do have to end up having one I will take it in stride. I’m so excited!!!

Art...

"A rose for Rose"  Colored Pencil on Art paper

After much deliberation with me, myself and I, finally, finally, FINALLY the online art store is up and running! I’m really excited about the possibilities, for now though “research” is the name of the game. I’ve broken open my textbook from last semester Entrepreneurship and let me tell you, there is SO much to research. Well, no time like the present… It’s research time.

Cooking...

This time last year I was cooking some new dish practically every week and experimenting with my own made-up recipes, just really enjoying cooking. Nowadays though I wish I could say the same, but I cannot. I’ve become a part-time vegetarian unlike my partner is exclusively one. So our dinner plate usually resembles something close to vegan most days, and other days we add in cheese and other ingredients that sets the vegan and vegetarian apart. Of course, I’m nearly 8 months pregnant and have mild cravings here and there which might include a meat product (shrug). Thankfully it’s not often that I get these cravings—I can only imagine what my waistline would look like—oh wait, I don’t have a waist anymore! LOL But do I care? No way, I’ll worry about losing the baby-fat next year— for now bring the hot dogs, chicken, and burgers on! Anything for my little bundle of a baby boy in my tummy J

Got Choices?

So much to do so little time... blah, blah, yadda, ya... you get the point.

Aren’t you tired of the same ole' same? day in day out? There's highs and lows, but who says we can’t at least aim for excitement on a daily basis, right?
It seems that unless money is flowing, some sex has been had, and the sun's shining there's not much to be excited about.

Well, I beg to differ, (but of course)

Apparently there's little support, save for friday--after 5, and the weekend.

This brand spanking New Year came in barely 4 weeks ago and Jequiche vowed to make this one count, make it different, make it, in a word--exciting.

So, she decides to wake up early, eagerly start the day regardless of angry rush hour traffic, grumbling strangers on the street pissed because you’re wearing a big Kool-aid smile at 8 in the morning, and they’ve just finished pealing their hand out of their pocket half frozen.

What the hell are you so happy about!

Then a questionable confused look follows when you blurt out,
"Well, it’s a new day!"

And oh for Goodness sake, how dare you scribble on your message board for all to see
HAPPY ________________ (Followed by the appropriate day of the week.)

Who says Happy Monday? You’re scolded time and time again, as though it’s some sort of oxymoron.



Then, the chatter of the keyboard comes to a momentary hault.



I have a question.

Yes, I. Jequiche has a question, if I might…

*grabbing the imaginary bullhorn mascerading as Purple Capital letters—I HAVE ONE WORD TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY PEOPLE






CHOICE.



Is it not a choice to view any day of the week as a drag? Ok, I admit Mondays do tend to drag, but, they don’t have to.

And, what of Wednesdays? Oh, yes the ever famous Hump Day, hmmmm…. I mean, do we really want to sign up for this type of life? Living for the weekend?

Give me a break!


That’s dull, uneventful and just plain sad.

It’s all a choice, each decision we make. So, the next time someone tries pulling you down because you’re mix-matched with the day—screw them! (Well, don’t actually screw them, unless that’s what you want to do) *Ahem, uh, forget them, go on about your merry way and find the joy in whatever you can. Don’t continue to look forward to Mundane Mondays or Totally Terrible Tuesdays where people want to act like they’ve actually have woken up and realize that its Tuesday, I say screw---er, forget them and make the choice to do something different for a change. Take yourself shopping, call up an old friend, watch a new show/something you’ve never seen, give yourself a break and just plain have fun. Get excited! Come on! Make today GOOD.



And in other news,


Jequiche has been busy grinding into the wee hours of morning working on...



Wait.

dont tell us--erotica.



*BIG Grin



Yes. of course.



 Introducing the series "Wilma."






"Wilma cooks"

acrylic





"The reflection"
pencil on canvas



The first installment of "For the boys"





Untitled



Two pieces from the "Couple series"






Untitled



"Voyeur"





Thank you for visiting!

Until next time, Peace & Blessings.



Great Sage



Huevos Rancheros - vegan style



For Bun Bun's birthday December 5th, we went to Great Sage, a vegan restaurant in Columbia which came highly recommended (thanks Amber) and for good reason.



The service, the food, even the average of 2.5 kids:table ratio during brunch didn't overshadow the near perfect blend of sturdy wood furniture, exceptional food, and easy-going/earthy atmosphere. Where else on earth can one find food with less than half the calories of its meat filled equivalent that tastes just as good, and sometimes better?

Jequiche loves Mexican food, so naturally I gravitate toward tortillas. Bun Bun on the other hand, who introduced me to Eggs Benedict, ordered the Great Sage vegan version. You want to test an Egg's Benedict? Bun Bun's your girl! She LOVED it.

Toward the end of the meal, Bun Bun ordered a Cheese-steak to-go, and wouldn't you know it tasted just like a cheese steak? This place is absolutely on the short list of favorites, 5 stars--hands down, and an extra one for being vegan. 6 Stars.

The next time you're in Columbia, check out this awesome spot, you wont regret it.

Just think of all the yummy, healthy the possibilities.

The Festival of Trees

Ever been so excited about an event that you forget the most important detail of it--like the name? Well if the answer is yes, you aren't alone. Every year around this time, the Christmas spirit is in the air, every decorated downtown, front porch and family room window with lights/trees adds that little something extra to the atmosphere doesn’t it?


Well, being so excited about the upcoming holiday had left me mixing up the "Festival of lights" with the "Festival of trees."

How, oh how? Let's just blame it on the excitement.

Christmas with a chance of meatballs



So today with our four tickets won at a silent auction, we packed up the truck with our two boys and headed to Timonum to check out The Festival of Trees.  As expected, the weather was cold outside but inside it was like a sweltering summer day. We quickly peeled our coats off. Surprisingly, there werent just trees on display but an array of all sorts of "fair-like" gizmos and trinkets for sale and on display. There were trees big and small, and too many to count, all decorated in elaborate and quite elaborate ways.  My favorite, which I missed on the way in, but luckily caught it on the way out-was the "Christmas with a chance of meatballs." (I kept calling it the'spaghetti tree')

The mainstage had live singers in full costume, we caught a few minutes of a dance number, which looked like a rendition of the Nutcracker, and what would a Christmas event be without good ole Santa?  



Santa
at Festival of Trees



One of the most bizzare 'non-tree' items was the air-plants.

Air plant

Although the intention was to grace lights and not trees, it was a fun family outing right before work and school commences again.  It was just good old fashioned family fun. 



Halloween type tree

 

Ravens tree







 













Thanksgiving Feast 2010

Didn't go to bed last night, but stayed up until 2am cooking black-eyed peas, collard greens, and bread pudding. Meanwhile the duck, who we named "John Quack," was laying in water trying to complete his duty of defrosting.

Although tired, with sore feet begging for mercy, the task of slaving over the hot stove had to continue. Of course everyone knows that if allowed to sit overnight most meals are more delicious. The seasonings soaking into vegetables and mingling with herbs is just the prescription for a yummy dining experience.

J's Collards

J's black-eyed peas

J's bread-pudding (Ruth Chris recipe)

Late into the am, around 10am, Jequiche woke with plans to simmer the collards and black-eyed peas. Breakfast was skipped due to fullness from taste-testing two servings of bread-pudding much earlier today. Who on Earth could have resisted piping hot bread-pudding? (made with the Ruth Chris recipe at that!) Sure we almost burned our taste-buds off, but boy was it worth the risk.

John Quack
(my first duck, took off the veg hat today)

That was this morning at some hour past 2am. Since then we've cooked (thought to bone the duck, thought better of it), rubbed John Quack down with lime, sprinkled him with salt and pepper and roasted him for a total of 2 hours, ate more bread-pudding, drank the rest of the bourbon left over from the bread-pudding recipe, made the stuffing to pair with John Quack, looked at the bread-pudding, boiled the red potatoes and topped them with butter, chives, sea-salt and black pepper, eyed the bread-pudding again, and marveled in Bun-Bun's mac & cheese (made with mozzarella, Mexican-blend, and Colby-jack cheese). Right about now a slight sleepiness is coming on.

Bun Bun's mac & cheese

Yea, it's about that time. The remainder of the evening will likely continue with: watching a LMN movie that was DVR'd earlier this week, finishing off that glass of Burgundy wine that has been marinating in the glass for hours now, dozing off on the red couch periodically, and snuggling with Bun-Bun before pulling the little brown blanket close.


But first, a final thought...

We cant be the only ones that used to wonder, "why do we always find cans of cranberry sauce with an upside down label?"

What's upside down?
the label/the can, both or neither?

After a visit to the market during rush-hour, a pyramid of cranberry sauce cans stared down and something strange occurred--Ah ha! they are purposely made this way to encourage people to shake the can bottom up. Although the discovery has been that this only works when the bottom is punctured a little (let a little air in by use a sharp knife to make a little slit--but handle with care), then watch the cranberry sauce slide right out.

pulsating ~ bad girl ~ lust

it's
the type of itch
that wont go away...
until
it

gets
scratched

deep, underneath, hidden
until knees weaken and blood rushes to pulsating portion
the formation of contorted limbs
wrapped around your legs like vines
we're wildly intertwined

only in my mind
does the itch cease
when you assist her crease with your piece
and place my piece between your teeth

and

take me to that place where the itch ceases
I'm broken like tiny micropieces
of paint chips
from the wall behind the headboard

I've lost
I'm lost
you've got the winning score
I'm
no
more
good

bad girl

I should leave but my heads sore
cant make it to the door
to open it
moment before
I rose from your bed of lust to go
you pulled me forward
closer toward--you
and did once again what you do--so well

scratching my itch until it ceases
whenever I itch
for you.

note.

note.
we hustle in the maze
with no more cheese in the place than yesterday
still we still stay, grind
flow with the times
rewind the depression
perhaps reason for lesson--a recent exception
yin to the yang of rejection, shyt was stepped in
redirection of objective
test is multiple choice
the course, molten and coarse of course
note.
note the source reveals
wheel of fortune not always so fortunate
still, resort to rat
report reports back
locked in tiny boxes remote, detached
the race is on
and less than half way through--the race near gone
consciously contrived
manipulation derived
strive to break loose
note.
refuse to continue
break stride and stroke
nevermind the coax
remind your mind to look
beyond the throat,
third eye sees lies beyond
act-ions
note.