New Year's Eve!

New Year's Caviar at Tilth; Various shots at the Rendezvous; final picture booth for 2007 at ReBar...along with our two lucky pennies (we found through the evening).

Cinnamon Bun

Bye for this year, Santa...

Peek-a-Boo!

Sexy Glaze in New Fancy Pan!

White Christmas!

Oh Christmas Tree!

CCC Xmas Party- Three J's!

Mmmmm...Chiso

Sambar #93

Christmas Cupcakes!

Snowy Sneedle

Cut

Found Object

Anhl!

Holiday Shoes

Pretty French Food (Presse)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Dude's Belly

Kels in Motion

Fat Feet

Stars

Lunch with BW

Cooking With Eva!

Let Me Out!

This is the funniest picture I may ever have of Atticus.

Not Your Girlfriend's Coffeeshop

My Pumpkin Pie Recipe

My Pumpkin Pie

I'm posting this so I can find it when I need it, and easily pass it on when asked for it.

3 c. Pumpkin Puree* (Fresh ideally; canned - organic is ok too)
3/4 c. Honey
2 Tbsp. Molasses
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1.5 tsp. Ginger
.5 tsp. Cloves, powdered
1 tsp. Salt
4 Eggs, slightly beaten
1- 12oz. can Evaporated Milk

----

Mix ingredients in order given in a large bowl, completely integrating each one as you go along. Pre-bake crust (ideally, use whole wheat pastry flour) for 10 minutes at 450 degrees; pour mixture into prepared pre-baked crust and reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 40 minutes, or until set in center. If you have any extra filling, bake off in lightly-oiled ramekins or oven-proof bowls and call it pumpkin pudding!

----

Fresh pumpkin puree: Cut small sugar pie pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut into workable wedges and peel with a potato peeler and then cut into 3/4" cubes. Place in veggie steamer or metal colander over water and steam until soft when you insert with a fork. After, place in food processor and process until a smooth puree. If you have one, pass through a mesh strainer to ensure there are no chunks (though, with pumpkin, it's usually moist enough that it's clearly as smooth as it can be). Use for pie or soup - or, freeze for later use.

Little Dude at Value Village, With Pepsi

She Loves Me! (1 Year Now...)

Sexy Date at Sambar

Jill, (similar to a ck photo from a while back...)

Chocolate

Critical Mass

Bubster

Remembering MamMaw

Today, Michelle's (my former wife) grandmother, Mammaw, passed away. She was 95 years old and lived a very long, lovely life. In the photo here, it was her 90th birthday! Michelle always feared each visit back east would be her last time to see Mammaw, starting at her 89th birthday when we rushed out to get a video camera prior to heading to the airport for a red-eye to her birthday party - well, she had plenty more time as Mammaw as it turned out!

Mammaw lived originally in Kentucky, where Mammaw and Pap-paw are the typical grandparent nomenclature. It's a southern thang...as far back as middle school, Michelle's excitement to see her grandmother was palpable to me. Her stories of road-tripping to Florida to see her grandparents are some of her fondest childhood memories. She enjoyed hanging out with her, playing cards, and of course, hearing family tales and stories from long ago (while Michelle loves the elderly, there is no question that Mammaw was her favorite!). Mammaw's mother, Grammy Confer, also lived to 95 - so there was a lot of time for family stories to materialize and be shared for generations.

When Michelle and I partnered up, she and Mammaw wrote letters to each other. She initially wasn't saving them but I suggested she ought to start, being Mammaw was a seemingly ripe-old 87. Her letter box quickly filled and eventually was burgeoning with their weekly updates and sharing of life. Even as Mammaw moved to a skilled care facility, she'd write letters on her "good days" and let Michelle know what was served for lunch that day or news about her great-grandchildren who lived nearby and certainly helped keep her young. And sometimes, she'd remember life with Pap-paw, or just report her opinion about current events.

I think the thing Michelle's life was most touched by was the magical unconditional love that so many of us get from grandparents - Mammaw offered that to her in spades! Grandmothers are there to just love and adore us, skimming over disappointments, handing us back to our parents to discipline us, and watching us unfold without expectations. Mammaw was always fascinated with the details Michelle's life, choices, and adventures - this made her feel unequivocally loved, supported and encouraged. Needless to say, Mammaw was extraordinarily proud of Michelle as a person, her accomplishments as an athlete, student, and healthcare worker. Her passing will no doubt leave a void in Michelle's life, but their close relationship, regular communication, quality visits - and of course, the love and adoration they had for one another - will sustain her memory and continue to impact Michelle's life from here on out.

Mammaw, it was suspected, was aiming to pass away on the same day her husband, Pap-paw, did many years ago - she overshot it slightly and died the day after. Not suffering from any illness in particular, she passed away from old age, peacefully surrounded by family and caregivers who'd been with her for many years at her skilled nursing residence. Needless to say, she will be missed.

Leela Part 2

Will the Market Shots Ever End? (Ans.: Unlikely...)

New Housemate: Dude

Leela Part 1

Bobble's Heaven: A Buffet of Indian Donut Holes!

Ballard Sunday Market

Sunday Dinner: Whole Roasted Chicken, French Potato Puree & Brussels Sprouts