I know it’s a bit late to be posting photos of the gingerbread house, but since I shared the the last two here, it seemed only fitting that this one be recognized as well.
This year I had real help from The Girl.  The Boy did help a bit, then wandered off to build Lego.

I very [...]

Six years ago, on November 9, 2004, I fell down the back steps of our house, on my way outside to hang diapers on the line.  This Wednesday afternoon, in a race out the door to make it to the library before it closed for the holiday, I fell down the same steps, in the [...]

Overall, The Day of the Dead party turned out to be quite the celebration.  The weather was quite cool, but a welcome change from the usual heat.

Friends and family from far and wide, old and new, came together to celebrate life.

We ate.

We played.

We celebrated while my handmade papel picado banners flapped overhead.

Ever present, the ofrenda [...]

The party was a smashing success!  I now understand the power of the potluck.  It was so nice to not feel the burden of cooking all of the food myself, and there was a fantastic spread! Here’s just a peek at a few of the amazing dishes we enjoyed:
Roasted tomatillo salsa, made by me.

Fresh chicken [...]

I really wanted to do lots of canning this summer.  But it sort of got away from me.
One day while at the produce market, I found South Carolina peaches on sale for $1.29 a pound.  So bought a ton and carted them home.  This was my first time using Pomona’s Pectin, and I really liked [...]

Fall seems a long way off down here in Florida.  I know that if I am patient, it will arrive eventually.  So here I wait.  I cleared off the summer nature table yesterday.  I replaced the sunny yellow silk with an autumnal orange one.  A small pumpkin, a handmade (hibernating) bear and a few pinecones [...]

Snapshots of a few bentos for The Boy.  I’m trying really hard to get some variety in there. Last year, he ate way too many cheese sandwiches.  I’m just thrilled there’s no one in his class this year making fun of him for eating sushi.

Brown rice and avocado sushi, organic strawberries, a fresh plum, and [...]

Quick!  Make this salad before Summer is over!  This is one of my favorite summer recipes.  If I ever go to a potluck during the summer, you will usually see me with a large bowl of this in my hands.
ROSE’S BLACK BEAN SALAD
2 cobs of fresh corn
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
a handful [...]

I’ve been off the computer lately.  Trying to be anyway.  I see what a huge timesuck it can be for me, so sometimes I try to take a step back from it when I see I am turning it on too many times a day.  It feels good.  So there’s been a lot of time [...]

A delicious lunch for one today.  Tofu, spring roll, and peanut sauce.  All home made.  Delicious.
Sometimes I love to eat alone.