Spring Plans

Is it cold where you are? Currently I'm under a quilt and the heat is on, and it's like 40 degrees outside. I don't know what I'd do if I lived somewhere actually cold, even if I was in D.C. again. Naturally, in desperate times like this, I start thinking of better days: spring.

For a few years, I've dreamt of a garden. Maybe this is because I grew up with a green-thumbed mother. Maybe this is because Nicholas and I love food and love cooking, so growing our own food to use when we cook just seems like the next step. Or maybe this is because I don't have enough hobbies and one more never hurt anyone. But it didn't matter because we lived in a tiny apartment on the first floor, no window boxes, no sunlight, so plants were but a dream.

Now, thanks to the magic of low housing costs, we live in a house with a yard. Since we moved I've been gathering information on how to make our dreams come true. I've decided we need a small greenhouse, which my mom had in Florida and which worked wonderfully during the winter. This will come in handy for seedlings, because we have some kitties who love to dig, and soil doesn't work well with carpet. I'm also going to start composting, thanks to my lovely aunt who has advised me on the subject. It tugs at my hippie dippie heart strings when I throw away coffee grounds, tea bags, strawberry tops, and banana peels--those can be recycled! A tumbler composter will be installed as soon as I can get it.

I also bought some seeds today! I bought all our seeds from Urban Farmer online, but I do plan on visiting Whole Foods and the nurseries near us for a few other varieties. I chose Italian basil, cilantro, Parisian carrots, cosmic purple carrots, Easter egg radishes, French breakfast radishes, Cherokee purple tomatoes, and Nick's favorite, San Marzano tomatoes. A little much? I've never grown anything in my life, but I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

I also bought an ice cream machine today, the Cuisinart ICE-21TQ in turquoise, to match my KitchenAid mixer, of course. I've been coveting it for a year or so, but I didn't have the money or counter space in Maryland to support such dreams. Now I do, and while I don't eat a ton of ice cream, Nick does. I love cooking and baking so making ice cream for Nick (or friends) to enjoy makes me happy. I bought the cookbook Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams At Home, trusting the brand and the unique flavors. I'm so excited to try these recipes and Nick has already started thinking of some ideas for our own recipes.

Spring is going to be an exciting time around here: food, new bikes, flowers. You should all stop by because you'll probably go home with ice cream and radishes, a surprisingly amazing combination.

Cabin Fever

So maybe you heard about the storm that hit DC last week...or maybe you haven't!  If you haven't, consider yourself in the majority; my parents didn't know about it until I texted them at 5 AM Saturday to say we were without power and it was 100 degrees in our apartment.  For whatever reason, it wasn't really widespread news, despite over a million people in the area without power and heat indices in the 100s.  Because we're so close to a Metro station, we only lost power for about 24 hours, and lost internet for 48.  It definitely could've been worse, but the stress from the storm, losing groceries and being hot and cranky nearly tore us apart.  (Yes, I am that delicate.  I'm not proud of it.)

A side effect is that nearly everything in the area is closed due to power outages.  I went to four different grocery stores yesterday, finding the first two were open with limited groceries (only boxed foods, which isn't what I normally cook) and the last two fulfilling only about 90% of my grocery list.  Thankfully Target has been taking care of most of my needs, but they don't carry craft supplies, besides scrapbooking.  No hate to the scrapbookers (I love pretty pens as much as the next gal), but why nothing else?  They can't get some DMC floss on the shelves?  Michael's and G Street have both been closed since Saturday and it's killing me.  I need zippers, floss, thread, and hoops--and I have nowhere to buy them!  Cabin fever can usually be cured with some crafts, but you have to have the supplies!

I'm hoping everything will be up and running by tomorrow, because I can feel time ticking away.  Have I mentioned I'm impatient?  Well, I'm not proud of that either, but that's just who I am.  In the meantime, here are some things I've been thinking about lately, in lieu of actually doing anything:

• Miniature Rhino - I've loved the Zodiac embroidery kits since before I was back into embroidery, but now I really want one.  I just started reading her blog and can't wait for the book to come out this fall!  The coverage of Renegade Brooklyn really makes me want to start focusing on my Etsy business more, offering custom items or little things people might like more than baby clothes.  Inspiration abounds in this blog!
• This fabic: . I bought two yards from Denver Fabrics last week and am anxiously awaiting its arrival.  It reminds me of the J. Crew fabric featured this past spring, which was navy and coral but had the fun heart print.  I'm trying to find a shirt pattern to use with this--I'd like something with a yoke, three-quarter sleeves and a simple neckline.  
• Disney!  I haven't been in almost two years (weird for a Floridian, displaced as she may be) but Jake and I have been reminiscing a lot lately about it.  I really miss it.  I'm definitely someone who hangs onto memories and I wish Disney would bring back the rides of my childhood: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the original Tiki Hut, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.  The day they close the Hall of Presidents will be the saddest day of my life.
• Soft-serve ice cream - do you know how hard it is to find decent ice cream around here?  I guess I'll settle for an IceDream cone at Chick-Fil-A, but I'd love a cherry dip.

What have you been up to lately?