perspective

I did actually cook last week while my sister was visiting but I guess we did not really get any pictures of those items... among other things, I made Chicken Tikka Masala which was fabulous. The recipe is from America's Test Kitchen, the fine folks who bring us Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines. This particular recipe is free on their website but you do have to register to get it. I will start posting again about food very soon. I am going to order a camera today! Yes, today! Although we had pizza for dinner last night at my house. I didn't make the pizza. Heck, I didn't even make the phone call to order the pizza. Anyhoo, my point is that a pizza box wouldn't be a very exciting picture for my blog...

The picture above was taken at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden last week. It is called House 1 from Roy Lichtenstein and is completely amazing. I was a little more than mesmerized by this house as it is an optical illusion and a lesson on perspective and reminder that things are not always what they appear to be.

Here it is again from a different angle. The side shown in the first picture is actually the concave or rather folded side in the picture above. I found a video on Youtube that better illustrates the houses overall effect but really one should see it in person as the video is bumpy and does not or really cannot capture the full effect.

sacred space

My sister and I visited the Baltimore Basilica last week. The cathedral is majestic without being pretentious and lovely without being precious. I did not post any pictures of the high altar or the stations of the cross, as those are indeed special. One should see them in person. The above mural is the ascension of Christ painted on the small dome over the high altar. To me, it is so perfect in every way. Looking at it, I knew real hope in the promises of God.



I pause when I think how many people pass through and light a candle. Each candle represents someone's prayer - regret for the past or thankfulness for the present or hope for the future. I lit a candle, too.

That is the Papal umbrella on the left there.

The large dome in the center has a carving of the Holy Spirit as a dove. Each little flower there is actually carved, not just painted. Amazing!

Beneath the church is a crypt and a chapel. The brick arches which support the church are visible and although it is only 200 years old, the feeling is much older. Down one shadowy aisle stands this statue of Christ the man. I lack the words to express my thoughts and feelings about this statue and it's placement in the church. The overall effect was rather profound for me. I certainly do not want to plunge right over the deep end on my blog (which is supposed to be about cooking after all!) but I realized looking at that statue that I have indeed been too casual or perhaps cavalier with God. I intend to be more... well, more intentional!

This is a shot looking up the columns on the portico with one of the small domes and the cross atop it visible. What a gorgeous, perfect day!

Longwood Gardens

I had a great visit with my sister. We went to DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia while she was here. We also spent a little time in Chestertown but I guess I take that for granted since I spend most everyday in Chestertown... although that was probably my favorite day.

We went to Longwood Gardens which is about an hour outside of Philadelphia. I do not have words to express how beautiful the gardens there are so here is photographic proof! The picture above is obviously a lovely blanket of fall mums. So soft and pretty.
This guy and his companion guard the entrance to the topiary garden. Look, he's smiling at you. That means he likes you.

All of the flowers in the flower garden are grouped by color and then type. The result is truly stunning.
This shot is looking back over the "large lake" to the gazebo. Very pretty.


Looking up at the sky through the gazebo.


The Italian water garden was one of my favorites. My husband asked if the water was from Italy. Funny guy! Again in the flower garden - purple! These arches are so "Secret Garden" they made me want to cry.
This is the bell tower which really did not have bells in it but those electronic chimes. I guess that is ok.

I am looking forward to taking my husband to Longwood Gardens sometime soon! It is a dreamy place.

another kind of ragdoll

This is my friend Lindsay's lovely kitten. Her name is Layla... isn't she lovely? Those blue eyes, that soft fur, the pretty paws, whiskers and ears just make her a real show stopper in my book. I do not have the words to express how soft Layla is, honestly. I saw pictures of Layla before I met her and I thought I knew how soft she would be in person. I was wrong. She is as soft as she looks times 10. No, times like 100! She is sweet and soft and elegant looking. It's too sad that I am allergic to cats or I would want a Layla. My friend and her nice fiance adopted Layla a couple of months ago and just last weekend they adopted a boy ragdoll kitten and named him Leif. After the Viking. Cool, huh? He's cute, too. See?

Lindsay and I were talking about how it is just so neat to have two of an animal that kind of match. As most folks who read here know, I have two beagles and I must admit that having two beagles seems better than having one beagle and one jack russell, you know? Nothing wrong with JR terriers but our OCD seems to spill over into animals.

Not much is going on in my life just now. I am preparing for my sister's much anticipated visit and working a lot! I finished the quilt, which is good. I will post pictures of it soon, I promise! I have not bought a camera, yet since I am hoping to test drive my sister's camera next week. I haven't really been cooking a lot since we seem to be out and about every night at dinner time. We had Mexican last night. Oh, chili rellenos, how I love you!

camera talk

I realize that I named my last post grumpy and camera talk and there was no camera talk. I am obviously looking for a point and shoot digital camera but I need to be able to do close up shoots of food, inside. My last camera took really pretty pictures outside from about 3 - 5 feet. Here is a run down of the models I have done a little research on and want to see in person -

The Canon powershot A80. This camera comes highly recommended from its users and I like the looks of it. This camera only weight 8.8 ounces, which is important when you have to lug it around to baseball games or on long walks with beagles. This camera retails for about $150 new. I would be happy with a used one, provided it was in really good shape. Not that $150 is so much money (it's really inexpensive in the world of digital cameras), it is just I wonder who takes care of all the orphan electronics out there? Seriously, I am not so consumed with having new stuff. Except for shoes... I just can't wear someone elses shoes. Anyway, this camera is 8.0 megapixel, 4x optical/ 4x digital zoom and has a 2.5" LCD. I like this camera but I am not ready to go steady or anything. I might let it carry my books to class.

Fuji fine pix J10

Pretty, right? I think so... I like the name, also... just say it... Fuji. It's so soothing sounding. Fuji. This camera with 10 megapixels, 5x optical/5.7 x digital zoom and 3' LCD screen retails for about $200. Again, a used one ould be fine with me. I really like the look of this camera but looks aren't everything in life and cameras too, I suspect.

Kodak Easyshare 10.7 megapixel

I believe the Fuji camera stole all the beauty from this camera... or maybe the Kodak Easyshare is the Picture of Dorian Grey for the Fuji. All that to say that this camera is ugly. Really ugly. My favortie thing about the specs on this camera is this line "Through a 28mm wide-angle Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon optical zoom lens." because I have no clue at all what that means! Seriously, despite its hideous appearance this is a lot of camera for about $300 new. Again, used cameras can always come live at my house. I don't mind. So, it is 10.7 megapixel, 15x optical/ 5x digital zoom and has a high ISO sensitivity that "Allows you to capture rich, lifelike colors in low light without a flash." Then there's this line, "Offers continuous clear focus as close as 6" in macro mode." I think that once you cross the $300 threshold for digital cameras, you get a lot more camera.

Anyway, those are my top 3. Obviously, I don't want to spend a bunch of money. I am curious if anyone has a camera that they would highly recommend? Nothing over $350... I guess. It's just that I can think of about 1 million things I would rather spend money on, you know? My sister is coming to visit and is bringing her camera and said that she thinks I will like it so much that I will want one like it. I am not sure what brand/model it is, but I am excited to get to "test drive" it all over Philly, DC, and Baltimore at the end of the month.

grumpy and camera talk

I am trying really hard to not be grumpy today! Here is Grumpy of Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs as a modern art installation from Photofunia. You can play and waste a whole lot of time there playing with pictures. Like this...

That's my little Huckleberry Finn the beagle as a tv star. I like to think that those kitties are watching a spy movie, starring the ever dapper secret agent, double o zero, Huck but then again I am kind of crazy.

remember when...

Pebbles went into the pantry, got out a bag of Baked Cheetos, took the chip-clip off, and then got her head stuck in there while having a snack?


Pebbles sat in the sun beam and looked so sweet and innocent that there was no way you could ever believe that she got her head stuck in a bag of Baked Cheetos that she took out of the pantry?

Huck laid up on the landing of the stairs and wrinkled up the rug and looked so comfortable that I said "...'tis himself" and there was a digital camera that worked to capture all of this?

Yeah, those were fun times.

I cooked a lot this weekend. We had a really very good goulash last night and this apple crostata from the Barefoot Contessa. We had it with Edy's Apple Pie ice cream. Egad, it was good. Maybe egad is only something you say when something is bad or scary? I don't know. The goulash was made with chuck roast and was rich and delicious. I guess I could post the recipe without a picture? Stranger things have happened, yes?

Ok, I like to call it, "goulash not made with ground beef because I am sick of things made with ground beef because they are little more than Hamburger Helper" I am sorry if that is offensive to anyone... I am not feeling well today and that makes me crappy and being crabby makes me sarcastic and that's just not nice.

2 lbs. of chuck meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil (not extra virgin)
3 tablespoons of flour
1 large yellow onion, thick slices
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thick
1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and cracked balck pepper
3 tablespoons of smoked paprika
3 cups of water
2 diced tomatoes
1 large red pepper, roasted, peels, seeded and cut into large diced chunks
12 ounces of sliced mushrooms (I used crimini but white mushrooms are fine)
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lb. of wide egg noodles
1 cup of sour cream

Heat a really big pot over high heat, add the butter and olive oil. Season the meat with salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of the paprika and then dredge in the flour. Once the butter is foamy, add the meat to the pot and brown well on all sides. It's really important to brown it well. Really. Anyway, brown the meat in two batches if needed so it will brown well. Remove the meat from the pan and add the onion and carrot to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the meat back in with all the accumulated juices (I love to say that) and then the water and tomatoes. It should be nice and brown already. So, then let it come up to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer on the meat for about 2 hours. After 2 hours it should really just fall apart and the carrots should be kind of gone, you know? Just cooked down to nothing carrotness and the tomatoes should be mostly cooked away, too. The broth should be thick and brown and very flavorful. Now add the red pepper, mushrooms and half the parsley and add salt if you think it needs it. Let it cook at a simmer for another 30 minutes. The mushrooms will produce a little liquid but you may need to add some water to it. Finally, increase the heat and add the egg noodles and remaining parsley and cook it until the noodles are the desired tenderness. My husband likes them tender and it took about 30 minutes with the lid on and I did have to add about 1/2 cup of water to it. Once it's done, serve it up topped with some sour cream. It's really good. Really, really good. I had it for lunch today, too. It was good.