The Coffee Stays Close At Hand

This week has been about easing back in to the routine and keeping warm.

I am keeping my coffee close at hand, grateful for some sunny days.

Oatmeal has helped, too. 

Right Here and Right Now

So our next photo prompt is about embracing and recognizing how each moment is a new one. It's a place we've never been, it's something we've never tried ... it's about attempting ~ beginning ~ savoring the right here and now.

from 52 Photos Project

Yesterday I took myself to a loose interpretation of "a place I've never been", which was the other side of the wetlands at The Morris Arboretum.  I can't say there was too much on that other side that worked out photographically speaking, especially since it was Noon by the time I arrived.

But the sun was warming, and I meandered over to the more interesting side after a spell.  While walking, I pushed myself to ask if I would want to make this a place for a year-long project.

I'm hovering over a "no" to that idea as what I realized is that for me recording a place through the seasons may be too scientific.  I dug down to the core of what sparks the thrill for me, and I came up with adventure and discovery.  

The unknown is what drives me; the combination of possibility and probability.  Knowing each time I set off with my camera around my neck, I will probably return with something pleasing or at least acceptable, even though I have no idea what it will be. Yet there is the possibility I will come home disappointed with nothing to show for my time and exertion. 

Since December, I have been looking for a project.  I've made a list of ideas, starting on some and crossing out others. I seem to want to be part of a story, and recording a tree through the seasons, well, I'm not sure, yet, if I can fit into that specific story.    

I've begun doing breakfast diptychs, a before and after sort of story, not every morning, but, when my meal is different than the day before and the light on the table is sufficient.  It serves a purpose some days of focusing me into my thoughts and feelings.

A couple days ago, I began an up/down diptych at sunset.  My feet and something beyond the horizon line.  If it doesn't stick, I'll let it go, but no harm in trying these ideas out.  I rather like capturing the near-beginning and end of daylight, knowing that a tale of a day unfolded in-between. 

I have one story, however, that I desperately want to tell.  It's the story of me and my pups.  I have been studying the map of hiking trails of our Wissahickon valley and considering trying to hike the main trails with my "boys" over the year and photograph our journey.  Really, it's the story of friendship: between them, between us, and the sharing of an activity and place that if I had a tail, I'd be wagging, too.

So, the place I have never been turns out to be the unknown story within.  The leaning towards telling it free-form yet toying with controls and variables.

The right here and right now is simply nothing more than a moment's new idea.  

A Saturday Of This And That

Sourdough Banana Bread For Breakfast

Lost Myself In An Interview With Shirley MacLaine And Her Role In Downton Abbey

Happy New Year Eggs From Farmer's Market

Mr. Savory and I are attending a wedding this afternoon--our first together in ten years.  The last one
Aaron and I were invited to together.  His OT wanted him there on her wedding day.  Today his babysitter, now a PT, is marrying and Mr. Savory and I are included because Aaron meant so much to her, even influencing her career direction.

This says everything about how he touched the people who spent time with him.

We're not really up for dancing and celebrating, but we will be there to honor a friendship. 

Toast And Fruit To Start

I expect I ought to bring you something grand today, a big statement of my intentions for the new year or a sparkly review of a long holiday that had an exciting beginning, relaxing, playing games by the fire middle and an active, fireworks-inclusive end.

Another version could be a cookie baking and sampling frenzied beginning, an eating at least two a day middle, and an I can't eat any more cookies end.

Instead, I bring you a diptych of my breakfast this morning: homemade, seeded sourdough, yogurt and a clementine.  Perfectly reflective of a healthier trend, yet just what I like. 

I struggle a bit with January 1st as the beginning.  A more natural starting place to me is September, the start of the school year, the change of season, or even late December on the Winter Solstice, marking the voyage out as the days begin to lengthen.

This year, however, I'm going with the flow of the calendar year.  I seemed to hit a solid place for reflection in December, and humbly found a need to change calendar systems, reverting to old fashioned paper.

According to the saleswoman who helped me pick out my Filofax, even the twentysomethings buy paper agendas.   I felt better knowing that the need to write important events down and plan with a pen does not have anything to do with age.

I devoted considerable time to setting up my areas of focus for the year and a method for assessing progress.  My word, SHAPING, makes me smile because it fits just right.

And it's not just the physical that needs shaping.  I have ideas for our home, my friendships, plans and goals for this blog, our family, and countless new bread recipes to try. 

If my breakfast diptychs turn to bowls of oatmeal, you will know I am way serious.  But that's not the state I am in today, as that would be too harsh a beginning.

Finding gardening metaphors useful, I will tell you that my new rose-patterned pruning shears I received for Christmas are still sitting neatly in their box under the tree.

It's January, there is no pruning going on yet.  I don't even have the year's seed catalogs.

Father's Day Crepes

Mr. Savory requested crepes for Father's Day breakfast. Since he's the pancake and waffle maker in our family, he thought he'd give me a new breakfast domain beyond scones and muffins.  It was also a little nudge to use the crepe pan he gave me for Christmas a couple years ago.

I chose the Light, Simple Crepe recipe from Mark Bittman, and with Olivia's help, we managed to make eleven cinnamon sugar crepes.  This breakfast recipe specifically calls to leave the crepes flat, and after sprinkling them with cinnamon sugar to pass them under the broiler for a minute.  (This was the part Olivia did).

We devoured them all with a strawberry sauce from the farmer's market and powdered sugar for Olivia.

I have to say my interest is piqued now, and I am eager to work on perfecting my technique (that may take until next Father's day!)

A Little Goes a Long Way

If you've ever been on a diet, you know that sometime even the smallest treat can bring gratification you may have never thought possible.

That's how I feel about the french toast we've been having for the past few weekend breakfasts. Aaaah, thank goodness!

So simple, really, some whole grain bread, an egg, some milk and a dash of cinnamon and vanilla. Aaaah...and berries and maple syrup on top....Aaah!

The first week, we cooked it on he stove top with a little butter, the usual way. Then Michael had the idea to put the egg soaked bread in the waffle iron, and quick as can be, French toast waffles!

Olivia loved this both ways, and I think you can enjoy this breakfast no matter what side of the scale you're on.

Waffled Whole-Grain French Toast
adapted from Whole-Grain French Toast

1 large egg
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon
Drop of vanilla extract
2 slices of whole-grain bread
nonstick spray
1 teaspoon butter (optional)

For topping:
1/2 cup of fresh or frozen berries
1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1. Heat waffle iron, if using and brush with oil.
2. Break the egg into a pie or baking dish and beat it with a fork until uniform and smooth.
3. Add the milk, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla, and stir until well blended.
4. Add the bread side by side, and let it sit in the custard for several minutes.
5. Turn the bread over and let it soak on the other side for another minute or so, tilting the dish to be sure all the liquid reaches the bread.
6. Heat and lightly spray a skillet if using, and melt in the butter.
7. Fry the soaked bread for about 5 minutes on each side, or place and cook in waffle iron.

makes one serving