December 22

Desert Sunset

We use to go on weekend trips to New Orleans and get Zapp's as a treat. This was a fun reminder of those times.

December 21

I see this steeple on my way home - its kinda like my guiding beacon.

December 20

Happy Hanukkah!!! 

 

 Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah and to celebrate I fashioned a Menorah for myself and my roommate.I looked up the blessings and read them in English to us while lighting the candles. Neither of us is Jewish, well she is engaged to a Jewish guy, but we can both celebrate holidays from a variety of backgrounds.

Blessing for the Lighting of the Candles:

"Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights."

Blessing for the miracles of Hanukkah:

"Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time..."

Hanerot Halalu

"We light these lights for the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers, in those days at this season, through your holy priests. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them except for to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, Your wonders and Your salvations."

December 19

This is the wall above my bed. I'm not a huge fan of plain colored walls, so I thought to add a little something to make it "mine." The great thing about this is that it will peel off when I move.

December 18

Hope, Peace, Faith, Joy, and Love to you this last Sunday of Advent

December 17

Half down, Half to go!

Happiness is making it to the top.

What goes up, must come down.

I climbed up the right side.

One of my new favorite hangout places

Palo Verde Tree

 

I found Santa!
(And I asked him for some rock climbing gear)

December 16th

I didn't take a picture today. Work was crazy then I had a friend's birthday part to attend. It was a fun, crazy, day. I'll make up for it with more pictures from tomorrow then normal.

December 15

 I made one of my favorite cookies - Citrus Glitters!

First you roll the dough into balls.....(this batch was Lime, Lemon, and Orange)

 Roll them in Sugar....

 

Bake them.....

Eat them and share with friends, especially those who take you on adventures (Dec 17th's posting)

December 14

Its been a long day, I had a Skype date with a friend in the UK and was awake until 1am, over 2 hrs past my normal bed time. It was worth it, but not something I can do ever day and still function.

So after a day full of the office Holiday/End of the Year party and evening rock climbing, I am going to enjoy a nice cup of tea and make my final climb up the stairs and into my bed. Good night.

December 13

Today has been cooler (I'd say cold, but after Maine, I don't think Phoenix will ever get truly cold!), I made Glühwein, and sipped that while making peppermint Christmas cookies, think Chocolate chip cookies but instead of chocolate chips, then had crushed peppermint candies in them. I melted chocolate on about half of them - yummy. I got to use my lovely orange Kitchen Aid, which might be my second favorite thing from Maine that I moved with me.  Happy Tuesday.

December 12

I love rain. It makes me smile and sometimes I've even been known to dance in it. I found a great quote for such a day as this:

"Some people just walk in the rain, others dance in it"

Rain in the desert is a treat and I treasure each rainy day here the same way I use to treasure the perfect sunny ones in Maine.

 

Finally, as a nice end to a Monday, I will share the lyrics from "Keep Breathing" by Ingrid Michaelson. My yoga instructor has been playing this song during savasana at the end of class, and I love it.

The storm is coming but i don't mind.

People are dying, i close my blinds.

All that i know is i'm breathing now.

I want to change the world...instead i sleep.

I want to believe in more than you and me.

But all that i know is i'm breathing.

All i can do is keep breathing.

All we can do is keep breathing now.

All that i know is i'm breathing.

All i can do is keep breathing.

All we can do is keep breathing now.

All we can do is keep breathing

All we can do is keep breathing

All we can do is keep breathing

All we can do is keep breathing.

All we can do is keep breathing now.

December 11

Superstitions - Arizona

Happy 3rd Sunday of Advent! I spent this Sunday hiking with a fun group of hikers that I've joined since moving to Arizona. I find the desert to be a very lovely place and think that cactus are beautiful, even if prickly.

December 10

Today was a busy morning: Up and to the farmer's market before yoga then rock climbing in the afternoon. Good thing I made it to the gyms today as this post is all about food.

Today I got (Clockwise), Mixed fingerling potatoes, Russian Red Kale, Rainbow Swiss Chard, carrots, striped beets, rosemary, and pink-lady apples. Yummy. All, except for the potatoes, are locally grown and organic. Love in the form of veggies!

Braising Greens - going to be made into a white-bean and greens soup for the chili winter days here in the desert.$2 for the bunch of beets and their greens - this will keep me in veggies for a while.

Kale and Beet greens braised in tomato sauce with garlicy polenta dome. Yes, I eat well.

Lastly, the evil candy cane Joe Joe's. Like an Oreo, only better and with no super-scary fake hydrogenated stuff!!!

December 9

I'm a Lush-aholic and I know it. I needed some face wash and a bar of new hand soap (I try to avoid antibacterial soaps and stuff as much as I can at home). My hand soap smells of candy canes, my face will smell of Christmas and the spare bar will smell of Snow Globe. Nothing like fresh, well-made, vegan products! Also, the bag is super cute too!!!

December 8

Thursday was almost full-moon and it was lovely. I had a wonderful day, my Aunt was in town for business so I was able to spend time with her. We went talking out at Deem Hills Park then to dinner at Pita Jungle (she loved it!). I love spending time with her and treasure the visits. In the end, family is what counts:-)

December 7

There is nothing like a fuzzy face at the end of the day to make me smile. Sidd is probably my favorite thing from Maine that I moved with me to Arizona. And he's a Vegan too, just like me:-)

December 6

This fountain is in front of my local library and today was the first time that I stopped to enjoy it.

December 5

This lovely Christmas card arrived as part of a package from a dear friend who knows me well enough to know that I would love the fact that the card was earth friendly.


The package contained this wonderful bag, which is hand made with fair trade labor from recycled materials. Everything that I love in items.

Today I am thankful for that friend and for friends that know me and what things matter to me.

Thanks, Friend!

December 4

I grew up celebrating Advent, so of course I had to carry to candles down to the bottom on the Canyon to light the morning of the second Sunday of Advent. This year my candles celebrate: Hope (first Sunday), Peace (second Sunday), Faith (third Sunday), Joy (forth Sunday), and Love (Christmas Eve). Yes, I know that's not the traditional reasons for the candles, but I'm not traditional and usually modify the traditions to suit me.

This was taken before hiking the last 4.5 miles out of the Grand Canyon, most of them on packed snow and ice, which made me very thankful my roommate loaned me her crampons.
I will finish the post with the words of Rich Mullins:

Well, sometimes my life
Just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

December 3

Writing on the Chalk Board at one of the (deserted for the winter) rest stops along the North Kaibab Trail - this was BEFORE all the snow...

Trail Breaking, nothing quite like being the first person to walk on fresh snow

While I don't always love snow, there is something VERY magical and Christmasy about it.