Apples & Hydrangeas

Knit Together

Sometimes I doubt my new life, it feels like I stand alone and am pressed to create my own future as if it is an ongoing, draining chore. Then I remind myself.... this is what I signed up for.... this life is my life and now is it. THIS is it! I have the luxury to create my own life; plan diligently or fly by the seat of my pants, cook a meal or eat cereal for dinner.

My future is up to me. I look around in my world to surround myself with others who live a similar life. Individuals that are unique and on their own path. People who possess a character that will compliment the ebbs and flow of my life. I have learned that alone we are solitary beings who parallel play and spin within our own gyroscope. But together, ahhh, that is the best! To be surrounded by other similar souls knits together pure beauty.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Till Next Time, Love Marnie

 

 

 

Use the Fancy Soap

Note to self: Live in the Moment. Use the fancy soap. Looking forward to cocktail parties, a weekend get away or a day off of work can be great fun but what about the rest of your life?  What about the time we spend running to the dry cleaner, filling the tank with gas or doing laundry?

Much of our lives are made up of a string of dull,  uneventfull tasks.  Do these moments count? Is this it? When is the real life going to begin? I say it's here and this is it. Let's celebrate living in the hear and now, being fully present and attentive to the moment! Let's listen to our breathing, stop and smell the roses and all that jazz. Practice being happy about the mundane and predictable... after all it is part of our lives and dismissing it would sacrificing the greater part of it all.

Some of you know I recently turned 50. Whoa, midlife crisis extraordinaire. But a post-50 crisis means change and we all know change is invigorating. So I say let's start a revolution. Let's smile at the baby in front of us at the grocery store. Let's wave at the old lady driving an oversized Buick when we are in a hurry. Let's actually enjoy being at work and not wishing we were somewhere else! I say we do something totally crazy and nearly unheard of pre-50, let's totally live in the moment and use the fancy soap! I am sure we will not need it in heaven.  

 

 

 
 

Till next time xoxox Marnie

Moosewood is Good Food

Friday night's Friends of the Baldwin Public Library used book sale is one of my favorite events of the year. Not only do I feel quite priviledged to attend on "member's night", I feel totally honored to be browsing alongside of Birmingham's finest book nerds. A self dubbed book nerd myself, there is nothing like scouring through thousands of hard and soft cover books ferreting the perfect find!

I landed a few great cookbooks and was fortunate enough to find an ol fave, the Moosewood Cookbook. Never heard of it? Well, it was groundbreaking in the year 1977 when it was first published. The author, Mollie Katzen is responsible for bringing healthy vegetarian cooking, at that time on the fringe, into the mainstream. The cookbook has been recognized as one of the top 10 cookbooks of all time! Way to go Mollie!! The recipes have changed over the years to become more natural, with fewer fats and calories. But still tasty and easy. For me, cooking from this cookbook is a walk down memory lane, my first copy which I aquired in the 80's has since been lost and probably made its way to some thrift store bookshelf.

So here is the recipe..... Broccoli-Mushroom Noodle Casserole. It is not the prettiest casserole in the oven, but hey you can't judge taste by it's looks, right? It yielded a heafty portion of food, enough for two casserole dishes. One for the week and one to freeze! Perfect. Check out Mollie's website at www.molliekatzen.com . It is just darling and is packed full of information on healthy eating, how to videos and even more great recipes. Let's start cooking!

 
Great Haul for only $7.00!

 

 
Yummy healthy ingredients....

 
Step by step

 
Fresh ingredients too!

 
Boil the noodles.

 
Whoa, the best part....

 
3 cage free, organic eggs

 
mushrooms and broccoli

 
not too pretty

 
ready for the oven

 
Baked to perfection!

I am looking forward to trying recipes from the Italian cookbooks I purchased as well. Hummmm, what should I try first?

Till next time, xoxox Marnie

 

Marnie Gets Cozy

The cooler weather is upon us. No room for complaining though, the month of October here in Michigan was simply gorgeous; sunshine in abundance and crisp cool breezes catching leaves in their wake. I still enjoy my daily walks with Oliver breathing in the invigorating air. Each day looks different; bigger piles of leaves, dead branches on the ground and the bare trees a stark contrast against the sky.

Fall is a spectacular time of year. It is also a favorite time for me. It represents the end of summer and the beginning of the long cold Michigan winter. I love my heavy wooly sweaters, my thick socks, the earthy smells and rich, dark shades of red, brown and gold. And then there is comfort food. As I would never crave a baked amish chicken with a side of butternut squash in the summer, in the cold months, surround me with the distinct aroma of an herbed chicken slowly roasting in the oven.

Fall is a time for reading long novels, sipping Earl Grey tea, the warmth of a crackling fire in the fireplace and snuggling under a blanket wantching an old Hepburn movie. It is a time of reflection, hybernation, living life slower and with more purpose. It is a time for wonderful red wines, scented candles and gourds and pumpkins at each door. The best part? It is a time where family and friends gather round for the holidays, breaking bread and sharing love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Till next time xo Marnie

Baby Wears Blue Jeans

I wear jeans... a lot. I love my jeans. My love affair with the sturdy cotton 5 pocket pants began sometime in the early 70's. My first pair of cool denim... sometime around 1973. I purchased a pair of red tag Levi's at McQuade's Department Store. The relationship started a bit bumpy since I knew they were what I wanted and needed to be part of the in crowd, but at that time, Levi's were not specifically designed for women that were shaped like - well, shaped like women. So I purchased a pair of men's Levi's, for approximately $13.00. Although my God-given Renaissance hips were not so happy in that particular pair, the jean market  expanded and so did my choices and penchant for denim. So, it began.

I am not sure what it is, but I feel totally comfortable and happy in jeans. They suit my personality perfectly. Depending on my jeans, I can be casual, classic, sassy, sexy, bohemian, grungy, stylish or common. I recently discovered that I have mulitple pair of jeans..... more so than many women, I suppose. But each time I buy a pair of jeans, I feel like I am opening up the potential for a new experience, a different way of being and that draws me in; makes me feel like I am harnessing the future of me. I look forward to stepping into my jeans, there is nothing like wiggling into a freshly laundered pair of Lucky's and slowly buttoning up the fly. Ahhhh, pure heaven!

The variety of jeans perched on the top shelf of my closet are nearly never-ending. They are faded, dark denim, medium blue, dressy, distressed and full of holes, zip fly, button fly, boyfriend cut, tight, baggy and some sport more patches than an old-fashioned country quilt! There are those that hug my hips, some that remind me I am lucky, others that cost the same as a week's worth of groceries. As a matter of fact, I still have my favorite pair of Levi's from high school and they still fit! Then of course are my well worn and ultra soft pair of GAP overalls purchased from the Salvation Army. Can you imagine their life before we came into acquaintance?  I feel like a million bucks when I wear my $4.99 overalls around town. And the looks I get? Well I am sure the looks stem from the pure jealousy of my good fortune. After all, I am wearing such a coveted, fashion-forward and desirable item. Some of my jeans I have even morphed into other fun and creative projects, simply becasue I wanted to extend their life beyond the usual. I wear jeans with flip flops, sneakers, high heels, boots and barefoot; and each time feels just as wonderful as the time before. Each pair sports their own personality and makes me feel and act just a bit different when I am wearing them.

In a hundred years when my great great grandkids are talking about my life.... I hope they come to understand part of my world - and remember me for my jeans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Till next time... Marnie xo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i think that i shall never see....

" Trees"
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918

 

Till next time, Marnie xoxoxox

Beauty in the Ordinary

This post is about ordinary; living ordinary, being ordinary, feeling ordinary and looking ordinary. It is not about the glamerous, the rich, the famous, the perfect, nor the special. Today, I thought about the ordinariness of my life, the common, the plain, the uneventfulness of it all here at 1111 N. Old Woodward. And while I was contemplating the usualness of my being, a very odd feeling occured. I felt content.... Content, that word that has so eluded me for most of my 50 years. For I, like K.D. Lang, have always felt a 'constant craving' a sense that what I had was not good enough, not what was meant to be. I felt that there must be something more and somehow, I was missing it. Seeking the elusive  became the compelling manner in which I lived my life. So, the vicious cycle of seeking and not finding became the overwhelming bane of my existance. The search for greatness, the attempt to uncover the piece (or peace) that was missing became the quintessence of my world. And there I was - stuck for years.

It is not until recently and after a life-altering event and change of circumstance has befallen me that I realized. Maybe there is no greatness, maybe I was destined to be ordinary. Maybe the best I can be is to be ME. Plain and simple. It came to me not as an epiphany nor in the way of a little invisible light bulb hanging above my head. I grew into it. I grew into the realization that for all my energy and time spent on seeking more and better, I was missing the essense of the meaning of my life. I am ordinary. In this realization, I was set free. No more struggling for more, no negative feelings about what I was not. I could stop searching and just be. Be as I am. And with my realization that I am ordinary, something magical and magnificent is happening...I am finding that I really am - extraordinary. There is beauty in that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Till next time, xoxoxo Marnie

Se dégonfler avec les herbes de Provence et du citron a la Marzolla

Fall is here.... can you resist the smell of chill and earth in the air, the beautiful deep green, rusty orange and vivid reds of the leaves? The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day here in Michigan. This morning, I went to a local half marathon, "The Brooksie Way" not to run but to cheer on my dear friend Jesse. I brought her two little guys, Jackson and Max and we parked, grabbed the wagon and made our way to the finish line. The energy was electric.... so many runners all shapes and sizes pushing their bodies to the limit for an unbelievable 13.1 miles. If you have never run a race before, it is a fine balance of pleasure and pain but what an accomplishment! The three of us cheered, watched, hooted and hollered the runners on, they had come so far and deserved our respect and support. We watched and finally around the corner comes Jesse, smiling, a spring in her step and  looking like she was on her first mile.... Jesse is one of those gifted athletes that actually makes running look easy. Jackson, Max and I screamed and cheered her on... only a quarter of a mile to go! She finished the run in only 2 hours and 4 minutes. Amazing to me. Which is a round about way of telling you about my lucious fall dinner in the oven. A morning in the cold with the sun shining and so much positive energy and thoughts..... inspired me to cook up a whopper of a fresh and healthy dinner. So here is my recipe and I dedicate it to all 1100 men, women and teenagers who ran their hearts out this morning!

Se Dégonfler Avec les Herbes de Provence et du Citron

A la Marzolla

3 - 3.5 lbs Amish chicken, rinsed

1 onion, maybe some garlic too

1 lemon

a bunch of rosemary

about 1/4 c of extra virgin olive oil

salt, fresh ground pepper

Herbs de Provence

I squeezed the lemon juice into the olive oil and mixed in salt, fresh ground pepper, herbs, chopped rosemary and a touch of chopped garlic. I stuffed the rinsed chicken with sprigs of rosemary, the quartered onion and the halves of lemon. I then poured the lemon/oil mixture on top the the chicken and placed it into the pre-heated oven at 350 degrees. It baked for approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes. Your time will vary depending on the weight of the chicken. i probably could have taken the chicken out about 5 minutes earlier for a moister bird. For the side, I baked butternut squash, and whipped up a lovely Michigan fresh village salad with chopped ricotta cheese and a variety of olives. Overall, my first fall meal was a musch appreciate success. Tip from the amatuer cook: always use fresh and local ingredients. Support your local community of farmers and small businesses. It is hard to go wrong with the freshest of ingredients.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Till next time xoxo Marnie

7 months later.......

It has been seven months since I have last blogged. I have gone back and forth in my mind about whether or not to keep my blog going; to share my desire to write from my heart, share my perspective of life and leave a virtual legacy for my darling daughters. Well today I was inspired to continue to share with you. I was inspired by Rachel Scott, the first student of 13 victims to die in the Columbine High School shootings in 1999. I was so moved by Rachel's story, her positive outlook on life and her blind trust and faith in others. She shared her heart through her diaries, she had six in all. In her final entries, she wrote a haunting premonition of her own demise. Her intuition told her she would not live long and unfortunately this sad event came to fruition. How would her family have known her heart if not for her writings? How would they be able to see the soul of a seemingly average young woman, and know the power behind her words?  Through her writings and sadly her death, Rachel's beliefs and dreams have touched people from New York to New Zealand. She has inspired millions of people, young and old. In her words, she has "started a chain reaction". She believed that kindness, compassion, love and acceptance are paramount. How wonderful and awe inspiring this notion is to me! Marvelous in it's simplicity. Through her diaries and her essay writings she has created a world wide ripple. She has started other people to think about ways of doing life differently and challenged us to simply give it a try.

Hence, this leads me to my blog. Yes, I was inspired to continue to share to whomever will read, I was inspired by a teenager long since passed whom I had never even heard of this morning when I awoke. Maybe, just maybe, I have a chance to touch one person through my blog; my daughters, a friend, even a stranger. You know, create my own little "butterfly effect". Really, it is not that I feel like I have some earth-shattering life or that I am the guru of opinion, I don't even always use proper grammer. But I have a inate and strong desire for people to know my heart, I want those around me to love and accept me for who I am..... good stuff, not so good stuff, bad stuff, that I believe in my wisom at age 50 that  kindness, compassion, love and acceptance are what matters... And the best way for me to share....is by writing. Thank you Rachel.

XOX till next time, Marnie

Rachel's Essay taken from www.rachelschallenge.org

Channeling Erma, a story of Almond Biscotti

Erma Perusallo, I miss you so. Here is an ode to you. My  memories of my grandmother were mostly of her standing in the kitchen, wooden spoon in her hand, wrapped in a very stylish 50's era ruffled apron. She was rarely without an apron. So here we are...my daughter Juliana and me, baking our hearts out in honor of the most wonderful grandmother a girl could have. Erma could cook, she made gnocci from scratch, cakes, cakes and more cakes, fresh pasta and sauces. Always accompanied with salads full of vegetables my grandfather grew in the backyard garden.... He was an original organic gardener! And his tomatoes were to die for....big, red and so juicy but that is a post for another day. I recall my grandmother's biscotti; Ithought it such a treat to sip tea from delicate, rosey english china teacups with a piece of homemade almond biscotti resting atop the saucer. Looking back, it was really a special time for us. Simple and so full of meaning...... So as an ode to Erma, here is our attempt at attempting her old recipe. Erma's recipe with a twist of Marnie!

 

Till next time xoxoxox Marnie