happy stuff.

last night, as i was biking home from swimming, i noticed that there was another bicyclist riding behind me. i wasn’t wearing my rearview mirror, so i kept hearing the bike and when i’d check behind me, i could see that someone was there, but i couldn’t get a really good look. and then i’d [...]

this past weekend, we went camping with a big group of friends. we biked about 30 miles to get there and when we arrived, we discovered that the campsite that we had reserved was completely treeless. i had never specifically realized how important the presence of trees are to the atmosphere of camping. especially when [...]

the poppies have bloomed! right on schedule, coinciding with the first torrential rains of the season that bash the blossoms to bits, the poppies have burst into brilliant orange bloom. hooray!

today i had my first school visit where i do a song and dance for the kiddies to entice them to read all summer long. this particular song and dance involves the invisible dog. so afterwards, i had to walk through the playground to get to my car. the playground was full of the younger [...]

so you know how sometimes places have engraved plastic plaques/labels/signs on doors to say, “conference room” or “janitorial supplies” or whatever? this weekend, at the church my choir performed at, there was a sign near a door that read, “pink kitchen.” not just “kitchen.” not something like “sanctuary kitchen.” specifically (and permanently enough to have [...]

i played in my first softball game this season tonight and i (for the first time ever) didn’t strike out at bat even once! i even scored a run! woo hoo!

just one more reason i love my job. today, at a meeting, i was given an invisible dog on a leash. it’s part of a skit we’re planning to do when we talk to the schools about being a part of the summer library program. as i walked back to my car, i held the [...]

i was thrilled to find out this morning that the chicken verde recipe that i posted was indeed the one my mystery reader had been searching for. happy stuff has made people i don’t even know … happy! :)

i passed a tree this evening and it had those little ‘helicopter’ seed pods. the seed part was bright, spring green and the helicopter-y part was surprisingly pink! later, as i was walking down the sidewalk, i smelled honeysuckle! i stopped, but although i didn’t see any honeysuckle, i saw a whole tiny front yard [...]

a reader has requested that i post this, one of our newer favorite recipes on the blog. enjoy! chicken verde (originally from health magazine) 3 c. green salsa (such as Herdez) ½ t. cumin ½ t. coriander 3 (10 oz.) cans green chile enchilada sauce 1 (6”) corn tortilla, torn to pieces 3 lbs. raw [...]