wisdom and pretty things

for today, i am a seeker of the beautiful... not having any idea what
this day will bring, but hoping i shake the hands of wisdom and pretty things.

have the sweetest of weekends, my friends.

peace~

hummingbird cake recipe

Hummingbird cake with cream cheese frosting
3  cups  all-purpose flour
1  teaspoon  baking soda
2 cups sugar
1  teaspoon  salt
1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
3  large eggs, beaten
1  cup  vegetable oil
1  (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple packed in juice- undrained
1 1/2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 medium or 3 small size (over ripe) bananas- mashed
1/2  cup  chopped pecans- toasted

preheat over to 350 degrees-

Combine first 5 ingredients, in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Don’t beat. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, and bananas.

Pour batter into two greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350- for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center, comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks, right side up.

Meanwhile, prepare cream cheese frosting.

When cakes are cooled, place one layer on platter and spread top with frosting. Place second layer on top of first layer and frost cake. Sprinkle toasted pecans on top.
Before serving. I like to chill this cake for about 20 minutes, uncovered until frosting sets.
Store in fridge up to a week.

cream cheese frosting-

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese- room temperature
1 stick of butter, room temperature
3 3/4 cups of confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Place cream cheese and butter in large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add the confectioner's sugar. a little at a time. Blend with mixer for 1 minute until sugar is all incorporated. Add the vanilla . then increase the mixer speed to medium and blend until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Use frosting immediately to frost cake.
This frosting makes a lot, save the extras for more goodies.
Enjoy!

Thank you for writing me, so many emails, requesting this recipe. You will love it...
So moist and flavorful.
Blogger is not playing nice today, I had to use my old loader, to post this. Is it just me? ; )
happy day
one love~

dreamy and of hummingbird memories

i finally saved enough pennies, for a new, dreamy lens. oh, i love it.
this sweetheart, recommended it, and she was right, it has changed
my life, in the sweetest way. : ) i am able to shoot and hold in
my hands, what my heart saw through the lens. bliss!

i made a hummingbird cake, last night. it made me think so much,
of my grandmother. i love that. sweet ripe banana's, pineapple,
cream cheese frosting, toasted pecans... i love slices of memories
like that.

mailed more packages of love~
slow
slow
and
another walk in the cold air and our yellow tulip garden

a bit of homework here ~ swoon!

reading a bit of happiness.

listening to a bit of dmb ~ because my day isn't complete without them.

one love~

girlfriend

hello monday
hello sunshine
hello my friends
where are you ups man?
happy monday, my friends. are you enjoying the day?
i am. ; )
one love~

this rainy sunday morning

this rainy sunday morning brings...
elephant ears/fried dough, reminding me of carnivals and ferris wheels
i long to photograph a ferris wheel~ wish 1 million and nine ; )
hot coffee
a cozy chair next to the window
and deep sighs for wanting this book 
rain and more rain on the roof, leaving poetry within each drop
yellow tulips bloom in the garden
of course there's miles davis, because rainy days, beg for miles on vinyl
slow
slow
peace~

eyes closed hoping to see it all

as cold as it was last night, i slept with my window open last night.
and i had dreams... vivid dreams. vivid at the time, not so vivid now.

it took these pink, powdery flowers, i saw waiting for me in a bruised bin,
to bring back the memory of my dreams.

i tend to believe breezes, through opened windows, carry dream dust .
if this dust had a color, i think it might be a glittery, sun drenched, pink.

this color mixed with the night air must be beautiful. i bet it is.

i was in a hurry this morning, and in my rush, i know i missed a smiling face, or a kind word, or the toll of church bells.

where can i go from here?

maybe i can write the world a love letter or invite life to find it's way through my lens... maybe forgive myself for a few things, forgive others while im at it.

life,
you have a beautiful hold on me today.

~eyes closed, i continue the train ride home, hoping to see "it" all.

happy sweet friday, my friends.

one love~

on this thursday

i had the most lovely cup of coffee this morning. mmm... thank you, my love.
applewood smoked, cheese + strawberry jam + toasty bread, atop the old pie safe.
i was walking out back this morning, and the peony bushes are starting to come out of the ground. oh, this just warms my heart. some of you know, how much i like love peonies. wink! and yes, i gave them a bit of a hug. i am a proud tree hugger. : )
slow
slow
happy earth day!

as far as i have gotten today

not too much going on around here today. very quiet.
im thinking of grilling some veggies today, tossing them with pasta and crumbling a nice cheese over the top. and pineapple, i could place that on the grill as well, and serve it along side a warmed bowl of caramel, for dessert.

my "edible brooklyn magazine" arrived, and it's wonderful...
i miss n.y.

trip, my love, was it you that used the last of the coffee, yesterday?
my french coffee press sits empty, as well as my cup. hmm...
i still love you deeply, but you must fix this problem by morning...
and if you add a croissant to the mix, no one will get hurt : )

i am in need of a easy read, nothing that makes me think too hard...what will it be?
having allergies bites but oh, how i love spring.

i want to learn to make jam. i think i can... i think i can... ; )

no comb through the curls, i think my socks match, so that is a plus. : )
having fun with these straws and my camera, is as far as i have gotten today, and that suits me just fine.
it's so about the moment. yes indeed, it is. life is good.
one love~

spring indulgence

just a little reminder, that mondays need a bit of extra frosting. ; )
such lovely things happening around here. it's sheer poetry, i say.

packages have been mailed, letters were written, in a yellow pen. swoon!

please remember to leave a light on for me, i will be around to visit. i have been a terribly busy neighbor. : )
i miss you to pieces.
oh and by the way, these little cupcakes are milk chocolate with cream cheese frosting.
enjoy!

#4 and happy saturday

assignment #4~ fin.

i had such a wonderful time in this photography class. and i "met" some of the most lovely and talented people. thank you, C&C, from the bottom of my heart, for having me.

....

1. i have learned that trying something different in life, can open doors to the some of the sweetest roads.

2. i am a complete lunatic when it comes to photography. lol i am way too compulsive over this art! and i love that!! lol

3. i should have numbered my photos. sorry : )

#4. it is so beautiful to stumble upon what others are seeing in life.

happy Saturday!

this pillow of goodness

it's thursday. yes mam, it is. i am supposed to be writing an article, on spring risotto, amongst other things. and here i sit, hiding out with coffee and a chocolate, sea salt, croissant. bad christina, bad. ; )
i want to lay my head down on this pillow of goodness, upon my coffee, just take a nap on this creamy  la la land, and dream under the pretty twinkling lights, above me. no time for that though, i don't want to miss a moment of this sweet ride of life, so it me against this cursor and empty page. but  first i will sip slowly, enjoy the sunshine and open my palms, to invite life my way.
...and the lovely beat goes on.
one love, my friends.

these are the days

ahh... spring break, i love it. honestly, it makes my heart all fuzzy, to see kids being kids. no schedules to follow... sleeping late, having long lazy breakfasts, lunches outside as a family, laughing under the stars.

slow slow. 
these are the days...

a deep sigh for country air 

falling asleep with a book in my palms 

a shoulder to rest my head

gathering strawberries and honey combs in my basket, from the local farmers. and thinking, i could get used to this.

a stream, that flowed the most beautiful water, called my name. you know, that soothing sound of water, flowing along?  it's sheer poetry, from the most high.
i allowed this water to...
flow straight to my heart
to seep into the most fragile + broken places inside of me
to baptize me anew
to fill me with understanding and love to the brim of my soul
the sunshine joined the party and i had no choice, but to walk away a better person. i dig that. : )

life is good
real good

one love~
: )

for the love of daughters and friday

sometimes i will look at her

and my love for her 

begins to dance
inside of me

sigh...

for the love of daughters

*

 are you well on this friday?

; )

stacks of magazines await me

for this weekend

slow slow

+

have you heard about this class?

im all signed up for it

oh it's sure to be fun fun

if you sit next to me

i promise not to get you caught in trouble

lol

: )

im visiting over here today

it would warm my heart 

if you stopped in and said hello

happy friday

one love

~

lessons in todays lesson

hi there
rainy
oh
so
rainy
+
cold
wow, we are dragging this morning, after two nights of stormy weather.
feeling happy and grateful to be together.
i cannot express how much it means to me, to homeschool my children.
it's such a tender subject to me, i know i don't speak enough about it.
and my kiddos, man they take a lot of shit, living in the heart of the city and being homeschooled teenagers.  i give them credit for standing up, for what has become a natural part of their lives.
...  not caving into what society deems cool. even adults challenging them, as if to say, we are weird or different somehow.  we are all different in this world, and i think that is the beauty of this journey.
there will be plenty of time for girls, other days for boys. dating can wait. calculus and compassion for others, are classes in our home. the new york times and comic books ( amongst others) are sprawled across our table, each day.

balance, jumping on the bed, and not taking ourselves too serious, is a daily requirement.

i still see the innocence in their faces. i have been gifted a chance to see them grow, at their own pace, not at some one else's . and yes, we have given up so much to do this. mama doesn't always have what she needs and daddy goes without at times, but it's so worth it.  it just fits our family. i seriously dig that. : )

at this age, i have learned that different just means cool, and weird (by not following the crowd) could very well mean, artistically expressing, ones self.  yes mam! how fricken long, did it take me to learn that? i can't tell you how many days in my life,  i just caved inside of myself 'cause i couldn't fake it for the crowd, fitting in wasn't going to happen. and damn, am I glad for that. dude! fitting in is overrated. being cliquey sucks! not for me, never was. making others feel left out? nah, not for me. : )

strawberry preserves over warm croissants
+
rereading our favorite parts of "to kill a mocking bird".
taking photos of worms.
and searching for our newest book. deep sigh for the beauty of words + spending time with those you love.

one love~

monday and the most of it

i cannot tell a lie, easter was lovely but, i felt overwhelmed for some reason. i don't like that feeling. i kept the true meaning in my heart, and that's what mattered. i think by the time easter rolled around, i was just tired, i didn't feel like "it". let's call for pizza, and watch twilight~ i say. : ) hubby made the best cola and brown sugared ham, a girl could ask for.  and i am not a big meat eater, so this says a lot. lovely, lovely.

i raise my glass to husbands, who unconditionally love women who are~ unpredictable, converse wearing, hiding under the covers, camera toting, book worms. uhem... who could that be?

i had the sweetest hydrangea in my vase! oh, it reminded me of the purple and antique brown hydrangeas, that grew outside of our home, when we lived in new england.  i long to find a home again.
today i wish...
i was a poet~ to make this post flow
i was brave
didn't hide under covers and want to stay there
was the person in front of my lens, i am behind my lens
a go getter
i could resist this stupid cinnamon roll calling my name ~ not really
could touch the clouds in the sky ; )

and the lovely beat of life goes on~

i find a sense of peace in Monday's. i am ready to stumble upon a book, on a subject i know nothing about, and make the most of this quiet morning.
how was your weekend?

i send you love, my friends.

always~

happy Easter + composition

happy Easter my friends

happy day

+ 

i send you love, friendship and blessings.

and

assignment # 2~ 

composition + perspective

i had a blast shooting these.

different angles, different light.

up close

far away

blurry

+

whipping up cream 

+ 

dipping the strawberries.

; )

yummy!

one love

*

hello april

i stopped to get flowers today. instead of one bunch, i gathered two : ) one for me, one for you. sound good? oh they are such pretty flowers. as i sat down for the train ride home, the sun found our flowers. that made me smile, so very much.

it's really warm here today. yay! 

the girls are already poppin gum, as they stand on the train platform... the boys are already poppin game. lol 

april is infusing the color of life, back into the neighborhoods. melting the hard layers, of a midwest winter. 

the lavender reflection, of our roses in the window, brings me joy.

the fire hydrants are redder, the pavement is blacker, the b-ball courts fuller, the hearts of bodegas, beat louder... 

hello april.

one love~