Bonnie Scotland

"My heart's in the highlands, my heart is not here." - Robert Burns
A little while ago I went to visit my family and friends in Scotland. I really do miss living in Edinburgh sometimes. It was strange to go back there and feel that I knew it so well on one hand and have my experience there be totally alien on the other. It was so nice to get to see my university friends and explore the city. These are some photos of Edinburgh and a few of the surrounding countryside. I would love to go for a walk in the fields right now!











If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?

Coffee Drinker

As Tahoe is still without snow I have found myself gravitating more and more to my huge collection of blouses. A little while ago I almost gave them all away to the thrift store in a fit of iamsodisgustedthatihavethismanyclothes-ness but I'm glad I didn't because they have been coming in really handy for work. As usual I have been having difficulty figuring out what to wear because almost all of my dresses are inappropriately short...le sigh! I can't wait for summer to come so I can wear mini skirts and short shorts every day!







I have been so tired recently, I forgot what it's like to have to leave the house at 7:30 to get to work. I don't know how all of you girls with full time jobs and blogs do it! All I can say is I'm very impressed! I've been loving my drive to work though, there's nothing quite like being one of very few cars on the road when the mist is snaking back over the hills and the river has little puffs of clouds threading their way along the banks. The lake was beautiful on my drive home tonight too, the full moon was lighting up the water and some of my friends even decided to go for a midnight paddle board adventure. That definitely sounded chilly to me but I am for sure going to do that as soon as spring comes around and the lake gets a little warmer. Have any of you ever gone paddle boarding before? It is one of my favorite summertime things to do. The yoga studio I go to even has stand up paddle yoga classes out on the lake!





What have you been doing to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather? Someone please tell me you've been wearing short shorts...come on, I know I'm not the only one out there!
Boots, Blouse: Thrifted; Skirt: American Apparel; Hat: H&M; Rings: New Look and F21

Office-y

When I got this new job I realized (to my comfy and warm horror!) that I would have to go from wearing yoga pants, furry boots, and huge jackets every day to wearing actual office-y clothes. I think I'm looking at my wardrobe in a whole new way now. I've been digging through my "to sell/give away" pile of clothes and have found some pretty wonderful gems in there that I'm excited to wear to work. Taking outfit photos in the snow? Not really the most splendid of processes (a.k.a. wet feet, weird looks from manly looking dudes in passing trucks, falling through snow up to your knees, general freezing-ness) but I think these photos actually turned out pretty well!







Yesterday I went climbing for four hours and then rested my tired muscles in the sauna. I'm getting a leetle bit addicted to climbing. Every time I finish a new route I get abnormally excited. Even if it goes down like my last climb yesterday, when my friend was yelling from the balcony above me to "woman up and be strong!" while I pathetically dangled about ten feet from the top and contemplated an obnoxiously zen-looking Buddha shaped handhold. I'm glad I made it in the end!

Today I did more training at work and then lay on a dock by Donner Lake and contemplated the moon with a fellow Piscean. Life is marvelously peachy sometimes!

Have any of you been having suitably wonderful adventures/trying new things in the new year?

Flats: Gap; Skirt: Thrifted, Crossroads SF; Eighties Blouse: Thrifted; Cardigan: FCUK; Wool Coat: Thrifted

I'm Makin' Real Good Bread

I made some fresh bread to go with my soup the other day, and I thought I'd share the recipe with you. It's insanely easy because you don't have to knead it, and it only rises for half an hour. It makes a dense loaf that's perfect for sandwiches. I like to use whole wheat flour but I have also made it with white flour and that tastes delicious too. This is perfect in the morning with homemade jam...check out my recipe for that here. Enjoy! Hope you all had a happy, hopeful and happenin' weekend!

Yummy Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
1 Package Dried Yeast
1/2 Tsp Sugar
Two Cups Warm Water
1lb 2oz Whole Wheat Flour (Approx. 4 Cups)
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (Optional)
3 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds (Optional)
Any other seeds/grains/spices you would like to add!

Dissolve yeast in a cupful of water with the sugar. Leave 10-15 mins. Grease a bread tin (I line mine with parchment paper as well). Combine all other ingredients, then add yeast liquid and water to make a sticky dough. Spoon into bread tin. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 30 min. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After bread has risen bake for 30 minutes. Cool and eat!

Dreaming of Summer

"She's a summer love for spring, fall and winter." - Grateful Dead, "Sugar Magnolia"

I can't help but be jealous of everyone in the lovely antipodes, especially when I see pretty summer posts on Lost in the Haze and K is for Kani. Those girls have summer style if I ever saw it! It makes me wish it was summer here...since we haven't really been getting much snow I want winter to be over so summer can hurry up and get here! I can't wait to ride my bike along the lake, or wake up super early to go wakeboarding when the water is smooth and glassy, or just sit by the beach with a good book. Doesn't that sound just perfect right now? What are you missing most about summer?










I'm still praying for snow of course, I wouldn't mind skiing a little bit before winter's over, but in terms of clothes...well all I really want to wear is hot pants and mini skirts! These photos are from my favorite hiking spot behind my old house. What a beautiful place to hike that was. I took these in October and it was still warm enough to wear shorts and sandals.






I'm off to go watch my friends' funk band play. I love their shows, all of my friends always come and we tear it up on the dance floor! What's your favorite thing to do on a Saturday night?





Sandals: Sanuk; Shorts: Topshop; Blouse: TJ Maxx; Backpack: Thrifted

Butternut Squash Peanut Soup

Last night I made this soup for a little dinner party and it was oh-so-good! It sounds a little funny to add peanut butter to soup, but I promise you, it's delicious.

Butternut Peanut Soup
Serves 6
1 Onion
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Butternut Squash
1 Tetra Pack or Two Cans Vegetable Stock
1/3 Jar of Peanut Butter
Juice of One Lemon
1 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Chilli Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut up the onion and carmelize in a large soup pot with a little bit of olive oil. Peel and cut the squash into one inch cubes. After the onion looks browned, crush 3 cloves garlic and add to the pot. Add squash, cover, and let cook for five minutes. Add spices and stir ingredients. Pour in stock, cover, and let simmer until the squash is soft enough that it falls apart if you press it against the side of the pot. Blend the ingredients, either with a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender. Return the soup to the pot and add peanut butter, lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep stirring until the peanut butter is fully incorporated. Enjoy!

Back To Neutral

Just thought I'd pop in and share these photos from my daily walk with you. I just finished knitting this scarf and I had to show it off! You might have noticed something a little unusual in these photos...snow! That's it, we finally got a storm. Which explains why things have been pretty quiet over here as of late, I've been spending most of my days either shoveling or skiing, neither of which a pretty outfit makes.
I did take photos of what I was wearing but looking at the photos I decided I would just post these two, because honestly I'm wearing the same furry boots and warm tights I always wear. It's a leetle boring. I love Amanda's comment in her latest post: "I've worn this all before...lots of times. I'd call it a remix but instead I'll just call it reality." Sometimes it's hard to be all stylin' when the weather and your closet gets the better of you. But I'll be back with some funkaaay outfit post soon for y'all, don't you worry!
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my soup making. Why oh why is it so very difficult to peel butternut squash? In the process I have managed to peel my hand and the countertop. But it's going to be one delish soup, so totally worth the minor bloodbath my kitchen just experienced! (Kidding...there is no blood in the soup. That wouldn't be very vegan now, would it?)
Anyone have any good soup recipes? I think I have exhausted every last one in my arsenal. As my roommate said to me the other day: "What are you going to make for dinner? Oh, of course, something stew-like in that giant cast iron skillet of yours." Help me out so that I can stop getting made fun of! Hope you are all having a fab Thursday!