kati and her feather toy

kati-cakes would have us play with her and the feather toy all day if she could. pop-pop don made it for her with a neat bamboo handle, and she just thinks it's the cat's meow (har har har=).

in fact, kati gets real naughty when we don't play with her, scratching the window screen and munching on things she shouldn't. she's a fiesty little feline!

kati's pretty much adjusted and has even been snuggling with us. she greets us at the door and follows us around like a puppy. we couldn't have imagined a cuter cat!

now if you'll please excuse me, i've got some feathers to shake.=)

april garden

the month nearly passed without a garden update! she wasn't looking as pretty as she would have liked, so she shied away from the camera. today we gave her some pampering, and now she's ready to show her stuff.=)

community garden

home garden

i'm having a hard time typing between my photos. maybe it's blogger's way of telling me to shush.=)

introducing...kati!

it was love at first sight! we've looked at hundreds of cats and for some reason john was infatuated with this picture of kati. he took it upon himself to get in touch with her family, and now she's a part of ours! (kati is a 3 year-old gray tabby mix. her family was thai and her name means coconut.=)

we picked her up tuesday night and she's adjusting wonderfully. when it was time for her to come home with us, she actually walked into the cat carrier! from the moment kati stepped foot in the door she's been actively exploring, from the highest basement rafters to the lowest nooks and crannies. after five days of killing us with cuteness, she's officially the new queen of the house.=)

 hi!

kati is so sweet and playful! she looks so much like the madj that i do believe they are distant cousins.=) we've played for hours but she really wants to go outside, so we're going to work on getting her ready for walks on a leash. apparently you can't just slap on a collar and take them out like you would with a dog, though we haven't tried yet. do any of you take your cats for walks?

asparagus quinoa with garden greens

if today's weather is any indication of what summer will be like, we're in for a rough one. it's almost 90 degrees and we haven't had substantial rain in so long that the lawn is burnt crispy! (so much for 'april showers bring may flowers'). in fact, farmer's almanac is predicting an unusually hot and dry summer for the eastern states. this is not what i wanted to hear.

on the brighter side, my greens from last season have started to bolt and the flower buds are delicious. they look and taste similar to broccoli and are perfect with a little lemon and olive oil. below you can see i added the buds to a side salad of spinach, arugula, kale and mushrooms.

asparagus quinoa is made often in our house, especially now that asparagus is in season. this dish is quick, easy, nutritious, and always well-received by friends and family. the recipe is susan voison's of fatfree vegan kitchen - it was originally posted in an article on susan sometime in 2009 that i can no longer find online.

asparagus quinoa
(makes 4-6 servings)

1 C quinoa, rinsed well
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 C vegetable broth
4 sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 C sliced portobello mushrooms
1 bunch asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 tsp lemon juice
1 T red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste

rinse quinoa using a fine mesh strainer. toast quinoa in saucepan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. add garlic and cook another minute. add remaining ingredients except asparagus, chick peas, lemon juice, and red pepper. bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat. cook 10 minutes. add chick peas and asparagus. cover and cook 8 more minutes. stir in lemon juice and red pepper.

kelli's notes: water can be substituted for vegetable broth and button mushrooms for portobello. sometimes i omit red peppers and chickpeas - they taste great but aren't essential to the dish. other vegetables can also be used such as squash and peas. since i like my quinoa on the crunchier side, i use 1 1/4 cup quinoa or a little less than 2 cups water/broth. for a spicy kick add a bit of cayenne pepper.

sunday evening

weather: summer-like, sunny and warm with a nice breeze

crocheting: finally finishing up the granny square blanket

reading: the celestine prophecy

making: garden greens salad and asparagus quinoa for dinner

 drinking: water

enjoying: a relaxing day at home with my johnny bear

looking forward to: planting more flowers, corn and beans, and a finished blanket on my bed!

sometimes sophie from her library adventures writes these sunday evening posts, and i decided to copy her today. i hope you enjoyed your weekend, and i wish you a very happy week ahead!=)

floral love

come to mama

something strange is happening - i'm perusing shoe ads for fun! my whole life i dreaded shoe shopping. maybe because i thought my feet were too big and when i wear heels i get at least three comments on my behemoth height. the only shoes i've ever really liked were jellies and flip-flops.

now i find myself actually admiring shoes. they just seem prettier to me these days, and i love that there are so many comfortable flats to choose from.

yes please

shoe shopping can be annoying because i try not to buy real leather or suede. then i found this site called lulu's that sells cute vegan shoes. some of their products are even made in the usa, like this dress i bought recently.

come to think of it, i'm enjoying clothes shopping a tiny bit, too. i think it's the feminine look i'm really drawn to that's more prevalent these days, especially the florals. when buying clothes i take a practical standpoint (will i get a lot of wear out of it?), and in my opinion floral prints have a timeless, classic look.

to wrap up this post that maybe two of you find interesting, i'm really loving the florals. are you?

easter egg hunt

here are some pictures of my sweet little niece alaina hunting for eggs at my mom's last weekend. i love how my stepdad hid eggs in "woody's" beak!=)

be like the flower, turn your face to the sun.

writing does not come naturally to me, especially when i want to share personal thoughts and feelings. (i couldn't even think of a post title and had to borrow a quote from kahlil gibran.)

i've been wanting to tell you more about my grandmom, how much i love her, and how much she means to me. i want to be able to describe this bittersweet ache i have watching my grandmom slip away, but knowing she's going on to a more peaceful place. i want to share what i'm feeling about life and death, and love, but the words feel awkward and contrived. so instead i'll show you some beautiful blooms that have been brightening my days.

my mom bought me hydrangeas when i stayed with her and my granny last weekend. she's always loved hydrangeas, and i gave her a plant years ago for mother's day. now i'll have a matching one in my garden.=)

when i got out of my car today, i was greeted by my neighbor holding a basket full of pansies. she got them from one of her students and wanted me to have them since she doesn't do well with plants. i also just got a text from my friend missy saying that she's got extra pansies for me!=)

this is my third season with these pink gerbera daisies - they just keep blooming and blooming! now that i think about it, i bought them with missy shortly before her baby marlie was born.

and one more hydrangea shot, because they're just so pretty...

sending you lots of love and wishes for a happy passover, easter, and/or spring.=)

music monday, for grandmom

my grandmom told me on numerous occasions that she loved the song "you gotta be" (i think she knew it from oprah). i thought it was sweet that my granny (who usually sang old songs like mares eat oats) was into a modern day tune, so i bought her the cassette tape.

gosh, that was almost 20 years ago! where does the time go?! 

today my grandmother's health is failing. she is 83 years old and suffers from parkinson's disease and dementia. my mother is taking the very best care of our "gg". there are also compassionate nurses and a doctor going to the house. though it's a sad time, it's also a time full of love, one that makes me happy to be human.=)

"all i know, love will save the day."