Gardening and Pistachio Raspberry Vinaigrette

The Witch, the Piano Man and the Little Princess did a bit of transplanting for Father’s Day.

And we ate… The menu included pasteles en hoja (ground-roots pockets), drunken chicken in peach wine sauce, shrimp with tomato and ricotta cream sauce, pescado sudado (Peruvian steamed fish fillet), greens and grapes with pistachio raspberry vinaigrette...

The Little Princess and I had a practice run a couple of weeks ago. She took charge of the mortar and pestle, and showed a bunch of pistachios who was boss. Those nuts didn’t have a chance.

Martha Stewart, hold on to your apron because the Little Princess’ salad dressing was delish.

Last Sunday, the Little Princess and I got up early because we wanted to surprise my Piano Man with a nice breakfast. She juiced five and a half oranges (look at those arms). Then I suggested she should challenge my Piano Man in the game of Find the Orange that Wasn’t Squeezed. She liked the idea, and said that if he found it he should be allowed to eat it. She gave him three chances and he didn’t find it, but it was Father’s Day, so she thought he should have the orange anyway ;-)

After breakfast, we did some Father’s Day crafting. My present to my Piano Man was an incredibly artistic *cough, cough* can with the words “Let’s grow something together – Messy Wild Ours.” We added our handprints to it (see first pic): mine on the left, my Piano Man’s in the middle, and the Little Princess’ on the right. It was wild messy fun. And no, I am not talking about my hair!

Daddy and Girly transplanted Gypsy Oak. The activity left the Little Princess bitten by the well-known gardening bug, so I assisted her in the transplanting of Ivydos. Hope she likes the new pot...

Here is my Piano Man making yum noises… for the camera (I was staring at his legs… and at my wine)

And even though we were celebrating him, my Piano gave us the gift of music. I was all dreamy giggles because he played my beloved “L’Adieu,” (I began to like this Chopin’s piece while watching The Others, in 2001. Then I learned a bit about its history, and fell in love with it. If you want to listen to the piece, but wish to skip the story, jump to 1:57). 

It was a great Father’s Day. I’ll tell you more about it, very soon… 

What have you been up to, my Wicked Luvs?

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A New York Witch’s Garden

My little brother and I had made plans to go to the Dominican Republic this coming September. We wanted to celebrate his daughter’s birthday, and I needed to do a bit of research for AlmaMia’s novel. I hadn’t thought about the trip in a while. Then, last Thursday night, I was going over old AlmaMia notes, when I found some scribbling that looked like a trip schedule.

The note, the trip that will never be, and the fact that my little brother is gone hit me like a bullet to the chest. I cried for a couple of hours. After my eyes and throat hurt, I tried to get some sleep. It didn’t work. So I ignored Sarah’s “Déjame Sola” sign and sailed soul bared into the Funk. I reread the comment I left on her post, followed my own advice, and let myself fly “High on Spring Blues.”

On Friday morning, at 5:30 or so, I gave up trying to fall asleep. I got out of bed, took a hot shower, had coffee and steel-cut-oats for breakfast, and talked to my plants. My green babies have a way to make everything better. Even their pictures put a smile on my soul’s face ;-)

Stubitta Jr. is full of giggles. She (yes, she’s a girl) is the first offspring of my dieffenbachia.

The proud mama, Stubitta, is about five years old… and planning to take over the apartment.

Madagascar Dragon Tree AKA my Alien Palm is a great listener. I nipped a cutting last February, and named the new green baby Pabelo’s Plant. I hope my little brother likes it ;-)

Ivyuna and Ivydos (original, I know) were foundlings. I was walking back from the library, and almost stepped on Ivyuna (left). Someone had just pulled her out of his flower garden. I brought her home, and she’s doing nicely sharing a pot with Stubitta. Ivydos I grew from seed. She’s a bit of an artist, as you can see.

I rarely buy plants, I get cuttings from friends (swipe them from gardens *cough, cough*), or grow them from seed. However, I fell in love with a wee aloe while my Piano Man and I were at Ikea. Yes, I said “wee,” but Señorita Sábila has grown twice her original size in a few weeks.

 I rescued this bamboo from my little brother’s black thumb about five years ago *smile*

You’ve met Gypsy Oak. The rain-clad lady to his right is Citronella II, grown from a cutting. 

Yep, my Wicked Luvs, that is the same plant. The red pepper in my Piano Man’s hand was harvested in January, and the ginormous monster I’m maneuvering remains attached to his mother plant. My Piano Man’s explanation? Everything grows bigger and happier when I’m home *grins*

The Little Princess and I got this spiny chayote at the grocery store—she wanted to “scare Daddy with the spikes.” We’ll plant it next week, methinks. We haven’t named her yet, but it sure looks like a Hedgehog to me. Must consult the Little Princess, what do you think?

I’m all better after my green therapy ;-) What’s your antidote against funky moods, my Luvs?

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My Walking Discipline Sucketh Very Mucho

Walking as an exercise form wasn’t made for this Witch. In fact, if you are the kind of person who likes to walk in the woods (or around interesting streets) and just get there, I advise you to never take me or the Little Princess as walking partners. We are animal watchers, rock pickers, stick gatherers… you name it, and we’ve probably stop to examine it (or then dragged it home with us).

That was one of the reasons why I was so worried when my (torturer) doctor said that I had to walk for cardio, and not run. New tests of my sexy body have revealed that I can run, just not too fast. And that’s okay with me, for this witchy spring chicken’s bones aren’t all that willing to pound the pavement these days.

So about my nonexistent walking discipline… Because I’ve always been a runner, I need to do a whole lot of walking for my body to feel like it’s getting exercised. I have to walk for about an hour and a half, at constant speed, to get any real results. If I walk on the side of the road or by a shopping center, I can do this easily—I don’t care for shops… Unless, we are talking about book shops, if that’s the case, then you lost me again.

Anyway, yesterday, I walked about 45 minutes, on the side of the road, and got bored out of my skull. So I took a detour. Let’s go check out the residential roads, I said to myself, maybe walk next to the tree line. Everything was well, until I saw cool stuff!

A root that looks like an interesting insect…

… a bunny! I mean, can you really blame me? Wouldn’t you stop for a cute fat bunny?

Oooh, a pod! I must come back in a couple of days to see it’s open…

Singing birdies! “You are so cute. You know you are, too, don’t you?” *whistles at the birds*

Fire hydrants in the wild *hehehe, yes, I’m easily amused, and distracted…*

The carcass of what urbanites know as a baseball, now returned to nature *cough, cough*

I battled this root, but she refuse to give up her pretty rock. “Fine, Señora Selfish, you win!”

“Look, babe,” I said to my Piano Man, the other day. “Mushrooms! Aren’t they perfect? I wish I had my camera.” I pouted until he reminded me that he had his phone (see? My lack of walking discipline is nurtured by loved ones… totally irresponsible, but sooo adorable).

But look at these pretties, my Luvs. So cute, growing wildly out of on an uprooted tree… ;-)

Nope, this Witch wasn’t meant for walking (as an exercise). And according to my body, the same applies to running fast these days. So, I’ve been mixing it up a bit: I do some Bachata dancing, I do a little running, I do my daily thirteen… and hope they keep my Mind, Body and Soul in shape ;-)

What are you doing to stay hot for your favorite jeans, and healthy enough to devour a quart of the yummiest of all ice creams without having to wonder if your heart is going to explode? 

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