lazing about

Weekend Reading

2011-10-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finished two books that I highly recommend.

The first was a nonfiction story of Hmong culture in Merced, California colliding with the culture of western medicine. The story centers around a little girl with epilepsy and how cultural difference between east and west influence her life story. "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" by Anne Faridan.

The second, now a movie that I want to see with Emma Stone starring, is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. Started it Saturday, did not stop reading until I was done with it on Sunday. Wonderful read.

House currently smells like vegetable stock which is cooking on the stove, and blueberry muffins which I baked this morning. My back is killing me, not because I have been working too hard, but because I have been reading in bed for nearly 24 hours straight. I feel like my muscles atrophied over that course of time.

Fall is definitely my favorite time of year because I start to settle in to my house to be cozy and warm. And its football season. Who knew I would be the one excited about football season. Wow how we change and grow throughout our lives!

2010-01-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

Dan and I went to Yachats in November to visit our family for the Thanksgiving holiday. Usually the Oregon coast is dismal in the winter, but this particular trip it was unbelievably gorgeous. We lucked out big time.
That feeling hit me again today when I realized that I have been going a mile a minute since Monday. I thrive on stress. If I have 12 gazillion things to do and 3 days to do it, I will get it done. If I have two things to do (i.e., dishes and laundry) and a whole entire day to do them, I guarantee you that I will definitely be adding them to the list of things to do "first thing" the next day.
Some day I will learn to even out these two dichotomies and find a balance like other 30 year olds have already mastered. Instead of dishes and laundry, today I embroidered a Yoshitomo Nara painting in a blackwork embroidery style on muslin. I'll post a picture once I have it framed. G'Nite all

First Craft Project!!

2010-01-04T13:08:00.000-08:00

Dan, Spoon, and Blanket
Originally uploaded by sierra.hovdey

This is my first completed crafty project of 2010. I think I may have started it sometime in 2008. It felt really good to finish something crafty. Hopefully this is just the beginning of an unending streak of creative productivity. Time will tell. This photo was taken while Dan and I powered through the entire season of The Sons of Anarchy Season 1. I recommend it, it's good stuff, very Sopranos-ish except with Bikers. Yay.

Bowling Night

2009-12-29T18:53:00.000-08:00

Bowling
Originally uploaded by sierra.hovdey

Bowling at Emerald Lanes with friends. I bowled an 87!! Believe it or not, that is actually good for me. My bowling name was Slow Pin. Fitting....

Christmas Day

2009-12-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day
Originally uploaded by sierra.hovdey

Well, it was a doozy, we had family visits all day long, and friends in the evening. I have to admit, I am glad the holidays are nearly through, though it is always an adjustment once the traffic dies down again....

I--Da--Ho

2009-09-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

Yep, we went to Idaho. To Nampa, just outside of Boise to be exact. We watched the Duck/Broncos game there. With a bunch of Idaho fans. Brutal. But we're related to them, so we're still friends. Here's a shot from before the game:

After the game:

After Nampa, we ventured a bit further up north to McCall, which is definitely in the top 5 of most beautiful small towns in the Northwest. Also in that list would be Lorane and Sisters in Oregon, Whitefish in Montana (Dan's suggestion), and La Connor in Washington.

Em Cat Burrito

2009-09-09T15:57:00.000-07:00

Bandon Dunes

2009-09-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

The weekend after the big 3-0 camping excursion, Dan's Aunt and Uncle (Patty and Dean) offered to take us on a weekend getaway to Bandon Dunes as a belated wedding gift . It was a beautiful resort, and though the trip was only a day and one night, Dan and I both agreed that we felt as though we had been in a dream land for a week!Dan putting on the 18th hole at Bandon Dunes. He and Dean played Bandon Dunes on Sunday, and Pacific Dunes on Saturday. The weather (as you can see) could not have been more perfect for a weekend of golf!

Urban Craft Uprising

2009-08-31T16:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, this post is really late, but since I have posted maybe twice this whole summer, maybe I will be forgiven. Definitely the most inspiring thing I did this summer was drive up to Seattle for Urban Craft Uprising. I signed up to volunteer with the project, and ended up embroidering with Becky at Jenny Hart's booth for most of the day.
As ecstatic as I was to be there, I was also a wee smidge hung over because Becky and I had been up the night before. It was amazing to meet another person in the world (aside from my beloved Becky) who loves embroidering as much as I do....

Ode to The Avett Brothers

2009-08-31T01:38:00.000-07:00

The Avett Brothers. Not much more to say except I enjoy them and listen to them so much it seemed only appropriate that I should embroider while I do. I hope to give it to them when we see them at ACL. I'm thinking bribery may be our only hope in a venue that size. That, or an after hours show. Crossing my fingers from now until October. I am such a groopie. :)

Turning 30 in the Woods

2009-08-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

Allison organized the best 30th camping trip celebration ever. We all went up to Brice Creek and spent 3 days indulging ourselves. It was heavenly. Especially good to see good friends that I haven't seen enough in recent years, but love with all my heart!

Dan builds a fence

2009-06-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

After he took the fence apart this is what was left: framing:
constructing panels:
staining:
finished:
Wow. I'm impressed :)

Building a new raised bed

2009-05-31T21:50:00.000-07:00

Dan's friend Jeb helped him with the construction of the bed.
Dan oiling the boards with linseed oil to stain them naturally.
Throwing the boxes together.
Healthy debates.
Positioning.
Anchoring it down.
Bring in the dirt. This was fun, we went to Lane Forest Products, and brought our one shovel to transport dirt to the truck, not knowing that they just dump it neatly into the back of the truck bed. It took 3 minutes. It was amazing.
And apply the finishing step.
Done. Sweet. Now there are only 3 more other beds to remove. The work continues.

Full Stop.

2009-05-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

Lately everything is spinning around 3 feet above my head: school, house, love, work, family, friends, it all swirls just above my skull, just out of reach. With one week to go, its to soon to have done the full stop that I am in smack dab in the middle of. But I keep telling myself it will be fine, and that I need a break to touch my plants. I do, right? Well, whether or not I deserve a break, I took one, so here's picks:
Two weekends ago we bought a couple of half wine barrels so I could try out gardening on a somewhat contained space, before I try and attack the backyard:
I planted red leaf lettuce, arugula, rainbow Swiss chard, dill, rosemary, and basil in these little half barrels (the white buckets are tomato plants, and the center plant is a cucumber):
Needless to say, I planted rather a lot for those small barrels, and now they are packed to the edges with salad fixins:
So, Dan decided we needed to tear out the old flower beds and make me a garden box so my plants would have room to grow:
Now, he and his friend are out shopping for material to build the new box, I'll post pics of it once its done. Have a great weekend!

2009-05-23T16:12:00.000-07:00

Whoa, talk about a hiatus! I guess that's what Nursing school does to a person. Oh well, its summer now (almost) and I am starting to feel the tugging of life outside of school again. It's about time... :)

Movie Recommendation

2009-01-22T21:29:00.000-08:00

Dan and I just watched "When Did You Last See Your Father." I know, long title. It was a fantastic movie. It was the type of movie that sucks you in to the lives of the characters, and simultaneously makes you think about your own family experiences. We ended up discussing our families for a good 45 minutes after the movie ended. Rarely do we get to purge emotions quite like we did tonight, and what a good feeling it is! Anyhow, strongly recommend the movie, its a good one.

Happy New Pres-ie Day!

2009-01-20T20:56:00.000-08:00

This morning I arrived at work and almost immediately took a break to watch the inauguration with other Staffers. It was the first time in a a decade that I felt like I was witnessing a moment that will forever be etched in my mind as one of inspiration, hope, and renewal. The golden pedastel that the New Pres is stuck on right now will surely get chipped away throughout his term, but I feel like everything that makes each of us a dynamic and connected human race is present now in the White House, where previously it was not. I feel a connection to his goals as though they were my own, I feel represented, like my voice has been heard. I am grateful to America, for the collective choice made. I am eager to see what the future holds.
(Dramatic? Me? Never, but....I can't help it today)... :)

Starting the week with Horror

2009-01-19T11:01:00.000-08:00

This wonderful Martin Luther King, Jr. day I decided to start off my morning with watching not one, but two horror movies. The first was pretty good, "Backwoods" with Gary Oldman, and the second was pretty bad, "American Psycho 2" with Jackie from "That 70's Show." (I can never remember her real name, she will always be Jackie to me.) Starting the week with Horror is such a luxury.
I also started the week with a sore throat, which is not a luxury, but is currently being tolerated rather well by yours truly. (Usually I moan, whine, and cry my way through any hint of a minor illness.)

Instead of studying....

2009-01-17T17:09:00.000-08:00

Dan and I are catching up on last season's episodes of Flight of the Conchords. I can't imagine what it would be like if I actually used my time productively and effectively.

New Shoes

2009-01-14T19:00:00.000-08:00

Right before Christmas, Dan rediscovered Kangaroos.
Kangaroos are sneakers that have tiny pockets designed to hold keys or crack rocks depending on what mood you're in. Very versatile.
Dan decided to buy a pair of these for his brother and 2 different designs for himself for (here and here). My husband is a shoe junkie.
Needless to say, the Holidays are always expensive for us due to all the online shopping for others.
Added Bonus: Yesterday I came home and there was a box for me with these inside.
I live in Heaven.

What to do, what to do....

2009-01-11T22:55:00.000-08:00

I feel like my thoughts are constipated. For 2 days now, I just can't seem to muster a well articulated, linear train of thought that is worth posting. I wonder if anyone has invented a laxative for the mind, or perhaps it could be my claim to fame? If only I could master the chemistry behind creating a product like that. That would be sweet.

Eat your heart out!

2009-01-08T08:05:00.000-08:00

Frank's Red Hot cayanne pepper sauce and melted butter tossed over baked chicken wings is the greatest way to indulge! We followed the recipe suggestion on the bottle, and it was amazing.
Melted butter, hot sauce, wings. Simple. Next time, I need more crunch though - perhaps breading or frying. I was so inspired by Frank's Red Hot, that I decided to do a series of drawings of Hot Sauce bottles. Drawing #1: Drawing #2 will be of my beloved Sriracha, or Bird Sauce as a friend calls it. I'll post it soon. I know you are on the edge of your seat. Patience.

show and tell

2009-01-07T07:53:00.000-08:00

K'Naan
Tuesday morning I was driving to work listening to NPR when I heard hip hop. I love it when NPR profiles music that I haven't heard, wouldn't normally be drawn to, and is totally great. And he's a smarty pants! I love hip hop with a brain.

AC Newman
Someone burned me this dude's album about 4 years ago, and it took me until this summer (while watching this) to search out that CD and give it a listen. So glad I did.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
I am not quite sure where to start with this. A couple of months ago Dan and I caught the end of the 4th Season as it aired. I'm not sure when things shifted for us, but we found ourselves turned into degenerates who spew lines from the show and giggle maniacally. For hours. I think that this may be the best 30 minute show ever brought to television. Warning: Not P-G. This show is a complete assault against anything politically correct. If you don't like it, don't hold it against me. I am a good person. Even though I laugh at dumpster babies, glue-huffing, illiteracy, and human exploitation in general.

dinosaur

2009-01-05T06:21:00.000-08:00

In addition to his Massive Bone, Tucker also got a small squeaky chameleon for Christmas.
I used to have a small Jackson chameleon named Bubba, so it broke my heart a little to see him play with this toy, but he loved it sooo much. It was his first experience with a squeaky type toy, and initially he was unsure if it was alive or a toy. And so he was gentle. It would squeak when he touched it, and we would watch as he recoiled in horror as though thinking "Omigod, I hurt it!" Then he would very tentatively approach it again, nudge it, and recoil when it squeaked at him. He is a pitbull, however, and so shortly after the initial introduction, he tore the thing apart. Like a good pitbull does.Now, sadly, all that is left of the little sweet chameleon toy is a single pair of feet we confiscated once we realized he was swallowing rubber that will surely lodge in his intestines and cost us $1k we don't have.
Thanks Grandma.

Mind games

2009-01-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

Our dog sits on the picnic table outside the back door. He sits there and faces the house and stares in the window, like "Pleeeeeease let me inside." For what feels like hours. We usually wait until the other person really can't stand the look of tortured neglect, and then one of us jumps up and says, "I'll get him," as though we are doing the other person a favor. Once the better spouse goes to let the shivering dog in, he bolts. He often looks back at the house like, "You are not getting me back in that hell-hole, no matter what." The scene usually ends with the now defeated better spouse cursing the dog, and threatening a return to the pound. Within seconds, Tucker is back outside the window staring at us. You can practically hear him thinking "I wonder how long it will take them to get up this time." He is a manipulator and a liar.

What will I do different this year?

2009-01-01T12:16:00.000-08:00

Realistically, the answer is probably, "Nothing."

But if I had to come up with 3 New Years Resolutions, I would go with my standard 3 that I do every year:

1. Exercise a minimum of once a month (that's each month).
2. Eat a vegetable and a fruit every week.
3. Watch more TV.

This last one is my freebie (so I don't feel like a complete failure at the end of the year- I can say I accomplished at least one of my 3 Resolutions).

It's a tough list, but I feel like this is going to be the year.

2009-01-01T00:30:00.001-08:00

Welcome Shelby!!

2008-12-28T22:47:00.000-08:00

Dan's cousin had a little girl today named Shelby!!

Orange Scarf Post

2008-12-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

There is a great little yarn store in Eugene called Soft Horizons. It is full of the most magnificent yarns anyone could hope for.
I finished this scarf that I had been working on for a surprisingly long time. The whole scarf is done in seed stitch, which is my most favorite knitting pattern to date. Its edged with Debbie Bliss alpaca silk. Unfortunately, that beautiful orange color that I used for the majority of the scarf was two skeins of organic cotton that I don't have info on.

Tucker's Present from Grandma

2008-12-25T14:36:00.000-08:00

Tucker got a big raw hide bone for Christmas from Grandma. I made him eat it on one specific dog pillow in the living room.
When he thought I wasn't looking, he would try and sneak off with it. His mission for the evening was to get that bone into a private area where he could be alone with it. We watched The Dark Knight, and by the end of the movie only half of the bone remained. I am still not entirely sure if he actually ate the entire half, or if he was able to find a spot in the house to hide it for later. Only Tucker knows the truth, and he's not talking.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are, on a beautiful Christmas Morning, and as you can see, Gabe made it safely into town. Gabe and Dan went to take his rental car back to the Airport. Tucker and I are sitting in front of the Electric Fire, and sipping coffee waiting for the boys to get back.

When the boys get home, we are headed over to Dad's house for the Annual Christmas-Present-Opening-Fiasco. Last year there were almost more dogs than people, and more wrapping paper than house by the end. Its always a fun paper tearing, present comparing event. This will be Gabe's first experience, and I am looking forward to the look on his face (usually a combination of fear, disgust, intrigue, and hysterical elation).

Sources of Inspiration

2008-12-24T20:06:00.000-08:00

I am awed and amazed by this.

Wednesday's Wicked Winter Wonderland

2008-12-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Over the past few days D and I have been agonizing over whether his brother will be able to fly into Portland as he had planned for his much anticipated holiday visit. Under normal December weather conditions, picking up a passenger at PDX is hardly an issue at all, but this year things are a little different. Portland as gotten more snow than anyone Many weekend planes were grounded and hundreds of people have been stranded. Another snow dumping is expected this morning, so at this point only time will tell as to whether or not he will be able to get here. We are keeping our fingers crossed, and hoping for clear and safe flying/driving conditions!
(There are amazing pictures of the city posted here.)

Taking Lazing About to a Whole New Level

2008-12-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

As you can see, T is extremely good at chillin'. This is taken at the time of night when he finds a spot and curls up into a tiny little doughnut and becomes the Sweetest Pooch on Earth. Most nights.

Cecil Jones Thinks Out Loud

2008-12-22T20:57:00.000-08:00

I have had a number of nicknames in my lifetime. When I was a kid all my friends called me CC or Seaweed (often the d is lost, making it more of a Sea-weeeee).
About 3 years ago I met Jill, who gradually turned CC into Seese and finally into the very dignified, if not downright masculine, Cecil Jones.
Normally I don't think much about my various nicknames, but tonight I started entertaining the idea of new blog titles. Ideas that came to my mind were Seaweed Stinks and Cecil Jones Thinks Out Loud. I'm leaning toward the latter.

Recent Music Shows

2008-12-21T19:40:00.000-08:00

What Made Milwaukee Famous Lead Singer and I outside of Emo's in Austin September 2008.

Bob Schneider at Antone's in Austin, September 2008.

Cookie inspiration

2008-12-18T21:11:00.000-08:00

Inspired by this post by Ms. Paulson of Posie Gets Cozy, I decided that Raspberry Thumbprints were a necessary Wednesday baking project. I found this recipe from Cooks.com, and went to work:

THUMB PRINT COOKIE
1/2 c. soft butter 1/4 c. brown sugar 1 egg yolk 1 c. sifted flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. vanilla

First I took room temperature butter and creamed it in my wonderful Tangerine KitchenAid with the brown sugar until fluffy, then I added the egg yolk and vanilla. Flour and salt were sifted together and added at the end. The fun part is rolling teaspoon sized balls of dough in sugar and then plunging chocolate bar pieces in the centers. I baked these at 350 degrees for about 10-11 minutes. Its the simplest recipe, but here's how things came out:
Deee-lish!

Not So Secret Santa Strikes

2008-12-17T19:38:00.001-08:00

Every year Christmas comes around and I am the scrooge at my office. I decided that this year I would make up for my past scroogery, so I borrowed an idea from The Office (see below), and exercised my own black belt in gift wrapping. Not as good as Jim's, but I heard the reaction was comedy. And I can just imagine him trying to explain the situation to clients throughout the afternoon...

Inspiration for Next Year's Decorating Ideas

2008-12-16T19:33:00.001-08:00

this year's tree
Originally uploaded by ATLITW

2008-12-16T18:21:00.000-08:00

Dan and I woke up this morning to Day 2 of Winter Snow Fest 2008. Luckily, he had cancelled all the jobs for today, meaning he could sleep in a bit instead of grump-0-saurus-ing all over the house before 7 am like usual when it snows here. Instead, we slept in until 9:30, drank not one but two pots of coffee, and then bundled up for a walk around our neighborhood with the pooch. It was freezing. We lasted all of about 20 minutes before we headed back with red and runny noses and cold ears.
Tucker can't seem to get enough of the white powder, and Dan and I feel that it may be appropriate in the future to look more seriously into a dog rehab situation if he truly is not able to kick the stuff on his own.I know, he looks innocent enough here, but we are honestly concerned. Last night he stayed outside (despite our repeated attempts to bring him in) until he had ice packed into his feet and shivered uncontrollably. If he isn't able to prioritize his own health above the powder, we're definitely going to have to intervene. Hopefully Mother Nature will help a bit in this endeavor. Only time will tell.
I made us a hearty breakfast of Scotch Eggs, which are hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage and baked. We had them for the first time while visiting Becky and Tom a couple of years ago. Truly a hardcore protein breakfast, perfect for a day in the snow. After our breakfast, we puttered around the house warming up and continuing to drink coffee, until we found ourselves so wired that we had to leave. I headed to Mom's for a good day of daytime television, and Dan headed to work to tie up loose ends before the Holidays. We drove into town together and marvelled at all the people we saw braving the icy roads to make that oh-so-neccessary trip to Pier 1, or TJ Maxx. Why don't people just stay home? Of course we couldn't help but realize the irony of making fun of them while driving around ourselves. At least we're aware...

Because sometimes a girl just needs a new blog

2008-12-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

That's right, this is my 3rd attempt at maintaining a blog. I entered into the blogging world with Thread and Scissors, a wee blog I loved. After that, I started Satiated Designs, a craft blog aimed at promoting my own crafty creations. A year later, I decided that blogging was always primarily about my own inspiration. This new blog is going to be primarily focused on creating a space that honors my creativity, my family, and the ideas that feed me. So who am I? I am a 29 year old nursing student and I live in Oregon with my husband, one dog, and one cat. My favorite things are my husband giggling, my dog barking in his sleep, the cat ignoring me while sitting on my husband with a look like "things were better when it was just me and you, why did you let this woman and this dog move in?", embroidering everything, sewing, knitting scarves, daydreaming about life and crafting, writing, reading magazines and easy reading books (i don't like anything too complex), cruising the internet for an embarrassing number of hours at a time, watching daytime television whenever possible (because what else really reminds you that you are not at work when the rest of the world is?), and napping. I love good food, I hate grating cheese, and I am so ADHD that I tend to interrupt on the first word out of another person's mouth, but I'm working on it. Enjoy!