My parents came out to Seattle this weekend for a quick visit. We took the opportunity to eat some great seafood and visit some sights out on the peninsula, including the Naval Undersea Museum and the Dungeness Spit.
A funny story about the middle picture below – the diver standing next to my dad was sitting on a bench when we first got to the museum. My mom, Joel and I all saw him move and realized it was a real person but my dad was already on his way over to him and had no idea there was a real person inside this costume. Dad sat down on his lap and then jumped up startled when the diver statue started moving under him. After that, we decided we had to get a picture of them together.
Thank you Mom and Dad for a great weekend!
FINALLY getting pictures from Peru last year sorted ;-).
These pictures are from Moray Peru. We hired a cab in Ollayantambo (for under $50 for the whole day – and that included a generous tip) to take us to some of the surrounding areas, including Salineras de Maras and Moray.
Moray was one of the coolest places we’ve ever seen. There were several large circles in the valley, each with several different terraces. Our cab drive told us (and some of this may have been lost in translation, so if really interested I’m sure you can find more online) that each of the different levels was used to grow different types of crops because the elevations provided different “sub-climates”.
Looking down on the circles, and at pictures before we even got there, I was expecting them to be a lot smaller, each new level maybe 4 feet higher than the rest – but I think these pictures really show how incredible this sight actually was…and to be completely honest, it was quite a hike climbing up those little stone steps in circle after circle.
Let’s just start out with this: I’m cheap. or thrifty. or frugal. Take your pick – i respond to all three.
That may be why it has been so hard for me to make a decision about cowboy boots - I’ve wanted cowboy boots for over a year and a half now, and fell in love with a pair about a year ago - but decided not to get them right away because they are expensive (in my book) and i figured my love for them would pass…and I had a job where I had to dress up everyday. So fast-forward a year…my love for these boots hasn’t passed. AND now I have a job where the dress code is casual (or i guess technically there ISN’T a dress code) so I can wear cowboy boots WHENEVER I WANT. SO now comes decision time. WHICH COLOR???
2.5 weeks until Argentina! Between now and then, we have 2.5 weeks of work, packing, and a weekend visit from my parents! Our trip will be here before we know it.
I keep saying I’m going to post pictures from past trips, but that never happens, so here are a couple from our visit to Lake Titicaca during our Peru trip last year.
This last one obviously isn’t out on the lake, but is in Puno, the Peruvian town that is a major gateway to the lake. Joel and I were out walking through town and there were hundreds of women that had gathered in the central plaza in town, all dressed in their green skirts, these hats, and their blankets full of stuff. They all lined up, stood around for a few minutes, and disbursed again within 20 minutes or so. We were expecting a parade or march or something, but nope, nothing else happened (and of course, if there was someone directing the whole situation, we a) didn’t see that and b) wouldn’t have been able to hear even if we had heard it).
My camera lives in my kitchen and documents most of my culinary creations, with the intention that I’ll immediately sit down and blog about them. Well, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not a very good blogger and most of those creations never make it to the blog. I’m bound to make that change :-).
Here is my most recent creation – stuffed mushrooms. And before we get any further – here is Joel’s reaction “it’s a lot of stuff on a very good mushroom.” (I do think he liked it though…)
Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms:
Dice the onion and mushroom stems and sauté in EVOO until cooked through. Mix in sage and pepper while cooking. In a separate pan, cook quinoa until tender. When onion/mushroom mix is completely cooked, add tomatoes, chopped artichoke hearts, and cooked quinoa. Cook until heated through. Spoon mixture over portabella caps. Cook uncovered at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over the mushrooms after 20 minutes, and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until mushrooms are tender.
ENJOY!
And because it’s never too late to showcase our Halloween pumpkins: (right? right.)
