feeling yellow

feeling yellow, as in “chamomile” tosh merino light by Madelinetosh. plans are to turn that lusciousness into a ruffled shawl with the assistance of four other MadTosh yarns.

feeling yellow, as in bananas. i purchased a dozen bananas at the market the other day and i knew that i would make banana muffins. (and i admit, i wanted to experiment with the recipe and new Wilton cupcake muffin tin i bought. just to let you know, i stand by their products.) some with chocolate morsels, some without.

feeling yellow, as in joyful. not particularly giddy, nor grief stricken. i enjoy being out in the early mornings when the sun is just rising. the warmth of my breath is so much intense when it is chilly and frosty outside. i’m learning to layer my clothes and wear warm socks and my soft kitty slippers. i’m finding much more enjoyment being home, cooking for my son and baking new creations. i’ve been reassessing my values, my priorities, my goals. i’m taking time off from some things that i no longer find joy in. and i’m learning that now i have the time to do all those things i said i would: learn a new language, continue experimenting with cupcakes for cookbook, learn to crochet, maybe knit that fair isle sweater i’ve been thinking about, cultivating a garden, traveling around los angeles (there is so much i haven’t seen). so yes, i feel yellow. joyful. happy that i can look forward to a future. to new people, to new places, to new things. and to continuing on feeling yellow.

chocolate chip banana muffins

(i doubled this recipe, yielded 31 quarter cup muffins)

3 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2/3 cup butter or margarine

4 eggs

1  1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 TBS milk

2 C mashed bananas (i used a half dozen ripe bananas)

chocolate chips (approximately 6 oz.)

mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. set aside. in mixer cream butter and sugar. add eggs, one at a time. add vanilla. add dry ingredients, while alternating with mashed banana. add milk and cinnamon. beat to a cake batter like consistency. drop 1/4 c. batter in muffin tins. add a small handful of chocolate chips to the top of the batter. bake at 400° for 15 minutes (18 if you like them slightly browner on top).

happy birthday to me

thirty three years old.

1. i was born on Thanksgiving day, 1980, at 5:31 in Chicago, Illinois

2. i have fifteen tattoos (including one cover up)

3. i love murder mysteries

4. one of the reasons i stay in California, not just for my children, is for the beaches

5. i’m addicted to “Big Bang Theory”

6. i currently owe the library $88 in fines

7. i was born club foot, pigeon toe. i was two days old when i had my first corrective surgery

8. i only became a coffee addict about three years ago

9. i was a Girl Scout, from Brownie to Junior

10. my first job was working on a farm, giving pony rides, taking care of animals, and getting free horseback riding lessons in return

11. my favorite book of all time is “To Kill a Mockingbird”

12. i always wanted to learn to speak German

13. i’m enamored by English history (especially the War of the Roses and Tudor periods)

14. i prefer wet, cold, rainy weather

15. i’ve seen “Clue” at least two hundred times (seriously, used to play it over and over and i know the script word for word)

16. sometimes when i miss my daughter i sleep with her Pooh bear blanket and green and blue musical dinosaur

17. my best friends have always been animals (Buster, my green eyed gray tabby; River, my first flame point Siamese; Dalton, a Siamese i rescued from work; Scarlett and Rogue, my pit bulls; and now, Shelby who is currently giving me lots of birthday hugs and kisses as i type)

18. i used to draw, pretty well too

19. i was a softball player for six years, tried soccer and hated all the running

20. i learned how to knit when my son was two because i wanted to learn how to make him a baby blanket that i saw from a book at Michael’s

21. i’m very much into photography though i haven’t been taking too many photos lately, i miss my old wind up, film, and being in the darkroom

22. i hate having a cell phone

23. Marilyn Monroe is my idol

24. i don’t have a racist bone in my body

25. my first car was a white 1986 firebird (oh how i loved that car)

26. i’ve only been in love two times in my life (not including my children, that’s a different type of love)

27. i’m an insomniac

28. Alfred Hitchcock is my favorite director

29. i love everything “Alice in Wonderland”

30. i’m not as much of a picky eater as i was when i was a child (i couldn’t even touch a tomato)

31. next year i hope to lose up to 57 pounds

32. i’m learning to change and how to grow as a person

33. i like creamy peanut butter