Big Sky Days

performance day

Things are wrapping up, spring is here, summer is approaching, and that means performances. School and extra-curricular.  We had two today.  A pre-dress rehearsal ballet performance and a first grade singing performance.  Back to back.  And although these type of performances are a sign of the end of the school year, here's the first peek outside for the day.

You betcha.  As I have been telling anyone who will listen, I am focusing on the pretty way the snow clings to the bare branches or the cleanness of a fresh blanket of snow or the bright sunlight/blue sky after the 4 inch snowfall.  Because it really is pretty outside, especially when you forget that it is the middle of April.

Performance #1.  Pre-Dress Rehearsal.  Their final performance will be in June.  But this is some practice for these little ballerinas to perform in front of people.  Since for many it is their first time.  Leaps.  First position.  Curtsies.  Just darling stuff.

Performance #2. One Big Happy Family 1st grade performance.  A short show of what this music class has been doing for the last few months.  Lots of singing, some public speaking, bit of sign language, and a tender sentiment about family togetherness.  A lunchtime treat.

He is moving and grooving. 

Finally, the sun still shines.  That makes the icicles drip and the snow magically melt away.  I think we've had three good performances for the day.

 

Thursday

Outside: Bitter. Cold. Gray. Gloom-city.

Inside: Warm. Music. Split Pea Soup. Blue ball. 

Don't you think split pea soup just screams winter?  I had been planning to make this soup for a few days.  I found a recipe and shopped for the ingredients at the store.  Woke up today and found that it could not be more perfect outside, for a bowl of split pea soup inside.  So I pulled out the recipe and the ingredients, and realized that I didn't have everything.  This is happens to me.  Kind of a lot.  It is usually just one thing (sometimes many) that I omit or exchange but my question is...how?  And why?  How do I go to the store planning to make a recipe and still not get all the ingredients?  And why do I do it over and over again?  (Just thought I would identify this epidemic but I have really nothing more on this one.) Ah, nonetheless, I just omitted what I didn't have and went forward with the soup.  I was not going to the store in this weather.  And I love to make soup.

I liked the recipe I found because you just put everything in the pot and then simmer for a couple hours.  Then you take out your herb bundle and ham hock (yes mom, I did use a local, organic ham hock) and then with an immersion blender you blend away till smooth or smooth/chunky whatever you like.  I love using the immersion blender because 1) I have one. 2) It is so much nicer then putting your hot soup in a blender then putting it back into the pot.  Mess, oh mess!  And 3) Mine is so sleek and high tech looking, that makes this process extra-gadgety and fun. 

My Split Pea Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb (2 1/4 cups) green split peas
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 herb bouquet*
• 1 well-rinsed ham hocks
• Salt and Pepper
• Optional garnish - small toasted croutons, chopped parsley or chives

*Herb Bouquet:  a few springs of thyme, a few sprigs parsley tied together.

**To make toasted croutons, take 2 or 3 slices of day-old French or Italian loaf bread, cut into cubes. Let dry out a bit (can put in 200 degree oven for 10 minutes to help dry). Melt a tablespoon or two of butter on medium high heat in a large skillet. When hot, add the bread cubes, spread out in a single layer. Let toast on one side and then turn to other sides. Add more butter if necessary. Alternatively you can toss the cubed bread with olive oil and let toast in a 350°F oven until lightly browned.

METHOD

1 Pick over the peas and remove any stones. Wash and drain peas. Place in a 4 quart pan with the vegetables, herb bouquet, ham hocks and 2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a simmer. Skim the scum off the top of the soup for several minutes, until the scum ceases to rise. Cover loosely and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, or until peas are tender, stirring occasionally in case they stick to the bottom of the pan.

2 Remove the ham hocks and herb bouquet from the soup. Purée the soup with a blender. An immersion blender works great for this; if you are using a regular blender, take care to workin batches and only fill the blender halfway if the soup is still hot, and hold down the lid while blending. If you want an exceptionally smooth soup, pass the purée through a sieve.

3 Return the purée to the pot and heat to serve. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with croutons and parsley or chives.

If you want, don't discard the ham hocks, but cut away the outer skin and remove the meat from the bones. Dice the meat and serve with the soup.

Makes 2 quarts. Serves 6.

While I was souping it up in the kitchen.  Lila was dancing it up in the living room.  She was listening to Laurie Berkner.  Laurie is great and the dancing that goes on when she is playing on our stereo is to die for.  

 

Somewhere along the way a mysterious blue ball was found and became an important object for the dancing.  And required an impromptu photo session. 

"Take a picture of it on my head. Then let me see."

(eek. don't look too closely at the dirty kitchen rug.)

"Take of a picture of me sitting on it. Then let me see."

"Take a picture of me holding it like a doll."  

"Let me see that one, too"

We have come far.  This little girl and I.   A few months back if we had a Thursday where the only plan for the day was to make soup, we would have been at each other's throats.  (And sometimes we still are...) But we have slowly worked it out.  And now we are at a time that I would just love to hit "pause."  But it's good that we evolve and keep growing.  And it is the only way.

 

 

We made it happen!

Last night was the night....Martin Sexton live at the Emerson Cultural Center!  He. Was. Amazing.  What a pleasure to sit and enjoy a favorite performer while he so clearly was enjoying himself!  This is the 4th time we have seen him and the last time he was a bit off.  But - let's forget all about that - because he was awesome yesterday.  

Prior to the concert, a delicious meal at Plonk was enjoyed sans children...lamb with mushroom bread pudding and a romesco sauce.  Steak with mashed sweet potatoes and a spicy adobo sauce.  Mmm.  With the ploughman's platter and a yummy spinach salad before the huge entree.  Perfect.  Stuffed.  Back to the concert.

As you can see we didn't have the bestest seats and it wasn't a dance party, except for a few hippies dancing by the stage, but it was full of energy.  I love his vocal range, his beating his guitar for a drum sound, and all of the lyrics.  Those lyrics!  The words of his songs are poetry and he made a special effort last night to explain a few of them which is always inter-est-ing.  I also love the feeling of community that is shared in a auditorium packed with people all there for the same something.  It can be an overwhelming feeling.  When Martin covered "I get by with a little help from my friends" and I found myself crying, I realized how my emotions have been right on the surface lately.  But this was a great outlet.

Oh yeah.  And it was really nice to share this whole thing with my sweet, lovable husband.

There he is! Diggin' me, diggin' you, diggin' me.

Ring the bells

RIP in Elizabeth Edwards.  She was said to have liked this quote from a Leonard Cohen song:

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in

 

Christmas Music

 

I just love Martin Sexton.  My husband and I started listening to him sometime in the year 2000.  We first saw him live at the Somerville Theater, shortly after we were married... that same year.   It was a great night.  A cold, wintry night in Boston, just before Christmas.  The performance was incredible - a small venue, full of his fans, and everyone just sang, clapped, and danced along with him.  Magic.  We have seen him several times since (and he is always great) but that first time was the most memorable.  As part of that Boston performance, he sang a Christmas tune...I can't remember which one but I think his Blue Christmas rendition is awful nice.   He did come out with a Christmas album a few years back - which we play and play and play all through December.  

So this afternoon, I am listening to Martin croon Christmas carols and making lentil soup.

just in time

Just in time for our Thanksgiving celebrations:

 

While thinking of the cooking and the baking and the cleaning and the making...I thought about the music.  Something new to hear and I love Mason Jennings.  He probably can relate to our cold snap since he's from Minnesota.  Because bbbrrrrrrr...

Maybe people can just watch this if they can't think of anything to say to one another at thanksgiving dinner.  Or they don't like the food.  Maybe I should download more music, just to be safe.

And thanks for the beautiful flowers, Mom.   Just checking to see if you read my blog.  

What an amazing surprise!  Okay...I will call you and say thanks, too!

 

 

Little bird fly through my window

We are big listeners of children's music.  My kids really do seem to prefer it over any other kind of music but, truth be told, I enjoy a lot of it too.  Something about the simple tunes and sweet lyrics that just can relax me.  Or maybe it is that when the music is on my kids are happy and dancing and quietly listening.  Over the years, there has been some children's music that has been really difficult for me to stomach despite my kids love of it (i.e. the Wiggles) and there has been some children's music that I liked that my kids never seemed to get (i.e. Jack Johnson's Curious George.)   And there was one artist that my son would tolerate but never loved, Elizabeth Mitchell.  Luckily, I have a daughter that seems to appreciate her gentle, lovely voice as much as I do.  This is just at the time that my husband (who has never been and big fan of the kid's music) is starting to introduce my son to more rock n' roll.  So they can play "pinball wizard" and my daughter and I will listen to this:

 

And here is my little bird.