Ash

9:40 AM??

2008-05-14T13:07:02Z

That's the time I woke up this morning! I despise sleeping in, most of my morning's gone! To be fair I got in late last night (early this morning?) because I saw Queens of the Stone Age last night which totally did not help my cold, ha ha, I think my voice is gone.

Anyway I haven't been able to take Benji for a walk lately so I'm thinking of taking him for a hike later on today as it's sunny out (that doesn't mean it's warm of course, it was freezing last night, stupid windy coastal living).

New Neighbours!

2008-05-13T11:41:07Z

Despite living in Canada for my entire life, I have never seen a Canada Goose except for on television [and while they are in flight, but that doesn't count because I can't really distinguish them, I just know it's them because of the giant v]. Guess who has moved in to the pond near my house?

A pair of Canada Geese!

I ran down to the pond to grab some photos as it was nearing sunset [with clouds moving in] so they're not the greatest, I plan to revisit them again on a clear and sunny day. I hope they decide to stay and start a family, look how cute!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Canada_goose_gosling_-_natures_pics.jpg

I love the area where I live, this pond is full of animals-a beaver who has built a freakin' HUGE damn across one of the brooks, a Great Blue Heron, Ospreys, Deer...

Roar? Yawn?

2008-05-07T14:33:09Z

I have been determined to snap a good photo of Benji for awhile now. Today I set out to do that yet again as it is a gorgeous day outside. Our yard isn't very green yet [the only sign of spring are three daffodils] plus with Benji's tendency to move, the only backdrop avaliable is that creepy-looking fountain [the children are so soul-less looking, look at the eyes!] that sits on our well so Benji has no choice but to stay there [ha!]. He still managed to foil my plan though, the above is the only picture that turned out and his enthusiasm for my project could be greater...

Oh well. It's a wonderfully warm and sunny day [and I actually have the day off work] and I'm going to be spending it outside on the deck with a book. And a bored [angry?] shih tzu.

urgh my wallet...

2008-05-06T19:40:21Z

Blame wardrobe_remix [my latest addiction]. Lately I've been having a problem with buying clothes. The problem? I can't stop!

Pleated Cotton Mini

Pleated Skirt

Padded Case

Scalloped Metal Earrings

Infinity Coil Earrings

All from forever 21. As much as I love the ease and comfort of online shopping, I'd really like to start thrift-shopping for clothing, especially when I think of the environmental consequences of shipping and the ethics of the making of the clothes themselves. I've tried scouring the the thrift stores here quite a few times but I never seem to be able to find anything. It's fun though, maybe it just takes practice. :-)

To do!

2008-04-30T14:14:56Z

Sometime this week:

-get those new work pants hemmed (why oh why must I have such short legs? it would be so awesome just to buy a pair and not have them altered).
-drop coat off to be drycleaned
~~-find a top to go with that blue shrug I bought last week.~~
-make an appointment to get my hair cut (this is something I've been meaning to do for a couple months now, ha)
-~~Benji: vet appointment on friday (hopefully it's the last one for a while!)~~
-~~buy walnuts~~ (my usual grocery store does not carry them. so odd) and bake cookies for work saturday
-~~pick up books on hold at library/drop off books~~
~~-chase the rain clouds away~~
-buy seed-starting soil and start my herb garden!

screw you, halifax!

2008-04-30T11:53:10Z

This week I was off work yesterday and off until Saturday and Sunday. Yesterday it rained as well.

ashmacaroon @ 2008-04-18T21:04:00

2008-04-19T00:35:48Z

Your three favorite spices, oils, or food flavorings:
1. Cloves
2. Garlic
3. Tamari

Your three favorite dishes, baked goods, etc. that you make:
1. Big Gigantoid Crunchy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies from Vegan with a Vengeance
2. Cumin Lime Tofu from Eat, Drink & be Vegan.
3. Chickpea Quinoa Pilaf from Veganomicon.

Your three favorite foods you buy at the store: (as in, already made, not whole foods)
1. Larabars-particularly Pecan Pie and Cashew Cookie
...damn, this is hard!
2. Amy's Burritos are good in a pinch.
3. ...and...oh of course! Ezekiel Sprouted English Muffins!

Your three favorite meals to order in a restaurant:
1. Roasted-Tofu Tahini Wrap from Dio Mio Gelato International Cafe
2. Cajun Tofu w/ Brown Rice and Kale-Heartwood Bakery
3. Ray's Falafal!

[all in Halifax, NS]

Your Three Favorite Vegetables:
1. Broccoli
2. Sweet Potatoes
3. Kale

[all nutritional powerhouses-POW]

Three Favorite Fruits
1. Honeycrisp Apples!
2. Bananas (has to be organic though, I find the texture of a non-organic banana to be off)
3. Local Strawberries-especially from roadside fruit stands!

Three Places You Most Often Buy Food:
1. Superstore
2. Pete's Frootique
3. Halifax Farmer's Market

Top Three Things You Consider When Buying Food:
1. Quality
2. Where it comes from
3. Price

Three Things You'd Want me to Make For Dinner, if you came to my house??
1. That Pumpkin Baked Ziti! I have never had it but I would really like to.
2. Cookies. I'm not fussy, any kind of cookies baked for me will surely win you my never-ending friendship.
3. That Cajun Tofu I talked about earlier...damn that stuff was good. If you made me that, I'd probably propose.

Today was a good day

2008-04-17T22:30:12Z

I had the day off today and it was a gorgeously sunny day. I wasn't really looking forward to it honestly though, since I've been out of school, I feel...empty? without the usual load of readings and papers and whatnot which I took comfort in. I need structure! I need due dates! Usually when I have the day off, I'd take Benji for a nice long walk but since he's been sidelined with his eye ulcer issues, this wasn't going to happen.

So...what do I do on a day like today?

Spring clean!

This is going to sound weird but it was FUN. I blasted the music and totally kicked this house's ass. And it just feels so good to have a house sparkling like this, and I feel motivated! To do stuff! Like make a list! (See I told you I needed structure) I've decided to make a list of stuff I want to do this summer. It is currently a work in progress...I think I have like 6 things on it so it needs some more time. But I'll post it here when I'm done, I'm even thinking of using my lj as a means to document it and reflect back on it at the end of the summer.

I got a new lens! I'm so excited, I'm in love with it already.

Edit: Urgh, I can't figure out this cut thing. I fail. Oh wait! I did. yay!