Cherry Blossoms and Homework Treats

Bloomin' Cherries!

The cherry trees have started to bloom! The beautiful cotton-candy-pink blossoms are a lovely sight after the somewhat grey last few months. Paired with the daffodils and crocus opening their petals the DC area is revealing its splendid color.

Delicious Homework Interlude

Swamped with school work, Saturday night I did the only logical thing.

I cooked a delicious meal. 

Asparagus with Egg

lemon infused olive oil

2 cloves grated garlic

dash of salt
shaved Dubliner cheese
bake on 400 for 30 minutes

I paired the asparagus with English Breakfast Tea (necessary late evening caffeine) and...

Crispy Chicken-
Two drumsticks with skin
Tab of butter inserted under skin
Salt- do not skimp on the salt! It makes a crispy skin!
Bake 400F for approximately 45 minutes.

Love & Light... and cherry blossoms :)
JSchloHard

Ten years ago

Ten years ago today I walked out of my job. I was 20 years old, had little baby dreadlocks, and was living in Fairbanks AK.

Before that day some friends and I started a group at the University- the Campus Coalition for Civil Liberties. We organized a march in downtown Fairbanks on March 15th that many people attended. We joined with other groups from town like No Nukes North and demonstrated at the federal courthouse. We gathered with other concerned Fairbanksans and protested the ramp up to the Iraq war on the corner of University and Geist road twice a week. We felt it was up to us to warn people of the very real threat of war in a country where we had no right to be in the first place. I was very outspoken about my beliefs back then.

I remember feeling crushed when the rockets were launched, when the . I immediately left work. Not the most responsible thing to do, but I felt compelled to leave... and I was not going to be welcomed back.
I did not know where to go, I felt alone and unsafe. I may have been very far from this violent action but I felt sick to my stomach and like the world had let me down. I was so disappointed.

At the time my favorite accoutrement at protests was a giant cardboard painting of a peace sign. That night I took the sign to an impromptu candlelight vigil at the Cushman Street bridge and when I left the vigil I went back to the corner of Geist and University rd and stood there...... holding my peace sign... heart broken.
An older man on crutches, haggard, with only one leg approached me. He looked at me, asked if I was ok, (I said I would be), and then..... and then he stood up as straight as he could and..... saluted me.
I started crying. He gave me a hug and continued on. 

Ten years have passed. TEN FREAKING YEARS!!!!

People suffered and continue to suffer from this anniversary.
I knew then that the country would never be the same... and I remember where I was that night.

Walk, Run, Red Face... 30!

By night I am a super hero. We all know this.

By day... 

By day I walk peoples precious pets so the furry ones can relieve themselves and be calmed with human interaction during the stressful hours their beloved owner/parent/partners are away.

Like the mailperson- "Rain or shine, snow or sleet, I walk your dog." Or something like that. Yeah, I pick up shit for a living. It's fine.

I feel really connected to the weather and progress of seasons in my job as I am outside all day. The weather has had some lame effects on my skin, but being outside and using my body for a significant portion of my day has been fantastic for my mind and body. I get to release my brain from school work as I tour the neighborhoods of Arlington with (usually) pretty cool dogs. I have gotten to really love a few of the dogs and I'd say I am pretty well versed on the N. Virginia style of architecture by now. 

Besides dreaming about Mr. Dear and my future travels, I have decided to make these walks with pups into a very serious daily workout routine. I mean, THIS GIRL turned 30 (!) two weeks ago. Time to get serious about the way I feel about my body and the health of my future self, dude. 

I got shit to do and things to live (well) for!

Suck it, Jillian Michaels!

Anyone who knows how much I like secretscupcake and how much I despise embarrassing myself by running (First rule of cupcake... don't talk about cupcake. Second rule of cupcake...) will be a little surprised by this next bit-

The last three days of my dog walks- I have run .5-.75 miles.

I have also been doing way more crunches and sit ups per day than I have since                                                                                 my back/spine exploded in my mid-twenties. May not seem like to anyone, but I am sure proud of myself. 

Suck it, aging process!

This MAY not seem like much to you awful people who think working out is second nature and that the human body was made to run. SCREW YOU!! I mean... I AM SO PROUD OF YOUR 3,012 mile RUN! GO EAT 12 SECRETCUPCAKES!

But really, the hardest part isn't the starting... it is the continuing. I will try to try to continue this workout endeavor. My friend Sam and her related love of notsosecret cupcake... and her hate of Jillian Michaels has helped inspire me to do whatever it is that I can do. (read her awesome blog)

Walk, Look. Pick up poop, Look elsewhere.

I see a lot of cool little things when I am out walking. Between the running, there is MUCH walking. Fascination of February on the Eastern Seaboard? Flowers blooming. Not like home. The following I like to think of as 'Simple Things I Seen...'

a million staples in an electric pole

little blue flowers the size of a pencil eraser

old figs that look nasty

peek-a-boo... this was early Feb... now they are almost blooming!

eye see you...

these are delightful... and they cover entire lawns

cherry blossoms, with tips of color!! SOON!

reminded my of mini forgetmenots

Gnomie chillin between two trees... almost forgotten

I think Alice could fall through there...

a tiny shed, about the size of a king size bed

SUNSHINE ON A STEM!

love this half-face planter

*Modest Mouse, JJ Cale, and Orchestra of The Ages, Noah and the Whale

XOXO
Jschlo-Hard

JH Together Again/ Feast!

JH Together
This weekend my husband and I are together. I cannot describe the feelings I have walking into the house we rented here together, where I do not live but where my things and my love are. My face hurts from smiling all because I get to see him and wrap my arms around him. I do not care where we are. We are together for now and I am in love. <3

Sharps
It was pure bliss to unearth my kitchen tools of the trade and slice smoothly through anything I wanted with my ultra sharp knives! YAY! #thingsyoumisswhileingradschool

Celebrate Every Day (but especially this weekend)
our 4 year anniversary (Feb 13th), his birthday (Jan27th), Valentines Day (Febwhatever), and my 30th birthday (Feb18th) and just because we can.

Silver Adornments
China, lined with platinum silver filligree- Wedding gift
Harding Family Silver- belonged to Nobie Harding, John's Grandmother- thanks Andy Harding!
Silver candle sticks- Aunt Elizabeth and Jim O'Malley- we light whenever we eat a special meal together.

The weekend will be filled with fun food adventures but here is the result of day one.

This entire meal was done in three hours or less. Including the frosting. Eating, no, but

prep and make time was wrapped up quick!!

Dinner-

Bacon Wrapped Cheese Dates w/ Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

Honey Butter Pork Loin

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Roasted Red Potatoes

Grilled Asparagus with Garlic

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Blueberries (grooms cake)

Young's Barrata Red (wedding wine)

Wedding China

Candle sticks and antique snuffer (John's bday present)

Harding Silver

 Appetizer- Bacon wrapped dates with cream cheese and parmesan

drizzled with blueberry balsamic reduction

Balsamic reduction

Brussel sprouts

 Roasted red potatoes

Asparagus (beautiful silver servers!)

Cake

Happy Smurfday :)

Best candle ever!

The inside is really gooey and full of blueberries

Better than Box Chocolate and Blueberry Cake-

Duncan hines devils food cake mix 

1/2 packet of cream cheese (NOT sour cream!)

4 eggs

2/3 c water

1/2 c oil

1/2 packet chocolate pudding

2 big boxes blueberries

Put it all in a food processor or mixer, it will be thicker than regular cake mix.

Bdake like the box says, until a knife pulls out clean. 

It came out so dense that I did not need to chop the top puffy cake bit off! 

Smother top of one with frosting, layer of blueberries, put other layer of cake on top, frost, blueberries.

It tastes like a big chewey brownie! 

The more blueberries the better!!

Gourmet of the Month Mail!

MAIL!
Receiving anything in the mail that isn't a bill or junk mail can be a wonderful feeling. In December I wrote about a wonderful wedding present our dear friends the Craig's got for us- a year long subscription to Gourmet of the Month club. This club sends us treats each month! I love not knowing what the box will contain and I wait eagerly for it near the end of every month. Though customer service of igourmet.com probably hates me now for how many times I have changed addresses since August...

Here is the selection from this month's delivery-

Love seeing this little box on my doorstep.

Meats and cheeses!! How did they know I am not eating sugar!

Ok, I love these but I do not think I can have them. 

My roommates will love me.

Side ways photo of Salami nom.

Trois Petits Cochons Moustarde 

(I have a very annoying french accent when I say this.)

Asiago nom.

John Darling, I wish I could share this with you this month.
This is much more his style than the tea and clotted cream gift box!

Love, Light, & Lollipops
JSchloHard

ps. Want to really light up my day? Send me a postcard or a quick note in the mail! I will hand write you back if you include your return address :)

Sweet Puff Clouds

This evening between writing my first Grad School papers and reading piles of books I took a little time out to celebrate my glorious husbands birthday and make what I will call Sweet Puff Clouds, otherwise known as simple merengue drops.

Though he may be far away, I dedicate these little pillows of zero sugar delights to him. And to procrastination. Any excuse really to not read more Dewey (!) Happy Birthday my sweet weirdo!

Here is the thing about these little air bebes. There isn't much taste to em. They are kind of just a novelty. BUT if you had, say, a tiny bit of lavender to put into the mix or a drop of vanilla  or coconut flakes or real sugar and topped it with berries... That would be great. But that isn't for me because I am going sans sugar. This little bebe is just to spice up my imagination and get a little variety into the textures of my life.

I made two batches- the first was awwwwwful because I used WAY too much fake sugar. Lesson learned.

Ingredients-
2 eggs whites, room temperature
1/2t Cream of Tartar
1/2 packet Splenda or similar sweetener (NO aspartame!! NO!)
dash of cinnamon

set oven to Bake 300*

Before you begin here are some basic tips about making any merengue- use a glass mixing bowl, not metal. Let NO NO NO moisture into this mix. Wash and dry your mixing bowl thoroughly. Also no oils of any kind, as in wipe down your bowl on the inside with a paper towel to remove any accidental finger prints- water and oil will deflate your merengue.

With a hand mixer on medium setting- beat the egg whites until very frothy, add tartar, sugar, cinnamon, turn up mixer to med/high until creamy looking. Do not go over board here. Just until you get soft peaks, not super hard peaks.

On parchment paper covered cookie sheet- drop dollops of whatever size or shape you want. Do not over work the puff. 

Put in oven until the tops are nice and goldeny brown.
Eat warm or not. Up to you. 

from the first batch, nasty taste

second batch, much better

inside a cloud 

XO
Love & Sweet Clouds,
JSchloHard

A Part of It All

"We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect."- President Obama

I do not care what your political stance is.
I really don't.
There was a time when I did. But it isn't now.

That being said, today was a pretty cool day.

One of the perks of living in Arlington VA is that important political events happen right across the river. Literally... right across the river... I can see the Washington Memorial from the top of my driveway.

This morning I woke up early and got on a nearly empty bus, boarded a very packed subway train that took me to DC. When I stepped off the escalator from the underground there were throngs of people all bleary eyed clutching at their morning cups of coffee.
Tables set up with T-shirt hawkers, buttons, calendars, earrings, cheap scarves, twisty pretzels....
long lines...

As I entered the National Mall the crowds were greeted by dozens upon dozens of volunteers in red, grinning and waving, high-fiving, shaking hands, each one wishing the onslaught of bodies "GOOD MORNING!! Thank you so much for coming! We are happy to see you! Good Morning!"
It made me grin from ear to ear at how hernest they were and how they really did seem happy to be there.

That was the general mood I think... happy to be there.
I stood near a nice family whose 14 year old son kept exclaiming "I am SO excited!!"

When political figures came out people informed others of who they were. No judgements were made, just public information to go along with the face. We were in this together.

When speeches were given people were silent... blowing up into applause at just the right moments.
People were listening. People were feeling. They were gracious and respectful. It was even a bit reserved.

When Mrs. Mevers spoke there was a hush in the crowd. By the end of her invocation people were visibly moved by her words, her message, and her delivery. There were people around me that had been at the Million Man March in the 90s, there were people that had marched on Washington in the '63. It was beautiful to be near them today.

I never expected that nearly one million people could behave so well together. I felt safe, humbled, and happy to be witnessing a part of history. Now I can definitely say-

I was there.

Lovelovelove,
xo JSchloHard

****************************

The following pictures may not look like much, I was in the second group back, very close to the Capitol in comparison to many. The jumbo tron was our visual for the whole event.

In front of me...

Behind...

President Carter

Bill and Hillary

James Taylor

Beyonce (teeerrible photo. Jay-Z was there too!)

Joe Biden getting sworn in

Obama swearing in

Official presentation

The crowd erupting in flag waving

Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, on the walk home

Statue on the bridge back to Arlington

"Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness...Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time -- but it does require us to act in our time."- Barack H. Obama