Em-i-lis in Review: February 2013

Mercifully, though some schools went for the two-hour delayed start today, the boys are back and I am more in love with their school than ever for commencing this Thursday on time. Also, after we finished watching Captain Phillips last night (average), T suggested I sleep in the basement so that I could get some real rest and he would take care of the boys this morning and bring them to school. I did not stir until he peeked in at 8am. BLISS. My mom arrives in a few hours so I don't have much time now, but did want to say hi to you, get back in the saddle (feels like sparse posting lately), and share another month in review.

THE BEST OF EM-I-LIS: FEBRUARY 2013

I took my second class of 2013, this time Introduction to U.S. Food Systems via Coursera. The instruction was unbelievably dry but I learned some fascinating things and became more committed to eating off the food-industrial complex grid. For a recap, click here.

As you may recall, the Goats Who Yell Like Humans videos went viral, and I was an A1 obsessive. Watching those goats, especially the one in "dialogue" with the Spanish reporter, brings me to hysterical happy-tears. Try it, you'll see.

There were charming highs and lows in my life as mother. See Oliver and the Pompano, Jack and the Ravens tribute (I'm still sad they never wrote him back), and A Pit Day in Parenthood.

Looking back, I loved again this post on all that writing means to me, and I feel those sentiments even more acutely now.

And, it was VALENTINE'S DAY, one of my all-time favorite days.

Some of my favorite photos:

I spent a memorable day, quiet in my kitchen, thinking back over my Aunt Da, one of Nanny's older sisters, while reimagining her tea cookies.

And lastly, I took a very cool cooking class with some friends at a Spanish restaurant downtown. We made various stocks (hence the Pompano above) and loads of paellas. Love this picture of the stocks in prep:

OhMyLord

Y'all, will this snow day ever end?? Monday was MLK Day, Tuesday was a report-writing day, and then today, despite clearly plowed roads since late last night, school was cancelled. I, and every other mother I know, cannot wait to do the drop-and-run tomorrow morning. Yes there is snow, and yes it is extremely cold, but seriously. Let's get this party resumed. We have visited with friends, gone to the orthodontist, dropped off a gift, picked up the water bottle I forgot at the dentist yesterday (I think Jack's mouth has set a record for most expensive 7.5 yr old mouth ever at this point), watched a movie, played in the snow...I am now officially bored, frazzled and tired. I have done nothing on my own to-do list, my house looks like a tornado passed through, and my mom arrives tomorrow. Thank god.

Percy is setting new records for irritating-dogness, and Oliver has acquired the MOST annoying tic of constantly clearing his throat.

In an attempt to displace some of this vexing context, we made a gumbo last night and it was magnificent. I could eat gumbo every day and would enjoy doing so. It is comforting TO.THE.MAX. I also made two enormous Applejack Rabbits; sadly I feel a tinge of blech today which is certainly not being alleviated in any way by having been interrogated all day long.

The kids are so cute and good, but seriously. Let's get back to school!!!!

Perfect Kale Salad

This salad is nothing fancy, and I mean that in the very best of ways. Each element shines, and the whole is a wonderful confluence of terrific parts. The fresh kale is rubbed aggressively with a lemony garlic oil and then topped with toasted walnuts, tangy-sweet sour cherries and curls of shaved Pecorino.I eat this salad at least once a week. You get tons of fiber (everything), vitamins (especially C & A from the kale, vit A from the cherries), minerals (Magnesium from the walnuts), healthy fat (nuts and the bit of hard cheese), and this salad is beautiful. It makes a great lunch entree, or anytime entree, and is a burst of color and flavor on a snowy day like today! PS- T, who usually refers to kale as "old shoe" loves this salad too.