Weekend

This weekend was pretty much photoless, unfortunately. I think there's something about this PERFECT weather that just makes me want to experience it unhindered by my camera's lens ...or my glasses lenses.

But, I can still tell you about it, right? Right.

Saturday morning, we woke up late-ish. We had a basic plan for the day in mind, and after a short run and a bit of breakfast, I showered and we made our way, for the first time ever, to the Corvallis Farmer's Market. I'm pretty sure the whole town was there.

I bought some lettuce and some garlic and talked to a very nice woman who sold me some goat cheese. We walked around the river front and found two other Boston terriers for Boone to meet. It's funny how dogs of the same breed tend to gravitate toward each other. Boone will always play with another Boston, Boxer, Frenchie, Pit Bull or Pug at the park before any other dogs.

And the dog park was our second stop. There weren't too many dogs there, though, since everyone was busy at the Farmer's Market, but it was the perfect day to sit under a shady tree.

We hit the fancy grocery store on the way home and had a low-key night at home, even finding time to clean the apartment and watch Safety Not Guaranteed, which we'd been meaning to do. I loved it. I kind of want to watch it again.

If Saturday was our day "in town," Sunday was our day "on campus." We arrived just after the first pitch to the last game in OSU's series against USC. While waiting in line for tickets, the people in front of us asked us if we planned on purchasing tickets there.

We said yes, and they handed us two tickets on the third baseline! People here are so nice, I can't stand it. We ate terrible game food: nachos & hotdogs & dippin dots. We stayed until the end of the 7th inning because OSU had a nice lead, and we wanted to go to the climbing gym, where we stayed for almost three hours. I'm finally excited about climbing on ropes again. Weather willing, we'll have a Smith Rock adventure next weekend, and I'll actually climb something worth mentioning.

Once home, we took Boone for a walk and took care of all of those Sunday evening loose ends. I wanted to do more baking, which will hopefully now happen at some point this week. Assuming I don't cook anything interesting, I'll see you guys on Thursday.

Nonfiction April

I deemed April unofficial "nonfiction month". I had a ton of nonfiction piling up on my to-be-read list, and I needed an excuse to get through some of them. April - with two weeks off for the wedding - seemed like a great time.

I managed to finish six books so far, with one still lingering on my Kindle, and I'm excited about that one too.

I'm excited about the prospect of "being able" to read fiction again. ...at the same I'm not as sure of what I want to read next. We'll see.

For now, I'll tell you about the nonfiction books I finished.

Lynn Hill is a badass. That's all there is to it. I knew I was going to love her book before I picked it up, and I was, of course, right. I'm not even sure what to say about it...or to recommend it to you if you're not a female climber.

The thing about Lynn is that she's not really boastful about being such a groundbreaking woman in climbing. She states the facts - which are amazing. This was a great read. One of my favorites of the year so far.

It has me clamoring to get on some "hard" sport routes at Smith Rock ASAP!

Another climbing book I read was "Learning to Fly" by Steph Davis. Another good female climber. Groundbreaking, I suppose, for different reasons. Spoiler: her dog dies at the end. Shocker. Not as well written, despite her masters degree.... I'm indifferent about this one.

I read two books about faith. Though, they were very different.

Does Jesus Really Love Me was an interesting road-trip style story, which at one point finds itself in a town in my home state. Interesting.

Good thoughts & ideas here. But not in Love Does by Bob Goff.

I tend to get sucked in to reading these Christian lifestye books because I'm a Christian ...and because I hear other Christians raving about them. I should learn my lesson by now because I'm never impressed.

Everything in this book...and all of the other Christian lifestyle books has been said before. Someone prove me wrong. I dare you.

I'm excited for the day that one of these books moves me...or is well written. Or, hell, both. I'd be shocked, I tell you.

That's all I feel like writing about at the moment, but you can keep up with all the books I'm reading on goodreads. Let's be friends!

Veggie Penne & Cheese

I needed something healthy, yet comforting during "the sickness" I experienced last week, and this recipe was the answer!

Adapted from some place on Pinterest, you need:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup broccoli
1 small red pepper
(whatever other veggies you feel like)
2 cups whole wheat pasta cooked according to its directions
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups of your favorite cheddar
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

First cook your pasta. While that's goin', roast your veggies in the olive oil with salt+pepper. When your pasta's done, drain it & return it to the pot. Combine it with the veggies when they're roasted to your idea of perfection (for me this takes 20-30 minutes w/ the oven at about 420). Add your milk & cheese & spices and stir until your sauce is thick & delicious.

You can throw some bread crumbs & parm on top & bake this again until the top is all crispy/crunchy as well, but I did not have patience.

Happy weekend! I'm now off to the Farmer's Market to get some delicious ingredients for more yummy recipes.

Friday Five

•orange juice
•bluegrass
•Parks & Rec
•red peppers
•Books about climbing (but due to sickness, not actually climbing)

Old Hair

I got my hair cut and colored for the first time in many, many years. The last time I had "real" dye in my hair was my junior year of high school. My mom thought my hair looked boring brown, so she started putting blonde highlights in it when I was about 14. I kind of hated them, except for that since I was one of the first girls in my class to do highlights, it elevated me - sort of - weirdly - to some kind of new, interesting social status.

In celebration of my new hair, and of throwback Thursday, enjoy these old photobooth photos:

[spring|08] temporary purple dye after college graduation

[winter|07] just another day of school at Missouri

[winter|08] A San Francisco Saturday

[fall|08] good hair, but little direction...

[summer|09] when I lived at the Hillcrest Starbucks.

In conclusion, it looks like 2008 was a very good hair year. To be rivaled by 2013, I'm sure.

Glacier

There's still just something about Montana. Glacier National Park blew me away.

“I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.” –Steinbeck

Badlands

We weren't sure when the "season" officially starts at Badlands National Park in South Dakota. I figured we'd be right on the cusp of it it....and we were very, very wrong. There was snow everywhere! Though, it kind of made everything that much more beautiful.

Badlands was never on my list of places to visit. Though, I'd never been to South Dakota, before, so I was excited to see what it has to offer. We had a blast wandering around in the snow.

I busted it on this walkway just moments after this photo was taken. Thankfully, that was the only time I fell down!

The canyons are beautiful. But the erosion is happening so fast. We decided we'll have to go back in 20 years to see what's changes.