Chanchito, new addiction and what a relief

- In a small village of Pomaire, Chile, it is believed that Chanchitos, (little pigs), bring good luck.  Three legged Chanchitos are especially fortunate and are traditionally given to friends as a token of goodwill and love.  My dark afternoon photo shoot didn't result in a clear photo, so here he stands in the kitchen - a brighter place for a photo of this little guy.

- A new addiction:  my nightly pot of hot Darjeeling tea.  It is grown in the foothills of the Himalayas and is considered the "champagne" of teas.  There is something about a comforting cup of tea in the evening.

- Hearing from friends in Oklahoma (including Granny Annie and her Ron and Mama Zen) that they are OK after the devastating storms.  The blog world brings the real world so much closer.

Rainy Sunday afternoon, the faithful and commencing

- The view from the couch.  You probably can't tell, but it was pouring rain (again), which made for a good movie watching, book reading, kind of Sunday afternoon.  Always a good thing.

- Going to book group meeting in the evening and finding there were only five of us there to talk about "A Lesson Before Dying," but the hostess looked around at us and said, "All my favorite people are here."

- An absent member's son graduated from college and reported the commencement speaker's words on social media, "Come to the edge, He said.  They said, We are afraid.  Come to the edge, He said.  They came.  He pushed them...and they flew." - Guillaume Apollinaire --

Operation S.M.I.L.E., caterpillar or snake and cuppa joe

Some random good things from this week...

- Getting in the middle of a 5k run to support S.M.I.L.E. House, which is near the The Greenway Trail, where I walk with friends.  The woman standing next to the smile sign was calling out our time to us.  :)  The house provides a supported independent living for developmentally delayed adults in their homes, as an alternative to facility or group homes.  Many of those adults were running in this race and it was joyous to see the joy they felt in participating in this run.

- These pots arranged to look like a caterpillar (or maybe a snake) in this garden area.

 - I knew I needed to get to work after my dentist appointment, but it sure felt good to have this cuppa joe with me after I got there.  Maybe that will be a new tradition - a latte after the teeth cleaning.  :)

And I'm loving that it is Friday.  I just watered the outdoor plants and it feels fresh and cool this morning.  I'm reminded of the Pam's final line of the final episode of The Office, that aired last night, "There's a lot of beauty in ordinary things.  Isn't that kind of the point?"   I hope you have a lovely, lovely day and weekend!

Lemon Orzo salad recipe, lovely surprise and paying it forward

- I've blogged about the Lemon Orzo salad from Fresh Market at least two times.  It's that good.  And with the help of the internet (what did we do without you?), I figured out how to make it at home.  There it is - adapted from a recipe I found from a blog named Blonde Appetit (hers had butter in it - I used olive oil.)  Recipe is at the bottom.* Let me know if you make it.  It's so good.

- Coming home on Monday evening to a package on the doorstep.  It was a surprise from Leonora, who writes the blog "A Journal of Days" and started off the new year by throwing out a Pay It Forward challenge:

"2013 creative Pay-it-Forward:  The first 5 people to comment will receive from me, sometime in the next calendar year, a gift.  Perhaps a book, a baked good, a candle, music, a surprise!  There will likely be no warning and it will happen whenever the mood strikes me.  These 5 people may wish to make the same offer on either their facebook status or via their blog."

It was definitely a surprise and I loved the note, "Everyone needs a little lilac in their life."  Leonora blogged about the scent of lilacs one day and I commented I didn't know what they smell like.  Now I do.  :)  Thanks again, Lee!  A delightful surprise.

- So I throw out the same challenge - the first 5 people to comment today will receive something good in the mail, when you least expect it.  You just have to supply your address in an email.

* Lemon Orzo with Pine Nuts

1/2 lb. orzo (about 1 generous cup)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, whole
1 large handful baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 lemon, reserve the other half in case you need it
Olive oil (about 1/3 cup)
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Boil orzo in 3 quarts of salted water for 10 minutes until firm.  Drain.  In a large bowl, combine spinach, pine nuts, and tomatoes.  Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over pasta.  Give it a good stir.  Drizzle a good amount of olive oil in a circle over the bowl.  Keep in mind not to use too much, as it marinates, the pasta will absorb the oil and you can always add more.  Add a small palmful of Kosher salt.  Add a few shakes of pepper.  Stir.  Taste.  If you prefer more lemon, add the juice of the second half.  Again, remember with salt, etc., you can never take away, but always add more.  Let marinate.  Then enjoy.

I ended up using the whole lemon, adding the second half later, as suggested.  

Peaceful excursion, coming in for a landing and oasis

- Just a short distance from my home is an area known as International Village, that includes a wonderful place that sells imported pottery - AW Pottery.  This area near the entrance must be a serene place for meditating (even with the hustle and bustle of CDC buildings behind it.)  The figure looks as if he is wearing a bandaid, but it's a price sticker.

- There must be a mile of pots like these, and at some point, I lost my friends for about an hour while they contemplated which of the zillion pots would make a nice fountain for their back porch.  I amused myself by watching planes coming in for a landing at nearby Dekalb Peachtree Airport (click to enlarge and you'll see a plane there.)

- My purchase - for about $7, I got four of these trays you put under pots, so there is less dripping for the neighbors below when watering plants.  And they are beautiful.

- An oasis - serene and beautiful - amid the noise and haste.

Doing it anyway, happy surprise and a great lesson

- Reluctantly (because I was tired) going on an after-work walk on the beautiful BeltLine trail near work and finding that one of those large trees had fallen across the path.  Everyone who encountered it, as I did, stood there a moment contemplating, then climbed over and went on.

- A woman walking in the direction of the play area for children with a large bunch of colorful balloons.

- This quote from The National Endowment for the Arts website:  "A great book combines enlightenment with enchantment.  It awakens our imagination and enlarges our humanity.  It can even offer harrowing insights that somehow console and comfort us."  This found while looking for reviews for "A Lesson Before Dying" by Ernest Gaines, which I am currently reading.  It describes this book exactly and makes me appreciate writers even more.

Looking forward to more walks and reading this weekend!  I hope you have a wonderful one, my friends.

Soap box, fridge door and neighbors

Some really random good (or quirky) things from the week so far...

- A non-profit organization my company provides printing for was in an old fashioned soap box derby race (with the driver powered by Red Bull, I guess.)  :)  I liked that the "soap box" was signed by so many well wishers.  (Click to enlarge.)

- From my fridge door:  I couldn't spell cereal on my shopping list and cracked myself up.  Snapped with my phone this a.m.  The two young ladies on the left (college students then) are poised 30-somethings now and the mothers of Monroe and Mina (my great nephew and great niece, whom you have met.)  Maybe it's time to update the fridge pics  (and remember to buy cereal.)

- Epic fail in getting a good photo of neighbor Callie.  She and her mum are often sitting out front of our building when I come home from work and it's lovely to be greeted by this little dog, who is always so excited to see me. I'll keep trying to get her face, but she's always in wiggly motion.  :)