Things I'm Loving

Hey Y'all! I'm back with another of these "Things I'm Loving" posts. I find them fun and you can see what I'm spending my time doing or what I'm reaching for on a daily basis. Check out the one I did last week here!

1. "Heaven and Earth Spirits" by Anael and Bradfield from Within Our Reach

This song is both uplifting and melancholy as the piano weaves in out of wind instruments and an orchestra. I really love the ethereal nature of this song as well as the epic-ness of the large crescendos that sink into a quiet minor sound at the end. Check out this whole CD. It is pretty amazing.

2. "Elysian Fields" by Deuter
I couldn't find a YouTube video of this piece, but I found Deuter's myspace where you can listen to it. This is another relaxing instrumental piece that really captures peaceful soul longing and contentment. I have it on the Allegro 2011 Winter Sampler that I got for free from Amazon. Go check it out! I have greatly enjoyed finding samplers for record labels and discovering new favorite artists because of them. This is how I found so many of my "new favorites".

3. "Rubberband Man" by The Spinners

I've always loved this song, but I've been playing it on repeat for the past few days. This is just a fun 70's song that makes me want to get up and move and boogie! Have fun watching the awesome moves in this video.

4. The Artwork of Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
I have found my new favorite fantasy artist. For the past several years Brian Froud has been my go-to for faery and otherworldly fair folk. I recently found the artwork of Stephanie Pui-mun Law through her tarot cards. I was looking up reviews of cards of YouTube and wanted to check out her work, so I went to her website... I fell immediately in love. First I have to say that watercolor is one of my favorite mediums and one of the few that I know a great deal about, even if I can't paint very well. The way she manipulates the colors is phenomenal and unreal. I could stare at her paintings for hours and still find new and exciting elements in them. For instance, I was showing my aunt some of my favorite pictures and she pointed out the sea shell motif that is in so many of the paintings. I hadn't noticed it in some where they were actually in the trees or rocks! These are my current favorite works of hers: Death- I love the radiance the phoenix has as it is combusting. The detail work in this painting is fabulous and the depth of feeling is nearly tangible. Yexian Of Kingfishers and Bones- This is from a series about the Chinese Cinderella. This painting is Yexian in her finery that is exquisitely detailed. You can really see the Pre-Raphaelite influences in this piece. Timepiece- this picture takes two things I love (trees and grandfather clocks) and sticks them together into a seamless entity. Again, the intricacy of this piece is glorious and I feel like I could look at it for hours. Compared to Froud, Law's art is much brighter and not as heavy. I ended up ordering two of her books and a tarot kit from her website and I sit in anticipation of their arrival. I did order them with some personalization in the form of original sketches, so they might take a while. I can't wait to get my hands on the books and pour over these fantastic works of art.

5. Mushrooms
I don't mean to eat... I mean to look at and take pictures of. It has been very wet here recently and the mushrooms are coming up everywhere. I really love finding different mushrooms and looking at the differences between the varieties. My favorites are the bright orange tiny mushrooms that grow in the middle of the gravel roads. They are as large as my pinky finger and so bright and neon that they almost look fake. I find it interesting how saturated colors are in the natural world and the constant work we spend to try to emulate them in our man-made products. Some mushrooms look like coral. Some grow on dead trees and some grow in rings that look like fairy circles or houses.

6. Captain America: The First Avenger
I adore this movie. (I watched it again last night!) Of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is still my favorite movie. I love the costumes and script writing for the WWII sections of the movie and I love Peggy Carter. Steve Rogers is a really upstanding guy who doesn't like bullies and won't give up. I want to be more like Cap. I want to stand up for what I believe in, no matter how scared I am. I think he is a character we can learn from.

That's all for now!

Book Review: Is the Bible Divinely Inspired?

Book Review: Is the Bible Divinely Inspired?
by R. Cooley

Really nice, in depth book about the origin and history of the Hebrew/ Christian religion. It discusses Darwin, the Septuagint, archeological digs, the Vulgate, Messianic prophesies, etc.

It uses many references to biblical persons, places, and writings that would be common knowledge to those who study church history or bible scholars, but may not be widely known to those who are new to biblical study or Christianity. This is not a book for those who know nothing about the bible. This is a detailed historical and biblical book, but is accessibly written.

155 pages.

Available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle format. I bought this when it was free on promotion.

4/5

Walk to Mordor 32

Week 32 Update

Week #__32____ Day ___18-19____ WTR Goals: Mileage__20____ Weight __265____
 

Starting Weight	Current Weight	Goal Weight	Projected Goal Date	Day
270	269.7	175	2017	18 -19

Date	Activity	Duration Miles	Beginning Mileage	Ending Mileage	Location*
5/4	walk	1.51	334.93	336.44	Day 19 Continue in valley. Land starts to rise. Can see hills ahead.
5/5	walk	3.77	336.44	340.21
5/6	walk	1.51	340.21	341.72
5/7	walk	1.95	341.72	343.67
5/8	walk	.99	343.67	344.66
5/9	walk	2.78	344.66	347.44
5/10	walk	.63	347.44	348.07
Totals	This week:	13.14	Total:	348.07

I'm catching up, people!

Today I can truthfully say that my legs are super sore. I decided to start wearing my pointe shoes again in ballet class, and my first class in them was on Tuesday. Today when I tried to do anything in ballet, my legs would not move! My calf muscles were so tight and my feet were cramping so much that I felt like I was going to fall on my face for most of the class. By the end, they started to really stretch out and I was able to work out some of the soreness. I'm sure they will still be sore tomorrow, but I'm planning to drink lots of water tonight to keep that from being bad.

I feel so much stronger than I did a year ago and I can do things I haven't done in an even longer time. I was really excited today when one of the ladies in class told me that I looked like I had lost a lot of weight. This makes me feel really happy. As you can tell by my WtM updates, my weight hasn't been changing, but I think my body is getting fit and my muscle mass has grown. I think switching to ballet 3 times per week plus the weight training at Koko has really helped.

I've started reading real books again instead of fanfiction online. I tend to go through cycles of reading where I will read all the time, every day for months, and then suddenly stop reading for weeks at a time. I have been really into Norse mythology recently (when am I not into Norse mythology?) and books about veganism or growing gardens. I went to Barnes and Noble with my mom today and bought Mirrorsight by Kristen Britain. I've been waiting for this book for several years, but I can't read it just yet because I forgot what happens in the previous book in the series and I can't reread it until I get to North Carolina. I wanted to get the new Beowulf by Tolkien, but they hadn't yet arrived at the store. We were put on a list to receive a notification when they do arrive so I can get it :) SOOOO EXCITED! I think my mom is planning to give it to me for my birthday!

YouTube is another time-sucker, like reading fanfiction, and several youtubers have been really fun to watch recently. Here are some of the videos I've enjoyed in the past week:

FullyRawKristina is an 80/10/10 Low Fat Raw Vegan who makes the most amazing recipes. I've tried a few of them and they really are tasty! This is her newest video and looks super yummy. I love mangos!

 

Freelee The Banana Girl is a Raw 'Till Four YouTuber. I have heaps of respect for her and her goal to spread the message of veganism to the world. I think she's one of the best LFRV/ High Carb Raw Vegan/ High Carb Cooked Vegan on the web. With DurrianRider, she has begun daily vlogs during the week and I think they are great! This is the first one.

 

 

VintageOrTacky is a makeup guru extraordinaire. This tutorial is a 1930's inspired look that I think would look great on many people.

 

 

And finally, this song has been stuck in my head for two weeks now. "Yes, We Have No Bananas" is a fun little song spurred by the shortage of bananas due to a fungus (I'm 95% sure it was s fungus, but it may have been a root problem... I'm not a banana expert) that attacked some varieties in the 1920's. This is when the modern Cavendish banana really took off because it was impervious to the blight.

 

 

That's it for today! Look tomorrow for a new Mordor Update and pictures of food! (I made some awesome vegan lasagna today!) Let me know if you would like more of these rambling blogs or day in the life or review blogs.

Book Review: Ragnarok: The End of the Gods

Book Review: Ragnarok: The End of the Gods
by A.S. Byatt
(First Published 2011)

Several weeks ago I mentioned this book in a post where I said I was on the fence about whether or not I liked this book. Well, I finished it today and I can truthfully say that I loved this book!

A very unique retelling of the Norse myths, Ragnarok: The End of the Gods dives headfirst into the world of a child living in the country at the height of WWII. The beautiful, simple language and childlike excitement and wonder brings a new perspective to these well known tales. This is not your standard set of myths that tells of the gods at the height of their power, but a tale that constantly foreshadows the destruction and inevitability of the End Times. Everything in this book is leading and pointing to Ragnarok, not only in the myths, but in the "thin child's" life. The correlation between Ragnarok, WWII, and our current world are wonderfully presented and subtle.

I love the darkness that permeates these tales as well as the focus on Loki's children and the failing of the gods to forestall Ragnarok by simple inability to devise a plan to stop the End. The only god who seems to contain that creative spark is Loki, who is all about joining his children in the destruction of the world. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy myths and fairy tales and want to read a new and refreshing retelling of the old stories.

5/5

Read May 21, 2014

Food and Flowers and Frivolous Phenomena

Food and Flowers and Frivolous Phenomena

How's that for alliteration!

Ramble time! I finally saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier and I loved it! I adore Cap. If I could chose a favorite superhero, it would be a hard choice between Cap and Superman (I used to watch the old black and white Superman tv show with my Dad a lot), but I would probably have to go with Captain America because he is so stubborn and stands with his convictions no matter what. I also love Agent Coulson from SHIELD and love the tv show. I can't believe the season finale is next week! Too soon! I need more BAMF!Coulson in my life.

I've also been watching the second season of Star Trek: TOS on Netflix. I always think: This must be the strangest episode ever. Then I see the next episode and think: No, THIS is the strangest episode. Nothing can beat aliens that think they are gods. Then I get a few more episodes down the line and I'm watching Chekhov dance to imaginary music being played by Spock while androids watch in confusion and my brain just explodes. I adore this show. I've always loved the movies, but I hadn't seen some of the episodes. They really are beautiful and funny and insane. And nothing beats the William Shatner Look-of-Surprise. It is so bad, it is good.

I've been making some really fun foods recently. I even remembered to take some pictures!

 

Here is Tasty Bite Spinach Dahl with Lime Rice and Mozzarella Daiya Shreds. These are those microwaveable pouches that you can find in the Asian/Indian/Ethnic section in the grocery store. I really love this combination. It tastes almost like Palak Paneer, which used to be my favorite Indian food that I would get at restaurants. I also love the Tasty Bite Eggplant Punjab.

 

I was running out of food when I made this which is why there are two different types of noodles in it! Chia Seed noodles, heart shaped veggie noodles, canned tomatoes, and Daiya with Cajun seasoning and garlic powder. Super tomato-y and filling.

 

 

I made Falafel out of a box. It was super yummy! I broiled it in the oven with a little bit of olive oil. I made a dill dressing out of Vegenaise, dill, garlic powder, and lemon juice. Gotta have olives too! These are filling and immensely satisfying. I could only eat 3 or 4 before being totally full. These would be really great in a sandwich with cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes. I, alas, was out of all of those things when I made these over the weekend, so I just ate them as you see them.

 

I tried something different when I went out to eat on Monday. I know, shocker! This is the Ponchatoula salad at Nutrition Company with tempeh instead of chicken. It was really wonderful, but I'll probably get a vinaigrette next time because poppy seed is my least favorite dressing because it is so sweet. The strawberries took care of the sweetness factor so it isn't necessary. I loved the seasoning on the tempeh. It was slightly spicy and gave the sweetness of the salad a bit of a kick. Also, the juice I had was the best drink I've ever had. It was called the Don Juan and was made from pineapple, parsley, ginger, and apple. It tasted like Christmas in a cup.

 

Look at this awesome pasta I made on Cinco de Mayo! Angel hair, sesame oil, soy sauce, canned sweet corn, canned tomatoes, liquid smoke, ketchup, and garlic powder. Super festive looking and delicious. The corn and the tomatoes gave it a slightly sweet taste, while the soy sauce and liquid smoke gave it a salty kick. The sesame oil added another layer of flavor to make this a diverse and exciting experience for the taste buds.  A different version I made of this was: pasta, sesame oil, garlic powder, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, liquid smoke, tomato paste, ketchup, tofu, and black pepper.

 

And hey look! Another lettuce sandwich. I love these! Lettuce sandwich made with olive bread from the Fresh market, Vegenaise, and Campari tomatoes.

My hair has been growing in darker recently.

I've been reading a book called Ragnarok: The End of the Gods by A. S. Byatt. I am over halfway done with it and I still can't decide if I like it. It is a retelling of the familiar Norse myths, but from the sort of perspective of a young child during the Blitz in the English countryside. I love the childlike way the stories connect and unfold and also the skald-like delivery of the stories. I know these stories pretty well. I am a Norse myth nerd so I have read and/or own many books that are essentially retellings and translations just like this one. But this one has a strange and fresh feeling to it that transports me as a reader to a different place and time, so I feel like I'm with the girl thinking about the myths as she walks down the lane by the hedgerow. This writing style isn't for everyone and there are many negative reviews of this book out there, but I find it refreshing and poetic, if a bit odd. I'll reserve my final judgments until the end of the book, but so far I love it. One of my favorite passages is about Loki's child Jörmungandr, the world serpent that circles around the word devouring her own tail. The descriptions of her thoughts and the sights she sees at the bottom of the oceans are so descriptive I can picture the underwater world with a rich, vivid clarity that makes the stories very real in my head.

Trying out makeup for ballet

My ballet recital is coming up next week. We had our dress rehearsal today and it was really fun getting to dance in our costumes! I now have glitter all over my body that won't come off, no matter how hard I scrub. I had to go through tons of my makeup to find what I wanted to use. You can see all the different eyeliners, brown shadows, and lipsticks I considered before I figured out what looked good. I'm going to experiment the next few days to try to figure out what will look best before next week. I'm super excited.

It is really spring now. It's muggy and in the 80s everyday now. The flowers are really beautiful and fragrant (and causing me to be all allergy-fied, so I don't like them too much). Here are some of the beautiful flowers outside! And blueberries! And trees! I'm leaving them big so you can see how awesome some of these plants are. I take all my pictures on my phone, so excuse the awful blurry/fuzzy haze on some of these pictures.

Look how furry the pollinators look on this poppy. They are such a beautiful color.

I love the little hairs on the inside of these foxgloves.

White foxglove

Yellow and Purple Columbine

I don't know what these are, but they are beautiful

So many beautiful flowers in the garden.

Hey look, a little bug crawling on the columbine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed this ramble. Stay tuned for more fun pictures, recipes, rambles, reviews, and (eventually) my Walk to Mordor (I'm getting pretty far now!). Have a glorious day! 

Book Review: How the Bible Came to Be

Review: How the Bible Came to Be (Ebook Short)
by J. Daniel Hays, J. Scott Duvall

One of my goals this lent is to read more religious books. This means that I'm busting out my kindle and listening to its lovely Text-to-Speech voice as I'm driving down the highway. This short e-book is perfect for a few hours of reading on a winter afternoon. This book discussed the actual process of how the bible came into existence: inspirations, oral tradition,  historical book writing, historical translations, Hebrew cannon, and modern translations.

This was a sectional book, with each section covering a different topic and written by a different author. Some examples of the information included:

The distinction between the word of God and the words of prophets inspired from god. Example: ten commandments on tablets of stones- god's hand did the writing. Isaiah's prophesies are inspired from God, but said in Isaiah's own words and in response to the happenings of his own time. It discussed translations and how the actual words are not what is important, but the meaning of the words. They must portray the meaning of the original text. That is why the word Lord might be Yahweh or God in different translations. Different words, but same meaning. Also, it discussed the different styles of writing: genealogies, poetry, parables, letters, love songs, and narratives.

I found this short book highly entertaining and very interesting. The information is presented in an easy to access, but intellectual way of writing.

This product is available on Amazon and is currently $1.99 for Kindle. I purchased it for free on promotion, but it is well worth the money. An interesting note: the Amazon page says it is over 1000 pages. This is incorrect. That page count is attached to the ISBN of a completely different book by the same editors. It really is short. It took me less than 3 hours to read.

4/5

Read on March 6, 2014