Like sands through the hour glass, these are the blogs of our lives

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I uploaded this photo a week or so ago and hadn’t actually blogged it because it is out of focus (which I tend to find distracting), but the more I look at it, the more I appreciate it.

stella

Part of my change of heart with this particular photo has to do with the fact that I have been spending more and more time on photography blogs lately, and have come to appreciate the various nuances that make a great photo. I spent some time at the beginning of the year cleaning up my list of my go-to blogs – the ones that fall in that category of my ‘must read’ daily rounds. The result of this housekeeping was that I have find myself reading food blogs less, and instead reading new and different humor blogs, gossip blogs, mom blogs and photography blogs. Between those, Twitter and, ahem, Facebook, my internet dance card is pretty full.

The humor blogs are great for some raunchy, caustic entertainment, gossip blogs are, well, they are my main source of news these days, mom blogs keep me sane and photography blogs keep me inspired. And, as luck would have it, I stumbled upon another site through my interweb travels that is specifically dedicated to providing readers with a kind of prompt-of-the-day for blog inspiration (just some context when you start wondering why I am deciding to blog about hypotheticals such as ‘These are the three songs I could be convinced to sing a a karaoke bar’). Aside from the others I have previously identified, I have an off-the-books resolution that I intend to focus more on photography this year. It is one of those things that I have a ton of fun with, and find it to be one of my more manageable creative outlets when I don’t have time to blog. Plus it gives me the opportunity to take pictures like the following, which I have been sitting in my “to blog” folder for 2 years now because I have superbly weak Photoshop skills and haven’t been able to artistically obfuscate Steve’s delicate man-torso in a way that both preserved his dignity while preserving the the artistic integrity of the story behind this set. The whole beauty of this series lies within the fact that the Walston men are shirtless…while having a tea party. Not to mention that Stella looks like she ends every sentence in the word “Hon”, as well as the subtle, yet telling detail that everyone is done sittin’ on the floor. From the first moment I looked at these photos I knew the title. And even two years later, I can’t think of a more appropriate description.

‘The Trailer Park Tea Party’

stella, porter & steve

porter

stella

porter

porter

stella

steve

Body Language

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Although I am constantly reminded of the fact that my facial features betray every single micro-emotion that passes through my brain, I do know for a fact that this expression is the one that greets both my husband and my children about 90% of the time. Let’s call it my do-you-really-want-to-tangle-with-this? face.

Natalie

Rocky Road Brownies (for lazy people…like me)

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These aren’t brownies they are a religious experience. A religious experience for lazy people actually, because you – literally – need one bowl, one pan and one stirring utensil. That’s it. Then you need just one spoon to consume them directly from the pan.

Rocky Road Brownies

from Food Network (Tyler Florence)

brownies

6, 1 oz squares unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup caramel or chocolate sauce (store bought)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a glass mixing bowl, melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the butter is just melted. Mix it up to melt the chocolate until dissolved. Mix in the sugar, vanilla and eggs. Stir in the flour and salt just until combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle the marshmallows and nuts evenly over the brownies. Stick it under the broiler for 2 minutes, or until the marshmallows are light golden brown. Allow to cool to room temperature. Drizzle the caramel or chocolate sauce over the cooled brownies before cutting.