An Evening with Charlaine Harris

Over the past few years I've come close to meeting Charlaine Harris (at conferences or events close to home), but something always comes up and I keep missing my chance. I read her blog a lot for book recommendations and we have similar tastes, combine that with my love of the Southern Vampire books, and it's obvious why I really wanted to meet her.

I had to go to Winston-Salem to get it done, but it was well worth the drive. She was gracious and sweet and everything you would hope for when meeting a favorite author. She signed my copy of Deadlocked, and I had some delicious blood orange  punch. Following the signing, I went to "A Conversation with Charlaine Harris". A few of my fun takeaways from the evening (possible spoiler alert - not from Deadlocked, but other books in the series):

The Harper Connelly series is being made into a show for SciFi. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my list.

After the final Sookie Stackhouse book is written, she is starting a new series called Midnight Pawn and it will feature some of her favorite characters from across all of her books.

She said she actually enjoys killing off her favorite characters sometimes, and apologized for killing Claudine. She said she was really in a housecleaning mood and that she made a mistake there.

One audience member asked what fictional character she would want to have her back in the event of a zombie apocalypse and she said Jack Reacher. I'm still trying to figure out what my answer is.

She said that the Sookie books will end the way she envisioned them ending from the time she began writing them. Also, she never planned to write in were-animals and witches and fairies, but she got bored and spiced things up.

15 publishers rejected the first Sookie book before one finally accepted. Crazy, right? she said their concern was where to shelve the book since it's a cross-genre piece.

The moderator took some questions from the audience (including me!). She had mentioned that Alan Ball has creative control over True Blood and that she liked some things that he's done. So I asked what changes she liked most and which ones surprised her (I told her my fav was the retention of Lafayette). She agreed that Lafayette is great and that Alan's interpretation of him is more fabulous and fun than hers had ever been. She said she really loves Jessica's character, that it adds a lot to the series. She said Alan will never introduce Bubba because he's afraid it will be too over-the-top cheesy, and she agrees.

So, yeah. It was great, and well worth the money to get the VIP package. I'll never flip flop on whether or not to meet a favorite author...I think it's always worth it. 

31 things to do before I turn 31

Melanie got me on the idea that I should make a list of 31 things to do before I turn 31 (September 23, 2013). So I have time, I just need the list. Check out what I have so far and help me add to it!

1. knit with buffalo yarn - I've heard it's marvelously soft and luxurious. And expensive. I must acquire some and knit with it.

2. finish two quilts - I've started a few, but I need to come full circle. Finish strong!

3. make and can apple butter - For two years I've said I would do this and I haven't. I need to buckle down and make it happen.

4. go snorkeling - I love the water, but I've always been scared of it. Scared of drowning, scared of sharks. Now that I can actually swim, I want to make my snorkeling dreams come true.

5. paint/organize the hall closet - This has been on my to-do list since we moved into the house (three years ago!). Has to get done.

6. participate in a color run 5K- These look ridiculously fun...and there's one in Charlotte this year. Gotta do it.

7. make pickles - Again, I say every year that I'm going to make pickles and I never do. Boo. Now is the time!

8. finish the Game of Thrones series - I'm stalled in this series because I'm watching the show and alot of the content aligns. I need to just commit and get through the first 1.5-2 books to new storylines!

9. catch a drumstick from Fred - CHECK! Did this just a few months ago. Been trying for a while, which made my success THAT much sweeter!

10. make progress towards writing a book - This has been on my to-do list since I was 7. I think it's time to just do it.

11. get Puggie to the beach - When we thought Puggie might have cancer, all I could think about was the number of things I wish I could do with/for her. She loveloveloves the sunshine, and I think she'll love the beach. We're on our way there this weekend, with BOTH dogs in tow! Hope she enjoys the warmth, the sand, and the salty air :) Oh, and she definitely doesn't have cancer. She's a healthy girl!

12. get a facial - I always say I'm going to treat myself and I never do. But I should. Before turning 31.

dye night

I've been completely unmotivated to dye yarn lately, but I was very excited about the opportunity to help my friends dye some yarn. It was really exciting to watch them come up with the concept for their color and decide which colors to mix to get there.

The entire process has lost its magic for me because I've done it so many times, but seeing their excitement really renewed my own enthusiasm. The process of dyeing is easy, but it does require all of this separate equipment, which is a huge hassle for someone who only wants to do it every now and then. So I'm glad I could host them (and I hope we can all do it again!) Honestly, I'm scheming for a shawl dye-a-long/knit-a-long.

Melanie took many more pics than anyone else, so check out her commentary on the evening as well.

Foodie PenPals - April

I'm not saying that I have low expectations for Foodie PenPals, because nothing could be further from the truth. BUT, our monthly limit is $15, so I don't expect much - just a little something delicious and fun. Well, my April delivery blew me away. Seriously.

First of all, Leah is from Brooklyn and so was everything in the box. Love that. Local stuff is great because that means it's new to me! Second of all, it was all gluten-free and completely up my alley! She sent a 73% dark chocolate bar, 72% dark chocolate hazelnut balls, organic sea salt popcorn, salty peanut taffy, and an all natural hearty snack blend. Lastly, the stuff is delicious. So much so that I've been hoarding it. I don't want it to end (though in writing this post I realize that most of it can be ordered online!

Check out all of these wonderful Brooklyn eateries and order something. If you need a suggestion, see any of the above listed items!

nutbox
Pret
Mast Brothers
Salty Road

Thank you for being amazing, Leah!  I couldn't love this haul anymore than I do! (If you're interested in seeing what I sent out this month, check out the Jogging Concierge!)

If you're interested in Foodie PenPals program, here are some details:
-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We've determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. Contact Lindsay to sign up!

fabric fit for a tween...

I'm way overcommitted in the realm of craft projects right now, but I did buy these fabrics to make a poochie bag for my niece. I was thinking it will be what I put her birthday gifts in. Maybe now that I've done some additional sewing, my poochie bag will be less of a fail than the first...

Best weekend ever

Last weekend was super fantastic. We hit up the Raleigh Farmer's Market and bought 70% of the plants we needed for the garden. It was a little early, but so far, so good!

In the beds, we have:

lemon boy tomatoes

early girl tomatoes

roma tomatoes

three different kinds/colors of bell peppers

anaheim peppers

zucchini

eggplant

We've started two kinds of Puerto Rican peppers, basil, and cilantro in seed trays, and I'm hoping they all turn out well. I think we'll also add a few spicy peppers to the mix as well (any suggestions here?). Also, in the photo above, do you see the bottom right box FULL of strawberries? It started out as two small plants last year - this year we dug up 6 big plants and gave them to the neighbors...and we still have a ton left. This is exciting stuff for people like us who lovelovelove smoothies.

And then we canned some purple sweet potato butter. Let me tell you...so delicious. Not too sweet, it's pretty perfect. Had some with bacon and eggs over easy and it was delightful. I'm definitely putting this in my regular rotation.

Besides the mint we have, basil, rosemary, oregano and cilantro, what other herbs should I have in the garden? I've never had an herb garden that I've used regularly, so what kinds of things will I use?

brave little dogs

if i look smug, it's because i'm snuggling with an adorable Pug. it just happens.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the SPCA's "Brave Little Dogs with Big Hearts" fundraiser for the Jones County puppy mill pups. Puggie came from a puppy mill, so the second the bust hit the news, I had a very soft spot for these animals (as though I didn't have soft enough spots for every animal ever already).

Going to the event meant getting my hands on these little bundles of sweetness and trying to give them all the love and all the support they've been needing their whole lives but never getting. I had prepared myself for an emotional night, because even though they were two weeks removed from the mill, I knew that some would be visibly ill or injured and others (all) would be emotionally scarred. I promised myself I wouldn't cry, but I knew it wouldn't be an easy promise to keep. Let me recommend that you read Molly Stone's account of the puppy mill bust, because she made the same no-crying promise to herself when she went in as a first responder to the bust. (Molly is the SPCA of Wake County's animal behaviorist, and a miracle worker).

As I approached the building there was a volunteer out front with a white French Bulldog who acted as the event greeter. That pup was very well adjusted and starving for love - I, like everyone else entering the place, couldn't resist the chance to give her a rub down and some kisses. As soon as I walked away from her and entered the building, my eyes filled with tears. There were photo postcards of many dogs rescued from the mill, hung from clips on strings on the wall when you entered, and everyone was encouraged to take one of the photo cards home. I chose a Pug that looked so much like Puggie that I could feel the threat of tears and that awful burning in my throat immediately. But I really didn't want to cry because animals are so receptive to your emotions, and I came to support them, not stress them out.

I bypassed the food and drink and went directly for the first room I saw, which contained three Pugs. I went in and visited for a bit - they were a lively, playful bunch. I couldn't get good photos because there was never a point that they stopped moving. I think they were so happy to move around and play that they couldn't possibly stop.

Just across the hall was another room of Pugs (plus an adorable black Frenchie), and this group was much more subdued than the last. I sat for a long time and one of the Pugs (I realized after a while that it was the same Pug whose card I'd chosen on the way in) setup camp in my lap and wasn't moving. I didn't exactly want her to. She was a precious snuggle bunny and I loved every minute. Eventually I lured her from my lap and towards some other folks and I made my rounds to visit all the non-Pugs.

this was the best shot I could get of Frenchie. she was too excited to be still for very long :)

in a perfect world, these two would come home with me. maybe the could go home with you?

There were just over 60 pups from the mill at the event, divided into rooms of 3-7, mostly organized by breed. I visited each room and made sure I saw every sweet face, and believe me, they were all sweet faces. Some were scared, some were eager, some were happy...but they were all hopeful, and that's what really struck me. Only two weeks removed from the living hell they had likely never known a life outside of and they were hopeful. The SPCA of Wake County has done an amazing job - two thumbs WAY up to everyone involved.

I eventually landed back in the subdued Pug room, unable to resist Pug cuddles and kisses and snorts. I spent the rest of my time there trying to infuse as much love as possible into each pup. I couldn't help but think about my Puggie, who came from the same situation last year and all the volunteers and fosterers who poured their time, money, and love into her and the fantastic difference that it made. Sigh. The most rewarding part of the evening was when the most senior pug (see Ms. Grey Snout below) finally trusted me enough to let me pet her without cowering or lowering her eyes. And when LuLu (that's what I named Puggie's look-a-like) hopped out of my lap, Grey Snout jumped right up and took her place. Heart melter, folks. Heart melter.

I left with a full and happy heart, but I cried the whole way home. How anyone could ever treat these precious animals so badly is beyond me. I truly can't think of a punishment severe enough - but for now all I can think about are ways to raise money to rehab not only this round of rescues, but the next round, and the next round. I have many ideas in the chamber, but for now I've finally put all time excuses aside and signed up for volunteer orientation! I'm also still collecting donations and recruiting team members for the SPCA K-9 3K (please consider joining us!).

foodie penpals - round 1!

I signed up for Foodie Penpals this month, and I am so so glad that I did! The way it works: the organizer sends a spreadsheet at the beginning of the month and each person is given a person to shop for. The person you're shopping for isn't the person who shops for you, so you have two people to chat with each month (twice the fun!). The price limit is $15, and you can take any approach you want with it - a few big things, several smaller things, ingredients to cook with or snackish items. Endless possibilities.

So this month Chris was writing to me. She did a ton of leg work go find out the details on gluten-free foods, and she did an amazing job of shopping for me. First of all, just look at the adorable job she did of wrapping each piece:

Apologies for the grainy pics, I was excited to unwrap and consume, so I used the camera on my phone.

So what did I get?

Glutino Gluten Free Pretzel Twists. Yes. Yum. Love them. When I initially went gluten-free I ate these all the time. All. The. Time. Then at some point they just slipped out of the rotation, but now they are solidly back in. I took half the bag and dipped them in chocolate. I had intended to post photos of that, but while it is easy to make chocolate-dipped pretzels delicious, it is very difficult to make them look fancy. Or even decent. Anyway, they were amazing!

Pamela's Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Wow. I've had Pamela's chocolate chunk and peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies, but I've never ever seen these here. I had declared that I wouldn't have them until I had a mug rug to enjoy them on, and that lasted like 9 days. Not bad. I finally opened them up this week and crumbled them on top of vanilla ice cream. Wowzers. I've sealed the rest away to wait on a mug rug, and if I ever find a box in stores, I'm totally making a pie crust with them.

Justin's Almond Butter. Regular AND chocolate. I've been saving these bad boys for a day when my schedule is slammed and I'm in need of a mobile snack. Apple + almond butter = happy Tif!

Organic Peppermint Tea. This is one of her favorites, so I can't wait to try it. In the past few years I've really been digging minty things, and I'm always interested in trying new teas. Ultimately, I think that Foodie Penpals is perfect for me because I tend to buy the same things over and over and this will break me out of my ruts.

Thank you, Chris, for the delicious treats and for breaking up the monotony!

This month I was writing to C over at Girl Meets Happy. She's gluten-free, so I t00k this opportunity to buy her some things that I love and some that I'm too cheap to buy for myself. Can't wait to hear her review - check out her blog to see her thoughts on my picks, and for workout inspiration!

WIP Wednesday - two-at-a-time socks

I'm STILL working on my sweater, and I'm still working on these two-at-a-time socks. To be fair, I really haven't knit much lately because I've been sewing (and reading and cooking and working), but I'm ready to pick them back up and finish. The yarn is really grabby, so it's kinda driving me crazy...but looking at this pic reminds me why its worth it. Love the colors, gotta stick it out.

huevos rancheros!

I have a love affair with huevos rancheros. It all started about two years ago when I ordered the dish for the first time (in my whole life) at SunnyPointe in Asheville. I had a crazy migraine and I was trying to rally for a day out at the Biltmore with Jose and his family, so I pulled out all the stops by ordering a diet coke and huevos rancheros, simply because it was the spiciest thing on the menu.

It doesn't make sense that I'd never had huevos rancheros before because 1) I really don't like breakfast food and 2) I love Mexican food. This is literally the most un-breakfast breakfast that there is. As soon as I realized that I could have this very delicious dish in place of eggs and bacon or pancakes, there was no turning back.

Since then I've cooked it a half dozen different ways, always declaring that the most recent iteration is my favorite. It just occurred to me that I should start posting the recipes so that I remember for next time.

Ingredients:

corn tortillas, lightly steamed

chorizo (GF, from Whole Foods)

bacon (baked until crispy then chopped)

black beans (with an ounce of recaito cooked in)

shreeded cheese

sour cream

eggs, over easy

I took the corn tortilla and piled it high with all the ingredients, leaving the egg for last. I cut into the egg, allowing the yolk to spill out and make the whole thing more juicy and flavorful.

SO GOOD. Seriously. I don't like eggs over easy unless they are in some version of huevos ranchero. To be fair, I don't really like eggs, so that says a lot about this dish.

Mods for next time: goat cheese instead of shredded cheese. Yes, please!