measure for measure

measure for measure, originally uploaded by speckled_beckle.

I have decided to take shots of kitchen utensils and cooking supplies (forks, whisks, spoons, knives, etc.) and then --eventually-- compile them and print them off, and hang them in my kitchen / dining area. (Probably offer them for sale, too.)

Look for more.
They're coming.
Not sure when they'll be here, but they will!

30 Songs in 30 Days: November

On Flickr, there is a group called 30 Songs in 30 Days. Each month that has 30 days, the members are invited (and,  indeed, encouraged) to do a photo each day representing a song. 

Here's a list of songs I'm thinking of doing for next month:

• "Bohemian Rhapsody" ~Queen
• "Roll Away Your Stone" ~Mumford & Sons
• "American Slang" ~Gaslight Anthem"
• "Animal I Have Become" ~Three Days Grace
• "Chasing Pirates" ~Norah Jones
• "The Ghost Inside" ~Broken Bells
• "The House That Built Me" ~Miranda Lambert
• "I Hope I'm Doing This Right" ~Paul Thorn
• "Jenny Wren" ~Paul McCartney
• "The Cave" ~Mumford & Sons
• "Love the Way You Lie" ~Eminem
• "I Gave  You All" ~Mumford & Sons
• "Ordinary World" ~Duran Duran
• "Save Room" ~John Legend
• "The Story So Far" ~Flogging Molly
• "Stupid" ~Sarah McLachlan
• "Awake My Soul" ~Mumford & Sons
• "There Cannot Be A Close Second" ~Copeland
• "This City" ~Patrick Stump
• "What A Little Bit of Love Can Do" ~Jeff Bridges
• "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" ~Jewel
• "Be Here Now" ~Ray Lamontagne

...those are just some songs I'm considering. (And I'm open to other suggestions, too. Find me on FB, Twitter, or comment here, if you have any to add to my list.) 

Mall-style pretzels.

Mall-style pretzels., originally uploaded by speckled_beckle.

These were so great! Seriously. I was not disappointed. If you came over from Flickr, then you know that I recommend these with salsa con queso, which means that I recommend them with salt -- the traditional way. But, you can have them with cinnamon sugar, garlic salt, or Parmesan cheese. Whatever suits your fancy.

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
--------------------
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 tablespoons baking soda
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2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt, cinnamon, or sugar.

1) In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar and salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in flour, then knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, for about 8 minutes. Grease a second large mixing bowl (butter works in the absence of lard). Place the dough in the greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover, and let rise for one hour.
2) Combine 2 cups warm water and baking soda in an 8 inch square or round pan. Line 6 baking sheets with parchment paper. (I've heard that nonstick spray works, too.)
3) After dough has risen, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the risen dough into 12 (or so) manageable pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, pencil thin or thinner. Dip into the baking soda, and then twist into a pretzel shape. (I happen to know, from experience, that other shapes work, too: breast-cancer ribbon shapes, knots, hearts, braids, and twists.) Place onto parchment covered baking sheets, and let rise 15 to 20 minutes. (I recommend putting it on the stovetop, over the oven, so it can rise as the oven warms.)
4) Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt, garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

**NOTE: This will require at least two different bakings, to use all of the dough. (More, depending on the size of your pretzels.)
When forming the ropes, roll each one to about half the length you want, then set it aside while you roll the rest. By the time you get back to the first rope, it will have rested enough to roll further.
Also, a 3-foot-long rope will make a pretzel approximately 8-inches in diameter. Plan on using one baking sheet for every 2 pretzels of this size.

breakfast cups.

breakfast cups., originally uploaded by speckled_beckle.

These are so yum. Seriously.

Preheat your oven to 375.
Spray your cupcake / muffin pan with non-stick spray.
Line your intended serving-number's worth of holes with ham. (If you use thin sliced ham --like the kind from the deli or for sandwiches-- use two piece of ham per muffin hole.) We had three pieces each, so we used six muffin holes.
Crack one egg into each ham-lined hole. (If you don't like to taste any yolk or prefer scrambled eggs, make sure you scramble them in a bowl before you put them in the ham-holes.)
Add your intended ingredients (green peppers, bacon, cheese, etc.). If scrambling the eggs, this can be done prior to adding the egg to the pan.
Bake for 20-25, or until the eggs are just set, if going for the non-scrambled version.
Et voila!

These can easily be made and then eaten on the go. (Especially if you use the scrambled-egg version.)

Ideas & Upcoming Shoots

Hello one, hello all!

I don't really have a specific layout in mind for this post, and I apologize in advance if it is all over the place.

I have two portrait sessions lined up. Both of them are with fellow photographers. One of them does it for work, the other does it for pleasure. I must say that having a fellow photographer choose your work out of all their other options means a lot.
I have also been asked by one of the aforementioned photographers to be her second shooter at four already-scheduled weddings. I'm looking forward to it. The first one is in three weeks.
(I'm still waiting for final confirmation from her, but last I knew, Thundercats are go.)

My Associate of Arts degree will be completed in May 2012, which means that next semester is my last semester at (this) college, and I need to take whatever classes I've been wanting to take.
One class on my "definitely taking" list is studio photography. It will be good to get more experience using lighting techniques and different lights. (I only have my lightstand and bounce / diffuse umbrella right now. Hot lights and an off-camera flash are on my "someday" list.)

There is a lot of chatter going on about my man and I moving to Denver.
The city has more opportunities for him, with his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture. It would also present him with a larger audience to possibly continue working in video game design, which he's been doing as a freelancer for the last couple of years.
Denver also has Metropolitan State University, which is, in my opinion, a better school than the local state university here. (It teaches more in-state graduates than any other university in Colorado.)
...and, with Denver being a bigger city, there are, theoretically, more job opportunities there. There are definitely more job opportunities for people with a creative schtick (like my boyfriend and I) than there are in our podunk part of the state.
(I'm not knocking rural living, or UNC, by any means... They're fine for people for whom they're suited. Creative types are not suited for making a living in the country, and I've already done the UNC route, so....no.)

...so that's what's going on in my part of the world.

That water, that water has tamed me. You can feel that the world is connected to it.

That water, that water has tamed me. You can feel that the world is connected to it., originally uploaded by speckled_beckle.

I love love love the beach.

My first cruise experience was not bad.
(It wasn't as great as it could have been, but that's because it wasn't with a 5-star company.)

I must say the worst part was the rough water.
Every time we were at the beach it was windy and the surf wasn't gently lapping. The ocean was roaring and the waves were larger than ideal. It made the boat rock.

...and it seems like that is the summary of my life at the moment.
Things and situations are kind of rocky, but if I just enjoy myself, I can smile, be happy, and have a good time.

Besides, those rocky waves prepared me for a turbulent flight home.
Mayhaps the rocky-ness of life right now is preparing me for something else.

Surf Lessons

Surf Lessons, originally uploaded by speckled_beckle.

Every time I go on vacation where there's a beach good for surfing, I tease Jacob that I'm going to flirt with all the surfer boys.

He knows I'm completely lying, of course.
(And even if I wasn't, it's not like the surfer boys would have anything to do with me. They are all incredibly in shape.)

This was the first time I ever actually saw any surfer boys.
They had their boards in hand and were running to the beach.
I imagined it had to be like what goes on here whenever the weather is benevolent: call in sick to take advantage of it. Here, it's whenever there's a decent snowfall near the ski resorts. There, it's whenever the wind is blowing just right to provide the right-size waves.

This photo is dark because it was near the end of our requisite visit to the time-share resort (yes, it was beachfront, and yes, it was gorgeous) and the wind was (obviously) picking up, the clouds were rolling in, and the day was cooling off.

Honestly, though, a few years ago I wanted to learn how to surf. I'd say it was about six years ago. I'd learn how to snowboard, first, obviously. It's closer to home. I even went so far as to research the cost of boards and how long it needed to be. I knew where I was going to buy a board from. I'm not sure why I abandoned the idea. Maybe because it was around that time that my health issues started kicking in and I started to gain my weight back. I figured that surfing (and snowboarding) could help me lose the weight, but I wasn't going to look foolish whilst weighing what I did and "wasting time" up on the mountain.
I'm pretty sure that's what it was.
That's the reason I am not pursuing it now, anyway; that's what I just justified in my head.

Maybe someday I'll re-pursue it.
I do so love the beach.