Waiting

"As one project followed another, I realized why I had not been drawn to bread baking in the first place. Stovetop cooking is, at a first approximation, peeling and chopping onions and then crying; baking is mixing yeast and water with flour and then waiting. The difference between being a baker and being a cook is whether you find waiting or crying more objectionable."

- Adam Gopnik, from "Bread and Women"  

Plants

I got this adorable little succulent pot from my friend Liz as a graduation present. It is just so cute sitting on our windowsill - I'm a little worried about keeping it alive! My succulent survival rate is pretty low, unfortunately.

Watercolor Card

I've been enjoying pulling out my watercolors to make thank-you cards recently. It is therapeutic for me and (I've been told) they are special to receive. I modeled this card off of one I found on Pinterest and I like how it turned out. The sides were taped down with washi tape to make a crisp edge - a tactic I'd like to experiment more with. My watercolors and brushes are decent for most things, but I would like to invest in a few more colors and some better brushes, especially for hand lettering.

Flowers from Barbara

Barbara (my cooperating teacher) has a yearly tradition where she buys a box full of bunches of tulips and passes them out to teachers in the building. I got first pick and had these lovelies (above) to look at all week on my desk! I was reminded of the beauty of fresh flowers and the power of simple gifts.

Our First Pascha

breaking the fast at 3:30 in the morning with mimosas, cookies, cheese, and beef jerky

Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen!

Khristos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!

al-Masīḥ qām! Ḥaqqan qām!

Becoming Catechumen

On Palm Sunday, Evan and I became catechumen in the Orthodox Church. We are so excited for this journey and are so grateful to have been led to this Church.

Monument Valley Spring Break Roadtrip

DAY ONE: Portland to Boise

Chris's aunt put us up in a room at her boutique hotel in downtown Boise. We were in a perfect location to walk to the TreeFort music festival.

DAY TWO: Boise to Salt Lake City

On the way we stopped in Twin Falls, Idaho (top picture). It was fun to see the rocks change into a deep orange color on the drive towards Utah.

DAY THREE: Salt Lake City to Arches to Monument Valley

We didn't have very long to spend in Arches, but we loved the Double Arches hike.

DAY FOUR: Monument Valley to Horseshoe Canyon

To avoid the gloomy rain and horrible wind in Monument Valley, we chased the sun two hours south into Arizona where we spent the day in Horseshoe Canyon and on the Hanging Garden Trail.

DAY FIVE: Monument Valley, Mexican Hat, & Valley of the Gods

Our last day in Monument Valley was sunny and clear, so we drove through the valley, went to Mexican Hat rock, got navajo tacos from a local restaurant, and then drive through Valley of the Gods (where a rock got stuck in our brake pad and made the most awful noise. Luckily, Chris was able to use a tent peg to remove the rock). The sky was so clear that evening, so we drove to a turn-off away from any lights and looked at the stars.