August in pictures:

Obsessed.

If putting goat cheese on everything is a crime, call me a criminal. I am currently obsessed. I loved chevre for a long, long time, but most recently have been eating it all the time! My favorite pairing: goat cheese and eggs cooked just about any way. It's an affair to remember.

baked eggs.

After my usual perusal of my daily blogs this morning, inspiration hit. Using only ingredients found in my pantry and refrigerator, I made these.



Hands down, most likely the best thing I have ever made. Ever. Onions, carrots, canned tomato sauce, oregano basil = homemade pasta sauce. I spooned two large spoonfuls of the sauce into little ramekins. I dropped in a dollop of goat cheese and then cracked one egg sprinkled with black pepper into each ramekin. Into the oven at 425. Fifteen minutes later, I sprinkled some more basil on top. The egg was perfect; the white perfectly set while the yolk was perfectly runny. I was in absolute heaven. I kid you not.



MAKE THESE.

freckly, fireworky, fremonty, fourth & fifth.

My day of celebrating the US of A's birthday started with working until 7:30a. I didn't mind. Overtime is [almost] always good :) I slept a bit, but made myself crawl out from under my down comforter earlier than usual so that I could get outside in the beautiful Seattle sunshine. I saw most of Seattle on the Burke-Gilman during my usual bridges run. Running in sunshine = FRECKLES. I got home, packed my bag with BBQ necessities, and hopped on my cool collapsable boardwalk bike to a friend's house. The 5 minute bike wasn't enough, so after I dropped of my bag, I took my bike back out to the Burke, biked the short mile and a half between the Ballard and Fremont bridges. My friend's didn't mind. Biking in sunshine = FRECKLES. A beautiful dinner with friends, and then we headed to Fremont. The entire population of Seattle had moved from the Burke-Gilman to Gasworks park. It was an amazing site. Every square foot of that park was covered with bodies. Most of the group stayed for the fireworks show. I on the other was on people-overload. The thought of fighting my way out of Gasworks with the thousands of other people was not a happy one. So Karie and I walked back into the heart of Fremont, toasted America at the Red Door, walked back to her house, and finshed off her homemade nectarine cobbler while watching the very same firework show on her rooftop patio.

My fifth has been just as freckly. Since I was able to sleep during my usual working hours, I made myself get up in the morning. While I like working nights, I MISS, MISS, MISS my mornng runs. It was even more beautiful out than the day before. After I ran, I promptly showered, threw on a sundress, and walked out the door. I walked to Fremont, grabbed a groovy green smoothie, read by the canal, and then bought white nectarines from PCC. I discovered a new favorite! Mama Chia cherry lime juice/drink. A bit pricey, but absolutely amazing! The most delicious way to get my Omega-IIIs. The texture will blow your mind. I walked back to Queen Anne.... walking in sunshine = FRECKLES. Are you sensing a theme here? I wasn't as smart as I usually am though. I was sun hungry. Hour long runs in the sun, no big deal. Two hours spent sitting in the sun with sunscreen on only my face, big deal. My shoulders are a bigttoasty [read: WAY toasty]. I know better this. My red-headed head and pale skin knows better than this. Woops.

All this to say, my freckles are officially OUT. Happy summer!

hiatus.

A blogging hiatus. That's ok... worse things have happened. Lately: I've worked more nights than I can remember, am in a constant state of nocturnal jet lag, am in the throes of half marathon training, and have been putting arugula into everything I eat. I've been keeping the Queen Anne farmer's market in business.

Now on to 7 days off. I love being a nurse.

cupcake vitamins.

Mini red velvet cupcakes are so small. So small they don't really count. Little cupcake vitamins. I whipped up a batch along with some cream cheese frosting today to bring to Monday evening Bible study.



And now, I baking turkey meatballs in the very same mini muffin tin. Good stuff all around.

mmm...

Candied ginger, a bowl of kettle corn, and a glass of sparkling water on a Friday night. Pair that with my ever-changing netflix queue, and you have a happy girl. I need nights like these.