Morel Hunting

This has been a really great spring for morel hunting! Michele and I went out last Wednesday and found a few.

 

Our bounty!

We brought them to Dad to cook for us. He's the master morel chef.

Basically we just like them fried up in some butter with salt and pepper! Sometimes a dusting of flour.

Simple and delicious!

Then on Saturday morning, I was out walking Felix and I stumbled upon this motherload. I wasn't even looking! I've never seen a clump like this before! I couldn't believe my eyes! And then I found another one nearby!! 

I found all these out on my morning walk, not even really looking!! So lucky.

This time everyone got to have lots of tastes!

Mmmmm.

Inspired by my haul, Michele and I went out a third time this afternoon. And we found some more!

This time Michele cooked them up into a pasta sauce, which we enjoyed with her dad Joe and Scott. It was delightful! What a great morel season!

Unicorn Batik

My Grandmother Erlewine was an artist, and one of her favorite mediums was batik. Everyone in the family has several batiks hung on the walls in their homes! Recently, my cousins and I were having a discussion on Facebook where we were sharing pictures of the batiks we have, and my cousin Ravyn revealed that she had a UNICORN batik!!!!! I didn't even know that Grandma ever made unicorn batiks, and unicorns are my favorite!!!!

It turns out that Ravyn actually had TWO of this particular orange (my favorite color!!!) unicorn batik, and she generously offered to give me one! I was beyond overjoyed!! She mailed it to me, and the first thing I did was get it steamed at the dry cleaner's.

A lovely note from Ravyn.

Next, I took it to the framing store to get it framed!

And then I hung it in my home! I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!!

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have discovered this new very special piece of art by my Grandma. Thank you, Ravyn!!

Good Dogs! Plus Porch Breakfast

This photo is from earlier in the week. Little Kate and I walked Felix and Lucy to the daffodil patch. LOOK AT HOW HAPPY AND CUTE THEY ARE!! They are really really good dogs.

And then this morning, we walked them to Mom and Dad's house. Dad made us one of his famous porch breakfasts, and the dogs did some tricks for treats!

GOOD DOGS!!

Mmm! Dad makes the best breakfasts. OOPS, it looks like the cap to the hot sauce is on top of my eggs!! Better not eat that.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! Mer, Pete and Kate got a Solo Stove too! Theirs is the medium size, which is better for a bit bigger of a family. It's so shiny and new!

It was a perfect day to gather around the fire.

 

We made a springy meal in honor of Easter. I made this salad with fresh violets.

Mer made turkey pot pies with dill crust! Our family's secret recipe! YUM.

Artichokes!

Springy and delicious.

Little Kate made a cake, too!

Super delicious. Happy Easter, everyone!

Happy Birthday, Ben!

It's Ben's birthday! I made the Smitten Kitchen chocolate peanut butter cake. Mmm here it is with the peanut butter buttercream frosting, about to be ganached!

Mmmm, ganache.

Presents!

Hmmm, I wonder what we might have gotten him?

Open it!

The Saucony rainbow shoes!!! Always gotta smell a new pair of shoes.

The most cheerful soles ever.

Quadruplets!

Birthday dinner! I made pulled pork with cilantro rice and lots of toppings. Mom brought a delicious salad!

Yum!

41! Make a wish!

This is the dankest cake in the history of cakes. It's so good!

Spring!

It's been feeling springy lately! Felix and I took a walk to visit the daffies.

My neighbor Katherine has been making Black Lives Matters signs, and they are beautiful. Each sign features the High John de Conquer variety of Morning Glory, and then you get to choose a flower or two of your own. I went tropical and chose hibiscus and plumeria. It turned out beautiful!

Birthday Fire Pit

Today is Mom's birthday! We got together for a birthday fire pit. 

Cheers!

Toasty warm.

We tried some of the rainbow fire packets.

They were really cool. Happy birthday, Mom!

Fire Pit with Michele and Scott

 I've really been getting a lot of use out of my Solo Stove! Tonight I had Michele and Scott over for a fire.

Good Luck Pork

We weren't able to get together to celebrate the new year today, but Mom still made her traditional Good Luck Pork. She shared some with us so we could have good luck, too! MMM!

NYE

Happy New Year's Eve! I made Smitten Kitchen's mushroom lasagna. I split the recipe in two so I could deliver one to my folks for their NYE dinner.

It was delicious! One of my all time favorite recipes.