Adrian and I make this summer treat frequently and the recipe is sooo easy. It's one I picked up from my sister so I don't know where it actually came from. It's too good not to share.
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
12 ice cubes
Blend it up and it makes enough for two! Enjoy!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
No pizza for you
So we started at 8:30 this morning and 6 hours and a new wheelbarrow later we finished... with the digging portion anyway. I'm too tired to write any more than that. So here are the photos instead.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Hot Weekend
We finally got our economic stimulus money this week, with which we had planned to rid our lives of the miserable patch of dirt next to our patio that the dog loves to roll in so much and replace it with a beautiful new stone patio. The only problem is now that we have the money we also have the heat with it. So this weekend was slated to be the beginning of the project and fittingly, we should see temperatures in the mid-90s. Great. So I thought maybe I'd get a jump-start on the weekend's work this morning while it was still cool out.
2 hours and 11 wheel barrows of heavy, hard packed clay later this was all I accomplished. We're supposed to dig out 7 and a half inches of dirt below our finished level. This is just the beginning. Once we get the lion's share of dirt out we've got to string up our levels and level it all off to the same depth. I've only scratched the surface and I've already got the beginnings of blisters...
Anyone free this weekend?? I'll buy you pizza!! Lots and lots of pizza. And beer! Just bring a shovel!
2 hours and 11 wheel barrows of heavy, hard packed clay later this was all I accomplished. We're supposed to dig out 7 and a half inches of dirt below our finished level. This is just the beginning. Once we get the lion's share of dirt out we've got to string up our levels and level it all off to the same depth. I've only scratched the surface and I've already got the beginnings of blisters...
Anyone free this weekend?? I'll buy you pizza!! Lots and lots of pizza. And beer! Just bring a shovel!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Wish List...
In just a few days of having a wheel here at the house I've decided that the ONLY way I'm ever going to be able to effectively produce my own art is if I can work out of our house. As awkward as my setup is and the fact that we lose a bedroom in the deal, I'm really digging the ceramics at home. If I have an hour free I can jump on the wheel and whip something out, I can sit out in our newly landscaped yard and carve... it's great! I've always struggled with producing anything at school as once the school day is over the last thing I want to do is stick around, away from my husband (who, though we've been married for a year already, I cannot wait to see at the end of every day) even for the sake of art, my other true love. So over the course of a year I only manage to produce maybe half a dozen pots at best and usually one or two fall victim to careless hands. So I have my wish list:
Numero Uno (and most important):
Shimpo VL Whisper Pottery Wheel. A few years back I went to a Tom Coleman workshop at BSU. If you don't know who Tom Coleman is he's like the Peyton Manning of the ceramics world only not a sell-out. He's everywhere and everyone reveres him. Anyway, his word is gospel, so when he endorses a product you can bet your fanny it's a damn good product. He recommended this wheel and as I've researched it I can't find any fault in it. It comes with one hell of a price tag to boot. I'm starting my savings and if anyone feels moved to donate to the advancement of the arts fund I've started you can make your checks payable to Kristen Mouw, though it may or may not be tax deductible, I'll make you a custom pot for your very own. Consider it!
# 2:
A Raku kiln. My dad and I have plans to put this into action. It's just going to take a little time. I'm trying to get my patio finished so we have a place to do it. After that we'll be cookin' with gas, so to speak.
# 3:
A proper studio space with sinks and storage, glaze facility and kilns. This is a bit of a pipe dream right now. But eventually Adrian and I will sell this house and find one where I can hopefully make this dream come true. Something with a nice little workshop space or really even just a three car garage would work fine! I'm not picky, too much.
Numero Uno (and most important):
Shimpo VL Whisper Pottery Wheel. A few years back I went to a Tom Coleman workshop at BSU. If you don't know who Tom Coleman is he's like the Peyton Manning of the ceramics world only not a sell-out. He's everywhere and everyone reveres him. Anyway, his word is gospel, so when he endorses a product you can bet your fanny it's a damn good product. He recommended this wheel and as I've researched it I can't find any fault in it. It comes with one hell of a price tag to boot. I'm starting my savings and if anyone feels moved to donate to the advancement of the arts fund I've started you can make your checks payable to Kristen Mouw, though it may or may not be tax deductible, I'll make you a custom pot for your very own. Consider it!
# 2:
A Raku kiln. My dad and I have plans to put this into action. It's just going to take a little time. I'm trying to get my patio finished so we have a place to do it. After that we'll be cookin' with gas, so to speak.
# 3:
A proper studio space with sinks and storage, glaze facility and kilns. This is a bit of a pipe dream right now. But eventually Adrian and I will sell this house and find one where I can hopefully make this dream come true. Something with a nice little workshop space or really even just a three car garage would work fine! I'm not picky, too much.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Ceramic Summer
It has begun! The last two days have seen me convincing myself that I had to finish this and that around the house before getting started on my ceramic "studio." I think it was my subconscious fear of... what? I don't even know. I just could see myself gradually putting it off regardless of all the ideas I had swimming in my head after our coast trip. I am a complicated individual. But yesterday I spent a small fortune on some shelving (remarkable how expensive some dinky shelves can be) to set up a place to store my in-progress work in "the studio." Incidentally, I say "the studio" because it's the sorriest excuse for a ceramic studio I can imagine. Now that I've begun I am seeing all the logistical problems with my set-up. I'll work through those, however, and plan to have the most productive summer of my life!
Embarrassing as it is... my rinky-dink "studio."
And today's efforts... my mini-series.
My mom dropped me a line on an opportunity at the end of the summer to possibly make a fair amount of money. Apparently Cottonwood, Idaho (yes glamorous Cottonwood) has a Raspberry Festival and they are seeking artists to host booths for the meager price of $30. I would LOVE to do this so that's my summer goal and it was this more than anything else that got me in motion. I'll try to update my progress frequently. Check back if you're interested! And hey, pass the word if you like what you see.
Embarrassing as it is... my rinky-dink "studio."
And today's efforts... my mini-series.
My mom dropped me a line on an opportunity at the end of the summer to possibly make a fair amount of money. Apparently Cottonwood, Idaho (yes glamorous Cottonwood) has a Raspberry Festival and they are seeking artists to host booths for the meager price of $30. I would LOVE to do this so that's my summer goal and it was this more than anything else that got me in motion. I'll try to update my progress frequently. Check back if you're interested! And hey, pass the word if you like what you see.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Coast Trip
Adrian and I got home Tuesday night from our celebratory trip to the Oregon Coast. We had a WONDERFUL time. We left early Friday morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed... and Adrian was asleep within 30 minutes of hitting the road. 
The drive was uneventful and looooong, with the requisite stops for edibles and Multnomah Falls. Adrian had never been there so that was fun. We ventured as far as the bridge (not far) and declined any further adventuring mostly due to the soggy weather. 
Our trip took a full 12 hours but the campground we stayed at (Beachside) made it all worth it.
True to it's name it was indeed right on the beach which made it very convenient and also VERY cold. If it hadn't been windy the entire time we were there it might not have been so cold. But the gusts made for some chilly temps for our ill-planned wardrobe. Note to self: next year plan for more winter clothing. The campground was nestled just south of Waldport and north of Yachats. Waldport proved to be an armpit but I had spent some time in Yachats back in 2002 for my sister's wedding. It was fun to take Adrian to all the places I remembered from that trip.
Friday night we did little more than pitch our camp and walk on the beach. We stumbled upon a tree stump that reminded us of that scene in Karate Kid where Daniel practices his crane kick at the beach... so of course Adrian wanted to perch me up there and have a photo op of me making an idiot of myself. Those pictures will not be posted here due to the overwhelming terror that took me while precariously perched well above the height of Adrian's 6'3". Combine the height (which I hate) and the wind (which I also hate) and I could do little more than crouch up there screaming into the wind. Let me spare you details of the graceful dismount...
We also discovered a huge log that had been washed up on the beach as early as the late 70s. 
We were able to find names and carvings dating back to at least 1978. We, of course, added our own. I figured some day it may be a cool thing to show our kids and remember our first anniversary.
Saturday we ventured in to Yachats to seek out some tide pools and we hit the mother-load. We found a great spot with all kinds of beautiful starfish and sea anemones.
And this cave that becomes a blow hole at high tide. You can't tell from the picture but it's completely covered in sea life... barnacles and mollusks. Fascinating to see up close.
Then we hit the mother-load of northwest art galleries. I was floored by some of the art we found at the Earthworks and neighboring galleries. We wound up at glamorous Izzy's in Newport. The food was marginal but worth the view alone.
That afternoon we returned to our campground and took our kites out for a spin in the windy weather.
We rounded out the day with some goofiness around the campfire and a raging cool sunset on the beach to finish out our 1st year of marriage.
Sunday was our anniversary. We rolled out to another beautiful (and brisk) morning. 
I gave Adrian his gift before we ventured back to Yachats to take in their Farmer's Market. Whoa tiny. I'm not sure what I had in mind but the entire thing took us about 10 minutes to peruse. I was able to finally get up close to some bushes that I'd seen ALL OVER Oregon that are spectacularly in bloom right now. Turns out they're azaleas. SO impressive.
We ate a small yet expensive breakfast at the Landmark, a place that lives up to it's slogan "An ocean view from every table." We had our pick of breakfast spots but I remembered this place for it's ocean view when my parents and I ate there in 2002. Note to self: pay more attention to prices when parents foot the bill! At $3 a pancake we didn't eat much and opted for a cheaper lunch later on in Newport.
We drove up to Newport to hit the historic bay front. This was another activity I had enjoyed with my family over the years and I was excited to share the experience with Adrian. The weather was perfect for the activity and we stopped at all of my favorite hot spots including the candy shop where my mom and I used to get salt-water taffy. We bought a handful or two and some amazing caramel corn before we decided we'd better get out of there before we broke the bank.
And no trip to the bay front is complete without a stop to see the barking seals and sea lions.
We had lunch at the Newport Cafe to squeeze the required halibut fish and chips meal into the trip. Awesome.
That afternoon we retired to our camp beach and had a few hours of reading/napping in the sun.
We made our traditional camping dinner that night of foil-pack chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions and some special seasoning cooked directly over the fire. It's the easiest dinner ever and sooo good. While I prepared the grub Adrian got busy memorializing our first anniversary...
*the "sorry Nacho" part was a little shout out to our poor guy who had to be left at home.
Monday we woke up to stormy, cloudy and oh yah, windy. We didn't have a whole lot planned for our final day but the Newport Aquarium was at the top of the list. Yet another family favorite of years past. As always it was amazing.
A quick stop at the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.
Our last walk on the beach before our last cold sunset. We were sad to say goodbye to the ocean but very ready to get home.
One thing that struck me was the fact that this was my first trip to the coast with Adrian and my first trip to the coast without my family. I wasn't prepared for how much I would miss them over there. Family, we're going to have to plan another trip up there next year...
Our trip took a full 12 hours but the campground we stayed at (Beachside) made it all worth it.
True to it's name it was indeed right on the beach which made it very convenient and also VERY cold. If it hadn't been windy the entire time we were there it might not have been so cold. But the gusts made for some chilly temps for our ill-planned wardrobe. Note to self: next year plan for more winter clothing. The campground was nestled just south of Waldport and north of Yachats. Waldport proved to be an armpit but I had spent some time in Yachats back in 2002 for my sister's wedding. It was fun to take Adrian to all the places I remembered from that trip.Friday night we did little more than pitch our camp and walk on the beach. We stumbled upon a tree stump that reminded us of that scene in Karate Kid where Daniel practices his crane kick at the beach... so of course Adrian wanted to perch me up there and have a photo op of me making an idiot of myself. Those pictures will not be posted here due to the overwhelming terror that took me while precariously perched well above the height of Adrian's 6'3". Combine the height (which I hate) and the wind (which I also hate) and I could do little more than crouch up there screaming into the wind. Let me spare you details of the graceful dismount...
We also discovered a huge log that had been washed up on the beach as early as the late 70s. 
We were able to find names and carvings dating back to at least 1978. We, of course, added our own. I figured some day it may be a cool thing to show our kids and remember our first anniversary.Saturday we ventured in to Yachats to seek out some tide pools and we hit the mother-load. We found a great spot with all kinds of beautiful starfish and sea anemones.
And this cave that becomes a blow hole at high tide. You can't tell from the picture but it's completely covered in sea life... barnacles and mollusks. Fascinating to see up close.
Then we hit the mother-load of northwest art galleries. I was floored by some of the art we found at the Earthworks and neighboring galleries. We wound up at glamorous Izzy's in Newport. The food was marginal but worth the view alone.
That afternoon we returned to our campground and took our kites out for a spin in the windy weather.
We rounded out the day with some goofiness around the campfire and a raging cool sunset on the beach to finish out our 1st year of marriage.
Sunday was our anniversary. We rolled out to another beautiful (and brisk) morning. 
I gave Adrian his gift before we ventured back to Yachats to take in their Farmer's Market. Whoa tiny. I'm not sure what I had in mind but the entire thing took us about 10 minutes to peruse. I was able to finally get up close to some bushes that I'd seen ALL OVER Oregon that are spectacularly in bloom right now. Turns out they're azaleas. SO impressive.
We ate a small yet expensive breakfast at the Landmark, a place that lives up to it's slogan "An ocean view from every table." We had our pick of breakfast spots but I remembered this place for it's ocean view when my parents and I ate there in 2002. Note to self: pay more attention to prices when parents foot the bill! At $3 a pancake we didn't eat much and opted for a cheaper lunch later on in Newport.We drove up to Newport to hit the historic bay front. This was another activity I had enjoyed with my family over the years and I was excited to share the experience with Adrian. The weather was perfect for the activity and we stopped at all of my favorite hot spots including the candy shop where my mom and I used to get salt-water taffy. We bought a handful or two and some amazing caramel corn before we decided we'd better get out of there before we broke the bank.
And no trip to the bay front is complete without a stop to see the barking seals and sea lions.
We had lunch at the Newport Cafe to squeeze the required halibut fish and chips meal into the trip. Awesome.That afternoon we retired to our camp beach and had a few hours of reading/napping in the sun.
We made our traditional camping dinner that night of foil-pack chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions and some special seasoning cooked directly over the fire. It's the easiest dinner ever and sooo good. While I prepared the grub Adrian got busy memorializing our first anniversary...
*the "sorry Nacho" part was a little shout out to our poor guy who had to be left at home.Monday we woke up to stormy, cloudy and oh yah, windy. We didn't have a whole lot planned for our final day but the Newport Aquarium was at the top of the list. Yet another family favorite of years past. As always it was amazing.
A quick stop at the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse.
Our last walk on the beach before our last cold sunset. We were sad to say goodbye to the ocean but very ready to get home.
One thing that struck me was the fact that this was my first trip to the coast with Adrian and my first trip to the coast without my family. I wasn't prepared for how much I would miss them over there. Family, we're going to have to plan another trip up there next year...
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
One Year
Adrian and I will be celebrating our one year anniversary on Sunday. I was thinking about anniversary gifts and I always hate giving gifts that don't have some kind of deeper meaning or thought to them. I was also considering the traditional anniversary gifts. For the longest time I thought having paper for the first year seemed so ridiculous. What could you possibly get for your spouse with that? Actually quite a bit when I really started considering it. So I decided on a couple of things, one of which being a drawing of his other best friend (other than me of course!) I just finished it today. It'll be matted and framed when I give it to him but here's the finished product. Shhh... don't tell him. (No, he doesn't check the blog so it's perfectly safe to post it here.)
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