America's Best Idea

America's Best Idea
A 6-part film on America’s National Parks from legendary documentary filmmaker Ken Burns begins airing September 27, 2009 on public television. A childhood visit to Shenandoah was part of Burns’s inspiration. To hear what he has to say about Shenandoah and his new film, visit our partner Shenandoah National Park Trust, online.

I am looking forward to this!

Support your local green market!

Thanks for sending me this link, Jason!

Back from the midwest

I wrote a nice long post about our vacation, and blogger ate it for breakfast.


So, now I'm putting up a test post after getting Google
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I'm back. That's about all I have to say at the moment.

Burgers n Things and Bee Stings

Well, the anniversary cake was a success! I kept it simple and I think I’ll be making more cakes as the occasions arrive. As far as occasions go, our 10th wedding anniversary was wonderful. Sushi, ring shopping, cake and champagne! It was a really great day.

That was last weekend, then for the 4th of July weekend, we left out of DC to escape the fireworks for a daytrip to Shenandoah National Park. It was a perfect day for a picnic. Jason packed the sandwiches and snacks and we loaded up the car! Leia seemed extra excited to go on a car ride. You know how dogs are.

On the way into the park, Jason and I decided to stop at Burgers ‘n Things. It’s a small building on the side of road in Sperryville, Va that sells burgers, fries and drinks for those hungry travelers coming out of the park. Even though we packed food, we fell victim to the smells and got lunch. Yum!

We drove to Elkwallow picnic area off Skyline drive (at about mile 25) and instantly wanted to camp overnight. However, with the state of the economy, it seems “camping” is the default family vacation and the campsites were full for the weekend. (All of the reservation sites were taken.) We’re going to try to go camping later this summer though.

We stopped near the small supply store at Elkwallow before finding a picnic area, and while Leia and I waited for Jason to come out of the bathroom, Leia got stung by a bee. For the rest of the afternoon, she tried to gnaw off her back leg – poor pup. We still got a bit of relaxing in, and both can’t believe we haven’t been back in so long.

The drive home always seems longer than the drive there, but it was a really enjoyable daytrip and I hope to go back very soon.

"Attempt" is the key word.

I ordered a book today...albiet a cookbook. Well, not even a cookbook, a "cake"book. Yes, a book filled with instructions on how to bake, frost and decorate your own fancy cakes. I can't wait for it to arrive. I have no idea what special tools I'll need, how many eggs will be required or how fat I'll become from taking up this pipe dream of mine, but I've always wanted to bake and decorate a real fancy cake. Ordering this book was the first step.

Over the years, I've perfected many recipes. (Some are still in stages of perfection, like the perfectly frosted cut-out cookie, and lemon cookies.) But, etched in stone are: my perfect chocolate chip cookies, a darn good pumpkin pie...and recently (thanks to C.H.F.) the fluffiest pancakes in the world! Yes, my secret baking quest will always be there. I'll always want to buy more powdered sugar than I need at the store, and I will always have the dream of filling my kitchen with the smell of something sweet and delicious.

So, in an ATTEMPT to say aloud "Let them eat cake!" and be "oh so crafty" and also edible... I am going to try my hand at a fancy cake. I hope. I have to read the instructions first. And if it doesn't become a fancy cake, perhaps fancy "cupcakes" instead. I also got the new Martha Stewart cupcake book that just came out. The funny thing is, I don't really want to eat the cakes, I just want to make them and take pictures of them (chance are I will be eating some though - who am I kidding.) I only wish I had the recipe of the cake that Jason and I had for our wedding. That cake was delicious!