My Walls are Down

Last week I asked you if you could live in a space with no walls and surprisingly many of you said no.  Kids, dogs, mils, there were many reasons, but what if it was just you and your Boo?

Your soulmate.  Then could you?  Or do you need your privacy?  

And how do you feel about white floors?

Happy Birthday! and a Great Recipe

He's smart, handsome, charming and successful.

He's a good cook too.  He could make me this.

Warming cinnamon gives this cake its spicy and welcoming flavor.
Excerpted from Bob's Red Mill Baking Book by John Ettinger and Bob's Red Mill Family, Copyright© 2007, published by Running Press. All rights reserved.
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, minced, optional
PREPARATION
1. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan or baking dish, or line it with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt.
3. Lightly beat together the oil and butter, then beat in the eggs. Whisk this mixture into the flour mixture to blend. Stir in the carrots and ginger.
4. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, invert onto a rack and cool. Frost.

But his most endearing and infuriating quality is hard to describe.  So hard in fact, that we just call it "Ben" as in, "He just did his Ben thing and the waiter brought us a complimentary bottle of wine".  Sorry ladies, he is married to one of my best friends.

Happy Birthday Little Brother.

Evolution

It might have started here

The custom is to take a ribbon with a wish written on it, tie it around your wrist and when it falls off, the wish will come true.  You can replace the ribbon with a wish that you write.

It was installed here.

pretty

this was a good idea for a good cause

but why didn't I think of this?  this guy must be a gazillionaire now...

Threesome

do you like things in groups of three?

Ouch

Those pink lamp shades are hurting my eyes.  I thought the whole issue was a bore. You?

House Beautiful November 2010

Star Crossed Lovers: Libra

The Libra Man

The Scales man is attracted to classical, iconic beauties who are comfortable being perched or plopped on a pedestal. As a lover, he's an artist.

The Libra Woman

Independent Libra seeks an equal partnership, particularly with a model male beauty. She is a lookist with higher love to give, liberally.

What do you think?  do you know any Libras?  Is it true?

I think this will be a fun new monthly feauture.  Up next: scorpio, that's me!

Not in this Lifetime

Really?  Who has time for this?  If you do, congrats. 

Sorry, perhaps I'm a bit crabby as we are currently working 5 jobs at the Appletree house.  I won't be intricately carving pumpkin lanterns or sewing any costumes this year.

But I  will eat candy until I puke.  Halloween is my favorite holiday.

I like to pretend I'm something I'm not.

I usually like to do it up big on that day, party, costumes, decor, but I'm not feeling it this year.

I could maybe handle making this little guy.

I like these silver pumpkins, they look easy.

But I really just want to get out of here for a few days.  I can be packed in 5 minutes.