dessert

Winter Fun: A Truffle and a Snow Day

| Coleen Patrick

Honestly, I hesitated over the word fun in my blog title. Like lots of people (who aren’t kids) I’m kind of done with winter.

But we’ve got another snow day here in central Virginia.

And just as nature teased us with some thaw.

The great thaw melting RVA

I decided not to wear my boots this day. Soaked my sneakers and socks. I was just a tad too optimistic.

But I have been finding some fun (I am, a kid at heart, I suppose).

Winter birch tree watercolor

A winter scene by Cold Fingers (aka me)

 

frozen fountain

A walk at the mall. The frozen fountain was kind of awesome.

 

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Finding a sunny spot to read.

I wish. This was me reading at the beach in 2013. #ThrowbackThursday

(I like to keep my fiction skills simmering.)

 

Cookie truffle

 This cookie truffle has nothing to do with winter. I just like how it turned out.

And it’s kind of snowball-ish.

 

hot cocoa

No caption necessary.

 

Snow Day Sledding

 Me sledding last week.

In my own backyard.

What happens when a writer and an engineer are home for a snow day?

Check out the video!

 

 

What’s your favorite thing to do on a snow day? And if it’s summer where you are, tell me something warm. 🙂

Happy Thursday!

Moderation Gone Wild: Boys, Exclamation Points & Pie

| Coleen Patrick

PIE Y0GI BERRA_opt

Moderation.

Not exactly the merriest of words during the month of December.  Especially not if your brain –and Pinterest boards–are crowded with cookie exchange party ideas, holiday menus and pie.

I like pie.

Thanks to Barbara over at Just a Smidgen for planting the idea of pumpkin and meringue in my head.  Yum.  It haunted me excessively.

Some days I think I have moderation under control.  Some.  It’s a work in progress.

Take my very first diary.  I’ve mentioned it a few times here.  I keep this diary in a place of honor in my office because it has oh so many emotions packed into its tiny gold edged pages.  Some of those words–many of which were written with a perfume pen (not kidding)–have the ability to make me laugh and cringe at the same time.

Boys are mentioned excessively.

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Rob Lowe’s crush dedication page.  There are many, many others.

Crush moderation wasn’t something I considered.  Although on one page of my diary I wrote, “I’m tired of bellyaching about it.”

But then I went back to I heart boys.

 

 

Apparently this is also true for exclamation points.  Admittedly, I still have a problem overusing them, but once upon a time, my indication of intense emotion had no boundaries.

Excessive punctuation.

In case you can’t read my handwriting, that diary page says, “Nothing spectacular happened!”

Of course, you know and I know, that exclamation points can be used in better ways . . .

Meringue topped pumpkin pie!

Cookie exchanges!

Holidays!

Love!

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What do you think about moderation and the holidays? If you could pick one thing that deserves an exclamation point this holiday season, what would that be?

Have a fantastic day! (FYI that punctuation is from the heart.)

A Food Reunion: My Big Fat Gluten-Filled Week

| Coleen Patrick

carpe diem food

I’m drinking the day and eating the pizza.

Because I am having a bit of a carpe diem moment this week.  My doctor ordered me to eat gluten to prepare for a test.

So, for the last week, I’ve been busy with some serious cramming.

And it’s been a dizzying sort of delish, the kind that begins with pizza and well, will probably end with pizza.  Because you can’t have a serious study session without pizza.

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Gluten-free pizza cannot compete with this crust.

 

After more than a year of eating gluten-free, I’m having quite the food reunion.

Meet the star of Thanksgiving 2010.

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My old friend, stuffing.

 

And her distant, but sweet cousin pie showed up too.

 

I was so touched when my Pinterest food boards made an appearance at the reunion.  After all, I haven’t known them that long.   It was comforting to see them get along so well with my dear friend the bakery case.

 

The bakery case, shimmering like a mirage. 

 

In the corner (of the freezer) I found the last cupcake from my daughter’s birthday last month.  What a treat!

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Cupcake with a cookie dough center.

 

I met delightful strangers . . .

 

Pumpkin whoopie pie 

And pals that always got me in trouble when we hung out. . .

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Frosting with a little scone.

 

And no get together would be complete without a few partypoopers. They always show up, right?

 grilled tofu salad_opt

Don’t worry, I ate ’em.

 

My closest friend, warm crusty bread was there.  I can’t seem to find any photographs, though.  Couldn’t stay still long enough, I suppose.

But believe me, we had plenty of face time.

Good thing, because my gluten party is almost over.  Will you pass me a napkin?  I’ve got a date with exercise.

Just as soon as I emerge from my carb coma.

 

What food is the star at your party?  

Tell me in the comments! I have three more gluten days to go and I might’ve missed something (it’s possible). 🙂