This is years and years old. When I first started making multi-layer plexiglass and glass collages. (Before I was worried about cutting up my books...)

These are some newer ones. All hand drawn (that may be obvious...) and layered with only 3 pieces of plexiglass. I was really into drawing and painting wall paper type patterns. These pictures are held together with eletrical tape on the sides. I cropped that out.

summer, what will you bring...

Today was a weird day.

I house sat (and puppy sat) all weekend across the river. It was odd being in a house by my self vs. my usual apartment in a building with many other people. No sounds from upstairs and down stairs and in the hallway at all hours. Just a really loud annoying bar clientele across the street.

There has been a gross smell in my hallway for the last few weeks. It has changed over time and there was a lot of air freshener sprayed. I couldn't tell what it was.

When I left for the day today (around 1), there were police officers in the hall and someone from my rental agency. My neighbor was dead. She had been dead for awhile. When I stepped out and looked around I was starting to feel in shock. I asked "really?" and they said "yes". I learned that she has lived there since 1995. She started turning into a hoarder a few years ago. I only ever saw her a handful of times. She wasn't one to engage in conversation. I don't know how old she was, she was one of those hunched over 50 or 80 permed and dyed short hair leave your boots outside your door in the winter kind of ladies. Between our apartments is the middle of the building, inside my wall is a thick brick wall. I never smelled anything in my apartment, but the hallway was so foul. This makes me think that maybe all the late night hamburgers I used to smell were the work of a ghost.

I was in a weird shock, like when you see a car accident or are around a robbery or medical emergency. I don't know if that makes sense. I was super out of it, but didn't realize until I tried to interact with other people.

I got coffee like a zombie. Went to the hardware store, got a 17lb bag of bird seed (cardinal blend) and waited for the bus. The ink used on the bird seed bad and my lotion did not get along (or got along too well...) and yellow transferred all over my arm. I spent about 20 minutes worrying that it had also transferred to my face.            (It did not.)

I got a sandwich at the coffee shop at the downtown library. I was a total weirdo. I felt a little crazy and didn't know if my face/neck was yellow blue smears.

I went to my folks house. Today my yard work was to let the sun into the side of the garden. I sawed down 3 trees, ranging from 4 feet to near 15. It was way easier than I anticipated. I also found some morels the size of children's mittens. It was wonderful doing yardwork and I used my new tiny ipod to listen to mpr the whole time (my computer is too old to use this device for itunes). I got stung by nettles all over, thank goodness for near growing antidotes... curly dock you are great.

I also let some little blue flowers have light by ripping out the ferns around them.

They were switching the tracks down where a 3rd track splits off. It was so weird. Trains almost never use that track, but they had one there and a few guys in safety vests working on the switch station thing. It is funny to think that the house I grew up in was made for the guys switching the tracks a hundred years ago.

My mother and I went to the goodwill on county road B in roseville. I got a nice corduroy dress, a wool cloak thing for next fall/winter and a bright orange woolrich windbreaker. I also got a cute cute apron for a 2 year old friend of mine, and a nice lands end tote bag.

I got home around 8. There were box fans set up in the hallway and doors propped open to the stairwells. No more stink.

I made some pesto with steamed broccoli, basil, garlic (tube and fresh), olive oil, walnuts and parmesan cheese.
Oh, I also did all my dishes. That isn't important, but it is. 

I also did a clay mask on my face and took a nice shower, getting all the garden dirt off was great. I felt like a chinchilla after a dirt bath after my day of yard work.The shower fixed (changed?) that.

Now I am ready for bed.

Goodnight.

oven roasted tomatoes

If I have free tomatoes and no plans for the evening... this is what I like to do.



It goes well with doing laundry. 


ingredients...

• tomatoes
• garlic
• salt
• olive oil
• seasoning (pepper, lemon pepper, chili pepper...)
• vinegar (balsamic or wine)
• sugar

tools...

• baking sheet(s)
• parchment paper
• slotted spoon
• knife
• oven
• large bowl
• spatula
• timer

instructions...

1. Pre-heat oven to 275ºF.
2. Chop up tomatoes, halve the cherry/grape tomatoes, quarter the smaller romas and slice anything larger than that. I try to keep everything a half inch thick or smaller. Put all your tomato chunks in a large bowl.
3. Chop up that garlic. I like to make a variety of garlic piece sizes. Thinly sliced, minced, large pieces and smaller whole peeled cloves. Add to bowl of tomatoes.
4. Time to add olive oil, I use about 1 tbs olive oil per pint of tomatoes.
5. Add some seasoning. I like to use lemon pepper (I got quite a bit for free, I am trying to find ways to use it up). This time maybe a 1/2 tbs per pint, more or less depending on how strong your seasoning is. If you are adding sugar (makes crummy tomatoes pretty great) add about a half teaspoon per pint,
6. Stir it up! I like to use a slotted spoon.
7. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Spread tomatoes on lined pans, in a single layer. The slotted spoon works well for this too. All the extra oil and tomato guts stay in the bowl. 
9. Place in oven. I set the timer for 45 minutes, check when it goes off, move things around if needed. Set the timer for 45 more minutes, check, move things if needed. Start setting timer for 15 minute intervals until done. 
10. When done, remove pans from oven and allow to cool. If I am going to be up for awhile longer, I turn the oven off and  open the door half way and  let them cool that way. 
11. After cooled, taste a tomato first, you will know how much sweeter, saltier or oily-er it needs to be.I like to use a spatula to scoop the tomatoes up and put them back in the bowl (wash the bowl, or keep the left over oil, seasoning and guts) and add oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar and some salt as needed.
12. You are done. I find these last for quite a long time in the fridge. Usually they don't though because I just eat them up. They are good with anything. 

My adventure...

 

I had saved up four pints of small tomatoes that were free due to one or two icky moldy guys per package.

 

Here are those tomatoes all chopped up. 

I had a rather large bulb of garlic. I chopped that whole thing up. 

Well, my phone made this picture a little weird. Oh well. 

I used lemon pepper for my before baking seasoning. I added a splash of pomegranate balsamic vinegar and a dash of salt after.

I added some of these tomatoes to some pasta with chopped fresh basil, walnut pieces and feta cheese. 
(again my phone picture got all wonky)

yum!

 

This is a slide I have on the bookcase by my bed, it sits next to a tiny plastic cat.

The name 'tiny creature' makes me think of Little Critter.

I did not have those books as a kid, but children I babysat did. Those books are by Mercer Mayer. I had his book One Monster After Another. That book is fantastic. I am hoping to someday come across a copy of it at Salvation Army or the Goodwill. 

Borax, you are great.

Borax is fantastic.

You should always have it (just like baking soda, vinegar and rubbing alcohol).

You know how when you don't clean your stove top for awhile... and then you do... with regular cleaners it makes the oily grime rub around making a bigger mess before it wipes up. Well, if you use a damp cloth with dipped in borax, that stuff comes right up! It also does a fantastic job cleaning a bathtub or sink! It leaves surfaces so clean. If you don't own some, pick it up the next time you are at the grocery or hardware store (or Target...). It has many uses, from adding it to your laundry for a better clean to making crystal pipecleaner snowflakes!