I love Packages

Even when I’m just sending them out. It makes me happy to think of someone opening up a tiny lovingly made package I sent to them.

Shannon

A little bit of music

Shannon

Our life: Roadtrip

Last week Mr. Wood and I joined the Wood family on a trip to Wyoming.

Goodness gracious. No one told me that Wyoming looked like this!

I practically cried driving into Jackson Sunday night. I haven’t seen this many trees in years.

It was lovely. The air was so sweet, the land was filled with life. We spent the week sight seeing our brains out, birding till our pupils were sore and cooking delicious foods for the family. Did you know how many birds there were in real forests? I’ll tell you, practically all of them. I think we added 20 something birds to our co-birding list in just a few days!

Monday we set off for Jenny Lake. The weather was gorgeously misty and cool, perfect for hikes up big mountain sides. This was my favorite day, Rain + pine trees + cool air + beautiful rivers + wonderful people = the favorite day.

We finished the night with dinner at The Q in Jackson. It was wonderful barbeque meals. The plates were the size of four of my stomachs. The food was all local, from the buns to the pork—beautiful.

Tuesday was cool, so we went to some hot springs some where in the mountains. IT is actually a hot spring that pours into a huge pool built back in the 30s. I don’t have pictures. Just know that Ravens were clever enough to take half our lunch, and hot spring water and cool mountain air healed us of our sorrows.

Next day we were off to Yellowstone to see everything we could. We missed old faithful by a quarter mile, so we got it coming out of my head instead. Thanks Mr. Wood….

Did you know that at Yellowstone they have colorful holes in the ground filled with nearly boiling hot water?

The prismatic pool looks like it is filled with melted cheddar cheese. But it is living organisms!

We ended the day at Tower falls (sort of, there were plenty of buffalo between tower falls and Jackson) and Mr. Wood was a dream boat as usual.

Thursday was filled with good food. Mr. Wood and I treated the family to burgers and homemade pizza. Delicious. We also went touristing in Jackson. Good thing too, because we saw a cliff swallow, a Gadwall duck couple dancing in a pond and a lonely Wilson’s Phalarope.

We also chanced upon the sweetest shop: Work Shop filled with perfectly aesthetically pleasing items. Honestly, way better things and more variety than posted on their website.

This was our souvenir: old fashioned candies. The ginger hard candies were the best, just simple fiery little herbal drops.

Next, we had more Yellowstone. My favorite part of Friday was seeing “the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” Lame name, but beautiful spot. Once you see it, you finally realize why it’s called Yellowstone.

Now we are back. To real life.

Shannon

Our Life

It is time to update this memory holder with our weekly happy things in our life.

On Monday Mr. Wood and I got tattoos.

It took me three days to get mine off..

We went on a hike up in American fork: Battle Creek Falls. And it was lovely. It is a nice little leisurely hike, but a bit steep in parts.

It was gorgeous.

Among other feats: Mr. Wood trimmed my hair. It took like 3 minutes.

We spent another super weekend up in salt lake. The craziness was enhanced by the fact that I declared it no eating out month… So I had to back food for 2 meals plus snacks, without a cooler. So with frozen water bottles, tons of fruit, carrots and homemade bread we made it through. We went to the salt lake temple. Then to Red-Butte gardens. It was gorgeous! I was literally skipping through. We saw a flock of cedar waxwings right up close! They are beautifully silky birds with bright red and yellow accents. Then it was off to a wedding in Layton. We did it! and had fun! Right after I post this we are off to another super adventure in Salt lake, then tomorrow a whole week in yellowstone! Nobody told me though that in yellow stone it is cold. So I have to rethink my wardrobe.

Also, we baked this pie together. Thanks to cherries from the neighbor.

To beautiful days!

Shannon

Normal Pizza Dough

I’m whipping up a batch of this as I write.
Normal? Why would I want to share with your normal pizza dough? Basically because this one is so easy and always turns out good. Fancy pants pizza dough may be amazing, but may just be frustrating and annoying. We only want good feelings in the kitchen when making pizza.
Obviously.
But really, nothing fancy, no silly artisan steps, just pizza dough. One that I make every week (and you can come over some Friday and eat it with us so you see why I'm not embarrassed by that statement). Mr. Wood even makes it. It comes from the kitchen-aid mini cookbook. So if you don’t have a kitchen aid adjust methods appropriately.
As for the toppings, you are on your own. Let me just say that Winco’s bulk pizza seasoning has been a staple in my cupboard for 10 years.

Pizza Dough:
Yield: 1 thick 14” crust, or 2 thinner 12”-ish crusts (which we always do.)

1 scant tbsp of active dry yeast (or 1 package)

1 Cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsps olive oil

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups Flour (all purpose) *feel free to sub 1/2-1 cups of whole  wheat and still have great results.

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a warm mixer bowl. Let it sit for 5 min.
2. Add salt,oil and 2 1/2 cups flour. Mix on speed 2 with dough hook for 1 minute
3. Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix until it clings to the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl—about 2 minutes. Knead on speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.
4. Grease up that bowl and dough, cover it, and let it rise till doubled in bulk.
5. Oil your pizza pans and press dough into desired size (you can roll it out if you hate pressing). Add toppings.
6. Bake at 450 degrees for 15ish minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.

Happy Weekend!

Shannon

Birds

Are so odd.
Did you know that robins can hear worms squirming around in the ground?
listen to this to learn more.
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2012/06/14/life-as-a-bird

Shannon

I Can make That Pretty

In the long list of cute and fun recyclable crafts, this one is probably already on there a hundred times, but maybe you would like to see what I’ve made.

I had a hot chocolate can sitting around. It seemed sturdy so I decided to keep it to store buttons in (because it comes with a lid!). But, no one wants to store their buttons in their craft room in something that advertises hazelnut hot chocolate, that would be unhealthily tacky. So I decided to cover it.

I don’t know if you can technically call me a crafter, because I never have modge podge lying around, or pretty paper. But I do have fabric and various and assorted adhesives. My choices this day were tacky glue, a glue stick or super glue. Obviously I went tacky.

I also had this vintage upholstery sample piece that needed to be seen. Often you can go to furniture shops and they will give you their outdated fabric swatches for free—at least they did for an awkward teenager several years ago. It is nice to have around because it is sturdy and funky.

I also had yellow fruit, baby's breath and natural sunlight on my table, which just screams blog photo.

K guys, super easy.

I know. I say that too much.

Step 1: Cut a rectangle: exactly as tall as your can, and can wrap all the way around plus 1”

Step 2: Glue it on, being sure to over lap the end so it looks nice. I used tacky glue and painted it on with an old brush. Just glue part of it at a time, then rub the fabric down, then glue some more, that way the glue doesn’t dry up.

Step 3: Sit back, look at your can, and feel crafty.

 

Shannon

Mountains and Clouds and A dress

Some things I love always. Like clouds.

Several years ago. When my family was moving to Toquerville and I was there helping, I discovered that my Sweet Grandma Brimhall had these sets of gloriously 70s sheets. One a desert landscape, and one a cool mountainous one. She let me have them and I immediately made the desert set into a cotton summery dress. That was huge. But I still wear it to this day because it is so comfy, and I’m boho enough I can pull it off comfortably I guess.

This spring I was itching for new summer clothes and comfy day dresses that weren’t circus tents. So, ready with a sloper pattern (one that already fit all my oddities) I made a simple cotton dress pattern for the mountain scene.

It took me a couple days to work it out, because I ran into a lot of snafus. Does that every happen to you when you are doing something that should be completely easy? But turns out to be unusually hard? In the end though, it was comfy enough to not be mad at it.  It’s elastic waist—so no silly zippers! Although, I can’t say it was any easier to put in.

yay! summer is coming!

Shannon

Our Life

This week was highlighted by another beautiful trip down to Toquerville to visit the Malaska family. It was sweetened by the fact that Mr. Wood would finally meet his last brother in-law and I would get to see my little niece Temperance.

It was wonderful to be with family, but lets just put it out there that the day we left i contracted a fever and something akin to strep throat, although it is undefined as of yet. Lets just say my diet for the past week has been 90% ramen and saltines (hence this stuck in my head).

We sat in this lovely place as much as we could. The boys played their guitars, and we made jokes, and Jacob and Jason argued about philosophies.

The boys also went on a hike to the Narrows in Zions. I heard it was wonderful. They just ran through the thing, splashing tourists as they went, and getting some mean ankle exercises on those slippery bowling ball rocks.

We met Temperance. Our newest little niece. She was hilarious and adorable.

Of course we celebrated Jacob and his movement into adult hood. He graduated from high school! And turned 18! That boy. One Word—Heartbreaker.

I decorated the cookie. Payton really likes pega-corns, I thought Jacob would too.

Mr. Wood spent lots of time playing with all the girls, and being handsome. He also managed to practice his etch-a-sketch skills.

“Pegacorn”

“GrayWhale”

“ATV Trip”

And of course, there was great views and fresh air for everyone.

 

Shannon