Tender Mercies

Stress.    (Dang, I've said it! Shhh...don't tell anyone, okay?) The opposite of the S word. Pure beauty and a winter wonderland! The top of Birch Hill, Fairbanks, Alaska When you read or hear that word, how do you feel?  For me, I really don't like that word at all.  Never once is that word associated with something positive. But it seems to get used all the time. Why is this?  While I can't speak for anybody else, I can speak for myself. I am naturally a people-pleaser. I like things organized and planned out. I coach skating five days a week, which includes a coaching schedule that is as consistent as Missouri weather. I am married to a soldier, which implies constant change as well. Nothing I buy is pre-packaged or fast food; I prepare all of the meals from scratch on a daily basis. I cross country ski.  I teach nursery at church. I do yoga 4-6 days a week. I help out with the youth group at church. I go on frequent dates with my ...

"I'll take ten" I told the butcher over the clear Plexiglas fish case at the grocery store last Saturday afternoon. My husband was out of town and I was finally trying my hand at preparing oysters. I had never even eaten them at a restaurant, yet here I was, ordering ten live oysters. I didn't even know how to shuck them, let alone did I own a proper shucking knife.  YouTube and I were friends that night!  As I was trying to open the oyster shell with a dull butter knife and a washcloth (so as to avoid hurting my hand), I was thinking how glad I was that I didn't have to serve these to anyone. I had no one to please; it was just a fun experiment for myself. Learning to prepare oysters has been on my to-do list for quite a while, ever since I learned of their fantastic nutrient profile and supposed fertility "superfood" status.   The verdict? Raw oysters is going to take some time to get used to! The meat tasted pretty good, but it was the salty oy...

 When your husband tells you that he loves the ice cream you made, and that it is the best one you have made, you know you've done a good job. Especially when the compliment was unsolicited. But I have to give the credit to the quality of ingredients I used.  After months of searching, I have finally found a source to buy pastured eggs and raw local honey from!!  I can't believe how lucky I am. The egg lady brings me my two dozen eggs once a week for only $4 a dozen! That is cheaper than the organic factory eggs in the store. And these ones are super fresh and are fed bugs, greens, seeds, sprouts, and allowed to freely roam the yard in the spring, summer, and fall (um we live in Fairbanks. Winter foraging is not advised hehe).   They taste amazing! I love cooking them in butter with sauteed kale or shredded butternut squash, or making a quiche with them. My homemade mayo is another winner. I guess I can say we go through a lot of eggs in one week.  ...

Some people say that unless you are military, there is never a reason to get all dressed up if you live in Fairbanks.  I agree that there is something to be said about "Fairbanks Casual," where you can get away with wearing a camo ball cap with a suit, or Bearpaw winter boots and ski pants to the grocery store in the middle of the day.  There are plenty of people in Fairbanks who have good taste in style, but for the most part, style here is the last thing on everyone's minds. I love it. I probably need to be careful when I move back to the lower 48.  Yes, I have the opportunity to get dressed up for military balls, but I don't see a reason why you can't get dressed up just for fun!  Sometimes, you just need to make the excuse to get dressed up.  As we were following our host to our table last night at Bobby's Downtown Greek Restaurant, I felt the gaze of other patrons turn towards us. Yes, we were the only ones in formal attire that evening, bu...