What I Really Love Today

10 Rules for Success. I love this stuff. Read here.

21 Habits of Happy People

Without facebook, how in the world would we ever catch up on reading random new agey affirmation articles? I really enjoyed this one, it's a good reminder for all of us:

21 Habits of Happy People

Happy Thursday!

Food Trends 2013

As if NPR wasn't already awesome enough, they have a food section called The Salt that keeps me up on what's new in the food world without pretension or industry slant.

Recently, they've posted an article on their food forecast for 2013. Read it here.

Say No to Spam!

I've been on hiatus, mostly hiding from spamming commenters and my tech support team (that part of my brain that has to push through to navigate unfamiliar territory).

Thanks for bearing with me, I'll be back up and running soon enough.

Padrones in Paradise

Padrones don't ask for much. They need very little. These small peppers don't need to be seeded or peeled, stuffed or marinated.

They just need a little bacon, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Saute them over high heat and watch them jump in the skillet, then serve immediately. Even your boring-palated friends will be happy- padrones are typically mild and the ones with a kick are mellowed by the bacon and salt.

This is my go-to dish when I need a little food inspiration from heaven to bring me back to earth.

Hoh Rainforest

My dad found this interesting lichen specimen when we stopped at the visitor center before hiking the mysterious Hoh Rainforest. Thought I'd share.

There are few words for such an extraordinary place, but there are lots of pictures! Enjoy.

Marymere Falls on Lake Crescent

After leaving Hurricane Ridge, we continued west on our drive around Olympic National Park until we reached our next stop at Lake Crescent.

A hike nearby gave us a preview of the rainforest ecosystem we'd be seeing when we went on to Hoh Rainforest, and also catch glimpse of a beautiful waterfall a short distance away.

My dad found mysterious large leaves we have yet to identify.

The falls less than a mile away made a stunning backdrop for photos.

And this is during the tail end of dry season!

Next stop, Hoh Rainforest.