Monday

Today is Monday. Last week was Thanksgiving! School on Tuesday was canceled early because of a blizzard that did happen in Logan. We got about six inches in 2-3 hours. Then on Sunday it snowed more--about eight more inches. So there is a lot of snow. I like it. It is pretty. Unfortunately today the sky was clear, which means it will be freezing tonight. Ya, my thermometer says it is 0 degrees right now. There will be snuggling tonight!

We also drove through some fog this evening. Maybe tomorrow there will be stunning ice crystals on the trees. In the meantime (aka, while the ice crystals are forming) ENJOY these lovely pictures Andrew took last year (meaning this year, but last winter season) on a freezing February morning. It was seriously one of the most beautiful mornings of my life.

Entering the cemetery...

Pine needles--obviously.

The chain link fence was pretty, too.

There's already some cool ice forming on the cinderblock lattice outside. I'll take a picture and enthrall you another day.

Turkey Art

Thanksgiving means it's time for the History Department Turkey Coloring Contest. I participated and created grad student turkey.


I didn't win, but I don't really care. I enjoyed coloring this picture and I think it is freaking amazing.

I'm Gourmet!

Well, at least some of the food I've been cooking lately has been gourmet.

I really like cooking (and eating), and I'm glad that Andrew likes to do those things, too. We've been trying some adventurous new recipes lately, and most of them have gone well.

This is a Schwartzwalderkirschetorte (Black Forest Cherry Cake) that I made for Andrew's birthday. It was my first time making this German cake, and I think it turned out pretty well for having almost no clue the whole time I was making it.

So, here's a funny story associated with this cake. It is Andrew's favorite cake that his mom makes, so for his birthday I was going to surprise him. I need the recipe, so I sent a text asking his mom to email it to me. Then, I got a text from Andrew saying that he didn't have it. I was confused until I realized that I accidentally texted him instead of texting his mom! Oops. Andrew thought it was so funny, and I guess it is. Andrew appreciates that I can't keep secrets and he can't stand having secrets. We are a good pair.


This isn't gourmet, but I thought my onions were awesome. It's a Picasso cheeseburger!


I mad this Persimmon Roll with the persimmons from our Bountiful Basket. Neither of us had eaten a persimmon before, so we had to find a delicious recipe to use them before they turned mushy and weird. It was so good!


And this is my new cooking pride and joy. It is Italian sausage, wild rice, sage, and marjoram on the bottom, and acorn squash and brussel sprouts with lemon butter and nutmeg on top. The squash and sprouts were also from our Bountiful Basket. Oh man you guys, this was seriously sex for tastebuds. So delicious!

Thanks to our Bountiful Basket, Andrew and I have tried new recipes, which is what we like to do anyway, so this works out perfectly.

The Aggie Shuttle

It has come to my attention that I have some funny opinions about the Aggie Shuttle.

• It is slower than walking to campus. This belief probably comes from the fact that I always see it drive away but never arrive, so I just walk through the cemetery.
• Ironically, the ride length from campus to home isn't worth it--you can't get any good reading in on the Shuttle.
• It makes me sick. This opinion comes from actual experience aboard the Logan bus system on my way to Wal-Mart while sitting next to smokers and having heat blasted on me.
• You'll freeze to death before it comes to the stop. Logan winters. The End.
• Sideways seating. I rode to Salt Lake and back on an Aggie Shuttle for a field trip. It was terrible.
• I enjoy wasting my student fees. (not--if only I could say, "I never ride the shuttle, can I get more free prints?")
• You only get fat on the Aggie Shuttle. So true. Walks are healthy and if I walk for about a half hour each day (to and from school) I will prevent obesity.
• I've already been sitting all day, so why should I sit to get home? You'd think this too if you've broken your tailbone before. I would only want to ride the Aggie Shuttle if it was packed full and I got to stand up and hold the bar. Unfortunately, I'm armpit height to most people.

And that is my assessment of the Aggie Shuttle. You can ride it if you want. I won't judge you.

Cold Fingers and Toes - A New Season

Perhaps that would be a good title for a TV show. But it is the reality of my life. I love Logan, and this isn't a complaining post about the weather.

Sunday was heavenly in the weather realm. It was about 65 and lovely. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to sit in a chapel for Church. When I was little, I really liked to convince my Sunday School teachers that we needed to have class outside. I should have tried that on the Bishop.

Yesterday it snowed and today it was cold. It was a healthy 35 degrees when I walked home today. Frigid, but beautiful. Because of the snow, the air was really clear this morning and this evening--and the Wellsvilles were stunning with the snow brightening the crevices and peaks under the clouds in the west while the sun set.

Despite the winter beauty outside, my apartment it cold. Andrew and I are lame and it is our own fault. Thanks to my job, we could afford to turn up the heat. But we don't--we're saving up for our house. And, it's harder to fall asleep while studying when you are frozen. Unless you get so cold that you get hypothermia and sleep and then die. But that won't happen in our cool 60 degree apartment cuz we have each other and a snuggly plethora of quilts to snuggle with/under. I think that the worst thing about this place are the cinderblock walls. Whoever thought that would be great insulation is sorely misled. Don't touch it or you will turn into an ice block.

So here I sit, blogging and pondering on the dilemmas and complications of history, while typing with my Batman gloves on my hands, my knitted jacket on my arms, and a heated rice bag on my feet (which in turn are already inside thick wool socks).

Logan Winter, bring it on.

I've lived through you for four years, and I can do it for two more.

Poll Results

I know you all have been waiting in eager anticipation for the poll results.

7 out of 11 people polled supported the name "Navajo Tacos".
0 out of 11 people supported "Indian Tacos".
1 out of 11 people polled agreed with the name "Native American Tacos".
3 out of 11 people called the food "Indian Killer Tacos".

From this, we can conclude that most readers of this blog call frybread and taco toppings "Navajo Tacos.

So go make some! And then eat them! And tell me how they are.