Pasta-Mastah, sort of

Thinking that making homemade pasta would be way out of my league, I've never endeavored it. Seriously? If you can get your hands on a pasta machine (they are pretty pricey), it is actually less work than making cut-out cookies or a pie or even a quiche. I mean it! You make the dough with about four ingredients and don't even need a bowl for that. Drop a pile of flour, make hole in it, drop eggs, oil, and water, then pretend that you are about the age of 4 again. Keep mixing with your hands until it is incorporated enough to make a ball. Wrap it in plastic, let rest about an hour. Cut the resulting ball in quarters and sort of flatten with your fingers. The dough isn't as finicky as pie crust, so that makes it even easier. Pass it through the flat rollers on the machine, going from the highest number to the lowest. Then, you can choose if you want linguini or spaghetti or just leave it flat. Lasagna, ravioli, tortelloni, the choices are endless. Don't get me started on the sauces and 'gravy' or just some good, old butter, S&P and parm. Grab a fork and get busy!

A Lady of a Different Sort

Lady "bugs" Lady "birds"...I shall just call her the Lady in Red on a Green Leaf and sound poetic:

The colors just keep on coming

Ahhh, I just can't stop. Every corner, Canal St. Manhattan, Staten Island Ferry, just walking about. The colors splash everywhere. I will just have to share. Seriously, a rainbow would weep from feeling inadequate. Well, sort of. God always trumps with those rainbows but these are really close as far as color.

Colorful NYC

You can't go through NYC and not see colors jumping out at you from every corner. Chelsea Market is a good place to start. Oh, please go and check it out for yourself, that market used to house the Nabisco Biscuit Company...think Oreos (Yeah, I know, black and white) and now houses the FoodTV network, among many other great shops. When we went, there were tango lessons being offered for free, right in the hallway,  from some dance instructors. Of course, the second lesson wasn't free. I will save those pictures for another post! The last few colorful pictures were from around Grand Central. Not only choo-choos, folks, but there are some great little markets within that cavern. Penzeys spices, for one. People watching is awesome, too.

Foggy mornings

Ugh, trying to be inspired and all I can come up with are some foggy morning pictures of bluebird houses. Maybe the colorlessness is what caught my eye. Guess that I am more ready for spring than I care to admit. Here are a few little reminders of the occupants to come in a few months!

Bit of NYC

Walking around with my son in Manhattan/Chelsea Market area, I saw such wonderful sights. Here are a few that I thought I would share!

Marblehead, MA

Something about a cold, February day to make me think back on the hot summer we had. Visiting my daughter near Boston is not only a treat for the visit's sake but a treat for the senses. On the north shore of the Boston area, every nook and cranny is loaded with history. Marblehead doesn't disappoint. Even though the place was officially settled in the 1600's, it has been around much longer. The craggy shores, the sparkling water, the buildings that have been around for so long. One shot is off of the bridge from Beverly, heading into Salem/Swampscott/Marblehead area. Here are some photos to prove my point! The bird? well, he was keeping me company while I was photographing off the edge of a very high bridge!