An 18-hole Hike

Catie and I took a trip this weekend with our new pup, Princess. We took the subway out to Swampscott, Ma, where her Uncle Charlie picked us up and drove us back to his house. Before arriving there, we stopped and had a walk along the beach front with Princess and Andy, Catie's uncle's dog.

Once at her uncle's house, we lounged about for a bit, taking in the country life and drinking cocoa, until we decided to pack up her uncle's car and drive out for a bit of hiking. We arrived at Lynn Reservation in Lynn, MA and hopped out of the car and onto a trail. I was amazed by the snow covering the ground and how it can change the appearance of a place so drastically.



The trail we were on soon opened onto these beautiful and open plains, trees on either side and ponds scattered about, and I said outloud that, "This almost looks like a golf course." Catie agreed but we both thought well that's probably not the case, until, that is, we stumbled upon a sand trap...it was then that we realized we were right in the middle of a giant golf course, beautifully covered in snow.









We had the whole place to ourselves and let Princess off the leash to enjoy the open expanses of land. Here is Catie and Princess dancing about on the snow.






I couldn't resist the urge to make a snow angel--the first real one of my life!
Or to walk on the ice...if only I had brought my skates. (:
At the end of the day, we made a little stop by Target, a time-old friend, dearly missed at times, and indulged in a few neccessties/unnecessities. The day was topped off with a pretzel and lemonade, that hit the spot for the ride home. Princess has slept all day today, a result of a long and satisfying trip.

Philadelphia, Shiladelphia

After my first day with Jossie ended (our Amish adventure, see below), we dedicated the next to Philadelphia itself, aka Center City. We greeted the day with some Swedish sugar waffles--scrumdidliumptious! And a walk along the river, which took us directly to the Philadelphia art museum aka the stage of Rocky Balboa's triumphant step run. This called for many photos, in attempts to capture a believable run along his same path. Once satisfied with what we got, we walked on through the rest of the city. I got to see the skyline up close, Love Park, Reading Terminal Market, as well as Independance Hall and the Liberty Bell. We finished the day with a great dinner at a diner, and a cozy night at Jossie's Apartment.










Doing the Rocky Balboa at the Philadelphia Art Museum.















Love Park, downtown Philadelphia.






















Liberty Bell in Old City.













Random statue in the middle of a dry fountain in Center City, Philadelphia.












Rittenhouse Square, where Jossie lives in Philadelphia. The lights at night were gorgeous, and I hope for Jossie's sake they stay up throughout the year!










Jossie in her cute little studio apartment! which looks just like an expanded version of her dorm room last year.

Amish Country!

This past weekend, I made a trip down to Philadelphia to visit my bestest of friends, Jossie, who is currently there, working for an architectural firm. We jump started the weekend with a little road trip out to Lancaster County, the area in which the Mennonite-derived religious group of the Amish reside.










We stopped at several places to experience the Amish life, the first being Dutch Haven (see above) where we tasted the famous Shoo-fly Pie recipe, and indulged in a few postcards and soft pretzels. While driving we also spotted many many many horse-and-buggies alongside the road, and the picture you see is my attempt at capturing this image. It was pretty uncanny seeing this alternative mode of transportation being so prolifically! We also witnessed a few antique scooters being utilized to get about town, one being driven by perhaps the oldest man with a beard I've ever seen...





Jossie and I pulled our rental car into the lot of "The Amish House," lured in by roadside signs, and toured a traditional Amish House (not sure that it was authentic, though, as it was set up by non-Amish people), learning about the Amish traditions, clothing, food, and culture. Probably the best part of the day, it gave us a better sense of what we were so casually seeing. This photo is of the Amish House.




Crystal dish display in Amish House.









Lastly, Jossie and I succumbed to our growling stomachs and stopped by the local indoors farmers market for some soup and chili, as well as a plethora of delicious samples. This covered wagon, which stood right outside the market, was a perfect photo opportunity.

And the Princess Arrives!

At last, our adopt-a-dog has arrived! Catie and I have volunteered to take care of Princess, a border-collie mix, for her owners, who are traveling to Cuba for four months to lead a program. For the next few months she is in our care and hopefully we'll keep her happy, as we attempt to "treat her like a princess," as told to do so by her owners. Wish us luck with our new roommate!

Oz meets the Dark Side

I forgot to share with all you faithful readers one wonderful thing about my Christmas Break--one of the more memorable things I did! I went to see the Wizard of Oz meets Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at the Alamo Drafthouse in downtown Austin with John David as part of a fabulous Christmas gift...and it was amazing! Not only are each respective works amazing, they are even better together! It screened at midnight and as the opening credits of Oz came on the screen, the music faded and Pink Floyd took over. It may have been purposeful, or maybe not...but the experience was amazing. And I must insert a shout out to my sister, Jennie...I never understood your Pink Floyd obsession until I sat through Dark Side of the Moon 3 times...they are a great band.

New Years Delight

For New Years, I celebrated in San Marcos with all my loved ones. We shot off fireworks, drank champagne, ate black eyed peas for good luck and also indulged in a special dessert. Chocolate dishes, created with love and care, topped with ice cream and peppermint pieces--thanks to Johnny D's fabulous ideas. It was quite delectable and easy to make, but we all eventually hit a chocolate wall and had to switch to salty foods for relief. But the night was wonderful. I had a moment to think about the upcoming year, and what I want it to be for myself and the people in it. My outlook is bright and I hope for a lot. More importantly, I hope for the best for all my friends and family, as well. Happy New Year, hello 2008!

Christmas Hats

So, everyone in my family received a hat this Christmas, as well as a few friends. I knit myself into a frenzy in the end, but succeeded in producing hats for all! These were two botched versions that got turned into lovely little christmas hats. Happy accidents, I suppose, and they are actually now two of my favorites. Christmas may just have to continue a bit longer this year...

A New Family Member

The Simpson household is adopting a new family member. A new younger sister for me, if you will, and her name is Emma. Now if you look at this picture, you will see a big fat puppy facing upwards, adorable as could be. And to her side is another little puppy tucked below the blankets. That one is Emma, sound asleep and snuggled up in the covers. The one in front is just her sister, but they look pretty similar. Either way, all of them are adorable little pups. Can't wait to get to know Emma when I return from Boston!

38 Years!

I was so happy to be home in time to celebrate with my parents on their 38th anniversary! December 22nd marked another year in their marriage, and we all had a lovely meal to commemorate and honor the two. Afterwards, we all walked along a trail of lights in a nearby town, all smiles and floating on good spirits. I love you, Momma and Daddy!

Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread houses. Delicious, homemade, and untraditional, if you will...Mine is the one that looks like Gandalf, the house is John David's take on the traditional housey-house.

Boston Tea Party Reenactment!

The Boston Tea Party Reenactment is held every year to honor and celebrate the historic event that was one of many important events that led to the Revolutionary War. It is held in the Old South Meeting House, the same building that housed the meetings of the revolutionaries long ago, and recreates the town meeting held on the night of December 16th in 1773. The audience got a chance to interact in the meeting with the actors, acting as citizens of Boston--either Loyalists or Patriots. By the end of it, we were all yelling Huzzah! or Fy! or HISSSSSS! in unison, as we cheered on the town meeting.


The reenactment ended with a retelling of the actual events involved with the Boston Tea Party, as the Patriots dressed as Native Americans and ransacked the tea aboard the ship in port. Afterwards, I wandered outside with the crowd and caught a few photos of the Old South Meeting House in snow (see below).






With a flash.




Without.

Skating, Skating

To bring in the winter and holiday spirit, Catie, Doug, and I went for a skate in Cambridge a couple weeks before Christmas. To entice all skaters out of their cozy and warm houses, the rink offered free skating for the whole day and evening. We dressed in our brightest garb and hopped on the ice to practice our moves.









Luckily, there were few people there, so we all had a chance to really spread out. Made for some inventive skating, to be sure. We topped off the evening with some hot steamers and ice cream at a great coffee shop, Toscanini's.

And Now For The True First Snow

And to think I was excited about a measley quarter inch of snow (see previous post)! I could hardly believe my eyes when the snow began to accumulate on the streets of Boston. Big snow flakes wafted through the sky as I sat at my desk at work, and before I knew it, the entire city was covered in a sparkling white blanket! People left early for work and cars were caught in gridlock for hours....luckily, however, I don't have a car. (: So I walked from work to the subway and got a chance to romp through the growing mounds of snow.





All the while, I could only think of my once-beloved dessert, the snow cone--It was as if a shaved ice machine got caught in the on position! And a beautiful quiet calm accompanied the snow, as the cars slowed and the sounds of the city were absorbed into the white. It was all so lovely. Well, until it melted.