Saturday, May 29, 2010

Foxes are pretty fantastic


"There's something
kind of fantastic about being different, isn't there?"


Monday, May 24, 2010

joyful pasta.



INGREDIENTS:

* 3/4 pound whole-wheat pasta, your choice
* 3 cloves garlic
* 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
* 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, shredded
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
* Red pepper flakes

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and butter/oil a 13×9 inch oven-safe baking dish. Prep all ingredients, including thoroughly washing and drying spinach.

2. Cook pasta according to directions, remove from heat and rinse with cold water. Toss in bowl with olive oil and set aside.

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute garlic. Add spinach and cook until spinach collapses.

4. Remove spinach/garlic from heat and add to noodles. Add a 1/2 cup of ricotta and half of the mozzarella to the mixture.

5. Pour mixture into baking dish and top with remaining cheese and ricotta (in dollops).

6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes until cheese on top is bubbling and melted. Top with red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.

(adapted from Kohler Created)

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Favorite springtime smell


There's nothing better than lilacs.
(via papertissue)

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Skip you. Reverse. Draw two.


Uno joy. The only thing better is Skip-Bo joy.

(via papertissue)

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Time out.

If for some reason you've stumbled on my blog randomly, I should probably let you in on a little secret of which my other readers are likely well aware. Despite having a blog centered around all things joyful... I can be a terribly cynical person. I snort during love scenes in movies. I genuinely loathe anything in a store that says "Live. Laugh. Love." written on it. I'll think you're trying too hard if you wax philosophical over the beauty of a daisy.

My cynicism is what started this blog in the first place. Despite being a regular Grumposauras Rex, it's been helpful to have an on-going assignment to pause once in awhile and think happy, grateful thoughts. And while I still haven't severed ties with Cynical Laura, Joyful Laura comes out more naturally than she did before.

This past week, though, joy went missing. Without going into specifics (how annoying, right?!), important people in my life dealt with a lot of undeserved pain and suffering this week. As it was happening, I sat on the sidelines to it all, angry as hell about the fact that bad things happen to good people. There is no silver lining to it - it's a crappy truth. And what's worse, is that there is nothing I could do to change it.

It's hard to be joyful in times of pain. But if I could be joyful about anything tonight, it would be in the courage and strength people show in times of adversity, the kindness of loved ones, and the ability to persevere. I believe these things will eventually make it possible for me to find joy again soon.

It's hard to be cynical about that.