Our street is a sun-lit crystal winter wonderland playground this morning. Only, watch where you step. I carefully made my way onto the front lawn—and no further as the sidewalk was sheer ice still—to capture the ice with my camera. The bokeh in the background of these shots is so so fun.

Happy winter, everyone!

Meteorologists correctly predicted an ice storm to sweep across the Midwest. At first glance it doesn’t seem all that terrible outside. I mean, it’s been raining for awhile but the temps aren’t even very cold. But when the dog goes out and slips and slides his way to the crunchy grass for a potty break, yeah, you know not to attempt an outdoor excursion.

The ice is beautiful and cruel. It hangs from every knob of every tree branch, it evenly coats each blade of grass, it cascades down each frozen bit of concrete—stairs and driveways and sidewalks turn into paths of treachery. I long to move closer to the ice, to photograph it in a way it deserves, and yet… one false move with my slippered feet would end up in some sort of disaster. Years of rheumatoid arthritis have turned a simple fall into a huge cause for concern. I’m an elderly 39 year old. :)

So from inside my cozy warm home—and maybe with one step out under the covered patio—I admire the deceitful beauty outside our doors. I praise God for my husband’s office just down the hall from my own. I am grateful for this day off of school so Livia and I can lounge and dream and read and play a bit more. Happy ice day, my friends! Be safe.

How many locations can you recognize from the images below? Photos were snapped in seven different spots in Lincoln.

I’m calling it: winter in Lincoln is over. Our grass is coming up in fuzzy green tufts, the forsythia is blooming—Livia and I have a FORSYTHIA! call we do in our best operatic voices when we spot the happy yellow branches—and everything is starting to bud outside. The warm weather has come so early this year that I wasn’t expecting or hoping for it yet. It still feels like an incredible and delightful surprise. Thanks, God. I’m grateful!

From top to bottom:
– little grape hyacinths are starting to come up
– sedum looks like small green roses
– our adorable front yard tree is starting to wake up

Below is the front year tree this morning, all covered in dew and gleaming in the morning light. In just a few days time the tree has changed. This tree in particular brings great delight each spring as it will eventually open up in an amazing display of white blossoms. Spring! I just can’t stand it. Every year my heart is filled with the colors and new life. I’m made for spring.

No one looks smart with their tongue hanging outside their mouth. Oddly enough, this little thing grazed the back deck like a cow. Mmmmm, fresh snow!

The snow is absolutely beautiful. And I am more than happy to observe it from the inside of our warm, cozy house. Our front and back windows make it seem like God took some sort of sprayer and went nuts with it last night; from the west and the east, our house has been plastered with white. Under the patio covering even, the chairs and fire pit have become wintery versions of their chipper summer selves.

Today we are content to stay safe indoors and have delightful plans of reading books and perhaps making cookies. Jeremy, however, walked down the hall to the office and logged in per his usual routine. We’ll share some cookies with him.

It was such a treat to spend several hours with Evangeline recently. I thoroughly enjoyed this senior’s laughter and struggle to keep a serious face. Not only is she a natural beauty, she’s smart and is a lot of fun. Thanks for letting me photograph you, Evangeline!

With further ado, more images from Evangeline’s senior photo shoot.

1. Moroccan Tomato Soup & Cheese Scones from Freakbeat Vegetarian

Words fail me when it comes to this meal—it’s that good. I suspect they add magic into this tomato soup (even though ingredients are listed right there on the counter and it doesn’t explicitly say magic) because the flavor is fantastic. It’s a hair too spicy for me, but that doesn’t come close to curbing my desire for it. And the cheese scones? Perfection.

2. Pad Thai and Panang Curry from Blue Orchid

I have loved Blue Orchid from the get-go. Even now that the owners have a great restaurant on my end of town (Issara), I still prefer Blue Orchid. Pad Thai with chicken has long been my standby—it is always very good. But something extra special is the Panang Curry. The flavor of that dish is incredible. The only problem is that I’m a spice weenie apparently and it sets my mouth on fire (even without jalepenos). Still, sometimes it’s worth wading through fire to get to that curry though!

3. Safed Maas, Goa Fish and Paneer Makhani from The Oven

Jeremy took me to the Oven on our first date and it’s had a permanent spot in my heart since then. Once I tasted those Indian spices I couldn’t understand why the rest of the world didn’t cook with this much flavor, too. Oh Oven, you had me at hello. My tastes have morphed some over the years… Safed Maas (when Jose is cooking in the Haymarket) can’t be beat. Goa Fish has become a favorite, too, and finally, Paneer Makhani is my latest pick after a friend in San Francisco made us a paneer dish. I love the textures and flavors of the paneer mixed with the spicy tomato sauce.

4. Brussel Sprouts and Sangria from Sebastian’s Table

Sebastian’s Table is one of my favorite dining experiences anywhere. I love the way people come together over tapas and drinks. I’m completely happy trying out everything on the menu and sharing it with the table while we enjoy good conversations. The absolute must-have’s at Sebastian’s Table are the hazelnut brussel sprouts and the red sangria. I’ve eaten their leftover brussel sprouts days later, cold even, and they are still out of this world. The red sangria might just be the key to my heart. It’s happiness in a glass.

5. Roasted Red Pepper soup at The Green Gateau

There is a lot to like at The Green Gateau, but there is one dish I think about regularly; and honestly, this is the only dish that has tempted me—an extrovert—to eat alone at a fine dining establishment: the roasted red pepper soup. Maybe they put magic in here, too, because it’s unlike any other roasted red pepper soup I’ve tried elsewhere. I like to pair it with their amazing Gateau Spring Salad. And heck, if I’m here for any length of time I am more than likely to order dessert. Delicious.

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I don’t think I’ve ever written about food before, but man, I feel passionately about it! I like eating local because I like unique dining experiences and I really like supporting the creative talents of hardworking chefs and restaurant owners in my community. I’m a girl who is sometimes driven by my tastebuds, which are fairly easily appeased. I don’t mind a fast food burger and I’m pretty happy with a fried chicken salad from a chain restaurant. But if I had a choice, I’d choose an awesome local restaurant with lovely ambiance and good friends by my side every night of the week if I could.

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Final note: where do YOU like to eat? I’m always up for recommendations.

I woke up yesterday to a backyard maple that turned orange overnight. Oh fall, I’ve long resisted your charms since you’re a harbinger of winter, but I can’t resist your colors. Every year I think God outdid himself by creating this season. Trees that turn the colors of flames? Fantastic.

I found myself at Holmes Lake three times within 48 hours last week, with only an iPhone in my purse. I’m glad for that little camera! You can certainly capture a scene with it.