My Life is on Zoom Now

 

I'm still on Zoom just as much as I was in the early days of the pandemic. There was this time when everyone seemed to be over Zoom happy hours, but I don't think I'll ever be over them. I love getting together with Jennifer, Adrienne, and Louise over Zoom. We've been doing this about twice a month since the pandemic started. We all decide on a cocktail, and make the same one, and we always have so much to talk about. Last weekend we celebrated May Day with floral martinis.

Adrienne has been texting us pictures from her cocktail book for inspiration. This was what we were drinking (although Jennifer went rogue and made something with watermelon in it).

Also last weekend, I went to a cooking class on Zoom. It was a promotional thing for the new cookbook I just bought, Lukas Volger's Snacks for Dinner. We made a feta-jam tart (mine was dairy- and gluten-free), sriracha snack mix, crudites, and pickled mushrooms, which I served over hummus. Everything was amazing, and I can't wait to get the cookbook!

Then early this morning I took a drawing class from Megan Fatharly, a U.K. artist whose work I love.

We drew flowers in different exercises, starting with a 30-second drawing. I was drawing a bunch of Trader Joe's ranunculus.

One minute with the left hand (I could only do these chaotic lines).

Four minutes with the left hand, and I was really starting to see how you could capture flowers with energetic lines and strong shapes. The flowers were so vibrant and alive, and I wanted to get some of that in my drawing.

Focusing on the background.

And this was my final drawing.

Christmas in Bloomington 2015

 After a few days in Hillsville, we drove to Bloomington. I went on a walk in these beautiful frosty woods.

Mom and I had a great time wandering around these woods by Lake Griffy.

Even though it was 13 degrees out!

I got to see some of my Bloomington friends while I was in town (although I didn't get a lot of pictures).

 David and I spent New Year's Eve in Indianapolis with John, Jennifer, and Rowan.

We had some delicious food and wore some very tall hats. None of us could figure out why David's hat wouldn't stay on his head. Except Rowan, who immediately reached into David's hat and pulled out a second hat that had gotten stuck inside it.

The first day of 2015 began with a delicious brunch.

And time spent with my family.

A Cabin in Asheville

 Two days after my trip out west, I drove up to Asheville, North Carolina to stay in this cabin.

 I was meeting Jennifer and Adrienne for a weekend, and we found this super cute place.

We would wake up early, eat some delicious pancakes ...

 ... and go out on the porch of the cabin to look at the mountains and watch the friendly neighborhood cows.

We got to do some hiking, including climbing a million stairs at Chimney Rock.

 We didn't throw anything.

 We just climbed higher and higher.

 This is a rock formation called the Devil's Head.

 And this is the highest elevation you can reach on at Chimney Rock, Exclamation Point.

 It has a really good view.

 We also hiked on this lovely trail through the rhododendrons. It must be spectacular when they are in bloom.

It came out into a sunny mountain meadow full of wildflowers and butterflies.

After the hikes, we got to try some of the great vegan food available in Asheville,

Glad Midsummer

 On the day of the summer solstice, Mom and I went out to pick flowers. It was blisteringly hot.

We found a place with amazing cow parsley and absolutely no shade.

We took only a very small amount, leaving plenty for the swallowtail caterpillars. We also saw an oriole while we were gathering the flowers.

We got all sorts of wildflowers: daisies, flea bane, bachelor's buttons, purple clover, yellow sweetclover. At the midsummer party, we set up a flower table where people could make flower wreaths.

 The midsummer party was so much fun this year!

We had frog dancing and a bonfire, but we didn't get any pictures of them.

But the best part was just sitting around talking to our friends.

Even Dharma seemed to have a good time.

This year, I made a sandwich cake with three layers: roasted red pepper cream cheese with cucumbers, herb and garlic cream cheese with tomatoes, and olive cream cheese.

And I made a vegan sandwich cake with three hummus-filled layers: roasted red pepper hummus with cucumbers, pesto hummus with tomatoes, and plain hummus with artichoke hearts.

We had lots of fresh vegetables and berries, which I think are the most summery of all foods.

Mom made a delicious dilled potato salad, and we had all sorts of cheeses, breads, and pickles.

For dessert there was a strawberry cake covered with whipped cream.

And vegan strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream icing.

Lunches and Other Celebrations

 I saw lots of people and did lots of things while I was in town. I had lunch with Mimi at Nick's, under this giant buffalo head.

 And I had lunch with Emilie at Farm (the restaurant behind this giant egg).

 I went to Indianapolis to have dinner with Jennifer and stroll around Broad Ripple.

 And see Rowan, who really seemed to like the coloring book we gave him.

 I had a delicious watermelon popsicle at this gourmet popsicle place in Broad Ripple.

 Back in Bloomington, I got to celebrate Mimi's birthday with Mimi, her sister, and her sister-in-law.

 David and I got to go to the movies with Dad.

 We spent a lot of time visiting Granddad.

 On Father's Day, we all went over to see him.

 We brought presents.

 And we had a great time.

Afterward we took a picture of three generations of people who resemble each other to a startling degree.