Duckpond blues

Friday, November 25, 2011

I Want To Tri

I'm telling you what..every time I jump on the stationary bike or dive into the pool, the more and more I think about doing a Tri. I have even been researching some local tri's around Omaha and lurking on tri websites for training advice. I did find one that will happen in May and it is an all women's triathlon. Of course with Omaha weather, I know the options of tri races in the local area are slim.

When it comes to the swimming, I think I am decent. I can now swim a mile and a half but I am still swimming 100 yards in two minutes (pretty slow). I could improve this by adding in some intervals.

Running...well considering my ankle is more on and off then anything anymore I am just going to see how it feels come Spring. I am hoping the more I continue to stretch it and stay off of it when it comes to running, it will improve. I plan on doing a Sprint Tri for my first one, so I think I can handle the 5k run.

Now the biking is what I am worried about. First of all I just have a mountain bike, which gets around on the roads fine but it is nothing fancy. I was amazed at how much Tri bikes are and I will not spend an arm and leg on a bike until I know that I am more serious about racing. Also, how the heck do you go about learning how to change tires and the chains on your bike...I am horrible about maintenance. Finally, I really hate the idea of training on city roads. I have known several people who have been killed from cycling on roads and I am deathly afraid to go that route. I wonder if I could perform just as good with doing some of my rides on the stationary bike using intervals.

If anyone of you have done a Tri, help...I need advice!!

Stone Walls

Stone Walls:

I have a current obsession with interior stone walls. I love the solidity of them - as though they will stand forever. I also love the sense of history they give to a room - as if they have a story to tell. I love their texture, their unevenness, their imperfection. I prefer them paired with pale colours and perhaps limited to one feature wall so as not to feel too overwhelming.SIMPLE BUT SO ELEGANT !

They are beautiful in a living room.....

and in a dining room.

They make a great statement in an entry way or passage.....

... and add such warmth and character to a kitchen.

They work very well with the soft furnishings of a bedroom...

....and create interest in a bathroom.

Now please excuse me while a recline on this inviting daybed and dream about a house full of beautiful stone walls.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Till next time

Sharon x

Image sources: 1. Bella Francais Interiors, 2 & 9. Campagne Decoration, 3, 12, 17, 18, 19. 24, 29, 31 Pinterest, 4. Coco Cozy, 5 & 15. House to Home, 6, 10, 21. Country Living, 7. Eclectic Revisited, 8, 20. Cote de Texas, 11. Desde my Ventana 13. House Beautiful, 14. Desire to Inspire, 16, 25. Tumblr, 22. Under Spanish Moss, 23, Create Girl, 26. 4-interior design, 27. Josephine Ryan, 28. Verdigris Vie, 30. Lux Interiors Designs, 32. Casa Decorada

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Monday, November 14, 2011

CaitLoves: 1,048

CaitLoves: 1,048: This is the number of miles I have logged on my Garmin since I got it last Christmas. I was stunned when I downloaded all the data and was l...

Friday, October 28, 2011

Almond Coconut Candy Bars

Almond Coconut Candy Bars:

You shouldn't accept candy from strangers. HELLO, DOESNT THIS LOOK SCRUMPTIOUS

Or, at least that's what we are lead to believe every day of the year EXCEPT Halloween. Does anyone else find this odd? It's NOT ok to take candy from unknown persons normally, but on Halloween it's perfectly acceptable to binge on sweet treats gathered from grown adults dressed like vampires?

I mean, once your parents have scanned your candy bag for syringes. Obvy.

Really though, assuming the candy in question is unopened and edible (2 year old bags of M&M's need not apply, old Mrs. Peterson), we will eat anything, Halloween or not. People give us candy, uh, we eat it.

However, responsible parents who are worried that the Austin Powers down the street (PS - Does anyone else watch 'Happy Endings' because it is amazing) is handing out poisoned Snickers should implement our proven antidote to the candy coma (mental or physical, real or imagined)...

MAKE YOUR OWN CANDY! Yessssss.

What better way to assure your kids, um, or you, get not only the best candy in town but also the safest? If you make it yourself, you can happily trust that it's filled with love and chocolate and almonds and coconut and smiles. Who wouldn't want that kind of candy on Halloween?!?!

Ok. Ok. Maybe the kids would reject the homemade candy bars because they are kids and they like things packaged in Reese's Peanut Butter Cup wrapping, but you? You will love these adult candy bars.

Of course other parents will have to check the bags of their kids and will have to taste test these bars to make sure they aren't poisoned. Just. In. Case.

Almond Coconut Candy Bars
Makes 32-ish Bars
Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

Print Recipe

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 18 large rectangles)
1 1/2 cups whole almonds, lightly toasted
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
pinch of salt
2/3 cups (roughly 11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 14 ounce package of sweetened, flaked coconut
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
18 ounces dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup of the toasted almonds, brown sugar and salt in a food processor until a fine crumb. Add the melted butter. Mix until fully combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden on the edges and top. Allow to cool.

Combine the coconut and sweetened condensed milk in a medium bowl. Spread the coconut mixture over the top of the crust very gently (so as not to pull away the top of the crust). Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of whole almonds (you may not use them all) evenly over the top of the crust, pressing them lightly into the coconut. Bake for 10 minutes or until top appears firmer.

Melt the dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave on 30 second bursts, stirring between cooking, until almost melted. Be careful not to overcook and burn the chocolate. As you stir the chocolate will melt further so take note...Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top of the baked coconut and almonds. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack of chill in the fridge until the chocolate is set. Cut into bars and serve.