homemade...

this article appeared in yesterday's new york times.

leaving behind the trucker hat
young urbanites, learning that dirt can also be soil, are using their Carhartts as originally intended.

for a while now, i've been frustrated. i'm frustrated that other people get to decide what goes into my meat, onto my vegetables, into my water, etc., etc. it's been years since my life was connected to the land in a meaningful way. this coming from a girl who learned how to drive on that red tractor over there!

so i had a lot of resonance for the farmers who were profiled in that NYT article. i am different from them in that i don't want to make my living at farming. but i am *thisclose* to moving to the country, getting myself a cow and some chickens, and planting a big ole garden.

since i'm only a generation and a half removed from the farm and grew up in a farming community, i have no romantic notions of what it means to grow your own food. it is dirty, stinky, long work. i'd have to learn how to do ALOT of stuff.

and yet, it seems totally doable. there are lots of questions that i don't have the answer to, and there's still stuff to do here before i'm ready to raise my barn.

but one of these days, i'm going to make my own butter. with my kitchenaid, of course.

in case you're looking for a little something a little fancier than a pine box...

how about a fully customizable major league baseball urn? or if you'd rather spend eternity in one piece, they have caskets too! this way, the MLB can "share" a portion of your life AND death. because they care about their fans.

if you're not a baseball lover (like myself), fear not. according to this morning's sportscenter, licensing deals with other major sports leagues are on the way. and universities too.

i wonder if they'll make customizable resting places? for example, i have a friend who is a st. louis cardinals, san antonio spurs, and florida state seminoles fan. how in the world would he choose just one in which to spend the remainder of his days?

oh, the possibilites.

order yours at eternal image.

oh, and if sports aren't your thing, you can choose from a collection that includes star trek, precious moments, the american kennel club, and the cat fanciers' assocation.

if you're going to go, you might as well go out in style...

i still call them samoas...

well, it's springtime here in dallas. one of the many things this means is that you can't go anywhere without being accosted by cookie selling girl scouts.

as wholesome as the idea of girl scout cookies may be, a quick read through the ingredient list will probably net at least one or two items not commonly found on your grocer's shelves. i'll pass, thanks.

but all is not lost! right here is where my obsession with food blogs comes in handy. heidi over at 101 cookbooks has developed her very own homemade thin mint recipe. i've made them several times, and while, yes, they do require a bit more work than plunking down $3.50 for a brightly colored box, they are soooooo tasty.

or if tagalongs are more your style, then baking bites will help you satisfy your chocolate/peanut butter needs.

and samoas? here you go. i made these about a month ago and they are messy and gooey and chocolatey and totally scrumptious.

the other good thing about this? no need to hoard boxes and boxes of these things in the freezer so that when september rolls around, you can satisfy your craving. (like the stash in your freezer lasts until fall...) nope, my friends. get you some butter and good chocolate, and you are on your way.

you gotta admit, though, those girl scouts are darn near irresistible.