Smoky start to summer

Happy longest day of the year!  Would be outside but there's some wildfires in eastern NC and totally making it all smoky out!!  I knew in just one inhale that something was up when I stepped out on the porch this morning.  I didn't look into it for several hours, preferring instead to finish watching Like Water for Chocolate and then a documentary on the making of Steinway pianos (random, but they had come into discussion over the weekend and it happened to be on my Netflix reccomendaysh list) that turned out to be quite good.  

Anyhow, with the smoke and high ozone levels making today a pretty terrible air quality day all-around, I'm not even hanging out on the screened-in porch any longer and I def cancelled my long run at noon thirty.

Normally I'm a bit sad on the first day of Summer..odd, but I like looking forward to longer and longer days and knowing that the days will be getting (ever so slightly) shorter each day is just a bit depressing.  BUT this year is quite different for me:  In Alaska, where I'll be doing field work during the month of August, my day length will be between 24 and 20 hours long (depending on where I am in the state).  Crazy right?!

Welcome, summer season!  

 

 

 

Readin Murakami short stories at Caribou

The Google illustration today for First day of Summer is by contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, no relation to Haruki Murakami I think.  I'm enjoying the short stories in after the quake.. nice change of pace

Chocolate chunk-coconut butter-1 banana bread! this a.m.

Mmmm best banana bread I've ever baked!  (Not an impressive feat b/c I've only made it once I think hahh)  The moistness is just right on the inside and crisp on the outside..and the flavors are rich and complementary.  This loaf is studded with semi sweet bakers chocolate on the interior and Endangered Species organic milk chocolate on top..Mmmm 

I was in the mood for some of my recently purchased green tea ice cream after a simple japanese lunch of chilled kamut udon noodles and tofu with red miso soup.  The SO Delicious brand Green tea coconut ice cream is super good.  The matcha flavor is not shy and it goes really well with the coconut milk.  The flavors actually do a magical yin yang balancing act on your tongue.  Highly recommend

Crazy good green tea ice cream (Pictured with green tea Itself)