It RAINED and a recipe!

A celebration is in order...last night it rained in Wichita County! Just 10 minutes before the skies broke open and poured beautiful rain on the parched land, I had told my mom on the phone, "Looks like there's a storm brewing south of us, of course it will miss us like always." But as I stood doing dishes at Levi's, getting ready to make sweet corn risotto with spicy shrimp, it started...first with wind and giant drops then it just kept coming. It rained for an hour and a half straight.

The electricity went out so I abandoned the idea of cooking supper and Levi and I just watched it rain. I have never seen him so happy. He was estatic, like a child on Christmas morning. If you're not from a farming community, that may sound silly, but my man was beaming and joyful because of the rain. It could've rained for 30 minutes and he'd have been happy. But it continued to pour basically right on top of us and the surrounding 2 miles for 90 minutes giving us a blessed total of 5.1 inches. The driveway flooded, the roads were flooding. Levi stripped down to his boxers to keep his clothes from getting completely soaked as he darted from the front door to the rain gauge watching it fill inch by inch.

Rain is a funny thing out here. A neighbor 5 miles down the road only got 2.35 inches, which as dry as it is, is still a tremendous blessing. Levi's parents living about 10 miles north got next to nothing but wind and dirt. I consider ourselves, or really the landlord, lucky this time. Though we don't have land of our own, the rain certainly lifts one's spirits. Levi's job has been slow all summer because without rain, farmers don't want to put the extra money in their crops if they are to just be victim to the drought. We now can possibly plant a yard at Levi's. Real grass instead of blow-dirt and weeds. Oh the simple joys in life!

Deep-ish water and it's moving

As a child, I recall my family always loading up in the pickup and riding around after a large rain storm, checking the fields, seeing the water accumulate. It brought me joy as Levi and I did the same thing last night. Seeing the water accumulating in the ditches, pastures and fields. Listening to the water gurgle through the culverts and smelling the clean, rain air. Seeing other pickups cruising around checking out the miraculous amount of precipitation that came from the sky. Watching and listening to the White Woman run. No, not a gringa like myself...though that would be quite the sight, the White Woman is a creek.

That is the thing to do when it rains in Wichita County - especially when it's a good one.  Wichita County has a creek that lies dry for a majority of the year...probably making most who just pass through the county laugh at the signs indicating White Woman Creek. Last night, the White Woman was gushing...running harder than it has in at least the last couple of years. That's what people do in a farming community for fun...watch the White Woman run. You could tell by the flashers and brake lights on the bridge north of Levi's house there was quite a crowd. It was, in fact, the first time I had seen the White Woman with water in it in real life.  

The White Woman Creek

I did eventually make my sweet corn risotto with spicy shrimp and we delightfully ate it around 9:30 after one of the most exciting evenings we've had in a while. See the recipe below. I sort of flew by the seat of my pants...it wasn't real risotto because I used orzo pasta rather than arborio rice, but it was delicious.  

Levi's second helping - I forgot to photograph mine and ate it right up!

  Sweet corn risotto/orzo with spicy shrimp  

For the Shrimp

• 15-18 medium sized shrimp - cleaned, tails on or off your preference
• 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoons of Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning
• 2 teaspoons of chipotle pepper seasoning
• a dash or two of hot sauce - your choice

Marinate in a plastic baggie in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. More is better. :)
Saute or grill. To saute, add a little bit of butter and olive oil to a skillet and heat. Add the shrimp and a dash of garlic salt. Cook until pink.

For the Risotto

• 5 tablespoons of butter
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1/4 cup of chopped onion - I used a sweet onion, but I think a regular yellow onion would do fine
• 2 cups of sweet corn - fresh or canned
• 1 cup of orzo pasta or arborio rice
• 1 cup of white wine - something dry is better - I used Kansas wine from here.
• 3 cups of chicken broth
• 1/3 cup of heavy cream
• 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh basil, optional

In a large pot, over medium-high heat melt the butter. Add olive oil. When heated, add garlic and onions. Cook for about 3 minutes until the onions become slightly translucent.

Add the corn and orzo. Stir and heat for about 6 minutes. Add the wine and stir constantly until it is absorbed.

Gradually add the chicken broth, about 1 cup at a time, until it is absorbed. It is done cooking when the orzo is tender.

Stir in the cream and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with the basil and shrimp.

Levi enjoyed this a lot! It wasn't quite the same as the sweet corn and shrimp risotto I had at Yia Yia's a few years ago but it still tasted good. The spicy shrimp and creaminess and sweetness with the corn still are the best combo. I might try and brighten up the risotto a little more next time with lemon juice. Bacon would also be a good addition to add a little more saltiness.

Wow! That was long, but it feels so good to post right now! Probably should've saved the recipe for later, but it seemed to be an important ending to last night. Maybe it brought the rain. :) I still have stories about the summer - fishing story...don't let me forget. Happy Friday friends!

Colorado Vacation 2012 - For a wedding

I just got back from Grand Lake, Colorado! I've been there for Levi's sitsters wedding. They got married on July 4 and Levi and I were the witnesses. I wasn't able to get any photos of the wedding, but I have some of our cabin and our adventures the other two days. We stayed in a cute, cute cabin. I wanted to give you a little preview of the cabin...or frankly, the only pictures I took of the cabin, the night we arrived. It was a cute little two bedroom cabin located just off of Portal Road in Grand Lake, but we felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. I, of course, forgot to take a picture of Levi and my bedroom, but as I can tell now, it had stuff all over the bed. There was a nice little front porch where we sat and drank and chatted every night but I forgot to take a picture out front.

Neat carved picture in the corner of the living room.

Living Room - Very Cozy!

The living room was very cozy! On the coffee table you can see a little book. The book was a guest book that had neat little recommendations and favorite moments from previous guests. Two different couples got engaged in that living room there. So precious!

A look at the front door and our bedroom.

Our bed sloped towards the middle which turned out to be kind of hilarious sleeping. We both ended up clinging to the edge of bed so we didn't squish the other.



The newlyweds bedroom...tiny tiny beds!

The kitchen and dining area.



It was such a quaint little cabin! Levi and I've been talking about going back again, possibly with my family. The weather was a beautiful escape at 70-80 degree highs and mid 40 degree lows since we've been dealing with very dry and hot temps, 100+ in Kansas. We left the windows open all day and all night for some of the best sleeping weather ever. It was nice to cuddle up under the covers with the chilled air surrounding us, instead of the hot stickiness from sleeping at home.

The parents had a separate cabin about 20 minutes away that was more rustic but had a private lake. I'll post pictures of that tomorrow...or Monday! We did a lot of relaxing, shopping, eating, fishing and hiking, and celebrating, but it's so nice to be home. We missed Atly! The heat...not so much.

If you're ever looking for a getaway in Colorado, I would recommend Grand Lake. The cabins are all cute and in all shapes and sizes!

The Swim Suit - A Silly Saga

We went to lake over Memorial Day weekend and I wore the same swimming suit that I have had for almost 4 years. The bottom band on the top is a little stretched and I didn't feel very comfortable moving too much for fear of a wardrobe malfunction. I finally decided that maybe it was time to buy a new swimsuit. However, I haven't had the time or money to go out of town to go shopping. So last weekend, I hopped on to Victoria's Secret to have a look at their suits, since it is, afterall their Semi-Annual sale. After much deliberation I found a swimsuit that looked like it offered a good amount of coverage for my less than Victoria's Secret model body.

I wasn't expecting it to arrive until this Wednesday, June 27, but to my surprise it arrived either Friday or Saturday of last week. Yesterday I picked up my mail and then went out to Levi's house to hang out. I slipped into the bathroom to try it on...not remembering exactly what the top looked like. I tried it on tying the back and hooking the strap around my neck on the top. It was so uncomfortable...and my boobs were really exposed but it looked cute. It was good until I tried to stand up straight and the girls popped out the bottom. I was so mad...I'm tall but they should make swimsuits for tall people and the distance from my boobs to my neck isn't that much more than anyone else's, I complained to Levi. I took it off and debated about whether I should send it back. I came to the conclusion that someone in the community could re-stitch the top strap so it was longer and I wouldn't have to send it back, then stuffed it back into the bag and sulked the rest of the afternoon.

This morning I pulled the swim suit out of the bag as I was reconsidering my decision to keep it and I noticed what Levi referred to as bra lesson 101...the underwire. Then a light bulb came on as I quickly stripped down to hold the underwire up to my chest and under my boobs...underwire, to lift, what a concept. It was such a great feeling that the girls were sitting in the over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder, not awkwardly squished apart or peeping out the bottom and overly exposed. I, then pulled it off realizing that the hook...the part that was too short was now around my bust not my neck. Well goodness...I burst out laughing and laughed hyterically out of embarrassment and joy for well over 10 minutes. I apparently need to buy new swimsuits more often than once every 4 years.

I hope this gave you a good laugh to get you through the rest of your Monday!

One Year

I thought I posted this. It's almost 8 months overdue but I think it needs to be on the web not in draft form anymore.

One year ago today I was walking down The Hill entering Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. 

Today I am sitting in my office, a former sheriff's office, in far western Kansas. Looking back I certainly didn't accomplish all I thought I would in a year but I'm trying to remind myself change takes time. I need to remember that if I'm going to continue to be happy where I am. You always grow up and learn about something new about yourself but I feel like this first year of being out in the "real world" has been quite a challenge full of lots of growing pains. They all seem like things I should have known before and maybe I did, but my situation and circumstances seemed to really bring them to the forefront. I've learned that I am not the most particular person in the world but I am very right brained. I abide by the rules and read the instructions. I love to sing and dance and dream. I knew all this before but it's become even more evident. I learned I am horrible at saying no, but have become better at it in order to not go completely nuts. I learned who my true friends are. The ones who love me and care about me no matter what and no matter how far. My friends, Abbey, Megan, and John...that make the effort to keep in touch and it's not just a one-sided relationship. Those are the people I miss most and that make me want to travel back to the city to see more often.

I realized that I let everyone start out with a clean slate and even playing field for trust. But if you break my trust or stab me in the back, I hate you. I know hating isn't right, but in the past year there have been two people that have ticked me off so badly they will never have a chance at having my trust again. Clearly I am not as forgiving as I thought, or I'm learning not to let people push me around. I also learned I have a talent and power of listening and understanding. I've learned how important it is to listen and understand both sides of every story. I will always draw my own conclusions and sometimes talk myself out of them, but atleast I know both sides. My pursuit of perfection has driven me to tears and to the edge of giving up more than once, but I have a strong man standing beside me when I feel like falling down. I would be a completely different person if it were not for Levi. There is no doubt he entered my life at the right moment. He has pointed out my strong points and my flaws, but he loves every part of me the same. He knows that I'm a worrier, a messy cook, a klutz, a right brained dancing fool and loves me just the same. While I learned so much about myself on my own, he helped challenge me and guide me over the past 10 months and that's just the man I need for the next 100 years.

A year ago, I never would've thought I'd be working on the projects I'm working on. A year ago, I didn't think I'd still feel in such turmoil about certain things either, but I guess that's life. Sometimes I wonder if I took the best path by coming back to Western Kansas and after thinking for a short moment, I know I did. While I can fit in most anywhere, when I look out over a field and watch the sun rise or set, I know I couldn't take the craziness of a city every day. I need the air and the land.

Most of all, I need Levi. I was meant to find him here, in this small rural town of all places. The things I thought would be toughest were mostly easy and the easy things are the hardest. This was, as usual, another rambling post that I don't really have time to edit.

Words of Wisdom: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost

He kinda loves me

Since the end of February, Levi and I had been working on his new rental house...yes a rental house he's going to rent, not let others rent. That's the way we do in western Kansas especially when it's a guy who likes to work with his hands and it gets him 2 months of free rent. It's 8 miles from town but only 2 miles off the highway and it is wonderful! It's a two bedroom, two bathroom house with gorgeous picture windows in the living room. There's also a space that is going to be the office and a guest bedroom with a futon if needed. It gives him more space and he's in the country...trust me we're both happier out there. You can't take country kids and place them in the city that easily. Not that I'm living with him...we're saving that move until we get married, but I do spend a lot of time out there. There's something about an unblocked sunrise and sunset that feeds my soul...and being able to see the stars even more clearly than in town. I'll post pictures soon!

We worked on that house atleast 5 out 7 nights a week in addition to most of the weekend until March 25 and he finally moved in! We painted, laid flooring, cleaned and cleaned until it was livable. There's still the mudroom and back bathroom to do but for now it's working great as a dog room...Atly is a little messy since we have more mud and dirt. I enjoyed helping him because it was a great way for us to spend quality time together and be active. Three months of hibernating and pretty much only watching TV together was not okay with me. I've also never done that much work to a house and was amazed time after time as he would know exactly what to do to change out sink fixtures, fix a leak, fill a hole, or lay trim. Absolutely amazed! Needless to say I really enjoyed helping. But he felt compelled to get me a thank you gift.

My very own shiny red Kitchenaid Stand Mixer! He gave it to me last Friday and we were busy all weekend so I couldn't use it until Monday night when I made my famously delicious chocolate chip cookies. I kind of dislike chocolate chip cookies...except for these.

If you're in need of a good chocolate chip cookie recipe look no further than this one! I've never used parchment paper but this time I used it instead of baking spray...I'm never going back. Parchment paper is my new cookie baking savior! Try it, you'll like it.

I promise I can cook and bake things other than these cookies but for a simple dessert, this is the way to go. I'm actually going to make a lemon meringue pie this afternoon, so I'll document and post the recipe and photos here! :)

Look at my pretty mixer!

Anyway...I think he kinda loves me. He is the best darn gift giver...even when I don't need anything he gets me something. I simple thank you would have sufficed but seriously I am in love with this mixer! And with him! I love you Levi!

I have the afternoon off so I think I'm going to really break in the mixer and bake some goodies! And maybe garden some as well, I need to plant my peas and my herbs! I hope you all have a happy Easter!

And I saw a bag of potting soil

The weather has been SO nice here this week! It's a little warm for spring, but warm and calm is better than the miserable windy days we've been having the last couple of weeks. The only thing that would make it better is a little rain, but since beggers can't be choosy, I'll take the sun. As I work a desk job...well most days it's a desk job, some days I get to run around town and talk to businesses or meet with people and fun stuff like that. And I haven't been able to do that for the past 3.5 months because of the weather, so I've been trying anything I can to get outside this week for work. This afternoon I made arrangements to have the internet at our business and education center looked at by our internet guy because it was acting up, and I realized it was the perfect excuse to walk in glorious sun! As I was walking down the street, I was approaching our hardware store and started thinking about their Facebook post about all the new spring items like bulbs and flower seeds, pots, planters, wind chimes, and potting soil and I got really excited to pick stuff out and get started planting my garden! Like so excited as I went past their new addition and I saw a bag of potting soil, and the pavers for gardens, I thought man I need to buy some of that! Spring fever bit me square on the cheeks and I headed for the door. As I got ready to step up and enter the hardware store, I awoke from my garden and spring induced trance and realized what I was doing. It was not the time to shop for gardening supplies at the hardware store, it was time to be working and meeting the internet guy at the business and education center! I awkwardly returned to my original route and away from the hardware store door. Five steps later and I was laughing at myself. I'm sure the people in my town think I'm strange because I walk a lot, I dress up a lot, I trip a lot and I laugh to myself a lot!! And then I do crazy things like get so entranced by shopping locally and daydreaming I almost walk into stores at the wrong times or tell the store owners how excited I am about their products. I guess that makes me good at my job, but boy do I have some odd ball moments.


Anyway...I hope you can imagine this spring fever trance and laugh a little!

Happy Valentine's Day 2012!

With all the gushing I do around here about my wonderful boyfriend and how in love I am with him, you're probably thinking I love Valentine's Day. Truth is I think you should show and tell people how much you love them every single day. Valentine's Day is just so commercialized that I find it slightly irritating. I didn't buy a big gift or a card for Levi for Valentine's Day. I made him some coupons for foot massages, boys' nights in or out, house cleaning and a date night! I also did a couple of cheesy things like buy his favorite gum (Winterfresh) and mints (Ice Breakers Frost) and attach notes that said "I chews you to be mine forever and always." and "We are mint to be." Ridiculously cheesy but he loved it. I also asked him to be my valentine this morning and he said yes! :) Yes I did something to celebrate but these are things I do weekly or monthly anyway because I'm that weirdly gushy and loving person. I don't even know if he'll be getting me a present, and if he doesn't it might be kind of disappointing, but in the end I really don't care. I know that he loves me every single day and we don't need to do anything special today. Flowers die, chocolate makes you fat. A handwritten note would be nice but I know that that's not his thing. So if you're single and hate this day, don't feel bad. I felt the same way last year and that I just hated this day because I was alone. But in reality I don't care for it because I truly believe that if Valentine's Day is the only day people in a relationship do something special, you have a problem.

So share the love with your neighbors, your friends and your family instead. Don't worry about the significant other or lack there of on this silly holiday. Love should be given 365 days a year, so love on!