Mom's pic for Betony's question

Cultural differences and other interesting pics from Europe




Watch out in those subways! You might never find your way out!









Juicy bits or no bits are the orange pulp options in London









What's the deal?! Not for girls?





World Cup fever was everywhere! (Actually Willow looks rather presidential here, don't ya think? (as in current U.S. White House resident, he he)




This is actually the name of a town in Wales we passed through on the train. How would you like to write that out on all your return addresses!
Next stop, Ireland!!
Love Mom

Weekly Questions:

Hello all! I so cannot wait to see everyone next week. Yeah!!!! In the mean time, here are some questions for you to answer. By the way. I was sorely disappointed at the response to last weeks. Only two responses! Tut tut tut.
So...

1. Post a picture that you found inspiring in some way (this is a detail from Rodin's sculpture Burghers of Calais. I am doing a painting of part of it. The picture I am using for my painting is much better. However, it is out of a book)



2. What can you hear right now (I can hear June bugs outside my window, the hum of my computer, my fingers typing on the keyboard, and our cat Max playing with his smacky toy)

3. What are you looking forward to most this next week? (I can't wait to play baseball with everyone)

Rhubarb Muffins!

Title: Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins
Yield: 12 Muffins

Ingredients

      2 c  fresh or frozen rhubarb
           --pieces
      1    egg
      1 c  milk
      1 ts lemon juice
    1/2 c  vegetable oil
  2 1/2 c  whole wheat flour
      2 c  brown sugar
      1 c  rolled oats
      1 ts each of cinnamon and -baking
           - soda
    1/2 ts salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease 12 muffin cups or coat with cooking
spray. If using frozen rhubarb, measure out 2 cups of rhubarb pieces, then
finely chop. Or, measure out 2 cups fresh rhubarb cut into 1 inch pieces,
then finely chop. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg lightly. Then stir in milk, lemon juice and
oil. Measure flour, sugar, rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt
into a large mixing bowl. Stir with a fork until mixed, then make a well
in centre. Pour in egg mixture, stirring just until combined. Gently stir
in rhubarb until evenly mixed.

Immediately spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake in centre of 350F (180C)
oven until a cake tester inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean,
about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Then
turn muffins out onto a cooling rack. Store muffins in a sealed bag at
room temperature for up to 2 days.

Nutrients per muffin: 5.9g protein, 10.8g fat, 60.1g carbo's, 349 cals.

Yeah!!!!

The blog is back! Make sure you all answer the questions! Boys too!
Love you all,
Bet

Fun Questions...

So, here is the plan. I am going to ask all of you 3 weekly questions. EVERYONE has to respond to each of these. I think it will be a fun way to get everyone to post a little more often!
So...

1. What is something delicious you have eaten recently?
(mine is Saint Andre cheese with Panera's crusty bread with Meagan in Ft. Collins. We had the best meal ever!)

2. What song have you been listening to a lot recently?
(I found a cool new artist named Josh Rouse - willow - he is from spain now! I love his song 'Sad Eyes'. )

3. What is something fun that you are going to do today?
(I am having 3 friends over to paint!)

Hope you all enjoy! I would love to hear your answers!
Love,
Bet

Granada!

Hey all! First off, I have sad news. My camera broke, so I won't be able to post any more pictures as I am having to use crappy and expensive throw-away camaras. Something with the lense broke and it won't let me take pictures at all. I called Canon and they said I would have to send it to them so they could fix it. sighh...Oh well.
Last weekend I went with few other students to Granada. It is a really really beautiful city full of cathedrals and old beautiful buildings just covered in amazing carvings etc. We visited the Alhambra, which is a HUGE palace. It had fountains and gardens all over it and it was situated above the city so when you got up on the walls you could look out and see everything.
Our hostel was probably the most interesting part of the whole trip. We reserved it ahead of time online (not realizing how easy it is to get a hostel inside the city). It took us forever to find it because it was kind of outside the city near the Alhambra. So by the time we found it we were all hot, tired and grouchy. We had reserved a 5 person suite, but we actually had 6 people. We walked into the room and all just burst out laughing, because "suite" was about as far away from correct as you could get, because all it was, was a single room with 3 single beds and one double bed. There wasn't even enoough space between them to walk. Also it was the dirtiest most disgusting place ever! There were ants on the floor (and some other creepy crawly things that I couldn't identify). A couple of us found hair in between the sheets of our beds, etc etc etc. Not to mention the owners were about as sketchy as you can get! The hostely did have a pool though, which was nice, although we were all a little scared of getting in the water for fear of catching some unknown disease! But we made it through and had a pretty good time of it as well.
I am now back in Ronda, sitting in front of the bar El choque which has wireless internet (even though it is closed I still get signal)! It is a gorgeous night and I think I will head over to some cafe after this so I can do the homework I have put off all weekend!
I miss you all!
Love Willow

A few more

I love this guy!



The awesome inside of the Phantom Theatre (in a cool barn!) - the artwork up in the ceiling is really cool!


Our first raspberry!



My sweet blue shoes - while I'm taking it easy before rehearsal out on the porch of Phantom Theatre. Thanks J - just love the shoes!

Flowers, Phantom and Cool Sandy

Hi! So - a few pics from the past two weeks. Sandy and his friend Trenholm (girl unknown) being cool for the camera at a pool party while Katie was chatting away with customers at her art show in Cobourg. The Phantom Theatre barn! Really cool and where I perform this past weekend with my dance company - The All-Purpose Dance Company! And just sharing some pics of the greenery here at our house - just look at those peas that Sandy is standing in front of! They are over my head!!! I can't believe it! Also please admire the burgandy hollyhocks - I am trully amazed at their loveliness! I think this real "growing" thing here in Vermont is just amazing! Wow!
Hope you all are having a good week! Can't wait to see more beautiful pictures from Spain Willow!! And Bet - I LOVED the posts you put on your new art blog! Awesome! Everyone should go check it out: http://www.greensparrow.blogspot.com/Love you all so so much!
- Katie

The view from Espana...

These are a few of the other students and tappas, the funny mini spanish dishes that is the norm here for supper!




These are a few pictures of the old baths as well as some old parts of the town.





This is a huge catholic church. It used to be a muslim mosque, but became catholic when christians overtook the town a long time ago.




This picture was in the church and is really interesting because it is really old and it is the only picture in (I think spain) that portrays Jesus as a woman!

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These are all random scenes from Ronda. It is such a beautiful place with so much history.






These are all from a really cool walkway that goes around the west side of Ronda and a beautiful little park that is right next to it.





The view is absolutely amazing. These are only a weak representation of the vast expanse of mountains and countryside that surround Ronda.














There are a bunch of big bird cages in the park. I thought they were pretty weird, but still kind of cool.



This was in the beautiful little park. These two pigeons were doing some kind of "mating dance" because the male was all puffed up and going in circles around the female!

I love you all! Have a great day!

Hello again from London!!!
Here is the apartment complex where we stayed. These buildings were the famous Harrod department store's warehouses built back in the 1800's which were refurbished into this nice gated apartment complex. One of the buildings included a leisure center with indoor pool which unfortunately we didn't find the time to take advantage of - but we did enjoy our roomy apt. with 12 foot tall windows.
One envening we enjoyed the Shakespeare play "Titus Andronicus" at the reconstructed Globe theater in London. Here we are in our box seats overlooking the stage just before showtime. The play is one of Shakespeare's most violent ones with a constant array of murders, mutilations, and rape within the story such that the staff at the Globe is always prepared for several audience members fainting during the performance. Only one lady fainted the evening we were there, so the staff said it was an unusual night. Beyond the gore, the cast performed with gusto and and we thoroughly enjoyed the performance.
The renowned red London phone booths are still all over the city.
If you're ever in London, be sure to enjoy a meal at Clarence's! We all agreed that was the best meal we had throughout our trip. And this is where we were sitting when we saw the Queen! Actually we were standing next to the curb waving excitedly to her as she rode by in her black car. And the Queen, decked in an exquisitely proper English purple hat and dress, waved at us!
The Queen's car prior to her drive down the street in front of Clarence's.

Check back again for more news from London and beyond!
Love Mom

Hi Everybody! Finally here are some pics from the grand European adventure! Willow and I had a wonderful time! I certainly enjoyed being with her as we made our way through 4 countries. Starting out in London, here we are on the "weak bridge" (there was actually a sign that said just that on this bridge!) that we crossed each day as we made our way into London. Hammersmith Bridge is actually a strappingly strong gorgeous Victorian structure.
Our first evening in Londond we rode the "eye". This is a huge (not kidding here!) ferris wheel that gives one a stunning bird's eye view of London. Here we are in the bubble compartments - you can not even feel the eye move as it makes its rotation. Here is the Thames river and Parliment to the right as we look out of our bubble.

Big Ben! in its gilded glory. When I was in London in 1977, this clock tower was black with soot and one could not even tell that it was gilded. I was sure impressed this time around!
Willow in front of the carved door of Westminster Cathedral. We spent a long time in Westminster reading about all the knights, kings, and queens buried there. And the famous poets corner where Chaucer, Tennyson, Dickins, Hardy are buried among other literary greats. Look for more European adventure installments in the coming days/weeks! Love Mom