Pale Ale delicious

"Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world." ~Kaiser Wilhelm

Some of you may not know this but one of my favorite hobbies is to brew beer. My interest began when my friends Heidi & Chris decided to brew beer for their wedding back in 2005. Since then, I have learned from one of the best...my father in law Jay. He has been a brew master for many years now and he is passing on the legacy! For my birthday this year, Jay gave me the ingredients to one of his recipes that actually won an award. This pale ale may be one of my best brews and I am willing to share the recipe (for all you other brew masters out there) and my experience. Enjoy :)

ingredients:
7lbs extra pale malt syrup
12oz 20L crystal malt crushed grain
2 oz cascade leaf hops
2 oz zeus leaf hops
white labs california ale yeast - WLP 001
hopping schedule depending on your style...let me know if you want mine!

baked kale chips

Kale Chips inspired by http://inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

kale rinsed, dried, bottom (thickest part) of the stems cut off.

-olive oil

-lemon juice

-salt & pepper
-garlic

Cut or kale into smaller, bite sized pieces.

toss with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper, and garlic

spread onto lined baking sheet and bake at 250° 30-35 minutes, or until light and crisp.

yummmmm!!

Yearnings - Irwin Kula

a book that gives me words.


words from rabbi kula:

*great wisdom traditions are born of this desire for answers, this urge to make sense out of chaos and discover what really matters in life.

*every answer to our important questions leads to a new important question.

*the search for truth is not about letting go; it's about going deeper. the goal is not reaching a single realization, but living the process of realizing again and again.

*when we both hold and question our truths we become life long learners rather than absolute knowers- as well as more interesting and much easier people to be with.

*when we think we've found the final truth we're a little less alive, a little less awake, and the world itself is diminished.

*relationships are a constant dialectic between faith and doubt.

*the more we allow our selves to unfold, the less likely we are to unravel.

*the ability to live with seeming contradictions and the ambivalence and tension these contradictions create is what gives rise to wisdom. the messes are the point.

I am only on chapter 2!

the bear turns 2...

I have noticed that the majority of my latest blogs have included thoughts about my niece Alexis. Maybe because it is almost impossible to turn from her beautiful innocence or maybe I am pondering my own 2 year old self. I experience such warmth when I am around her...she lights up the party and gives us something to talk about. So once again, I am blogging about Alexis. May these photos tell the story to how much joy this little girl brings into this world. I love you Alex bear :)