Hurrah!

The post man left a brown parcel on my doorstep this morning! I was very excited to find it. It's always a lovely surprise, particularly when you're home sick, to find a package with your name on it on your doorstep.
:)
There is a camel in the box. At least, that is what I think.
All of us in the upstairs room are planning a welcome party involving some sort of cake for the supposed camel, since we heard that camels like cake.

"So long, farewell..."

As of last Sunday, I have officially started my not-sure-how-long hiatus from playing the violin. (It's not exactly official...I suppose it's simply "decided"? Decided and put into practice?) As much as it feels rather sad stopping something I have done for so long, the relief I feel from not having to worry about violin and practicing seems to outweigh all else--for now at least. I haven't stopped playing violin for good, though, and I hope to play a bit every week or so to keep my fingers from getting too stiff and forgetful. In the meantime, I shall try to focus more on piano.
Liszt.
Lissssszzzt!
I am very, very excited!
There shall be much finger dexterity training this summer. March, little soldiers, march!
I suppose they must also learn to march lightly? Is that even possible? Perhaps they fly!
Wheee! (glissando...buuuurrrrrrrrriiinggg!)
Or if it is done badly (from personal experience): *bumpbumpbump"ouchouch"bumpbump"ouch"bump"ouch!"bumpbumpbink!"

Hehe.
Speaking of summer, I will also be bridesmaiding as a little yellow buttercup in my friend's wedding this June. Hopefully, sister and I will spend two or so weeks in beautiful NM to take part in the festivities, visit old friends, and breathe the wonderful, clean air of the desert. It is the desert with piercingly blue skies and the yummiest chocolate cake. :-) If ever you visit Santa Fe, make sure to stop by the Chocolate Maven and try their chocolate cake. It is dense and moist, and oh so very chocolate-y. Sometimes they serve it up with dollops of chantilly cream and it's almost a bit like heaven. (Perhaps? Can food taste divine? Well, it's delicious and marvelous combination of flavours and textures, whatever it is.)

I'm also plotting to journey up North with family in July to obtain some pot de creme pots (sans creme, since I will most likely eat before I take them home) from Miette. I'm quite enchanted by their jolly little pot de creme pots...Hopefully they will still be making them from glass by the time I visit.

Enough of silly Goosie's summer plans! Time for bed and a bit of resting before the SAT this weekend.
I shall be glad when it is over..
Have a good weekend!

Spring!

Hello friends! Spring is here! It's time to go outside and enjoy the flowers, listen to the birds, and feast on the delicate yet delicious offerings of the season. How refreshing are all the flavours and textures of spring bounty! The crisp snow peas with delicious cold cream; Sweet Vidalia onions; artichokes, asparagus (baked atop a puff pastry shell with some Gruyere...mmm), the crisp baby lettuce mixes, and even rhubarb and strawberries for pies.
This evening I picked up some leeks and new potatoes to make potato soup. I love potato soup--especially homemade potato soup. It's creamy and velvety but not overly milky, and the leeks and shallots add a mild sweetness. (An oniony taste. What is an onion? What does an onion taste like? Gah!) This was my first time cooking with leeks. ...I think I like them... :-) Be sure to smell them before you cook them, and smell them while you cook them, and of course, smell them as you're eating them. I suppose you could smell all your food..But what about raw meats and poultry? Hmm..

I hope you are all enjoying the wonderful things of Spring!

I hope I shall learn to enjoy the things that I ought to enjoy...

Good night! (And be sure to listen for the birds. :-D)

You know Spring is near...

...when you can hear the birdies twittering away at 11:04 P.M.
:-)
Twitter on, dear birdies.
Continue your lovely lullabies!

I hope you find some big, juicy worms.

P is for Pasta!

Pooh for silly, rambly, emo-istic blogposts.
Do different shapes of pasta taste different? I don't know very much about pasta, or even what it's made of, but I've always wondered why there are so many different pasta-shapes. Perhaps it has something to do with what each kind is used for, such as lasagna or macaroni and cheese (mmm...oooey-gooey-cheese-filled-elbows).
I'm very glad that the creative-pasta-shape-inspired folks have developed numerous ways to make and shape pasta.
I love pasta.
:-)

Hurrah for pasta!
Hurrah for orecchiette!
Hurrah for orecchiette with broccoli!
Hurrah for olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and pesto.

Food is very wonderful.
Sleep is very wonderful.
This blog is not so wonderful.

Good night!

Yesss!

After a whole year of squeaking through the first movement of Bruch's violin concerto, I finally had an "Ah-HA!" moment this afternoon and the piece came together for the very first time. I am not entirely sure what made it "come together", or what I mean by "come together", since I most certainly did not play it perfectly. Perhaps it was easier to play? Maybe I could concentrate less on trying to hit the notes and more on expressing them? While I was (miraculously) charging through the double stops, I kept thinking to myself: "This is Bruch! This is music! This makes me feel funny inside!"
...

And then I broke two bow-hairs.

:-P

It was very exciting.
All of it! (Bow-hair breakage included)
So that leaves me wondering: What does it mean to play music? What causes that moment of "Ah-HA!" ?

Hmmm.
And what is the Divine and Supernatural Light, eh?

Hurrah for the Holidays!

We made it, friends! School has been whirlwinding ever since Thanksgiving, but it's finally settled down for the Holidays. Or perhaps it only seems to have died down because I've decided to ignore term paper and Tocqueville for a little while (ie: since school let out yesterday and until tomorrow morning). However, I'm very, very grateful for a break (from classes at least). Goose needs to rest. A little reading, a little writing, some practice (must catch up! But hurrah for music), and perhaps time to paint, play, bake or do pleasant household things. It's also a good time to finally finish A Severe Mercy and The Wind in the Willows.
Speaking of wind in the willows..
or more like "winter causing leaves to fall off ginkgo trees"?...
...Maybe not.
Pictures!

We have ginkgo trees lining our neighbourhood. Alas, a petition has gone out to have them all removed because of their smelly fruits (female trees) and excessive leave droppage.
I rather enjoy the leaves, all scattered about the sidewalk like little yellow faeries. However, I don't have to rake up the leaves or deal with smelly, sticky fruits since there are no ginkgo trees directly in front of my house.

Good bye, Ginkgoes!
**
**

Hullo Mr. Penguin!I stopped by Starbucks before class yesterday to find something for my tutor. Not only did I find something for him, but I also found this charming little fellow for myself. Unfortunately..erm..the charming fellow is..no more? White chocolate...is good...

Let's move on, shall we?
**

*cue twilight zone music*

Hehe.
'Tis only Murphy!



:-)
Have a wonderful Holiday!