I just love snowdrops. They are so small, and fragile, and tender. They need fresh water and tons of love. In return, they smell like spring, and this smell lasts.
Happy Sunday - happy week :)))
Snowdrops smell like spring
Today was a beautiful day outside. It was a bit windy, but not enough to prevent me from going to the garden and picking up my first spring bouquet of snowdrops.
I just love snowdrops. They are so small, and fragile, and tender. They need fresh water and tons of love. In return, they smell like spring, and this smell lasts.
Happy Sunday - happy week :)))
Photo: ipad 2
I just love snowdrops. They are so small, and fragile, and tender. They need fresh water and tons of love. In return, they smell like spring, and this smell lasts.
Happy Sunday - happy week :)))
February 2012 Gratitude List
Photo: Internet
My February started full of question marks, but it will end with a neatly done gratitude list. Spread the love!
Thank you, February, for:
1. Cirque du Soleil in Sofia LIVE! - Saltimbanco - Check! ;)
2. Turkish restaurants - where food is taken great care of, and customers gladly take care of food in turn.
3. My thoughtful boyfriend - you really rock my world!
4. The first rays of spring sunshine, taking the winter blues away, far away...
5. A friend who was sick, but recovered just recently - Moral of the story: spread love any given time, because life is fast when it comes to taking, and slow when it has to give.
6. Divas&Dreams blog by Christina Greve, being my new favorite thing to hit on as soon as I have a spare minute. Christina has an amazing personality and sunny spirit, and I love reading her tips on photography and life as a whole.
7. Babies, for they make the cutest faces on baby birthday parties - fill my heart with joy! And their mommies for inviting me and saving me some of the cake ;))))))
8. Pamporovo, for it welcomed me for the first time with its ticklish sunshine, clear blue skies, and head-high snow. Keep my fingers crossed we go there one more time this season...
9. I thank Tuesdays, for new episodes of Gossip Girl, or should I say I thank Gossip Girl for stress-free Tuesday nights on the sofa, especially in Champions' League season
10. Yoli - for sharing the easiest and most delicious recipes anytime I need one ;)
11. I am thankful for all of you who follow this blog, even when I am not posting that regularly. Thank you!
12. Last but not least, I am extraordinary thankful to the good people who found my favorite fluffy purple scarf and returned it to these other good people who kept it with them for a couple of days until I came back to look for it! You see, spontaneous good acts actually DO make a difference in this world! :))))))))
February's new dish: Carrot cookies with coconut
This month I decided to experiment with carrots. I also made a carrot cake but I think the recipe still could be improved, so I am going to find another variety, before I make a blog post about it.
Ta-daam! I found this super easy recipe for carrot cookies. You probably have all you need already, and if not, all the ingredients could be found at any supermarket around. These cookies turned out really delicious, and what is great about them is that carrots are actually good for you! (just don't overeat) ;)))))
RECIPE for Carrot cookies with coconut:
Products:
4 big carrots
100g melted butter
3 t.sp. oil
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 vanilla
salt
1 sp. mix of spices - cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut flakes
2 cups flour
1 sp. baking powder
For the glaze:
juice from 1 small mandarin
2-3 t.sp. powder sugar
Preparation:
1. We clean and wash the carrots and then we cut them into rings. We cook them in hot water until they feel tender enough to be mashed. We cool them down with cold water, and then mash them finely with a fork or potato press.
2. After that, we take a bowl and mix the egg with sugar. Pour butter and oil and add the carrot puree. Season the mixture with the spice mix, vanilla and salt.
3. Pour the coconut and mix. Finally, add the flour previously sifted with the baking powder. In order to prepare the whole recipe you don't need to use a mixer. Domestic stirrer or spoon would do great.
4. Finally, we cover the tray with baking paper, and we use a spoon to make small piles of the mixture on it, having in mind we need to leave enough space between them so they don't touch each other.
5. The recipe instructed to bake the cookies in preheated 170 * oven for 10-15 minutes or until nicely golden, but in my oven it actually took a little longer, so I guess you have to just look for the golden crown.
6. To prepare the glaze, you need to mix the mandarin juice with the powdered sugar. You need to determine the density by your own taste, so you could add juice or sugar as you please. The glaze should be good spill, but still remained on the surface. Mine actually went down the cookie, but still did its magic.
7. It would be best if you pour the glaze while the cookies are still warm so it dries much faster.
You can garnish with fresh shavings of fresh carrots and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar.
Source: Yoli (рецепта на български език)
I encourage you to try these at home and share with friends and family. I hope you like it!
February down, ten more to go! :D
Nikon D60, 18-55mm.
Ta-daam! I found this super easy recipe for carrot cookies. You probably have all you need already, and if not, all the ingredients could be found at any supermarket around. These cookies turned out really delicious, and what is great about them is that carrots are actually good for you! (just don't overeat) ;)))))
RECIPE for Carrot cookies with coconut:
Products:
4 big carrots
100g melted butter
3 t.sp. oil
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 vanilla
salt
1 sp. mix of spices - cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut flakes
2 cups flour
1 sp. baking powder
For the glaze:
juice from 1 small mandarin
2-3 t.sp. powder sugar
Preparation:
1. We clean and wash the carrots and then we cut them into rings. We cook them in hot water until they feel tender enough to be mashed. We cool them down with cold water, and then mash them finely with a fork or potato press.
2. After that, we take a bowl and mix the egg with sugar. Pour butter and oil and add the carrot puree. Season the mixture with the spice mix, vanilla and salt.
3. Pour the coconut and mix. Finally, add the flour previously sifted with the baking powder. In order to prepare the whole recipe you don't need to use a mixer. Domestic stirrer or spoon would do great.
4. Finally, we cover the tray with baking paper, and we use a spoon to make small piles of the mixture on it, having in mind we need to leave enough space between them so they don't touch each other.
5. The recipe instructed to bake the cookies in preheated 170 * oven for 10-15 minutes or until nicely golden, but in my oven it actually took a little longer, so I guess you have to just look for the golden crown.
6. To prepare the glaze, you need to mix the mandarin juice with the powdered sugar. You need to determine the density by your own taste, so you could add juice or sugar as you please. The glaze should be good spill, but still remained on the surface. Mine actually went down the cookie, but still did its magic.
7. It would be best if you pour the glaze while the cookies are still warm so it dries much faster.
You can garnish with fresh shavings of fresh carrots and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar.
Source: Yoli (рецепта на български език)
I encourage you to try these at home and share with friends and family. I hope you like it!
February down, ten more to go! :D
Nikon D60, 18-55mm.
Bye-bye now snowy winter!
I know it's been a really snowy winter this year, but wasn't it beautiful? Even though it's snowing a bit some of those days as well, I think it's winter's way of saying goodbye. It's a soft powdering with the last crystal snowflakes left in stock up there.
Let's say goodbye with a smile, and little by little remove all the knitted scarves and hats, thick coats, and warm boots. Well, maybe leave one of each just in case...;)
Smile!
Nikon D700, 50mm.
Let's say goodbye with a smile, and little by little remove all the knitted scarves and hats, thick coats, and warm boots. Well, maybe leave one of each just in case...;)
Smile!
Nikon D700, 50mm.
Families in B&W
As every beginner photographer I went through the vivid-color phase first. I loved it, I still do. But as conservative as I am with things I like, I like to change my game every now and then. I started thinking of black and whites. They are so much powerful than everything else. This is why I have decided to learn and make stunning B&Ws in 2012, and yes, in order to be more disciplined I included it in the 2012 Resolutions list.
I found out I love black and whites for family portraits. It makes it easier to see the resemblance between the parents and the child. I like the fact that black and white will always be in fashion, and it also puts the emphasis on the emotion, rather than on the setting and attire. Furthermore, if you have a background that is not as pretty as you'd wished, it simply doesn't matter when you make the conversion. And sometimes, it could emphasize things in the background even more, if desired. It's all up to you and your idea. Here's a couple of brand new B&Ws with a certain amount of haze on. I like the tenderness it adds to the contrast ;)
Nikon D700, 50mm.
I found out I love black and whites for family portraits. It makes it easier to see the resemblance between the parents and the child. I like the fact that black and white will always be in fashion, and it also puts the emphasis on the emotion, rather than on the setting and attire. Furthermore, if you have a background that is not as pretty as you'd wished, it simply doesn't matter when you make the conversion. And sometimes, it could emphasize things in the background even more, if desired. It's all up to you and your idea. Here's a couple of brand new B&Ws with a certain amount of haze on. I like the tenderness it adds to the contrast ;)
Nikon D700, 50mm.
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