Locks of Love

I have been growing my hair for a LONG time!  Other than just a tiny trim once a year it has been many years since I had a substantial haircut. I have been wanting/needing to do something different for a long time but was also kind of scared too! 

I have always heard about the organization “Locks of Love” but I have never donated my hair before.  After checking out their website I realized that this was what I needed to do.  I needed to cut my hair and donate the rest of it.  According to the Locks of Love website “Locks of Love” is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. We meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.”

Losing your hair can be scary for anyone but I imagine it is particularly scary for a child who may not fully understand their medical condition and Locks of Love just seemed perfect.  Their minimum requirement was 10″ and I was able to donate 15″! 

Because I am always the one behind the camera and I didn’t think enough in advance to get a before picture.  The following is the best example I have of how long my hair was.  When not in a ponytail or barrette it actually came down to my waist.  It’s not really visible but hopefully you will get the idea.

Here is a picture of me after cutting my hair!

If you would like to donate your hair to Locks of Love follow this link for more information!

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We’re Moving…

to a new Site!  By March 1st we should be settled in to our new site at www.eggsandherbs.com!  I am mirroring the site from here until we get everything set up and ready so you can go ahead and change your bookmarks if you like!  In fact the new site will look a lot like this one with just a few minor changes and some new additions.  In fact you should already be seeing my new banner!  Come join me over at www.eggsandherbs.com!

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Just Beautiful

I know, I know! How many posts about snow can one person write!  I will do my best to put up something different soon but for now I have more snow! It is a beautiful day today. I’ll let these pictures just speak for themselves!

We completely cleaned this car off around 11 yesterday! Now look at it!

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Cooking in the Cold

The snow continues to fall and we are nearing a foot of accumulation! Weather reports are calling for another 4-6 inches overnight! I can’t get over it! The snow is falling so hard we cannot even see across the road!  The satellite TV is out which is fine because there probably isn’t anything on anyway.  Richie spent most of the day playing chess online, which he enjoys and doesn’t get to do very often.  I spent most of the day reading and cooking.  I made homemade brown beans and made soup out of half of it and refried beans out of the other half along with homemade tortillas and dirty rice.  We are saving the soup for tomorrow but had the bean burritos today.  They were warm and yummy and perfect for this cold day!

Brown Beans (Soup and Refried Beans)

1 lb. Pinto Beans (soaked over night)
5 slices salt pork, chopped (you can substitute bacon)
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, grated
1 jalapeno, chopped
6 cups of water
Salt
Pepper
Ground Cumin
3 Bay leaves
Oregano

In a large pot cook onion and salt pork until the onion is just starting to cook and the pork is just starting to render some of its fat.  Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook a minute longer.  Add beans and the water.  Add each of the spices to taste.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on a low burner for several hours until the beans are soft and cooked through.  When cooked to your liking, remove half of the beans with a slotted spoon and put them in a frying pan over low heat.  Use an immersion blender to whip the beans to a desired consistency.  (If you don’t have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender or food processor.)  If beans are too dry, spoon in some of the cooking liquid from the soup pot.  Serve the refried been with homemade tortillas.  Enjoy the soup with a delicious grilled cheese sandwich.

Homemade Tortillas

2 Cups Flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbs. butter
2/3 cups water

Melt butter and water together in the microwave.  Combine all ingredients in a mixer.  Need the dough for about two minutes by hand and allow it to rest for about 20 minutes.  Divide the dough into 12-18 pieces depending on the size of tortilla you are needing.  Roll each piece into a thin round.  Cook on a DRY skillet over high heat until light brown blisters begin to form. Flip and cook on the other side.  Stack on a towel lined plate.  These can be put in the fridge and reheated either in the microwave or in a skillet.

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The Georgia Aquarium

 

Richie and I visited the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta for the first time back in June.  We were so impressed that we made the trip again back in November to take his Mom to see it.  It is really the most amazing aquarium I have ever seen.  I really can not describe it with words.  If you have not been I HIGHLY suggest you plan to visit it.  They are adding a dolphin exhibit that will open in the fall of 2010.  Although I know they will not do it justice I have some pictures to share. 

 

The Georgia Aquarium boasts the world’s second largest aquarium viewing window.  This amazing aquarium view measure 61 feet wide and 23 feet tall! The tank itself is the size of a football field and contains over 6,000,000 gallons of water!  To be in front of this window is amazing and wonderful.  We could have stayed right here all day and felt as if we had gotten our money’s worth! 

Richie

 

Julie

 

Julie and Kathy (in November)

 

Whale Shark - worlds largest fish species

 

The Georgia Aquarium is currently home to 4 of the Whale Sharks which are the world’s largest fish species.  Whale sharks can grow up to 40 feet in length! 

 

The aquarium also has a 100 foot long viewing tunnel where you can see whale sharks, stingrays, goliath grouper,  hammerhead sharks and a host of other fish swimming overhead. 

Here are some additional photos of sites around the aquarium. 

 

 

 

 

 

Crazy weird sand worm things!

 

I highly recommend a visit to the Georgia Aquarium! If you are planning a trip the aquarium is within walking distance of the Coca-cola Museum, Centennial Olympic Park, and the CNN Headquarters.  If you go I also highly recommend a visit to the Varsity (www.thevarsity.com) which is the World’s Largest Drive-In Restaurant!  Their hot dogs, fries and fried pies are amazing! They’ve been in business since 1928 so it HAS to be good!

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