christmas does not have to be a massacre

...of animals that is.

I can't remember what it's like in America, but here in France they are all about "let's-eat-as-many-animals-as-we-can-in-one-meal." It's heart wrenching. I mean, really, what has that cute little duck EVER done to you?

Anyway. I'm going to dinner with the in-laws, and I decided to bring my own main. I'm sick of picking at bread and trying to explain why I'd prefer not to consume murdered flesh. (Do I sound like a cliché? I didn't used to be like that, you know. But, the world and everyone in it has changed me. Thank you for that?)

I wanted something that looked lovely and was filling. I found this recipe for Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice Salad by Beard and Bonnet from one of my new favourite blogs: Oh My Veggies!

Hello. I'm a delicious acorn squash with wild rice and other goodies. Eat me.

It turned out exactly how I dreamed it would--and I cannot wait to eat it. But I will. For 4 more hours.

Stay cool my friends. Also, try to eat less meat for the holidays. Think about all the room you'll save for dessert!

trop mignon.

So. Winslow loves beans, and tomatoes, and spinach, and corn, and zuchinni, and well...she eats anything really. A really un-picky parrot according to the standards of parrot books and on the Internet. She also is ridiculously cute and curious. Although, I wouldn't call her a "morning parrot."

In the last week, we've taught her "step-up," and she loooooves it when we scratch her neck and under her chin.

Come visit. She loves new people!

it's called progress.

Such a big girl now!

Awwwww!

chocolate pasta with creamy wine sauce.

Yesterday was Toussaint Day (All Saints Day), so of course France had the day off. To enjoy this mid-week break, Vincent and I headed to the big city to see the Salon du Chocolat. Yes, that's right. A chocolate festival.

People, I have never seen so much chocolate in my life. Pretty overwhelming. Vincent tasted his heart's delight, while I envisioned being stampeded by over-eager chocolate eaters. I did get a chocolate cookbook though and even met the author himself! Crazy British bloke who was enthusiastically explaining the art of chocolate making to any French person who didn't know English to walk by!

One of the best finds of the day was just too mysterious to pass by. Chocolate pasta. Those Italians really stretch pasta to the limits of imagination!

When we got home I scoured the Internet for what we could do with this food anomaly. When I saw this recipe for a creamy white-wine sauce I knew we had found something important, perhaps even life-changing. I mean it has cream, wine.... chili peppers. All the ingredients needed to make happiness.





Although it all took a little longer than expected to make (as usual, when I'm following recipes) the result was a pretty happy, creamy, wine-y dinner.The chocolate pasta didn't have as much flavor as I had hoped (or feared), but no matter. We ate, we drank (or I did, Vincent is such a teetotaler sometimes), and we were merry.

world, meet winslow. winslow, meet world.

This is Winslow. S/he is our new Bronze-winged Pionus.

I am so excited, I may actually burst with happiness.

tarte aux fraises.

Summer has come and gone my friends. It's September! In the last month and a half, I've seen friends and family from Australia, Holland, and the US. I have travelled to Binic, Toulouse, Andorra, Perpignan, Amsterdam, and Haarlem. I have applied for a job in Norway. I have wrote a journal article. I have started LSF classes and volunteering with Kiva.

In an effort to slow things down a bit, this past weekend Vincent and I went to our local farm and picked by hand some fresh produce: zuchinni, corn on the cob, yellow beans, green peppers, eggplants, red chili peppers, tomatos, red kuri squash, patty pan squash, and strawberries. I mean, lots and lots of strawberries.

We came home, and I decided it was high time I tried my hand at a tarte aux fraises (strawberry tart). I found this recipe on the kurryleaves blog. Thank you kurryleaves.

First, the dough (read: lots of butter and lots of sugar).
Then the yummy vanilla cream (yay, more sugar!)

After filling the tart with the cream, you top it off with a layer of strawberries!

I have to admit, I quite pleased with the result. I think Vincent is too. 

Yumnumnumnumnumnum.

Now back to it. Bec and Mark arrive in a few days and we have a week of F.U.N planned. 

I will also "graduate," have a language and skills assessment by French immigration, and submit a post-doc application I've been preparing for the last month (fingers crossed, as this position is actually in Paris). 

Then, Vincent and I are off to pick up the new addition to our family. Stay tuned. 

did i mention that i recently admired flocks of wild flamingos in lisbon?

I did. It was sensational. Life-changing. Awesome. 

I also hung out with Gab and George (!!!), talked heaps about linguistic-y things, and drank really, really big mugs of beer.

See. And it only cost like three dollars.

I think I've fallen for you Lisbon. ::dreamy sigh::

I'm already planning my next weekend getaway. Maaaaybe I'll take Vincent this time. :)

flamingos make the world a better place.

Last week, my life changed forever:

For those of you who know me, you understand the significance of this photograph. For those of you who don't, let me add some perspective: these are flamingos soaking up the summer sun in a salt pan near Lisbon, Portugal.

A. Flock. Of. Flamingos.

I don't know how my life is going to get any better than this.

oh. hello.

Has it really been five weeks? Hm.

The events of the last month have been...time consuming and very, very stressful (at least to me, which is all that matters, right?). To summarize: While I should have been learning how to be French by baking little butter cakes and drinking du bon café (and let's be honest, du vin et de la bière aussi), I instead returned to my homeland and pretended to be happy about it. "Pretended" is a strong word. I more tolerated it, because it was the only place I was legally allowed to be. Globalization and international citizenry my ass. Ahem.


And while another visit with the parents and grandparents has been swell, the time has come. I recently received the all clear to move to France. For real this time. Like really. I leave in 5 days 3 hours.

Let's try this all again.

madeleines!

fête du travail

Today is the French Labour Day! A public holiday to celebrate when, back in the olden days, American factory workers won 8-hour work days. This is interesting to me, because these days French people never work more than eight hours in a day. And if they do, they save up their hours for days off later. So really, the French celebrate Labour Day everyday!

No matter, the point is that today I got to make a bunch-o-homemade-spaghetti:

...and Vincent bought me a new plant!

The spaghetti was for lunch, my in-laws came over. My new plant is a lily of the valley. Everyone gets them today--it's kind of like the tradition. I'm super excited, because it seems that this plant can live through anything. This is good because when I'm back in the States next month, Vincent will be "taking care" of my plants while I'm away.

 *And yes, I did notice that my wedding band ended up in the spaghetti. Don't worry though, we didn't eat it. It fell off in the leftovers as I was putting them away in the fridge. Yeah! Lindsay didn't lose her wedding ring!

dreams of cheese and running.

We live in France now! Well, at least Vincent does. I'm just visiting. Our apartment (ahem, I mean the one Vincent lives in) is just lovely! You can even see the Eiffel Tower from the balcony.

Dreamy right?! I'm taking French classes and doing linguistics most days. And cooking. I cook a lot now. Oh! And running. I kind of run now. I'm pretty slow and ridiculously out of shape, but it's a huge improvement from the last 6 months when I could barely get out of bed and needed a cane to get around. It must be the French air. Or the cheese. Hm.

be vegetarian...even if it's only once or twice a week

I became a vegetarian on a dare when I was 18. My mother said I couldn't last 3 weeks without meat, and I said I was going to prove her wrong. It's been 12 years now.

I think I won the dare.

While I started out my meat-free livelihood on a whim, over the years the reasons for vegetarianism have been stacking up. And now, it seems, I may never go back to the world of steak, hamburgers, and chicken nuggets (although, these taste pretty convincing, ask vincent) that you all seem to enjoy so much.

While I could go on about the morality and ethics of eating dead (or living) animal flesh, I know most of you just don't care.

However, eating meat is not only a moral issue. It is an environmental one.

Studies are showing that the livestock sector is responsible for more than its fair share of C02, methane, and ammonia emissions while also accelerating deforestation and polluting our waterways. (see here, here for examples).

You all care about the environment right? Right?
So how about you go find a few new recipes to try out this week--VeggieNumNum and My Darling Lemon Thyme are good places to start. Eating vegetarian, even if only once or twice a week, can greatly reduce your environmental footprint. More than if you bought a hybrid! (Not to mention it's also cheaper and healthier than a meat-full diet.)

It's time to start addressing the real issues affecting the planet. Not just the ones with solutions encouraging us to buy more fancy stuff.

oh! there you are.

It's been a while internet. I missed you. sort of really.

moving to a new country and trying to set up a residence without the internet these days is ridiculous. and lonely. among other things.

but it's cool-- i got some nice plants to keep me company.

although, i'll be heading back to the states at some point, because i'm not actually allowed to live here...yet. FWA but surely the saga will continue.

blink. america. blink. france.

I live in France now.

But last month, Vincent and I were visiting family and friends in the States (with a short sojourn in the Bahamas).

I'm happy to report Georgia is right where I left it. And there are more cows and pick-up trucks than ever. And breakfast--oh, how I did miss a good southern breakfast. Oh, and the cheap beer! And the cheap everything else!

The time went quickly though and now we are in the tedious process of moving to a foreign country. While I'd like to fill you in on the details, they are boring and uninspiring. I am excited though about taking some French classes and trying my hand at LSF.

I'll get back to you after a while.

Adios...::ahem:: or should I say à bientôt!

let's just call it the lindsay factor

No matter. It is all done now. PhD submitted. Goodbyes said. Suitcases packed. Money moved. It was a good three and a half years.

Vincent and I are now in the States. With no jobs, living the life. Come visit.

Aotearoa: Part I

About three weeks ago Vincent and I sold all our stuff and moved out of our Sydney apartment. We headed to Aotearoa, or New Zealand, for two glorious weeks. Technically it was our honeymoon, but for me it was also a much needed vacation.

New Zealand is spectacular.

We started in Wellington, where we partook in delicious coffee, and beer, and food. The weather was unusually awesome and we were able to walk around under sun and blue skies.

Then off to Kapiti Island, an island sanctuary for birds. We hiked around the island and enjoyed the company of an array of native NZ birds: takahe! weka! kereru! pukeko! kaka!

Then at night we went kiwi-spotting! I'm telling you, this is where it's at people. Just magical.

I think Vincent and I could have spent a week there. It was the epitome of relaxation.

Oh yeah, this is right about when my hip stopped hurting. Perfect timing too I must say, because we would be soon flying to the South Island to go hiking on a glacier.

Stay tuned for Part II. In the meantime, you can check out some photos here!