12 Things That Make Me Happy

[browngirl]

This morning, I was thinking, "bleah,will the rain ever end," as I got off the bus. I glanced up to see this bright golden line across clouds that were breaking up just enough to show bits of blue sky.

In that spirit.... I have had this written for days, and after this morning's events I'm giving up on waiting for a cheerful day to post it. Life is what it is, and I whine too damn much in this journal.

So. Twelve things that make me happy. Maple leaves, Conversations in Other Languages, Firefly/Serenity, "Amazing Grace", Speculative Fiction, Quinces, Fanfic, Spirals, Laughter, Street Singers, the MBTA,.and Pain.




1) Maple leaves. Because they are a million shades of soft glowing red at this time of year. I always wish I could sew myself a dress of them.

2) Overhearing conversations in other languages. I love languages and they don't love me back; the only languages I know are English and American. But I love hearing people talk in different languages in public places like school and the T, even if I can't understand them (and they might be mocking me for all I know). I love the idea of living amidst diversity, in a place where people aren't afraid of reprisals, and I want this to continue being the reality where I live.

3) Firefly/Serenity. I'd always admired Buffy and even Angel, but this show.... renewed my faith in science fiction and in fannishness (as I admire the loyal fans who waited three years for their Big Damn Movie). It just makes me so happy. And it amuses me that, after swearing off TV show fandoms, judging myself too old for stories about thieves with hearts of gold, and automatically marking down anything where the Confederate-analogues are supposed to be the heroes, I fell in love with this fictional universe.

4) "Amazing Grace". I am no longer a Christian, but I will always love the hymn as an art form (and so I love hymns from other religions) and I will always love "Amazing Grace", written penitently by an ex-slave-trader who calls himself a wretch (heavy words in those days), simple and powerful.

5) Speculative Fiction. I love the way good fantasy or sf or historical fiction can carry one to another world, unfold its possibilities, and in so doing point out the common aspects to being human, being sentient, being alive.

6) Quinces. Quinces and rosehips are my favorite Rose Family fruits. Quinces are an ancient fruit, with flesh that must be cooked to be eaten but rewards the eater with a complex perfumed sweetness. I really love them, and really hope I find them in the supermarkets soon.

7) Fanfic. I should write a journal entry In Defense of Fanfic one of these days. As one of those people who wrote fanfic before I knew what it was, there are many aspects of it I really enjoy, from playing in a universe if I want to inhabit it (rather than making a substandard copy), to seeing multiple interpretations of a common source, to giving characters a chance to do things they won't in canon but you *know* they ought to.

8) Spirals. I've always liked spirals, and doodle them a lot. I love their motion and endlessness; a spiral is a circle dancing. I love how they show up all over nature, from galaxies to hurricanes to sunflowers to proteins.

9) Laughter. I don't need to explain that one, right?

10) Street musicians. I really like street musicians; xiphias contributed greatly to my appreciation of them, so they make me think of him *wave* and a good street musician can brighten my whole day, no matter how awful.

11) The MBTA. Which has been frustratingly unreliable lately, but still, I live in a city which I can pretty much navigate without needing to own a car. I appreciate that.

12) Pain. Because it lets you know you're alive. (Yes, my tooth still hurts. A lot.)

Comments

[victorthecook.livejournal.com]

The only place I've been able to find quinces is Formaggio Kitchen, but I got several from there. I made up a batch of quince marmelade, and I'm looking for other things to do with the rest. Any suggestions?

And this is off-topic, but do you have any recipes for pumpkin gingerbread?

Also, "Amazing Grace" is way fun to sing.

And yes, the T. It should be better than it is, but it's so much better than what other cities have. We just took the Silver Line to & from the airport for OVFF -- it's a weird bus/train hybrid concept, but they got the essentials right. It runs often enough that it makes sense to take it. It runs late at night. They don't gouge on the fares. They drop you off at the terminals. They have dedicated tunnels for a bunch of the route so bad traffic doesn't stop you cold.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*grin* Agreed on all counts.

I like to use quinces in baking applications. Quince pie, caramel quince upside down cake, etc. In all of them I peel the quince but don't core it, then cook it (usually by microwaving or poaching), let it cool, and core and slice it. I season the item with nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, and rosewater, to enhance the aromatic quinces.

For example, my Quince Upside Down Cake would go like this:

2 quinces, microwaved, cooled, cored and sliced
enough yellow cake batter for an 8 inch cake (an egg, 3 oz butter, etc)
1/2 tsp rosewater
1 tsp lemon peel
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp cardamom
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp water

Grease the cake pan with solid grease (butter or shortening). Cook the sugar and water into a caramel and pour carefully into the bottom of the cake pan. Arrange the quince slices into a spiral on the caramel and set aside. Make the cake batter, seasoning it with the spices, and pour over the caramel and bake as usual.


As for pumpkin gingerbread, I don't have a recipe. But if I were to make it I'd basically make gingerbread out of pumpkin bread (with, for a 3-egg quickbread recipe, 1/4 cup grated fresh ginger, 1 tbsp ground ginger, and 1 rounded tsp Chinese 5 spice, and 1/4 cup molasses instead of 2 tbsp of the sugar).

[victorthecook.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I am, as ever, in awe of your baking prowess.

Oh, and I found a neat recipe for quinces today; Slow-baked quinces (http://inpraiseofsardines.typepad.com/blogs/2005/10/the_fruit_that_.html). I'll try it tomorrow; the idea is to bake 'em for 5 hours or so in a very slow (250F) oven.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

In awe of me? Oh, hush. :)

And that is a GORGEOUS recipe. What would those quinces look like atop a cake for a special party? Oh, oooh!

[victorthecook.livejournal.com]

Awe. Your creativity, knowledge of baking, and ability to go into the kitchen and produce good food leaves me in: awe.

But the quinces came out very nicely indeed -- they turned bright red, with a bright red quince syrup left over. And a recipe calling for a slow oven for 6 hours was perfect for the weather. Straining the sauce was a hassle, but nothing impossible. I was thinking of using them for a quince tart, maybe with a hazelnut cream ...ooh, or a cinnamon cream... underneath. But in fact, we just ate them sliced up plain.

Sadly, I didn't have a runcible spoon to serve with...

The other thing I'd want to know is whether they'll bleed color onto other things after assembly. I guess I'll have to make another batch.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

So I made a slow baked quince.

Oh, my God. It is magnificent and red and gorgeous. And the flavor!

Thank you SO MUCH for this recipe!

[dandelion-diva.livejournal.com]

Oh, wonderful recipes. Gratzi! :)

I love this list and the joy in this post. Multiple yays for that.

Love you muchly.

Gessi

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Life is too short to not remember how nifty it can be, you know? :)

Love you, too. *huggle*

[gingicat]

When I was in high school I tried to make myself (with Mom's help, since she can actually sew) a Halloween costume where I looked like a maple dryad in fall. Unfortunately, the leaves weren't particularly pretty that year, and I couldn't find good fake ones. Mom made me a wide drape-over-the-shoulder sash in the appropriate colors instead. I have pictures.

Hmm, maybe I should try that this year, if it stops raining long enough to collect leaves...

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

This year is a bit wet. But next year....?

12 things that make <i>me</i> happy

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

1. the red maple tree that turns colors outside our family room window
2. the sukkah standing under the red maple
3. the way raindrops sparkle in the sun like jewels on the leaves after a rainstorm
4. the smell of pine as a fallen tree is cut to be hauled away
5. Amazing Grace - I also love this hymn: singing it, listening to others sing, knowing why it was written
6. dancing on Simchat Torah with ecstatic friends (my joyous, dancing husband was fun to watch)
7. singing with a large group of friends on Shabbat evening
8. singing jazzy close-harmony with a small group of friends
9. singing with my spirit-song buddies
10. singing by myself, all alone, at the top of my voice
11. holding babies
12. being in touch with you

Re: 12 things that make <i>me</i> happy

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*hugs you tightly* I am *so* glad I know you and your family.

[aprilkat.livejournal.com]

I still can't believe I missed my chance to taste your cooking at your place last year. :-(

But, hey, there's always another day!

Your happy things made me happy to read...

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Maybe when I come to the New Year's Moot I'll bring something. Or cook something.

*huggles you*

[iamjw.livejournal.com]

a spiral is a circle dancing.

That made me happy.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*blush* Thank you. :)

[jerusha.livejournal.com]

Regarding your comment about "and automatically marking down anything where the Confederate-analogues are supposed to be the heroes":

I felt a bit uneasy about that, too, when Joss mentioned what his inspiration was. However, we know that the Alliance permits slave-holding (comments in "Shindig" about how many slaves it took to make the dress that the snooty girl is wearing, right after she tries to set Kaylee back about her dress because it looks "store-bought". We don't know about the losing side one way or the other. So they're only Confederate-analogue to a point.

<doffs pedant hat>

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, the moment I saw the lady in my icon, I forgave Joss. :D

[davidfcooper.livejournal.com]

Amazing Grace

I think it's commendable that the author of the hymn considered himself a wretch, but that doesn't mean I feel the same about myself. A member of our shul led "Adon Olam" to the tune of AG and it was beautiful if somewhat incongruous.

You have an engaging LJ, and I've added you.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Well, he *was* an ex-slaver. I was impressed with his penitence.

Anyway, it's nice to meet you! Welcome to my journal. :D

[davidfcooper.livejournal.com]

I'm also impressed by his penitence. But the concept of grace is not synonymous in Judaism and Christianity, and the church seems to universalize his particular wretchedness by identifying it with the Christian dogma of original sin; since I don't believe in that dogma and don't consider myself a wretch I resent the expectation to join in when the hymn is sung at public events.

Thanks; feel free to add me back (or not).