Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts

Sunday, April 29, 2012

A Party In The Woods...

Several years ago, Heather spent a summer in Uganda, working with a charity organization to provide work for displaced Ugandan women.  She chronicled her experiences with Light Gives Heat here on her blog.   Her passion for this program, which shines light on the hope of the Ugandan people rather than their darker moments, continues to be a contagious force.  This weekend, she helped put on an incredible fund raising event to send our friend Anneliese to Africa to follow in her footsteps with Light Gives Heat.


Growing up, I always knew Anno as the girl who was involved in, if not in charge of, everything.  She seemed to possess an unlimited energy to be everywhere at once, and an ability to keep all sorts of plates spinning  at a time.  Clubs, student body, leadership, school, work- you name it and Anno was there full-force making things happen.  
Little has changed since she began university in Santa Cruz.  Every time I see her around town, she's just off to teach a class on Education for Sustainable Living, on her way to Master's Swimming, off to work or to run a triathlon...  There is nothing this girl doesn't do.
Naturally, these two super-women pulled off the fundraiser to send Anno to Uganda with flying colors.  Friends, acquaintances, and strangers alike flocked to their little cabin in the Bonny Doon woods for a night of music, food, dancing, and celebration, and helped contribute towards Anno's financial goal for her trip to Uganda.




Despite generous contributions during the event, Anno still has a ways to go to reach her goal of $9,000.  If you're interested in finding out more about Light Gives Heat, or contributing towards her time in Uganda, she has set up an online shop that will help make this venture a reality.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday Shannon!
This week Shannon turned 21.  While I missed the night festivities, I threw her a southern dinner party as soon as I got back into town.  
We had everything a good southern belle should have on her birthday.  We started on the porch with bowls of nectarine sorbet from The Penny Ice Creamery.  While we waited for Ryan, we drank mint juleps with Jack Daniel's Honey Whiskey and snacked on roasted peanuts.  We moved indoors for dinner which was made up of grilled tomatoes and padrone peppers dusted with course sea salt, fresh corn bread, ragin' cajun saugsages from El Salchichero, coleslaw, beans baked with porc belly, and smashed potatoes.  It was delicious and so nice to sit on the porch as the sun went down over 
Santa Cruz.




Oops! Caught with a peanut in my mouth!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Elm Street Potlucks...

It's so good to be surrounded by good friends, wholesome food, and warm summer weather.  It's the perfect setting for a potluck!
The most beautiful cake I've ever seen, made by Shannon.  You can find the recipe here

Bananna Nut Muffins!
Sneaking tastes before dinner!
Yum!

Most Likely to Change the World...

If I had to vote for one person that I know for this prize, it would be my dear friend, Heather.  
Growing up, Heather always had the most prudent words of wisdom, and kindest heart. 
She was always the one to tell me about some program that was doing good in the world or exposing me to new documentaries like Invisible Children
Harvesting stinging nettles in Bonny Doon.  Heather showed us how to make Nettle Pesto, Nettle Tea, Nettle Omlets, etc.  Yum!
The summer Heather spent a year in Uganda, Africa, helping women reconstruct their livelihoods with a program called Light Gives Heat was hugely inspiring. 
Wild Oats tea, one of the native plants Heather taught us to forage.
In addition to being a world samaritan, Heather is a strong anchor for me here at home in Santa Cruz.  We often have dinner at her cabin in Bonny Doon, and she's taught Ryan and I a thing or two about the great outdoors, like which plants to eat and how to give yourself a leaf tattoo.
I'm excited to see where her next adventure leads her.  Where ever she is, she'll be doing good for the world around her.
A leaf tattoo in Bonny Doon.

Friday, August 26, 2011

My Best Friend...

This is Shannon.  
She is one of the most amazing people that I know.  She is beautiful, wise, and talented.  Sometimes she leaves messes on the floor, but I love her anyway.
Quite a lot.