A Picnic at the Park

I met a friend at Red Bug Lake Park last night to eat and catch up (I haven’t seen him since December!). It was a gorgeous night paired with some great conversation and awesome PB&J’s. There was a storm rolling in when we left so the clouds were huge.

The birds were major beggars. I don’t normally feed wildlife but I couldn’t resist this ridiculous face.

The squirrels were beggars too. I figured if I was ruining their ecosystem I might as well continue.

Notice the ducklings.

Things I Learned in my Junior Year of College

1. Life is beautiful.
2. Palabrotas. This means curse words in Spanish.
3. Shingles suck (sorry Mom, they stink).
4. It is okay to cry but if you take to doing it once a week, you probably need to change something in your life.
5. Honesty is important, even when you are dealing with yourself.
6. A Kindle is worth the money.
7. Dogs make you feel loved.
8. God has given me three or four guardian angels because He knows I need them.
9. I miss braiding my hair.
10. Pork, pork, pork. It is worth eating when it is prepared in Spain.
11. Biochemistry is as awful as they say it is.
12. Coffee is wonderful.
13. Nutella + strawberries = awesome.
14. Some of the professors with the worst reputations end up being my favorites.
15. Dream big dreams.
16. Don’t let your own mind limit you because you think you can’t accomplish something.
17. Do what glorifies God and makes you happy.
18. Remember your toothbrush.
19. Sunshine is wonderful.
20. Absentmindedness can be very bad, especially when it causes me to lose my passport or pick up someone else’s luggage.
21. Some policemen are very kind.
22. Pandora doesn’t play in Europe and that is very sad.
23. We make a lot of assumptions when we look at the world around us.
24. Crutches + shingle infection in shoulder is not possible.
25. I don’t thrive in stressful situations.
26. DNA doesn’t DO anything.
27. Your best is not always the same. Sometimes what your best is at a certain moment would seem sub par at another time in your life.
28. Necesito practicar hablar español porque es como puedo mejorar.
29. I still hate pants (so much so I initially put this statement on my list twice by accident).
30. Smiling makes a world of a difference.
31. God cherishes me.
32. I need personal space and time.
33. Sleeping is great.
34. I don’t have to please everyone around me.
35. The internet is a wonderful and terrible thing.
36. I don’t believe in chance.
37. The only subject for which I can pull an all-nighter is art.
38. That doesn’t mean I should.
39. C’s get degrees.
40. Some people are sincere about God and their relationships with Him but that doesn’t mean they are healthy to be around.
41. There is a time for everything.
42. Now is the time to delight in life.
43. I can’t make someone fall in love with Jesus.
44. If you are going to pass out, don’t sit up high, the fall will be painful.
45. Hospitals are incompetent and slow.
46. I hate stressing over school. Scratch that. I hate stressing in general.
47. I don’t want to live a life of forced misery constantly hoping for when “this is over”.
48. I would rather be poor and experience life than rich and working all the time.
49. Each person must make their own decisions.
50. I don’t want a wedding.
51. Be direct. It saves time and hurt feelings.
52. Avoid tumblr, pinterest, and youTube.
53. Amaral <3.
54. “Love, it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you.” –Mumford and Sons
55. I’m a country girl at heart as in I love nature and don’t enjoy big cities.
56. God wants the best for me.
57. I’m not perfect and that’s ok.
58. Palencia with a “p” is not Valencia with a “v”.
59. I like traveling alone.
60. I like Mario Kart on the Wii.
61. Studying isn’t always the most important thing.
62. Massages don’t always feel good.
63. I want to do what I love.
64. My poor drawings of cow skulls are rarely recognized for what they are.
65. Professors who love to teach make all the difference.
66. Mountains are beautiful.
67. Americans have a bad reputation in Europe.
68. I still get lost in parking garages.
69. I hate jumping through hoops.
70. Micah will always beat me in DDR.
71. I have potential but I don’t have to be a doctor.
72. People will tell you what to do and give unwanted advice.
73. Justin Bieber is white contrary to my friend’s ideas.
74. There are a lot of awesome people in my life.
75. “Don’t underestimate the things that I will do.” –Adele
76. Mediterranean cultures. I love them.
77. I’ve grown up a lot in the last year.
78. Café con leche is ESPRESSO so I shouldn’t drink it on an empty stomach.
79. International politics are actually pretty interesting.
80. I enjoy blogging.
81. Flexitarianism!
82. I don’t like roundabouts.
83. It really helps to have a map.
84. Keisha, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna aren’t any better on the Spanish radio.
85. X-rays are awesome but acquiring them is not.
86. It is really important to listen to what a person says to you.
87. I want to maintain friendships where the other person actually cares.
88. When something goes wrong, I simply need to breathe, pray and think logically.
89. I now have a very strong desire to travel.
90. Faith is a verb (and my best friend, but I already knew that).
91. I always love the combination of salty and sweet.
92. Fleet Foxes make for a perfect roadtrip soundtrack.
93. While traveling, the internet is my lifeline.
94. I need rest.
95. My skin prefers humidity.
96. Satisfaction is key.
97. Charcoal pencils cannot be sharpened with an automatic pencil sharpener.
98. The running man tells you where to go.
99. I like seafood.
100. Jersey Shore is a terrible (but popular) representation of the USA to the rest of the world.
101. My fulfillment comes from God.

This isn’t a new thing; I’ve been writing a list a year since a brilliant friend of mine did it in high school. This is my post from last year.

A Happy Goodbye

Frappy Hour, a photo by theadventuresofbeka on Flickr.

I’m very glad Frappy Hour is over. I had to resist the temptation to get super cheap terribly unhealthy coffee way too much this last week.

Forgotten Rice

I can follow a baking recipe exactly but for some reason when I cook, my father’s creativity comes out.

IforgottocookricesoIusedbreadinstead Stuffed Peppers

Adapted from Nourishing Traditions

Ingredients:

3 green peppers

1 lb. 90/10 ground beef

1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 can plain tomato paste

1 cup stock (vegetable, beef or chicken)

1/2 tsp. each: thyme, rosemary, and oregano

1/3 whole wheat French baguette, crumbled

1/4 cup crispy pine nuts

salt and pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Remove stems from peppers, slice lengthwise and remove seeds. In a skillet, brown beef. Once the beef is no longer pink, add the onion, tomato paste, stock and herbs. Bring to a boil and cook until the beef has a thick pasty texture. Add the pine nuts and crumbled bread. Set the pepper halves in an oiled glass dish, stuff each pepper half and cook for 45 min. at 350F. Remove from oven and top with cheese. Cook for another 15 min. Top with sour cream (optional).

Art

Art, a photo by theadventuresofbeka on Flickr.

I found this while cleaning my room. It was drawn by my brother Roman. It shows me and my siblings (note we are drawn “to scale” and I am the tallest). Underneath us are the relics of the past. He had been learning about archaeology in school.

Textbook Hoarder

Textbook Hoarder, a photo by theadventuresofbeka on Flickr.

I have a thing for books. I was cleaning today and found a whole lot of science textbooks I will never use again. That’s a pretty good feeling actually.

A Perfect Combo

A Perfect Combo, a photo by theadventuresofbeka on Flickr.

Quiche is such a wonderful combination: milk, eggs, cheese, bacon and pie crust.

Belly Buddies

Belly buddies: two people who have been friends since before birth, friends who met in their mother’s wombs.

I saw my dear friend Faith for the first time in 4 months yesterday. We walked along the beach and touched the wall, as we always do.

There was a sandsculpting contest that had been judged earlier that day.

The moon was huge and bright.

We chose to try “popular combinations” at Big Olaf Creamery. Mine was black raspberry and mint chip.

Hers was Kahlua Krunch and Amaretto Almond.

A Bite of Spain

A Bite of Spain, a photo by theadventuresofbeka on Flickr.

I brought home membrillo and chorizo from Spain to share with my family. I paired it with mozzarella cheese (substitute for queso de Burgos) and manchego. Manchego is a sharp Spanish cheese that I ate every day in Spain but I also found for a ridiculous import price in the Publix deli. Overall, it was a hit with my family too.

Afternoon Coffee

Attempt #3, a photo by theadventuresofbeka on Flickr.

I love when my mom asks, “Who wants decaf afternoon coffee?”

I never turn down the offer and decided I wanted to capture it. Unfortunately my innocent looking coffees have not been photogenic. Follow the link below the picture to check out my photostream. I will update once I’ve taken something I am satisfied with.