Today's Joy: Discovering Something New to Share.

Last night led me to a family revelation, Reader.  I stopped by for dinner with Mom & Brother and the evening turned into an impromptu cooking-fest. 

While Mom and I bond over trips to the flea market, antique shops and local garden centers, it's harder to find a common activity to share with Brother.  He's a kind, wonderful soul with a big heart and a strong sense of fairness.  Unfortunately, our taste in hobbies is pretty different.  He's an online, video game, techno-speak sort of guy, while I'm into artsy stuff, cooking and old jazz.  For several years, I took up the line of fantasy books he read and presented him with a hardcover of each new addition at Christmas.  This gave us something to talk about and it was literary--a win-win for everybody!  Until the author killed off one of Brother's favorite characters and he lost interest in the series.  Dadgum it! 

So I've been on the hunt for something new to share.  Then, last night, Mom says the magic words: Your brother has taken up cooking.  Hallelujah!  So we bought all the stuff to make Cilantro Lime Chicken and got in the kitchen.  What a ball!  I got to spend some quality time with him and he got to experiment with all kinds of new flavor combinations: cilantro, cumin, ginger, adobo, tomatillos and fresh lime.  His favorite, though, was the Mexican fresco crumbling cheese.  I really like this cheese, he said.  I reminded him, as a single guy, that all women love a man who can cook.  He laughed. 

So, we have a new family activity to share.  It works for Mom, too.  She doesn't have to cook but still gets to enjoy all the food.  Another win-win.  What about you, Reader? What does your clan love to do?  If you haven't already, go spend some quality time.  Add some Mexican crumbling cheese.  It just might work magic.

Today's Joy: Taking Stock.
I spent some time rummaging thru my flickr photo archives today, Reader.  Wanted to see what kind of material I'd amassed and what images might be suitable to sell.  Very interesting (and productive).
It was enlightening to see how the work has evolved over the years.  I'm still amazed that God directed me down this path (for years I assumed writing would be my only creative love). 

Isn't it something to look back and see how the events of your life flow and wind before coming together and pointing the way toward your next adventure? 

I can't wait to see how this one turns out! One thing is certain, there will be pictures of it.

Photo: Pink Ranunculus          

Today's Joy: Do-It-Yourself Websites.
I'm about to enter the Big Leagues, Reader.  Having decided to start my own photography business, I am suddenly in need of a website.  This raises two problems:  1) I have a very limited budget and 2) I don't know anything about building a website.  Enter: http://www.wix.com/.  They do all the basics of a webpage for you.  And it's free.  I like these people already.  So I perused their templates, found one I liked and set about clicking, dragging and dropping to my heart's content.  Now I have a respectable site almost ready to publish and I'm feeling like the Queen of HTML.  Who knew there would be a Website Fairy to swoop in and save the day?     

Beef Marinade (For Stir Fry or Kabobs)

Today's Joy: Something New & Delicious!
Got brave tonight, Reader, and decided to make my own marinade from scratch.  I seem to remember from watching Tyler Florence on Food Network that you need an oil and something acidic, like vinegar.  And I wanted an Asian flavor, seeing as I was stir-frying beef & veggies.  So I dug thru the spice cabinet and found several likley candidates for a tasty marinade.  I added a bit here and a dash there and voila!  The resulting stir fry was really good!  Low-calorie but lots of flavor!  Here it is if you'd like to try it:

Homemade Beef Marinade (For Stir Fry or Kabobs)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl. soy sauce
1 tbl. red wine vinegar
3 tsp. molasses
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. chopped garlic
splash of grapefruit juice

Whisk all ingredients in a mixing bowl. 
Place 2 small sirloin steaks in a shallow pan. 
Brush 3/4 of marinade over both sides of steaks, cover and refrigerate.  Set remaining marinade aside. 
Marinate steaks for at least two hours. 
Chop your choice of vegetables. 
I used fresh broccoli, scallions, mushrooms and snap peas.  Set aside.
Once steaks are marinated, slice fajita-style and brown in hot skillet.
Just before steak reaches desired doneness, remove and set aside.
Add 1 tsp. olive oil to hot skillet, then add veggies.  Cook, stirring constantly until veggies are still crisp, but no longer raw.  Brush veggies with marinade and add steak.  Cook, stirring constantly until steak is done.  Serve immediately over white or brown rice.  Serve any remaining marinade on the side.
Serves 4.

*For kabobs: marinate raw meat & veggies for at least 2 hours, then skewer and brush with marinade before grilling or oven-roasting.*    

Today's Joy: A New Outlook.
Check out the new digs, Reader. Ordinary Wonderment is showing a whole new face to the world. Hopefully you will like it as much as I do.

Notable changes:
1) A new logo.
2) For easier navigation, there is now a list of all the Wonderific Recipes featured on my blog.
3) There's also a Google Search tab (entitled Wondering Where The Heck It's At?) which allows you to search my posts and all my links for a particular topic as well as the web in general.

Ta-da! Ok, for you web-savvy folk, this is probably old hat. But for me, these are all brand new bells & whistles. Took me most of the morning to figure out how the darn things work. Anyway, please enjoy! I hope these improvements make Wonderment a more inviting place to linger. Any suggestions you have for further improvement are always welcome. Thanks for stopping by!

Today's Joy: Spring is coming!
Few things are as slow & dull as a Monday morning, Reader. So, let's think up a few reasons why today is better than the average Monday.

It's March 1st--winter is on the wane! The suffocating layers of snow are finally starting to melt. I never thought I'd be so glad to see soggy dirt in my life!

The Midwest garden centers are beginning to show signs of life, with calla lilies & the first vibrant begonias arriving in-store.

Everywhere I go these days, hopeful ears are listening for the sound of cardinals, returning Canada geese and that most-welcome herald of spring: the robin.

Kleins, our local farm stand, has the telltale phrase on their roadside sign: Seeding Has Begun. I can't wait to buy several flats of their ruffly Pirouette Petunias this year. They are gorgeous!

Yep, I think that might just be enough to make this Monday better than the average. Hope you find a little time today for spring-thinking, Reader. If you hear a robin, let me know.

Photo: Robin Chick, Wisconsin 2008.

Today's Joy: Divine Creative Inspiration.
Creativity reigns supreme this weekend, Reader. But before we get to that, I have a confession to make. I have this bad habit of down-playing the large roll my creative skills play in my life. I use them every day. But to be honest, they sometimes seem more like a hindrance than an asset--especially when job-hunting.

While creative resourcefulness is always useful, it's darn near impossible to find a job posting for it. And once I get an interview, it's even harder to show an employer how it's an asset to them (which it will be, the first time I solve a thorny problem). So, I tend to stuff my creativity back inside and only let it come out at home or when my quantifiable, real-world skills have gotten me in the door.

Here's the rub: I may be barking up the wrong tree. I think God is getting a little impatient with me for not using the wonderful skills he's provided. I think he realizes I need a good kick in the butt to get started. Enter: my loving family. For years, my mother said I should be making greeting cards. For years, I politely ignored her. Then came today. My two aunts brought me a keepsake photo card (the kind suitable for framing) and pointedly nudged me to consider making something similar--only better. After much cajoling, I got online and looked into products, cost and how to sell them.

What do you know! There was God, working through my Aunts & Google, to get me to the right resources. I found a great, affordable stationery company that uses recycled cardstock and soybean-based inks. They even offer free business advice. Suddenly, this little notion is solidifying into something doable. Now, I'm busy brain-storming which photos to use and what venues might be profitable. What a jump from where I was yesterday. And yes, Mom, I should have listened to you years ago.

Photo: One of my favorite insect shots, taken in Mom's Purple Sage patch, 2008.