Sincerely, Dorothy

Once in a while, a person comes into your life through certain circumstances that you didn't plan for and that you didn't expect but in the end, perhaps that is the greatest gift.  Nearly two years ago I was lucky enough to meet someone like this through a mutual friend and I am so thankful that I did.  Although we don't know each other as well as we could or as much as I know others (despite deep conversations over delectable spaghetti squash), I can tell you that Melissa is one remarkable individual.  Over the last two years she has (probably without knowing it) inspired me to be more creative, to embrace what is right in front of me, and without a doubt to have a fonder appreciation for all things musical (especially Jamie Cullum).  Not to mention this woman has a heart for the Lord and finds ways to serve him that you and I would likely never consider.

So, when she teamed up with her sister Crystal to create music and perform under the name Dear Herman, I was so excited for her!  In the time I've known her, Melissa has always had a song in her heart and a lyric on the tip of her tongue so when I heard about this project I was not surprised.  However, when I watched the video I'm about to share with you, and listened to Crystal describe this new endeavor and heard both of them perform just a small piece of it, I was moved even further.  So much so that I knew I had to support this project not only in my hope and prayer for its success but also financially, even if my contribution was small.

I don't want to dive too much into the project itself here because Crystal describes it so much more passionately and vividly in the video.  But I will tell you this.  Sincerely, Dorothy is a project unlike anything I have ever heard of and far from what many might dream up, but it is a story that truly must be told. I hope you will at least watch the three minute video to catch a glimpse of what could be and if you are as moved as I was, I hope you will consider contributing to the production of this project through Kickstarter, an online community for backing creative projects.  Dear Herman has just 6 days left to reach a $6,000 goal otherwise all funding already pledged by backers is returned.

Melissa and Crystal both reside in Lincoln, so if you have always wanted to support local artists, here's your chance! I realize that not everyone will be able to become a backer, but at the very least if you believe in the story they want to tell, please share this video and the link to their Kickstarter page with others!

You can find the video and Kickstarter page here. (Did you click on it yet? Because you should!)

 

Meanwhile...

Time for a catch up post!  There is no excuse for having not written in this long, so I won't make one, but I will let you in on what I have been up to lately since I obviously haven't been blogging!

February:
In February I began training for the Lincoln Half Marathon.  It started out slow but I soon got into a rhythm and genuinely enjoying my training runs!  That is until....

March:
Training continued but about the second week in March I came down with an awful cold which then set up shop in my lungs.  As you can imagine, this made running a tad more difficult!  I was out of commission for a good three weeks and had to really work hard to even get back into training even though there was no way I was going to just pick up where I left off.  As a result I probably cut my training short a bit, not getting the long 12 mile run in before the Half but I did get the 10 miler in.

April:
This month was unbelievably busy between wrapping up the semester with the sorority chapter I advise, finishing my training once I was able to, a busy budget season at work, and a multitude of other activities. Before I knew it, May was here and the Half Marathon along with it!

May:
On May 6th I completed my first Half Marathon!  The day started out a little formidable when I woke at 5am to a massive thunderstorm hovering over Lincoln.  Sure enough however, by the time we drove down to the start, it had started to clear and the humidity fell and it actually ended up being an amazing day for the race! I did have to walk a little and didn't get the greatest time but I was delighted to finish!

Mom and I after my 2:47:55 finish!

With my cousin Jamie - one of my many inspirations to run the Lincoln Half - after stuffing ourselves silly post-race at Fireworks

June:
In June I basically fell off the running wagon between various trips, a wedding, house guests and everything else.  I did however get an awesome visit with my sister and her family at our Grandparents in Colorado.  Including my handsome nephew.
I also had the privilege of taking seven of my collegiate members of my sorority chapter here on campus to our national convention in Denver.  It was a phenomenal experience and I am so proud of the women who represented our chapter!

So that brings us to July and a torrent of wedding activity - more on that later! It's so hard to believe that 2012 is half over already - it will be Christmas before we know it - especially since Hobby Lobby already has Christmas decorations out (not kidding!).

Brix and Stone

So this is a bit overdue - but it was too good not to share!! For my birthday in August (see - I told you it was overdue!) my good friend Kristin took me out to dinner here in Lincoln and we decided to try out Brix and Stone Gastropub in Downtown Lincoln.  They don't have an overwhelmingly large menu but what is there is exceptional.  I opted to order an appetizer for my meal when I saw they had pot stickers.  As you can see in the photo below, they came with three different sauces and served on a bed of steamed rice.

This was actually the perfect size because i was full but not stuffed so i definitely recommend ordering off of the appetizer menu.  My drink was a Marilyn Monroe which was pink and delicious.  In this picture you can also kind of see Kristin's dish which was a Snapper I believe.  

The real star of this table however is the bread.  Now let me preface this by telling you what the server said to us before she brought the bread (she was fantastic by the way). She was very apologetic and said that she was very sorry but they had a specialty bread tonight and she hoped that was okay. Tonight's bread was Pumpkin Bread.  

Are you kidding me?? Pumpkin bread is ALWAYS okay!! It was so moist and delicious that we actually saved it for our dessert.  So if you're lucky they will have this on hand when you visit Brix and Stone, although I have a feeling that all of their breads are on par with the pumpkin.  

Lincoln's Own Little Secret Garden

Okay so maybe it's not much of a secret, but while you're there it's hard not to imagine that you're the first one to ever step foot there, like it's been hidden away for years.

I'm speaking of course of Lincoln's Sunken Gardens.  Created on 1.5 acres near 27th Street and Capitol Parkway the gardens were built in the 1930s.  With construction being completed during the Great Depression, over 200 men were given much needed jobs by the garden project.  The gardens were remodeled as recently as 2004.

The Sunken Gardens include several different gardens.  The Perennial Garden which returns every year of course, the Annual Garden which is planted by volunteers every Spring, and the Healing Garden which was completed in shades of white to inspire calm.  The Annual Garden is planted based on a theme every year.  This summer the theme is "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." The garden also includes two different raised ponds with koi and many beautiful water plants as well as several pieces of sculpture.

The Gardens keep busy with many volunteer events throughout the summer and year round.  In the Spring volunteers are welcomed to "Wake up the Beds" and prepare the grounds for annual planting.  In the Fall, volunteers gather again for "Put the Beds to Bed" where the grounds are then prepared for winter by pulling annuals and adding new compost.  Green thumbs can also meet twice a week to learn about the gardens and different gardening techniques.

The Sunken Gardens are in a word, gorgeous.  While not overly expansive, they fill and nearly overflow the space they occupy.  They are lush and vibrant and there's a certain peace the minute you step on the grounds.  Many people mill around looking at the flora and fauna while others sit and rest or read among the foliage.  If you find yourself in Lincoln in the Spring or Summer I definitely recommend - no insist on a trip to the Sunken Gardens.  And if you walk just a little south out of the gardens and then across 27th Street towards the Children's Zoo you can visit the beautiful Rose Garden adjacent to the Sunken Gardens.  I've never seen that many varieties of roses in one place!!

It really is a beautiful treasure in the middle of the city - so much so that when I finally got there, I went twice in one week!  The photos are from a trip there with a friend on one of the most temperate and beautiful nights we've had in Lincoln this summer.  I then went later that week when my mom was in town.  Whether you're learning the fine art of wandering or spending time with family, the Sunken Gardens will capture your heart from the moment you pass under the stunning pavilion and into the flowers below.

Wine + Chocolate = One Happy Girl

This weekend my good friend Kristin and I attended an event at a shop here in town called Chocolatier Blue.  Check out their website to learn more about them, but basically their main locations are in California, but the Chocolatier is actually originally from Lincoln and recently opened a location here!

This weekend they hosted a series of classes (Beer & Chocolate pairing even!) and we attended Friday night's Wine & Chocolate Pairing class.

We were given 4 different kinds of wine and 12 - yes 12! - different chocolates, 3 for each type of wine. They dispelled the myth that dark chocolate and a deep red wine are a good combination (who knew?) and presented us with mainly sweet dessert wines.  

As for the chocolates, they are works of art!!  They range in flavors and they change by the season. I've featured some of our favorites below.  

Butterscotch and Orange Julius - the Orange Julius was one of my favorites and definitely one that worked well with the wine.  

Top - Ants on a Log - Peanut butter, celery, and raisins - sounds strange but was really good!

Passion fruit caramel & Cherry cordial

One that we didn't get a picture of is the Grapefruit with Rosemary, it was A-MAZING!! 

And if this many chocolates and wine weren't enough....

There were GIFT BAGS!!  And the class was only $25! 

It was an amazing start to the weekend which ended up being beautiful weather-wise and overall just fantastic! I even fit in some summer shopping (necessities of course!) and picked up a new cookbook so I have even more recipes to share.  

I don't know about all of you but it seems like the summer is filling up already and I think I can already say that it's going to be one for the books.  Can't wait to see what the next few months will hold! :)