Lately, I’ve been playing with my camera.

It all started when I read Shannan’s post about photography. In her family, her husband is the camera guru. She takes pictures—good ones, too—but he’s the one obsessed. In the blog post, she and her husband talked technique and tips, but it was one little sentence that got me going. She said, “He [her husband] watches youtube videos in his free time of Asian men talking camera in British accents.”

Light bulbs flashed and bells rang. You mean I could learn some photography skeelz by simply watching some youtube videos? Well HELLO.

I got started right away. I bumbled around at first, watching a few incompetent dorks talk about nothing, but then I hit on the PhotoExtremist. This guy is most certainly not Asian, and he doesn’t have a British accent, but he knows his stuff. Or at least he knows a lot more than me and can explain it in simple terms and that’s exactly what I’m looking for.

Last night I read a quote on Facebook and then hollered up the stairs to my husband, “Hey, honey! Do you know who said this? ‘If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.’”

His response was immediate. “Albert Einstein!”

How in the world does he know these things? I never would’ve gotten that right!

Anyway, my point is, the PhotoExtremist explains things very simply.
Therefore, I (and Albert) believe he probably understands that of which
he speaks.

Compared to the PhotoExtremist, I know nothing. For example, I’ve had my camera for nearly two years (or is it more than two years?) and just last night I learned how to set the self timer so I can take pictures of myself.

Sound the trumpets!

And then I said something about how it would be neat if I had a remote for the camera and my husband told me that I do.

Huh???

It was in the drawer, lifeless for want of a battery, but all that is going to change in the immediate future.

Also, I learned what spot metering is. I’ve been doing it all along—I just didn’t know what it was called. And I learned (a good deal more) about white balance. And I learned I want photoshop and some flashes. And maybe a couple lens filters, stop me now.

I’m not all for wanting, though. I also learned that I’m really, really glad I purchased my 50 mm lens (also called a “prime lens”—doesn’t that sound classy?) and that I’m really, really glad that we bought my son a tripod for his video camera because now I can use it. Tripods really do make a world of difference.

This morning after getting the kids to do a bunch of clean-up and some Spanish, we all piled onto the couch to watch some PhotoExtremists videos. He succeeded in inspiring us all, so we spent the rest of the morning playing.

The kids helped me set up a work room: the toy closet under the stairs. They brought down a bed stand for our photography table and helped me tape my black skirt to the wall for a back drop. Then they took turns being shut up in the closet helping me make some smoking hot photos.

The hot sauce was an obvious first choice.

My older daughter wanted to try the pomegranate.

I tried some butter bars.

And then my younger son wanted to do the nativity scene.

Any guesses as to how we’re doing this? No cheating!

This same time, years previous: winter quinoa salad, baked corn, company tizz, a family outing, zippy me, peanut butter cookies, Ree’s monkey bread, butter cookies

It’s an odd place we’re in, these last few weeks before we say goodbye to all we know and hold dear, jump on a plane, and go about the business of turning our worldview upside down.

I’m starting to juxtapose our anticipated Guatemalan reality against our current one, which makes me see things differently. For example, it’s weird that we’re working to use up our food because we’re going to a country where the people struggle to get enough to eat.

Here are some other things I’m doing:

*dreading the discomfort of saggy mattresses and non-running water and people telling me I can’t eat/wear/do that because I’ll get cold in my ears or will disturb the mountain spirits or something.

*knowing that I will have every inch of my space infringed upon and knowing that I don’t handle that well and knowing that I’ll get grumpy and not be nearly as gracious as I should be. In other words, I’m feeling rotten about all my shortcomings in advance. (It’d probably be more productive to focus on acquiring some tank tops for the girls and a toiletry travel case.)

*wanting to make Christmas cookies and do other fun seasonal things but feeling like my hands are tied because we don’t need anything more right now. We’re supposed to use up and get out.

*feeling like a wimp because we’re only leaving for nine months. Which is not even close to the amount of time (three years) we were gone the first time. Buck up, Buttercup, I tell myself. It’s just the equivalent of one pregnancy.

*having so much to do but lacking the emotional energy/think time/attention span/desire to do it. This is a sure-fire guarantee that our last two weeks will be pure chaos. If you run into me then, hold onto your hats or the tornado that is me will flip you over.

On the plus side, I’m feeling:

*euphoric about this adventure that we are taking our kids on. This is a dream come true.

*tremendously grateful for all the many, many people who are loving on us with kind words, hugs, and gifts. I told my mom that it’s like when I was pregnant, all the helpfulness and sunshiney smiles that are being directed our way, though in this case it’s like our family is pregnant. I was not expecting this. It gives me courage.

And now for you locals, this Saturday at Community Mennonite Church:

I’ll be contributing two kinds of pancakes: buckwheat apple and sourdough. Hope to see you there!

This same time, years previous: iced ginger shortbread, my kids are weird

I made baked ziti last week. And then, because it was so good, I made it again.

When I told my girlfriend I had made some amazing baked ziti for supper, she asked, “So how is it different from regular baked ziti?”

I looked at her blankly. “I don’t know. I’ve never made baked ziti before.”

She sucked in her breath like I had slapped her. And then she simultaneously snorted and almost fell out of her chair. (Or maybe she was just bending over to reach her cup of tea on the coffee table?)

Up until then, I didn’t realize that my lack of baked ziti knowledge was that shocking. Now I know.

I got the recipe from Ree’s blog. The pictures of the meaty ragu sauce won me over. I had to have it STAT.

I did hesitate a little, though. What with two pounds of meat and two-and-a-half pounds of cheese for just one pound of pasta, the recipe felt a bit excessive. Just a wee little bit.

But I had a good excuse for making the recipe! Two excuses, to be exact. One, I had (still do, in fact) a lot of meat in the freezer that needed to be used up before we leave the country, and two, my husband had been (still is, in fact) working his buns off and could stand to have a meaty meal (or three or eight) to bolster him onward ho.

So I made it and my husband swooned. And then I made it again because my parents were staying over and I wanted to spread the baked ziti joy. That night we were lucky enough to have a couple leftover baguettes to sop up the juices. Carbs on carbs—so, so, so good.

Baked Ziti
Adapted from Ree of Pioneer Woman

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 glug olive oil
1 pound ground sausage
1 pound ground beef
1 quart canned tomatoes
1 quart plain tomato sauce
½ teaspoons each basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme, sage, rosemary, and red pepper flakes
1 pound whole milk ricotta
1 ½ pounds mozzarella cheese, grated, divided
½ cup grated fresh Parmesan
1 egg
1 pound ziti
salt and black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes. Add the meats and cook until browned. Drain any extra fat (I didn’t have any).  Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce and the herbs. Simmer for about thirty minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the ziti in salted, boiling water until not quite al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the egg, ricotta, two cups of the mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan, and some salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta and four cups of the meat sauce.

Pour half of the pasta into a 9×12 baking dish (or one that is slightly larger—this makes a very full pan). Top with half of the remaining meat sauce and half of the remaining mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers: pasta, meat sauce, and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until brown and bubbling. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: ten hearty servings (at least)

This same time, years previous: wild (“wild” as in belly dance-in-public wild)