Parkway Manor: 2009 Calendar Photos

The Cover-A Year In The Life...

Hello everyone. Welcome to the Parkway Manor Blog.

For Christmas this year, we gave a few family and friends a Shutterfly calendar we had made. The formatting on Shutterfly doesn't allow a full story to be posted with each photo, so we will be utilizing this blog to explain our 2009 Calendar; A Year In The Life...

The Calendar Cover

This photo was taken, just a few weeks ago. On November 4, 2008 voters in the US elected a new president! What an amazing night. Jason as working at a work event and I was city at home glued to the TV with two computers running, flipping from website to website looking for the latest election news. I tracked the elector votes and several of the Senate elections on a spreadsheet, so I would know who and what at all points. By the end of the evening, I was cheering and bawling my eyes out. Total excitement.

But a few other things happened that day. Voters in California, Florida and Arizona voted against same sex marriages. Voters in Arkansas voted to deny adoption rights to any unmarried couple, gay or straight. The main issue was California. Known as Proposition 8, Prop 8 would take away the rights of same sex couples to get married. A right given to them when the states marriage protection act was deemed unconstitutional for deny rights to individuals. Therefore, earlier in 2008 gays and lesbians were granted the right to get married. On November 4, California voters took that right away. The majority voting on the rights of the minority. Not a good precedent.

So, a few days later, the GLBT community across the country, and the world took to the streets in their towns and capitals to march for marriage equality. We joined them. We joined thousands at the base of the US Capitol and marched to the White House, fighting wind and rain all the way there.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence 1776

The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men.
United States Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, Loving v. Virginia 1967

January-Time for Baking

I love to cook. I love to eat. And I love to bake. The January photos are a few of the sweet treats I've baked over the course of the year. By the way, if you need any food ideas, you can check them at my blog, Eat With Me. And if you have anything to share, please do!

Banana Tea Bread

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Vanilla and Brown Butter Pear Crisp

February-Parkway Manor

Parkway Manor-Our New Home

Long story short--our new home. We love it. We started shopping in October with our realtor, Terry Gilead. We saw this home the first day we went out looking. Several trips later, we put in an offer and spent our first night in February! We have a guest room!!! Just saying.

March-Soup's On

OK, more photos of some of my cooking. Jason loves soup, so I try to make it when appropriate.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Pumpkin Soup

Sunchoke Bisque

This was surprisingly good! If you see sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes), get some and make it!

April-The Garden is Growing

The cool thing about buying a house from October to February, you don't know what's going to be in the yard! The former owner of the home was an avid gardener and left plenty of surprises for us. Here are just a few!

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

We think this is called Looseneck Goose Strife. It's very pretty in its large group.

And one of our Hydrangeas, we have three large bushes.

May-Super Star!

This was a super exciting experience. In March or April, I was watching the Martha Stewart Show when Martha announced she was going to do a contest; Martha's Favorite Cookie Contest.

To enter, I had to submit a photo of cookies I made. So, I submitted this photo.

Kahlua Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Vanilla Mascarpone Cream Filling

Early May, Martha gives a sneak peek of some of the photos that have been entered...she showed MINE!!! I was jumping and screaming while watching. Jason had no idea why...rewind Tivo...Holy Cow! A few weeks later, I get an email from someone at the MARTHA show. I needed to sign some documents, get them notarized, etc. A few days later...WOO HOO! I was one of ten grand prize winners. How exciting. I received a signed copy of the Martha's Cookie book. I was so proud.

June-Maryland Wineries

In late June, a friend joined us as we spent a day in central Maryland picking berries, eating some amazing BBQ and visiting some wineries. It was a lovely day. We had a great time and look forward to going back for a trip sometime next summer.

July-SoCal

In July, Jason had to head to San Diego for work. After some back and forth with our friends Becca and Mia, I finally agreed I needed the trip as well. So, we hoped on a jet plane and took off for Sunny San Diego.

Like most of our trips, this one took on a focus of consuming wine and food. One of the first places we found was a great restaurant, that had just opened the night before, Olivetto. The photos of the two of us are at Olivetto enjoying a glass of Drylands Sauvignon Blanc, our new favorite wine.

Mmmm, Vino!

Lovely Mission-style architecture.

Somewhere between Earth and space. I was snapping pictures left and right while flying home. This is a favorite photo of mine. I love the blue.

Mmm, more vino!

August-Philly

August found us taking an overnight train trip to Philly to visit Em. She had great plans for us, which included a visit to Longwood Gardens, outside of Philly. A lovely place to visit if you find yourself with some time.

A cotton blossom.

A lovely gazebo-type structure in the woods.

Giant water lilies. Specialized at Longwood Gardens.

A lotus blossom.

September-More Food

Here are some more food photos from our adventures at home!

Three Garlic Pasta-Divine. Mild and rich garlic flavors.

Blueberry Ice Cream for Jason's birthday.

This is ridiculous; Cheesecake Dip, served with graham crackers or vanilla wafers.

Mustard Roasted Potatoes.

October-Scary Cat!

A big change for us this year was adopting Boomer. Boomer came from a family who had a child with severe allergies, so they had to give her up. Through a work colleague, she came to us. She took to Parkway Manor immediately. She loves it here. Belly rubs, food and snuggling at night are her favorite things. Her past times include naps, fighting with strings and playing with her mice.

Boomer, The Fierce Protectress
(she's actually playing with a string)

Boomer, The Princess
(she's given up on the box, but for awhile, it was a favorite place of hers. and that's her favorite toy mouse, she has many and will round them up after playing with them)