I like dolls

Lately I'm really interested in dolls. Actually, I've always been interested in dolls. I had a hard time letting go of Barbie around the 6th grade when I realized other girls my age had stopped playing with her. It's time to bring her back...and all her friends, accessories, and prom dresses. (she's always got an entourage.)

I Quit!!!

Wednesday was my last day at the Museum of Art. Some of my readers didn't know, but I had been working there for the past two months cleaning in the mornings. It's lovely to ride your bike to work at 5:45am each day, but it may be even lovelier to be in bed asleep at that hour. I will miss all the time I had to inspect the paintings without any security guards around telling me to "back away from the artwork." I will not miss cleaning the bathrooms, specifically the toilets.

Bryce Canyon Half Marathon

The weekend's race ought to have been sponsered by Pepto-Bismol. Thank you Pepto-Bismol, Lissa and I couldn't have made it without you. Why does running give you the runs? I survived the Bryce Canyon half marathon this weekend. It was a beautiful downhill 13 miles from Ruby's Inn, Utah to the little town of Cannonville. The night before the race I slept in my tent off the side of the road with Eric and Lissa nearby. We slept to a chorus of coyotes and a lone baritone cow mooing all night: not very restful. Here's a proud moment of me and Jen sporting our medalsMembers of the Henry clan in Manti
Lissa and Eric overlooking the scenic and foreign-tourist-filled Bryce Canyon. My favorites were the little French tourist boys. Little French speaking boys are so cute.
I felt like and eighty-year-old man trying to shuffle my way down the trail, my knees were so stiff. Next time I go to Bryce Canyon, I'm going to wear rollerblades and skate down the trails, I think it will be faster and put less strain on the ol' body. Also, next time I do a half marathon I'm going be impervious to stomach illnesses, this race reminded me of an earlier one in Moab: burps that smelled like farts. Think on that and be grateful for your healthy bowels, that's my parting thought.

(I'm sorry if this post included to much information and scarred the delicate sentiments of some of my readers.)

The Ants Go Marching in Bryce Canyon

A Proud Moment

My students turned in these self portraits the other day. Aren't they good? Ah, my little budding artists...

what i've been eating for breakfast all week...

Yes friends, it's ice-cream cake. I made a bigger one for a friend's birthday, and also made myself a little one I could keep in my freezer and pull out for special occasions. Every day is a special occasion, so it seems.
How to make this cake:
Hersheys Deep Dark Chocolate Cake (I used the high altitude recipe) This is a good, easy recipe that makes a very rich and moist dark chocolate cake. I baked the cake in my little 5 inch cake pans. After the cakes have cooled, take the cakes out of the pans, line them with saran wrap and fill them with icecream that has softened slightly. Then, put the icecream filled cake pans in the freezer to harden up...
...Once the cakes have cooled completely, you can slice the cakes in half so they make more layers (with the two cake pans pictured you cake make 2 little icecream cakes), and put a layer of the icecream in the middle that you molded and froze in the cake pan, and a layer of cake on top, then frost with cool whip. I used chocolate flavored cool whip. Before serving drizzle it with chocolate sauce for some added elegance. It's very easy, and very tasty!
And no, this picture doesn't have anything to do with ICECREAM cake, that's Twiggy Cake. This is a still from my art film "The Twiggy Cake," in case you didn't get to see it, click here! (scroll down)

Fresh Summer Salad

I just made this Caribbean Sweet Potato Salad the other day and really liked it. It's very fresh tasting, and if you like sweet potatoes, this is for you!


1 large russet potato, peeled and quartered
1 large sweet potato, peeled and quartered
1 cup corn
1 teaspoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and chopped
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts


Place the Russet potato pieces into a large saucepan, and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the sweet potato, and cook about 15 minutes more. Remove a piece of each potato, and cut it in half to see if it is cooked enough. Once the potatoes are tender, add corn kernels; cook another 30 seconds. Drain through a colander.

Fill the saucepan with cold water, and drop vegetables into water. Cool for 5 minutes, and drain.
In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic. Slowly whisk in oil. Mix in salt and black pepper.

Cut cooled potatoes into 1 inch cubes, and add to dressing along with cucumber, and red onion. Toss well. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Toss the peanuts in just before serving.

Enjoy!

Let Freedom Ring

After running in the 10k Freedom Festival Freedom Run, and walking in the Freedom Festival Parade as an official Freedom Festival "pooper scooper" (the Freedom Festival is BIG deal here in P-town), I loaded up the Rav and headed off to the Flaming Gorge Resevoir to stay at a friend's cabin. Above is a photo that shows a cactus in bloom and an ant, below shows the scenery of where we slept. (sorry I forgot to take my camera to the Freedom Festival Parade.)
My new tent, and that girl who slept in it.Kjerstin doing "tree pose" in front of an expansive and scenic valley.
We stopped for Indian fry bread at this place on the side of the highway. DELISH.
Hope you had a fantastic Independence Day!