Word of the Day 4/27/2012

Patagium (noun)

1: the fold of skin connecting the forelimbs and hind limbs of some tetrapods (as flying squirrels)

2: the fold of skin in front of the main segments of a bird's wing

 

Examples: The flying squirrel uses its two patagia to glide from tree to tree.

"One of the key identification marks is the dark leading edge of the wing, called the patagium. These marks on the under wing are only found on the red-tailed hawk." — From an article by Bill Fenimore, The Salt Lake Tribune, February 6, 2012

 

Did You Know? :In Latin, "patagium" referred to a gold edging or border on a woman's tunic, but in English its uses have been primarily scientific. It entered the English language in the early 19th century and was used by entomologists to refer to a process on the back of the foremost segment of an insect. Zoologists borrowed it as a word for the fold of skin of "flying" mammals and reptiles. Then ornithologists took the word to higher heights by the century's end, applying it to the forward part of the wings of birds.

Merriam-Webster Online Word of the Day

Word of the Day 4/26/2012

Unabashed (adjective): not disconcerted : undisguised, unapologetic

Examples: "I am an unabashed fan of the Scripps National Spelling Bee," admitted Carly.

"He long has been an unabashed advocate of increasing the gas tax to help pay for transportation projects…." — From an article by Matt Cella in The Washington Times, April 9, 2012

Did You Know?: When you are "unabashed," you make no apologies for your behavior, but when you are "abashed," your confidence has been shaken and you may feel rather inferior or ashamed of yourself. English speakers have been using "abashed" to describe feelings of embarrassment since the 14th century, but they have only used "unabashed" (brazenly or otherwise) since the late 1500s. Both words can be traced back to the Anglo-French word "abair," meaning "to astonish."

Merriam-Webster Online Word of the Day

Ryan - Tickle-Bug Attacks!!

I let the tickle-bug attack, and I had the nerve to video tape it too!

Ryan's giggles are contagious arn't they?!

Thirsty Thursday: Mint Lemon-Limeade

Mint Lemon-Limeade

Remember back when I posted the Mojitos that I said I love mint with my lime....??? Well Stylish Cuisine posted this other drink and I dubbed this my summer drink for 2012! Alex got us a mint plant earlier this month and we have our lime tree (and the neighbor's lemon tree that hangs over into our yard)... so we're SET! (Oh and doesn't that picture just make your mouth water!?)

Recipe adapted from Stylish Cuisine

For one pitcher:

2 large lemons, or enough to make 1/2 cup of lemon juice
2 limes, or enough to make 1/4 cup of lime juice
2 large sprigs of fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup superfine sugar
cold water

Make a simple syrup by putting 3/4 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of water into a small pot over medium heat. Add the mint sprigs. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the pan from the heat. Leave the mint leaves in the syrup until you are ready to use it.

Squeeze the juice from the lemons and limes over a strainer into a glass measuring cup. You should end up with 3/4 cup of juice. Strain it into a pitcher. Remove the mint from the sugar syrup and add the syrup to the pitcher. Add 7 cups of water to the pitcher and stir. Taste for sweetness. Add additional lemon juice, lime juice or sugar as necessary to suit your taste.

Pour into tall glasses filled with ice and enjoy!

Yes, thoroughly enjoy!

Word of the Day 4/25/2012

Cahoot (noun): partnership, league — usually used in plural

Examples: Police suspect that the burglar was in cahoots with the bartender.

"In a huge anti-mafia bust, 16 judges have been arrested near Naples, Italy, according to the BBC, for allegedly being in cahoots with Italy's notorious Camorra crime syndicate." — From a news article in The Huffington Post, March 19, 2012

Did You Know?: "Cahoot" is used almost exclusively in the phrase "in cahoots," which means "in an alliance or partnership." In most contexts, it describes the conspiring activity of people up to no good. (There's also the rare idiom "go cahoots," meaning "to enter into a partnership," as in "they went cahoots on a new restaurant.") "Cahoot" may derive from French "cahute," meaning "cabin" or "hut," suggesting the notion of two or more people hidden away working together in secret. "Cahute" is believed to have been formed through the combination of two other words for cabins and huts, "cabane" and "hutte."

Merriam-Webster Online Word of the Day

Word of the Day 4/24/2012

Kowtow (verb)

1: to show obsequious deference : fawn

2: to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in token of homage, worship, or deep respect

 

Examples: Martin kowtows to our boss every chance he gets, complimenting him on his suits and offering favors.

"It's not honorable to kowtow to the extremes so you can preserve your political career." — From an op-ed column by David Brooks in The New York Times, February 28, 2012

Did You Know?: "Kowtow" originated as a noun referring to the act of kneeling and touching one's head to the ground as a salute or act of worship to a revered authority. In traditional China this ritual was performed by commoners making requests to the local magistrate, by the emperor to the shrine of Confucius, or by foreign representatives appearing before the emperor to establish trade relations. (In the late 18th century, some Western nations resisted performing the ritual, which acknowledged the Chinese emperor as the "son of heaven.") The word "kowtow" derives from Chinese "koutou," formed by combining the verb "kou" ("to knock") with the noun "tou" ("head"). The noun had arrived in English by 1804, and the earliest evidence for the verb dates from 1826.

Merriam-Webster Online Word of the Day

#77 DZP: Complete 3 DIY projects - #1

#77 DZP Goal: Complete 3 DIY projects

Project #1: DIY Dry-Erase Calendar

Now I bet you can guess where I got this DIY idea from...... that's right, Pinterest! More importantly, from The Aesthetic Writer *check her out*

Found this and LOVED the idea from the get-go.

I love that Alex and I now have a place to go and see what date-night ideas we can fill up on there!

I took a 12" x 16" picture frame... and it was a cherry-color wood, so I spray painted it a dark brown. Since I was at Home Depot getting the paint, I picked up several shades of green paint-chips.

Yes, just like the Aesthetic Writer, I got several dirty looks while picking out my paint-chips.

It's free. So deal with it. Ha!

Now following her instructions: I punched 2" x 2" squares from my paint-chips using my handy-dandy EK Square Punch. It was quick and easy. Done & done.

Note: You'll need a total of 35 square chips. You'll see why...

Now I'm sure you can get creative with the colors and what-have-you, but I liked her idea and scattered my colors across the board. Very similar to her calendar.

I bought an ivory board to place underneath the colors and stuck the chips on using double-sided Stotch tape. I didn't measure where each chip should go... I just kind of did it by eye.

Then placed it in the frame, cleaned it up a little bit, write up the days using your dry-erase markers, and there you have it!

A dry-erase calendar!!

One project down... two to go!

Tuesday Taste Buds: Two Tomato Pasta

 

Two Tomato Pasta with Mozzarella, Basil &Pine Nuts

I spotted this off Pinterest (of course) and yes, the picture was stunning but it had me drooling.

So I had to try it!

It's simple ingredients make it an easy weekday meal!

Recipe from The Italian Dish

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces of grape tomatoes
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• salt & pepper
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 10 ounces spaghetti
• 14 ounces very small tomatoes (about 8 to 10), cut into chunks
• 4 ounces mozzarella, cubed
• about 10 basil leaves, julienned

Instructions:

For the slow roasted tomatoes: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Slice grape tomatoes in half and place on baking sheet with the garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with some salt and pepper. Toss well. Bake for about two hours or until the tomatoes are reduced down and have lost a lot of their moisture.

Toast the pine nuts: Place pine nuts in a small skillet. Cook over medium high heat just for a few minutes, until lightly toasted.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta just until al dente. Remove with tongs and place in a large serving bowl (don't drain- you want a little pasta water still on the pasta so it doesn't stick). Add the slow roasted tomatoes, the toasted pine nuts, the fresh tomatoes, the mozzarella, 4 tablespoons olive oil and the basil leaves. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss well.

#87 DZP 1/5 Done!

Thirsty Thursday: Pomegranate Berry Smoothie

Pomegranate Berry Smoothie

Recipe from Stylish Cuisine

1 cup of pomegranate juice
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup of ice cubes
honey to taste

Put all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Say "yumm!" after one sip!

#90 DZP: Own a Kate Spade purse (Part II)

#90 DZP Goal: Own a Kate Spade Purse

*COMPLETE*

Yup! She came home and she's all mine!

Word of the Day 4/17/2012

Nebbish (noun) : a timid, meek, or ineffectual person

Examples : As a teenager, Lyle was a nebbish who could never stand up to the bullies who gave him such a hard time.

"The play started off deadly dull and only picked up when Lore came on stage. He embodied the myopic, nebbish caricature…. His best moments came in Act II, when he attempted to woo Gretchen. His Robert was so bad at it that it was comical." — From a review by Kathy Greenberg in the Tampa Tribune, February 29, 2012

Did You Know?: "From what I read …. it looks like Pa isn't anything like the nebbish Ma is always making him out to be…." Sounds like poor Pa got a bum rap, at least according to a 1951 book review that appeared in The New York Times. The unfortunate Pa unwittingly demonstrates much about the etymology of "nebbish," which derives from the Yiddish "nebekh," meaning "poor" or "unfortunate." As you might expect for a timid word like "nebbish," the journey from Yiddish to English wasn't accomplished in a single bold leap of spelling and meaning. In its earliest English uses in the 1840s, it was spelled "nebbich" and used interjectionally as an expression of dismay.

Merriam-Webster Online Word of the Day

Word of the Day 4/16/2012

Piquant (adjective)

1: agreeably stimulating to the palate; especially : spicy

2: engagingly provocative; also : having a lively arch charm

Examples: Reggie's piquant commentary always makes for interesting listening, though sometimes his remarks can go too far.

"Our main courses were preceded by green salads, which were bright and crisp with a suitably piquant balsamic vinegar dressing."— From a review by Irv Dean in The Daily Gazette, February 19, 2012

Did You Know?: Piquant flavors "sting" the tongue and piquant words "prick" the intellect, arousing interest. These varying senses reflect the etymology of the word "piquant," which first appeared in English in the 17th century and which derives from the Middle French verb "piquer," meaning "to sting" or "to prick." Though first used to describe foods with spicy flavors, the word is now often used to describe things that are spicy in other ways, such as engaging conversation. Have we piqued your curiosity about another "piquer" offspring? If you’ve already guessed that the verb "pique," meaning "to offend" or "to arouse by provocation," comes from "piquer," too, you’ve got a sharp mind.

Merriam-Webster Online Word of the Day

Thirsty Thursday: Watermelon Punch

Watermelon Punch

Recipe from Stylish Cuisine

1 8–10-lb. seedless watermelon

3–5 limes, quartered
1/4–1/2 cup granulated sugar

If you happen to find any rogue seeds in your seedless watermelon, remove them. Purée the pulp in a blender or food processor. Strain into a large wide-mouth pitcher to catch any stray seeds that you might have missed.

Squeeze limes into pitcher, adding the rinds. Add sugar and 6–8 cups water and mix well. Adjust flavor with more sugar or limes, if you like. Add plenty of ice, then pour into tall glasses.

Little Note from Sylish Cuisine:

This recipe makes A LOT of punch, so if you’re not sure you’re going to like it, either halve or quarter the recipe. I had so much punch that I ended up making ice pops out of it because the boys weren’t drinking it fast enough. It will only keep for a day or two in the refrigerator before it starts to get that funny, overripe watermelon taste so only make as much as you think you’ll drink.

#90 DZP: Own a Kate Spade purse (Part I)

#90 DZP Goal: Own a Kate Spade purse (Part I)

This is a part one because I just bought it online so it's not here, in my hands, just yet. But with free shipping, and a 15% off for signing up with they're email... this was my chance to shop!

So this beauty is comin' to Momma!

(plain for a Kate Spade, but I didn't have a black purse before)

#38 DZP: Color/Dye eggs for Easter

#38 DZP Goal: Color/Dye eggs for Easter

Ryan is still a little too little to understand the Easter Bunny and that he hides the eggs you decorate/color... but he loves that he got an Easter basket from his Auntie Alex & Tio David!

So the loveable De<3 sistas came over and with the help of some vino: we were decorating eggs!

I haven't decorated eggs since I was like 7, and to do it again was exciting and it was like I was 7 again!

#36 DZP: Donate my hair to Locks of Love

#36 DZP Goal: Donate my hair to Locks of Love

This took practically a year to complete, but completed nonetheless!

I cut off 10 inches total and sent it off to Locks of Love with hopes that it will make a wig for a smiling, beautiful child!

Word of the Day 4/9/2012

Alleviate (verb) a : relieve, lessen: as b : to make (as suffering) more bearable c : to partially remove or correct

Examples: Mom suggested that ibuprofen and tea would perhaps alleviate some of the misery of my cold.
"Public health officials are pushing to alleviate crowds at Boston's emergency rooms by redirecting patients without life-threatening ailments to one of the city's 25 community health centers …" — From an article by Andrew Ryan in The Boston Globe, March 6, 2012

Did You Know?: "Alleviate" derives from the past participle of Late Latin "alleviare" ("to lighten or relieve"), which in turn was formed by combining the prefix "ad-" and the adjective "levis," a Latin word meaning "light" or "having little weight." ("Levis" comes from the same ancient word that gave rise to "light" in English.) We acquired "alleviate" in the 15th century, and for the first few centuries the word could mean either "to cause (something) to have less weight" or "to make (something) more tolerable." The literal "make lighter" sense is no longer used, however, so today we have only the "relieve" sense. Incidentally, not only is "alleviate" a synonym of "relieve," it's also a cousin; "relieve" comes from "levare" ("to raise"), which in turn comes from "levis."

Thirsty Thursday: Mojitos!

Mojito

I love a good mojito... especially if I didn't make them, but incase you (or I) need to whip up a batch, this recipe is simple to do! I myself add more mint leaves because I really like the mint with the lime.

Recipe from Stylish Cuisine

6 large fresh spearmint leaves, plus 1 nice sprig for garnish
4 tsp. superfine sugar; more to taste
1 lime
Crushed ice as needed
2 fluid oz. (1/4 cup) light rum
Cold club soda as needed

In a tall, narrow (Collins) glass, mash the mint leaves into the sugar with a muddler or a similar tool (like the handle of a wooden spoon) until the leaves look crushed and the sugar starts to turn light green, about 30 seconds. Cut the lime into quarters. Squeeze the juice from all four quarters into the glass, dropping two of the squeezed quarters into the glass as you go. Stir with a teaspoon until the sugar dissolves into the lime juice. Fill the glass with crushed ice and pour the rum over the ice. Top off with club soda, stir well, garnish with the mint sprig, and serve right away.

Word of the Day 4/4/2012

Rash (adjective): marked by or proceeding from undue haste or lack of deliberation or caution

EXAMPLES: He often doesn't think before he speaks, and this is not the first time he has had to apologize for his rash comments.
"Many colleges have yet to send out their final acceptances. So before making a rash decision, sit tight and wait to hear back from all your colleges." — From an article by Purvi S. Mody in the San Jose Mercury News (California), March 19, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?: The earliest known uses of "rash" (then spelled "rasch") occur in a northern dialect of 15th-century Middle English. Its earlier origins are not known for sure, though it is clearly related to a number of similar words in the Germanic languages, including Old High German "rasc" ("fast, hurried, strong, clever"), Old Norse "röskr" ("brave, vigorous"), and Middle Dutch "rasch" ("quick, nimble, agile, vigorous"). It is not, however, related to the English noun "rash" ("an eruption on the body," as in a "skin rash"). The noun "rash," which first appeared in English in the 1700s, comes by way of French and Vulgar Latin from Latin "rasus," the past participle of "radere" ("to scrape" or "to shave").

Merriam-Webster Word of the Day

#25 DZP: Complete a Jigzaw Puzzle

#25 DZP Goal: Complete a Jigzaw Puzzle

Now I know what you're thinking: that's not the type of puzzle you thought I was going to complete. BUT it's a puzzle nonetheless and I'm checking #25 off the list! HA!

This little puzzle box found it's way into my arms at Barnes & Noble, and so I had to buy it.

It's only 60 pieces, but doesn't she look lovely! I had fun taking a moment for myself to complete this, and now she sits on her tupperware box filled with paperclips... which is at my desk.

#57 DZP: Donate Clothes

#57 DZP Goal: Donate Clothes

I always receive those donation bags on the handle of my front door, or attached to the mailbox... and usually I use them for trash or... well for trash. But this time I fulfilled it's purposed and donated clothes to the Cancer Cure Foundation.

I had several old clothes: didn't fit, too old, "what was I thinking buying that" clothes, and I also threw in a couple accessories and shoes into the mix. So I called the CCF and made arrangements for the pick up just outside the front door, where it all began.

It feels good to donate and to check another goal off the list. And I feel so good that I can go back to using the donation bags for my trash again.