And suddenly it's May

Pic of the week 

It's a bit hard to make out in this picture, but what you're looking at is a bioluminescent wave.  Every once in a while we get a bloom of bioluminescent plankton here on the Southern California coast (I'm not entirely sure how often it happens, but I've lived here almost 10 years and this is the first time I've seen it).  They light up as a defense mechanism, so when a big waves crash, cue the fireworks.  Not every wave was bright blue, but when they lit up, it was honestly magical.  Adding it to my list of most beautiful things I've ever seen.  If you ever get a chance, I'd highly recommend it.  It was also nice to just get out for a little while, even though the beach and boardwalk paths were technically closed, *most* people were pretty good about keeping their distance. Here's a video of some dolphins swimming in the water just south of here and lighting it up.

What's going on?

Another week in quarantine.  Not much new to report.  I've been watching a lot of TV, continuing to sew masks, and puzzling it up!  I discovered that there is a perfect pair of trees in the park by my house where I can hang my hammock for some reading and nap time.

What I'm watching

This is the sequel to The Last Airbender and is honestly just as good as the original series. 

What I'm reading

Several people have recommended this to me and I finally got my hands on a copy. I'm only a few pages in, but this already feels like it should be required reading for every American. It's the story of the migration of black people from the south to cities in the north and west from 1916-about 1970.  Such an interesting perspective shift. 

What I'm puzzling

Birthday present from Andrew.  Gotta love that Eric Dowdle.  

What I'm cooking

Two-ingredient cookies! I'm leaning into the fact that I'm mostly eating at home and that what I eat is something I can control in this time of uncertainty, so I'm trying to be a little healthier about it.  I've done enough reading and experimenting with different nutritional plans over the years to know that giving up treats is not something that's sustainable for me.  I like treats too much.  And I'm talking REAL treats - rich bread puddings and gooey cookies and melt-in-your-mouth brownies, not stevia/almond flour substitutes.  BUT that doesn't mean I need a Levain Cookie every day, ya know?  These were a passable alternative to enjoy after dinner without breaking the calorie bank.  I read a few different recipes, but the general consensus seems to be:

1 large overripe banana mashed

1 cup of oats (most recipes recommend quick oats, but I used old-fashioned and they worked just fine)  

Mix it all up and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.  And that's literally it!

Of course, these are just a base cookie and you could really add a million different things.  I threw in some cinnamon, vanilla, and some sugar-free chocolate chips I had laying around from when I was doing keto.  Next time I think I'll add some nuts and dried cherries.  😋