151: Lemming

Poor little dudes. They don't really commit mass suicide. They're just tiny and swim in big bodies of waters and sometimes they just don't make it...

365 Days of Animals
151: Lemming
Pen/Ink/Digital

150: The Gray Langur Monkey

They look little old wise men!

365 Days of Animals
150: The Gray Langur Monkey
Pen/Ink/Digital

149: Ladybug

I have very fond memories of the "Ladybug tree" that was outside my house growing up. Hundreds of them used to crawl all over it in the summer and I would go visit them every day.

365 Days of Animals
149: Ladybug
Pen/Ink/Digital

148: Kookaburra

Now I have that song in my head...

365 Days of Animals
148: Kookaburra
Pen/Ink/Digital

147: Komodo Dragon

I would love to see a Komodo dragon in person, but definitely, uh, from a distance. Holy hell, they are big!

365 Days of Animals
147: Komodo Dragon
Pen/Ink/Digital

146: Koala

Koalas are one of those ridiculously cute animals that you can't even believe exist. Right?!?

365 Days of Animals
146: Koala
Pen/Ink/Digital

145: Kinkajou

Cuties!

365 Days of Animals
145: Kinkajou
Pen/Ink/Digital

144: Belted Kingfisher Bird

These guys look like they have little turtlenecks on! 

365 Days of Animals
144: Belted Kingfisher Bird
Pen/Ink/Digital

143: Killer Whale

One of my faves!

365 Days of Animals
143: Killer Whale
Pen/Ink/Digital

142: Killdeer Bird

Smarty-pants birds!

365 Days of Animals
142: Killdeer Bird
Pen/Ink/Digital

141: Kangaroo

Size of a lima bean...that's so crazy! And then they live in their mama's pouch for 9 months to continue developing.

365 Days of Animals
141: Kangaroo
Pen/Ink/Digital

140: Kaka Parrot

Pretty birds!

365 Days of Animals
140: Kaka Parrot
Pen/Ink/Digital

139: June Bug

Soo...they're kinda like vampires?? Herbivore vampires.

365 Days of Animals
139: June Bug
Pen/Ink/Digital

Blog Tour! Whole Grain Vegan Baking Book

Blog tour time! Today, I'm gonna talk about my huge love for Whole Grain Vegan Baking. Yesterday you heard from Mihl and tomorrow you will here from Jess! Check out the full schedule for Celine and Tami's blog tour here. 

So, it's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Celine and Tami's recipes. I've been recipe testing for them for awhile now, years even, and their latest book to come out, Whole Grain Vegan Baking, is up there on my all-time-favorites list of cookbooks, like ever. I've made a lot of the recipes from this book, during the testing stage, and still after. There was a lot to learn from this book and it definitely gave me some major love for whole grains that I did NOT have before.  I learned that Spelt flour is the best ever AND I WANNA PUT IT IN EVERYTHING. I have a newfound love affair with Barley flour, and I never ever would have known that. I learned that I do not like Amaranth flour (to each their own!) Most importantly, I learned that whole grains taste waaaay better than plain white flour once you have a good, balanced recipe to work from (we've all tried to make "healthy" cookies or something that turned out tasteless and bleh before yeah?) There is a certain depth in the flavor of whole grain baked goods that I have come to appreciate and even prefer over the standard white flour varieties. Win!

I have lots of favorites from this book, including the pizza crust, the pitas, the kale quiche, the wild mushroom & arugula pie, Speculoos DOUGHNUTS, sweet potato waffles, coconut-spice granola, the english muffin bread, Pull-apart Cinnamon Bread, and so so many more. Seriously, there is something for everyone in here.

Anyways, for this stop on their blog tour, I wanted to devote this post to your sweet tooth. Because, mmm sweet tooth. I was on kind of a no-sugar kick for the last few months leading up to my wedding, and what better way to break that restriction on myself with some tasty (healthy-ish) sweets!

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CONTEST TIME!

Also, CONTEST! Weee! Celine, Tami, and their publisher have graciously offered up one copy of Whole Grain Vegan Baking to a lucky reader here.

*EDIT: Winner has been chosen, thank you! Congrats to Becca!

To enter: Leave me a comment, by Monday at Midnight EST, telling me a bad experience you have had with whole grain baking. Let's let it all out, therapy-style, and then never think about it again, because you are going to make so many delicious whole grain recipes when you get this book!
*Don't forget to leave your email address!
*Unfortunately, this contest is only open to those in the U.S. and Canada (I'm sorry...) The publisher will ship it straight to the winner

I will pick a winner on Tuesday, via Random.org. Good luck!

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Speculoos Doughnuts!

Sweet Potato Waffles!

Whole and Oats Cookies. (hehehe)

138: Jerboa

Jerboas are like 3 different animals merged together! I would probably die of cuteness if I ever saw one hop by me.

365 Days of Animals
138: Jerboa
Pen/Ink/Digital

137: Lion's Mane Jellyfish

This one was fun to draw. Also, HAIR JELLY!  :)

I have a huge fascination with jellyfish...they just kinda blow my mind. Also, you should check out one of my favorite underwater photographers, Alexander Semenov. Seriously, mind blown by his photos. 

365 Days of Animals
137: Lion's Mane Jellyfish
Pen/Ink/Digital

136: Jaguar

You know the kitties are my favorites... :)

365 Days of Animals
136: Jaguar
Pen/Ink/Digital

135: Jackal

Jackals kinda scare me.

365 Days of Animals
135: Jackal
Pen/Ink/Digital

Neighborhood Snapshots

Brooklyn is in bloom! I brought along my new camera lens on my daily post office walk the other morning, and snapped some photos of all the pretties. It is a pretty walk, and I try to take it earlier in the day (mostly before there are gobs of teenagers loitering about after they get out of school.) Above is my favorite street in all of NYC. This stretch of Guernsey street has this pretty canopy of trees that almost creates a tunnel when they are fully in bloom. It's super-pretty in the Autumn too. Also, it's quiet and the light is always nice. Next time I'll take a photo of more of the doors on this street, because there are some unique ones. 

And some pretty flowers by the park near my place!

134: Glass-winged Butterfly

These are so cool!!

365 Days of Animals
134: Glass-winged Butterfly
Pen/Ink/Digital

133: Iguana

3rd eye? Well I learned something new today.

365 Days of Animals
133: Iguana
Pen/Ink/Digital

132: Inchworm

Go little dudes, go!

365 Days of Animals
132: Inchworm
Pen/Ink/Digital

131: Impala Antelope

Toothcomb...so weird! These antelopes are so pretty and graceful-looking. 

365 Days of Animals
131: Impala Antelope
Pen/Ink/Digital

130: Icelandic Horse

I wanna go to Iceland, wahhh!!!  Also, I kinda love the color that accidentally happened in the background of this one. 

Happy Friday folks!
xo,
Michelle

365 Days of Animals
130: Icelandic Horse
Pen/Ink/Digital

129: Hyena

I was going to link to some Hyenas laughing, but I could only find ones where they were cackling and fighting over mauled, dead animals and that was just creepy. Or maybe it is creepy that people film that...

365 Days of Animals
129: Hyena
Pen/Ink/Digital

128: Humpback Whale

Their songs are soo cool. 

365 Days of Animals
128: Humpback Whale
Pen/Ink/Digital

127: Hummingbird

They're so stinking cute!  They do make me a little nervous though when they flit about too close to me. 

365 Days of Animals
127: Hummingbird
Pen/Ink/Digital

126: Horse

I always forget how HUGE horses are and how they have a majestic-air to them.

365 Days of Animals
126: Horse
Pen/Ink/Digital

125: Horned Lizard

Don't Eff with this dude.

365 Days of Animals
125: Horned Lizard
Pen/Ink/Digital

p.s. I'm a little behind posting these! Wedding was amazing and I obviously had a bit too much fun since I still feel like my body is recovering from it three days later...I get all smiley thinking about it though. Pics soon!

124: Honeypot Ant

These freak me out so much! 

365 Days of Animals
124: Honeypot Ant
Pen/Ink/Digital

p.s. Nik and I are getting married today! We're so psyched! All of our family and friends came in yesterday, and we had a small get-together and dinner last night at Paulie Gee's and Spritzenhaus. So much fun!  I'll share more about the events next week. Happy day! :)

123: Honey Badger

Also, gives no shits!

365 Days of Animals
123: Honey Badger
Pen/Ink/Digital

122: Hoatzin Bird

Ew, just ew. Something about there being an extra chamber to their stomach where their food ferments and creates an awful odor...

365 Days of Animals
122: Hoatzin Bird
Pen/Ink/Digital

121: Hippo

They're so squishy & cute looking, but I'd add them to the list of animals that would prolly most definitely rip your face off.

365 Days of Animals
121: Hippo
Pen/Ink/Digital