Murder and mayhem.... It's the kind of thing Still Married serves up in a Valentine's Day song. We're giving it away on our website - please help yourself at the link below:

Heart Shaped Stones Free Download.

I have pineapple on my mind. Craig and I spent a luscious week in Hawaii for our 27th wedding anniversary --  and we enjoyed (among other things) pineapple in all sorts of dishes. Our favorite, of course, was a wedge tucked on the top of tropical cocktail.

But back to real life....sigh.  I was looking for interesting ways to serve pineapple (minus the rum) at home.

This dish,  gorgeous to look at and deliciously complex in flavor, makes a lovely light lunch. For dinner, we've enjoyed it with grilled chicken and quinoa pilaf. And yes, you can use canned beets and canned pineapple - but the flavor is much livelier with fresh ingredients.


1/2 of a fresh pineapple, cut in 1-inch pieces
3-4 beets, roasted, sliced *

Dressing:

2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Whisk together dressing ingredients. Toss the dressing (you may not need all of it - add a little at a time and taste) with beets and pineapple. Enjoy.

* I wash the beets, wrap them in foil and roast at 350 degrees for 1- 1 1/2 hours - depending on the size of the beet. They should be tender - easily cut with a butter knife. Once they've cooled,  peel and slice.  Alternately, the Holiday Market deli (Redding and Cottonwood) sells roasted organic beets.

Printable recipe: CLick here.

Redding City Hall was buzzing with art fans last Friday evening. They were enjoying a fun stop on the 2012 Cultural Cruise, where artwork is displayed on all three floors.  There was much oohing and aahing over a variety of works - paintings, photographs and sculptures. It took me awhile snap a picture of this amazing piece by artist James Freeman, because so many people were swarming around it.



Several North State Songwriters provided musical entertainment.

Folk-rocker, Nick Ciampi:


Paul Howell:


Cottonwood duo, The Pine Dogz:


And Craig and I - Still Married -- had fun with local tunes:


Grab a cup of coffee and spend some time exploring the exhibits on all three floors of Redding City Hall - they'll be there through May. You will be delighted, I promise.

A city-wide event celebrating art and culture -- it's a Redding tradition and we love being part of it.

Craig and I will be joined by several other North State songwriters at Redding City Hall on Friday, January 27th.

On the bill are:  5:00  Nick Ciampi
                          5:45 Paul Howell
                          6:30 The Pine Dogz
                          7:15 Still Married



Come check out the new artwork on display, enjoy refreshments and meet the artists. There are several venues on the Cruise - maps are available here: Cultural Cruise Map

Last year, I took Christine Kane's advice regarding New Year's Resolutions. Kane is a singer-songwriter and "Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World."  She explains her philosophy on her blog: "Choose a word for the year and let it guide you to take action." You can read the whole piece on her website: Christine Kane: Resolution Revolution.

I procrastinated about what I was going to commit to for 2012, but I decided there was no way around it. My word for 2012 is discipline. That's not an easy word for me, because I tend to be relaxed and laid back.  "Let It Be" has worked well for me. But at this age, at this moment, with my goals and aspirations, discipline is a requirement.

• I've just begun fiddle lessons, and it's challenging my middle-aged brain to the limit.  Practice doesn't make perfect - at least not so far - but the discipline is slowly easing me out of the "screeching cat" phase. 
• I'm working on a 10-song CD project that's only half written. Discipline (and coffee) will get me into my studio for the necessary early morning writing sessions. 
• Last summer, I started running and preparing healthy meals and I managed to lose 20 pounds. That weight is not going to stay gone without a little -- or most likely, a lot -- of discipline.   

So, with this handy-dandy word tucked into my pocket, I'm ready for whatever the New Year has in store.

Do you have a word for 2012? Share, please?

New Year's Eve in Hawaii -- No discipline here, just aloha....