This is not a Valentines story. I want to be very clear about this. I am extremely loved and taken care of on a daily basis. I want to keep it that way.
This, my friends, is a story about love, friendship, courtship and a long caring relationship that creates countless stories.
Oh yeah and a love potion - a cocktail recipe like no other.
The proximity to Valentines Day, was unintentional. Our wedding was in the middle of a road trip, on a Mexican beach, barefoot, with family surrounding us. It was simple, it was perfect. We were living out of "Goldie" the van, climbing and biking our way across North America with our trusty side kick of a dog. His ring was purchased from a sweet little Mexican street vendor and my beautifully simple dress was found at a beach shop in a perfect little beach town. It was love not fuss. It was a party, not once was it stressful. It was beautiful and I watched J cry and knew this is for real.
These past few years have been amazing, full and meaningful. These past few years we have created wonderfully wild stories that we will tell our kids and then grandchildren. These stories will explain why we most likely will limp, have creaky joints, numerous scares and sun spots. Our bookshelves will be lined with first edition climbing guides and pictures of forest, oceans and trails. With relatively few married years that we have together our stories are deep and rich and I look forward to many more that lay ahead of us. I have a new sparkly ring that sits next to the one given to me on the beach. It signifies where we started and where we are going.
Love for me comes in the form of a red bearded, Irish Pop Eye, southern gentleman who can do ANYTHING. I am inspired by his zest for the outdoors and his natural yearning to play outside. I try to keep up and I learn so much in the process. Our lives together has made me a better person and naturally a better athlete. He has learned patience because I like to move like a sloth while he darts around like a hummingbird. We work it out. 
Our adventures, love, future plans that include more wild adventures are the things that make our lives meaningful together. We don't let things gather dust, continue to make exciting plans, and weekly dates as we battle through hardships and challenges but come out on top at the end of the day (or at least by the end of the week). We talk about having little ones some day.
Our love comes in the form of longing gazes across a crowded room, a passing kiss while moving about the house, faith and trust in each other and space to be ourselves.
We are a team.
We have it all. We have each other.
This is my love potion served as a small sip to start an evening.
Start with Campari, the bottle is sexy enough alone being Italian and all, a perfect ingredient for a love potion. Campari is considered bitters, which is a refreshingly simple infusion of fruits and herbs that is deep red in color. Campari is then mixed with gin and sweet vermouth at which point you get a Negroni, love potion. The Negroni is considered an apéritif, a pre-dinner cocktail intended to stimulate the appetite and/or love.
makes one cocktail
One part Gin
One part sweet vermouth
One part Campri
orange peel garnish
Combine ingredients in an iced filled shaker, shake until well chilled and strain into you favorite cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel.
Go ahead and be stimulated for whatever comes your way and have a wonderful evening!
Shared with the Monthly Mingle hosted by Paulchen's Foodblog
Here is to two years and many more to come!
