Julie Swallowtail

Snow...

2012-01-18T13:05:00.002-05:00

And finally Winter, with its bitin', whinin' wind, and all the land will be mantled with snow.
Roy Bean

Delicious...

2012-01-03T22:45:00.000-05:00

Butternut squash recipe. I made this tonight and it was so yummy! I got the recipe and photo here. I didn't make a paste, I just sprinkled everything on the oiled squash because I found this recipe after it was already in the oven with olive oil drizzled over it.

Spiced Roasted Butternut Squash

1 large butternut squash
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375F.
Cut ends off butternut squash, peel, and slice lengthwise.
Remove seeds and chop into 1 inch cubes.
In a medium bowl, combine spices, oil and vinegar into a paste.
Add squash and toss until coated.
Arrange the squash cubes in one layer in a roasting pan.
Roast for 20 minutes, toss once, and cook for an additional 25 minutes or until the squash is browned and is tender throughout.

A delicious new grain-free main dish

2011-12-31T13:39:00.001-05:00

The latest installment in my fabulously infrequently updated blog...

Jeff and I have been on a grain-free diet for about 2 months now and we are both feeling much better. He's lost 20lbs or more and I've lost 7lbs. His blood sugars are mostly normal now, except one time he forgot his meds and it was 131. Cravings are much less, too. Catie and Ben are on it also.
This is a main dish I made up last night to take to game night for Jeff, me, Catie and Ben to eat instead of home made pizza. I didn't realize how many others would like it. I wanted to put it down for posterity in case someone else might want the recipe.

I didn't get a photo but, it looked a lot like this image from Noble Pig.

Grain-Free Lasagna

1 ½ lbs. ground beef

½ lb. bulk mild Italian sausage

1/3 c. chopped pepperoni slices (so maybe Jeff wouldn't miss his beloved pepperoni pizza)

1 jar homemade spaghetti sauce

1 c. homemade mild salsa

1 small can tomato paste

3 small zucchini

1 ½ cups chopped fresh vegetables ( I used carrots, red peppers, mushrooms, broccoli)

2 c. fresh spinach

2 c. cottage cheese

2 eggs

½ c. grated Parmesan cheese (not shakey cheese!)

3 c. grated mozzarella

¼ c. chopped Italian parsley

Fry ground beef and Italian sausage until browned. Add pepperoni and cook till it is soft. Add spaghetti sauce, salsa, and tomato paste. Simmer all together for a few minutes while you get the other layers ready.

Cut the ends off the zucchini and slice them thinly length-wise into noodle-like pieces.

Chop the fresh vegetables of your choice. Toss them with a drizzle of olive oil on a cookie sheet then roast in a 400F oven until they look yummy. Don't let them burn.

Mix the cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan, mozzarella, and Italian parsley together.

Layer in this order in a 9X13” baking pan:

meat mixture
zucchini slices laid down like noodles
cheese mixture
roasted vegetables
spinach

Repeat these layers, ending with meat mixture. Top with more grated mozzarella and lastly, more Parmesan. Bake 30-45” in a 350F oven or until bubbly, brown and cooked through.

Note: These measurements are approximately what I used. I cook with years of experience behind me, so many things are made up on the fly. This dish is not going to be inedible if your measurements are different than mine were.

Does everyone know...

2011-07-03T19:56:00.000-04:00

Why their dishwasher isn't getting the dishes clean anymore? Whether you use Cascade or Electrasol or something generic, the federal government mandated awhile ago that dishwasher detergents cannot have phosphates anymore (or at least enough phosphates to get the dishes clean). There may be a white film on them that won't wash off or your aluminum items may be gray and weird-looking or maybe the dishes are just not getting clean.
You don't necessarily need a new machine. Try using about a tablespoon or so of trisodium phosphate (also known as TSP) in one cup of your dishwasher along with your regular detergent. TSP is available at hardware stores because it is used to wash down walls before painting. I got mine at Home Depot. No more problems... Unfortunately, I didn't discover this tip until I'd bought a new dishwasher...

Made this...

2011-07-02T13:33:00.001-04:00

(She posted this photo on Facebook, but I can't figure out how to get it on here in a larger size.)

Farmstand Greek Salad from Food to Live By again for the doins' at Sarah's last night. It's relatively easy and everyone likes it.

3 romaine hearts
1 small regular cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half, or 2 large tomatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
30 kalamata olives, pitted
About 1/3 cup Red Wine Vinaigrette
3 ounces feta cheese, grated or crumbled (about 2/3 cup)
1 red bell pepper, roasted and cut into 1-inch strips, for garnish (I use jarred roasted red peppers)

Directions

1. Remove the cores from the romaine hearts. Carefully rinse the leaves under gently running cold water, drain them well, and spin them dry. Cut the leaves crosswise into 1-inch strips.

2. Just before you plan to serve the salad, place the romaine in a large salad bowl. Add the cucumber, onion, tomatoes, capers, and olives and toss to combine. Add about one-half of the vinaigrette. Toss to lightly coat the leaves, then taste them to see if more vinaigrette is needed.

3. Transfer the salad to a platter or individual salad plates. Sprinkle the feta cheese on top and garnish with some of the bell pepper strips. Serve immediately.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon finely minced shallot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sugar
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a glass jar and seal the lid tightly. Shake the jar vigorously to combine. The vinaigrette can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 month. Let it return to room temperature before using.

Look!

2011-06-25T12:52:00.002-04:00

http://www.boisestyle.com/2011/06/pink-blue-floral-print.html

It's Micaela!

More delicious food...

2011-04-12T00:31:00.000-04:00

Every recipe I've tried from Food to Live By has been so good! Really, you must buy it. I first used Catie's copy until she got back then I ordered a used copy for myself. I've made the aforementioned Albondigas Soup, Farm Stand Cornbread, Farm Stand Greek Salad, and tonight's Cheesy Zucchini. Since I started getting Bountiful Baskets I have to find lots of recipes for things I wouldn't normally buy. It's actually fun.

A tiny shirt...

2011-04-07T00:17:00.000-04:00

I re-purposed an adult T-shirt into this size two one for Buddy. If you look closely you can see all kinds of musical items on it. I probably wouldn't have gone to the trouble if it weren't for the fabric. The pattern is an Ottobre one that I made a little different, using the existing sleeve and bottom hems instead of binding and hemming it myself. Next up, one for Rocco. Like this only different!

I just realized...

2011-03-25T11:37:00.002-04:00

These numbers of visits will probably never increase:

Korea, Republic of (KR)

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (LY)

Not that I'm complaining...

Cracker Jack...

2011-03-25T11:35:00.001-04:00

Not Cracker JackS, just the singular. I always thought it was plural, but I guess not. Or, maybe they changed the name because it's not the same. It came in a Mylar bag, not a box. The popcorn tastes the same, but with less molasses-y coating on it. See where it says "Caramel Coated Popcorn & Peanuts"? Frito-Lay must have studied Van Camps Pork 'n Beans to determine how many peanuts to include because I have only seen two so far in a relatively large bag. The "toy" is in a whole 'nother realm of lame. It's a tiny paper picture of George Washington and a brief history of his life.

Whatever happened to the cute, creative little plastic bits of joy that I knew as a child?

I feel violated...

We had this tonight...

2011-03-21T23:30:00.000-04:00

And it was so yummy! Not to mention it used up a lot of the things I got in our Bountiful Baskets order (mushrooms, garlic, broccoli, tomato, basil). The original recipe was in the Parade magazine this past Sunday from Jessica Seinfeld. I added and subtracted based on what I wanted to do. Here is her version. We also had shredded stir-fried Brussels sprouts and baked yams.

Balsamic Chicken Sandwich

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed in 1" pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp. olive oil (or more, if needed)
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. broccoli puree (*see note)
6 whole grain sandwich rolls
6 large slices tomato
grated mozzarella cheese
fresh basil leaves

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Toss in flour to coat. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high. Add chicken. Lower heat to medium and continue to cook until chicken begins to brown, 8-10 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms, garlic, chicken broth, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Simmer 10-15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Add puree and cook 2-3 minutes more until flavors are blended.
Place rolls on a large baking sheet. Top each of the 6 bottom halves with a tomato slice and fresh basil; divide chicken among them and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and edges of rolls are crisp, 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately.
* Steam broccoli florets 6-7 minutes. They should be tender but still green. Puree in a blender or food processor, about 2 minutes. If needed, add a few teaspoons of water for a smooth texture.

An oldie, but a goodie...

2011-01-21T11:28:00.000-05:00

This is the granola recipe that I have used since Sarah was little. I found it in The Good Breakfast Book. Mine isn't this edition, but maybe this one is better. This recipe is infinitely changeable, depending on what you have on hand, like, or don't like in a granola.

   * Exported from MasterCook *

   Susan's Granola

Recipe By : The Good Breakfast Book
Serving Size : 14 Preparation Time :0:20
Categories : Breakfast Tried & True

  Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
   7 1/2 cups oats, rolled (raw)
   1 cup wheat germ
   1/2 cup wheat bran
   1 cup coconut shreds
   1 cup sesame seeds
   1 cup almonds -- chopped
   1 cup pecans -- chopped
   SAUCE
   1/2 cup honey -- (up to 3/4 cup)
   1/3 cup water
   1/2 cup peanut butter
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla
   1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Heat together sauce ingredients, stir into dry ingredients, then spread onto two shallow baking pans. Bake about 15 minutes, until dry and golden. You may have to stir it half-way through the baking time to avoid overbrowning.

   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Add dried fruit such as raisins, chopped dates, etc. after it is cooled or at serving time.

I just noticed...

2011-01-19T22:44:00.000-05:00

I've had one visitor to my blog from Iran! Wow... I wonder how they found it.

And the piece de resistance...

2011-01-08T18:47:00.002-05:00

The toe of Jeff's sock done using Judy's Magic Cast On. It isn't perfect, but it looks a heck of a lot better than any other toe I've ever done. I did sweat a little blood over the first one I tried, but that was with size 5 aluminum dpns. They kept slipping out of the stitches. I went and got some Cascade 220 Quatro Superwash and Brittanys and that is much better. Maybe I'll be done with them in this decade because the yarn is worsted...maybe.

More...

2011-01-08T18:41:00.001-05:00

This started life as a neck ruff, but I just wanted to finish off the two free skeins I had of Handpaint Originals seconds that my TBD friend, Julie, in Colorado gave me. So now it's long enough to be a scarf, but I'm still not quite done with it.

Some recent handiwork...

2011-01-08T17:51:00.001-05:00

I hastily made this for Rocco for Christmas before Lissie left to go back. She picked out the fabrics and it's backed with Minky. I thought it would be hard to get it not to go wonky, but it wasn't.

Another yummy winter dish...

2010-12-18T13:47:00.002-05:00

It ends up something like this only over noodles.
I forgot to get a picture of ours.

I don't know if this is really Sicilian, but it's definitely good. I'm giving you my amended version (naturally) but I got the original recipe from Gooseberry Patch Keepsake Cookbook.

Mom's Sicilian Pot Roast

chuck roast

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cans petite diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 onion, chopped

3 medium carrots, sliced

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

hot cooked noodles

Parmesan cheese.

Put all ingredients in a crock pot on low and simmer all day. Towards the time you want serve it, break up the roast and make sure the carrots are done and it's the right consistency to put over noodles. Add water or thicken with a little flour/water paste if needed. Serve over noodles with Parmesan cheese.

I also made this. I added about 1/4 cup of oil and doubled the salt. It also didn't take quite all of the flour but that may be due to humidity issues (or, lack of humidity issues).

Oh, yum...

2010-12-12T23:33:00.001-05:00

Josh helped me make Mexican Albondigas Soup and cornbread tonight. It was very, very good. Micaela gave me a cookbook for Catie, Food to Live By, and it's in there.

MEXICAN ALBONDIGAS SOUP

For the meatballs:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion (1/4-inch dice or smaller)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 large egg

1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 medium-sized carrots, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1 large leek, both white and light green parts, rinsed well and thinly sliced (about 1 cup), or 1 cup diced yellow onions (1/4-inch dice)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced

1 cup diced fresh or canned tomatoes, with their juice

10 cups store-bought low-sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon chili powder

Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Make the meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the cumin, thyme and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Place the egg and the cream in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Add the bread crumbs and stir to combine.

3. Place the beef in a medium-size bowl. Add the onion mixture, the egg mixture and the salt and pepper and mix with your hands to combine. Form the beef mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on a platter. Refrigerate the meatballs, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight. (The meatballs can also be frozen at this point for up to 2 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before proceeding with the recipe.)

4. Make the soup: Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the carrots and leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the jalapenos and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is soft but not browned, about 2 minutes.

5. Add the tomatoes, stock and chili powder. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Add the meatballs and adjust the heat so that the soup simmers gently, uncovered, until the meatballs are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

7. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the chopped cilantro. Any leftover soup can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.

_ From "Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook," Workman

For quilt lovers...

2010-11-21T18:35:00.002-05:00

This is the neatest idea for "using it up".
Scrappy Quilt

The joys of being Pops...

2010-11-17T11:28:00.001-05:00

He is so patient and loving with all the living things at our house, especially me. I found this on my monitor one morning:

The joys of being Mimi...

2010-11-17T11:19:00.003-05:00

Mayah and I made her a pillowcase out of the "beautiful" fabric. She chose stars for the hem.

Jordy chose one out of this fabric with flowers for the hem but I neglected to get a picture.

Use it up...

2010-11-06T14:22:00.001-04:00

Lissie bought a dress and she asked me to turn it into a top for her. It had four tiers, so I just cut off the bottom tier and shortened the lining. Now the fabric I removed is a skirt for one of the girls. The print is a filmy polyester and is definitely see-through. It would have been nice to use the solid for a lining, but that's all there was so it got a ruffle instead. Lissie said it would look cute over leggings and I agree. Now we'll have to see which one of them it fits.

Much complaining later...

2010-11-03T18:36:00.009-04:00

Photo of coat and pattern pull out from magazine. Dizzying, isn't it?

The blue is darker than it seems here, more like the shade in the subsequent photos.

I am FINALLY done with a coat I made for Rocco. Lissie chose the fabrics from my excessive stash. It is a pattern from the Finnish magazine, Ottobre, the Autumn 2010 issue, number 19, Naava. These patterns are very different from the standard American ones. They have no seam allowances and the directions are not always helpful to me. There aren't many pictures of the sewing process and since I'm a visual learner, this presents a problem. Sometimes I had to do things my own way because I couldn't wrap my head around what the instructions said.

In the end, despite many mistakes, I think it turned out pretty well. The first time I cut it out, I forgot to add seam allowances. No problem for the corduroy...big problem for the lining. I had had the blue fabric for about 30 years, since I lived in Seattle. I loved the color and just never wanted to cut into it. Thirty years of uncertain storage took its toll. There was fading along fold lines in many places. I was able to find enough good areas to cut it out (twice), but the cotton print remnant was finite in amount and I'd gotten it several years ago. I couldn't cut it out again with seam allowances. After some analyzing of the situation, I decided to make bias tape to sew the seams of the lining together. I also didn't put in true pockets, just the fake welt. They weren't going to look right and no one year old needs real pockets. Hopefully, Buddy's will be easier.

I think it worked as well as it could have. It took a a lot of thinking on my part to figure out how to fix all the mistakes I made. Ever since I had my thyroid removed, my brain doesn't work quite up to the speed it did before. Or, maybe it's the fact that I'm not stressed and on overload working a gazillion hours a day. That pace probably did keep me sharper in some ways. Not happier, though. I'm much happier these days...much.

Look how I positioned this in the lining. Just want to help Rocco remember where he needs to come home to eventually. Libya isn't Idaho, lucky for me.

Ingrid Michaelson - Maybe (Official Music Video)

2010-11-01T15:37:00.001-04:00

We saw her...again...at The Knitting Factory on Friday night. She is cheeky, funny, sassy girl. She could be one of my daughters, fitting right in between Sarah and Catie. I think I'm going to ask her...

Embarrassment of tomatoes...

2010-10-27T13:10:00.002-04:00

The haul from the vine that I thought never really produced. I pulled it up yesterday and found these in the deep recesses of the cage. Now to taste one and see if they're edible...
If they are, I may make this (I'm thinking bacon might be good in it, too.):

Ariela's Tomato Basil Quiche

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons unseasoned dry breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or equivalent dry basil)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 3/4 cups fresh tomatoes, diced

Preheat oven to 400F.

Whisk sour cream, milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; pour into pie shell. Combine remaining cheese, breadcrumbs, basil and garlic in small bowl. Sprinkle over sour cream mixture. Top with tomatoes.

Bake 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.

I've made it a couple of times before and it's really good. I cut it out of the Idaho Statesman several years ago and have it starred and saved in my massive binder of recipes. I only star the ones that I've actually made or eaten and are yummy. Most of my saved recipes are just in there for security, though. Like my sewing patterns, I hoard them but don't use them...sad, I know. Hey, maybe I can get on Hoarders or sumsing!

The big tree finally went down...

2010-10-24T20:39:00.001-04:00

It's so rotten it just collapsed.

A source of cute free girls' sewing patterns...

2010-10-15T13:26:00.000-04:00

Here you go! They are from the book, "Carefree Clothes for Girls". There's no instructions, but they look pretty simple if you know how to sew. Look down at the bottom. Click on the links and they download. You can open them with whatever PDF reader you use. I use Sumatra. It's free and quicker than Adobe.

A dream realized...

2010-10-15T12:41:00.000-04:00

I've wanted an Elna "Grasshopper" sewing machine for several years now. My dad bought one new for my mom when I was born. He sewed me two little sun suits by copying one I already had. He'd never sewn before. I still have those sun suits somewhere. I'll try to find them and post a picture.
I taught myself to sew on my mom's Elna. It only did a straight stitch, but I was able to make a lot of clothes on that little thing.

The accessory box fits right behind the needle and the silver thing folds down.

These items are rare to have with a Grasshopper.

The case becomes a sewing area and the knee control takes the place of a foot pedal.

Now I have a replacement. I saw it up high in a local sewing shop and asked if it was for sale. The man said he wasn't sure. "Tell me what you want to pay and I'll think about it." I had an idea, but thought it was too low. I came back a few weeks later and we made a deal. It was a purely nostalgic purchase, even though it does work quite well. I may even try to reprise one of those little sun suits...just because.

A Wordle of this blog...

2010-09-20T13:59:00.001-04:00

I wish I knew how to make it bigger. I tried fixing the HTML, but Jeff's not here to supervise and it didn't work. Click on it and it takes you to the Wordle site where it's readable.

What we did on our summer vacation...

2010-09-06T23:49:00.000-04:00

We went rafting with Cascade Raft and Kayak. It is very much fun, in my opinion, and not scary at all. These were Class 2 and 3 rapids. Next year we're going on another trip they have with Class 3 and 4. I'm amazed that I don't get motion sickness on these trips, but I don't. I went last year with my friend, Charo, too.
I "rode the bull" half of the trip and everyone thought I'd fall off for sure, but I never did--never even came close. (Last year I had a really hard time staying on.) I think there were seven or eight other rafts full of people. Everyone else who tried to stay on couldn't. I'm pretty proud of myself. One young man came up and complimented me and asked how I did it. He told me he fell off right away.
My secret? Those black pants I have on. I bought them at REI on clearance the day before and they turned out to be very "grippy" on the raft. I only slipped a little once when there was a really big wave that got me soaking wet.
We are going to make all the fam go with us next year, so be prepared!

No...

2010-07-27T14:19:00.000-04:00

I have not died. Moving to Idaho has just been very discombobulating. Well, I guess it wasn't the moving to Idaho part so much as the trying to cram two entirely different personalities into one little house with all that entails...and clearing out years of collected detritus while trying to remain calm and not blame it on each other. It's getting better.
I'll let you know how it goes from here...

Something for Liss...

2010-06-02T14:03:00.008-04:00

Our dog park (ignore Jeff on the bench)

A random Bernese Mountain dog in Philly

And then there's the lovely Bella...

There's so much in Philly...

2010-05-23T18:36:00.005-04:00

It's impossible to see and/or photograph it all.

A bust of Ben Franklin made of keys donated by schoolchildren. Keys because of his discovery of electricity. When you're close to it you can see that they just pressed the keys into the shape because it still looks like it's covered with keys. Cobblestones made from the ballast of ships bringing supplies to America

The funny guy who made our cheesesteaks.

The meeting house of the Free Quakers who supported the Revolutionary fighters. Betsy Ross was one.

The Liberty Bell

The building where the first Congress met. Get it? The Lower House and the Upper House because one met on the lower floor and the other met on the upper. They still call them that today.

Independence Hall

The Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society

This guy was in the Visitor's Center. He is in character as the man who ran the first circus in America. I tried and tried to get him to talk about his real identity, but he was quite serious and never broke his act. He only cracked a tiny smile once.

Some of Philly...

2010-05-23T14:11:00.002-04:00

This betrays my abject ignorance of important things but I never realized how much Philly is integral to the history of the formation of the United States. It was the first capital of the US, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written there, the houses of three branches of government were originally built in the same block, the first flag was made there and so, so much more. It's pretty awe inspiring to visit and humbling to realize I'll never be able to fully appreciate the gravity and importance of those times. People don't take the time to thank the men depicted in this room for their sacrifice and dedication to the tasks that they set themselves to accomplish.

This is in the Constitution Center. In most of it you can't take photographs, but people were sneaking them here. There were a lot more of these statues and you can see plaques imbedded in the floor at their feet that had their name and state on them. We also went to the Ancient Rome & America exhibit that shows how much ancient Rome influenced the founders of the country and Americans as a whole at that time.
"John Adams referred to the Constitution as “the greatest single effort of national deliberation that the world has ever seen” and George Washington wrote to the Marquis de Lafayette that 'It (the Constitution) appears to me, then, little short of a miracle.' " See this quote and many other interesting facts here.

And another thing...

2010-05-21T15:57:00.003-04:00

I got this from Etsy for $4.50! Look at the size! Not easy to find in vintage patterns. I like the princess lines and the asymmetry of the side tie. They call it a housecoat in the longer version and a dress in the shorter. Naturally, it's fragile and unmarked. I haven't even unfolded the tissue yet. I hope all the pieces are there. Even if they're not, it's simple enough that I can probably wing it...should I ever decide to make it.

Score...

2010-05-21T15:34:00.002-04:00

One for MOM...a Dritz Bound Buttonhole Maker...never even opened! The "Holy Grail" (as defined by someone else who managed to find one) for any serious sewist has been acquired after much stalking on Ebay...and not for $75! Why did I not know about this before I made two of this dress for Catie?! You will notice that is a total of 18 bound buttonholes! All lovingly and painstakingly handmade. I am such a good mom...

I managed to snag it because I did a lot of footwork. If you really want one do this: Search for "Dritz" on Ebay. Then look for listings that don't know what they have. I saw this in a collection of old sewing things that the person listed as incidental to buying an old sewing box. It wasn't readily visible in the collection and she only listed it as a Dritz item, not the actual name of the device. I won it and then asked her not to even send the box because it was ragged, dirty and old. I also found the larger one like this that is for making welt pockets at the Mennonite thrift store for $1... ;0)

This is why...

2010-05-06T23:24:00.001-04:00

I am so worried about poison ivy...it is vicious.

Frenchtown, NJ...

2010-05-06T23:15:00.003-04:00

A covered bridge on the way. Almost the entire trip was through a canopy of trees and almost every tree is festooned with poison ivy...no joke. It's that thick around here.

We went there this past weekend. It's little town on the Delaware River that is trying to be touristy. They are succeeding, but it isn't too far gone yet. Cyclists come and ride along the river and there are some cute little shops.

It was a peaceful, green drive for us and we ate outside at a tiny restaurant. The couple who sat next to us were funny and friendly and they had a dog that Bella sniffed at.

A look into the kitchen of the restaurant. It's hard to see, but these are rock show posters from my era. There were also framed vinyl record covers from that same time period in the bathroom...The Mothers of Invention, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, Iron Butterfly. It was obvious that the owner was a heathen sixties hippy who never grew up...

Cute old house.

There is a yarn shop there called The Spinnery but we didn't get a picture of that. I bought a skein of Romney, I think, and a magazine.
Frenchtown is also the home of the author of Eat, Pray, Love and her husband. They have a shop called Two Buttons that I visited. It isn't quaint or old. It is full of Asian products like buddhas and beads and countless other kitsch. Because I wasn't interested in that sort of "art" and it was 80F and 88% humidity, I wasn't into it at all. I just went in to say that I saw the author of Eat, Pray, Love's shop...and I've never even cracked the book. It has been made into a movie, though. Maybe I'll see that.

My 21+ meals...

2010-05-06T11:30:00.002-04:00

Catie wrote a post about their 21 favorite meals and meal planning. I do sort of the same thing but I'm not as good at planning as she is. I have a Weekly Meal Planner sheet that I've been trying to fill out each week. What usually ends up happening is that I make a tentative plan based on what we have to use up then I amend it as the week unfolds. I hope to build up a bunch of these and then I can go to them when I want to set up an automatic plan that I can just regenerate effortlessly. My guys are pretty easy but I have made a fews things they don't really like. (I use organic and/or whole wheat, brown stuff whenever possible and they don't complain.)
Here are some main dishes they do like:
1. Butter Chicken
2. Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas-this is like the one I use except I put some of the sauce in with the chicken filling
3. Pork Tenderloin baked with a spicy barbecue rub that we bought at the Outdoor Expo. I'm going to have to figure out how to reproduce it.
4. Spaghetti-standard, everyday made with Prego or whatever; when we get to Idaho I'm going to go back to homemade sauce.
5. Cincinnati Chili-no vinegar and I put the beans in the chili
6. Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich
7. Classic Meat Lasagna
8. Sticky Chicken-use 1 teaspoon salt and only one chicken for all the spices; you can also use a cut up lemon, lime or orange instead of the onion
9. CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza
10. Stir Fry
11. Stromboli-this is just an example; make pizza dough, roll it out and put pizza-y things in it, but not too much moisture; cut in slices and serve with hot spaghetti sauce to dip it in
12. Pot Roast with carrots and mashed potatoes
13. Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream
14. Tuna Casserole
15. Chicken Monterey
16. Bean and Cheese Nachos
17. Spicy Pork Chops, Rancher's Style-from a New Mexico cookbook; Jeff grew up there and he likes NM food
18. Crunchy Pecan-Crusted Chicken Fingers
19. Italian Sausage and Shrimp with Linguine
20. Mexican Style Shredded Pork
21. Beef Barley Soup-season to taste and don't use bouillon
22. Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
and others that I make up on the fly...

Nature stinks sometimes...

2010-04-28T22:10:00.001-04:00

We have had a pair of mourning doves around our apartment for several months and have enjoyed watching them "bill and coo" and listen to their calls.

They made a nest on a furnace vent of the townhouse next door and I can see it as I sit at my computer every day.

It's a little more difficult now because the trees have leafed out.

Today I went out to take the trash and when I was walking back I saw a large bird fly into the tree right next to the nest.

Not being much of a birder, it took me a few seconds to realize that it was a hawk, not a crow.

Almost the instant I identified it, it flew with great force into the nest and hit the wall then flew away. I knew what had happened.

My husband and I got the ladder and a mirror to look inside the nest. There were feathers and three eggs. A fourth egg was on the ground under the nest.

I'm sure the hawk got at least one of the doves if not both. There were also lots of feathers on the ground for several feet.

It's kind of sad to us because we really enjoyed those two little birds. Circle of life and all that, I guess.

An Idaho Power recipe...

2010-04-19T11:26:00.002-04:00

I made breakfast for supper last night and it was so yummy. We had Multi-Grain Pecan Pancakes, yogurt, fried apples, sliced bananas, orange juice and.....bacon. Bad, bad, bad Julie! What can I say? I had it in the frig...
Here's the pancake recipe that I clipped from the Idaho Power bill insert. I've saved a lot of those recipes over the years, but I think this is the only one I've ever actually made. It calls for 2 cups of buttermilk, but I used yogurt because I needed to use up organic yogurt I got for cheap. It made enough that we had leftovers, but they are gone today.

Multi-Grain Pecan Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour ( I used 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour instead)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. oil
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk ( I used yogurt)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Stir together the dry ingredients. Mix the liquid ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the liquid. Fold in the pecans. Cook as usual. I would make them smaller rather than large because they cook up very tender and are difficult to turn if they are bigger than about 1/4 cup size. It says it makes 16 four-inch pancakes.

Love you, all my dear readers (family) and I hope you are safe and intact...

Some things...

2010-04-17T21:34:00.004-04:00

I will miss about Pennsylvania.
1. My hair stays fluffier due to the humidity. I need it because as you get older, your hair thins.
2. Places we want to go are generally not very far away. We save a lot on gas.
3. We go to a really nice church. Big, but nice, and it's only a couple of miles away.
4. I adore the Mennonite Care and Share Shoppes thrift stores. There are three stores in the same strip mall, one for furniture/appliances, one for clothing and one for everything else. My favorite is the last one.
5. The green everywhere and the birds. There may be more birds because there aren't any cats loose in our complex.
6. There's Whole Foods and Ikea. They aren't real close, but I can go if I want and it isn't a full day's drive.
7. Jomar. They have huge messy piles of fabric bolts and it's all very cheap. Again, not close, but not too bad.
8. Josh's school. The teachers and principal are all such dedicated educators and genuinely nice people. They do an excellent job.
That's all for now. More later...

One may be Jeff and one may be me...

2010-04-17T11:01:00.003-04:00

Okay...

2010-04-16T20:21:00.001-04:00

I found a page that explains how to activate the links. It's just too late tonight to be that thinky... Will try tomorrow.

New template...

2010-04-16T20:10:00.006-04:00

But I can't figure out how to make the top right "About", "FAQ" and "Contact" links active. It was free, as many of them are, so I can't expect perfection. It would be nice to figure out how to make them work though. Jeff has taught me to be bold and hack the HTML a tiny bit so I can customize some but not completely at will. Maybe I'll be able to figure it out from the web somehow and I'm going to contact the creator, too.

Just...

2010-04-12T19:18:00.008-04:00

talked to Lissie in the airport in DUBAI at 12:00am her time on the way to visit Catie in Daejeon... Never thought I'd be typing that sentence...

This was taken at 3:00am (her departure time).

Dubai International Airport

What we ate Saturday...

2010-04-08T20:38:00.009-04:00

at the Puerto Rican restaurant in Q-Mart. It was all delicious. So much for the healthy, organic diet...

Chicken Empanada

Bisteca, Yellow Rice with Pigeon Peas, Pink Beans

Pastelon de Platano Maduro, Yellow Rice with Pigeon Peas, Pink Beans

Pastelon de Platanos Maduros

Pastelon is a Puerto Rican dish. Picture a lasagna, but instead of noodles for the separating layers, you use plantains. It's SO good! There are many variations. Plus, there are a lot of common additions to Pastelon - like capers, olives or raisins, if you desire.

1½ hours | 30 min prep

SERVES 6 -8

2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 large white onion, diced
sofrito sauce or use Goya's sofrito sauce
1/4 cup tomato sauce
sazon Goya, with annatto and cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil or vegetable oil
2 eggs
4-6 ripe plantains (you should see lots of black, that is sweet)
4-6 ounces cheddar cheese

Heat dash of oil, sofrito, Sazon, onion and garlic on medium heat until well sauteed.
Add ground beef and tomato sauce and stir until well cooked, but not dry.
Drain any grease.
Make sure ground beef is well ground (that it has no chunks).
Add cheese to picadillo (ground beef), if using, it helps to bind the meat together.
Peel and slice plantains lengthwise.
If the plantains are large, you'll probably get about three-four lengths per plantain.
Saute plantain slices in medium-hot oil for a few mintues, flipping halfway through cooking.
Set slices on paper toweled tray or use a brown garbage bag, and allow the oil to be absorbed; and pat dry.
Layer plantains along bottom of greased 9x9 pan.
Pour two eggs, beaten, over bottom layer.
Top with ground beef layer.
Repeat plantain and beef layers, making sure the plantain layer is the top.
Optional cheese layer on top.
Cook in 350ºF oven for about 35 minutes, making sure eggs are cooked and not watery.

Because you asked...

2010-04-08T07:40:00.006-04:00

If I was a month, I’d be May
If I was a day of the week, I’d be Friday
If I was a time of day, I’d be after 10:00pm
If I was a planet, I’d be Mercury
If I was a sea animal, I’d be a seal

If I was a direction, I’d be northwest.
If I was a piece of furniture, I'd be a big, soft easy chair
If I was a liquid, I’d be iced tea
If I was a gemstone, I’d be an emerald
If I was a tree, I’d be a gingko

If I was a tool, I’d be a pair of Ginghers
If I was a flower, I’d be a pansy
If I was a kind of weather, I’d be a little breeze, a little sun
If I was a musical instrument, I’d be a piano
If I was a color, I’d be yellow

If I was an emotion, I’d be joy
If I was a fruit, I’d be a clementine
If I was a sound, I’d be a wind chime
If I was an element, I’d be earth
If I was a car, I’d be a truck

If I was a food, I’d be dark chocolate
If I was a place, I’d be Greenleaf
If I was a material, I’d be cotton
If I was a taste, I’d be sweet
If I was a scent, I'd be after the rain

Want to play, too? Tag, you're it!

One more...

2010-03-31T15:34:00.006-04:00

Sarah got me this very adorable tee in an optimistic size. I had to exchange it for one that was more...ummm...fitting. Luckily, they had one and obviously, this isn't my torso. She also got me some pink and black and white-striped socks, not pictured.

Oops....

2010-03-31T11:46:00.005-04:00

I said I'd post photos of more birthday presents and I haven't yet.

This is yummy chocolate from Sarah. The little ones are especially wonderful as they are 70%.

This is a very cute and very useful calendar that Lissie made with tons of family pictures, birthdays and anniversaries in it.

These are cute boxes from Jeff.

I'll try to post some more in a sec....

To clarify...

2010-03-29T09:46:00.004-04:00

I didn't actually go into a dumpster to save the chair and chandelier. Our community has a walled enclosure with a huge compactor and two recycling bins. People leave things around the bins. That's where the treasures are. But if they'd been in the bins, I might have mounted a reconnaissance and rescue mission...

I just started reading this book...

2010-03-28T22:04:00.004-04:00

It's pretty good after one chapter. Here's her website. Week of Eating In Challenge on The Huffington Post. It's past, but good reading.

Other thrifted scores...

2010-03-28T20:28:00.005-04:00

Vintage cotton fabric I got at the Mennonite store. Technically, it's called the Care and Share Shop, though.

A man's XL lambswool sweater that I have already either ravelled or unravelled. I looked up the two definitions and they sound the same to me. Maybe Catie will want the yarn?

I don't want to cut the fabric, but then it would sit and molder in my stash. Maybe an apron because there's not much of it and it's a border print.

Awesome trash....

2010-03-28T16:58:00.004-04:00

We have the best dumpster ever... I got my supersized ironing board there. They cost about $100 and I just had to make a new cover for it. Today I got these:

The chair is old and from Poland. I will probably paint it and recover the seat. The chandelier is also old enough that it has one of those woven fabric cords. If we weren't moving, I'd keep and rehabilitate it. As it is, I just took all the crystals off of it. Who knows what I'll do with them, but they are glass and so sparkly!

Q-Town...

2010-03-27T19:23:00.015-04:00

That's where Jeff and I went this afternoon. It's in Quakertown and is difficult to explain and have you understand what it is really like. There's a long building crammed with all kinds of small shops or businesses. They sell bread and other baked goods, meat, produce, toys, shirts, jewelry, shoes, shirts, candy, vacuum cleaners, and on, and on, and on...more things than you can possibly imagine. Oh, and there are places to eat. Oh, and there are lots of tables outside where people buy a spot and sell their treasures/junk. A flea market, I guess. It's really fun to see what's there on any given day and it's a prime people-watching site. The pictures don't really do it justice. There are two very long hallways down either side, making for three rows of shops.

This snapped me out of my blog ennui...

2010-03-22T20:33:00.006-04:00

This article at Science Daily. High fructose corn syrup is obviously of the devil.

"A Princeton University research team has demonstrated that all sweeteners are not equal when it comes to weight gain: Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same."

I've taken to reading labels carefully. After I read this article, I thought about what we had for supper, Mexican Chicken Soup, brown rice, tortilla chips, salsa, cheese, sour cream, iced tea and banana nut muffins (yeah, I know they don't go, but I had two brown bananas and they were really good...recipe which I amended to half whole wheat flour and the cream top off of Stonyfield Organic Yogurt). None of it had any HFCS in it. Hooray!

I try to make us healthier foods and do succeed a lot of the time, but I know sometimes I use things I shouldn't. Like last night I used Knorr French Onion soup mix on some potatoes and carrots I roasted. I could have made my own mix, but I had the Knorr and I'm trying to use up some of the stuff we have. We did have roast chicken, salmon from Whole Foods and organic broccoli, too, though.

It's a process... Now for more Dr. Who. We saw the first full David Tennant last night.

Lullaby of Birdland...

2010-03-19T11:44:00.002-04:00

Birdland...

2010-03-19T11:03:00.009-04:00

The birds are coming in force the past week. The weather is sunny and beautiful. My computer faces a picture window on the side of our townhouse and there are two large trees out there. I've seen:

Cardinal female

Northern Mockingbird male

American Robin male

Mourning Dove pair

House Finch male

Mind you, I didn't take these pictures, but I wish I had. I married a gorgeous Nikon D-40 camera that makes me a much better photographer than I have ever been, but I still can't seem to sneak up on birds. I once tried to take a picture of the belted kingfisher on the telephone line along highway 19 to Greenleaf, but it was still a speck and I was too far away. Maybe the Nikon will fix that!

Another amazing video...

2010-03-18T10:47:00.002-04:00

From Ravelry:

All better today...

2010-03-14T21:46:00.009-04:00

I guess I just had the three day plague since I'm fine today. I wonder if I get these colds from the kids at Josh's school? I volunteer there every Tuesday as a hall monitor and I'm sure there are some alien viruses floating around. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger! I shall persevere!

Today was the anniversary of my nativity. We don't speak of the length of my time here on the marble...I just ask for presents...and I got some from some nice people I know.

Jeff got me this antique gravy boat and diamond earrings because he listens to me..

Sarah sent me these ultra-cute little plates. They're only about five inches square and are in brilliant colors that I love.

There were more gifts, but I haven't gotten pictures of them yet. Tomorrow...if I survive the vile perpetration of my enemies called "Daylight Savings Time"... It's dicey.

This is cheering us up...

2010-03-13T13:31:00.004-05:00

right now. I forgot I was sick for a minute. Go to youtube and search for OK Go for more cuteness.

Something is seriously wrong...

2010-03-12T14:10:00.002-05:00

with my nose. I either have a very sneezy cold or allergies. I took Allegra and a decongestant with no appreciable decrease in symptoms, so I'm thinking it's a cold. I have gotten more colds in PA than I had in the last ten years in ID...really. I never got colds before I came here. I wish I could figure out what's causing it and stop doing it. I take all kinds of vitamins and get enough sleep. I give up. Maybe sewing will help take my mind off of my ridiculous nose...

Making two of these.

One thing I will miss...

2010-03-10T20:27:00.006-05:00

about Pennsylvania is Giant's organic food selection. Giant is the largest grocery chain around here. They have a rather extensive organic section which I have been shopping in the last few weeks. Their "store brand" is Nature's Promise and they put that label on everything from fresh meat and cheese to raisins, onions and apples. It makes it relatively easy to shop almost exclusively organic foods.
I hope I can find as much in Idaho. I know Fred Meyers has some, as does Walmart...and there's always the Boise Coop. I wonder if they will ever build that Whole Foods in Boise that was in the paper several years ago? I could also try Azure Standard... We'll see...

Ta-daaah!

2010-03-10T13:14:00.002-05:00

I'm also making pinto beans with onion, garlic and a hunk of ham from the freezer. Comfort food...

Now, back to you, Martha...

2010-03-10T11:29:00.003-05:00

I got up early this morning to make Josh breakfast and I mixed up some bread. The best bread for Jeff is pumpernickel so I make it sometimes. It's pretty good and since I don't have a bread machine here, I use my Kitchenaid. It was one of the few things I knew I would absolutely need in PA and I was right. The original recipe came from cdkitchen.com. Here's the recipe as I tweaked it.:

Black Forest Pumpernickel

(Bread Machine)

1 packet or 2 tsp. yeast

1/2 cup bread flour (I use white whole wheat)

1 cup rye flour (I use organic pumpernickel I got from King Arthur mail order)

1 cup whole wheat flour (also use white whole wheat here)

1 Tbsp. vital wheat gluten

3 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. oil

1/2 cup molasses (I use 1/4 cup)

1 1/8 cup warm water

Add the ingredients to the pan in the order recommended by the machine manufacturer. Select "White Bread" setting.

If you are making it by hand, you can still put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix it up (I use the Kitchenaid with the dough hook.), adjusting the liquid/flour depending on whether the dough is too wet or too dry. Turn it out on a floured board and knead it for 8-10 minutes or until elastic. Pour a teaspoon or two of oil in a large bowl. Form the dough into a smooth ball, put it smooth side down in the bowl, slide it around until the smooth side is oiled, then turn the ball over. Cover it with a damp towel. Put the bowl in a warm place and let it rise until it's double in size. Punch it down and form it into a loaf shape and let it rise again in a loaf pan that has been sprayed with Pam. You can also bake it on a cookie sheet or a stone sprinkled with cornmeal. Bake at 350F for ~30 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped.

It's pretty good... I'll try to get a picture when it's done.

A little scary aside...

2010-03-10T11:11:00.006-05:00

Have you seen the news about this woman?

She lives 17 miles from me. I wanna go home...

Oh, oh, oh! I forgot I have to post this!

2010-03-08T17:05:00.004-05:00

Is this not the most adorable picture ever?

Rocco Taco at work...

Some random photos...

2010-03-07T16:01:00.014-05:00

I thought I'd post some random pictures today. Because it's been so long, I have a bunch stored up. So, in no particular order...

These are French Press Slippers that I knitted and felted for Lissie for Christmas. I bought the yarn eons ago at The Pet Haven thrift store. It is Fleisher's Bear Brand knitting worsted felted to within an inch of it's life. I found the leather buttons at the Care and Share thrift store in Souderton for 20 cents, so these slippers are very valuable. Lissie says she loves them and wants another pair when I see her this summer. Felted wool slippers are very comfortable.

Next slide, Bob...

Bella during the Snowpocalypse of aught ten.

As documented above.

Catie's wedding in a sunnier time.

Beautiful, aren't they?

Well, folks, that's all we have time for today! Tune in again when we hear Julie say, "Who stole my car?!". Bye till next time!

It's been a while...

2010-03-06T19:27:00.013-05:00

My posting mojo left... Then I told Catie she needs to blog more often. She said so do I. I said I don't do anything that interesting. She said she doesn't either and that's why her posts tend to be infrequent. I find her posts fascinating...so maybe I'll try to start up again.

We went to the Outdoor Expo at our church today. There were zillions of people there! The entire parking lot was full and it is huge...as is the church. I don't even know of a church in Idaho that is as big as this one. They did it last year and drew 1000 people. I'm sure this year's attendance greatly surpassed that. I drove by the church about 5:00pm, and it was still as jam-packed as it had been at noon. Of course, I intended to take the camera...and of course I forgot. We did get lots of freebies and I assured Jeff I'd read every piece of printed material I picked up. There are some goodies I'm going to send to the grandchildren, too.

We met a man named F---- who sat with us at lunch. As is my usual custom, I asked him all kinds of personal questions. And as is my victims' usual custom, he answered freely. My manner is quite disarming, I guess. People tell me all kinds of things they wouldn't necessarily tell a therapist. He is a hunter and fisherman, 70, divorced for 23 years, lives alone but has a girlfriend he doesn't always get along with, wants to move out West but doesn't think he can sell all his belongings and is funny. We talked about how short life is and that he should do something crazy (like Jeff and I did) before he keels over. I gave him my phone number in case he's ever in Idaho. I hope he calls. That would be fun.

Yesterday was Josh's 12th birthday. We ordered him a longboard, but it hasn't come yet. He's being very patient. Trucks, bearings, grip tape and ollies are becoming a part of my vocabulary...who knew these things are important?

This is a longboard in action:

They are used for transportation rather than tricks.

Okay, so I posted. Maybe I will again someday...

Wildflowers of Iowa...

2009-07-31T23:56:00.006-04:00

Rudbeckia
Goldenrod?

Clover with Monarch

I tried to take some pictures this afternoon of wildflowers... I still need to get the Queen Ann's lace and chicory.

Imaginary friends...

2009-07-30T23:48:00.015-04:00

I've been listening to books on CD while driving. The first one was called "Sundays At Tiffany's" and was about a nine year old girl and her imaginary friend, Michael, age 35. Sounds kind of creepy, but it's a lovely tale.
My friends aren't imaginary...
Here are pictures of people who lived in my computer and now live in my heart...sappy, I know, but I genuinely like them and wish we lived just down the street from each other.

The first photo is Jack and his best friend, Hannah. It was taken during our visit a few weeks ago. Sadly, I forgot to take any pictures on Tuesday when we met up again. Jack is a kind, generous and engaging man, the same guy he is on TBD. I predict many more get togethers in our future.

The second image is of Lynda and Julie G. today in Denver. Once again, we had a fantastic time at the Elephant Grill, talking for as long as we could and Julie was late for a phone conference...oops... After Julie G. had to leave, Lynda and I spent several more hours at her house, doing what we do best...talking. Many great truths and wisdom were exchanged between us...

So far, this has been a lovely, leisurely trip...some would call it slow and dawdling, but I don't listen to those voices in my head. I've been gone from Idaho since Tuesday at noon (I planned to leave Monday at eight) and I'm only in Sterling, CO, tonight. I am satisfied with my progress and things are going just the way I want them to--totally random and mostly unprogrammed--a delicious change after years of programmed stress disguised as a way to support myself. It was necessary and I don't regret anything, especially the people I've met. I'm just reveling in unbridled freedom at the moment.

Uh-oh...

2009-07-25T00:52:00.002-04:00

As the departure time draws near, I have less and less time to post...

Went to the Boise Flying M and Proto's with all the kids. We had a splendiferous time like we always do. The comestibles and libations were yummy, the kids watched the guys throwing dough and the baby was very calm and alert most of the evening.

I won't see Lissie again for a month because she's going to McCall tomorrow afternoon. Catie's coming to Old Chicago tomorrow night for my work "kids" going-away thing. Sarah lives next door, so I'll probably wave good-bye to her and the kids Monday morning. It's going to be funny in a bad way not to be able to see all of them whenever we want. Sarah and Lissie were apart from me during at least the first year of their marriages, so now it's my turn, I guess. Catie and Ben will leave for Korea for a year right after their marriage in September. I think it's the way of our family for some weird reason.

I guess I'm not really moving in with swans...

2009-07-23T01:49:00.004-04:00

Now it's working. Here are two more bucolic scenes, a covered bridge and a swan's nest which was just a few yards off the road. These are just a smattering of photos. Most of the time I was having such a grand time I forgot to take any. I told you I'm not Ansel. I promise to do better when I go back. I also promise to put a pic in every post.

Where I'm moving...

2009-07-23T00:30:00.007-04:00

Every time I tell anyone where I'm moving they regale me with its beauty. They are right. At least Buck's County is gorgeous. I was there in May of this year and the lush greenery assails the senses. It's a lot like Oregon. The difference being that the trees are deciduous instead of evergreen...and of course, the aforementioned rampant poison ivy. The first picture depicts the entrance to Peace Valley where Jeff asked me to marry him. I'm not Ansel Adams, so I did not do it the justice it deserves.

I tried to add more pictures, but in the battle of wills I engaged in with Blogger, I lost. I guess you get what you pay for... I'll try again.

A day for remembrance...

2009-07-21T20:42:00.003-04:00

of Jeff's natal entrance. All hail the Supreme Fiance! I sent him flowers like this. It is little compared to all the beautiful and inventive bouquets he has sent me.

More symbolism...

2009-07-21T01:44:00.006-04:00

This picture was something Jeff crafted from both our TBD avatars at the time we told everyone we were together. He used our screen names which are Alendar and smiledancelove, usually shortened to SDL to prevent repetitive strain disorder...

He used a snapdragon pic as his because he read that I like flowers and he is the most kind, loving man I know...

Symbolism...

2009-07-21T00:47:00.006-04:00

Not everyone has seen our rings. I've tried to right that grievous error all over the internet, but I seem to have missed a few tiny pockets of Luddites here and there. (Where does that put you, hmmm?)

In this picture (see above), you may view them now. It was taken at the Philadelphia airport on May 23, 2009, while I was waiting to board the plane to return to Idaho. Jeff had proposed the day before at Peace Valley Nature Center, a lush, green preserve full of every kind of wild animal and plant...including massive amounts of poison ivy. One cannot veer from the path in Pennsylvania at all or you will be consumed by an allergic reaction to urushiol which you will not soon forget. Sometimes it is even on the path. But I digress...

My ring has microscopic hearts and a serial number lasered on the bottom of the diamond. At least that's what they said at Helzberg's. They could have told me it had The Lord's Prayer on it and I'd probably have believed them. I mean, it sounds great but how many people actually look?

Jeff's ring is made of tungsten carbide. It will never scratch, bend or warp. He likes that as a symbol of our relationship. It will shatter if thrown with enough force against a wall. That's not going to be a problem between us, so I think we're good.

We would have gotten married while I was in PA in May, but who knew how difficult they make it there?! They require his wife's death certificate, my divorce decree, application in person at the courthouse, waiting three days, THEN they mail it to you. We simply didn't have time. So, we wear our rings as though we are man and wife because we can. We like that.

I'm working more...

2009-07-21T00:23:00.005-04:00

than I did when I got up at 5:30am and didn't get home till 5:30pm. At least more physical labor, which is infinitely more satisfying. I can see tangible results immediately.

Today I cancelled the paper, trash and CableOne, had TruGreen come and give me a quote to spray the trees (which seem to be suffering from aphids) and maintain the yard while I'm gone and had a carpenter come and replace the storm door on the back porch and tack the porch ceiling back in place. I also went through a ton of paperwork that I had stored in the garage for an eternity, cleaned out the garage and bundled up the large amount of recycling that was caused by my eternal procrastination. Usually it's not this bad...

Tomorrow I will see about getting the car tuned, the radiator flushed and the air conditioner serviced. I don't want any unpleasant surprises during my 2500 mile Grand Trek. I'll also have the mechanic tune up the truck so it will be functioning when I come back in August.

And....tomorrow's a lunch at Brick 29 with my friend, Barb, from long-ago home health days. We haven't really talked in eons and I think when she saw me posting on Facebook about moving she thought I'd lost all sanity. She didn't have time to let it sink in gradually like everyone else, who thought that a long time ago. I reconnected with my boss, Lynda, from those days, too, on FB. She said it sounds like a fairy tale. That's the storyline I'm using...

Photo of the suspect...

2009-07-19T12:57:00.004-04:00

This is my intended in February of this year at the Boise airport. Behind him you see Taiwanese Special Olympics athletes. No, he is not one of them. But, he is very Special. We will be married next month in Pennsylvania and start our life of wedded bliss.

You didn't even know you want to know...

2009-07-19T00:59:00.000-04:00

what I'm doing while I'm gone, did you? You do...