Yesterday I tried to call a friend and got the wrong number.
"Hey! How you are you?"
"Good! How are you doing today?"
"Great. Whatchya up to?"
"Not much. What can I do for you?"
"Well, Is Linda there?"
"Sure! Which one?"
[chuckle] "You know, the one that vacuums up the dog hair."
"Hm. I think you might have the wrong number little lady."
I used the wrong prefix for our area. The guy owns a convenience store and produce stand. He has 2 Lindas that work for him.
"Y'all come by and see us sometime!"
In my defense? The guy did sound exactly like my buddy Don and he is always yanking my chain with some comment when I ask a question. I thought the "Sure, which one?" question was a fairly new one, but I never know for sure what he's going to say when I ask for her.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
By the Side of the Road: Firewood House
Yesterday I had the opportunity to drive two couples to Spartanburg to see a fellow in a retirement community. The drive is about two hours each way, and I enjoyed listening to the couples all talk to each other, reminiscing about old times, talking about what is happening here in our community now with old friends and grandchildren, etc.
They were indulgent of my photo-taking, and even waited while I pulled over to take a photo of this firewood house.
Cool, huh?
They were indulgent of my photo-taking, and even waited while I pulled over to take a photo of this firewood house.
Cool, huh?
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
I'm Afraid...
Me: "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to do the dishes this afternoon."
HE: "I'm afraid of that too."
HE: "I'm afraid of that too."
Monday, July 23, 2007
Product Review: Fage Yogurt
I've never known before that there was such an animal as Greek yogurt. Well, of course there would be Greek yogurt, but I didn't know that it was more special than any other kind.
Until I read this month's Prevention magazine.
There are several recipes for Greek foods, such as Souvlaki, Village Salad with Feta, and Tzatziki, a yogurt and cucumber dip.
The Tzatziki calls for Greek yogurt. Never heard of it, so naturally I googled. Greek yogurt is touted as being creamier than most, and that creamy-ness is attributed to a "centuries-old process that involves straining to let the whey drain out."
Hmmm...sounds like what I do when I want to use yogurt cheese. When I have a recipe that calls for yogurt cheese, I'll buy plain yogurt, line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth, dump the yogurt in there, and let it drain into a bowl for a few hours (while in the fridge). The result is yogurt that is much less watery.
The author of this Prevention article says that she uses Fage Greek -style yogurt. Googling that, I found all kinds of warnings about how expensive it is, and hard to find. So I prepared to buy the regular plain stuff and strain it for my Tzatziki.
But there was Fage (pronounced "Fah-yeh") at Harris Teeter, costing about 40 cents more per container than Dannon. Sounded reasonable to me.
Here's the recipe for Tzatziki from Prevention, August 2007.
2 C Greek-style yogurt (I used whole, but it comes in 2% and nonfat too)
1 C peeled, grated cucumber, spun dry in a salad spinner
4 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 tsp ground red pepper
Mix it all together and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with warm pita bread.
I made a batch of this for our Posse Party last night and it was virtually inhaled by every person there. (Which is good, because I'm sure all of us are exhaling garlic today.) Even the picky eaters ate this stuff. We decided it would be a good salad dressing or baked potato topping as well. I made beef kebabs with an Indian-style marinade, and the beef pieces were quite good dipped in Tzatziki.
I used fresh-pulled, non-aged garlic, so I cut back to 3 cloves. I also didn't spin the cucumber. I put it and the garlic in my mesh sieve and pressed the juice out with a paper towel.
Apparently this yogurt dip is considered to be a necessary condiment for the table in Greece, much like ketchup is to the American household.
Until I read this month's Prevention magazine.
There are several recipes for Greek foods, such as Souvlaki, Village Salad with Feta, and Tzatziki, a yogurt and cucumber dip.
The Tzatziki calls for Greek yogurt. Never heard of it, so naturally I googled. Greek yogurt is touted as being creamier than most, and that creamy-ness is attributed to a "centuries-old process that involves straining to let the whey drain out."
Hmmm...sounds like what I do when I want to use yogurt cheese. When I have a recipe that calls for yogurt cheese, I'll buy plain yogurt, line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth, dump the yogurt in there, and let it drain into a bowl for a few hours (while in the fridge). The result is yogurt that is much less watery.
The author of this Prevention article says that she uses Fage Greek -style yogurt. Googling that, I found all kinds of warnings about how expensive it is, and hard to find. So I prepared to buy the regular plain stuff and strain it for my Tzatziki.
But there was Fage (pronounced "Fah-yeh") at Harris Teeter, costing about 40 cents more per container than Dannon. Sounded reasonable to me.
Here's the recipe for Tzatziki from Prevention, August 2007.
2 C Greek-style yogurt (I used whole, but it comes in 2% and nonfat too)
1 C peeled, grated cucumber, spun dry in a salad spinner
4 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 tsp ground red pepper
Mix it all together and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with warm pita bread.
I made a batch of this for our Posse Party last night and it was virtually inhaled by every person there. (Which is good, because I'm sure all of us are exhaling garlic today.) Even the picky eaters ate this stuff. We decided it would be a good salad dressing or baked potato topping as well. I made beef kebabs with an Indian-style marinade, and the beef pieces were quite good dipped in Tzatziki.
I used fresh-pulled, non-aged garlic, so I cut back to 3 cloves. I also didn't spin the cucumber. I put it and the garlic in my mesh sieve and pressed the juice out with a paper towel.
Apparently this yogurt dip is considered to be a necessary condiment for the table in Greece, much like ketchup is to the American household.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Grand Design
Friday we went to see "Body Worlds" at Discovery Place in Charlotte. This is an exhibition of real human bodies and body parts that have been preserved with a method called plastination. The bodies are essentially soaked in a plastic product and a vacuum is created that causes the plastic to soak all through the fibers.
That sounds really gross. And many people will not go to see this exhibit because they will be grossed-out. But there really is no way to explain to people how utterly un-intimidating this exhibit is without having them see it. That's a shame.
The exhibit is terribly expensive. It cost $50 for Nate and I to go see it. That included parking and the audio phones we rented. You really have to use the audio phones. You can see everything and understand everything by walking through and reading the signs, but the audio tour really is pretty cool. The exhibit is mostly about the bodies themselves, of course, but also about the plastination process.
About five minutes after entering the exhibit, I came upon a display case showing joints. There was a hand, shoulder, and maybe an elbow. I don't remember that third one for sure. But what struck me was the hand. The audio narrator said the joints are designed so that motion is possible in multiple directions. But what struck me was when the narrator said, "The joints are coated with cartilage to reduce friction."
That is what the phrase "fearfully and wonderfully made" really means. And that phrase, from Psalm 139:14, echoed through my head as I spent the next two hours wandering through the exhibit.
It became easy to see God as a divine engineer, making decisions about this invention, and working out "Well, if I make it able to do this, I'll have to do something about this problem that could crop up."
That was the main thing I took away from the exhibit. The other thing I thought about was, "I sure am glad that I take good care of this body." Seeing all the muscles and organs, in stages of great health and also in serious disrepair, made me realize even more the importance of fitness and health. There was a cross-section of an obese person that really struck me to the core. As I looked on to these two slices of a person, I could see how the fat was so hard on the body. How the organs were laden with the weight. It's amazing how some of those organs are able to function at all. And this particular person had a pacemaker installed.
The exhibit of the obese person made me want to help overweight people as much as I can. It's a terrible burden to bear, both physically and mentally. And our society is not kind to people who struggle with this issue, even though more than half of us are overweight.
Seeing all the muscles was pretty cool. Most of the people who were preserved were obviously in pretty good shape. You could see this superior muscle definition and it was neat to see the individual muscles and muscle groups that our jazzercise instructors are always pointing out, "deltoids, rhomboids, lats, obliques, quads, etc."
There were three things I wished as I was going through the exhibit:
1. I wish the first third of the exhibit weren't so loud. The entrance is in an area of the museum where there are lots of noisy, hands-on exhibits to play with. There are walls separating the traveling exhibits from the rest of the place, but at the beginning of the special area they don't go all the way to the ceiling. It's hard to hear the audio in that environment, and it diminished the serious nature of the exhibit. I remember thinking that about the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, too.
2. I wish there were special times that could be designated adults-only. Like an evening or two. The kids were well-behaved (in fact, the only people I saw leaning on the cases were ADULTS(!!)) and it was cool to see them marvel over the exhibits, but their chatter and excitement was also a distraction to the seriousness of the displays. Especially in the prenatal section.
3. I wish the exhibit were smaller. I was worn out by about half-way through and I know I didn't give enough attention to the displays in the last half.
I'm recommending this exhibit to everyone I know. But cautioning those with young kids that it can be very tiring.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Kids Kids Kids
Yesterday was a day full of kids. It was fun, but I got pretty tired and dragged out by the end of the night...when I finally turned in at MIDNIGHT (!!)
It began at about 6:30 a.m. in a way most of our combined family gatherings do: Jeff and I both companionably working on our computers. Usually he goes out for coffee, but yesterday he let me make him some. (I think he was diluting it with the water, though.)
Then Julia got up and did whatever she does and settled in the comfy chair with a magazine. Here she is putting in her dessert order for the day.
Here's how the guys began the day, and pretty much would have ended the day, if not for Vacation Bible School. I call this "Boys Town." I never heard a thing from them all day except when they called to ask me to buy a 4th controller for their game console. But I didn't get to that because I was pulling in the driveway when they called.
So, after a bit of just hanging around the house in the morning, Julia and I and my niece Jessica set out to run some errands. Jess needed a swimsuit. Target seemed like the place to go.
NOT!
This is where the visit took the first dark turn. I was wandering down the aisle in Target, when I heard my sister say my name. I turned around and she had grabbed the sleeve of an unsuspecting healthcare worker (scrubs), and was saying, "THIS is the color on the walls at Mount Vernon!" Now...she says she prefaced that by saying to the woman, "this is a nice color on you but..."
I was fairly mortified. I said the poor woman, "I'm so sorry! Don't worry, she'll be going home in a few days and then Target will be safe again." And then I said to Julia, "Please do not grab the sleeves of strangers!" The stranger was chuckling and I think enjoying it.
I think.
Then 5 minutes later Julia knocked half a shelf of hair care products onto the floor with her
big *ss purse!
Needless to say, I was ready to get out of Dodge.
After several attempts (in the heat, I might add)to locate a complete swimsuit for Jess (did you know they sell the tops and bottoms separately? So now you can find a top that you want, but there is no matching bottom?), I finally called my bosom buddy Rena. She is shopper extraordinaire. In fact, she was out shopping during her lunch hour when we called. After chuckling at the thought that I, of all people, would be shopping with a teenaged girl, her advice was "Go to the mall. Buy a cup of coffee, sit down with it and your mp3 player and just let the girl go." She always knows exactly the right advice to give, tailored for my particular sensitivities (to noise, commotion, girls, shopping...you name it).
And so we did. But I never did get the cup of coffee. We walked into JC Penney's and found what she needed. Whew!
So after several stops on the way home to gather provisions for supper, we finally arrived, with me about $200 poorer. Isn't that just the way it works? The driver, who sets out not needing anything, ends up spending the most.
I commenced with supper prep during what I affectionately call "The Arsenic Hour." During this period of the day, which is usually about 2 hours long, not really 1, everyone is arriving home, hungry, full of questions, full of activity, I'm cooking supper and cleaning up dishes that have accumulated for the day, all the phones are ringing, etc. The arsenic hour has always been rough for me, but when you add a second family into the mix...a family who, just like ours, likes to parse each sentence, each phrase, ask lots of follow-up questions...it tends to make me very very jumpy. At one point I sent this text message to Rena:
in
out
door open
door shut
eat eat eat
videos
tv computers
piano
trombone
dart guns
whine whine whine...
WINE!!!
All I can say really is that it's nice that I have good drugs. Otherwise this could have ended up with the sound of a gunshot.
After supper was over, I got a call telling me that the hot air balloonist was about the arrive at one of the local vacation Bible schools. So I grabbed my camera and headed out, with the cheesecake I was making for Jeff barely started, and the supper dishes not done.
I was gone for 2 hours, standing around in the heat outside, but I did get to visit a tiny bit with my friend Jenny. And shot a couple of photos of her adorable little girl, Katherine:
And then, I came home, baked a cheesecake, watched a rerun of "House," and caught up on my email.
I never did get any wine.
Today? Who knows?
It began at about 6:30 a.m. in a way most of our combined family gatherings do: Jeff and I both companionably working on our computers. Usually he goes out for coffee, but yesterday he let me make him some. (I think he was diluting it with the water, though.)
Then Julia got up and did whatever she does and settled in the comfy chair with a magazine. Here she is putting in her dessert order for the day.
So, after a bit of just hanging around the house in the morning, Julia and I and my niece Jessica set out to run some errands. Jess needed a swimsuit. Target seemed like the place to go.
NOT!
This is where the visit took the first dark turn. I was wandering down the aisle in Target, when I heard my sister say my name. I turned around and she had grabbed the sleeve of an unsuspecting healthcare worker (scrubs), and was saying, "THIS is the color on the walls at Mount Vernon!" Now...she says she prefaced that by saying to the woman, "this is a nice color on you but..."
I was fairly mortified. I said the poor woman, "I'm so sorry! Don't worry, she'll be going home in a few days and then Target will be safe again." And then I said to Julia, "Please do not grab the sleeves of strangers!" The stranger was chuckling and I think enjoying it.
I think.
Then 5 minutes later Julia knocked half a shelf of hair care products onto the floor with her
big *ss purse!
Needless to say, I was ready to get out of Dodge.
After several attempts (in the heat, I might add)to locate a complete swimsuit for Jess (did you know they sell the tops and bottoms separately? So now you can find a top that you want, but there is no matching bottom?), I finally called my bosom buddy Rena. She is shopper extraordinaire. In fact, she was out shopping during her lunch hour when we called. After chuckling at the thought that I, of all people, would be shopping with a teenaged girl, her advice was "Go to the mall. Buy a cup of coffee, sit down with it and your mp3 player and just let the girl go." She always knows exactly the right advice to give, tailored for my particular sensitivities (to noise, commotion, girls, shopping...you name it).
And so we did. But I never did get the cup of coffee. We walked into JC Penney's and found what she needed. Whew!
So after several stops on the way home to gather provisions for supper, we finally arrived, with me about $200 poorer. Isn't that just the way it works? The driver, who sets out not needing anything, ends up spending the most.
I commenced with supper prep during what I affectionately call "The Arsenic Hour." During this period of the day, which is usually about 2 hours long, not really 1, everyone is arriving home, hungry, full of questions, full of activity, I'm cooking supper and cleaning up dishes that have accumulated for the day, all the phones are ringing, etc. The arsenic hour has always been rough for me, but when you add a second family into the mix...a family who, just like ours, likes to parse each sentence, each phrase, ask lots of follow-up questions...it tends to make me very very jumpy. At one point I sent this text message to Rena:
in
out
door open
door shut
eat eat eat
videos
tv computers
piano
trombone
dart guns
whine whine whine...
WINE!!!
All I can say really is that it's nice that I have good drugs. Otherwise this could have ended up with the sound of a gunshot.
After supper was over, I got a call telling me that the hot air balloonist was about the arrive at one of the local vacation Bible schools. So I grabbed my camera and headed out, with the cheesecake I was making for Jeff barely started, and the supper dishes not done.
I was gone for 2 hours, standing around in the heat outside, but I did get to visit a tiny bit with my friend Jenny. And shot a couple of photos of her adorable little girl, Katherine:
And then, I came home, baked a cheesecake, watched a rerun of "House," and caught up on my email.
I never did get any wine.
Today? Who knows?
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
8-Ball Zucchini
Can you stand it? Aren't these just the most adorable zukes you've EVER SEEN?
No idea why someone would feel they needed globe-shaped zukes, but they are cute as a button, aren't they?
My sister and her family have arrived at our house and are sleeping now. They've been vacationing in New York and D.C. and are winding up their eastern trek at our house. We were planning to meet in North Myrtle for a few days, but they said they are just tired of vacationing and want to lay around the house. That's fine with me!
No idea why someone would feel they needed globe-shaped zukes, but they are cute as a button, aren't they?
My sister and her family have arrived at our house and are sleeping now. They've been vacationing in New York and D.C. and are winding up their eastern trek at our house. We were planning to meet in North Myrtle for a few days, but they said they are just tired of vacationing and want to lay around the house. That's fine with me!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Annual Eggplant Rave
It's time for me to rave again about the eggplant. This was the second big one I've gotten from the farm. We also get some of the long, skinny variety...Japanese eggplant. I like the globe eggplant because it makes for nicer frying. I often use the Japanese variety for stuff like soup and stew.
My cooking is generally low-impact for the food item, and low-fat, making it low-impact on the body as well. But I can never resist frying up eggplant at least a couple of times each summer. If you keep your oil at the right temperature, you'll cook the eggplant through without having it soak up too much fat. It's difficult to coach someone in that, though. I could probably site optimal temperatures for the oil and slice thickness for the 'plant, but face it...most folks will not go to that trouble. I can tell you, though, that last night I used peanut oil instead of my usual canola for this. Just because I'd run out of canola. I'd never fry this in olive oil...too much flavor from that oil. So the peanut oil? I think it turned out to be the best batch yet. I'm not a food scientist (nor do I play one on TV), but I imagine the reason for that is because peanut oil has a much higher smoke point, so I was able to have it hotter without danger of it going ballistic on me.
Last night I served the eggplant mostly out of necessity. I was running out of time and was actually looking around for some Morningstar Farms Chik Patties. But alas! All gone! (need to add that to the grocery list. Hmm..and canola oil)
So I started hurling items out of the crisper drawer again and here was this eggplant I'd forgotten about. AND some zucchini and yellow squash!
The last bit of Panko from the cupboard(grocery list again-check!), some pre-prepared bread crumbs for when the Panko ran out, and I was in business.
Classico spaghetti sauce. Hey we scratch-cookers don't always have time for homemade spaghetti sauce. Classico and Barilla are the only two brands I'll keep around.
My cooking is generally low-impact for the food item, and low-fat, making it low-impact on the body as well. But I can never resist frying up eggplant at least a couple of times each summer. If you keep your oil at the right temperature, you'll cook the eggplant through without having it soak up too much fat. It's difficult to coach someone in that, though. I could probably site optimal temperatures for the oil and slice thickness for the 'plant, but face it...most folks will not go to that trouble. I can tell you, though, that last night I used peanut oil instead of my usual canola for this. Just because I'd run out of canola. I'd never fry this in olive oil...too much flavor from that oil. So the peanut oil? I think it turned out to be the best batch yet. I'm not a food scientist (nor do I play one on TV), but I imagine the reason for that is because peanut oil has a much higher smoke point, so I was able to have it hotter without danger of it going ballistic on me.
Last night I served the eggplant mostly out of necessity. I was running out of time and was actually looking around for some Morningstar Farms Chik Patties. But alas! All gone! (need to add that to the grocery list. Hmm..and canola oil)
So I started hurling items out of the crisper drawer again and here was this eggplant I'd forgotten about. AND some zucchini and yellow squash!
The last bit of Panko from the cupboard(grocery list again-check!), some pre-prepared bread crumbs for when the Panko ran out, and I was in business.
Classico spaghetti sauce. Hey we scratch-cookers don't always have time for homemade spaghetti sauce. Classico and Barilla are the only two brands I'll keep around.
Eggplant Parmesan always goes well with my guys. And it's quite filling.
And of course, I had the added satisfaction of knowing the eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash all came from the farm. Another "farm dinner!"
Sunday, July 15, 2007
"It's-Monday-Night-and-I-Have-to-Use-Up-Last's-Week's-Share-Before-I-Get-More-Tomorrow" Soup
Ok. You can call it "Farm Soup" if you want:
I started out thinking I would make Ratatouille. And really, I guess that is what this soup is. The french dish is essentially a vegetable stew of tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, garlic and onions, all sauteed together together and seasoned with herbs. It can serve as a main course or a side dish. And sometimes as a filling for crepes.
Mine is essentially a "garbage soup." Open up the crisper drawer and start pulling stuff out.
GET OUT YOUR BIGGEST POT! This soup is like taco salad...it just runs away from you.
In olive oil, saute garlic, onions and diced carrots, if you are using them, until they begin to soften. I then added celery, eggplant, leftover savoy cabbage, and green peppers. I also threw in a jalapeno pepper because I had them and my guys like a little zip. I drizzled a little more olive oil in there and stirred it around just so the veggies were coated and woudn't stick to the pot. I also seasoned with kosher salt and pepper and sprinkled in some Black & Red pepper blend (This is from Penzey's and is a wonderful blend of ground red pepper and black pepper. Yeah, I could do that myself. But why?)
I sprinkled just a little dried oregano, basil and thyme in the veggies, slapped on the lid and let them cook on medium-low for about 6-8 minutes.
Then I poured in some Harris Teeter version of V-8. Here's why: 12-year-old Taylor talked me into buying a big jug of it two weeks ago and then decided he didn't want it. After it'd been opened, of course. No sense in letting it go to waste. I also dropped in a bay leaf.
And that's how my ratatouille became SOUP!
After I brought it back to a simmer, I tossed in some FRESH basil, thyme and oregano from my little herb pots on the patio. If I hadn't had fresh ones, I would have put in more of the dried versions earlier.
So I tossed in the chopped fresh herbs, 1 medium zucchini cut up into chunks, stirred it, waited about 5 minutes, and then served it with crunchy french-style bread.
The veggies were a nice mix of al dente and soft. And there were hardly any leftovers. My guys love this stuff.
If you don't care about how the chopping goes...if you can just let yourself go mad and chop like a fiend...you can throw this thing together in about 30 minutes.
I promise.
I started out thinking I would make Ratatouille. And really, I guess that is what this soup is. The french dish is essentially a vegetable stew of tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, garlic and onions, all sauteed together together and seasoned with herbs. It can serve as a main course or a side dish. And sometimes as a filling for crepes.
Mine is essentially a "garbage soup." Open up the crisper drawer and start pulling stuff out.
GET OUT YOUR BIGGEST POT! This soup is like taco salad...it just runs away from you.
In olive oil, saute garlic, onions and diced carrots, if you are using them, until they begin to soften. I then added celery, eggplant, leftover savoy cabbage, and green peppers. I also threw in a jalapeno pepper because I had them and my guys like a little zip. I drizzled a little more olive oil in there and stirred it around just so the veggies were coated and woudn't stick to the pot. I also seasoned with kosher salt and pepper and sprinkled in some Black & Red pepper blend (This is from Penzey's and is a wonderful blend of ground red pepper and black pepper. Yeah, I could do that myself. But why?)
I sprinkled just a little dried oregano, basil and thyme in the veggies, slapped on the lid and let them cook on medium-low for about 6-8 minutes.
Then I poured in some Harris Teeter version of V-8. Here's why: 12-year-old Taylor talked me into buying a big jug of it two weeks ago and then decided he didn't want it. After it'd been opened, of course. No sense in letting it go to waste. I also dropped in a bay leaf.
And that's how my ratatouille became SOUP!
After I brought it back to a simmer, I tossed in some FRESH basil, thyme and oregano from my little herb pots on the patio. If I hadn't had fresh ones, I would have put in more of the dried versions earlier.
So I tossed in the chopped fresh herbs, 1 medium zucchini cut up into chunks, stirred it, waited about 5 minutes, and then served it with crunchy french-style bread.
The veggies were a nice mix of al dente and soft. And there were hardly any leftovers. My guys love this stuff.
If you don't care about how the chopping goes...if you can just let yourself go mad and chop like a fiend...you can throw this thing together in about 30 minutes.
I promise.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
I have No Idea...
I found this posted on Taylor's door this morning.
Last night we had a "boy night" here. This week Nannette brought her 8-year-old nephew, Cody.
Before they came, Cody talked to his sister Jordin on the phone. "We're going to Karen's for supper," he told her.
"She likes girls better than she likes boys," Jordin told him.
Huh. I guess I must have really snowed that little girl!
We had burgers on the grill, watermelon, the canned baked beans that I couldn't get Jordin to put on her ice cream sundae last week, and some cucumbers & tomatoes from the farm, as well as farm potatoes that I had roasted.
Nannette and I had glasses of Riesling, and then sat on the patio, trying to stay awake. Cody played Wii Golf with Nate and beat him! Cody has a really cute laugh...kind of a Woody Woodpecker thing.
And of course Taylor, Tony, and Mensa Boy all watched "Man vs Wild."
It was a fun evening.
Of course now we have this "deadly poison" thing.
Last night we had a "boy night" here. This week Nannette brought her 8-year-old nephew, Cody.
Before they came, Cody talked to his sister Jordin on the phone. "We're going to Karen's for supper," he told her.
"She likes girls better than she likes boys," Jordin told him.
Huh. I guess I must have really snowed that little girl!
We had burgers on the grill, watermelon, the canned baked beans that I couldn't get Jordin to put on her ice cream sundae last week, and some cucumbers & tomatoes from the farm, as well as farm potatoes that I had roasted.
Nannette and I had glasses of Riesling, and then sat on the patio, trying to stay awake. Cody played Wii Golf with Nate and beat him! Cody has a really cute laugh...kind of a Woody Woodpecker thing.
And of course Taylor, Tony, and Mensa Boy all watched "Man vs Wild."
It was a fun evening.
Of course now we have this "deadly poison" thing.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Grilled Okra
I posted this photo on August 13, 2005 and I've never had okra any different way since then. I adore this stuff and find myself wondering when my farmer is going to give me some this year. It's one of my favorite snacks.
My adorable friend, Kathy Richardson, who has left her job as our school principal to become the Queen of Math and Science at Winthrop University, just sent me an email asking me how to make it. She snagged a few one day as I was taking them to a class dinner.
So here's what you do:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Clean your okra and cut off the tough knobs at the ends. Or not. Those ends do make handy-dandy handles for when you are eating them.
Roll the okra in olive oil and lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. I like to cook mine in this cast iron grill pan so that I get those nice grill marks. I'll roll them around periodically on the pan that's been heated NASA hot on top of the stove, and then finish them off in the oven.
But you can put them right into the oven on a cookie sheet or grill pan.
And basically just roast them in there until they are charring and have softened.
Take them out, sprinkle liberally with kosher salt, and munch away!
My adorable friend, Kathy Richardson, who has left her job as our school principal to become the Queen of Math and Science at Winthrop University, just sent me an email asking me how to make it. She snagged a few one day as I was taking them to a class dinner.
So here's what you do:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Clean your okra and cut off the tough knobs at the ends. Or not. Those ends do make handy-dandy handles for when you are eating them.
Roll the okra in olive oil and lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. I like to cook mine in this cast iron grill pan so that I get those nice grill marks. I'll roll them around periodically on the pan that's been heated NASA hot on top of the stove, and then finish them off in the oven.
But you can put them right into the oven on a cookie sheet or grill pan.
And basically just roast them in there until they are charring and have softened.
Take them out, sprinkle liberally with kosher salt, and munch away!
A Day of Learning
Yesterday we met my aunt and uncle at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte for lunch and to tour the exhibits. They were in town for an Elks convention and were about to leave to drive back to Albert Lea, Minnesota.
I learned a few things yesterday:
1. I learned a lot about the BG Library. I can't say that much of the information in there was new to me. I've been exposed to the life and ministry of Mr. Graham quite a bit. But this place is simply stunning. The use of modern technology to tell the story of Christ and the story of this ministry is simply amazing. It's too bad that the media made such a big deal about the talking cow. I barely noticed that.
2. I learned that you should take an auto-focus lens and use your camera strictly on auto settings if you have a chance to see someone you haven't seen for a couple years, and you have only a couple of hours with your subject matter. I took my 50mm lens, which I have to manually focus, and I ended up with quite a few shots that were simply not focused correctly. Largely due to my slow hand at it, but also due to the fact that I was in a low-light situation most of the time, where it is just plain harder to focus.
So, with all that, here at the few (somewhat) useful photos I took yesterday:
Jimmy Fox is a bus driver for our school. He actually drives kids from our neighborhood. Not mine anymore...our 'hood is too large now and needs two buses. Anyway, he's a retired minister and loves driving. Ever since the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association moved to Charlotte, Jimmy has wanted to work there in some capacity. This summer his hopes were realized when he was hired part time to drive shuttle buses and golf carts. He is absolutely loving it!
Here are my aunt and uncle in the exhibit areas. See what I mean about focus? I'm disgusted with myself over these. But...you live and learn.
Here is Mensa Boy and my uncle. MB's crystal clear, isn't he? Sheesh. So my uncle...he's an Exhalted Ruler in the Elks. I think that means he's like the president of their lodge or something. They have something like 1600 members in their lodge. I never knew much about the Elks, but they do a ton of charity work. So, like the Rotary, they basically exist to raise money and give it away.
And finally, my aunt. She's my dad's baby sister...10 years younger than he is. Like my parents, Lyle and Lila love camping. They plan to sell their home when they retire and go on the road fulltime. They'll buy a little house in some state where the taxes are low, and then stop in there whenever they aren't on the road.
I learned a few things yesterday:
1. I learned a lot about the BG Library. I can't say that much of the information in there was new to me. I've been exposed to the life and ministry of Mr. Graham quite a bit. But this place is simply stunning. The use of modern technology to tell the story of Christ and the story of this ministry is simply amazing. It's too bad that the media made such a big deal about the talking cow. I barely noticed that.
2. I learned that you should take an auto-focus lens and use your camera strictly on auto settings if you have a chance to see someone you haven't seen for a couple years, and you have only a couple of hours with your subject matter. I took my 50mm lens, which I have to manually focus, and I ended up with quite a few shots that were simply not focused correctly. Largely due to my slow hand at it, but also due to the fact that I was in a low-light situation most of the time, where it is just plain harder to focus.
So, with all that, here at the few (somewhat) useful photos I took yesterday:
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Product Review: Grainy Pastas
The markets are becoming full of whole-grain products now. As my friend Jenny says, "Now is a great time to be on a diet." There are so many high-fiber, low-fat products now. I'm still skeptical about sugar content, but I haven't really done much investigating in that area yet.
In response to the fact that most Americans like their pasta smooth and white, several manufacturers are making blends of white and whole wheat. This Barilla line, called "Plus," is kind of a happy medium between Mueller's Whole Grains and Creamette's white, highly-processed products.
Here's a mini-comparison of three kinds of pasta. I'll just compare calories, fat, fiber and sugar for one serving (56g or about 1/2 cup):
Mueller's Enriched Macaroni-Cal 210, 1g fat, fiber 2g, sugars 2g
Barilla Plus Penne-Cal 210, 2g fat, fiber 4g, sugars 2g
Mueller's Whole Grain Rotini-Cal 190, 2g fat, fiber 5g, sugars 4g
So the whole grain is the lowest in calories, but the sugar content is twice as high. I suspect to make it more palatable to the average American consumer. But you do get 1g higher fiber and lower calories, which drops the Weight Watcher's point value:
Mueller's Enriched-4 points
Barilla Plus-4 points
Mueller's Whole Grain-3 points
The kids liked it. Actually, I should say they didn't dislike it. Ok...they didn't say anything at all. But neither did I. I assume they noticed...especially Taylor, who has a heightened sense of smell and taste, as well as being the most observant member of the family. I did not volunteer that the pasta was different and they did not comment that it was. So I passed that test.
I made a dish from "Cooking Light" magazine that had spinach, asparagus, bacon and parmesan in it. They gobbled it right up.
The Mueller's Whole Grain pasta was good, but a little too Euell Gibbons for us. Even for me, I thought. It was pretty dense and somewhat chewy. I like chewy in my pasta, but I thought the texture was just a little too apparent. I like my pasta to be a vehicle for the sauce...a background singer, if you will. I don't want the pasta itself to make any statements of its own.
Both pasta were more expensive than the regular stuff. Like about 50 cents higher per box. But I'll buy the Barilla Plus stuff a lot now. When I'm not busy making my own, that is.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Simpsons: Bart Simpson's Chalkboard
I've never been a fan of "The Simpsons." Never have seen even one episode. But when I found this compilation of chalkboard scenes on youtube, I couldn't help but share it. (I was surfing for videos, music and photos about education and technology)
Feed-the-Preacher Night
Every Friday (almost) we have our friend Tony over for supper. You've heard me talk about Tony. He's our minister, but also a close friend. I like to joke that Tony is the other 12-year-old I never had. When he is here, he gets Taylor riled up and they both take turns keeping us in stitches most of the night.
We sit around the supper table and talk about nothing most of the time. Tony tells jokes, we all tease him about how bad they are, and usually Nate, Taylor, or Mensa Boy introduce some speculative science thing that I don't understand. One night it was about geosynchronous orbit and wouldn't it be cool if we could have things in orbit around the earth that would be only a yard or so off the ground?
I usually just sit and watch it all happen. As my friend Jenny says, "It's like a train wreck. You just can't take your eyes away from it."
A few times this summer we've also invited my neighbor Nannette and last week she brought her niece, 7-year-old Jordin.
So the balance of power between the boys and girls evened out just a little last Friday.
Friday night dinner is usually a big affair. A large meal with dessert most of the time. I don't do that just to impress Tony. I like to relax by cooking and having a guest just gives me an excuse to whomp up something with several steps. And besides...Tony eats ANYTHING. I love having non-picky eaters at my house.
Last Friday, however, was a boy-friendly meal. Tacos. And for dessert we made our own sundaes. Nannette's niece is a little shy, so we gave her the lead on that, taking her to the grocery store with a list so that she could get all the ingredients we need for some really good sundaes. As I'm prone to do, I made up all kinds of stuff to pull her leg. "Pickles, Jordin? What about the pickles? You can't have a sundae without pickles! The best ones I know have ice cream, pickles, baked beans, tabasco sauce, chocolate chips, sprinkles, chocolate sauce..."
It was when she decided I was crazy that she relaxed, I think. That and the camera. She walked around with my camera and took photos most of the night. The little girl took a lot of photos of my house, including the messy parts.
But when we took her out to my neighbor's garden, I found that she has a pretty good knack for framing and macro photography:
It was a great night. And no one ever did put any pickles or baked beans on their sundae, so I don't need to put those items on next week's grocery list..
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Crime Doesn't Pay
Apparently today was not a good day to be a Chinese Food & Drug official.
At first, when you hear the lead-in to this story, and they are saying what has happened, it strikes you as sort of funny...that someone with this kind of job would do something worthy of this kind of punishment.
But as you listen to the entire story on NPR, you find that this situation is very very serious.
At first, when you hear the lead-in to this story, and they are saying what has happened, it strikes you as sort of funny...that someone with this kind of job would do something worthy of this kind of punishment.
But as you listen to the entire story on NPR, you find that this situation is very very serious.
Peach Cheesecake
Actually, it's not the cheesecake itself that is peachy. It's the peach compote hidden inside, and the peach preserve glaze on top, that lends the peachy flavor to this cake.
I found this recipe on Epicurious.It was originally in Bon Appetit magazine, June 2002.
The recipe was a pretty straightforward New York-style cheesecake recipe.
If you decide to make this, bear in mind that you really need to start a day ahead of the day you serve it.
Peach Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Crust
When you are ready to start, take your eggs and cream cheese out and put them on the counter. You really want them to be at room temperature when you make the filling.
Make the compote first, because it has to cool a little.
combine in a small saucepan:
4 small peaches (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons of sugar (more or less depending upon how sweet the fruit is)
1/2 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the peaches break down and are juicy. Stir occasionally. This should take around 5 minutes. I used frozen peaches from last year, so I had to let mine go a little longer, just to let them thaw. Uncover the the pan and let the peaches cook until they are tender and the juices thicken.
Cool the compote. I would think to at least room temperature. But really you could probably make this ahead of time and refrigerate, then take it out to warm up a bit before you use it. It's not a big deal: it's pretty forgiving. I just wouldn't put HOT compote in the cheesecake batter.
Now, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Take out a very large roaster pan, large enough to set the springform pan inside, and place it on the counter out of the way. Lay a kitchen towel in the bottom. Fill the teakettle all the way full with water and set it on the stove to boil. This is for your bain marie.
Make a gingersnap crust by grinding up
25 gingersnap cookies (about 6 ounces)and
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted unsalted butter
Press the crust into a 9-inch springform pan, bringing the crumbs up the sides about an inch. Put the pan into the oven and bake until you can smell the gingersnaps browning, 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven to cool on a rack.
Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees.
Make the cheesecake filling
4 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Beat the cream cheese until it's fluffy. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.
Place your pan on top of a piece of foil that is large enough for you to gather up around the outside of the pan. This will help with any leaks.
Spoon half the batter (about 3 cups) into the crust. Then spoon the compote by tablespoonfuls around the batter, spacing the glops apart. Pour the rest of the batter onto the top.
Here is my friend Cassie putting together the cheesecake. She is a cheesecake-maker extraordinaire.
Okay. So now you have the cheesecake together and the water in the kettle has either come to a boil or is about to. Gather the foil up around the outside of your springform pan.
Place the large roaster pan in the oven and pour the boiling water into it. Then place the cheesecake pan into the roaster.
Now, you are going to bake this cheesecake for about an hour. But start looking at it by around 50 minutes. You are going for a lightly-browned top and you don't want it to be all the way "set." The center of the cheesecake should have a little bit of a jiggle to it if you nudge the pan. You will probably think it's underbaked. But that cake is going to hold a lot of residual heat for quite some time. Not to mention the water in the roaster pan.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. I remove the entire roaster with cake inside and place it on the counter, then remove the cheesecake. But that's probably not wise, because the water can slosh all over. And it's hard on the back. You can just remove the cheesecake from the pan.
Let it cool on a rack for a while.
The recipe says to cool it for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside to be sure it's loose from that pan, then remove the sides of the pan and refrigerate for a day. But other recipes suggest you cool it for a day and then remove the sides before you serve it. I prefer that method. I just don't want to do anything that might upset the cake before it's all the way chilled. And yeah...you need to chill overnight. It's tempting to just go 5 or 6 hours, but a 24-hour chill is really the best here.
"And it was evening and then morning, the second day."
Make the glaze
Combine in a small saucepan
1/2 cup peach preserves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Stir this over medium heat until the glaze comes to a simmer. The recipe suggests straining it, but I had a snafu removing the cake from the pan, so I used the lumps and bumps and extra glaze that I would have lost from straining to glaze the top of the cake and cover the ugliness. I'll tell you about the mess in a second.
Remove the springform sides of the pan by running a knife around the edge between the crust and the pan sides, and then loosening the sides and sliding up over the top.
Spread the glaze over the top of the cake, arrange some peach slices on top, and maybe a sprig of mint.
And there you have it!
This was the fourth cheesecake I've made. I've never had one crack. Cracking happens when the cake becomes overcooked. It's still great to eat that way, just not as strikingly beautiful. Glazes and toppings help to cover up cracks. I think the bain marie method really helps to assure that the cake does not crack. The water is an insulator and helps distribute the heat throughout the entire cake, so that the bottom and sides don't get overcooked before the middle has had enough time. Because cheesecakes are large and dense, bain maries just make sense. (Like that? I made that up)
My snafu. So this was my fourth cheesecake. Never have had any trouble whatsoever, so I figured now I had enough experience to make a cake for the newspaper. A photograph-able cake.
I removed the cake from the refrigerator and began to run my knife around the edge. It was hard to make the knife go. I didn't expect that. The pan I use is pretty much nonstick. I kept going. I loosened the pan sides and started to lift it off. It really seemed like it didn't want to come. As I gently lifted the side up, there was cake stuck to it and it snagged my perfect top and tore a jagged edge about 6 inches long.
I had managed to run my knife down between the crust and the cake, instead of between the crust and the pan. I had cut the side crust completely off the cake. ARRGH!
Ugly cake.
So I meticulously cut the crust remnants from the pan, fitting it like a puzzle to the sides of the cake with my fingers. Gently, gently pressing the sides together to "glue it." I carefully smoothed down the jagged top and then glopped all the lumpy glaze across the top.
I think it turned out pretty photogenic, if I do say so myself.
I found this recipe on Epicurious.It was originally in Bon Appetit magazine, June 2002.
The recipe was a pretty straightforward New York-style cheesecake recipe.
If you decide to make this, bear in mind that you really need to start a day ahead of the day you serve it.
Peach Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Crust
When you are ready to start, take your eggs and cream cheese out and put them on the counter. You really want them to be at room temperature when you make the filling.
Make the compote first, because it has to cool a little.
combine in a small saucepan:
4 small peaches (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons of sugar (more or less depending upon how sweet the fruit is)
1/2 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the peaches break down and are juicy. Stir occasionally. This should take around 5 minutes. I used frozen peaches from last year, so I had to let mine go a little longer, just to let them thaw. Uncover the the pan and let the peaches cook until they are tender and the juices thicken.
Cool the compote. I would think to at least room temperature. But really you could probably make this ahead of time and refrigerate, then take it out to warm up a bit before you use it. It's not a big deal: it's pretty forgiving. I just wouldn't put HOT compote in the cheesecake batter.
Now, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Take out a very large roaster pan, large enough to set the springform pan inside, and place it on the counter out of the way. Lay a kitchen towel in the bottom. Fill the teakettle all the way full with water and set it on the stove to boil. This is for your bain marie.
Make a gingersnap crust by grinding up
25 gingersnap cookies (about 6 ounces)and
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted unsalted butter
Press the crust into a 9-inch springform pan, bringing the crumbs up the sides about an inch. Put the pan into the oven and bake until you can smell the gingersnaps browning, 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven to cool on a rack.
Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees.
Make the cheesecake filling
4 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Beat the cream cheese until it's fluffy. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.
Place your pan on top of a piece of foil that is large enough for you to gather up around the outside of the pan. This will help with any leaks.
Spoon half the batter (about 3 cups) into the crust. Then spoon the compote by tablespoonfuls around the batter, spacing the glops apart. Pour the rest of the batter onto the top.
Here is my friend Cassie putting together the cheesecake. She is a cheesecake-maker extraordinaire.
Okay. So now you have the cheesecake together and the water in the kettle has either come to a boil or is about to. Gather the foil up around the outside of your springform pan.
Place the large roaster pan in the oven and pour the boiling water into it. Then place the cheesecake pan into the roaster.
Now, you are going to bake this cheesecake for about an hour. But start looking at it by around 50 minutes. You are going for a lightly-browned top and you don't want it to be all the way "set." The center of the cheesecake should have a little bit of a jiggle to it if you nudge the pan. You will probably think it's underbaked. But that cake is going to hold a lot of residual heat for quite some time. Not to mention the water in the roaster pan.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. I remove the entire roaster with cake inside and place it on the counter, then remove the cheesecake. But that's probably not wise, because the water can slosh all over. And it's hard on the back. You can just remove the cheesecake from the pan.
Let it cool on a rack for a while.
The recipe says to cool it for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside to be sure it's loose from that pan, then remove the sides of the pan and refrigerate for a day. But other recipes suggest you cool it for a day and then remove the sides before you serve it. I prefer that method. I just don't want to do anything that might upset the cake before it's all the way chilled. And yeah...you need to chill overnight. It's tempting to just go 5 or 6 hours, but a 24-hour chill is really the best here.
"And it was evening and then morning, the second day."
Make the glaze
Combine in a small saucepan
1/2 cup peach preserves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Stir this over medium heat until the glaze comes to a simmer. The recipe suggests straining it, but I had a snafu removing the cake from the pan, so I used the lumps and bumps and extra glaze that I would have lost from straining to glaze the top of the cake and cover the ugliness. I'll tell you about the mess in a second.
Remove the springform sides of the pan by running a knife around the edge between the crust and the pan sides, and then loosening the sides and sliding up over the top.
Spread the glaze over the top of the cake, arrange some peach slices on top, and maybe a sprig of mint.
And there you have it!
This was the fourth cheesecake I've made. I've never had one crack. Cracking happens when the cake becomes overcooked. It's still great to eat that way, just not as strikingly beautiful. Glazes and toppings help to cover up cracks. I think the bain marie method really helps to assure that the cake does not crack. The water is an insulator and helps distribute the heat throughout the entire cake, so that the bottom and sides don't get overcooked before the middle has had enough time. Because cheesecakes are large and dense, bain maries just make sense. (Like that? I made that up)
My snafu. So this was my fourth cheesecake. Never have had any trouble whatsoever, so I figured now I had enough experience to make a cake for the newspaper. A photograph-able cake.
I removed the cake from the refrigerator and began to run my knife around the edge. It was hard to make the knife go. I didn't expect that. The pan I use is pretty much nonstick. I kept going. I loosened the pan sides and started to lift it off. It really seemed like it didn't want to come. As I gently lifted the side up, there was cake stuck to it and it snagged my perfect top and tore a jagged edge about 6 inches long.
I had managed to run my knife down between the crust and the cake, instead of between the crust and the pan. I had cut the side crust completely off the cake. ARRGH!
Ugly cake.
So I meticulously cut the crust remnants from the pan, fitting it like a puzzle to the sides of the cake with my fingers. Gently, gently pressing the sides together to "glue it." I carefully smoothed down the jagged top and then glopped all the lumpy glaze across the top.
I think it turned out pretty photogenic, if I do say so myself.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Hummers
This is my kind of hummer. Absolutely no cost (well, may a few cents of sugar)...way less than the Hummer car...which costs about what our first house did.
I've been cooking and photographing all weekend. Both require a lot of breath-holding. So today I'm working on breathing.
(I should explain that I do not ALWAYS hold my breath when I cook. Just when I cook something I've never done before, I plan to photograph it, and I'm worried that it might end up looking a little messy. See below)
I am absolutely LOVING my new little lens for my camera. But I should mention that this particular photo was not taken by that one. The new lens is a 50 mm. This was taken with my 55-200 telephoto lens. I started out sitting 4 feet from the feeder with the 50 mm lens and the birds were just too scared. They came to the feeder - that wasn't a problem. But they were swooping at my head. And all my shots were to the side like this one because they always like that perch. My office window is to the left of this shot, so now I've removed the screen from that window and I plan to shoot them through the glass with the little lens so I can get them straight on.
During breaks from work, that is. I'm going to be doing some serious desk jockeying this week. I have material for 5 stories, another story that needs more interviewing, and about 30 hours worth of CDs to do for the Clevelands.
So back to work. I'll write about the food later. That's one of the stories for the paper (yay!).
My Peach Puzzle. Much messier-looking than the photo on NPR, but just as good, I think.
I've been cooking and photographing all weekend. Both require a lot of breath-holding. So today I'm working on breathing.
(I should explain that I do not ALWAYS hold my breath when I cook. Just when I cook something I've never done before, I plan to photograph it, and I'm worried that it might end up looking a little messy. See below)
I am absolutely LOVING my new little lens for my camera. But I should mention that this particular photo was not taken by that one. The new lens is a 50 mm. This was taken with my 55-200 telephoto lens. I started out sitting 4 feet from the feeder with the 50 mm lens and the birds were just too scared. They came to the feeder - that wasn't a problem. But they were swooping at my head. And all my shots were to the side like this one because they always like that perch. My office window is to the left of this shot, so now I've removed the screen from that window and I plan to shoot them through the glass with the little lens so I can get them straight on.
During breaks from work, that is. I'm going to be doing some serious desk jockeying this week. I have material for 5 stories, another story that needs more interviewing, and about 30 hours worth of CDs to do for the Clevelands.
So back to work. I'll write about the food later. That's one of the stories for the paper (yay!).
My Peach Puzzle. Much messier-looking than the photo on NPR, but just as good, I think.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Lounging
There is plenty of down-time for everyone around here this summer. Particularly the kids. They've been reasonably good about not complaining of boredom. Although that might be because uttering the word "bored" can result in being assigned a task.
Yesterday I fell in love with some property. There is a house on it, but what I really loved was the location. Deep in the heart of Indian Land, nestled in the woods, the owner enjoys wildlife and peace and quiet. It's about 5 miles further away from Charlotte than we are.
It has awakened in me the desire to have a home in the woods. With maybe just an acre of land all around me. If I could find an acre or two in the woods that we could afford, I'd buy that and build an energy-efficient home on it.
But it would have be here in Indian Land. I just don't want to leave here.
Yesterday I fell in love with some property. There is a house on it, but what I really loved was the location. Deep in the heart of Indian Land, nestled in the woods, the owner enjoys wildlife and peace and quiet. It's about 5 miles further away from Charlotte than we are.
It has awakened in me the desire to have a home in the woods. With maybe just an acre of land all around me. If I could find an acre or two in the woods that we could afford, I'd buy that and build an energy-efficient home on it.
But it would have be here in Indian Land. I just don't want to leave here.
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