a little of this... and a little of that

figs from our tree

We have 2 fig trees in our yard, a Turkey fig and a Celeste Fig.  The Turkey fig is older and the figs are larger, but the Celeste fig is very prolific and produces very sweet figs. This year we have filled this size bowl maybe 6 times already.  We can't eat enough of them and don't know that many people who like fresh figs, but we have given some away and gave some to my son to take to work. Now the birds, squirrels, and turtles like them, but even with them eating some, we seem to have an over abundance.

I brought another batch to my friend today when we met for coffee.  She loves them and has decided that those she cannot eat, she will dry.  I've always avoided dried fruits and veggies because of my migraine problems.  Anything that contains sulfates, sulfides, preservatives, nitrates, etc. can be a problem for me. However, I wonder if you just dried them without anything else... if they would be safe. My guess would be that you couldn't keep them any length of time.

And I'm guessing that most of you out there have heard of the new *food contamination* problem. They apparently have not be able to find the source, but know only that it is probably contaminated fruit or vegetables (possibly from out of the country). They advise all to wash your fruit and veggies very very well and/or cook them thoroughly.  Well, I don't know about you, but the illness born from this bacteria seems serious enough to just plain avoid fresh fruits and veggies (for the most part) until they find the culprit... unless you're using home-grown (like my figs). Anyway, this is *my plan*.  Tonight we had marinated pork chops, wild rice, corn-on-the cob, and fresh figs!

Oh... one more mention: We switched from Time-Warner Cable to AT&T a few months back (supposedly to save us money - that didn't actually happen) and by doing so, lost the Hallmark Channel (which I loved). So I've been biding my time till our contract is up and plan to change back unless the Hallmark Channel is re-instated.  However, lately all I see are advertisements saying that AT&T is getting ready to drop CBS where what few programs I do like exist.  If I wasn't brought up better, I would say, "WTF"?  Now I'm down to KERA and the Cooking Channel or Food Network... and I'm beginning to wonder if what we pay per month is worth these few shows?  It's odd to have hundreds of channels, but so few worth watching...

New cookie recipe...

White chocolate coconut macadamia nut cookies

Yes, I'm baking again.  On DH's birthday (since we seldom give gifts these days), I picked up some new Lindt Chocolate bars. We always get the dark chocolate with sea salt, but this time I picked up a dark chocolate with sea salt and caramel as well as a white chocolate coconut.  Both are very good!

I'm not a white chocolate nor coconut lover, but I have to say that this white chocolate coconut is so buttery and flavorful that I decided to try using it as a base for white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. So this morning being the typical Monday morning... nothing special... I decided to cheer it up with my cookie try-out!  Needless to say, it was a success.  I only made half a recipe... so maybe just a little short of 2 dozen cookies.  Baked half of that and left the other half of the dough for tomorrow. So-oo good (even the dough is good).

new find: white coconut !

Another reason that this cookie try-out went over so well this morning is because I spent the better part of the morning paying and organizing bills.... (putting Medicare and Supplement papers together, etc.). So I think I needed a treat...

a rainy Monday morning...

Back in 2002 when Rose was still and inside/outside cat, she enjoyed the heck out of teasing Molly (who we only allowed outside then when we were out with her).  As you can see in the above picture, Rose is laying in the bird feeder taunting Molly. Molly was incensed, hissing and fussing and thoroughly put out.  Not long after that, Rose broke her leg (either got it caught on a fence or by a dog - Vet wasn't sure) but from then on, she became an 'inside' only cat.

BTW, today is DH's birthday!  Yes, our birthdays are just 9 days apart. I made him his 'birthday breakfast' which consisted of eggs over easy, grits, Canadian bacon, and whole wheat toast...  not terribly exciting, but we went out to The Original Pancake House this weekend and he got Strawberry Crepes there.  We don't have anything special planned.  Kids may drop by this evening for Birthday Cake (DH wanted a Central Market Cheesecake, so we went and picked one up a little while ago).

The weather has been great yesterday and today... drizzling and cool... in the lower 70's.  It won't last but we're enjoying it while we can.

I 'organized' all my knitting and crochet yesterday - putting various types of yarn together in boxes, tools and instructions together, and active and inactive projects.  This is something I've been meaning to do.  For a while it was scattered about several rooms and shelves.  Now at least it's all together.  I have only 2 projects active at this time - a baby blanket that is a little over half complete and a large 100 percent cotton dish towel that I had started a while back, left it, and have now resumed. It is also almost done. (I have this thing for dish towels.  I like them made of a certain material and I like to have an abundance of clean ones about - ???)

Have been reading some of my old writings, but so far the muse is still 'on vacation' and no stories are spinning around in my head.  This could be a good thing as sometimes my head is so full of 'stuff' that it gets a bit confusing in there.  But the thing is... when I'm immersed in a project like writing a story, it's kind of like an adrenaline rush... and it's very addictive (but in a good way).

Speaking of addictive...

back on track...

OK, my day of feeling unfulfilled is over and I've decided to see about starting writing again.  I haven't had my writing muse visit in some time, so I'm going to jump start myself by re-reading some of my old stories.

These are just stories that pop into my head from time to time and I write them down... some are short, some are fairly long.  Anyway, I thought I'd invite you to read along (if you're so inclined... not a problem if you're not as I've not a lot of time to read any really long blogs myself).  But again, I could use the feedback.  However, I do realize that these are not up to professional writer standards... just scenarios that take on a life of their own inside my head.

I'm going to start with "Whisperings".  It's a semi-science fiction story about a higher life form infiltrating our world in a compassionate long term process for the ultimate good of man-kind.  It's written in 4 parts - none of which are very long.

And for those who do not wish to read my ramblings, I'll post some more pictures of things that interest me and may be of interest to you.

The first are pictures from one of my favorite watercolor books "Drawing Closer" by Carolyn Blish:

and a few pages from her book...

I would love to be able to watercolor like this. The third painting is my favorite as there's something about how gulls land that fascinates me... (you really need to click on these pictures and see them larger to appreciate them).


Next is just a few of Ann Purser's cozy mysteries that I enjoy reading.  These pictured are the Ivy Beasley series (3).  At the moment I'm almost finished the Lois Meade series (about 12).

And lastly... I'm posting a picture that a friend posted on Facebook recently that I thought was amazing...

Wow!

Strange day...

I'm having one of those 'can't get anything accomplished' days.  I've cleaned my kitchen, read and answered blogs, made a few phone calls, washed clothes, put a few things in the garage that have been cluttering up my computer room, played with the cats, practiced piano, washed and folded a load of clothes, and have a roast in the oven.  Now that sounds like I've accomplished a few things, but it doesn't feel like it. Must be me...

Mama cat with 3 black and white kittens

I was reading somewhere about how retirees spend their time and even though I generally keep busy with the house, grand kids, cats, blogging, pottery, reading, sketching, photography, cooking, meeting friends for lunch, etc. (and keeping all the paperwork organized/semi-organized), some days just seem 'un-fullfilled'...


Then again  I may be experiencing grand daughter withdrawal. 

Kittens in tree

Kittens eating

Can't think of anything of interest to add...  except that I've been reading the Ann Purser cozy English village mysteries lately. I had already read the Ivy Beasley ones and some of the Lois Meade's... but am now on Tragedy at Two (more Lois Meade).  I do enjoy these.  (Finished Dan Brown's Inferno about a week ago... interesting, but not especially enjoyable.)

Then... and now

a few years ago...




















and now...

















As you who read my blog know, our grand daughter just spent a week with us. She is great with the cats and spends a lot of her time either playing with them (Jack misses her already) or taking pictures of them as well as the outside cats, raccoons, possums (we have a tiny one that visits these days), etc. She will sit for hours perfectly still waiting for them to come close. Or she will don rubber boots and head out by the creek looking for turtles and snakes.  Yes, she is a natural born nature-lover.  You can find more pics of her riding at an early age here.  (just scroll down to "Grand daughter and her horses")

But when she's here in Dallas, she misses her horses, dogs, cats, and turtles back home.  Luckily she has an iPhone and can use it to see and talk to them daily... as well as her family and friends (kind of like skyping?)

Loving animals seems to run in the family as even our youngest grand daughter (7 mons) seems to be fascinated with the cats and gets so excited when she sees them.  She wants to grab them... and occasionally does.  Luckily they don't seem to mind.  (We don't let her grab Rose... Rose is a bit unpredictable).  And recently she found the pink horse (which use to be other GD's when she was young) and is crazy about it . We have to laugh as she actually jumps up and down on it like she's 'posting'...

She likes to feel the fur...

Here she is jumping up and down hanging onto the mane...

















and lastly here is a picture of that tiny possum that has become a nightly visitor...

we call him 'Tossum' (for tiny possum - original, yes?)

Happy 4th of July from Texas!

Happy 4th of July to all!

I know that I've been away enjoying my time at Bailey's Cove and haven't even taken the time to read blogs or post...  and part of that is also due to the fact that my grand daughter is here with us this past week and we have spent some time back in the RW running around visiting museums, taking walks in parks, petting horses, and buying a new Russian Tortoise.  

Today is the 4th of July and I thought I'd jump in here and say Happy 4th!  Our neighborhood parade is coming down the block soon so I can't be long blogging.  But I did notice that my reading blogs are gone.  I guess that's what was meant by Google reading disappearing on July 1st??  I did (I think) transfer the blogs I follow to an archive with another reader, but I'm not sure exactly how to find it. 

I will try to update and catch up on my reading if I can find the blogs I follow...  in the next few days.  My birthday (68!!!) is this weekend, so the kids may be over, but I should have some time on Sunday.

Here are a few pics grand daughter took: 

 Lone Ranger (one of the mama cats' black kitten) climbing tree in back yard.

Mama raccoon standing ....

bunny we saw in park

and giant gold nugget on quartz that we saw in the Perot Museum this week.  It was huge!