Sunday, July 31, 2016

Sunday Serenity - Sounds of a Summer Night



I've never realized
There's ebb and flow to the sounds
one hears in the night

~~~

xoabb

(I didn't change the volume level - that's just the loud/soft sounds of a Missouri night)

Sunday Serenity

Bleeding Heart

I took this photo back in 2009 while in NYC visiting Daryl near her home - can't remember the name of the lovely
park we were walking. Kate had come in from MD, and Lauren and I had traveled from CT to join in.
Bleeding hearts have always been on of my very favorite flowers...well haven't yet met a flower I didn't love...
and this is a photo I've held dear for more than a few years. 

Little dancers! All
In a row, bobbing along
To their unknown beat.

~~~

xoabb

Friday, July 29, 2016

Evening Serenity by the Pond

My parent's beloved pond around 6:30pm. What memories this body of water holds for our entire family!

Evening's peaceful calm
Spreading over the landscape
And now...day is done

~~~

xoabb

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Chanterelle Gold




Mom & I were on her golf cart hunting for chanterelles in the woods surrounding our parent's home. Did we ever walk into a chanterelle-gold treasure-trove! (It was in the same place in the woods we've found a good patch in previous years, but never in this quantity.) Only problem was, it wasn't where mom (she's golf-cart-bound) could drive to it, so, you get the ~glorious commentary~ from moi as I was yelling back to her so she could ~share~ in the find. (Just turn your volume down and no snotty thoughts on my commentary or my voice!) The number of chanterelles this 2016 summer has just been unbelievable! We've had them on pizzas, in stir-fries, in pasta toppings, in sauces for steaks and chicken, as a side dish. 
We have refrained from including them as part of our frozen yogurt dessert churning!
YUM!! 




A pirate’s chest spilled
on the forest floor, spreading
it’s chanterelle gold

~~~

xoabb

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Poor Beans, 0 - Critters, for the Win

Blue Lake Beans...
valiantly trying to grow...it's not going well.

Daughter Brynnly and I have a plot at Norwalk's Community Garden. It's intended to be for us to reap the harvest of veggies to enjoy eating. This far, our plot is apparently for the ground hogs and rabbits to enjoy eating. The beans don't
have a chance, nor broccoli or cabbage. Thought we'd scored a home-run with the pepper plants. Yeah, the critters
hate the foliage, but the pepper flowers? They love 'em! The only thing that seems to be safe are the tomato plants and the
chive plant. Even our basil hasn't been safe. It. Is. SO. Frustrating!
Blue Lake beans, going
Going gone! Critters have won
We need a good fence!

~~~

xoabb

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Sunday Serenity

Kousa Dogwood
"The spring blooms are probably the tree's largest selling point - and its most misunderstood.
The white "petals" aren't actually petals at all.
They are modified leaves called bracts that surround the small, greenish-yellow, insignificant flowers."

Like a flock of birds
Floating by on white white wings
Beautiful Kousa

~~~

xoabb

Friday, July 15, 2016

Our Sunday Family Dinners (2/29/09)

Rosemary blossoms, February 2009

I wrote the below post originally in February 2009. It pretty much perfectly explains what our
Sunday Family Dinners are all about and why they are so important to all of us.
For the original post, click here. For the re-posted post, click here.
For cousin Julie's wonderful take on SFD, click here.
(The oven fries recipe, below, is often a part of our SFD's.)



My World: 

There's one huge aspect of my world that I really don't write much about here, which is really quite odd, considering how important it is to me. It is something near and dear to my heart, whatever the aspect of it is. Matter of fact, it's quite near and dear to the hearts of my family and friends as well. We have shared many wonderful times over it, and, I suspect, will continue to do so ad infinitum. 
So what, you ask, does the above photo have to do with anything at all, let alone the mystery aspect of my world I'm blabbering on about? Nothing and absolutely everything, that's what! It's a pretty enough photo that I enjoy looking at, and hope you do to, but what it really stands for is...food. Food. It's such an important part of my world and I really don't talk or write about it as much as I should. How often have we gathered together, be it two, ten or many folks, to celebrate, commiserate, grieve, just be with each other, laugh, love, play, where food is the centerpiece of the gathering? How irritated do the children of this wonderful collective family of ours get when we miss Sunday Family Dinner two weeks in a row? (Right now they're really mad - we're going on our 3rd week of missed SFD with no end in sight. It's not a good thing.) How wonderful is it to gather together and share good times over good food? It is a pleasure to be forever treasured. And I know we're sending these children of ours forth into this world with the conviction that our Sunday Family Dinner gathering is a tradition whose celebration is sacred, should always be nurtured and never ever forgotten. Food is good. Life is good. For the most part. 
~

Those Oven Fries

potatoes, chunked, quartered, cut in wedges, whatever
extra virgin olive oil, enough to coat everything
garlic and/or onions, chopped
fresh rosemary leaves, stripped off tough stem
fresh ground pepper and salt
cayenne
(lemon juice is a most excellent addition)
oregano or other herbs if you think necessary - I don't

Now you know why I can't bake - I don't measure anything...ever. Preheat oven to 425º. Wash potatoes, cut into whatever shape you want. Using whatever amounts you want, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 10 - 15 minutes. Turn potatoes over and bake for another 10 - 15 minutes. Serve immediately. 
Delicious with just about everything, but especially good with roast chicken, lamb and salmon. It goes without saying (so why am I saying it?) they're delicious with hamburgers and steak. Heck, they'd be good with liver!



~~~
xoabb
expect anything!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Fierce!

Fierce Little Revolutionary Soldier

This young man's photo is from another stop on the tour Bly & Angie just took. This stop was a historical site that reenacted Revolutionary battle scenes that apparently included youngsters. This little guy really got into it - and got it! Look at that face! Fierceness personified! I'm sure he would have fought proud and hard had he been alive all those years ago. So wonderful to let the young-uns ~live~ history and what a great way to learn! Here's a photo of him and his friend leaving: 

Two little soldiers marching on

Two little soldiers
Marching on to adventures
Just 'round the corner

~~~
xoabb
expect anything!

Monday, July 11, 2016

A Very Full House!

Barn Swallow Babies


Son Bly and his wife Angie took a tour bus up through New York state, and at one point visited this brick structure. As Bly said, "I don't see how all those babies stay in that nest without someone falling out!" Those barn swallow babies certainly look like they're about ready to fly the nest to me!


a very full house!
mama swallow must be ripe
to see her babes fly!

~~~
xoabb
expect anything!

Wednesday, July 06, 2016

Dreadful Duck Weed

Lemna minor, commonly known as duck weed, has plagued our usually beautiful pond hugely this year.
This doesn't happen every year, and, matter of fact, the last time this occurred, our pond company sprayed
the entire pond surface with Round Up because, at the time, it was considered ~a bio-chemical that was
environmentally safe and very friendly~. We were told that after a very short period of time, it would break
down to nothing and leave no traces behind. HA! (We also had the aerators installed after the RU application.)
Considering all the damning evidence that's come to the front about Round Up's lack of
~good for the environment~, that wasthe first and last time that remedy was used.
Now our pond company has told us the only good way to remove the duck weed is either skim it off (really???)
 or cover the pond with a black sheet to block out all the sunlight (really???).
So very practical, those two solutions!
So this year we live with a very green pond and hope that next summer the duck weed is in ~remission~. (sigh)


duck weed on our pond
a scourge and a huge eye-sore
please go away NOW!


~~~
xoabb
expect anything!