Wednesday, July 29, 2009

The Garden Begins to Give

We've had a couple of days of rain this week...and, that's a good thing, since we've been hot 'n dry for the week or so before that. For a while there, every day, we would hear about bad thunderstorms in the area...the weather radio would sound the alarm...and then, nothing. But, two nights ago, we had a big, booming storm...the kind that kept Duchess roaming around all night, looking for the basement (where she used to go hide from the lightning and thunder in MO). And, now we've had measurable rainfall in our new rain gauge on the deck. And we all know that rain-showers will bring more than just summer flowers!

Between raindrops today, I dashed out to check on our veggie garden in the 'way-backyard,' and look what I gathered (photo to right): some banana peppers, some cayenne peppers, a green pepper, and our FIRST THREE TOMATOES (one of each variety: plum, Celebrity, and German Johnson).
We were so late in getting things planted because of our move that I wasn't sure if we'd have a productive garden at all. Missy M, after all, has a huge garden going in her new raised beds back in Louisville, complete with giant tomato plants, kudzu-like watermelon vines, and even an eggplant! (All this from a veggie-phobic...:) She sent us some photos of all the bounty, and I just loved this one of Ella Rae, checking out the little watermelon growing on the vine that has escaped the garden and is heading for a getaway over the fence (left). I wonder if she thinks it's a new variety of squeeky-toy?


Anyway, you can probably guess what happened right after I took that picture of what I gathered from the garden, right? Yep, I grabbed two of those tomatoes and began assembling my favorite sandwich: tomato and bacon on fresh white bread with lots of Hellman's mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Yummy. N/M/E and I thoroughly enjoyed our lunch today, that's for sure.


Those banana peppers will probably become one of our new favorite appetizers: Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Peppers. I've adapted the recipe from one I found on page 47, in my July/August 2009 Paula Deen magazine (a gift subscription from Brother J and SIL J). You slit the peppers, remove the seeds and membranes, then stuff them with a mixture of cooked rice, Monterey Jack cheese (or another lively cheese), chopped cherry tomatoes, sour cream, salt, and spicey seasonings; then you wrap the stuffed peppers with bacon strip(s) [the recipe calls for TWO strips of bacon per pepper...I cut that down to just one]. Then, you grill'em until the bacon is done (about 10-15 minutes), turning frequently. Now, that's the hard part, since the filling can squish out and the peppers can stick to the hot grill, even if you use Pam like the recipe says. I did discover that you can put some heavy-duty Reynolds wrap (the kind made for the grill) down on top of the grill, spray it with Pam, and then grill the peppers that way. Really tasty!

The cayenne peppers are being put in a jar of vinegar so I will have plenty of "pepper vinegar" when it comes time for turnip greens to come in. I also use them in chili and soup and white beans...oh, in almost any and all of those winter-time dishes.

And, the green pepper and the (1) plum tomato will join others in the spaghetti sauce I'll be making tonight. Mr. T is doing his "North Carolina" week, which means he can go to work at an NC dealership during the day, but be home again at night. And, I noticed before he left this morning that he was wearing a white shirt. Family joke. White shirt + tomato (red) sauce = a sure stain.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Just a Trifle

I cannot believe that I missed such a perfect opportunity. Last Thursday, N/M/E had 3 of her bestest NC friends over for their first bridge day since she's been back "home." And, all I got a picture of was the dessert! Yep, I snapped some shots of the Berry Trifle that I'd made for their special dessert (left)...and then I headed out the door without taking any photos of the ladies. Drat. I don't know where my head was, but it certainly wasn't on the business at hand.

Anyway, the Berry Trifle was really easy to make...actually, a better word would be to "assemble." I bought an Angel Food Cake Loaf at Harris Teeter's and sliced it into thirds lengthwise, then sixths widthwise...making nice, even-sized cubes of cake. I capped most of the strawberries in the quart container, leaving four of the prettiest with their caps on. These I dipped into sugar to "frost" and saved for later; the rest I sliced into bite-size chunks into a mixing bowl. After washing a pint of blueberries and a pint of blackberries, I mixed half of each together with the strawberries (save the rest of the berries for the top layer, added last); added a couple of tablespoons of Apricot Brandy; and tossed with 1/2 cup of sugar. In another bowl, I beat a pint of whipping cream until fluffy, adding a teaspoon of vanilla and 1/4 cup of sugar at the very end for flavor. Lastly, in still another bowl, I mixed up a large box of instant vanilla pudding mix with 3 cups of cold, whole milk.

Time to assemble! I put a layer of cake cubes in the bottom of my trifle bowl, then a layer of the sugared berries, followed by a layer of pudding. Repeat. Cover with the whipped cream, all the way to the edge of the bowl. Seal with Saran Wrap and let rest in the refrigerator overnight. Then, before serving, I topped the trifle with the rest of the berries, and sprinkled with some sugar. Pretty to look at...tasty to eat!

N/M/E said they all had a fun time, and that they plan on making the get-together a regular thing. They are hoping to find a restaurant where they can play bridge and eat lunch and play bridge and drink coffee and play bridge...well, you get the picture.

So, where did I dash off to while the ladies were playing bridge? I said that I needed to go be with my own kind...so, I headed out to the yarn shop. On the way, I ran an errand and snapped this shot of the Big Bureau in downtown High Point (right)...they've added the socks hanging out of the drawer since we were here in '97. I had hoped that they were actually knitted, but no such luck. Too bad. I also noticed that the building that this giant furniture facade hides is for sale...wonder what it will become? We'll see...

Speaking of furniture (were we?)...Mr. T and I did some rearranging of bookcases and unpacking of some more boxes this weekend. We found the boxes with the curtains and the drapery hardware inside, so I spent most of Sunday starching and ironing the creases out of the long-packed material, and he spent most of Sunday getting our windows adorned. My goodness, it's amazing how much curtains make windows look finished.

Speaking of knitting (were we??)...I'm slowly getting all my knitting projects rounded up and organized. I found a pair of socks I was knitting...only, I couldn't locate the pattern. Fortunately, I'd made a note of the pattern name on the yarn wrapper, and I traced the book back to Missy M's house...so she was able to read me the pattern over the phone. I also have another pair of socks on the needles, but that particular pattern is beastly...I cannot use it to sit and relax after a day of unpacking, etc. As a matter of fact, I can only tolerate 2-3 rounds at a time on this pattern...I'll write more about it when I've finished it. I will eventually get everything back in order so that I can just pick up a project when I sit down to watch some television...but I'm not there yet. And, I'm not ready to start reporting on my Finished Objects just yet, either. Later.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Year 57, Day 1

The question of the day: do I feel any older today? Nah. Not really. As my body and being recover from our long, drawn-out move to NC, I am actually feeling better than I have in months.

I do feel truly blessed with good fortune, though. Not the kind that you can take to the grocery...not monetary fortune. The good fortune to have such loving, kind, and considerate friends and family...wonderful folks who call you on your birthday and send cards (through the mail, no less!) and well-wishes. Makes life ever-so-much sweeter, wouldn't you agree? And, the beauty of being 56...or, 39 Again, as my cake proclaimed (right)...is that you know what gifts count for something, really count: the love, and the caring, and the well-wishes.

Today, I plan to spend some quality time by myself. Just me and my journal (the pen-and-paper one, not this blog). It's time for me to revisit the past year and plan for the coming one. You see, I have long advised my coaching clients to table their New Year's Resolutions on the First Day of January and save them for a more appropriate date: their birthday. Additionally, as I hinted in my last post, I advise them to take a look at how the past year went before trying to determine how they want the coming year to play out. Looking Back, Looking Forward...that's what I call the exercise I ask them to complete on their birthday. Well, what's good for the client is good for the coach, right?

I think I shall take my theme for the coming year's goals from a book that my darling daughter, Missy M, gave me for my birthday. On the surface, it's a knitting book called (appropriately) "Mother-Daughter Knits," by Sally Melville and her daughter Caddy Ledbetter. But, truly it is so much more than knitting patterns. In the second chapter called "The Grape and the Wine: Thoughts to an Adult Daughter," I found the following paragraph, written by Sally, that really spoke to me.



Albert Einstein said that the most significant decision we make is whether to live in a friendly or a hostile universe. To me, living in a friendly universe means that we can have faith that life's journey, wherever it takes us, will grant us peace and lead us home.


I did a little research on that quote attributed to Einstein and discovered that Sally has "reworked" it a little. According to WikiQuote:



This has been quoted in a relatively few places on the internet, but seems to have no earlier source than an obscure web essay "Reinventing Failure: Designing Success" by Harald Anderson, where the statement seems to have been a loose summation of Einstein's ideas rather than a quote [emphasis added]: "Albert Einstein once commented that the most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile. He hypothesized that your answer to that question would determine your destiny.


Regardless of the exactitude of the wording, the underlying message will help guide me as I spend some time today contemplating the Year Past and the Year Ahead. I have always considered my world an essentially friendly place [although I've occasionally harbored doubts about the Universe at large], and I chose to live accordingly.

Before I sign off, I'll follow through with my Restaurant Review of Southern Roots in Jamestown, as promised in my last post. To recap, Mr. T had asked Realtor Bob for a suggestion of a local restaurant for my birthday dinner, and that's how he, Mom, and I wound up there last evening about 7:00ish...following the matinee of Harry Potter VI, which N/M/E chose not to attend. Imagine that.

Anyway, you enter the restaurant through the rear patio area, which is right off the back parking lot...which didn't appear to have a handicapped parking space near the entrance. That made it a bit more difficult for Mom, but not impossible. Patio was around a large fireplace...which all looked interesting, but was exceedingly HOT in the late afternoon sunset. And, a wee bit too near the giant garbage container in the parking lot. No thanks.

We arrived just as about three other parties came through the door, and we were all milling about waiting for the Hostess to seat us. And waiting. And waiting. No one offered us drinks, even though the waiting spot was in the bar area. When the Hostess did return, she took us to a table that we had to pull out/push back/rearrange, just to get seated (she left us menus and breezed away). Looking around the room, you can tell that they have crammed as many tables in as possible...and all appeared to be filled. That meant that the noise level in the room was several decibels too high, causing us to have to shout at each other in order to have a conversation. Hmmm.

The printed menu is heavy on the appetizers, but brief on the entrees. When our server arrived, she listed several fish dishes that weren't on the menu, along with a couple of other choices. Mr. T decided on the Chicken Fettucini Alfredo with artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes (!); Mom went with the Fried Oyster Salad; and I chose the Grilled Pork Tenderloin with grilled market veggies.

All of our selections were tasty and well-prepared; mine and Mr. T's were piping hot to boot. But, when we asked for bread, we were told that it was a separate order and would take another 7 minutes. OK. When the focaccia with rosemary butter (finally) arrived (many, many more than 7 minutes later), it was wonderfully hot and tasty...and we would certainly have appreciated knowing that we had to order bread along with our meal. [BTW, who decided that bread was no longer a necessity at table?] We said "no thanks" to dessert, as we knew there was a birthday cake back at home.

Verdict: well-prepared and cooked meal but less-than-anticipated environment and service. It was obvious from observing the other diners that this is an upscale venue for a group of "regulars," who did not seem to mind how loud it was, nor how inattentive the wait-staff was. Because the menu is limited (we ordered about the only items that truly appealed to us) and reflects a more...shall we say, epicurean taste than we have, I doubt we will become part of that group. [Epicurean? Well that sounded better than what we usually call it; around here we use the word "frou-frou" when describing a restaurant that seems to be going overboard on the combination of ingredients to alter simple, tried-and-true dishes, not necessarily for taste, but usually for showing off.] Once was probably enough for Southern Roots.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

HB 2 Me!

Today is my 56th birthday...woo-hoo! I'm loving it! Hopefully, you will hear the Birthday Song, if you click that link. [Be sure to click the back-arrow to return.]


Oh look, check out that shot of me on my third birthday (left). We were living in Memphis on Lynbar Avenue, on 7/16/1956 BJ (before Brother J arrived). I can count on my fingers (even if I do have to hold that little finger down), I have a cowgirl cake and at least two front teeth. What more could a girl want?


As my family will attest, I am big on playing both "Where were we when..." and "Wonder what we'll be doing this time next year?" (I can hear their eyes rolling right now...:)


Anyway, let's see...on this day 40 years ago, I was getting my first driver's license (wrote about that in my last post). But, what I didn't mention was that same day (7/16/1969) was the day the USA launched the Apollo XI mission to the moon...when the Eagle landed on my cousin's 16th birthday, 7/20/69. Hmmmm...landing on the moon? First driver's license...? Well, which memory do you think a 16-year-old would cherish???


On 7/16/84, I was at Walt Disney World for my 31st birthday. Got the button here on my bulletin board to remind me. It's still a small world, after all.


On 7/11/91, we witnessed what they called The Big One.....the Aloha Solar Eclipse. We were in Hawaii that week, which included my 38th birthday. Got another button for that.


Let me see if I can do a recount (I'll use my fingers, if I have to...:), based on where I was living at the time: I've celebrated 28 of my birthdays in Tennessee, 1 in Florida (could be more, if we slipped one of those from TN to FL when we were on other vacations on my birthday...:), 3 in Mississippi, 1 in Louisiana, 1 in Hawaii, 5 in North Carolina (counting this one), 4 in Ohio (including the Big 4-0), 5 in Georgia, 1 in Canada (was working for Scientific Atlanta; had to work, leading a training session), 1 in Utah (a MDBT with Missy M), and 6 in Missouri (including the Bigger 5-0). Check my math...should be 56. [Note: I edited that list on 7/29/09 when I remembered that I'd spent that birthday in Salt Lake City. How soon one forgets...?]


And, after looking back, of course, one must look forward. Wonder where I'll be this time next year? I'm hope, hope, hoping that I'll be right here. In North Carolina. No desires to be anywhere else. Except maybe at the beach in South Carolina. Or, maybe back in Hawaii. Or, possibly Australia or even New Zealand. Oh well, I guess I'll never stop enjoying travelling...but, I always enjoy coming back home again! For sure.


So, what's on tap for my big day today? Well, Mr. T told me at breakfast that he has planned dinner and a movie. Or, more likely, movie and then dinner. The movie? Need you ask? We'll try to hit a(nother) matinee of Harry Potter; and no, I don't mind seeing it again. Then, after they open at 5:00, we're going to try a restaurant in Jamestown, NC, called Southern Roots. He checked with Realtor Bob, who offered it as a suggestion. The write-up in the News and Record sounded good, and the location is definitely right. We'll let you know how it goes for us!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

A Red Letter Day

It's the last day of my 56th year...what's a girl to do?


  1. 1. First things first. I got my North Carolina driver's license and got registered to vote in the process. Woo-hoo! Although NC gives new residents 60 days to do this, my Missouri driver's license was expiring tomorrow (yikes!), so I had to tackle this sooner rather than later. After a few days of studying the online information, I drove to Kernersville, as their DMV office seems to be easier to access than the one here in High Point, taking with me a stack of identifying documents: passport (to prove my middle name is Lunn; NC no longer accepts just the initial); my social security card (to prove that I have a valid Social Security number...although I still remember being told that the SSN would NEVER be used as identification...unh-hunh); my MO driver's license (to prove I had a valid picture ID and current license); and my electric utility bill (to prove my NC address is valid). Gee-whiz. Then, I passed the eye test, the road signs test, and finally the knowledge ("25 questions on the book") test. At least I didn't have to take a road test. Well, truth be told, I've never taken the road test. You see, 40 years ago tomorrow, I went to the Lauderdale County Highway Patrol Station in Ripley, TN, to get my license on the day I turned 16...and the Highway Patrolman in charge said "oh heck, I know you can drive a car; I've seen you driving that green (VW) bug up and down the roads enough." Right. Of course, that wasn't the time to admit that my Papaw used to let me drive his white AMC Rambler to Whiteville with him when I was 10 or 11. Oh yeah, no worries, plenty of experience, officer.

  2. After having spent more than a few restless hours worrying about getting my NC license, I thought I'd earned a special treat once I'd reached my goal. Turned my little blue car back toward High Point and the Palladium cinema. It's July 15th, for goodness sakes'...and that means that it's Day One for "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!" Loved it, loved it, loved it. Can't wait to go again with Mr. T tomorrow, even!


Yep, that's a good way to spend a Birthday Eve, wouldn't you agree?

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

And Now, For the Rest of the Story...

I couldn't write this in my last post, 'cause I was still a bit teary-eyed about it. I know, I know it's the best for all concerned, but that doesn't mean that my heart didn't crumble when we made the decision. Elmo (in the photo, left), our sweet, shy "puppy" member of the Drool Gang, has moved back to KY...this time, permanently, so that he and Ella Rae can play, play, play to their hearts' content.


Ella is a lovable, active, cutie-pie, who needs a constant playmate to keep her from becoming Wild Woman Evil Ella and destroying the whole house. Elmo, who had a rough life before he was rescued by the Guardian Angel Basset Rescue organization (GABR) and adopted by Missy M in 2005, needs to live in a household with another "active" roomy, and he has bonded with Ella over the past 8 months that they've been together...and so, a plan was hatched. The Two E's would live with Missy M, while Gus and Duchess (the Senior Citizens of the group) would make the move to NC. Looks great in print...still hard to bear in reality.


I'm not sure that any one of the 4-legged family members is the wiser yet, since there has been so much confusion in living arrangements in the past week, and that's probably a good thing. I did notice that the W-a-l-k last night seemed easier for Mr. T, with two dogs instead of four. Everyone returned to the house in much better temperment than usual when: Elmo tries to drag everyone else around the block (think: mush, mush dogsled team); Ella Rae runs over, under, around and through everyone else, getting the leashes all tangled and braided; Grumpy Gus (the oldest of the bunch) barking his head off the whole time because HE'S NOT HAPPY; and Duchess...ever the Anchor-Weight of the group...dragging up the rear, or trying to go the other way, or just stopping mid-walk and refusing to go any farther/faster. Still, today I have noticed that Gus is a bit more anxious, shall we say, than usual. We'll see...


Meanwhile, it appears that the Backyard Boyz (and Girlz) have spread the word that Ella has left the building. Look at what has been rattling at my window feeder the whole time I've been typing this post! I thought it was the batty blue bird who periodically flies into the reflection he sees in the window, so I was ignoring the thump, thump, thumping noises. When I did finally look to see whether the silly bird was ever going to give it up, I saw instead Sheena the Squirrel Queen...rapidly depleting the sunflower seeds. She finally just removed the tray, set it on the sill, and continued her feast uninterrupted. Snapping the photo (right) didn't phase her. Tapping on the window didn't do anything either. Siccing Duchess on her finally got her to depart, but I'll just bet the squirrels have noticed that D isn't going to set any squirrel-chasing speed record anymore. Question: where's my Ella-Bella Squirrel Chasing Girl when I need her? Answer: probably playing WWW Smackdown with Elmo on Missy M's bed. And they both are just loving it. Smile. Sigh. Wipe the tear from my eye.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Fun, Fab Fourth!

Really, I don't know where to begin. Maybe I should take this post, one paragraph at a time.



1. Who Let The Dogs Out? Woof, woof, woof, woof-woof!

Yes, the Drool Gang Plus One arrived, safe and sound last Wednesday. There were so many places to explore...so many new smells...so many squirrels. Gus immediately attached himself to Mr. T...where Daddy goes, Gus goes...as the photo to the right shows. This included the Man Walk that the two of them take in the morning to get the paper. Of course, it's awfully hard to sneak out the back door and fool the others, especially Ella Rae. She was everywhere, all over the place (see her with Duchess on the rug in Nana's room), but loved being the only one to be able to jump up on Nana's bed (until Elmo finally figured out the trick for himself). And, she almost made it under the fence at the gate. Hmmm. Too close of a call.


Duchess, ever the reigning monarch, planted herself on our bed and claimed it as her throne...when she wasn't making sure that none of the others was receiving preferential treatment.

Elmo (left), our shy guy, who suffers greatly when his routine is changed in the slightest, found that the sofa he fondly remembered was here, waiting for him...ahhh, peace.






2. Road Trip! A mini-MDBT. As Missy M had used a couple of vacation days to make the trip here, she naturally wanted them to count for something. Sounds like a Mother-Daughter Bonding Trip to me!

So, where in the world were we? The photo says it all...

As we hadn't been to the Biltmore in a dozen years or more, we decided to head the car West toward Asheville for a wonderful day of yarn shop-hopping and seeing how the other 1/2 of one percent lived over 1oo years ago. We weren't disappointed. The Estate has opened several new rooms since our last tour; the winery has been expanded; and, the demonstration garden is huge and welcoming (see Missy M, right, checking out one of the huge sunflowers).

And, like icing on the cake, there are two yarns shops (Yarn Paradise, in Biltmore Village, and Purl's Yarn Emporium, in downtown Asheville, right) within 10 miles of each other. Ah...who could ask for a better day? We ended our journey at a local pizzeria in Newton, NC, that Missy M apped-up on her iPhone. Just like magic.

3. So, that just leaves the celebration of our country's Independence on the Fourth. Good food, including ribs, Tequila Lime Chicken, and corn-on-the-cob from the grill; salad made with fresh-from-our-gardens' goodies (tomatoes, cucumbers, chives, peppers, and peas) and topped with yummy dressing from the Biltmore Winery; and the finale...fireworks in Festival Park (as viewed from our neighborhood) followed by sliced strawberries topping homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, made in my new ice cream maker attachment for the KitchenAid mixer (love it, love it, love it!)


Truly, who could ask for anything more?

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