Pear Pie

I'll close the year with this recipe for pear pie that I found at Allrecipes.com. I made a few alterations in the preparation, but it still turned out great!

Pear Pie

1 recipe pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
5 cups peeled and sliced pears
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Combine sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and lemon rind in mixing bowl.

2. Arrange pears in layers in a 9-inch pastry lined pan, sprinkling sugar mixture over each layer. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Roll out remaining dough; cut slits for escape of steam. Moisten rim of bottom crust. Place top crust over filling. Fold edge under bottom crust, pressing to seal. Flute edge.

3. Bake at 450 degress F (230 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes.


Wishing all my blogging friends a very happy and prosperous new year!!

Favorite Books of 2010

Each year I try to get through an average of at least three books a month. I managed to read 40 this year. Not bad, but I've certainly had better years. Many of the books were from authors I read on a regular basis: Charlaine Harris, Susan Wittig Albert, Janet Evanovich, Laura Childs, Dean Koontz, Alexander McCall Smith, Mindy Starns Clark, Neta Jackson. None of them disappointed me. A couple were from authors I've loved in the past: Ellis Peters and Iain Pears. Neither were quite as good as I had hoped for. Although I won't say anything I read was really bad, my least favorite book of the year was probably The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It was terribly depressing!

In no particular order, here are my favorites for 2010. I've provided the link to those I reviewed.

1. The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Stieg Larsson) - I enjoyed the first in this trilogy, which I read last year, but these two were much better.

2. The Meaning of Night (Michael Cox) - This book sat in my TBR pile for several years. I'm glad one of my reading challenges inspired me to pull it off the shelf.

3. Revelation (C.J. Sansom) - Petty Witter at Pen and Paper introduced me to this series. This, the fourth, is my favorite to date.

4. Nemesis (Lindsey Davis) - This might be the 20th title in the "Marcus Didius Falco" series, but it's just as fresh and well-written as her earlier novels.

5. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers (Mary Roach) - Leave it to Mary Roach to take a topic like dead bodies and make it both humorous and interesting without being offensive.

6. Conspirata (Robert Harris) - Harris's first book on the life of Cicero made my list last year. This one was wonderful and I look forward to his third and final novel on the subject.

7. Death in a Strange Country (Donna Leon) - I read the first in this series earlier in the year and thoroughly enjoyed it, but this second "Commissario Brunetti" mystery confirmed my desire to read the entire series.

8. The Crossing Places (Elly Griffiths) - I can thank Dorte at DJ's krimiblog for introducing me to this new series. I plan to read the second, The Janus Stone, next year.

9. Delicious & Suspicious (Riley Adams) - Light, easy reading, I really enjoyed this cozy mystery that revolved around a Memphis BBQ joint and included a fabulous pulled pork BBQ recipe in the back of the book.

10. Beat the Reaper (Josh Bazell) - I won this wild, crazy novel in a giveaway at Jenner's blog this summer.

Gingerbread

We had a very nice Christmas at our house. Bingo was fun on Christmas Eve with everyone winning at least twice. As the "caller" I don't get to play, but since I keep the unclaimed prizes and they were things I would have chosen for myself...I felt like a winner too!

In recent years Christmas Day has been a fairly quiet, low-key day at my house. This year I decided to try yet another recipe from the Delicious and Suspicious mystery I read this summer. Although mine turned out a little dry, the flavors were quite good. Maybe I cooked it just a tad too long.

Lulu's Early Morning Gingerbread Treat

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg and 1 egg white
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Beat sugar and butter at medium speed until well blended. Add juice, molasses, and eggs. Beat well and set aside. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup. Level with knife. Combine flour ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to molasses mixture. stirring until well blended. Pour batter into an 8-inch square pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool gingerbread in pan on a wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over cooled gingerbread.

Shadow Shot Sunday #8

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Holiday Bingo

(Click on photo to enlarge)


It's Christmas Eve!!

My family will gather soon for an evening filled with fun and games, lots of good food, presents to open and.....Holiday Bingo!

I wish for all my blogging friends, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, joy and peace during this holiday season!

More Decorations

Last week I posted about my angel band. Here are some more decorations that I originally shared on my Yahoo 360 blog. You can click on the photos to enlarge them for better viewing.


This first photo is my mantle full of Christmas "stuff". I've added quite a few items in recent years, but some of these things are 40 or 45 years old! We use to actually use the dog salt and pepper shakers on our dinner table. I like them best. And how about that little egg whisk!

I assume we got this Nativity set in 1963, the year stamped on the bottom of each piece, and it's been my responsibility to set up ever since. Well, maybe I had a little help those first few years. Only during my college years did it stay packed away during the holidays. There use to be a light bulb that nestled above the star painted in the background and I could sit forever in the darkness, viewing the scene by "starlight" and marveling at the miracle of Christmas.

iPod Roulette - 2010 Holiday Edition

This is the time of year I keep my car's satellite radio tuned to Christmas music. There are several holiday stations to choose from, but I prefer the one called "Holiday Traditions" which plays music from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Think Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Andrews Sisters, Glenn Miller, Bing Crosby and the like.

I have a much wider variety of Christmas music in my iTunes library. I didn't post an iPod Roulette entry in December of last year, but looking back at my entry from 2008 find it odd that with more than 300 songs to choose from I ended up with several repeats this year. I still question the "randomness" of the iPod shuffle feature. Oh well. I spent an entire evening listening to Christmas music, but here are the first 15 that came up.

1. We'll Sing You A Christmastime (American Boyschoir) - There's nothing quite like a good boyschoir.

2. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (various artists) - This instrumental album titled "Peaceful Christmas" features harp, flute, english horn, cello, and guitar.

3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Pointer Sisters) - A very 80s sound, but it's fun.

4. Silent Night (Phil Keaggy) - An instrumental album, one of my very favorites.

5. It Just Don't Feel Like Christmas (Rihanna) - I'm not sure how I ended up with this!

6. Silent Night (The Temptations) - I got this as a free download from iTunes.

7. Up On the Housetop (Pete Jacobs Orchestra) - Big Band music from the 40s.

8. I Believe in You (Sinead O'Connor) - From the "A Very Special Christmas 2" album.

9. Up On the Housetop (The Jackson 5) - Back when Michael was a child.

10. O Holy Night (Al Green) - I love to hear the Rev. Al sing.

11. The Little Drummer Boy (Peggy Lee) - This is my younger daughter's favorite version of "Little Drummer Boy". I like it, but I like Mandisa's version better.

12. White Christmas (Bing Crosby) - A classic. What more can I say?

13. Once in David's Royal City (The Chieftans) - From their "Bells of Dublin" album.

14. Mary's Little Boy Child (Harry Belafonte) - This is from the same album as the boyschoir from #1.

15. I Saw Three Ships (Bronn Journey) - Another instrumental album.

Shadow Shot Sunday #7

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Does a shadow become a reflection when it meets the water?

Angel Band

I do my share of grumbling when it comes to decorating for Christmas and if my younger daughter didn't always help me, it just might not get done.

This little band of angels is one of my favorite Christmas decorations. I don't recall where they came from, but I've set them out for as many years as I can remember! They're really nothing special... just little painted pieces of plastic. If you click to enlarge the photo, you'll notice one is even missing its stand. I don't remember when or how that happened, it may have always been that way. No matter, though, these angels are special to me and I look forward to setting them out each year.

A Christmas Shell

This is the purse I would always pull out of my closet to use all through the holiday season, sometimes even into January. I bought it in a craft booth at a music festival many years ago.

You may remember from an earlier post that I now have a new purse, a Miche Bag, which allows me to change the shell to match my outfit (or my mood).
Remember this photo?

As one of my birthday gifts this fall I picked out a holiday shell for my Miche Bag. They only had a few to choose from and several of those were a little too "glitzy" for everyday use. This one, though, seemed to be just right! Understated, yet still festive!

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

This hymn by Charles Wesley (1707-1788) has always been one of my favorites during Advent. I was reading through the lyrics for a project yesterday and they touched me deeply... almost as if reading them for the first time.

Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set they people free;
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit,
Raise us to thy glorious throne.

Shadow Shot Sunday #6

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Mostly shadow with only a few strips of sunlight for accent.

Deck the Halls

I couldn't resist sharing this clip I got in an e-mail from my sister-in-law. Enjoy!

Ponderings #2

If you could only have one condiment for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

1. Mustard

2. Mayonnaise

3. Ketchup (Catsup)

4. Salsa

5. Other (please elaborate!)

Without a doubt, it would be mustard for me. Just look at all the varieties! Spicy brown mustard, honey mustard, whole seed mustard, Dijon mustard and my favorite - plain old yellow mustard. I might miss ketchup just a little, but mustard wins hands down.

What about you?

Cozy Mystery Bookmark

When I signed up for the Cozy Mystery Challenge hosted by Kris at Not Enough Books, she promised that everyone who completed the challenge would receive a fun bookmark.

True to her word, I got mine in the mail last month. Isn't it cute? What makes it extra fun is that years ago I collected owls and still enjoy seeing them on things.

I have lots of reading ahead of me in the coming year and will enjoy using my new bookmark. Thanks, Kris!

Busy as a Beaver

Look at what some beavers have been up to in our pond. The top photo is a house (lodge, hut, den) that they constructed in a matter of days right in the midst of one of my favorite fishing spots.

The bottom photo shows another house that has some mud on the sides. The mud is obviously a recent addition since it hasn't dried. Some folks say the beavers start "mudding" when they're fixing to have babies. Others say it's just a way to insulate from the cold or protect the home from predators.

Both photos can be enlarged by clicking.

Shadow Shot Sunday #5

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Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey!

What's in a Name 4

Can you believe I'm signing up for another reading challenge?!

I saw this challenge on several blogs this year and when Dorte mentioned it I knew I had to join in. Hosted by Beth Fish, the What's in a Name 4 challenge runs for the entire year and requires reading one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a number in the title.
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title.
3. A book with a size in the title.
4. A book with travel or movement in the title.
5. A book with evil in the title.
6. A book with a life stage in the title.

I know I said in an earlier post that I don't like speculating on my choices too much, but on this one I think I already know some of the books I'll read.

1. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
2. Possibly Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (I've read and enjoyed other Chevalier books )
3.
4. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
5.
6. Being Dead is No Excuse by Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays (Bob has been telling me to read this for years and you can't deny "being dead" is a life stage!)

I'm open to suggestions for my two blanks (and #2).

Unless some of the books overlap, I've now committed myself to 20 books for 2011. Plus, I want to do a couple of challenges again that don't come up until later in the year. Then there are always books that don't fall into a challenge, not to mention magazines. Looks like I'm gonna have to really focus on reading!

My Word!

Jenners made an announcement on her blog yesterday concerning an adoption. She made it sound so fun and easy (and free!) that I couldn't resist an adoption of my own.

Words! We're talking about words! If you go to the Save the Words website you will find a whole array of words which are no longer used in the English language. They are perfectly good words. The only thing wrong with them is that no one uses them anymore so they've been discarded. Isn't that sad?

I really had no intention of adopting my own word. I wasn't sure I could truly give one the love and attention (and usage) it deserved. And if I didn't care for it properly, what would happen? Would it be taken away from me? Would I be punished? Would I be emblazoned with a scarlet letter? (or scarlet word?)

Of course I had to take a peek. Jenners warned that they were cute and would call out to us (pick me!). It didn't take long. I knew my word the moment I saw it.

Aquabib

a noun meaning "water-drinker"

I am an aquabib and proud of it! As an aquabib I drink close to 100 ounces of water each day. I'm sitting here drinking a glass of water as I type this entry. Aquabib. Aquabib. I like the sound of it!!

Now my challenge is to try and use my new word as often as possible. Who knows...I might decide to adopt another and give it a sibling!

2011 Global Reading Challenge

Dorte at DJ's Krimiblog hosted a "Global Reading Challenge" this year that looked like a lot of fun. She's offering it again in 2011 with just a few minor changes (click on the image above or in the sidebar for all the details) and since I now have several reading challenges under my belt, I think I'm going to give it a try.

I've decided to sign up for the "medium" level in which I need to read two books from each of the seven continents. The seventh continent can either be Antarctica or a venue of my choice, such as outer space, the sea, a fantasy world, etc.

The challenge doesn't specifically state whether the author has to be from that continent or whether the novel just take place there. Either way, I think it will be a challenge for me to step out of my comfort zone of Britian and the US. I think my personal challenge will be to try and make sure at least one of the two novels is by an author from that continent since the location part will be easier.

I hate to speculate too heavily on what books I'll read at this point. For one, I need to do some research. Also, I'm bad about changing my mind. I feel sure one of my Africa books will be a "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" novel and perhaps a Europe selection will be a "Commissario Brunetti" mystery. Beyond that..... who knows?!

iPod Roulette - November 2010

We were having thunderstorms yesterday (with a tornado watch) when I settled down for a session of iPod Roulette. Just like last month, a rather mellow assortment of songs. A nice contrast to the weather.


1. Like A Stone (Audio Slave) - This was Audio Slave's most successful single.

2. Anticipation (Carly Simon) - I love this song, but can't listen to it without thinking about ketchup.

3. Sloop John B (Beach Boys) - Even though I can sing along with many Beach Boys songs, they're not one of my favorite groups. This is from the Forrest Gump Soundtrack.

4. Magic Man (Heart) - Fantastic female rockers!

5. Ruby Rap (Eric Serra) - This is from one of my favorite movies.

6. Still (Commodores) - Okay, so I like The Commodores and I like Lionel Richie. It's a guilty pleasure.

7. Black and White (Three Dog Night) - This brings back memories of Junior High.

8. Poor Boy (Jeff Beck) - Another track from the album I wrote about here, again featuring Imelda May.

9. Caribbean Queen (Billy Ocean) - Very 80s.

10. Your Blue Room (Passengers) - This is from an experimental album recorded by U2. They decided to release it under another name since it was so different from their other stuff.

11. Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin) - Does anyone remember this entry?

12. Pines of Rome: The Pines of the Janiculum (Respighi) - Our area symphony performed The Fountains of Rome last year. I enjoyed it so much that I came home and downloaded it along with this, the second part of Respighi's "Roman Trilogy".

13. Don't Stand So Close to Me (The Police) - Whoa! Does this song bring back memories from college! You see, I had this professor.... no, wait. I won't go there.

14. Does it Really Happen? (Yes) - My favorite group. Enough said.

15. Bach: French Suite #4 BWV. 815 2. Courante (Glenn Gould) - Finished off with a little classical piano.

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris

When I read Jenners' review of The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris I just had to get the book. She described it as a "personal dystopia" and that fascinated me.


Tim Farnsworth is an attorney in New York with a major problem. He has a totally uncontrollable compulsion to walk. Day, night, rain, snow.... Tim never knows when the urge is going to hit and he walks until he drops. It might be during the night while sleeping, it might be in the middle of a meeting at work. He might wake up in a back alley or in a roadside ditch. It's a constant challenge. However, Tim is not the only one affected by his illness. He has a wife, a daughter, and a job at a prestigious law firm. His walking takes its toll on both his personal and professional life. However, it's the relationship between Tim and and his wife Jane that is the true heart of the story.

I'm still not 100% sure what I thought of this book. Did it hold my interest? Yes. It wasn't the book's fault that it took me awhile to get through it. Could I empathize with the characters? Usually. At times its poignancy was almost depressing. Did I find it believable? Well, I think this is where the book fell short for me. I had problems with the whole concept of Tim's illness and how it was dealt with. There were some issues and inconsistencies that I couldn't seem to wrap my mind around. Finally, am I glad I read it? Yes. I liked the basic concept. Besides, I had to see for myself what its appeal was for so many others.

Shadow Shot Sunday #4

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Pumpkin Spice Chai

Most of you know that I love my tea. I'm always open to trying new varieties, whether loose tea or bagged, my only real preference being black rather than herbal or green (or white, or oolong). I guess I like my caffeine.

Here's a variety that I found for the first time this fall. Perfect for the holiday season!

Four Questions Asked, Four Questions Answered

I've been tagged.

Tracy (Petty Witter) from Pen and Paper decided to join in a question and answer session from Jenner's blog and has in turn asked four questions of her own which I'm supposed to answer.

1. You are going to a fancy dress party - what is your costume of choice and why?

I can only remember one time that I went to this type of party and my date and I dressed in Roman garb that he borrowed from our local theatre. I'm sure they weren't authentic togas/stolas, but it was a lot of fun. Given another opportunity, I would probably opt to do that again. It was very comfortable!

2. What is the oddest gift you have ever received/given?

If I'm not mistaken, the first wedding anniversary is traditionally meant to be celebrated with a gift of paper. (does anyone really follow these rules??) On my first anniversary I received a 20-gauge shotgun from my husband!! Maybe not traditional, but one of the best gifts he's ever given me! Perhaps a little odder, though, was our tenth anniversary. We gave each other rolling desk chairs.

3. Every Christmas morning we would eat tinned hotdogs for breakfast. A family we know ate a box of malteser chocolates in bed to celebrate a birthday. Do you have any holiday traditions? If not, what tradition would you like to start?

This one's easy. Holiday Bingo!! Over the years it has become the focal point of our family gathering on Christmas Eve. I'm always the "caller" and I provide lots of fun small prizes including a WalMart giftcard as the final "cover the board" prize. It's something we can all enjoy, from the youngest to the oldest.

4. You find a time machine, to which time in history would you travel and why?

I love historical fiction/mysteries and find many periods in history fascinating. However, I think I would pick ancient Rome, in particular during the time of Vespasian. I love the Marcus Didius Falco books which are set during this timeframe. Any time I speculate on this to my husband, he's always quick to remind me about things like sanitation, gender roles, etc. So...I'd want to make sure I had my finger on the "return" button of my time machine in case I found myself in a sticky situation!

Now I'm supposed to pose four new questions and tag four others to answer them. Rather than actually tagging anyone, I'm just going to invite anyone who wants to participate to do so. (and I hope SOMEone will take me up on it!!) Do your own post, answer here in the comments, or do both!! Here's your assignment:

1. What's the best (or worst) vacation you've ever taken?

2. If you could be fluent in any language (that you don't already speak fluently) what would it be and why?

3. What would be your ultimate fantasy job/career?

4. What is your favorite childhood memory?

Ponderings

Nothing earth-shattering, just something to think about.

Tell me your preferences in the comments. My picks are in green.


1. Star Trek or Star Wars?

2. Summer or Winter?

3. Cats or Dogs?

4. Sweet or Savory?

5. The Mountains or The Beach?

6. Lyrics or Music?

7. Elvis or The Beatles or The Stones?*


*My daughter and I disagreed on which two to use, so I had to include an extra.

Shadow Shot Sunday #3

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Watercolors

This puzzle, entitled "Watercolors", was a freebie with an order from Bits and Pieces. It worked up quickly until I got to the sky. Not a particularly challenging puzzle, but satisfying in a therapeutic sense.

Favorite Five - YouTube clips

Our satellite internet connection does not lend itself to watching YouTube clips. While faster than dial-up, it allows a very limited amount of downloading each day before totally slowing our system to a crawl. So....although I haven't spent lots of time at YouTube, I've still managed to find a few short clips that are guaranteed to entertain me.

I'll bet most of you are familiar with at least one of these.

1. Model Falls Twice - I'm a bit klutzy and can always laugh at myself when I trip, but it's really the newscasters' reactions that are funniest here.



2. Lizard Jumps on Newscaster - You'll probably have to watch this one more than once. Keep an eye on the left side of the picture.



3. Sneezing Baby Panda - Short, but hilarious!



4. Spiders on Drugs - My favorite spider is the "caffeine" spider.



5. Evolution of Dance - Lengthier than the others, but worth the time.

Old bones!

Remember the bones I told you about in my Halloween post*? Well, it turns out they might be a little more significant than we first thought. Keep in mind this is all preliminary - it may take two years or more to get a full forensic report - but, it's possible that the bones date from somewhere around 100-200 A.D.!!

Kind of blows my mind.


* I don't think the link to the newspaper article in the Halloween post is still active. Sorry. Hopefully you linked to it when I originally posted it or can figure out from the comments what it said.

White Bread

I normally use my friend Susanna's bread recipe when baking, but decided to try something different over the weekend. I used this recipe from Allrecipes.com. My husband and daughter really liked it. I prefer Susanna's recipe.

It did make a pretty loaf, though.

Inside vs. Outside

I made a comment on an online forum long ago that I've never forgotten. Actually, it was the response to it that stuck with me. I had made some reference to my "outside" dogs and another commenter took major offense to this. She stated that if a person is going to own a dog it should be kept inside where it can be properly taken care of. Basically she accused me of abusing or mistreating my dogs! She couldn't understand how I could possibly have some of my dogs inside the house, yet make others live outside.

Our outside dogs have plenty of food, shelter from the elements, and the freedom to run free. They are spayed and neutered, given the proper vaccinations, and get plenty of love and attention. In no way are they mistreated! We've learned over the years that some dogs just prefer living outside.

Angus, our first Rottweiler was meant to be an outside dog. When he was two years old he developed a tick-born disease called Ehrlichia. We treated him with massive doses of antibiotics to cure him, but the vet said the only way to keep it from recurring was to lock him in a pen or bring him in the house. We couldn't imagine penning him up. He would have been miserable. We had several other dogs at the time and they loved to all roam the woods together. So, we brought him inside. We had never had a large dog in the house before, but it was the beginning of a love affair for our family. He housebroke easily, immediately took charge of guarding our kids (and herding them when necessary), and fit right in to our family.

Our next two rotties, Esther and JJ, were destined to be house dogs from the time they arrived at our home as puppies. However, between the time we picked them out at the kennel and they were old enough to bring home, we got Betty and Veronica. Since we didn't want four puppies inside at one time, Betty and Veronica were kept in the back yard. It was only because of Veronica's tragic death that Betty got to move in. I sometimes wonder if they both wouldn't have ended up inside eventually.

The majority of our outside dogs have been strays that were passing through and decided they'd found a good home. Most of these dogs would never have been happy as inside dogs, not after the freedom they had already experienced. Daisy Mae and Hope were perfect examples of this and lived with us for quite a few years. I debated whether to try and make a house dog of Bella, but felt Hope needed her company after Daisy died. Perhaps if I'd moved her in that terrible day in the pasture might never had happened. I can't think about that.

Anyone who has followed this blog for any length of time knows about our current dogs. Alice and Mabel (and their ten siblings) were abandoned on the side of the road at Christmastime two years ago. Blue and Mama Dog (and her subsequent litter of puppies) the following summer. Suzy this summer.

I took pictures of Alice and Mabel in the back yard over the weekend. I caught Alice with her head in mid-shake in the first one. It's hilarious and looks like she's about to warp into another dimension! Hard to believe they're from the same litter, isn't it?

Shadow Shot Sunday #2

I just used this photo in a September blog post, but it has such a nice shadow I wanted to use it again for Shadow Shot Sunday. Be sure to check out Hey Harriet for more shadow photography!

Bark at the Bazaar

It was a very busy week!

Each year the craft group at my church (I organize more than I craft) hosts a holiday bazaar. (click here for past entries) It's held from 7:00 until 11:00 a.m. on the second Thursday in November and offers a variety of items for sale: jewelry, handmade ornaments and holiday decorations, scarves, wreaths, decorative trees, baby gifts, and much, much more. Our "Trash & Treasure" section is always overflowing with items. In addition to a bake sale section (cakes, cookies, breads, jellies, pickles, etc.) we offer breakfast items for dine-in or carry-out (with free coffee for those dining in).

In addition to the usual goodies I prepare for the bake sale, I always like to try something new. This year it was a treat called "Cookie Pretzel Peanut Bark". I didn't plan to post the recipe, but my son and his girlfriend liked it so much they wanted me to.


Cookie Pretzel Peanut Bark
contributed to Simple & Delicious by Peggy Detjen of Lakeville, MN

1-1/4 pound white candy coating, coarsely chopped
3 cups pretzel sticks, broken into pieces
1-1/2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
14 chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies, broken into chunks

In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Stir in the pretzels, peanuts and cookies.

Drop by tablespoonfuls into miniature paper liners or onto waxed paper. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

Typically British Reading Challenge 2010 - Completed!

I've finished my third and final reading challenge for the year. When signing up for the Typically British Reading Challenge, I set out to read four books - the "Gordon Bennett" level. Instead, I ended up reaching the top level - "Cream Crackered" - with eight books.

Here are the links to the reviews for the books I read:

Revelation by C.J. Sansom


Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter by A.E. Moorat


Fallen into the Pit by Ellis Peters


Nemesis by Lindsey Davis


The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears


The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths


The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox


Conspirata by Robert Harris

Conspirata by Robert Harris

Conspirata is the second book in Robert Harris' planned trilogy about the life of Marcus Tullius Cicero. Once again narrated by his secretary, Tiro, it picks up where the first book (Imperium) left off, with Cicero having been elected consul of Rome.

Whereas Imperium read more like a courtroom drama, chronicling the trial which led to Cicero's fame, Conspirata delves into the day to day politics of Republican Rome.... a nasty, vicious period in history, to say the least. It begins two days before Cicero takes office in 63 B.C. and closes in 58 B.C.

Although written as fiction, Harris does a superb job of weaving his story around the actual facts of this era. It's true that Tiro existed and that he produced a biography of Cicero. It is cited by both Plutarch and Asconious Pedianus. He was the first man to record a speech in the Senate verbatim, using the shorthand system he created (traces of which can still be found in our writing today). Sadly, the biography along with many of these other works disappeared during the collapse of the Roman Empire.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - every bit as much as the first. Even though I know the history and what the ultimate outcome will be for Cicero, it ends as a cliffhanger. I anxiously await the third!

This is my eighth and final book for the Typically British Reading Challenge.

A Double

I was preparing lunch on Sunday and was startled to see two yolks when I cracked open an egg. It's been years since I saw or even thought about a double yolk egg. I called my husband over to look at it before taking a quick photo with my phone.





After stirring it in I decided I needed another egg. It was another double yolk!! What are the chances?! While looking for some facts online, I came across several links to a story about a woman in the UK who found not one, but six eggs with a double yolk.... all in the same carton! Click here for the story. I have to admit, it took a little of the thrill out of my two-egg find.

But....I still have ten more eggs in my carton.

Be careful what you wish for...

... because you might just get it!


For quite some time now Suzy has been escaping whenever she can slip out the carport door. This isn't just when we go in and out, either. If the door isn't shut firmly she will nose open the inside door then push on the storm door to make her way out. This isn't the problem as much as the fact she then takes off into the woods and will not come back when called. All our other dogs mind us. Suzy doesn't.

We finally decided she must really want to be an outside dog, so we stopped letting her back in when she returned. Mama Dog, Blue and Jed have taken it in stride. In fact, I think Jed loves having someone who will run and play with him all the time. The transition has gone fairly well with the exception of nighttime. That's when Suzy thinks she wants to be an inside dog again. No way! Living in the country with no leash law gives our outside pups freedom to run the woods.... and pick up all sorts of creepy crawlies. We do use collars and other flea/tick products on them, but that doesn't equal the controlled environment of the inside girls. The first three nights Suzy managed, one way or another, to get into the back yard then sat on the back steps and barked. And barked. And barked. The past two nights we shut her in her crate which we moved to the carport. She seemed content with that. Meanwhille, things are getting back to normal inside for Alice and Mabel.

Here are some photos I took over the weekend.

Shadow Shot Sunday

I've noticed each week Boonie participates in something called Shadow Shot Sunday hosted by Hey Harriet. I was taking some photos on Friday for an upcoming entry and realized one of them would work nicely for this. Jed and his shadow!


To see lots of wonderful shadow photos, click on the button at the top of this entry. You can then visit participating blogs from the Mister Linky feature at the bottom of her entry. The collages in her post are made up of photos from past participants. Some are quite beautiful, others quite clever. Go see for yourself!

Titles Tell a Story

Here's a fun idea I saw over at Pen and Paper. Take ten books from your TBR pile and arrange the titles so they tell a story. Considering I have so many books waiting to be read, there were plenty of titles to choose from. Here's what I came up with.


When the Ground Turns in its Sleep (Sylvia Sellers-Garcia)

[and] The Dead Hour (Denise Mina) [approaches],

The Great Stink (Clare Clark) [caused by]

Holy Fools (Joanne Harris)

In the Company of Others (Jan Karon)

[was] Not Quite What I Was Planning (edited by Smith magazine).

[Despite having] Heart and Soul (Maeve Binchy),

The Art of Racing in the Rain (Garth Stein) [is quite difficult].

[After all, we all know] Life is a Three-Ring Circus (Rebecca Kelly)

[and] Being Dead is No Excuse (Gayden Metcalfe & Charlotte Hays) !

Movie Madness

My husband loves to watch movies so it was a wonderful thing for him when he discovered Netflix. He will give most any movie a chance and it's rare he won't finish one he's started, especially now that he's not paying per movie. I'm a little more discriminating and have to weigh how much I want to see one versus anything else I might have on my agenda.

Here are a few that I opted to watch recently. Some were worth the time, some were not.


Iron Man 2 - So often sequels fall short and I heard that this wasn't as good as the first Iron Man. I heard right. It wasn't as good, but still entertaining.

Robin Hood - I hadn't intended to watch this since the Robin Hood legend has never been one of my favorites. I like Cate Blanchett and Russell Crowe, however, and decided to give it a go. It was not the Robin Hood story I remembered at all. If anything, the ending set things up for a sequel more along the lines of what I expected with this one.

P2 - This is a horror movie. Definitely not my preferred genre. It sucked me in, though, and I stayed with it all the way through. There was only one scene that had me wanting to avert my eyes.

To Kill A Mockingbird - It wasn't that long ago that I read this book for the first time. Several folks told me that the movie was very good, perhaps as good as the book. I won't go so far as to say I liked it as well as the book (that's a rarity in my opinion), but I did think it was very good. A book just provides so much more detail than a movie can. It did stay true to the central theme of the story.

Date Night - This was one of those comedies that had its share of funny moments, but didn't leave any lasting impressions. I enjoyed it while I watched it, but wouldn't tell anyone it was a "must see".

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - Based on a video game. I can see that it's probably a great game, but it didn't make the transition to the big screen very well. I didn't think it was very good.

Julie & Julia - This was my favorite of all the movies listed here. It's based on a book for which I've read glowing reviews. I haven't read it myself and don't think I will. I could be wrong, but I just don't think it would be as good in book format.

Soil and Soul

The Arkansas Delta might be one of the poorest regions of the United States, but it's an area that is rich in musical culture and heritage, particularly the Blues. A friend told me about a website that offers a free CD of Delta music just for the asking. So, I asked and this is what they sent me.


In addition to the CD (which includes music from artists like Albert King, Al Green, Johnny Cash and Charlie Rich) there is a DVD of interviews with several musicians discussing the history of the Blues and the music it relates to such as Southern Gospel, Country, Jazz, Rockabilly and Rock & Roll. The brochure pictured with the CD/DVD is a promotional travel guide for the Arkansas Delta.

To get your own CD/DVD (it appears to be limited to those in the US), click on this link: Arkansas Delta Byways.

Thanks for letting me know about this wonderful freebie, Jamie!

Human Bones!!

Did I get your attention with the scary title for my Halloween entry? Well, sorry....it's not really a scary entry, but it does contain human bones!


We're part owners of some farmland in the Arkansas Delta. Earlier this month some bones were uncovered in one of the fields following some leveling work. An article from a newspaper in that area stated the operator of a land plane made the discovery. In truth, it was someone trespassing on our property (looking for arrowheads) that found them. Click on the link below if you'd like to read the full article.

Ashley County Ledger

It's a whopper!

Last weekend we attended a 90th birthday reception for my husband's aunt. It was a grand affair at her church with lots of friends and family. A real celebration! One of those in attendance was a woman who had worked for his aunt for many, many years. When she saw my husband she teased him saying he never brought her any fish like he promised. He just laughed and said he would bring them to her this week. Friday was the first chance we had to make good on his promise. Thank goodness the fish were biting!!

Here's the stringer with my catch. Notice two of them are rather large. We each use our own stringer so one of us doesn't have to miss out on fishing while stringing the other's fish! How competitive is that?!

This might be the largest fish I've ever caught. We didn't have a "de-liar" with us but I think it was five pounds or better!

I really looked rough in these photos so I cropped my head out, but you can still see my fancy rubber boots!