Glad the weekend's here

It was a long week. The weather has turned nice though, Georgia warm. The Bartlett pear trees are blooming, which doesn't help the hayfever or the breathing but they are wonderfully gorgeous to look at. So are the dogwoods and the forshythia and the daffodils.

I did a quick grocery shopping after school and I was pleased with the good deals I got. Green peppers were reduced, and sweet mini red peppers, as was French baguette, a rye loaf, and pita. Turkey was on sale, and canned Alaska salmon. I intend to make salmon-black bean patties with that. The turkey of course will be sandwiches on all that good bread. I also got pie shells to make a broccoli cheese quiche and penne to have primavera.

My sweet for the week will be angel food cake with pineapple. You take a box of angel food cake, mix it with a can of crushed pineapple with juice, put it in an unbuttered cake pan, and bake. That. is. literally. it. And it's low calorie.

I bought 18 items and saved $4.20 by choosing things on sale or reduced. Final tally was $32.

Tomorrow I pick up the Bountiful Basket of produce. I can't wait to see what this week's basket will bring. I finally made the jicama salad with strawberries I had gotten last time and it was good! Jicama tastes like apples.

I did my dishes and most of my cleaning (have to get to the vacuuming soon or the dust bunnies will become mutant and carry off the cats and then come for me). I will need some serious R&R this weekend after the long week. Nothing earth shattering, just a pile-up of high maintenance kids with spring fever, lol.

I finished a good book by Charles Martin called "The Mountain Between Us" so I feel a little bereft right now until I find another novel to get absorbed in. I'll have to do that soon because I want to spend Saturday afternoon napping and reading.

The pink sky this morning was amazing. It was a uniform stripe across the bottom horizon of carnation and coral and crimson. Such beauty.

The first google glasses, invented in 1890

Stereoscopy. Wikipedia defines stereoscopy as "Most stereoscopic methods present two offset images separately to the left and right eye of the viewer. These two-dimensional images are then combined in the brain to give the perception of 3D depth. This technique is distinguished from 3D displays that display an image in three full dimensions, allowing the observer to increase information about the 3-dimensional objects being displayed by head and eye movements."

Stereoscopy got very popular very fast. LOL, here is the first internet cafe, or, the first Google Glasses

Wiki creative commons

Kaiserpanorama consisted of a multi-station viewing apparatus and sets of stereo slides. Patented by A. Fuhrmann around 1890.

Early morning photos

It's so pretty out and the birds are so lively I went out to take some photos.

A lonely birdhouse waiting for an occupant

Looking down the driveway across the street. The sun comes up here

The back yard and hayfield adjacent. I really love this view. I take a lot of pictures of it. The photo doesn't show it well but the mist is filmy and the sun is just turning the skies pink

Blue skies with the occasional chemtrail

I like how the sun which is now over the horizon is streaming next door and lighting up the tin on the neighbor's barn, and his shed with ladder

Pink!

BBQ tofu and other adulterations

I had a good week at school. Times of productivity punctuated by a one day stomach bug that rendered me catatonic in pajamas. The weather is crazy, a 73 degree day followed by a freeze warning followed by chilly rain and threat of sleet followed by warm weather again. Turbulent spring, O how I love the coming tornado season. But I do love the daffodils and bluebells blooming already. The forsythia is coming. In Maine, Feb-March were definitely winter months so the fact that spring comes so early here, at least compared to New England, is a never-ending source of joy.

When I arrived home on Friday I had a burst of energy and I cooked. I made pineapple-sour cream muffins, chocolate covered strawberries, and BBQ tofu. I know that last one seems a total adulteration of everything that's holy in the South regarding meat, BBQ, and food in general, but hey, meatless is the new meat. Or something.

I like the pineapple-sour cream muffins because not only do they taste good, but the recipe isn't sweet. It only uses a bit of sugar and relies on the fruit for sweetness and moisture. I also like it because it requires few ingredients, and those are ones I am likely to have on hand. Finally, they're easy to make. Here is the recipe from Food.com

I bought a flat of strawberries at the last Bountiful Basket day. Eight packets of huge and luscious strawberries! I gave one away and I'm left with 7 to get through before they go bad, not very hard for me, a berry lover. The last packet and a half I dipped in chocolate. I had never melted chocolate but it wasn't hard and making them is very easy, and they look like they were a lot more effort than they were. Fancy too.

I had a package of tofu and rather than the Asian marinade I've been using I thought I'd try honey BBQ. Maybe the South is rubbing off on me. The Romaine made a nice cool crunch against the tang of the tofu I'd baked. I had roasted broccoli on the side, again, another veggie I'd gotten at Bountiful Basket day.

The bowl is Shenandoah ware, a wide and shallow bowl I use for everything, absolutely everything. I have three of them, though one is pretty cracked and I'll have to stop using it soon. I love them and would buy more if I cam across some. It is the Daffodil pattern.

I'm pleased to report that Murray the new kitty is growing up some. He isn't so much of a maniac at night, though the is more fond of wires and plugs than I'd like him to be. I've awakened several times this week to find a tiny lump sleeping peacefully next to me rather than lamps overturned or curtains askew, and he is learning not to use his claws to get my attention. He is growing up just fine.

Today is supposed to be 69 to 70 degrees and sunny. The birds are back and I enjoy them lots. I'll open the front door for more light to stream in and the windows for some fresh air. I'll go out and look for some more wildflowers later when the ground firms up a bit from the muddy mess the last two days of drenching rain had rendered it. I suspect a nap is in my future too. Because what is a weekend without a nap?

Bountiful Basket day and crazy kitties

It's a warmish spring day and I went to Danielsville to pick up my Bountiful Basket. There was a lot in it. Here are two photos of how pretty the food looks.

Good looking produce, huh?!

I plan to make a black bean-corn-sweet pepper salad. We received a jicama in our basket and I plan to make a Jicama Salad with that and the strawberries and the rest of the peppers I don't use in the black bean salad.

We also received broccoli, so I'll roast that. Asparagus will be steamed. Romaine goes on sandwiches. Heirloom cherry tomatoes will be mixed into Penne and likely some of the asparagus too. We received lots of citrus, including mandarin oranges so I'll peel those and make an orange and pineapple salad for my lunches.

I could go on but that's the gist of it. I'm sad I forgot to buy quiche shells at the store yesterday, I'd planned to make a quiche. I love broccoli-cheese quiche. That'll have to wait till next time.

I took a walk around the yard to see what was what. It's in good shape. The place seems to have weathered the hard winter pretty well. I cleaned out my flower pots and got them ready for new seeds. I filled the bird feeder and the birdies are happy. And I spotted some of these strange looking colorful objects in the yard also, hm, what could they be????

Soon there will be a ton more out there. I really do enjoy bringing in a flower or two for my kitchen windowsill.

A boy at school has been missing his parapro, who is visiting her grown & married daughter and her new grandbaby for a week. On Friday I let the kids play at centers for 10 minutes or so. They can go to books, marker board, blocks or art. This week I also added Legos. As I asked each of the 7 children in the group what they wanted to do they all slid off their chairs and went to their chosen center. But one boy said "I want to write a note and draw a picture" for the parapro that he was missing so much. He worked a long time on the picture and then asked me to help him write the note. It all took about 10 minutes and during this time the other children were playing and laughing and having a good time. He persevered. When he got done he asked to go to blocks.

I was both inspired and ashamed of myself. Next to the boy was a tantalizing and fun playtime with fun toys, but this 6 year old boy sat and did something to serve another, selflessly. If I had been sitting three feet away from a fun or a tantalizing thing would I have resisted long enough to have finished a task that would benefit another? Probably not. That's why I was ashamed f myself and inspired by him. Kids are amazing.

My new kitty runs around like a nutcase at night and often wakes me up. Especially when he runs over the CPAP machine and steps on the button that turns it off. I have to sit up and turn it back on. Also he likes to play with the tubing so I have to haul that up and tuck it under the covers so his claws can't puncture a hole in it. This means I can't turn over as much. Sigh. I know when he is older I'll long for the days when he was so cute in discovering everything and running around. But all it means today is that I'm tired and I'm going to take a nap! Till next time...

The cat and the computer

Here comes the cat.

I'm typing with one hand while I pet the cat with the other.

I'm still typing but the cat inches closer and insinuates himself between my arm and the laptop.

I'm no longer typing.

Back to school

Well, we've had a week off. Last Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday we were under the Sheriff's urging to "stay put" Snowmageddon snow storm. We had three snow days from school because we received about 7 inches of snow over the time period, ice, sleet and wind. By the time the weather cleared, Friday and today were an already scheduled winter break. So it's been a week off!

Only the Superintendent and School Board know how we'll make up the 3 days. They'll let us know when they decide. Meanwhile, tomorrow starts the hamster wheel again. Back to school!

Speaking of hamster wheel, I found a neat hamster ball online that had a kitty in it. I might get one for Murray. Of course I'd get a larger one than this one in the link, if it is available.

The weather has been sunny and warm. Today it is 57 degrees and tomorrow it will be in the mid-60s. What I love about Georgia is not just the temps, but the sun's warmth is actually warmer and stronger, earlier in the season. When you go outside and if you're protected from the wind, it is actually warm. The sun rays feel so gooood!

Breakfast today was farm fresh egg w/roasted green peppers, mushroom, tomato. Home fries, kiwi & tangerine salad. Most food from Bountiful Basket :)

Lunch was also from the goodies from Bountiful Basket: leek & potato soup, spinach salad with a boiled egg, croutons and avocado. I love the quality of the produce from BB and the plentifulness of it.

I filled the bird feeder and the birds have been loving it. Especially the chickadees. The birds are back in force, and I hear their concert every dawn and evening. The morning birdsong is very rousing around here.

She'll be comin' round the mountain when she comes...

Graffiti

I watched a 7 minute video on snagfilms.com called The Writing on the Wall. The synopsis is a lot more profound than the film.

"The city walls speak the truth of its citizens, an old saying says. Since ancient times, one could read the pulse of a people by their markings on the wall. The scars, markings and tattoos on the cement skin of the city communicate the experiences of a nation in transition.  Athens is the capital of Europe with the largest amount of graffiti. The abandonment of the city's center and its subsequent degradation has brought graffiti back into the spotlight as one of the main factors that contribute to decreasing life quality in the center. A long and old debate about the role of graffiti in the city is brought to the forefront: is it art or pollution?"

I enjoyed seeing the different styles of graffiti-art. However the editing was so quick-cut that the eye could not appreciate each one for more than a few seconds. But it is certainly an interesting discussion, is it art or is it vandalism? The people in the short film whose art was shown were definitely talented. They make art.

However to put it on buildings they don't own, and for the reason stated, "people have to see it whether they like it or not" makes it vandalism. But as the guy said,  an entry point into the art world? Well, with the internet came self-publishing, and entree into the insular world of publishing houses and authors. And MySpace allowed for musicians to enter into the sometimes corrupt and always difficult record label world. I just wish taggers don't do what they do illegally.

I was reminded of this photo I took about ten years ago. Graffiti had started appearing in the center of our town. The wide and tall brick walls outside of our school were too attractive to a graffiti-artist/vandal. The school got tagged. A school child walking by saw it and stopped to look. I wonder what she was thinking...

Bountiful Basket Day: ideas and recipes

OK, this is an incredible Bountiful Basket this week. For Veggies we got:

2 bags carrots
13 large red potatoes
2 huge bunches asparagus
7 large tomatoes (not Roma)
2 med bunches fresh spinach
2 leeks

For fruits:

a pineapple
5 bananas
9 golf ball sized tangerines (Murcotte)
7 small-med. green apples
3 avocados

I also purchased the blackberry add-on. The flat turned out to cost $1.18 each, and seeing that they usually cost $3.00 each I could not resist. I already ate 2 of the packs.

I plan to make:

Blackberry cobbler
Leek and potato soup
Spinach salad
Roasted asparagus, roasted carrots (also will roast the other half cabbage I got in the last basket 2 weeks ago and 4 green peppers from same)

I might try grilling the pineapple on the George Foreman...we'll see.

Here are some frugal tips

1. Turn oven or stove off before food is finished cooking. Not long, but a minute or two. Saving 2 min of electricity 3X a day is 6 minutes, 300 days a year saves 1800 minutes per year. You do the math. No really, you do the math. I can't figure out the kilowatt hours. Anyway, as Depression Cooking Clara Cannucciari said, "Anything to save anything."

2. Use what you have. In the BB today we received potatoes and leeks so I'll make potato leek soup. We received avocados and tangerines, so I'll make avocado tangerine salad. Driving to the store to buy one or two special ingredients to make one certain dish is expensive in terms of money, time, and gas.

3. Save twist ties. Don't throw them out after once.

4. Save the elastic bands wrapped around bunches of scallions, leeks, asparagus.

5. Save (and wash out) plastic bags that produce comes in. I bought shredded carrots in a packaged ziploc bag. Now the spinach is inside it.

6. Cook ahead. If quality food is already cooked it is available when you get peckish and want a snack. This saves on buying junk food. It also saves on buying lunches out. Bring your lunch from home. Invest in good plastic containers and bring your soups and salads to work. I also bring a lot of fruit and have several pieces throughout the day. Thanks to Bountiful Baskets, I have plenty to spare.

Here are the results of my labors. The green peppers were from the last basket. The mushrooms were $1 from the grocery store because they were brown.

Just a very few of the fresh goodies we received today in the basket

Clockwise, potato leek soup, roasted peppers,
sauteed mushrooms, roasted carrots, blackberry cobbler

Anyway, I hope you can find a Bountiful Baskets co-op near you. Or start one! It is not hard.

Snowstorm Pax packed a punch but didn't knock us out

We received snow, ice, freezing rain, sleet, wind, and more during the Pax storm of February 11-13. I laid in my supplies, which were milk and bread naturally, I made soup and muffins, drew water, readied the weather radio with batteries and got out the hurricane lantern.

And joy of joys, the power stayed on! I only had a two or three minute interruption and then it popped back on. I think some of that was because we didn't get the predicted ice they said we would, but they did say we were on the edge of the snow v. ice line so it could have gone either way. I'm glad it went this way! A quarter of a million people in Georgia lost power, the greatest amount of all the southern states affected by Pax. So...

And the other reason, I am convinced, is that people heeded directions and stayed off the roads. No one was crashing around into poles and transformers. As of yesterday afternoon at the height of the storm that had been going for 20 hours, Athens police had only responded to ONE road call for crash. Yay, people!

Here is a photo I love, posted at the height of the storm, by Madison County Sheriff on his Facebook page:

Icicles on my front porch had already started to melt at sunup

The neighbor's smoker looks like a hunched R2D2 trying to walk in the snow

I need to buy more bird seed.

 

 The candles were ready but the power stayed ON! Yay!

There is a lot of extreme weather this week. The news reported that Slovenia is "entombed" in ice. Their word, entombed. And since the nation is paralyzed and not moving then entombed seems like an apt description. Look at some of these pics:

Guy tries to figure out how to unearth his car and make it usable again.

The trains aren't going to run for at least two more weeks, they say.

Many people are attributing this extreme weather to global warming. Even my cats are worried about it. [Not]

Madison County Sheriff wrote,

"Road conditions are beginning to improve. We would still like everyone to stay put and let the snow crews catch up. Things should be much better by this afternoon. Thank you all for heeding the warnings and staying at home, it helped tremendously!!!"

It's official. I have to stay at home. Aw shucks, what a hardship. [Not]

Till next time!!