The Color of Peppers

     As August draws to a close and a spell of extreme heat  has withered and wilted  the color out of lawns and flower gardens, hues are vibrant in the pepper plants.  Today's harvest included several varieties: bell, jalapeno, habanero, scotch bonnet, banana, and red chilies. Arranged by type or just thrown together in  a big bowl, the peppers present a lovely picture with their distinctive colors and shapes. 

1. 

Strawberry Brownies

     Three ingredient dessert - yes! Additives, preservatives, artificial coloring - yes, but once in awhile quick beats quality. I thought these were pretty tasty but Pop did not, therefore more than half went to Mom's dinner partners at her assisted living facility. Not sure why these are called brownies because the only resemblance is the chewy texture. The strawberry flavor is nice but I felt the squares were lacking something so I piped some chocolate icing over the top. That was just the necessary touch because now they were reminiscent of chocolate-covered strawberries!

S

River Lesson

     I must include one last commentary regarding this year's camping trip. It was early afternoon on a weekday and we were the only campers on site - the beach area and river were 'ours' alone. We had fished successfully for trout and bluegill, investigated the shoreline both up and down river, eaten lunch and were now resting under the umbrella for awhile with some magazines. Soon however, a lone canoeist appeared, gliding  quickly around the rapids at the bend and then slower through the deep pool in front of us. He stopped to converse for a moment, although he confessed that he preferred the solitude of unpopulated areas. We agreed, asked if he'd had any portages, answered his questions about fishing luck, and then wished him well as he pushed off. The friendly fellow turned and waved as he cornered a rock jetty, and we saw him stop, cast his line and fish for a few minutes before he floated out of site.

     The momentary encounter and quick, silent departure of the solitary mariner made me think of human relevance. Surrounded by the beautiful Ozark mountains, the rushing river currents, and the high, wide blue sky, and observing the endless varieties of wildlife in this valley, one can only realize that a human being is an insignificant presence in this microcosm, and indeed the universe. I was immensely humbled.

Nature Girl

     The camping trip mentioned in the previous post provided lots of photo opportunities, especially with the pristine beauty of the crystal clear stream and the panoramic scenery, but these human studies may be my favorite shots. Young Rissy is an animal lover to the 'nth' degree (it is difficult to get her to leave the local pet supply store because she swoons over the poor unadopted cats and the cages full of hamsters or ferrets!) so she delighted in discovering and studying the tiny toads that scattered as we walked along the shore. The little fellow below was content in her hand for a few moments of friendly scrutiny.

     Part of our day we spent in the shallows, and armed with small nets we hunted for tadpoles, crawdads, minnows or anything else that looked interesting, including unusual rocks. Of course, all of our catches, like this baby trout (a fingerling?) were soon released, but not before a tender good-bye.

     While writing about the photos above, I was reminded of another from about twelve years ago:  Rissy's brother, Vinny, was quite fond of his amphibious friend also!

"Terducken" Tent

     The title of this post might appear slightly odd but then so did the tent. Granddaughter, Rissy, accompanied us on our annual trip to the primitive campsite on the Little Piney River while her father was to join us the following day. She was excited to have her own tent (this is the same girl who cried for her mother two years ago!) But after setting up, I was the one with a problem - although her tent was just six feet away from ours and we were miles from any populated area, I had an uneasy feeling about her being alone all night. Pop suggested an ideal solution that placated my misgivings while allowing Rissy to remain in her tent. We dragged her little dome inside the screened porch area that opened off the side of our larger tent, so that she had to enter our front door to access hers. So Rissy's tent-within-a-tent was a fun alternative - we could converse but still had private quarters. And she had extra protection during an afternoon thunderstorm!

Water War with the W's

     A warm sunny Saturday lured me into the backyard to weed and water the gardens. The usual August steam bath never arrived this year, making any yard work delightful. On this particular day however, a small army had mobilized on the other side of the fence so I had to delay gardening and defend myself. I hurried back to the garage and found a water blaster, filled it with water from the pool and launched a counterattack.  I was outnumbered three to one, and though my clothes and hair were pretty drenched, I never admitted defeat. At lunchtime we called a truce and put down our artillery to go inside our respective homes. And despite some ardent pleas,  I had to decline a later rematch so I could get some work done. 

So Ding-Dong Special

     I have always adored Ding Dongs and it was a mournful time last year, when bankruptcy forced Hostess to shut down operations. (Honestly I rarely ate them but it was distressing to think I would never have another.) 

     This year, for Mother's Day, I invited the extended family to gather at the house and desired food and decor that would be simple to prepare yet attractive. For dessert I chose Cocoa Creme Cakes by Little Debbie, the best alternative to Ding Dongs that was available at the market. A single rosette of pink icing was piped on the top of each cake and all were stacked in a pleasing arrangement on a round serving plate. A pretty vintage tablecloth, a hurricane candle wreathed with delicate pink flowers, and coordinating cards and gift wrap completed the feminine look. The moms in attendance, and all the other guests too, loved the charming presentation (and the "Ding Dongs"!)

    

PS: After mediation, Hostess products returned to the shelves in July, 2013 - hurrah!

Raspberry Vodka

     After pricing a bottle of raspberry-infused vodka at the local market, I decided to make my own. A pint of lovely fresh raspberries (oh, it was difficult not to gobble a handful!) went into a quart mason jar and then plain vodka added to the rim. The jar was placed in a cool dark cabinet. Three weeks later, I strained the mixture, surprised to see that the raspberries had kept their shape and not turned to mush (and this time no less than a few were consumed).  The results were very pleasing - a clear burgundy color and a fabulous flavor. It was fun to try different cocktails with the infusion and our two favorite combinations included orange juice and Seven-Up. Can't wait to try again with another fruit, perhaps melon or apple, and maybe even add a bit of spice to shake it up.

Dad and the Cowbird

     Dad had an affinity for wildlife - I remember a book about fish species in his office and he would often take us fishing. He also quizzed us children with flash cards about birds and could whistle some very convincing bird calls. In the summer of 1967, a small female cowbird visited our backyard. This was not unusual (our new subdivision had been carved out of farmland and orchards) but sparrows, cardinals and blue jays were more frequent guests at the feeder that hung from the lowest branch of the small sweet gum tree. What was unusual about this bird was her fearlessness - she was quite tame, especially with Dad. On the day this photo was taken, he was on the ground at her level (a less threatening stance) and we were convinced that he was conversing with her in some way. Dad's feathered friend lingered in the yard a few days and then we never saw her again, but like a snapshot of time,  the memory  of a very patient and tenderhearted man remains.

Cather Treasure

     Saturday mornings are usually spent performing necessary chores like laundry, house cleaning, yard upkeep and sometimes do-ahead cooking/baking for the upcoming week. I enjoy being at home even with these demands on my time,and totally disdain Saturday shopping, except for an early morning visit to the Farmer's Market in summertime. However, yesterday we did a different sort of shopping - an estate sale a few blocks from home. It is interesting (and tragic) to peruse the remnants of a few decades of an unknown person's life, in this case a recently deceased elderly gentleman named Joseph. Most of the items were overpriced or unneeded, but the fellow must have been a voracious reader because he left hundreds of volumes in his library and I did snap up two lovely books - hardback compilations of novels by a favorite author, Willa Cather.     

      So now I am engrossed in rereading these quintessential American stories and loving every one, even My Antonia, which I know backwards and forwards (for an advanced composition class in college, I researched  the novel and the author to write a lengthy literary theme paper.)

   On the inside cover of each of these books, I discovered a handwritten inscription to Joseph and I wish I could tell him that his books have a good home.

Catholic Keepsakes

        The religious items in this collage have been hidden away in an old jewelry box that I have had since I was a child. The rosary at, center, the tiny blue pendant at upper left (which hangs from a gold and pearl necklace), and the scapular were gifts from the early 1960's, probably received at my First Holy Communion or Confirmation. I am unsure about the little blue charm that hangs from a ribbon at lower right.

     Catholicism figure prominently in my childhood - I loved the sacred mysticism and holy traditions. And now I continue to treasure these keepsakes, so assembling the shadowbox with fabric backing, a delicate piece of lace-edged antique linen and pale blue crepe roses was a project I thoroughly enjoyed.

     PS: The scapular inspired a bit of research as I had forgotten its particular significance. I relearned that it is worn as a sign of salvation, a safeguard in danger and a badge of devotion, offering special protection from the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Melons of Summer

     Summertime is filled with special eats and a juicy melon has to rate somewhere near the top. We picked up two beauties at the farmer's market on Saturday morning - both were so large we picked them up on our way out because our arms would have ached if we'd carried them much further than directily to the car. The flesh of the Honey Rock Cantaloupe was thick and orange while the Honeydew was somewhat smaller but a lovely pale green. Cut into bite-sized cubes and combined, the two melons created a simple but simply beautiful medley. Besides being pretty, the bowl was full of Vitamin A, C and beta-carotene, but that fact is forgotten after the first luscious bite.

Our Tiki Bar or The Mermaid Tail continues

     The D's bought a home with a beautiful in-ground swimming pool and patio just outside their backdoor. Inherited with the house was a small plain tiki bar that stood poolside on the patio, and the Jamaica-loving D's have accessorized it with Polynesian signs, trinkets and lights, and even christened it with a name - The Red Snapper. Now the D's are an unpretentious and genial couple, so I enjoy seeing photos of their poolside escapades on social media. They chuckled when I sent them a photo of our personal "tiki" bar - consisting of a single carved mask candle and a tropical drink on a small wooden table. However, I also added a photo of Rissy in the small pool, captioned, "But we have our own mermaid!"

The Mermaid Tail or Adventures with Photoshop (by a novice)

     Granddaughter, Rissy, had been curious about making a mermaid tail for some time. Recently the curiousity morphed into an ardent plea so knowing that soon she would be moving some distance away, I jumped at the chance to spend some time with her. We visited the local fabric store and quickly found a shelf of swimming suit lycra (lucky me - it was 40% off). There was quite an array of colors and I pointed out a metalic green print that had the look of fish scales, but Rissy was unimpressed and much preferred the hot pink. Her choice turned out to be a good one as it photographed beautifully. Anyway, we found an old pair of swim fins in the pool storage tub and duct taped them together; Rissy put them on and lay down on the fabric while I traced around her with chalk. It was a snap to cut out and sew the tail, then insert the fins. She couldn't wait to try it on and consequently we had a good laugh because the only way for her to move around was to scoot on her behind!

     I took several photographs of her sitting on the concrete porch and then more in the swimming pool (which is quite small but is blue - a bonus we soon found out.) Then we searched online for some compatible backgrounds and photoshopped the mermaid into those images. I like the moss-covered rock (which originally boasted a basking walrus) but Rissy favors the underwater scenes. She actually composed them herself, after watching me navigate the Photoshop software! All things considered, it was a productive, creative and fun afternoon.