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!