Food of the year
I’ve had this discussion before. The first was mozzarella sticks way back in 1982. We had them in Hawaii. Good stuff. Old hat…very old hat. Kale? Nope! Never! I never saw it till it crossed my path in 2014 in a green smoothie Jules ate in California. Thick as sludge, so, I think she ate it. And now in Annapolis – fried kale. Annapolis? It went mainstream “food of the year” right under my nose. Chicago – specialty food store – Mariano’s – carried it – as well as Whole Foods. Kale chips – they are thick and crumble easily. The leaves are very delicate. Deep fried and dolloped with mustard mayo, garnished with onion, pepper and so forth, the dish is sublimely seductive. Yeah! Anything this good is bad for you and I can readily attest. We stopped in this restaurant and made special trips to go there. Nuts! Deep fried kale is dead simple to make. After we deconstructed the dish and made some, it’s no longer the draw and attraction.
My current “go to” is sweet potato chips. “Food of the year” comes and goes. It is food trend that often is not obvious at first. Kale remains a curiosity. I will not be drinking a kale smoothie any time soon in my “Vitamix.”
Now and Then
Who knew? Who’d have guessed? Fish, cats… It’s not a year since…it’s been quite a year. But back in February 2016, Lulu came into my life. This year it’s Spice/Feather. Cats! I don’t like cats.
I like dogs. I loved Nellie. Just about the time when I really needed a friend, Lulu came in. And when I had to leave Lulu behind, Spice and Feather have entered. I miss Nellie. Who wouldn’t? And there are still Elle, Willow, and Patch. Characters, one and all.
Flight
Snow geese in flight – I’ve learned a lot about shooting from other things I shot. Same word – different connotation. Ha! Ah, well. I’ve learned the use of my camera from things I’ve done in my past. Action was learned from shooting tennis. Zooming was honed on underwater photography. I ain’t great, but, more a work in progress. Today it was birds in flight. I’m lazy and did not get out of the car to chase the birds into the field. The snow geese are migrating. They are not fleeing…if you get my drift.
Scene
Among the observers on the sideline were these too kids. Aren’t homonyms confusing? It certainly is a confusing time for many. We keep talking about the future. What will it be like for our children and our grandchildren? Can you think that far down the road? Well, here in this picture is the now and they are the future. Go with it as you will. They are watching.
The Very Day After Inauguration…
She looked Amish with her cap. She was wearing bloomers. “Bloomer” were –
“Also called the “Turkish dress”, “American dress”, or simply “reform dress”, bloomers were an innovation of readers of the Water-Cure Journal, a popular health periodical that in October 1849 began urging women to develop a style of dress that was not so harmful to their health as the current fashion. It also represented an unrestricted movement, unprecedented by previous women’s fashions, that allowed for greater freedom—both metaphorical and physical—within the public sphere.” Wikipedia
Gee, I didn’t know that. Special interests were all around – LGBT, abortion, minorities and so forth. Women! It was a women’s march and this is a women’s movement. Why was I there? It never occurred to me that this was someone elses protest and fight. Men were not banned. But there were far more many women than men. The pink hat was the symbol of the day. I don’t suppose there were any DT supporters among the crowd.
Not Everyone
Not everyone agrees. I suppose this was the opposition feeling when Obama was President. I never cared much for “W.” But on this I am certain. A lot of people marched on the day after the inauguration of DT. They’d have done it sooner but it was banned on inauguration day. We didn’t go to Washington. (Traffic) I’d have gone but was vetoed. It was peaceful. No arrests. No violence. Millions! I saw a small part of it. I’m glad to have been there.
Grandfather Clock
“My Grandfather’s clock was too tall for the shelf, so it stood ninety years on the floor…” The origin of the term grandfather clock was derived from this song. I bet you didn’t know that. And the Kieninger clock works company has been around for more than 100 years and is still going. It has made the inner workings of many clocks. That’s about what I know now. It’s worth something. It “wirks.” That is to say it ticks. Yes! It tells time. It does not chime…yet. I haven’t trouble shot the issue. The kitties are curious and climbed right in. So far, it’s worth a whole lot more than we paid. But we bought it ‘cause I have been eyeing clocks for a year. Yay! Just luck.
The weights are heavy. Seriously heavy. We saw another clock the very next day. You remember the sewing machine story? Well, the second clock was plastic and the weights were nothing. So, this clock here, was a good bargain indeed. And it has real Kieninger works and it runs great. This kind of clock was very accurate and only supplanted when quartz movements came in the 1980’s. So, it’s not that long since progress changed things. You know, like everyone has a cellphone now….
Water!
I got a water view! I’ve been here two years. Yup. Really. We went out to clean up the grass in the back. It’s invasive and obstructs the water view of the pond. After cutting back the grass, look! There’s a park bench. A real honest to goodness park bench is there right on the water. It’s in good shape. It’s mine. I thought it belonged to the neighbors. Nope. Mine. It’s on my property. I never saw it nor knew it was there. Imagine? It was 65 degrees on January 12. Right, there’s no global warming. Say it again and click your heels three times. “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
Done
The sky did not fall. 52 million voters got what they wanted. I know at least two Republican women (who voted for DT) who agree the man is an asshole. Yes! Absolute. But, he’s our fearless leader. Let’s hope we don’t go to hell in a hand basket. Last weekend we entertained two Republicans who voted for DT and another was Libertarian. They simply said, “Not Hillary.” Be careful what you wish for. He’s in. We’re out. Tomorrow, the march. There’s not much hope for sanity or civility. My friends were my friends before and will remain so. I’m shaking my head. They got what they voted for. What? You can’t shake your head and take it back. Both of them are women. Both know what they did. They acknowledge his foibles. Grope me. They didn’t care. “Not Hillary.” What a tactical mistake the Dems made. Someone keeps whispering, “I told you so.” Yup…
Checkout
I have way too much free time. I hang out at the checkout counter and read the headlines. Can it be so? Please tell me Angelina is not emaciated and near death. Better yet, I love the Cosmo cover. Do breasts talk? Really! Who’s the editor and what IQ does she sport? Are women and feminism in the conversation. Speak to the left breast.
Magazine
By now you know about new kitties in the house. They are sisters and pretty much identical. Side by side I can tell them apart. Pick one up alone and it’s not so easy. One feature that is striking is their long tails. Beautiful. Now to recognize them and use the right names. Do they know their names? Who knows? They are both characters. Fun! So face on look at the vertical stripes on their face. Different. Good. That’s a start. Famous sisters? Thelma and Louise were out. You know what happened to them. And so forth… They are cats… Spice and Feather. I hope Feather remains light. She’s the heavier sister to start. I know I will rename her “Weight.”
Long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs…
By now you know about new kitties in the house. They are sisters and pretty much identical. Side by side I can tell them apart. Pick one up alone and it’s not so easy. One feature that is striking is their long tails. Beautiful.
Now to recognize them and use the right names. Do they know their names? Who knows? They are both characters. Fun! So face on look at the vertical stripes on their face. Different. Good. That’s a start. Famous sisters? Thelma and Louise were out. You know what happened to them. And so forth… They are cats… Spice and Feather. I hope Feather remains light. She’s the heavier sister to start. I know I will rename her “Weight.”
Perspective
By now you know about new kitties in the house. They are sisters and pretty much identical. Side by side I can tell them apart. Pick one up alone and it’s not so easy. One feature that is striking is their long tails. Beautiful.
Now to recognize them and use the right names. Do they know their names? Who knows? They are both characters. Fun! So face on look at the vertical stripes on their face. Different. Good. That’s a start. Famous sisters? Thelma and Louise were out. You know what happened to them. And so forth… They are cats… Spice and Feather. I hope Feather remains light. She’s the heavier sister to start. I know I will rename her “Weight.”
Mushroom Thing
It’s what I called it. Everyone else calls it that now too. Huh? Well, I’m sure there’s a more appetizing official name I could think of. But it’s kind of cute. There’s a lot of flash and bang for your (visual) buck in this concoction. I first had it at a friend’s house. I think it was Nannette. She was pretty creative. I didn’t work with a recipe. Hey! It ain’t baking. I just gather the general ingredients and then wing it. It’s phyllo wrapped around mushrooms, onions, and feta cheese. Go figure. It’s a big hit every time out. We still call it the “mushroom thing” and so far the name sticks.
New Castle
Here’s a place we ate in the same day as I saw the sushi place. It’s a tavern in an old 1764 building. The fare is American. So, I had the meat loaf. Boring? But you don’t order meat loaf in a sushi place either? The town is New Castle. It’s old and it’s got cobblestone streets.
It’s quaint and well worth a visit. Sometimes there is time to smell the roses. I’ve been busy lately. So, taking a break is a nice thing. The beer menu is a large library size book. I don’t drink. The food is solid. I lost my appetite there.
Sushi
It’s random juxtaposition. I’m sure the two are unrelated. But it’s something to ponder and consider. They got an A. In NYC it means they passed the health inspection. No bugs or mouse droppings. Otherwise anything goes. I’m glad to know it.I haven’t eaten in the place. Too many restaurants, too little time…
Lean on me
It’s New York (City). This is a new building since I’ve been away. There’s a straight rod along the crooked edge. And it has a bridge across. Why? Conversation piece? Just ‘cause they could do it? I’d love to see it “all fall down.” Or not…
Guess What?
Without a label I would have been at a loss to guess what this is. It’s birdcage, dish rack, bookcase, book shelf, drying rack. It’s too skinny for a wine rack and too narrow for a clothes rack and too wide and tall for a video/CD storage unit. And it’s old. Ah! It’s a plate rack. Yeah? Yeah. That’s what it is. You never know. And I’m still puzzled after reading the label. But, someone smarter than me wrote the label. So that’s my story and I’m going with it.
What the…? Dinner!
We were driving. Yeah, it rhymes with diving… I wish… And there in the field were sea gulls. I’ve seen them gathered in large numbers many times before. Wrong! Nope! I turned the car around to take some shots. It was an open field full of ducks. Dinner! I’ve seen them on Long Island. They were domestic and destined for dinner – Long Island duck! Nope, I’m wrong again. They are snow geese – and wild – and they were just resting on their migration. Later we saw the sky filled with hundreds. No, I did not stop again. We were on a mission….”from God” (Dan Ackroyd – Blues Brothers).
Good Morning
I can’t leave well enough alone. Most people who know me would agree. It’s my fate. I tempt it. We had a good environment with three nutty kitties. Characters, one and all, they and I – me and them, we had an understanding… But we go into the pet store to buy food… And right there were a pair of sisters waiting to be adopted – rescue kitties. Too cute! Darn! They got me. The one on the right hopped right up and put her paw through the cage and patted me. Yup! Let me out! Her or me? First day, first morning, they were sleeping atop one another in the sink. It wasn’t hard. I put a towel down inside. Welcome to the world. Now… to see if the others get along and welcome them?
Good Luck
Well, we started the New Year with a bit of good luck. To celebrate it is customary in the South to eat black eyed peas and pork. And in the North it is lucky to eat cabbage – sauerkraut. I got to eat both.Yes, it’s a strange menu.
Who knew? I’m not in Jeddah anymore. We were making a black eyed pea pie. Yeah, it doesn’t sound so great. But it was. Great! Lots of folks wanted the recipe. It very much resembles pecan pie. Sorry, no picture. It was so good we ate it. Maybe it was the whipped cream on top but I kind of think it was just a good pie. Anyway, the recipe calls for eggs. We got a double yolk. That’s lucky too! Here’s hoping….
Polar Bear Plunge
There was no particular signature image for this event. People gathered well over an hour in advance. The event was over in moments. (They went in – they came right out!) The day was sunny and almost warm. Well, if you stayed in your coat and kept your good sense, you were okay. Otherwise as the title says, you went into the cold cold Atlantic Ocean on New Year’s Day. It was cold but not nearly as bitter as it might have been. So, you could indeed plunge and have a tale to tell.
Me? I’m a chicken all the way. The Red Sea is not this cold/warm on the warmest day of summer in the Atlantic. Nope. Not going. Not me! I just took the photo op. I prefer to be warm. Not hot. Just toasty.
Less Is More
After houses and decorations, there was not much interest in decorating a few dozen cookies. So…. One two three… Done. They are not burnt. The dark ones are gingerbread to contrast the butter cookies. My kids would do works of art in Christmas’s past. But I was abandoned and tasked with a few dozen unadorned cookies…..And less sugar actually is better sometimes. It’s still yum.
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