8.30.2011

All the Way to the Top


Remember my post on Gardening Faith

The vines made it all the way to the top of the tepee!  Yipee!
This is a little bit of a cheat, though. The seedlings in the Faith post were for Heavenly Blue morning glories. If you're a vine fanatic like me, though, you'll be able to tell from the photo that these are not blues. See how fuzzy the vine and leaves are - blues are smooth, not fuzzy.  These are just sad ol' Star of Yelta volunteers trying to take over the gourd tepee. And they're doing it, but my heart is made lighter when some vine makes it all the way up to curl under the clay pot and sprout out the top!
(The HB vine from Faith is inching its way to its own clay tepee topper, but has had a hard season. If only someone would water it! I'm hoping for some BLUE blooms to enjoy soon!)


8.26.2011

Goetta Fest

We went to the Glier's Goettafest on the riverfront in Cincinnati earlier in the month. Having just gotten the photos off my camera*, thought I'd post some of them. 
My shot of goetta pizza - a little blurry since my hand was shaking from some serious carb overload. You could also buy goetta on a stick, goetta calzones, goetta-dogs, goetta fried rice.... you get the idea.


There was ice cream - not any ice cream - Graeter's ice cream. Not any Graeter's ice cream, but raspberry chocolate chunk! It's' frozen against the heat into a rock-hard block, but you can see DH is digging away, working away at stealing the chunks of deliciousness first - 'cause that's how he rolls.

Random and riveting people by the hundreds to enjoy! My Youngest tried to stop me from taking this man's photo, drawing more attention than if he had just walked away from me instead. The man has seated himself in the middle of the public square on a stool with bongo drums in his lap- he wants his picture taken!

My teenagers watched with alternating stunned and smug disbelief as cloggers strutted their stuff on center stage for our lunchtime entertainment.  I made some serious promises regarding my free time as a future senior adult and requested an intervention should I start wearing jingle taps around the house just to break them in. 
Thought you  might enjoy a little clogging this morning, while you make your breakfast resolutions.
(and I hope none of these women are your favorite Aunt Betty...)

* MY DEAR CAMERA was left outside, overnight, a few weeks ago. I'm not naming names, just saying I didn't do it! Sunday morning dawned with a rainstorm that we had been drowsily enjoying for about two hours. Finally getting up, I pulled back the curtain to the patio, and the camera was the first thing my eyes landed on - out on the patio table, SOAKING up the storm. Of course I ran out there to get it, and I might be a little embarrassed now at the height of my upset. I found some directions on how to try to save it via internet (WHAT did we ever do w/o internet before?), and we set about 'baking' the camera. What did we have to lose? It worked! 


8.22.2011

Behind The Glass


Antique junk stores have amazing and amusing things, of course, but most of the time, I only look at what is out there in the aisles. The last time we shopped, we looked behind the glass. The cases usually house the more expensive items, so I usually don't even look, but there are some funny things happening behind glass!

Look at these tiny tin soldiers, all ready for battle. Some with weapons at their shoulders and some with weapons already aimed. I like the guy in the front who seems to be wiping his nose on his sleeve - typical, right? My favorite soldier boy, though, is the one who decided to go without his shirt! It's been my experience that most males, if given the chance, will happily shed the shirt and go half-naked - I think this soldier is especially realistic.


Couples tied to their benches. These seem like parents at the ends of their ropes. We had to snicker - I'm sure our boys have wished they could get us to sit still long enough to tie us down every now and then!
(overdone lipstick, underdone foundation)


How I can identify with this blue-skirted figurine! She got a little too nosy, I'm imagining, trying to see what was happening on the bench just in front of her, finally tipping  ... oops ... too far! Her bench mate looks on in open-mouthed horror. So does my husband, when I get a little too nosy about those interesting strangers all around me.


8.15.2011

Eat Some Cake!


This is a re-post from my birthday two years ago. This cake is baking in my oven right now! Pop over in a few hours for a piece of the yummy deliciousness!
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When the cake is gone, your birthday is over! This special cake, originally my aunt's recipe, is only made once a year - on my birthday! I like to make it myself, though for a few years My Dear Husband and my boys made it for me. Now I insist that I enjoy making it for myself - and I do! It's a more complicated recipe than I will usually work on, but the result is worth it. I'm not sure who will get this piece, but it won't be me, since I had more than my share.
Orange Crunch Cake
Crunch Layer: 1 c. graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 c. chopped walnuts, 1/2 c. melted margarine or butter
Cake: 1 pkg. yellow cake mix, 1/2 c. water, 1/2 c. orange juice, 1/3 c. oil, 3 eggs, 2 T. grated orange peel
Frosting: 1 can ready to spread vanilla frosting, 1 c. thawed whipped topping, 3 T. grated orange peel, 1 t. grated lemon peel

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans. In small bowl, combine crunch layer ingredients until crumbly. Press half of crunch mixture into each prepared pan. In large bowl, blend cake ingredients at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at highest speed. Pour batter evenly over crunch layer. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool ten minutes then remove from pan. Cool completely. In small bowl, beat frosting ingredients until fluffy. Fold in grated orange and lemon peel. Place one layer, crunch side up, on serving plate and spread with frosting. Top with remaining layer (crunch side up) and spread top and sides with remaining frosting. Store in refrigerator.

8.12.2011

I Smell It

Does anybody else smell it? 'Cause it's wafting on the breeze over here.
I smell fall.
No booing allowed, it's just that time of year. It's light yet, for sure, but there.
When I have a minute to sit in the sun, if I close my eyes, it plays just at the edge of my nose - that musty, sweet, aroma.
It was there this morning as I was walking along through the grass, and again day before yesterday when I got out of the car.
It's like the smell of overripeness.
Of too many spent and fallen blooms mixing with the dirt.
Maybe it's like thick, thick grass that's hot in the sunshine and mown too many times.
Definitely the smell of ripe apples rotting under the trees.

You'll only find it at the very end of a deep breath, though.
Fall is still out there on the horizon, yet, but I smell it.

8.09.2011

Halfway There

I dreamed about babies last night.
That doesn't mean there are going to BE any babies arriving around here.
I am going to be fourty-five next week. Which is, I was reminded by a lovely, young, teenage girl at church this Sunday past, halfway to 90! Yes, she stood there straight and tall, youth flying and flinging from every pore in her body, so pleased and surprised by her own insight.
I was surprised, too.

Women who are halfway to ninety should not be dreaming of snuggly, cooing babies.
But sometimes they just do.
(My Oldest on his first day. We were amazed!)

8.05.2011

Old Funnies

On the recent run-away, we made photo-buys of these three old, framed photos. All too funny!

This photo caught the eye of MWH - he cracked up when he saw these brave soldiers lying "like dancing girls" on their sides in the front row. I guess they would be kneeling in a typical group shot, right? But not these men! The clincher - the center two soldiers holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes. Click the photo to get an up-close view of these long-dead soldiers and you might also say -
What is goin' on?
Is it a group joke? Some kind of punishment for this particular troop? Is this photo the second take after the first very serious shot? I wonder...

What an attitude in this sister! You don't usually get to see this level of 'tude in the old photos - she had to be able to hold onto this face for quite a few seconds to get the photo this clear! I'd title this one, "Fed Up!" I wonder, is she on her way home, or on her way out?

I've seen a few bad baby haircuts, but this is the all-time winner. Love how they dressed this poor child ... boy or girl? Notice the button-up shoes and the tiny gold ring. He/she looks cheerful, though, no matter the hairstyle.

8.02.2011

It's Not a Contest, But...

About once a year, My Wonderful Husband takes a photo that amazes me. I think of myself as the family photographer, but then he does this:

It's worth the effort to click the photo and let it fill your screen. Are those unopened anthers incredible or what? They look like tiny hooves, I think.
This was taken back when we were getting rain like Noah, which seems like a long time ago, now that it's dry like a desert around here.
His outstanding photo from another year - here.