you never know ...

... until after the fact.

call me scrooge

... i don't really care ....


is my mind on an island? perhaps on hispaniola?

regardless! this season always leaves me in a 'tizzy. and because of the timimg of my trip, and the holidays, i am SO unprepared!

but, it's okay. seriously. finally, i feel like i have an excuse for not being ready.

i am never ready. i am more of a go with the flow kind of girl.

and, if an inflatable snowman is dancing in my head, so be it .... !

all my pictures are over here.

the photos are on snapfish. if you can't connect to the link, please let me know and i will send you an invite.

trip

this is my favorite picture from my trip to the domenican republic. this photo was taken in batay 7, not too far from barahona. i was really hoping for just a landscape, but it's virtually impossible to take any photos without a child, or group of children, jumping into the photo. but, as luck has it, this photo wouldn't be my favorite without this little girl in her swinging dress in yellow.

the trip was fabulous. the only drawbacks were bug bites and bichos. aside from that, all was good.

i have not resettled though. this time of year feels a bit rushed and pressured. how do i deal with that? oh ... i stand like a dear in the headlights, "hit me baby !".

i have many more pictures ... all the rest are over here ... all untouched.

home cooked meal ...

even stuart appreciates the good stuff !


i went to jackie&thehippie's yesterday evening. we hadn't really seen much of each other in awhile, due to the holiday, travel, and visitors. it was great to catch up and hang out, watching episodes of grey's and private practice, and watching jackie cook a cracker barrel dinner! yum!

dinner was more than above pictured beans & pie (that was my plate of 'seconds'), but consisted of the lima beans with corn bread, apple sauce, and a pork chop. all made from scratch. all delicious. all in my memory bank so i can recreate in a fit of southern-hunger.

walking

... i went walking the other day at one of the nearby parks. though i was there for fitness, i kept pausing to enjoy the glorious weather and sites ....




the second photo is actually my favorite because i love the colors of the changing leaves with the dark bark lines in contrast. it gives me all kinds of knitting ideas ....

shots, shopping, stuff ....

at the end of this month, i fly out to the domenican republic. i will be there for 10 days doing ______ (something). part of the plan is that i will leave clothes that i take with me there .... but, i like my clothes.

i went shopping at my favorite thrift store today. i fretted over my selections, and then was thrilled that it was all 1/2 off when i got the the cash register. hey, $5 for a shirt is pretty darn good, but $2.50 is better !

i came home and washed them all in the sink ... just incase i feel the need to wear some new duds this week.

and shots ... i've had so many shots in the last 2 months i feel like a giant walking bacteria! and i still have some more pills to pop ... including typhoid and whatever for malaria.

and stuart! what to do with stuart?! he might stay with his auntie-scarlet ... that's the plan right now ... but, i want to take him with me too!

wow !

driving down oberlin road the other day i passed this tree, and immediately pulled over. it's just not fall here. well, barely .... but this tree had fall written all over it!

crazy

.... i am so tired & wired that i cannot even think straight, or knit (gasp ! ). and that's all i can say about that ... here ... look at this picture instead ....


... big spider seen in home on some other day ... other month.

sunday adventure

it sure seemed the perfect camping weekend, but don't let that gorgeous sky deceive you, because it was still hot as blazes. jackie dragged me off to the target for some shopping (her) and quality knitting time (me).

i think we seriously went up and down every single aisle. but stuart had some extra fun on the camping supplies aisle!








the mini gear is the best! while stuart was posing in the doorway of the first tent, a woman stopped at the end of the aisle and suggested that stuart would probably like to squeeze into a sleeping bag too. funny!

chicken pot pie

this is primarily a note to self as sometimes i forget how i "did" certain things and can't find that little scrap of paper.

but, this past weekend i made chicken pot pie ... with a rescue from my cooking goddess.

a couple of days before i roasted the chicken. i did that for the first time back in march. the skin was so good that i ate it straight out of the oven!


roasted chicken

1 chicken 3.5 lbs
1/2 lemon
kosher salt & ground pepper
thyme, rosemary, basil

preheat oven to 450*

1. rub inside of bird w/cut lemon.
2. season inside & out with s&p.
3. put herbs in bird, tie legs together.
4. place bird on a roasting rack in pan. roast until skin is golden and crackling crisp (35-40 min).
5. reduce oven temp to 350* and roast for 25 to 30 min. longer.
6. test doneness by piercing bird in the thickest part of thigh - juices should run clear.
7. transfer to cutting board and let rest 10 to 15 min.
8. try not to eat all the skin!

chicken pot pie

shredded chicken
1/2 onion chopped
2 or 3 stalks of celery chopped
1 can of sliced carrots
frozen peas
chicken broth
fresh made biscuit dough

1. saute onions and celery
2. toss in 9" square pyrex dish with shredded chicken
3. mix in carrots and peas
4. make a gravy with the chicken broth and mix in dish too.
5. season generously
6. top with fresh biscuit dough and cook at 425* until biscuit top is done.

jackie's perfect biscuits

2 c. sifted flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 T shortening chilled (or lard)
3 T butter chilled
3/4 c. cold whole milk
flour for working surface

1. preheat oven to 425*
2. sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together in mix bowl.
3. cut in cold fats.
   
4. dump in cold milk & stir quickly (10-12 strokes).
5. turn dough on floured surface. knead lightly (6-12 strokes) so not sticky.
6. pat out or roll out about 3/4" thick. use 2.25" cutter dipped in flour.
7. place biscuits close together w/out touching on ungreased bake sheet.
8. bake 12 to 15 min until risen and lightly browned.

but, for the pot pie, form to cover the dish. if making pot pie in a bigger rectangular pan, then make 1.5 x recipe.

for pot pie .... bake 15 min. check it. add 3 min. increments.

so, what i was going to say was i made chicken pot pie. i tried to cheat and use canned dough, but i had oven temp. problems and only cooked the dough on top and it was a mushy mess underneath. i called jackie in a distressed state and she had me stop by the store and pick up some milk so she could show me how to properly make the biscuit dough. it wasn't as difficult as i thought it might be :) and it's delicious!

speaking of cheating ... i also made cheater chili today. how do you do that?
well ... some ground turkey, a can of chili magic texas style, can of black beans, can of diced tomatoes, little can of diced green chilis, and an onion. easy and delicious !