Build It and They Will Come

Remember Field Of Dreams? Ah, what a great movie. And such a keeper quote. As it applies to wildlife, how do they know? As I've mentioned, within an hour of putting out hummer feeders, the little charmers were back... bringing me to the latest case in point:

Yesterday, we decided that life could go no further without a butterfly feeder. They were all over the rhododendrons by the pool shed. But we're still hangin' on the patio. What to do? A quick Google search brought me to the suggestion of a simplistic hanging plate. I made a quick hanger from potholder loops, while Joe found an under-plate from a clay pot. It's supposed to contain overripe fruit to attract fluttery types, but we didn't have any. We devour it way too fast. So, I thought to cut a few flowers. 

Twenty-four hours later, we're wondering how they knew it was built and ready for them to come...

Skip-the-Pudding Dessert Trifles 'cause Less Is More

Those nifty individual spongecakes or ladyfingers (my favorite) are awesome to keep in the freezer, with all the fab berries currently available. Skip the custard/pudding and use fat-free Cool Whip. Crush a few nuts or chocolaty cookies and somewhat layer ingredients in pretty glasses. Go to hell with yourself, 'cause this dessert is legal! Spike it with a touch of apricot brandy, or whatever.

"Doing My Vegetables" - A Bitter Broccoli Rabe Recipe

Today, I'm tapping into my Italian half; more specifically, Mom. Second only to family, food was her thing - especially vegetables. A trip to the farm stand usually resulted in an entire day of doing vegetables. Use your imagination. :-) She would have appreciated the market, this morning, with its rows and rows of greens, accented by reds, yellows, purples and oranges. And fresh broccoli rabe. It's so Italian. 
Who could resist?

As soon as I got home, I began doing it up. Steamed a bit and sautéed with EVOO, fresh garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice... that's right, make it even more bitter... a hit of pepper and a handful of crushed almonds. YUM!

While Joe dines on swordfish with tomato-sauced bow-ties, I'll just have mine green. 

Color Me, why don't you???!!! It's almost officially summertime.

You Can't Love One Without The Other

Internet ScreenShot

Jean Stapleton. How many happy hours did she provide for her viewing public? Edith and Archie. What a team. Our entire family embraced them. Gran, in her seventies and eighties, spent hours roaring at their humor. I think I hear her. Yep, keepin' it All In The Family.

No more words. Rest in peace.

Spotting Spots

In my old age, I've learned to pay attention to woodsy sounds. Who said you can't make a country girl out of an Island one? So, when Baby Spots let out a long 'n' loud bleat yesterday, I commented to Joe. Unfortunately, his hearing isn't too keen and he hadn't noticed. But half an hour later, he spotted momma and fawn, a couple hundred feet into the woods. He called me to see them and said that I'd been right about the baby sounds. It was precious to see still-very-tiny Spots jumping over tall grasses, trying to keep up the pace. They are clearly creatures of habit. Though they wander during the day, nighttime brings them back to home turf.

You might notice in some of my photos that our surrounding woods are a mess, this a result of Hurricane Sandy. We shudder to think that high winds tore down trees on both sides of our property. By some miracle, our property was spared.

Giving thanks. 

A Piece of the Beach aka Sentimental Sand

Joe found the antique bottle in the woods, during deer season. Mom gave me the "stopper" many, many moons ago. The sand, driftwood and shells are from the OBX. I know, I know... I've lost it! But when a girl needs to gaze into her crystal ball as she wiggles her toes in sentimental sand, it's nice to have it all handy.

It's June 2013 - Lordy!

In our world, this month of this year means that our GrandLove Aubs is "graduating" from elementary school, headed for middle school, in September. This fact adds a whole new dimension to, "Time flies!"

Last night was her Fifth Grade Dance, deejayed by none other than her Daddy. Oooh, we love the picture of the dynamic duo... and of our Sugar, in all her prettiness.

♥

Happy June.

Congratulations, Gav! ♡

Thanks to proud Daddy Bri for sending this great photo!
That's Gavin's "old" friend, Caleb, standing next to him.
How fabulous, Gav! Keep up the amazing work.
We love you.

A Peek Into A Wild World

Have y'all seen this Yahoo link? Wow! Here's a little sampling of what a human-less camera can record for all to see.

WWF Photo via Yahoo

The Story's The Same One...

We're havin' a heat wave. Be it Baby Spots, a frog, a king or a hummingbird, critters great and small have returned to Stacey.
Can you stand it? The horses are history for this year... now it's hummingbirds and such... again! 

Within an hour of putting out three feeders, they appeared. Amazing.

"Did you ever read about a frog who dreamed of being a king

And then became one

Well, except for the names and a few other changes

If you talk about me, the story's the same one" 

Neil Diamond

Campfire Cupcakes

These were outrageous - perhaps enhanced by campfire smoke? Everything else sure was infused (link) last Saturday,
e.g. clothing, hair, camera, etc. 

The recipe is from Betty Crocker's SUPER MOIST CAKE MIX MAGIC, a derivative of Piña Colada Cupcakes, found on Page 24.
Here's the original, my changes in parentheses:

CAKE

1 box BC's SuperMoist yellow cake mix

1/3 cup veggie oil (I used coconut oil)

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons rum extract (I used 1 tsp. vanilla extract)

1 can/8 ox. crushed pineapple in juice

3 eggs

Heat oven to 375 degrees and use paper baking cups in muffin tin.

Beat mix oil, water, extract, pineapple with juice and eggs for a couple of minutes; divide into muffin cups.
Bake about 20 minutes and cool.

ICING

1 container (or more!) BC whipped vanilla frosting (I used Duncan Hines AND stirred into it a teaspoon of bottled lemon juice and a few drops of apricot brandy)

Shredded Coconut (I used Baker's and toasted it first)

Frost cupcakes lavishly, dip into coconut, pour a cuppa, find a campfire and enjoy!

The Voice - So, Why Did Judith Go Home?

Fans are upset with "The Voice" because Judith Hill was voted off, last night. In my opinion, she came to the show as the most talented and left as such. This was a problem. Already a pro in her own right, she was way, way out of everyone else's league. They needed development. She already had star power and was slated to appear with MJ on the "This Is It" tour, before tragedy struck.
 Singing with Michael Jackson. Wow! 

Adam nailed it when he commented that she's as good an entertainer as anyone on the panel of judges. She really didn't belong on an amateur show and I'm sure she's signing a record deal by this morning. It seems that America loves underdogs.

Judith may be gone from the show, but her star should shine brightly, as the show's winner gets an entry-level shot at success.

The Voice

It has been incredible to watch Michelle Chamuel develop into the artist that she is, with the help of the fantabulous Usher. Though she had my vote from the beginning, I thought she was too "different" for America to allow her to stay. So glad to be dead wrong. 
We've grown as a nation. :-) Even if she doesn't win the season, she clearly won last night.

Brand New - Meet Baby Spots

During my customary "Good Night" to the Great Outdoors, I spotted a deer. It was beyond the stone wall and about a hundred feet from the house. No sooner did I comment to Joe when there it was... the tiniest fawn we've ever seen! Baby Spots is clearly a newborn.
 I grabbed NIK and swapped lenses. Incredibly, Lady Luck was on my side, 'cause shooting from behind the living room window yielded some pretty decent results. Maybe they'll give us the ultimate treat by visiting our front lawn. (Did I really say that?? Full grown, I'd be chasing Spots from my delectable plantings.)

Momma nuzzled her offspring, before lying down in the tall grass. Joe thinks they are bedded down for the night. 
There is some great info here.

Nature's Gifts.

5-Minute Oozy, Fruity Banana Muffins

Sure, we've talked "banana muffins" before, but this recipe is ridiculously basic, quick to whip up without a mixer and way-down-low in sugar. Add just about anything you find in your larder. Today, it was a splash of apricot liqueur, toasted, shredded coconut and chopped walnuts. After putting batter in pan, I topped with Polaner all-fruit strawberry jam and pressed it in a bit with tip of spoon. Baked at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes and they're ready to go.

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup sugar - white, light brown or combined

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

MIX ABOVE BASIC INGREDIENTS WITH WOODEN SPOON TILL WELL BLENDED...

ADD AND STIR IN:

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour (try subbing some whole wheat flour, here)

cinnamon

...and whatever else you'd like, but jam or jelly is highly recommended!

Memorial Day

"Silver Linings Playbook"... Super Movie... Watch and Listen 'cause.................... It's "Always Alright"!!

Quote Of The Day - Gav Scores Again

Kell and I were in the camper, yesterday, warming up and chatting away, when in walked Gavin...

"G'ma, I didn't give you a hug yet, today."

Be still, my ♡.

Happy Birthday, Honey! What A Fantastic Day!!

Bri 'n' Kell 'n' Aubs 'n' Gav invited us to the Rondout campgrounds, where they're spending the long weekend with good friends. 

Some awesome personalities warmed up the incredibly cold day with lots of fun stories, delicious laughter and scrumptious food. 
Joe's day is extra, extra special, this year, so it's fitting that he had a (link) double celebration.

I love you, Honey... everyone loves you... may we be blessed with many more birthday-candle encounters.

Thanks, kids of all ages, for help with those candles. What a fun day.

♡

Anderson Cooper and Other Stuff

The new house rule disallows the viewing of TV till seven a.m., at the earliest. You see, I awaken very early, make my first cuppa and re-retire to the living room (with its blackened big-screen) to savor the brew and meditate the morning's first hour away. Sleep is such a waste of time. Joe occasionally joins me in this time slot, though he has become a late(r) sleeper since his heart attack. When he does arrive before the TV bewitching hour, though, he immediately starts with the freakin' clicker. With nary a word, I elaborately check my watch. He stops, but don't think for a minute that he's not watching that clock...

Who can take it, this steady unfolding of tragic news stories being blitzed at us with rapid-fire speed -- morning, noon and night?? One hour less in no way reduces my heartfelt empathy/sympathy for recent (Sandy Hook, Hurricane Sandy, Boston) or current (Oklahoma) victims. Please believe me. But the damned media is relentless in asking sufferers to provide deep, meaningful thoughts to sum-up brutal emotions. Anyone with a pea-sized brain somewhat comprehends how a shattered parent suffering unspeakable loss must feel. Or how thousands of homeless wonder, "What's next?" Or how first responders live with the anguish they've witnessed.

And then, there's the Arias case... a cold-blooded murderess who was granted a courtroom stage, on which to present her "This Is My Life" slide show and commentary, in pleading for her life. WTF? Who the hell granted permission for this travesty of justice??

Enter here, Anderson. Last night, he apologized for interrupting an interview to bring breaking footage, thus leading viewers to a newswoman seeking commentary from a juror in the case. It was disgusting to watch her follow this guy, repeatedly asking for a statement or a word; his repeated response was, "No comment." Then, it was back to Anderson, who wondered aloud "Why?" that clip was even shown, as aforementioned reporter was obviously "...harassing..." the juror. His word, harassing. 

The real kicker, though, was footage of the killer in London, wielding his blood-soaked machete. I've always avoided horror movies... 
the real thing has become worse. 

Okay, okay, maybe I sound grumpy. Thing is, lessons are learned each day, like it or not. So, when we had a major leak from yesterday's torrential rainstorm, I sloughed it off as though it was a faucet drip, saying to Joe,
"Who can complain, in light of those suffering such tragedy in Oklahoma?"

But is it wrong to wish myself back to Corolla (OBX), even though it's where I actually did witness a funnel cloud for the very first time? 
Ah, the beauty of dateless, timeless days, staring at the sea... and the horses... not to mention the contrast in THIS:

CLICK, CLICK!