Choice Morsels

 The Mama Kat writer's prompt I chose to day is the question, "Have You Ever Been Followed?" One time, many years ago, I feared I was being followed---but, later, I wondered whether my imagination merely got away from me. It was 1976. I was in the Air Force stationed at Offutt AFB Base in Omaha, Nebraska. I was 20. I lived in the dorms on the main side of base. I didn't have a car, but everything I needed was right there within easy walking distance. The Mess Hall and place we picked up our mail shared the same building and was right in the middle of the dorm cluster. The NCO club with a pool was a few blocks away and directly behind the dorms was the Base Exchange & Commissary and a few other AFEES shopping facilities, arranged in row like a strip plaza. The Base movie theater and base Chapel were on the front-side of the dorm closer. In that era, Airmen not having a car was far more common then it is now. Now an Airmen without a car is an extreme exception, but

Three pictures for todays Garden Pics: Preening Bee: I saw this Bumble Bee, clinging to this Pampas Grass bloom. It was cleaning  itself, like a cat, washing this leg, then that leg, preening. Then about 6 or 7 minutes later, flew on it's way.  Just One Forget-Me-Not Out of a dozen seeds in a packet a neighbor gave me, only this one Forget-Me-Knot grew. It has just bloomed. I'm going to let it go to seed. Maybe more next year?   Balloon Flower: Despite the purple tone in the sunlight, this Blue Balloon Flower tends toward bluish. They're called that named because their buds, just prior to opening, look like little hot air balloons. I'm letting spent buds go to seed on these, too, though I'll collect them. This plant is actually one grown from saved seed. 

Today's Garden Pic is a nice shot of one of my Julia Child roses. I saw the Western sun was putting a glow on the upper petals from behind and ran in quick for my camera! Named after the famous chef, I chose it because of it's restricted height: 36 inches. It's located in my front bed.  

 Today's treat is recipe I found on Pinterest for "Southern Fudge Pie!" This is yummy and easy!  It was a huge hit with all my company this past Sunday night! The photo is my pie. The recipe is for foil pie pan with a crust ready-made you can pick up in your grocery freezer section. It's not a very thick pie, so you don't want to use anything bigger. I sprinkled just a touch of powdered sugar on top to make it look pretty! Southern Fudge Pie Ingredients 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1./2 cup butter, melted (= one stick) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs, beaten 1 pinch of salt 1 regular pie shell Directions: In a medium bowl combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder & salt. Add melted butter and stir in. Now add the beaten eggs & vanilla and stir in. Pour into a regular pie shell Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. (In my oven 30 minutes was perfect) ******** Try it, you'll love it! One of my guests asked for the recip

Back in spring, I ordered Cardinal Basil seeds to plant because the flower was noted as being particularly showy. So I've watched the plants grow all these months, eagerly awaiting blooms! Finally, the time has come! Today's Garden Pics are of my Cardinal Basil Just Staring to Bloom: This is the top. The top leaves are turning red ahead of the flowers opening. I can see this will greatly add to the showy effect!   Here's a side shot: This basil also has stunning cherry red stems as well. It's modestly tall: about 25 inches. When there's actual flowers I'll post again!

 I've been trying some recipes here and there, but either they weren't noteworthy enough to post or total fails. But yesterday, I found a winner! Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches ! We found them yummy and the broth is good enough to make something else with, like soup! What we didn't eat in sandwiches the first night, I'm mixing in with pesto pasta topped with provolone cheese for dinner! Photos are my own and look nearly exactly like the ones with the Pinterest recipe. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup wine, but I substituted 1/4 cup wine vinegar plus 1/4 cup cranberry-apple juice we have on hand. You may also just use apple juice as a replacement. To taste the broth, you wouldn't know I even used fruit juice. Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, sliced 1/2 cup white wine or juice substitutes 3 to 5 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used a pack of 3) 4 cups of low salt chicken broth 1 teaspoon salt  pepper to

The Mama Kat prompt I'm doing today is to share about a time I was forced to leave my comfort zone. I grew up in rural Indiana and I was in 4-H from age 10 to about 11th grade. My parents became local Club leaders when I was around 12. That's probably how my Mom knew about the state-wide 4-H event being held on the Purdue campus in Lafayette, Indiana. I was around 15 then and it was an overnight trip. I went. By myself. On a bus with a gob of other kids from other area 4-H clubs. I was the only one from my club who went and the only person I vaguely knew was the County Extension Office 4-H rep who also went. This is the first time I went anywhere without my family. So we arrived on the huge Purdue University campus around lunchtime. As we got off the bus, a person was there with a fan of activity tickets for a variety of mini-workshops for us each to pick two of, then we stowed our gear in dorm rooms and went to lunch in a campus cafeteria. I've always been an introvert, bu

August means Pampas Grass Blooms! Here's my White Pampas!  It's putting on a spectacular show this season! My Pink Pampas! It's just getting starting! The blooms are such a pretty baby pink when they first open, then the sun bleaches them to a creamy tan. And Our New Sliding Glass Door! It's a shatter-proof glass, storm/wind resistant door. Also UV reflective. Same as the rest of our windows now. Plus a clear view out to the bird feeder!