9/11

 Andy and I were in Paris when America was attacked. We were staying at the Lux Hotel where we had two rooms, one for packing the antiques we came to buy and one for sleeping.  Andy was in the packing room busy doing a good job of securing the antiques for departure day which was Monday. He came into the sleeping room wide-eyed and said I think something terrible happened in America. I went with him and saw the plane. It was surreal, we thought maybe it was a movie but soon learned the fate of America. The impact on those who were in America at the time was much greater than we felt. First of all can we get home?  Since the flight was Monday we thought things would be sorted out by then...foolish I know, but actually we did take the one and only flight out of France on that Monday.  We arrived at the airport where armed men walked us to the check in site.  Now, we had bought big for two weeks and had fifteen boxes and trunks full of china...and a chicken weather vane. The long stick of the weather vane was wrapped in bubble wrap and the chicken was too but separated from the pole.  Well, the pole looked like a gun and the people in our line kept moving to the other line when they looked at the wrapped pole and when they noticed our driver was Middle Eastern.  They really scurried away to the other line then, so we got up to the desk pretty fast and we kept telling Hassan, our driver, that we were safe, but no he had to load the trunks and boxes to be sure we were well taken care of.  It was a circus. Finally, when he saw us going through he waved good-bye.  There were only 75 passengers on that flight to America and we were treated like nobility.  We arrived, I think in New York, and then had to change planes but did not, for once, have to unload everything to be check in then reload it back up for the last leg of the trip.   We, again, were met with armed military and walked to our destination.  Being the only flight in, the areas were dark and gloomy. It was like a bad movie and we were walking into big trouble.

The Spook House

 My parents could have made a fortune flipping houses if that had been popular doing the time I was growing up. They bought a farmhouse with a wrap around porch right across  route 60 and the Muskingdom River. It was so over run and down at the heels that they didn't discover the standing hand pump right in the front yard for three weeks. Every week-end we had traveled to the house and they worked and I sunned down at the river.  At night in bed you could hear the river talking like ocean waves.

They fixed it up and it was a show piece by the time they finished.  I was teaching at Maize School and talked about the Spook House to my class one year.  I believe it was grade five. I always tried to do special things with any class I had and so I thought I would invite them all for the week end at the Spook House.  I did not tell them it was fixed up, instead I told them about Pearl and Edna, the sisters who lived and died there. They were happy to go anyway. There were sleeping bags and tons of food because those kids could eat! They were allowed to sleep anywhere on the property but had to stay away from the river. We had dinner and one boy in the class was not used to big meals or meals of any kind really and he ate so many hot dogs he threw up running through the house from the kitchen to the living room.  Suddenly every one was asleep and I was left to clean it up. The boy crawled into a sleeping bag and was asleep as his head hit the pillow. The next day the room mothers prepared breakfast and the children were again allowed to eat where they were happiest.  They were very relieved that Pearl and Edna had not made an appearance.  They also thought I had pulled their legs because they thought the place was wonderful and pretty. Then the rain came.  Twenty-five pairs of eyes turned to me.  No problem, I knew just the place to spend the afternoon...my old stomping ground The Colonial Inn.  It was a bar with dancing and the best french-fries in the world . One of the fathers was a preacher so I asked him if we could get away with going there and he was all for it. So we spent the entire afternoon playing pool and  dancing to the jukebox. Do you think I could have pulled that off in this day and age?

Andy and I were sitting out side in the sun just now and I had a feeling like we were at the Spook House.  So happy, so relaxed, and that made me think of that story.  Many of my former students are on my Facebook. They were such a fun group of smart children with good parents.  It was kind of like the fifties vibe.

I hope you find your happy place this week end. Enjoy.

The Spook House

This and that

 Today I looked at the groaning fridge and freezer determined to cook from one of those units at least.  I made a lovely vegetable gratin using up more of the products that tend to let us down if not used right away.  So I am on the good track there.  I am thawing a beef roast for the week end smoker feast. Matt and Stacey bring their girls over on the week end sometimes and we give them a break to go shopping or whatever. The girls cry when they leave to go home, so I guess they like it here at Many Branches.

I wanted to tell you one thing to not buy at Trader Joe's is the Norwegian crackers...seeds and grains crisp bread. It is packaged and looks like a deck of cards size-wise. Enticing but dull and no taste.  I have been thinking what to do with it.  Yesterday I crumbled a cracker into a salad and that worked. I have avocados, so I could make a spread.  It's a shame, they look right, they just have no taste. One could easily break a tooth on one of those crackers as well.

Starting tomorrow I am going to have a rough week ahead, so I will be either in a state to write like crazy or too stressed to do anything. This too shall pass, thank God.

I start early in the morning with Andy's coffee and the computer.  I tell you it is getting harder and harder to do this. It's like flogging yourself with all the nasty news that greets us each day. That nasty and the new TV shows are nasty...what will we do? 

l calm myself with another coffee and a container or two of flowers to dead head. Yesterday and today were perfect for this and I regained my composure. Nate has hung bird feeders and I have never seen so many birds and we have lived here 34 years. That and the birthing of butterflies keeps us entertained.  We have four now getting ready to turn into butterflies. We sent one on its way and he never looked back. That's nature. See, it doesn't take much to entertain us these days. lol

 

Ode to Trader Joe's

 Our trip to the foot doctor happened to be near Trader Joe's Sawmill.  I love that place and it is large and well stocked especially their fresh produce on this particular day. Andy waited in the car for the large amount of bags that were coming his way, gathering strength for the onslaught of goodies.  I meant to go in for just a few things and came out with six bags. It always happens that way.  I had been reading about the new products they were introducing but I went aisle by aisle until I ran into what I wanted. Cacio E pep pasta Sauce is really a highly peppered pasta sauce which the internet was afire with last week.

Right by the door facing the door you will find pumpkin bars--I made a fresh pot of coffee just after shopping and tried one of those bars...very satisfying..

I am trying Fair Trade Turbin a do raw can sugar which top many desserts and adds the special touch.

Sriracha is a must in my kitchen.  I always stock up when I see it and Nate and I sprinkle it on many dishes with pleasure. Andy, not so much.

Trader Joe's has many cake mixes and for those of us who are tired of baking, these mixes can solve the problem.  Today I picked up two to try: Pumpkin bread and muffin mix and Trader Joe's vanilla cake and baking mix.

I bought a lot of their fresh offerings along with tiny potatoes, tiny cucumbers, and tiny multi-colored carrots to name a few. Those products along with artesian lettuce made a great lunch when we got home.

I have stopped buying designer bags and shoes finding joy and comfort in staying home, cooking and enjoying the family. I think the girls are coming over  for smoked pork shoulder this week end although they will probably end up with a Happy Meal which makes them REALLY happy, and why not have what you want at Gigi's house? Also miniature ice cream cones from Joe's goes down well with tiny guests.

Meandering

 I took a turn or two around the backyard today.  There are signs of fall, but not as much as usual.  Normally, the grass is brown and crunchy and has to be mowed every other week.  It is still being mowed once a week.  I took a few pictures because I want these in that nice Facebook book that one can have made with all the pictures from computers and phones once a year...maybe more, I just do it once a year.  Andy and I are looking at our family books of pictures now and that is what made me want to capture the beauty of the back yard and all of Nate's hard work.  We also added that he and we are parents of a monarch butterfly which we released yesterday.  I thought I saw him on my rounds of the backyard, but he did not stop to say thank you or good-bye. Kids, sigh. We have four more chances.  They are in the eating of the milkweed before the next step which is...I forget.  Anyway they know what they are doing and don't need burped.

Speaking of burped, I am totally disgusted with the ads now days that have completely invaded privacy.  Now there are ladies sitting on the toilet telling you what they are doing! What they are selling escaped me along with the shock factor. There are others but it always seems to be our bodies they  make full disclosure of... every inch of our being. It is degrading. I object. (That will get me nowhere, look at our country objections everywhere and still we have not made any progress.)

Nate has introduced us to Dante's pizza on Indianola Ave, and our allegiance is with them now days. He says they make their own sausage and the combo of that sausage and pepperoni is simply delicious.

It is a good thing I love, love our home because I seldom leave it. I am fully shot up, but I don't think I am getting the booster. Enough is enough.  Now Andy gets every shot that he hears about but not me. I wish us all luck with this problem.

                                    

This is our son, David and his best friend, Leo who is in command no matter where he is.

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Doris Lechler

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Helloooo any readers still out there?

 The scent wafting though the house can only mean fall is in the air. I bought a glorious chuck roast at the Carfagna's market and meant to smoke it with Nate, but I could not resist putting it in to 'go slow and low' in the crock pot.  It is heaping full of vegetables and meat and the fridge is getting a good clean-out to boot.

Monica and crew come today and I am doing mattress covers.  Our bed is like a raft and putting the covers on after washing is stressful.  One must launch one's body over the bed and hope that the cover is straight and taunt. My launching days are over, so Monica will have to hover and sail, stretch and jerk, the covers into submission.

I am really into Fiona Davis' book The Address and liked The Dakota very much.

She knows how to weave a tale.

Dead heading plants and  good cups of Andy's coffee takes up the early morning.  It is true the more you pluck the better they grow.  I take one or two of the container planters and work on them before the heat hits. But, I also have to deal with very ripe peaches, both regular and white fleshed. I think it is puff pastry peach tart time so I had better get busy. You know I don't like to bake anymore, but this is free form and not too fussy, so I think I can stand it.

Have a great day and stay healthy.

Carfagna's

 If you are planning a trip to Carfagna's you are in for a surprise.  Most of the shelves are empty because they are moving to a great big store in the Polaris area. I managed, however, to find all the things I wanted with what is left.  I bought 3 loaves of cheese bread still warm from the oven. Andy needs cheese bread croutons with each meal.  It's his new favorite.  He does not ask for much, but he does love Carfagna's cheese loaves. I over heard one woman asking when the opening of the new store would be and the reply was after Labor Day.  The opening date has moved several times due to the virus and I am sure they are working it so there won't be any hitches. But it is a go because the shelves are nearly empty.  The meat department is in full swing, but the chicken and seafood cases are empty. If you want something they have to go get it.  The store held several customers, so people will follow that market any where it seems.

I did buy a beautiful chuck roast for our next smoking adventure. I came home and cooked two meals for tonight's dinner. I could not resist making them both.  There is always tomorrow and maybe I won't want to cook at all then. So, I am safe for a couple of days...well, three if we count the smoked beef.

Carfagna's had individual tiramisu pies, so I bought one.  I do not bake anymore and every once in awhile I crave a bite of something sweet. The guys are in for a treat tonight with that added to the menu. Note: Don't bother with their tiramisu, I have to say mine is better and the crust (which I don't get at all) was awful.  Where are the lady fingers?  Why the ancient crust? UGH. Oh, no sign of liquor at all???

Talk to you later.

 Hello again.  I am alive.  It has been a rough couple of months, but things are looking up.  I hope I made my last trip to the dentist.  Love him, but don't want to see him again...ever. Too, I hope this is the last new computer I have to buy.  Matt has practically moved in to keep things rolling. (Not really, but he has helped a great deal.) Life is complicated.

My Kindle has been having a work out. I swear the new TV shows are horrible and they keep dragging in the old shows from eons ago which we have seen many many times. The new talent they have dug up is hard to watch; so crude, fighting, drinking and misbehaving. I must admit I used to watch some of the shows like that.  It was like a train wreck I didn't want to see it but could not resist the shock factor. They verbalize everything and say things I have no idea what they are talking about. Oh well, to each his own. I have a few favorites and enjoy Sunday night TV best at this point.

I just finished reading The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis.  I have read several of her books and enjoyed them and just discovered some I had missed. I just bought The Address by her. The Paris Dressmaker was good too. Amazon has another nice feature and that is if you have bought the book, forgot about it, they always give you a message saying when you bought the book so you don't buy it again.  Even with that I have to keep a list.

Our great granddaughters were here for the afternoon.  What a delight. We think everything they do is smart and cute--never having had girls we are besotted. They will be getting a brother in December.  That will put the cat among the pigeons. Look out!

Nate has been keeping us in flowers, peaches, and apples.  He drives pretty far to find the best and makes the trips count. We are so lucky to have him with us.

I will try to be more interesting as I creep back into the blogging world.  Thanks for reading.

 Recipe.TV

@recipedottv  · TV NetworkI have found a good recipes tv network today and watched a show from Ireland and one host from Paris. I really enjoyed crossing the ocean to get a better view of cooking schools, new recipes, and places to eat when in Paris and other countries which are featured, but which I have not viewed since I just found the channel today.  In Columbus it is 252 if you have Spectrum cable. I just found their Facebook and it looks like fun too. Look it up and let's see what we can find.
Nothing else exciting happening here, hence not much to write about. I am thinking about an outing in case we are locked down again, but I may just stick to home which is looking good thanks to Monica and her crew and Eric and his workers.  We have been wanting to get Glenda and Joe up here for a day visit.  Glenda is not doing well, but she does perk up when she is away from home.  Any outing gives her peace and Joe, some relief.  He is watching over her. (Our sister-in-law and Andy's brother...Joe and Glenda.)
We have used the smoker three times and all went very well. We may try something this week-end. I feel fall creeping in and look forward to stew season. If I had a food truck, and I am glad I don't, it would be soup on the menu. I used to like the food truck series on tv, but when they went to Alaska, that did me in. I have been watching Escape to the Country, a UK series that helps people find and buy homes mostly in rural England.  I keep hoping Escape to the Chateau will come out with a new season, but so far, no.
America is in a mess, it's been spoiled and I only hope it can right itself. I hope you all are adjusting and that you are well and as happy as possible. (By the way, if you have tried getting to me by emails, I am unable to receive email.  I punched a button or something that won't let me in, so I have to wait for Matt, a grandson. to come and rescue me...again.

The Market The Garden The Peaches

 I t used to be that the Clintonville market was so crowded one could hardly see everything.  Many of us looked forward to Saturday because of the market.  For some reason, the powers that be moved it to the fairgrounds and while the venders showed up, the customers did not.  It is such a shame because those venders rely on Saturdays to make their money.  Andy did get some lovely  corn on the cob and I cannot wait to get it shucked and designated.

We have the brisket in the smoker. It is our third attempt at smoking meat and so far so good, and I mean good. Low and slow, so if you put it in the smoker and you are hungry to start, you are in for a long wait.

I am enjoying a peach, real peaches margarita. Nate has been to the out- of-town peach farm and on his way home to Baker's Acres for more plants.  He has started another garden and he is good at it.

I have lost many of my readers due to my 'blues' lapse, but maybe they will come back. I still have not remembered all that I wanted to post during that time, but it too will appear one day.  It's summer, let's make the most of it while we can. Thanks for reading.

Finally!

 What a life we have led for the last two months.  Twenty-five bad things happened as a black cloud lingered over Many Branches for a long stretch of time. A broken computer was the least of it, but I was not able to get into my blog on the new computer.  Finally, this morning, I figured it out.  What a pain in the butt~  I am likely to cuss any minute just thinking about the stuff we have gone through.

I've had so many things that I discovered that I wanted to share with you, if I still have any readers, and now that I am on I can't think of anything but the bad stuff. I see this morning that the squirrels are feasting on our tomatoes AGAIN this year. Who ever heard of squirrels eating tomatoes? They like them ripe or green and they also carry them up the trees and throw them at us. And, this is not even part of the bad stuff. However, we found a place that has the best tomatoes, for $3.49 a pound. (My mother would roll over in her grave if she knew I  bought tomatoes for that price.) Desperation calls for silly moves. Anyway, Weiland's on Indianola Ave. has great tomatoes. So, we were able to have our first BLT's of the season yesterday.

Corn on the cob seems to be scarce this year. Andy found some good ears at the Clintonville Market which, by the way, has moved to the fairgrounds.

Nate has this property looking like Oakland Park Nursery.  He has bought and tended the flowers in his spare time all summer.  And, he has bought a smoker.  We have had good results with it having created a pork shoulder, ribs, and this week-end a brisket is on tap.

Now that I have this working again, I will get off and make a list so that I can remember all the things I wanted to tell you about...if you are still there. Hello

Now enjoying summer