My Little Baker

Terra definitely enjoys being the center of attention. My husband enjoys urging her to knead my flesh before I get out of bed. Waiting until my guy left the room a few mornings ago, she accepted his invitation.

Doesn’t she look pleased? Are you at all surprised that most of my smart phone usage involves recording our pets?

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Sweet Dreams

It’s always an endearing compliment when a pet goes into REM sleep. Dandelion went there the other evening. 

What do you think she dreamed? Have you seen the following video?

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Seriously?

When my husband showed me an image of a cat shaped gravy boat I assumed it was fake. But it’s available on Amazon.com here if you want to take a peek. I also found a YouTube video, which I advise skipping if you have a weak stomach.

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Final chance to look away.....

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Who do you think would buy this? Who would even dream up such a thing?

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Texture is a Matter of Taste

As it happens, my first lemon dump cake proved superior. My fastidious placement of the butter pats on top made for a more even and tender crust. The dessert won’t be tossed out, though I have chucked a few tough bits of topping.

As requested by dear Strayer, I took a photo. This does taste better than it looks. lol I’m amazed how many factors affect food’s appeal.

I guess you could call this a crumble cake...

I knew someone who slipped on ice, knocking her head on the concrete driveway so hard she completely lost her senses of smell and taste. Still, she remained upbeat.

But isn’t it sad that she couldn’t lose the weight she wanted to drop? Can you guess that texture explained her tendency to continue unhealthy snacking?

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My Little Helper

I was in the kitchen making a grocery list and moved away to check my spice cupboard. After taking inventory, I turned around and saw this…

Remember to get treats, Mom...

Do you think Terra really is trying to tell me something? Or is her (most likely) motive a plea for attention?

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Curled Up for a Long Winter’s Nap (Caution: this post includes images of a creepy crawler, however adorable to me…)

My husband helped me take down my heavy deck umbrella for the winter and it seems there was a little creature snuggled up inside. I found it lying on the deck floor, fully exposed to weather. Since we had another chore on the back patio, I carried the critter down with me to tuck in amongst some leaf debris.

Lady, put me down. This is actually my defense pose.

I’ve known these particular caterpillars as ‘wooly bears’ my entire life. Folklore states that if the central brown band takes up more than a third of its body length, we’re in for a mild winter. Scientists have determined that the segment colors tell about the creature’s past, such as weather conditions like humidity and the animal’s age.

A Better Photo: Credit to American Gardener

The larva (Pyrrharctia isabella) will emerge in spring as the Isabella moth. Our gorgeous and sweet blogger friend Katie Isabella should be flattered by sharing a lovely name with a beautiful flyer.

Does your region have similar weather related folklore? Are you aware of the flannel moth larvae?

Spoiler alert: The flannel moth caterpillar’s pretty off-white coat hides highly venomous hairs that cause excruciating pain. Yet the equally adorable fluffy adult is harmless to touch.

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A Memorable Mistake

My first attempt blackening a chicken breast on the stovetop went without supervision. Overworked assembling other ingredients, I failed to notice smoke accumulating along the ceiling. At last I looked up and saw.

It was too late. The smoke alarm sounded before I could react. Our home security service reached out and I assured them that we needed no assistance. However, a fire truck already approached our street. I dreaded what the bill might be.

Meeting a surprising number of emergency responders outside, I mentioned understanding that my carelessness could be costly. As luck would have it, the very tall fireman led a training session and assured me there would be no cost to us.

He politely asked if they could come inside. I readily agreed. Acting respectful and kind, they all seemed amused by the situation, entertained by my goofy commentary, and happy to let me follow their little tour around our home. This memorable experience also proved our elderly cat’s deafness.

Somehow oblivious to all the goings on, Jezebel never left her spot on the couch. She did notice the emergency responders entering the room. That sweet face tilted up, and up, and up until her eyes met the fireman’s. It must have been even more surreal for her. We miss you, sweet Jezzy.

I adored that notch in her ear and always wonder if
she earned it winning some cat fight while
still a kitten out on the mean streets...

Should I somehow add Jezebel’s name to this? And since I originally intended including this tale with yesterday’s post I want to ask, do you prefer shorter or longer reads?

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Teamwork in the Kitchen

One of the cooking YouTube channels my husband and I both enjoy is Sam the Cooking Guy. While teaching us useful culinary tips and recipes, he doesn’t shy away from sharing mistakes and even little accidents like burning his tongue. His sons and one of their young friends add to Sam’s humorous, down-to-earth delivery.

His impish expression says it all, I think...

My man wanted to revisit his blackened chicken over udon noodles. I sort of balked at the idea; my appetite is reduced these days for whatever reason and rich foods are even less appealing. So he said he’d do the cooking. I couldn’t argue.

In fact, while he ran an errand today I did some prep work. With the noodles boiling away I chopped vegetables. He arrived home and expressed his gratitude. I continued doing little things like pulling heavy cream, Korean gochujang chili past, and a few other items from the refrigerator. And call me silly; I thought the noodles dancing in the water looked quite beautiful.

Blackening the thinly pounded and seasoned chicken breast, he graciously accepted my offer to pass ingredients as needed. He was over the moon with the results. Like a lot of recent meals, he’ll probably be the one to devour the majority. That’s fine with me. I enjoy feeding him because food is one of his great lifelong pleasures.

Are you familiar with Korean cuisine? Would you like to read a humorous tale of my first experience making the dish?

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Tales from the Kitchen

I found a new use for my ginger infused cranberry chutney. Blending it with about an equal amount of yogurt and a splash of orange blossom water makes for a tart, still a bit spicy, yet mellowed smoothie. I should mix one up for tomorrow’s breakfast.

My husband also found an easy dessert called a dump cake. Despite the name and description, I strove for perfection the first time, spending way too much time spreading out each ingredient. I mean, come on, it’s called dump cake for a reason.

Today I heated the bottommost layer of canned pie filling, gave the sticky mess a quick smoothing swirl, and piled on the rest as directed. I’m sure the results will be no lest tasty. This one’s lemon once again but options are endless.

I should learn how to better photograph food...
LOL

Have you heard of dump cakes? Should I try strawberry components next?

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Distopia in Hong Kong’s Tai Po District (Feel free to skip this post if you prefer a lighter read)

My husband was scrolling through YouTube videos when I saw a thumbnail regarding a horrific hi-rise fire in Hong Kong. Planning to share an image, I changed my mind and won’t delve much into this appalling tragedy beyond examining why much of the devastation could have been avoided.

Instead, here is a double rainbow seen through my front window days ago, a hopeful tribute to all blameless victims around the world...

So, back to the horror... For one thing, bamboo scaffolding surrounded exterior renovations. WTF?!? I cannot imagine any city planner deeming this a good idea. Well, I can; construction bosses were encouraged to save money.

These apartment complexes housed (notice the past tense) many elderly residents, often suffering mobility issues. These folks received next to no warning, sometimes only when neighbors began shouting.

The towering structures stood so close that a blazing spark quickly became an inferno. Firefighters were forced to retreat multiple times while fiery debris rained down upon streets far below. I’m happy that many got out alive, though the death count continues rising, including one known rescue worker daring the flames. 

Do you think China will reform its building codes? How long do you imagine cleanup and rebuilding might take?

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Change of Plans

Upon firing up my sedan yesterday morning my center stack screen showed a weather warning about dangerously high winds. They are expected to start early Wednesday and last all day. Okay, I thought, at least my husband and I don’t need go anywhere tomorrow.

Three more such notifications appeared when I started the engine to return home. Each warned of driving hazards throughout most central and southwest Ohio counties here in the United States.

Then I remembered my 8:45 Wednesday dental appointment. As my title suggests, the clinic was very accommodating and I will return on December 8th.

To be clear, I’m an intrepid driver who’s braved many blizzards and more hours’ long torrential rainstorms than I care to recall. And the funny thing is that the weather has not been all that bad. Oh, well.

As Seen from my Back Deck on a Very Different Day

Better safe than sorry, right? Are weather forecasters generally wrong where you live?

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This One’s for Dog Lovers

There’s something satisfying about watching pet grooming on YouTube. One professional, Vanessa, closed her public salon to focus on charity work. So her channels ‘Girl with the Dogs’ and ‘Girl with the Dogs 2’ hold a special place in my heart. The satisfying results, soothing white noise of her equipment, and Vanessa’s gentle sense of humor keep me coming back.

In exchange for charitable donations, she takes on extreme cases. Some of these animals have been turned away by other salons. My most recent watch features a Newfoundland dog named Abby. Abby doesn’t like standing or getting onto tables, so for-profit salons find the time commitment impractical.

Her pancake pose is adorable...

Vanessa’s title says it all: The Funniest Newfoundland Dog Groom You’ll Ever See. She reported that Abby’s humans received a price estimate of $400 (USD).

Can you imagine trying to move a 180 pound ragdoll of a dog? As for soothing sounds, are you familiar with the term ASMR?

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You Win Some; You Lose Some

My husband enjoys food so much that he watches Youtube channels devoted to cooking, often with me and sometimes without. And we’ve gotten some excellent ideas.

A recent video from Guga on Chinese style orange chicken was one my guy insisted I make. Guga's experiment regarded the sauce. He replaced orange juice concentrate with orange flavored Tang drink mix. It took forever to make, yet remained thin and runny even after I added two tablespoons of cornstarch, and had an unpleasant brownish hue.

I found the flavor profile almost synthetic, totally unlike the delicious chicken dish from our favorite Chinese-American restaurant, China Cottage. Fortunately my husband liked what I’d made; I ate two chunks of the fried chicken fresh and he finished the rest over a few days.

Are you familiar with Guga and his various Youtube channels? Isn’t it funny that advertisers used to tout the stuff as what astronauts drank in space?

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A Culinary Win

I’m happy to report that my ginger infused cranberry chutney is delicious. After a few days in the refrigerator, however, the ginger sharpness intensified a bit too much. I’m planning to add jellied cranberry sauce from a can. I expect this will mellow the flavor profile and smooth out the overly chunky texture. About half will go into the deep freezer a bit later.

Do you freeze leftovers? In your opinion, what differentiates chutney from sauce?

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Making Me Both Sad and Amused

Unfortunately, I received email notification of a housecat having been lost. The location is miles away, so I’m unlikely to be of assistance in returning him. But I just had to share because of his name, D.B. Pooper.

I bet he’d develop a crush on our sweet kitty friend Katie Isabella…

Are you familiar with D.B. Cooper’s legendary 1971 hijacking? Isn’t this D.B. handsome?

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Savannah Bananas

Thanks to Strayer, I learned of what looks to be a fantastically fun sport. Check out their link if you’re interested.

Are you a sports fan? Should I try convincing my husband to attend a game?

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An Upcoming Culinary Experiment

On a whim, I picked up a bag of fresh cranberries. Instead of making the typical American style canned sauce, I opted for chutney with orange flavors and thought about adding ginger for extra zing.

I’m not the only person, and the suggestion of candied ginger seemed perfect. It’s available for purchase but I had some of the readily available roots on hand and decided to try making it.

I have a one word summary: yum on the candied ginger. My husband has been snacking on it, too, and kindly bought oranges for me to concoct the chutney. I look forward to trying that recipe.

Do you like cranberries? Should I brave pairing a bite of both candied ginger and yuzu peels together?

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Delicious Fruity Fun

Our dear Strayer asked about candied yuzu peels. Yuzu is an Asian citrus, inherently sour and much beloved in Japan. While the fresh fruit cannot be imported (or advised being eaten as such), there are various products available. I might explore other options for culinary purposes.

The yuzu tree can also be grown in warmer United States climates. Alas, my region is too cold and the soil not acidic enough. Our Jungle Jim’s International Market might have some available but I won’t count on either availability or affordability.

Do you know that Ohio growers can produce much more than apples? Should I attempt some type of citrus?

Brightening This Present Darkness

One of my newest blogging friends, Linda, is another kind soul uplifting others and reminded me of cartoonist Scott Adams. If you’re not familiar, he created the character Dilbert, a beleaguered office worker. Mr. Adams also wrote a book called “Reframe Your Brain” and has recently started reading bits daily on his Youtube channel broadcast.

The one he shared on 11/14 regarded having negative thoughts. Instead of just trying to stop them, he suggests, replace them and essentially crowd the darkness out. I like this a lot. Whatever makes (or made) you happy, focus on that.

Are you familiar with the comic strip Dilbert? Do you know Mr. Adams' stepson died from fentanyl poisoning?

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Mistakes Happen

On Tuesday my most recent Amazon purchases turned up on the wrong doorstep. Fortunate for me, I recognized the porch next door and retrieved my packages.

Unfortunately, I gave the delivery service a thumbs down without thinking and before going out looking. I wrongfully thought it could be reneged. I don’t want a hard working person to get into trouble. And their work is genuinely appreciated.

Do you think there’s any hope this Amazon employee won’t be reprimanded?

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Gangster cats😎😎#cats #funnyvideo #gangsta #gangstasparadise

My New Hobby – & – Some Peculiar Side Benefits

As smart phone apps go, my current favorite is maps. Besides offering directions (of course), the app also offers satellite views. My addiction hobby began locally, looking at my own home. Spreading to local neighborhoods introduced me to a tiny new coffee house/bistro I would never have discovered on my own.

Best of all, many points of interest provide a website. Museums, parks, bars, restaurants, etc bring adventure and even some exoticism to my quaint suburban life.

This has even led me to try new things beyond local businesses. My favorite so far came from Japan, a product called candied yuzu peel.

A longtime fan of balanced sweet and sour tastes, I read of yuzu off a New Orleans restaurant menu. The ingredient was used either as a cocktail component or salad topping. Of course I’ve forgotten. ~rolls eyes~ I purchased a packet off of Amazon.com and hope to investigate its other forms, as well.

What is your favorite candy or beverage profile?

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A Chilly Surprise

Sunday here was cold, blustery, and rainy. Still, Monday’s early snowfall surprised me. Watching snowflakes and tree leaves mingling on their way toward the ground struck me as magical.

I would have a less appreciative attitude if I needed to go out in it, wouldn’t I? Do you know that packed snow actually benefits plants, insulating their roots from the cold?

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Warped

I try to eat healthy but sometimes a frozen pizza is just too tempting. With innumerable options available, my husband and I discovered the Schwan’s Red Baron brand launched in 1976 to be superior. They aren’t overly expensive as well as being tasty. Still, my guy often asks that I put on extra toppings.

For the first time I found adding grated mozzarella warped the crust during baking. The taste did not suffer any harm. I suppose the cheese adding moisture caused this.

Do you think my theory is correct? And are you a pizza fan? If so, what are your preferences?

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What a Waste…

The other day, Andrew commented how he wonders what clothing retailers do with last season’s garments. Our dear friend at Eastside Cats had a clever notion that such items could be shipped to the opposite hemisphere.

I like to think that they could be donated to homeless shelters, orphanages, and the like. However, I’m sure it’s a naïve wish.

This reminded me of a brief encounter at our local Walmart. It happened a few years ago and my memory is a bit fuzzy. The gist of it is that I saw a garden center associate preparing to throw out struggling plants. Hoping I might be able to revive the flowers, I asked if I could take one.

She flat out denied me. Apparently it’s some sort of corporate policy. Why? I have no idea.

Isn’t flagrant waste annoying? Do you think it would have been considered shoplifting if I grabbed it out of the trash?

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Imperfect Perfectionism

I carry a lot of traits passed on from my mother, and her mother before her. All three of us have had body insecurities. I know for a fact that my maternal grandmother only wore dresses/skirts because she was bowlegged and she hid her crooked teeth behind a closed-lipped smile.

A Beautiful Smile Nonetheless

By the way, Mom and I considered her minor imperfect leg shape to be adorable. And I’m glad to report that Grandma never seemed to suffer the condition.

On a side note, I now remember my brother wearing corrective leg braces. Wow! I forgot that ancient history.

Anyway, Mom was forever attempting to slim down while I despise my own weight gain. Most relevant to this post, my mother spent way more time crafting bake-at-home pizzas at her grocery store job than was required. She enjoyed the process, though, and I think her employers appreciated the dedication.

As for the relevancy, my editing for prose, blogging, and even commenting(!) on others’ social media posts go on ad nauseum. Now you know why I so seldom put out content here.

Do you think her grin hid a mischievous nature from us kids?

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Squished

I am forever grateful to the Gem City Catfé for letting us adopt sisters Terra and Polly. While they are not inseparable, it’s impossible to know what they’ll get up to when they are together.

How can this be comfortable?

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Prosthetic Pumpkin Stem

After Halloween, our local grocery store put their remaining pumpkins on a steep discount. Many were broken in various ways. For a mere $2 (USD) I picked up one with, as is obvious, a missing stem.

It’s also rather banged up and far less pretty than the blue pumpkins I cultivated from seed last summer. I still like it.

Angel Jezebel’s favorite stuffed mouse proved a cute topper. I think she would approve of my bringing this toy out of retirement.

Jezzy would pull her toy down from a cat tree late at night.
I still miss searching for it the next morning...

Have you noticed that post holiday clearance sales aren’t as good as they were years ago? What do you think happens with unsold candy?

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Bordeaux & Phoenix – Another Overdue Post

Back in the late 1980’s my brother worked near San Francisco as a chef. My boyfriend and I flew cross country to visit him and explore area vineyards. That’s where I discovered my dragon statuette and named ‘him’ after the tasty wine.

As for my adventure with our one-legged friend Phoenix, he can neither carry laundry baskets nor traverse his cellar stairs. A kindly neighbor has done his laundry every Saturday since his amputation but she had another obligation a few weeks ago. Upon being asked, I never considered saying no but honestly dreaded the task for various reasons.

As it happened, the power went out in his neighborhood that very morning. Mulling over options, my husband and I concocted an amicable solution. I drove over, got the dirty laundry, and we both came back in separate cars.

It was far preferable using familiar appliances in a space other than his creepy cellar. And I was able to get started earlier because his workplace is only minutes from his house, this same outage shortening his work day.

Who knew a power outage could benefit me? Is it selfish of me to think of it that way?

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Terra, the Dragon Tamer

I had decorated this basket years ago and put my dragon statuette inside a few weeks ago. It was placed by the front door but I moved it before our friend Phoenix visited. With a prosthetic right leg, the last thing he needs is trip hazards.

Anyway, Terra snuggled into the basket with Bordeaux the dragon. I’ll share more about Phoenix’s visit, a bit of a funny tale.

How can this be comfortable?

Can you see Bordeaux? Do you want to know how he got the name?

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Unintentional Pumpkin Patch

In the fall of 2023 I purchased a pumpkin and carved a jack-o-lantern in the front yard. It didn’t occur to me that seeds discarded there might sprout within the lawn grass. I mowed down a few young plants in the spring of 2024 and thought nothing more of it.

This season, however, a single plant sprouted. Since mass produced pumpkins are hybrids, most of its energy went into growing foliage, ultimately about twelve feet of vines end to end. It was so beautiful I decided to see what would happen.

A total of eight small gourds came as a complete surprise. I enjoyed getting silly with them.

Should I try roasting the seeds? Or maybe even roasting the shells to see if the insides are good eating?

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Amusingly Misdirected

I recently drove my husband to a small, independently owned pub we always mean to revisit. Needless to say, it had been a while since our last visit. After placing our order, I went to wash my hands and found this awesome sign.

Of course I entered the “wrong room”. But our bartender later informed me that it didn’t matter. The proprietors decided to make both facilities unisex because the compact ladies’ room made wheelchair access extremely difficult.

And sure enough, washing my sticky hands before heading home, inside the smaller space I found a very different sign. This one advised men that the toilet was shorter than it appeared and to please stand close to the basin.

Isn’t the inexpensive solution clever? Why did I fail to understand the facilities were unisex?

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What?!

Polly is a gentle cat, for sure. And she is as goofy as they come, such as never failing to get drinking water drops on her nose. I wanted to photograph the cute phenomenon but this photo fail made me just as happy.

How do you great animal photographers get your subjects to cooperate?

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Rerouted

Our local communities are booming with new development, both commercial and residential. I don’t know what the future holds but the present is a bit crazy due to all the construction. On the way to an unexplored park last week, I passed signs mentioning nonexistent lane closures.

At the trailhead I hiked for a half hour. Now my return route displayed a newly installed detour sign. The closure must have been pending.

Right? Wrong.

A passing driver had waved his arm in warning. But I just had to see for myself. It was surreal. I regretted going all the way because the narrow pavement now meant inching my car back and forth more times than I cared to count.

So I backtracked to the detour sign only to encounter another road block. Surrounded by thick woods, I could not access maps on my phone, at least until it no longer mattered. I had finally meandered my way back onto the main road, where the following crew delayed me.

Why does it seem these oddball misadventures only occur when I’m alone? Should I have a permanent chaperone?

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Chugging Along

I’ve been busy in the kitchen these days. On Sunday I made shrimp and veggie spring rolls at lunchtime, adding homegrown Thai basil and my house-made peanut sauce. The leftover harvested basil leaves went into a tomato bisque.

And we had brought home a large piece of beef to make jerky. I thinly sliced the meat and added my (very) spicy marinade to soak overnight. My husband put it on our dehydrator and I dare say it won’t last long.

Monday was dedicated to yard work. Outside for hours in the blazing sunlight, I came inside exhausted but satisfied with my progress. And I discovered a cute surprise.

I didn’t remember having planted any fall blooming crocus bulbs. Yet that’s the only logical conclusion gathered from my chat with AI. In addition, it told me that the expensive spice saffron comes from types of autumn blooming crocus. I need to verify that and see if I can grow some.

Do you consult with artificial intelligence? If so, have you heard folks mention that the AI is ‘hallucinating’ when its answer is wrong?

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Dragging

I apologize for being absent. This summer heat and humidity have kept me indoors yet uninterested in doing much of anything. Who knew cabin fever could happen during the summer? I need to get up and exercise, especially since my YMCA membership isn't free.

Meanwhile, my vegetable garden is hit or miss, which many others have lamented. What can you do? As a local farmer told me, if farming was easy, everyone would be doing it. While I don't know about everyone doing it, it's definitely not easy.

I am crossing my fingers that we get some rain soon. Best wishes to all!

A Reality Recheck

While I’ve been meaning to blog more, both reading and writing, I’ve been hiding in escapism. Since time is much better spent wishing all living creatures the best and focusing on a positive mindset, here is some great personal news…

On Friday my husband received a call from his dialysis team. His kidney function has improved enough that he might be able to end this (quite literally) draining procedure, have the itchy temporary port removed, and once more take full showers.

And I am proud to announce that my courageous, chivalrous friend has been seeing a grief therapist after his dear lady’s passing. In decades past Scars might have let guilt, anger, or sheer bereavement overtake him.

Our dear friend Phoenix is also doing well. His employer grants every consideration regarding his leg amputation. I’m thankful he is valued and gets satisfaction from his work.

What’s your favorite way of avoiding reality? Or do you prefer charging headlong to forge a brighter future?

Apologies for My Absence – & – Better Days Awaite

I am sorry to have missed so many posts from all you lovely folks who read my silly blog. As always, I thank you for so many kind comments. My attention has been focused on a tragic misfortune.

The friend I’ve mentioned several times, Scars, finally convinced his lovely lady (S) to move up from her tiny Texas town. She adored taking care of him and his ailing father. Unfortunately, less than a year later S succumbed to her long suffered epilepsy, and stayed in a coma for over a week. Even after being removed from life support her body continued fighting.

Now she is at rest, though, about an hour after Scars held the phone so S could hear the voice of one final person. His lady had taken care of an ailing matron back home and we believe this gave the ultimate closure necessary.

On the bright side, S’s ordeal healed several estranged relationships. It’s too bad her siblings and adult children didn’t show S adequate respect or affection during her lifetime.

This is the first time carrots worked for us
& we look forward to eating cabbage...

 

Corn designed for container growing...
~fingers crossed~

Pointy leaves give away the cucumber...

Can you believe I managed to confuse my pepper breeds before transplanting? Do you know that young cucumber and pumpkin plants look almost identical? ~rolls eyes~ Four cucumber plants will keep us very busy pickling this summer.-

My First Harvest of the Growing Season

Okay, I suppose a single item doesn’t really constitute a harvest. But this little sugar snap pea tasted delicious. Fingers crossed, I’ll be gathering many more in future.

I find these little blooms pretty but the
intricate transformation engulfing
the one below astonished me.

Can you believe I split that tiny nibble with my husband? Do you enjoy eating any pea variety?

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