Adventure Friday

After the birthday celebration, off we went for a Friday adventure.  There was only one sale today—but we did manage to locate some furniture for Racing Daughter’s new business venture.  Success!

Now, what to do, what to do?  Well, it was Vanna’s birthday—and though we were not the full-entourage this morning, we had to make the most of it.  We decided to go investigate the Green Door.

“Wait a minutes or three here…….” Jabber interrupted me.  “What are you talking about a green door?  I remembers the song “Green Door” as in from the 1950’s or somethin’ like that, but how do you go investigate a song, for heaven’s sake?”

No, no.  You have it all wrong, Jabber.  It’s a place.  Actually, it is a farm with buildings on it where they sell all kinds of good things AND it has a venue for parties and banquets and that sort of activity. 

And it’s not very far from where we live!  I took some photos:

Chalk boards above and all kinds of food products along with hand made soaps, cleansers, beverages, jams, breads—wonderful things!  Plus fresh produce!

See the metal pig sculpture in the right photo?

Checkout counter made from old barn wood.

Some of the items which I purchased:

    

We had a great time going through the store and looking at the grounds.  Fresh eggs were delivered while we were there.  This is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) location—and ironically, there was a program on public television last night highlighting this very property. 

Here is their website—we recommend you take a look and pay them a visit.  It’s a delightful piece of country not very far from the city where you may obtain fresh organic foods at reasonable prices!  Plus a lot of other locally made products are available, too.

http://www.greendoorgourmet.com/

“Monkey Bread”

Also known as ‘pull apart’ bread.  I made two of these to take for Vanna’s birthday celebration this morning.  After we worked out, we ate most of them.

So, above is a picture of the “monkey bread” and below is a picture of us ……..

The birthday girl herself:

 

Vanna received an owl for her birthday—an owl candle.  This because, as you may recall, she had owlets in a tree at her house last year.  She’s hoping that they will return again. 

Some more party-goers below.  

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VANNA AND MANY MORE!

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“Wait jus’ a minute here,” Jabber stopped me from posting this…..”Where is the recipe for alleged ‘monkey bread’? in case someone else out there wants to make it?”

Yes, yes.  Sorry!  Here is the recipe and the link to it online.  CCQ Daughter told me about it and I could not WAIT to make it.  It’s ooey, gooey, rich and there is absolutely NOTHING in it that is healthy.  But, you know, it was Vanna’s birthday and we had to celebrate!

“Grands!” Monkey Bread

1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 Teaspoon cinnamon (but I used 1 Tablespoon); place in plastic sealable bag.

melt 3/4 cup butter in microwave and add 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, mix well.

2 cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury Grands Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits*

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans) and 1/2 cup raisins—mix them together in a bowl.  These are optional.

Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan (Bundt pan) with PAM. 

Separate dough and cut each round into quarters.  Shake in bag to coat.  Place a layer in bottom of pan, sprinkle on some raisins/nuts, then a little bit of the brown sugar/butter and begin again until all ingredients are used.  (I added some sprinkles of cinnamon sugar as I went along, between the layers, so I didn’t have much left at the end.  Pour the remaining butter and brown sugar over the top of the layered biscuits.)

Bake 28 to 32 minutes until golden brown and no longer doughy in center.  Cool in pan 10 minutes and turn upside down onto serving plate, pull apart to serve.  BEST IF SERVED WARM (but believe me, we had no problem eating them cold!)

*I have made this with other refrigerated biscuits, but it does work best with this particular brand.

http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/grands-monkey-bread/7a1e41b1-4708-4028-8ce6-fcb5baebbc19

YUMMY!

Yes We Can!

Walk a half marathon (that’s 13.1 miles Weeders).  This group in training.  About 5 miles this morning and that’s on our ‘short’ walk.  (Thank you LEADER!)

“Wait a minute!” Jabberwocky interrupted.  “You don’t look like a bunch of youngsters?”

So what.  This is what the Sort of Senior Citizen Group does nowadays—train for marathons.  I mean, come on, now,

Y-KNOT?!!!

 

Texts from my Son

Below are the photos and text messages from a man held captive by a large mouse.  (I can’t improve on these—they are just too funny.)

Racing Daughter questions:  “Has he been kidnapped?  What’s he trying to tell us?”

Moi asks:  “What are you trying to say, Dear?”

Son replies:  “I spent two hours in, what I can only assume, hell must be like.”

TMWLH says, “You need the practice?”

Racer daughter:  “I believe it’s similar, but in hell you keep playing games and you don’t get no tickets for prizes, so consider yourself lucky my Brother!”

Son replies:  “There are some who say that Chuck E. Cheese photos steal the souls of children!”

Racer daughter:  “It may be too late for you, but save your children!  Get outta’ there NOW!”

Son: “I’ve left.  But still queasy.”

Racer Daughter:  “It’s the Cheese………”

CCQ Daughter:  “Just got back from a walk and read this message.  Brother, I have proof, as you have pointed out, of the very moment that Chuck E. Cheese stole the soul of my youngest offspring (she is now 21)……….

(This is called communication between the generations.)

TODAY IS………

National Handcuff Day

http://www.examiner.com/article/national-handcuff-day-2014-feb-20-celebrates-birthday-of-modern-cuffs-u-s

But wait, there’s more!  It is also

World Day of Social

Justice

http://www.examiner.com/article/world-day-of-social-justice-2014-feb-20-set-by-u-n-for-social-world-harmony

Read into these two synchronized commemorations what you will.  I’m just reporting what Goggle Bing pulled up for me, personally, online.  (But do you really need any more verification that we are living in a reality-alternative schizophrenic world?)

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Definition of commemoration (n)

Bing Dictionary

• com·mem·o·ra·tion
• [ kə mèmmə ráysh’n ]

1. ceremony honoring somebody or something: a ceremony or religious service to commemorate a person or an event
2. act of honoring: the act of honoring the memory of a person or an event

 

Synchronize | Define Synchronize at Dictionary.com

dictionary.reference.com/browse/synchronize

synchronize or synchronise (ˈsɪŋkrəˌnaɪz) —vb (when intr, usually foll by with) 1. to occur or recur or cause to occur or recur at the same time or in unison

Some New Office Decor

Acquired from the weekend’s brocanting tour.  (Sans wigs.)

 

Yes, the clock actually runs!

Tortellini with Peas & Prosciutto

Time for another episode of cooking in the kitchen with Daisy, ‘tis’n’t it?

Yes, tis. (Being the author of this bog, I get to say when it’s time for another episode.  You, on the other hand, get to read it.  Or not.)

Today Daisy is going all Italian having located an Italian recipe on one of those new fangled machines but it’ll make Mrs. Patmore happy because it involves chopping with the large knife and cooking in pots and pans like regular cooks should do.  Certainly if they are the cooks for Downton Abbey, or in our case, PollyAnna Abbey.

“First off, let’s get that apron upon our shoulders, Daisy, and you’ll be about the choppin’ of parsley and garlic, there, won’t you?”

”I’d be about choppin’ in THAT apron?” quizzed Daisy. “It come from the trip Lady Mary made to Itlee, now then, din’ it?  And I’m to wear it am I?”

“Put ‘ton now and be about choppin’!” Mrs. Patmore answered. 

Indeed said apron had been acquired by Lady Mary (played by moi, of course) when she had been to Itlee a few years ago and stayed in the, uhhhh, palace there for the winter vacation. 

Oh alright, Weeders.  It was a farm (called a fattoria I think in Italian.  Yes, the opposite of a fat farm.  It is a place you go to GET fat.  Which worked in my case, but not in Lady Mary’s case.)  But what’s in a name, anyway?  It WAS in IT-LEE!

 

 

Yes, that’s the place.  And here is Carson cooking, of all things!

Thankfully, Carson kept his day job.  The instructor couldn’t speak a word of English in this cooking class.  But she kept talkin’ about ‘’l’olive ‘loil’…and pouring same into every dish.  Lots of it.

I digress.  On with the recipe, now then, Daisy………

“Alright then, what it says is to get all these things together—so may I ask Ivy to do that Mrs. Patmore?  She’s got to be good for somethin’” Daisy muttered under her breath.

“Yes, I suppose you may, but you’d best change that tone to Ivy, now, Missy, or you’ll soon be findin’ you’ll be doin’ all the choppin and getting’ your own self.” replied Mrs. Patmore.

  “There now, Daisy, I’ve chopped you a bunch of parsley and sliced up 3 garlic clovers.  Is that all you’ll be needin’ from me?” Ivy sarcastically asked.

“Oh, I’ll get the rest meself!” Daisy answered irritably.

And so she did:

1 pound meat-filled tortellini

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces prosciutto, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic which Ivy already chopped

2 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (already done)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:  (Daisy, you may do the honors here)

“First, put a pot of water on to boil and put a little olive oil and some salt in it for the cookin’ of the tortellini.  Once it gets started………

“Now, then, I’m going to pan fry this prosciutto in the pan with the olive oil,” Daisy instructed.

“Do that until it’s crispy and then add the 3 chopped garlic cloves to it and the tomato paste.  Stir around well and cook for about 1 minute.  Ladle in about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and simmer until reduced by about half which should take 3 to 4 minutes.  Then add the cream and simmer until slightly thick, about 2 to 3 minutes.

“MEANWHILE, when the tortellini has about 2 minutes left to cook, throw in the peas.  When it’s all done, drain the pasta and peas and then add to the mixture on the stove.

“Stir in the parsley (about 2 Tablespoons).  Toss well to coat all ingredients.

“Top with Parmesan cheese.”

“Mrs. Hughes?” Daisy inquired, “Are you there now?  It’s time for some tidying up!”

Well, Mrs. Hughes had taken the afternoon off,

Mrs. Hughes taking the afternoon off (above). 

(As previously established, Security is playing the part of Mrs. Hughes in these adventures.  She seems to really enjoy her day in the sun.  Pun intended.)

but heard Daisy calling so came rushing to the kitchen.

“Yes, what is it Daisy?”  Mrs. Hughes inquired…..

“Would you mind tidying up a bit please, Mrs. Hughes?”

“Oh, of course not, Daisy.  I’d be happy to do that for you.”

Recipe from Food-network-kitchens.

Change the Lingo, Change the World

I ‘stole’ this from a Facebook post:

And thank you.

lin·go

¹ /ˈlɪŋgoʊ/ Show Spelled [ling-goh] Show IPA

noun, plural lin·goes.

1.  the language and speech, especially the jargon, slang, or argot, of a particular field, group, or individual: gamblers’ lingo.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lingo

They’re On the Loose Again!

“Give ‘em one nice day and a list of sales and watch out world….” Jabber.

Wigs, beautiful wigs, wonderful wigs that simply transform us…….

WIGS, brown and blonde wigs, wigs with some heads could not ever bore us….

Hats, hats are everywhere……….

Some are here, and some are there!

Some in a box, some on the bed, some in a drawer

Oh YES! On our head……….

Wigs, beautiful wigs, wonderful wigs that simply transform us……….

What is the next thing that we will find?  Will it be gloves or some other kind of…..

WIGS!!!!

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It is getting to be a VERY LONG winter, even for Middle Tennessee.  We are going a bit, errrrrrrrrrr, well, you know!  Brocanters want to BROCANTE!

To All My Valentines..Love and Kisses

My funny valentine

Sweet comic valentine

       

You make me smile with my heart
 

Your looks are laughable

Unphotographable

 
Yet you’re my favorite work of art

     
Is your figure less than Greek

 
Is your mouth a little weak
When you open it to speak

Are you smart?

 

But don’t change a hair for me

 

 
Not if you care for me

 

Stay little valentine stay

 

Each day is valentines day

 

Is your figure less than Greek
Is your mouth a little weak
When you open it to speak

 

Are you smart?

But don’t you change one hair for me

 

Not if you care for me

 
Stay little valentine stay

Each day is valentines day

Songwriters: HART, LORENZ / RODGERS, RICHARD

My Funny Valentine lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., IMAGEM U.S. LLC