You say "Tomato" . . I say "Banana" . . .

Dear Frank,
Please rethink your advertising agency, that is not a tomato. (and by the way . . let them know that using an octopus for a model was a bad move)

My Heart . . .

Since February is the month of love (by retail standards at least LOL) . . I thought I would share one of my very most favorite pieces of jewelry with you.

It never fails to brings comments when I wear it and I treasure it above even very expensive pieces of jewelry I own . . in fact I think if the house was on fire and I could only save ONE piece of jewelry, this would be it.

It is made of clay by the then 10 year hands of my son, Nicholas . . and very carefully, scratched in the back are the initials "N.V. 1993", and the love shows in every bubble, flaw and fingerprint it contains.


I love all the fun stuff the kids have given us through the years . . . and treasure each one and the thought and effort that was extended to make them. Jim and I both actually still display and use most of them.

After all . . how can you NOT treasure a gift that was given purely by the heart?

It is late, I cannot sleep . . . so I am up dreaming. Of green grass, warm earth and gardens to be.

The wood stove is crackling, the house is quiet and I am surrounded by stacks of gardening magazines . . the new Burpee and new Gurney's catalogs . . . dreaming.

"What shall I plant this year?" It always holds so much possibilities (I never have enough garden room LOL).

Last year, I planted corn . . won't do that again. While it was satisfying to watch it visibly grow in the Oklahoma heat . . the valuable real estate it occupies and the fighting the ear worms is not worth it. I think this year, I will concentrate on items I can put up for the winter. We have really enjoyed the quarts of tomatoes, pickles and jams earlier in the year.

This year, I think I will put into practice "Square Foot Gardening" pioneered by garden guru, Mel Bartholomew . . which is getting the most out of what space I have.

I remember reading about SFG in the 80's in The Mother Earth News (for which I just purchased a subscription . . . another danger of not sleeping . . . internet shopping!!)

So far, on my list for spring is LOADS of herbs, green beans, peas, more cucumbers (the pickles were the BOMB), a smaller, climbing variety of cantalope and loads of green onions and salad greens . . . Ooooo and potatoes . . . and GIANT heirloom tomatoes . . . .

I think I need a bigger garden!

It's bound to happy . . . .

Only I would get a fortune cookie with a typo.

I got this several years ago and found it yesterday when I was cleaning out a bunch of boxes in the garage (explains the time worn appearance of it!) . . I've kept it because it always brings a smile to my face and makes me happy LOL.

When you really think about it though . . it works. Just exchange the word "happen" with "happy" and see the fun you can have.

I forgive them their mistake . . after all, with all the millions of fortune cookies they make in a day . . it's bound to happy.

Mmmmm Smokey Paprika Chicken & Cinnamon Beans (this is for YOU Kitty!)

The wind is howling outside and snow is coming our way . . . I thought it was a great time to play in the kitchen!!

This is for Kitty, who's hubby has been recently diagnosed with high cholesterol and swears he will now starve to death!! Also, she says he is on a bean kick these days LOL

Cinnamon Beans!
This is an old favorite in Jim's family. The original contains a lot of bacon, so I reworked it without the fat & bacon and was very surprised at how good the flavor still was. For those of you who are still allowed to eat bacon . . throw some in (directions at the end) . . the flavor combination is amazing.

I have also paired it Smoked Paprika Chicken . . . (I'm on a self discovery of what's new in the spice isle these days) . . . Smoked Spanish Paprika is world's apart from the regular Paprika or Hungarian Paprika that you have always used. . . . unbelievable aroma and taste!!!


So here goes (Kitty . . PAY ATTENTION!!)

First . . the Cinnamon Beans

You need: Get our your crock pot and a non-stick frying pan first
3 cans of pinto beans (any brand, I use WalMart generic)
2 cups of low sodium chicken broth 1 medium onion, chopped into small pieces
3 T. Olive Oil (more or less . . I tend to cook by the seat of my pants and not measure anything)
2 T. Roasted Saigon Cinnamon (available at WalMart) this has much more depth than regular cinnamon


Open the beans, drain and rinse them in a colander and toss into your crockpot (on High until crock warms, the turn down to Low)



Over Med High heat, put your olive oil into the fry pan and when it gets a shimmery look, throw in your chopped onions, turn heat down to Med and keep stirring them around until they are transparent (about 5 min)

Toss in the 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon onto top of the onions and stir around until onions are well coated and the smell begins to "bloom" . . about 30 seconds (heating your spices brings out the very best flavors).

Slowly stir 2 cups of Chicken Broth (for my vegan & veg friends . . use a dark beer . . it adds a wonderful taste to the beans)

Add about 1 tsp of pepper and salt (or you can salt later at the table if you are on a limited salt diet)


Bring this mix to a soft boil, stirring constantly and then pour on top of the beans in the crock pot . . give them a stir and let them mingle for a couple of hours . . . Mmmmm


For those that can have bacon . . chop up a half of dozen strips of a good smokey bacon and fry until not quite crisp . . stir into the beans right after the onion mix & cinnamon mix . . . Yummmy!!

Serve over fried potatoes or corn bread . . or side by side with the chicken recipe below.

Smoked Paprika Chicken
2 Boneless chicken boobies, diced into quarter sized chunks
3 T. Olive oil Chicken Broth
1 medium onion, diced
2 tsp. Smoked Spanish Paprika (don't be a cheap ass and use regular paprika . . just won't WORK!!)
Salt & Pepper

Ok, same routine as the beans
Heat the olive oil up in a pan, stir the onions until transparent (about 5 min)

Toss in the Smoked Paprika and stir until onions are well coated, about 30 seconds . . SMELL THAT?? Amazing isn't it?

Pour about a cup of chicken broth in the pan and make sure all the little bits of spices are well stirred into the mix.

Toss in the chicken chunks and stir to coat Continue cooking, stir chicken once in a while, until all the chicken is white and no longer transparent. About 3-4 minutes on med high.

Remove the chicken chunks from the mix (don't be slow . . things are cooking fast now) and whisk in a bit more broth to make a thin gravy.

Continue simmering until the sauce reduces and makes a thick sauce . . throw the chicken chunks back in and continue cooking for another min or so . . . until chicken is well coated and there hardly any liquid in the pan (don't overcook or your chicken will get tough)

Salt & pepper to taste

Easy as that!

You can pair the chicken side by side with the beans or mix together for a very tasty, unique Chicken Chili

p.s. . . Kitty, don't tell Robert that there is cinnamon in the beans until AFTER he eats it!!! (we both know how he is . . ROFL)

The Hound from Hell . . .

I bought a new iPhone today . . . fiddled with it all day (got absolutely NOTHING accomplished!) and finally got around to taking a photo.

Now, I am not certain whether I need more phone practice or I should worry about the the dog?

What do you think??

It's a bird, It's a plane . . Oh Noooo . . .

Someone dropped off a box of cookies at the office (for which we are EXTREMELY thankful for!!) In the box were a variety of gingerbread men . . . and the "thing" on the right.

I was forced to put it out of it's misery . . . along with its companion (along with a cup of coffee) . . YUMMMM. But we are still uncertain what it was.

Any guesses???


Shades of Mr. Bill LOL

End of the Season

Great times with great friends. I hate to see the end of the outdoor entertaining. But, the last party of Fall is always the best!

The air is crisp, the fire warm and the friends plentiful!

Every year the week before Thanksgiving, we deep pit meat for the holiday. This year, we invited friends to bring their turkeys and briskets and throw them in! It takes 4-5 hours for the coals in the pit to burn down to cooking temp (then 12 hours to cook) . . . which allows plenty of time for trading lies around a bonfire, endless rounds of horseshoes, beer, food and laughter! The weather cooperated for an evening cool enough for a fire but nice enough to not have to wear a coat!

We roasted dogs and feasted on homemade mac n cheese, couscous salad, bratwurst, pecan pie and fresh made salsa and chips.

Many thanks to good friends Dave & Holly Jamin, Ray & Lori Haworth, Walter, Andi & Felicia Gourley & Lu Brown . . . we really enjoyed the evening . . we hope you all enjoyed your delicious smoked treats for Thanksgiving!!

It could work . . . I think

I bought this totally awesome vintage chalkboard at a yard sale for $4 whole dollars! (go me!)

I scrubbed it down, shined up the frame.

Now, what to put on it??

Since it most likely started its life off in a school, I thought it would be appropriate to honor its roots and draw something "educational" . . . like HOW TO MAKE A PIG FLY!

I got out my chalk and started doodling. Now, I don't know if the math is quite right . . . but in theory it should work . . right?

Either way, it makes a great addition to our living room wall and is always a conversation piece when someone new comes to visit!!

Toad Jam "There's something in my shoe"

He was just lookin' for a place to stay warm! This is what happens when you leave your shoes on the porch too long . . . nature moves in!

I pried him out and put him in the garden, I'm sure he's thinkin' . . "what a bitch"

Who cares about the steaks

This is for Lori . . . who nags me about updating my blog . . . who would see posts like these if she would grow up and get a FACEBOOK page dammit . . . but since she finds FACEBOOK impossible to use, I am reposting here JUST FOR HER!! (LOL . . . LOVE YA!!)


I just got a box of Omaha Steaks . . . now the best part of getting a box from Omaha Steaks (at least in my opinion) is the DRY ICE in the bottom of the box WOO HOO

My house is looking like a mad science experiment! I have cups on the windowsill smokin' and bubblin' . . . the toilets are smokin' . . the dog's water dish (insert evil laughter).

Seriously . . this stuff is SO COOL

Who cares about steaks! I have new toys!!



I posted it Omaha Steaks fan page on FB . . here is what they told me LOL


Omaha Steaks Thanks for being a fan and enjoy your order, Kala! We do not recommend playing with the dry ice. It can be harmful/dangerous. ;) ~ TawnyNovember 3 at 11:34am ·


I told them that's what kitchen tongs are for . . . duh . . . they just don't know how to have good ol' fashioned fun!

I sent my dad a box of steaks too . . . he called to thank me for the dry ice . . . so I guess I come by it naturally ROFL

Yummm Salmon Night

I have the very BEST clients LOL

A very lovely client of mine (Elaine Geerdes) thoughtfully brought me a slab of fresh Alaskan salmon when she picked up her printing a while back. I stuck it in the freezer and waited for the "right" moment to bring it out (BTW . . . that is code for "when Jim is gone"). When Jim goes flying for several nights . . I go cooking! All the stuff I love that he won't eat (like Salmon).

I stopped by the store before heading home this evening and picked up a bunch of fresh cilantro, a clove of garlic, a lime and a bag of white long grain rice . . my mouth was watering on the drive home.

I started a pot of rice and the outside grill. When the rice was done and resting it was time to throw on the salmon (brushed with olive oil and garlic). Into the rice I tossed a handful of minced cilantro, the juice of one lime and let it sit. I sauteed some red onions, chopped garlic and capers in a little butter to dress the salmon and tossed the rest of it into the rice.

I am in HOG HEAVEN!


I snapped a cell phone pic and texted my best friend (it took her less than a minute to call and demand I box it up and send it over LOL . . . NOT! . . . sucks to be you Kitty. . that's what you get for being 1500 miles away!!)

I have some great movies saved on the DVR . . . just me and the cat and 3 dogs (who are ALL gazing with adoration upon my plate)

Bon Appétit

Making something old new again

I always look for old chandeliers at yard sales but rarely see one this great. It was the perfect size and shape to make a candle chandelier!

I wish I would have taken a "before" picture, but at least I got one during.

I ripped out all the wiring, took it all apart and cleaned it with acetone and then painted it black (black paint and a glue gun can fix just about everything.




With the addition of citronella votives . . it makes a GREAT patio or garden chandelier. I think I will hang it from a tree on side patio (I'll post a pic when I do.

The COOLEST yard sale find . . EVER!

I love yard sales, they are treasure troves of marvelous stuff. I am not a professional shopper, and only tote home useable or interesting vintage items that suit my fancy.

Today I purchased an item that I admired for it's sheer "uniqueness" and since I am a graphic artist, it spoke to me in other ways.

While looking at a pile of frames, I found a framed gravestone rubbing. You could tell the gravestone it came from was very old and English (written in middle english -- Chaucer style).

It was well framed and I thought it would look cool in my office. The old guy that had it said "I tried to read it but I don't understand most of the words". (Middle English contains a lot of odd spellings and the "u's" were printed as "v's")


So I read it to him:
In modern English, retaining the literary style it says:
Good friend, in Jesus sake forbear (forbear meaning refrain in modern times)
To dig the dust enclosed here
Blessed be the man that spares these stones
and cursed be he that moves my bones

He was like "that's cool, I didn't know what it meant" and said he really like the way it looked when he bought it at an auction awhile back.

I took it home, removed it from it's frame and cleaned the glass. The rubbing is done in black crayon which in 1962 was most likely the preferred medium . . it flakes slighty when you scrape it with your fingernail. Wedging it tight into the frame were old pieces of rolled up newspapers (dated 1963)

On the back, in pencil is a note that says: "Grave Stone Rubbing" Edwina Powell did this rubbing all morning in the winter of 1962 at cemtary [sic] near Westminster Abby"

The saying on the rubbing nagged at me all the way home, so I started looking for pictures of gravestones at Westminster Abbey to see if by chance there was a photo . . no luck. So, on a whim, I typed in the last line on the rubbing and BINGO!! I found it at Trinity Chapel NEAR Westminster Abbey!

And . . here's the bonus part . . . this rubbing is of the gravestone of none other than William Shakespeare who died April 23, 1616 at his home in Stratford Upon Avon.

How flippen' cool is that?

I paid $2.00 for it . . . my favorite yard sale . . . so far

It's alive . . .

I was picking green beans in the garden and caught something out of the corner of my eye.

I thought it was a snake at first glance.

We are going to let it keep growing so see just how big it will get!

Lori made me do it!

My friend, the best and fabulously talented (and loyal) Lori Haworth called and asked if I would teach her how to can tomatoes . . . so over she trots with 150 pounds of those buggers!

It took us all day to peel, chop and can. We make most of into quarts and a few in pints. She wanted hers plain, I made mine with onions, peppers, garlic and basil in the jars (Italian style!)

We set the canning pot on the patio so we wouldn't heat up the house (that was a GOOD move!) .

Right now, we really hate tomatoes! Our feet hurt, our backs hurt and my fingers are sore from the tomatoe acid . . . but looking at those rows of jars and imagining home canned tomatoes all winter and all the wonderful things we can make with them . . . YUMM!!

And just before Lori left with her haul . . . she says "Hey, I know where we can get a couple of bushels of peaches . . . " Oh boy! here we go again!

It's official!

I'm late getting this on my blog for all those who have asked!!

The wedding went off without a hitch. The entire family pitched in and everyone did their job. There were no fits, no snits . . only extreme happiness and as always, when our entire family gets together . . . loads of laughter! (I'm sure a few bars in Catalina didn't know what hit them after the wedding! especially Luau Larry's -- boy, was THAT fun!! -- who knew that Aunt Kristin could bark exactly like a seal? -- got pics I have been THREATENED not to post)

The island was so beautiful (and so was the bride!!) and the weather so nice that no-one wanted to come home.

Now . . . we have the prep for the reception on August 7th (I'm not off the hook yet!! . . . wish me luck . . dinner for 100+)

The new Mr. & Mrs. Leveridge

Standin' on the corner . . .

in Winslow, Arizona!

We are on our way to Catalina, Island to marry off our daughter! It has been a fun road trip so far! We spent the night in Winslow, AZ on Route 66. They have created a corner to replicate the Eagle's song . . "Take it Easy"

You can read more about it here
http://www.standinonthecorner.com/

and . . being the good tourists we are . . we had to stop and take a picture!!

Parked directly behind our car was indeed a "Flat Bed Ford" (no sign of the girl though . . .)

Tor & Jim, standin' on the corner !! (such a fine sight to see . . .)

Yummm Friday night CSA dinners

Picked up my CSA bag today (lots of sweet corn . . which makes Jim VERY happy) Tonight we had Artichoke & goat cheese fritters, (I will post the recipe when I get it just right . . still experimenting!) garlic buttered sweet corn and 3 kinds of salad . . green, crunchy cabbage salad and a chunky salad of tomatoes, onions, green peppers and cucumbers.

I love Friday night dinners in the summer!

Grans Troll Bell

Digging through the boxes from Grans garden shed, I found this great troll bell carved from wood. (the tongue is the bell clapper) I imagine she brought it back from Ireland on one of her many trips there. Jim says it's creepy . . . I think it is hilarious! It's getting a good home in the vegetable garden (maybe it will scare the birds away!!)