These two dear ladies are the Snoop Sisters. Their names were Ernesta and Gwendolyn. Ernesta is the frumpy one and Gwendolyn the more svelte and stylish one. Aren't they wonderful? Don't you just love the one on the left in the hat? That one would HAVE to be my BFF, Tia and I'm sure I'd be destined to be the frumpy one on the right. We are the modern day equivalent of these two dear souls. Snoop Sisters 2009! Whilst (I adore using whilst any chance I get because I think it's completely underused) we were driving from our fabulous lunch at Taqueria La Paisa yesterday, we came upon a huge police shakedown at the bait shop on 21st street. We decided we need a police scanner so we can keep abreast of what's going on around town. The ultimate Snoop Sister scanner. Then Tia remembered a cute old police car (although I don't think it was THIS cute)

for sale downtown. We decided we need it for our new Snoop Sister jobs if only for the siren and lights. Since we will be busy listening to the scanner...wouldn't it be awesome if we could have HER

as our chauffeur? She was the chauffeur in the original Snoop Sisters show. She might be dead...I'll have to check that out. Doesn't she just look like her name would have been Gert or Hazel or Myrtle? Some old fashioned name that NO ONE names their children anymore? She looks like she doesn't take any flak off anyone.
Then Tia thought it would be best if we had some sort of uniform...perhaps a cape.

This cape was too fabulous not to mention but might hinder our easy entrance and exit from the "scene of the crime" so we thought we would opt for something a bit less dramatic, but yet still classy like this shorter model.


I think we could use this as a ministry opportunity. Kind of unofficial chaplains. Yep...I think this is going to be our one-big-thing.

The Crime Spree Continues

Mom, I tell you...I'm completely innocent. Look me in the eyes. I look completely innocent.

 

Mom, do I look like the kind of pup that would do ANYTHING bad? Mom, I love you, Mom.

 

Hmm...must be some mighty big termites. Either that or Shadow needed a little fiber in his diet.

 

Poetry Sunday

Who couldn't love this:
Sea Fever by John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

That poem just makes me think of Pismo Beach and the smell of the ocean. It's my all time favorite poem.

Anything by Edgar Allen Poe is fabulous. He is the master of suspense of all time. His poetry grabs you at the first line. Who can't help but love The Raven and of course, Annabel Lee? Just reading the words on paper your mind can't help but picture poor Annabel in her horrible sepulcher by the sea.

When I was a little girl I had a book called "A Child's Garden of Verse" by Robert Louis Stevenson. It included so many wonderful poems and there is a version now that has illustrations by Tasha Tudor. It doesn't get much better than that. Her illustrations are the best ever. Can you ever look at the moon the same again after reading this....

The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbour quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse,
The howling dog by the door of the house,
The bat that lies in bed at noon,
All love to be out by the light of the moon.

But all of the things that belong to the day
Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way;
And flowers and children close their eyes
Till up in the morning the sun shall arise.

Bennett Spring, MO

Truly Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Missouri has to be one of the most charming places ever. Built around a natural fresh water spring, the Niangua River which flows off the spring is icy cold in the hottest of weather and crystal clear. It is also filled with trout. The State Park is mostly unchanged from a very '40's looking lodge and cabin type park. The dining hall includes a huge fireplace and rustic timber ceiling. It is very charming.

This is the picture I love most...my sweet husband fly fishing...major studly!

Good Book Alert!

This is one book by Sarah Mason. She is a British author of major Chick Lit which I usually hate (chick lit, not British) but I really love this author. The books are full of British humour and colloquialisms which make them utterly charming.
I found them at my local public library (where ALL GOOD BOOKS come from!!!) and I'm sure you can find them there too.

Family Reunion

We are here! Lake Pomme de Terre (aka Potato Lake) for the Hans family reunion. Be back Sunday!

Scones!

Complete breakfast yumminess! This morning I made Cream Scones for the kiddos for breakfast and they thoroughly enjoyed them with strawberries and whipped cream. I think they make the perfect summer breakfast.


Cream Scones

2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (76 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) whipping cream or milk

Glaze:
Cream

Preheat oven to 375* and grease baking pan. Mix dry ingredients, cut in butter. Mix egg, cream and vanilla and add to dry ingredients. Knead until combined. Roll out and cut with 2 1/2 inch cutter. Makes about 10 - 12.
Bake 15 minutes or so.

Slice berries and sprinkle with sugar. Delish!

The Lilies by my Garage

Earth laughs in flowers...Ralph Waldo Emerson

Magazines

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this magazine. I love magazines in general but I've honed my love down to a few faithfuls that I just can't do without. My fave of all times is Country Living UK. I am not all that fond of the American version of Country Living but the British one...oh, it is delightful!
So many of my favorite magazines have ceased production (Hallmark, Mary Engelbreit, Country Home, Cottage Living) but there are still some goodies on the market.

Mary Jane's Farm is a really neat magazine that includes alot of How To's within the pages. The articles are more in depth than you usually find. Interesting stuff like how to keep bees, vintage campers, etc. It's very much focused on organic and is used as a bit of a vehicle for Mary Jane Butters (its founder's) business but still it is a good publication. And how could you not love someone named Mary Jane Butters...I mean, really.


I like Southern Living MOST of the time. It has interesting articles and AWESOME recipes but sometimes the articles are too short and it feels like they settle for a lot of small bites of information. I think the layout of this magazine is a bit crowded and overdone...


that said...the most beautiful magazine I've ever seen is...

this one. Life: Beautiful, is just a quarterly publication but it is absolutely stellar. It's printed on heavy, matte stock and the photography is breathtaking. It has a religious bend so it's obviously a niche publication but since I am religious...I love it and that's all I care about.


I do love my magazines and the hardest thing is getting rid of them. I have stacks that I say.."I'll go through and discard." Who knows if I ever will. I love going back and reading them all over again in their entire form.

Get Your Kleenex Ready

My Montage 7/7/09

Click on the link above and turn on your sound. I love these kids! You do have to close my window after you open the link to hear the sound right.

My Ode to Ramen Noodles

This is one of the cutest movies ever! I have to admit that I love Asian movies and foreign films. The premise of this is so cute. Brittany Murphy (she's SO cute) moves to Tokyo to follow a boyfriend and ends up without the boyfriend and without a job. Out of desperation she takes a job in a noodle (ramen) house and while doing every grunt job there is decides she wants to learn to make the ramen. She sees the joy the ramen brings to people and wants to give them that too. It's a charming movie with fabulous clothes and set styling. I HIGHLY recommend this movie, The Ramen Girl, with only a few little warnings. First..there are a few love scenes (minor), one of the people she meets calls herself a geisha (she's actually a hooker) and there is some profanity (although it had been dubbed on the version we rented). After you have rented and watched this..seek out "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman". It's such a great movie...all subtitles. There is a Hispanic Version of it too. I THINK it is called Tortilla Soup.


That all just fuels my love of these. Ever since they first appeared on the scene at our Long's Drug Store in Santa Maria, California, I have loved them. I used to eat Ramen Noodles every single Sunday night while I watched Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys on t.v. I still love ramen noodles...much to my darling husband's chagrin. He hates them. I like to crack an egg into them when they are boiling and let it cook to soft set. Then when you eat them you can stir the yolk in and it is really yummy.

Don't these make your mouth water? Pure childhood comfort food.
This post has made me think of all the other comfort food I remember from childhood like my Gran's chicken salad, Gran's chow mein, Mom's Thanksgiving stuffing and gravy, corn casserole, Dorito's Mexican Chef Salad, Chewy Cocoa Brownies to name a few. All delish!

Julie and Julia

A great book...hopefully a great movie! I loved the book. Such a great and interesting concept for someone like me who loves cookbooks. You would use one book and make EVERYTHING in the book. I have to admit that I have some books I only use for one recipe. That is why I am looking forward to unloading some of the at my garage sale. Meryl Streep and Rachel McAdams star in the movie. I can't wait to see it with some haute' cuisine popcorn and hot tamales..eaten together. Yum.

Great TV

Those who know me best know that I adore British TV shows. A couple days ago I mentioned Rosemary and Thyme which is shown on British PBS and on select PBS stations here in the U.S. but can be found on DVD. It's so good. In the murder mystery vein, Miss Marple is also good and so is the brand new Miss Marple, Geraldine McEwen. She makes such an interesting character.

A complete favorite forever has been Keeping Up Appearances. It's so funny and the characters never fail to come through with GREAT appearances. The lead in that show, Patricia Rutledge, has another series..the Hetty Wainthropp mysteries. I can't wait to watch those. I just requested the complete disc series from the library and I'm dying for it to come in.




One of my favorite shows of all time is the British "soap" called As Time Goes By. It stars Judi Dench and it's so good. I bought it on ebay a while back and have watched all the episodes many times. The scenery is so neat and I love the glimpses inside the house they live in. My brother was just in England and took a picture of the door of the house that is THE house they used as a front door in the show.
One of the greatest shows of all times is All Creatures Great and Small based on the books by James Herriott. My parents have those episodes and they are really fun to
watch.

I don't know why the Brits seem to have the corner on great shows but I sure am glad that between the library, ebay and Barnes and Noble..we can find them all.

4th of July Fun!

After a great 4th of July spent eating hamburgers, lighting fireworks and this hideous fellow slithering through the living room......


I'm ready for it to be over. How in the world did a snake get in the living room?
Update: The police are so going to take this whole crowd to the jailhouse. There is no way these fireworks are legal in the city limits. They are shooting up higher than the second story on the house. My little criminals!

Happy Independence Day!

Mussels

Jim and I went to Bonefish Grill the other night and had these and I can't stop thinking about them. They were delish!

With a nice big glass of this...too die for.

Hola from Mexico

My brother, Uncle Dee, is jetting off to fabulous Mexico to spend 7 weeks as the speaker coordinator at Rancho La Puerta. He is a college professor, off for the summer, and got a gig through his experience as a food writer to come to luxurious Rancho La Puerta and coordinate the speakers they have come in weekly to speak on all things healthy cooking related. What a great job!

This is one of the pics from the resort. Doesn't it look fabulous! It looks like a dream vacation come true..although he will be working. What working conditions though!

He will get to eat lots of yummy stuff and help coordinate the menus while the speakers are there. What a lucky duck!
The desert around Tecate' looks pretty too.

What A Cute Couple

These two kiddos are the cutest couple. I do adore that Sweet Baby M! She's such a special girl and it's a really bittersweet summer. It's her last summer before her senior year. Next summer we will be preparing for college and she will have graduated from high school. This feels like her last summer of childhood. It's KILLING me. I am so glad and so thankful that I am not working and can just enjoy every day with her and her friends. It's so fun to watch them interact and listen to their chatter. They are really pretty wise kids. I am so thankful for such a great daughter. She has never been anything but a joy to us and we can't imagine what it would have been like without her wacky presence. She adds the spark to our fuse. She ALWAYS is the excitement behind every activity. She makes us complete. I love you Sweet Baby M and I'm glad you are my girl.

Books and all things lovely

Tia, my bestie, and I went and saw this yesterday. It is My Sister's Keeper based on the book by Jody Piccoult. I loved the book (maybe not the ending) and liked the movie. If you only see the movie...you will be doing yourself such a disservice! The book is SO MUCH BETTER. The layers are all there to uncover and dream about. The movie is very one dimensional in comparison. However, we did cry all the way through but more because of Tia's Mom's situation than actual sympathy for the characters. It was just too real life to what's going on in her life right now. We went to Northrock and saw it at 10:40 a.m.! Can you believe they show movies then? It's so early but because of that we were one of only 6 patrons in that particular theater! Awesome so we could talk and cry and be silly. Just like we besties love to be. I love that girl and I love that our relationship doesn't even need words.


This is the book I just finished. It was a great book. Really different and would make an absolutely AWESOME movie if they stayed true to the story. I love Judith Hendricks. She also wrote two of my other favorite books...one being...

After reading it I only wanted to make these....

always and forever. It just made me want to knead dough and have lots of starters and pans and flour laying around.

Isn't that what books are supposed to do? Inspire us to live and see things a little differently than we did when we opened the first page? I love it when I read something and my whole world opens up from the printed font on the page. Books..yum!

MURDER!

Doesn't this fellow look happy? He's such a sweet little garden gnome...enjoying his domain. He lives with his two little friends in my garden under the lilac bush. They had recently relocated there after a year of sitting at Jesus' feet by the rosebush. While they were happy by the rosebush, they wanted a little privacy and shade for the summer, thus their move to the lilac bush. Unfortunately, it seems "someone" didn't approve of the move.

This dear little fellow was found this morning in the grass. Gentle readers, if you can't take a little grim reality...stop reading right here. He has been murdered! Decapitated and dismembered. Truly a gruesome sight! A proper burial and memorium is planned for this afternoon on the far side of the garden. The remaining gnomes would like to go back to living in the protection of Jesus by the rosebush. There are only a few suspects.


Sadly, this shifty character is once again suspect. He had the means and the motive. He walks by the garden gnomes daily. He's taken the gnomes for "walks" against their will and left them in unfamiliar territory so they have had trouble finding their way back home. DNA testing from saliva found on the deceased gnomes face is being tested.

This fellow was seen in the area. He chatters incessantly but probably would have had to have super-human strength to detain the gnome and then carry him up in the tree and push him off the tree house to his inevitable death on the patio.


While mild-mannered looking...this skittish suspect was recently seen hob-nobbing with the gnomes. Could a disagreement have taken place and poor little garden gnome's death been the result?

The will is slated to be read this afternoon after the burial. Because his lantern was crushed in the crime, poor little garden gnome has not another worldly good to leave to his friends. Hopefully they will inherit a wariness about going off with strangers.

If you are in the mood for a more interesting murder story, although I find the death of my poor garden gnome to be quite sad, there is a series from British TV that is delightful. It's called Rosemary and Thyme and you can get the series on DVD or it's on some PBS stations. I am totally addicted to them!