Garden Rich!

Our garden has gone bonkers again!  We’re sneaking zucchinis into open vehicles and all but leaving them on strangers’ doorsteps.  They are threatening to take over our property.  But, as you can see, we managed to capture one oversized one and I let Max wrestle it to the ground and choke it out! Voila, stuffed zucchini!   We also have those unusual looking alien-spaceship-shaped pattypan squash too (see the pic above).  Boy are they delicious and cute too.  Our corn looks like it is an alien species too as the ears are enormous looking but really mostly stalk.  They are still developing inside.  Our little acorn squashes are yellow this year (a different species, I think) and the pumpkins are still on the vine, ripening for Halloween time.  The tomatoes are mostly still green and developing but promise to be ready in a week or so, we think.  We are getting the occasional yellow Italian pear tomato now.  YUM!  The new background on my space at Spaces is our blooming trumpet vine, which is in full bloom and bursting in health! Now, if I could only figure out a way to get some of our produce to you all through the computer…. 

WHAT A SIGHT!

As I came over the hill on my way to tune yesterday, I saw about eight of these in flight in our little valley here in Lake County.  You see, because of the heavy marine layer over in Napa county in the early part of the day, they come over to Lake Co. where the skies are clear and sunny!  I counted 9 this morning---some of them up and others almost up. It’s weird to look UP and see them from the bottom! At any rate, it was a great way to start the day!  Hope today and the weekend is good for all of you.

ZUCCHINI RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Wow!  Just tried out yet another zucchini recipe that turned out GREAT.  So here it is in detail:

                                              ZUCCHINI CHOCOLATE BARS

 

Beat 3 eggs and add 1 c. oil.  Then slowly add 2 cups of sugar and beat.  Blend in 2 c. grated zucchini. 

In another bowl, combine 2-1/4 c. flour, 1/2 c. cocoa and 1 t. baking soda.

Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, then stir in 1 T. white vinegar.  At this point, I add a cup of chopped nuts.

Put in 9 X 13 ungreased pan and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

You can SEE the chunks of zucchini!

These are SO easy to make and yummy even without frosting---almost more of a cake than a brownie in texture.  There are so many wonderful ways to use zucchini---and it’s a good thing, ‘cause we got tons of them!

Here is a cute pic of a very friendly cat that kept me company at a tuning last week---here’s Bunkie: 

Betty White wins another Emmy!

WOW!  She won another Emmy for her hosting on SNL!  That makes 5 that she’s won.  I’ve always been a fan of hers and loved to watch her play Password---what a pro!  Of course, back in those days, she was married to Alan Ludden. I couldn’t stop laughing at her Sue Ann Nivens role in “Mary Tyler Moore Show” or Rose in “Golden Girls.”  So glad to see her back in the acting saddle with her new show “Hot in Cleveland.”  I hope I’m half as active as she when I’m 88! Way to go Betty!

Pixar: Monsters, Inc. - hilarious movie outtakes (HQ)

Enjoy this clip of the out-takes of the Monsters Inc. movie from 2001---love the song and the laughs!

Soccer has begun!

(He’s the tall one in the light shirt and dark shorts 3rd from the right.)  Yes, Soccer season is upon us again!  Max went to tryouts and they were glad to welcome him aboard.  It’s quite a new experience for him this year, since he and one other former 8th grader are the only white kids on the team! K-Ville is really quite an agricultural area, what with it being the pear capital and all, that most of the school is made up of migrant Mexicans.  So, with so many GREAT soccer players, there aren’t many white guys around!

Right away they started calling him “German” and (his favorite) “Rambo.” He is about the biggest player they have and he loves all their attention!  Will get better pictures as the season progresses…

Their first game is the 31st of August, even though school doesn’t start for them until the day AFTER Labor Day!  Last night’s practice was quite interesting as the fire department decided to do a controlled burn right across the street from their practice field! Luckily the wind didn’t carry too much smoke to interrupt the practice!

WE’RE GOING TO NEED A BIGGER ROOM…

Yup.  Max’s room is definitely getting too small.  As you can see in the corner, he acquired a new Bass over the weekend!  His room is so small I couldn’t stand back any further to get it all in the picture!  In fact, I was standing in the hall, leaning around the corner to get that one! 

He found this 3/4 size bass (believe it or not, it is NOT full sized—the body is a little narrower and the neck isn’t as long or wide) for just the right price, which included the carrying bag.  He had saved all but$15 of the price, so I scraped up the last bit for him.  Because he paid in cash, the owner gave it to him as if without the tax.  It sounds almost as big as a full sized one---pros use them as practice basses because they are easier to lug around.  This one is a big larger than the usual 3/4 sized one.  Here is a comparison of a full sized one (the red one) and his new one:    

So, he is in 7th heaven now with his own upright (which he can bow too!).  Will let you know what name he decided to bestow upon it (the red one which belongs to the school, I understand, is named “Rosie”).  What would YOU name it???

The Old Bale Mill

I recently was down working in the Napa Valley and made a stop at one of my favorite places on my way back---The Old Bale Mill.  I love the old giant wheel and the surrounding wilderness and remoteness of the old mill. If you look closely, you can just see the wheel in the center of the picture---   Also, I love the stone ground corn meal I can get there---it makes the best cornbread!  I have never found anything to equal it, and believe me, I’ve looked.  The Mill isn’t grinding often during the winter months and only on weekends now during the summer, so I have to time my trips just right to get there when they’re open.  The time to really visit it is during The Old Bale Days two-day event usually in the fall, where they run tours and have outside events and stands depicting the old-tyme equipment and a working blacksmith, etc.  People are dressed in costume of the old days which makes it seem more authentic. 

After reading the engraved sign, I was surprised that the Mill was as old as it is. It is, by far, the largest Mill wheel I’ve ever seen and so fascinating to watch the corn and wheat ground the old fashioned way! They used to sell the corn meal, but the State health officials made them quit, do to the “less than sanitary” method of the grinding (i.e. open windows, no sterilization, etc.).  However, if one makes a donation, one can still obtain the freshly ground corn meal and use it at your own risk.  YUMMY!

MY CAT FELL IN THE WELL

No, not REALLY! My cat did NOT fall in the well. That is the name of a neato song by a group that came out of the 70's called The Manhattan Transfer. This stupendous quartet of singers were (and still are) famous for "Java Jive," "Route 66," "Birdland" and many other jazz tunes. I came upon this song when searching for something else and couldn't resist it---being the cat lover that I am. So, I hope you will be able to hear it! It sounds like something out of the WWII era, but the words are so cute! Besides, I can't seem to get this tune out of my head!
Since I can't figure out how to get my own music on this blog yet, you'll have to check it out on my Can't Get That Song Out of the Head blog on Windows Live...see the link to the right...The song will come on immediately!

Just more stuff

Nothing too exciting happening here---the “girls” are doing great and Charlie is in fine voice these days.  Can you believe how big they’ve gotten?!  This… was only about a month ago and this… was just the other day!  No eggs yet, but we’re keeping a close eye out for one!

My Mom just celebrated her 93rd birthday on Tuesday this last week. This pic was taken almost 10 years ago and she hasn’t really aged much since then.  This one was taken when she was two, I think-- with her brother, Ken, on their Canadian property during their homesteading years.  She still tells stories from those years.  She likes to tell of when she was born and how a midwife helped with the birth in their little house.  The doctor arrived too late to help, but came in and checked on her.  When her folks asked how much he (the doctor) wanted for his trip, he shrugged and said, “How about a dollar?”  Mom laughs and says, “that’s how much I was worth---a dollar!” 

Been working hard at keeping all the pianos in tune around here---a never-ending job for sure!  Hope you all are enjoying this WARM summer.  We are already seeing a few yellow leaves dropping from some of our trees!  Fall will be descending any minute now…

DOESN’T THIS LOOK GOOD?!

With all the heat of summer, doesn’t this look yummy?  It is a frozen fruit salad.  Here is the recipe---straight from the card:  The only changes I make are that I subsitute mandarin oranges for the apricot halves (because the halves are so HARD to deal with frozen!) and add a can of Very Cherry fruit cocktail instead of the jar of maraschino cherries.  I also have used Cool Whip instead of the whipping cream.  Your choice!  Instead of putting it in a pan and cutting it into square, I simply put it into to little yogurt cups (that yogurt comes in) or other small plastic containers with lids.  Then, one can just snatch one from the freezer at will, and it’s still fresh and good.  The boys really love this frozen salad---almost as much as ice cream!  It takes some time to make, but it’s worth it!

Enjoy!