What's for dinner?

As the years go by, I am getting really bad about cooking for myself. Did I say bad?.....like seldom. Sandwiches and salads are so much easier and quicker with less clean-up time. I have other things that I want to do and ...sigh...have to do. Right? Right? I know you are agreeing with me.

But about once a week I make something that leaves plenty for left-overs and semi-healthy meals.  For instance a big meat loaf. I can have it with a salad or side vegetables or my favorite...meat loaf sandwiches. Yeah, yeah, I know it's still a sandwich but it isn't processed luncheon meat or fast- food take-out.

This morning, searching in the crisper for lettuce... (for a sandwich of course)...and noticed fresh peppers and tomatillos. Wow! I had forgotten about them and also the 3 pound pork roast in the freezer. Of course chili verde sprang to mind.  I dug out my slow-cooker....literally dug it out of a bottom cabinet...ohhh my knees!

Isn't this a pretty color? Yellow always makes my day a bit brighter feeling.

I have a hard time following recipes as I tend to throw in a bit extra if it sounds good or make do if I am short. This calls for a large sliced yellow onion.  Slicing? Ha! Don't need the tears, thank you. I put in a generous handful of home dried onions (thanks Mom). You all know that onions are good for you....the more the better.

Then, in went 2 fat cloves of garlic, chopped fine and 5 medium tomatillos cut into quarters. For those of you who aren't familiar with them they look like green tomatoes and add a citrusy taste to the dish. It is something like adding lime juice.

 Where was I?  Oh yeah....the recipe. 

I don't like real hot peppers so I use poblanos that give the rich pepper taste without the fire.

Sometimes I also add a sweet bell pepper, 
...but I ate that last night 
with a chunk of cheese while reading..... 




I then tossed in about a teaspoon of crushed dry oregano and a cup of water. I rubbed the pork with black pepper, powdered cumin and granulated garlic and placed the meat on top of the pile.

I started the pot on high but I will check it in a couple of hours and turn the pot to low. It will be done when the meat falls into shreds. I may even get ambitious and make fresh flour tortillas to go with it.  Maybe.

Drop by...... there will be plenty.

SURPRISE GIFT...or... WHO INVITED YOU?

Ember brought me a "gift" a couple of weeks ago. It all happened so fast I thought at first he had a bird in his mouth...I swear I caught a glimpse of feathers. It all happened in a flash, he came in.... I saw... I yelled...I ran for the broom (?) and Ember opened his mouth and released a big lizard. Yes...lizard! Which of course ran under my freezer. Uggh! During these past two weeks I have caught flashes of the lizard as it goes from freezer to stove to pantry. I have heard scratchings and rustlings but have never been quick enough to catch it. I've left the outside door open most of the day hoping the reptile would find it's way out. And don't you know...Ember has completely ignored the creature since he dumped it on me. (the little wretch!)

Yesterday I heard faint scratching on the window and looked to find a beautiful lizard on the window ledge.
I opened the door a little wider and then reached for the lizard......"blink" ....it was gone!

I never saw it move but it went outside.  I know that because Ember was chasing it....again

I got a real good look before it ran and after checking online I find it is a Desert Spiny Lizard.

My guest was not as brightly colored as this photo so probably was female or a very young male. And the "feathers" that  I saw? Look at the head and neck.


'Just hoping that your guests don't end up under the appliances.

TWO YEARS!! OH MY!  
Does anyone even remember that I have a Blog?

I knew that I was neglecting my Blog and I kept thinking of posting. But what I did not realize is how fast time can pass. According to the date on my last entry it has been almost 2 years since I posted!  Where has the time gone?  I have often heard that time seems to move faster as we age and this seems a prime example. 

There is a lot going on in my life at present that I want to share and doing it on this Blog should keep the family and friends in the loop. There are pictures to share and tales to tell, but since I am easing back into this blogging slowly this is my share for today.

                                                                    ~*~

Ember Katz has appointed himself my assistant. At least it appears that way. Every time I sit down to the computer he shows up. It is a comedy act trying to keep him off the keyboard. You can imagine the hair problem he leaves. But hey....he is my buddy and traveling companion so I can't be too harsh with him.

Some of you may remember Ember. 

He has been with me since he was around 9 months old. 

I figure he will be 14 years old in June. We been together longer than some marriages last. 

For an old guy on thyroid meds, he is good shape. 






........And despite his scowl in the photo, he is a gentle loving guy.

He can also be a big butt!

May the rest of your day be full of cheer.  

Sharing....

Here is my recycled garden bench. I found it in a badly weathered, broken condition at a yard sale. Recently one of my grandsons surprised me by replacing the slats with a resin based material designed for decks. Inspecting it is one of my traveling companions, Ruthie May.

Desert life

Living in the desert has several perks. Number one on the lists of both good and bad is the weather. Six to seven months of the year we have comfortable temperatures, clear skies and mild sunshine. The other months are scorching hot, full of glare and with occasional monsoons. But even with the heat you can count it as good for you, giving you an excuse to stay inside to read, think and/or create without feeling overly lazy.

Doves! Doves all over the yard!  They eat continually, leave droppings on everything and build nests.... what a life!  I enjoy their cooing and they are attractive but that said, personally I think they are about the stupidest birds around. They build nests on top of slick metal trailers, piles of wood, flower pots.... anything they can lay or wedge a stick in.  Of course  a large percentage of the nests blow away. Perhaps that is why they build so many. 

This one actually was smart and anchored her
 nest material under the edges of the old Christmas lights that were wrapped around the tree limbs.



Here is a bakers rack on my patio. Note the square looking pot on the top left shelf.
                                                    

Somehow, my cats didn't seem to notice the comings and goings of the parent birds. But to be sure, I placed a large plastic picnic plate in front of the nest which gave me peace of mind at least.


I really breathed a sigh of relief when the "kids" finally left the nest.

But this!  ???

This is an ornamental bird cage completely enclosed, with a votive candle inside.  The pair must have spent days gathering their perfect material and poking it through the wires.

I sort of feel sad for them.....

Did you ever notice?

The same exact letters compose the words

LISTEN

and

SILENT

Rambling thoughts and comments.....

Earth Day; 22 April 2012 
Celebrate our Mother Earth every day.

I am still in the desert. The trees and cactus are blooming, the colors are a treat in this dry, dusty land. They only last a few weeks but long enough to give you thoughts of gardens.  I have a small garden in assorted pots and containers. The ground here is just too hard to deal with and sucks up too much precious water. My plants are thriving and I have already enjoyed a few tomatoes from it along with basil and chives. I will be sad to walk away and leave it all to dry up in the heat but there's no one to water them. I plan to bring back a timed watering system this Fall when I return. But that is just a small note on a looong list of repairs and wants.

This is Ember, he is a good travel companion and very little bothers him as we travel. When stationary he is quite a hunter. He brings lizards, desert bunnies and ground squirrels into the house and turns them loose. Sometimes he will catch them and take them back outside. But generally they are gifts--  he drops them and lets me chase and retrieve them. Oh gee, thanks Ember! You shouldn't have---really you shouldn't.

It is time for us to be heading for a cooler area, as the temperature here has hit over 100 degrees in the past week.  Shoulda, coulda,......there are so many details to work on before pulling out for the Summer months.....it is so much easier to say "tomorrow" and sit under the  A/C with a book. But the Pacific coast is calling to me so I had better get the van prepped and loaded soon.

Coffee or Tea?

So you like your morning coffee?  I've read that the most expensive coffee and low-production variety  in the world is kopi luwak from Indonesia. Only about 500 pounds are produced each year so it sells for up to $600 a pound. It is said to be smooth and sweet with a bit of caramel and chocolate flavor. Sounds wonderful doesn't it?

Well, before you brew up that cup I must tell you that the coffee beans were originally eaten by a Asian Civet cat, a weasel type animal.

The civet eats the berries for their fleshy pulp. In the day and a half passage through the civet's stomach and intestines, enzymes seep into the beans, changing the amino acid content. Then, brace yourself, they are pooped out, yes I said pooped out, all the while keeping their shape. Are you still reading? Then they are gathered from the forest floor, washed, sun dried and lightly roasted so as to keep the many intertwined flavors and lack of bitterness.

Oh, you say that you prefer tea?

~*~*~*~

More pictures and information on the civet;
 http://a-z-animals.com/animals/asian-palm-civet/

More about kopi luwak; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak

Remember...

If you don't want anyone to know,

don't do it!

Good intentions....but....

I thought my idea of posting a new word weekly would work. But my mind jumps around and flitters here and yon . My weekly word didn't get posted but twice and then not on time.  So "forgetaboutit."

No more attempts at a schedule, no set formats...I will wing it. Okay?

Bee update

The bee swarm doesn't seem to planning a move anytime soon. I have left the lid off the box, the sun is shinning on it most of the day and last week we had strong winds with gusts 40 mph and more. You would think the bees would have been blown away. But no, the tenacious little creatures are still in the water valve box and busy building a new comb. **sigh** I have tried getting someone to come collect them, take them away....please! But I haven't even had one return phone call. No, I do not want to becaome a bee keeper as some have suggested....I don't even like the taste of honey.

UPDATE on the Update: 20 March 2012
I avoided going near the bees, hoping they would decide that living in a plastic box in the ground wasn't the best for them.  After waiting for 2 weeks for assistance from a bee collector I checked on them one evening and found all of them lying in the bottom...dead. I swear no one poisoned them. Perhaps the weather was wrong, perhaps the bugs caught a "bug". I'm sorry they died but I have to admit that I am relieved that the problem was solved for me.

Wanderlust

hmmmmm...... Spring! Green things popping from the ground, flowers opening, birds building nests, bunnies chasing each other through the yard, bees swarming....

I am getting restless too. I find myself looking at maps, reading travel stories, listening to other's travel tales. Perhaps I should let the bees have the place for the summer and take to the road in my van.

I am told that I should have a goal. I do. I want to fill all the boxes in my "1000 things to see and do before you die" book. I was pleasantly surprised when I first started checking off places that I have already visited. I sure didn't realize that I had seen and done so much.
Yay for me!

~*~

BEES !!!!

Noticing a lot of bees flying around the underground box for the water valve, we opened it to find a swarm of bees setting up a hive. They had already made a good start on a honeycomb which they attached to the underside of the box lid. That is the yellow object.

Here is a piece of the honeycomb compared to a quarter coin for size. The idea that a little insect could design and construct such a structure is amazing to me.

After being hit with a stream of water the comb was broken and many of the bees had left. We left the lid open hoping the sunlight would make them lose interest in building there.

But they must like the neighborhood..... the next morning I found this pile in the corner as thought they were trying to keep warm through the night.
Oh come on! Don't make me feel sorry for you! Just go away!

Three days later.....  
The bees are still with me. No one seems interested in capturing them and the majority tells me to get an exterminator. Bees are scarce, bees are dying for many reasons.....I don't wnat to add them on my conscience.  Update later....

~*~

Word For the Week

undisonant  (adj) sound of crashing waves

Word of the Week

As I have posted previously, I love words. The odder sounding the better in my view. So I am going to start posting one word a week that I find interesting, odd, attractive or maybe all three. This week's word is:

psithurism

the sound of leaves rustled by the trees

~*~

Just a thought....

I believe that there are things beyond our knowing; mysteries, magic, the shape of the future, the whole meaning of the past.  How poor life would be without mysteries and miracles. They fill my life....so I must believe in them.

~*~*~

Workin' Like a Dog

Walking through the vendor area in Quartzsite and I came across these dogs modeling hats. They ignored the people passing by, seeming to be deaf to the noises. A sign requested us not to pet the dogs while they were "working".

Sights In and Around Quartzsite, AZ

January is a busy and crowded time in Quartzsite. There are all kinds of special shows besides the 1500+ vendors this year selling any and everything that you can imagine. It may seem that it focuses on the RV lifestyle and the gem and mineral hobbists but there is something for everyone.
 I have been taking pictures of various things as they catch my eye. I stepped out my door last week only to see that we had been marked....as in X marks the spot. I guess the fly boys out of Edwards Airforce Base were practicing their sky writing.

Camels tie into much of Quartzsite's history. You will find various images all over town. This one has been around for many years and was just recently given a new paint job. Yes it is made up of car wheels.

This home made camper was spotted at the library parking lot. I never did find the driver but I suspect it was a woman since the bumper sticker read: Alaskan Girls Kick A$$

Another unusual RV was found parked at Tyson Wells show ground. It is made of a huge redwood log. Signs on it declare it was 1900 years old when cut down and was 267 feet tall the base was 14 feet across. This was the fourth log to be cut from the tree.

The interior is all hand crafted from the tree's redwood.

This is a close-up of the exterior showing the bark and the banding for support. Notice the burl.


And then....there is the loved and cared for antique....

These folks advertise that this is the Adult Day-Care. They must be doing a great job because there were a lot of smiling people sitting around.

I fell for these morrocan lamps displayed at a booth but managed to walk away without one.

The Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) met up in the Dome Rock area for a 14 day gathering. It is an informal group of folk who live and travel in recreational vehicles from vans and small trailers to motor homes. This man entertained one evening after dinner.

When the wind was calm there were nightly campfires to sit around and share tales.

An evening view of Quartzsite looking north-east from Dome Rock.

It seems that the sunsets try to be better every evening.

FIRE !!!

The year has started out interesting. Just when everything was looking good my motor home caught fire. No one was injured but the rig is toast. I just want to say to never, NEVER take fire for granted. It is fast, through and deadly. Look at these photos and see what a few moments of fire can do. And what the fire didn't destroy the 17,000 gallons of water poured into the rig moved around and finished off.

The Firemen, E.M.T.s  and Police were wonderful. Thanks Guys!

The kitchen.... It once had Corian counter tops and golden oak cabinets.

Looking down the hall to the bedroom......

Even the key ring tags melted...

The drivers area...vinyl doesn't hold up too well to high heat nor did the plasma TV on the right of the picture.....

Stay safe, be careful, stay alive.