"Talk Memphis"

Jane Ann over at the jetstream has developed a curiosity about the way other "blogging quilters" sound. It is interesting that some people's accents give them away so quickly. I suppose mine is Southern, more so than it used to be. Once when a friend and I were in England, someone asked where we were from and was surprised that we were from the South. I was surprised that it wasn't obvious. My speech has become much lazier over the years...so it isn't just a matter of dialect, ya'll. I'm fixin' to tell ya that there are also huge differences among Southern dialects and intonations. Years ago, I watched a documentary about New Orleans dialects that fascinated me--the area of the city the speaker came from was immediately identifiable from the speech. It was a fascinating piece and listening to the differences between the 9th Ward and the Irish Channel was a hoot. (Yeah You Rite! won several awards)

What most Southern states do have in common is slower speech, less hurried speech. An' , by the way, ya'll...our speech doesn't indicate our intellect or lack thereof. Actually, for some reason, most of the folks in my family did not have this lazy speech in the last generation. My mother's speech and that of my aunts -on both sides of the family - was completely articulated (no dropping a "g" and she was never gonna run two words together) and her grammar much better than that to which my own speech has degenerated. When I was young, Mother corrected many of my bad habits; however, eventually, she gave up trying to reform my speech, but hers was always carefully articulated and grammatically correct.

Anyway, in Jane's recent post, she related an anecdote about her daughter being requested to "talk Southern" and reminded me of one of my favorite songs by Jesse Winchester (I love Jesse).

Talk Memphis (Jesse Winchester)

Listen to you move your mouth
I bet you come from way down South
Please don't tell me let me guess
You're from the town that I love best

Talk Memphis, I wish you would
Talk Memphis, you sound so good
Talk Memphis, high on the bluff
I swear I can't get enough
Listening to you talk that stuff
Talk Memphis, oh yeah, talk Memphis

Now let's discuss some barbecue
We'll talk about the Tigers too
Every little sweet thing that you say
Just turns me on like 'DIA
Talk Memphis, I wish you would
Talk Memphis, you sound so good
Talk Memphis, high on the bluff
I swear I can't get enough
Listening to you talk that stuff
Talk Memphis, oh yeah, talk Memphis

I bet you bought some blue suede shoes
I bet you know West Memphis too
Cross that bridge on just two wheels
I bet you know how good that feels

(repeat chorus)

Where were you when Elvis died
A lot of folks sat and cried
Well, I don't mind telling you
That I did a little cryin too

Talk Memphis, I wish you would
Talk Memphis, you sound so good
Talk Memphis, high on the bluff
I swear I can't get enough
Listening to you talk that stuff
Talk Memphis, oh please, talk Memphis

I refrained from inserting punctuation in the above lyrics. Another great favorite is Mississippi You're on My Mind. I want to put a comma after Mississippi, too, but won't.

I just ordered another Talk Memphis CD because I want to listen to it in the car.

And Deb G. has also taken up the subject of accents in her blog.

Grandmother's House

Erin, Mila, and Max arrived yesterday, and I am in the midst of "grandmother adoration." Max is a chunky delight; Mila is a slender whirlwind. Too busy yesterday to take pictures, but will manage that today.

We went to see Laddie yesterday. The visit was interrupted by the fact that Laddie had left some medications at the office, and I had to take him downtown and search the office for them. By the time we got back, it was almost time to leave, so I'll have to get pictures of Laddie and his great grandchildren later.

Fee was a great comfort to Max when he was having a bad spell with an upset stomach. For some reason, he was more comfortable in Fee's arms than in mine or Erin's. A bit of male bonding.

Mila spent lots of time playing with Erin and Amelia's old Barbies and all of their tiny paraphernalia. There was lots of dialogue, including one indignant Barbie telling a hapless Ken, "Don't step on my skirt!" and a frantic search for a "dead clock."

Not sure yet what is on today's agenda, but the weather here for the last few days has been wonderful - cool and crisp - so maybe we'll go to a park.

Awaiting Arrival

I've been playing with Photoshop. Here is the Butterfly Plant I posted the other day re-done as water color and a Turk's Cap after manipulation. It is fun to manipulate a photo and then revert to the original and play with it again.













Here is a link to The World of Maurice Sendak - a video with his wonderful illustrations and an interview. Love it! He has a new pop up book with his typically charming monsters.

I know I've directed you to Ullabenulla's blog before, but this one is so cute.

O.K. - off to finish preparations for "the visit." My little Vinaigrette (Mila) is coming from B.R. with brother Max! Just talked to Erin and they are on their way.

5 Unrelated Items

1. Scott Wade of San Marcos, Texas creates dirty pictures on the rear windows of cars! In central Texas, caliche dust from dirt roads clings to windshields in a thick film...providing an unconventional canvas.

2. I love NPR and one of my favorite shows (what does this reveal about me?) is Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me - which highlights funny or ridiculous news stories. If I miss the show, I go online and listen later. The other day, I heard this line by Ann Richards, explaining how much fun she had participating on a W,W,DTM segment: "Listen, I just haven't had so much fun since pigs ate my brother." Now, try hearing that line in the exuberant Ann Richards style. I have never heard this expression before and am not completely clear about the meaning, but hearing Ann Richards say those words was enough to make me laugh aloud.

3. I just ordered several books from Amazon.com:

The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

The Woman in Black - Susan Hill

Parnassus on Wheels - Christopher Morley

The Haunted Bookshop - Christopher Morley

4. Weekend Edition Saturday, September 23, 2006 · "As an urban mystery, the Toynbee tiles have fascinated fans of street art for more than 25 years. Tending to be about the size of license plates, the tiles are embedded in the streets of various cities, including New York, Washington, Chicago -- even Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires." (more here) and in Wikipedia.

5. Talked to Erin last night and expect a visit tomorrow from our Baton Rouge contingent. Expect more grandchildren pictures soon!

Housewife's Tarot and Vinaigrette

I found The Housewife's Tarot at Anahata Katkin's blog. Have you seen this one, DebR?

Erin asked Mila (3) what she wanted to be for Halloween. The response: a bottle of vinegar. That's my girl!

And what doe she want to be when she grows up? The Queen of the Monsters! I'm tellin' ya': the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

I've been trying out a very simple paper piecing pattern. "Oh," as Dylan Thomas said, "easy for Leonardo!" I'm not so good at reversal. My first attempt took quite a few tries and needs a border to enlarge it from a 4" square. I'm going to try a few more, but think I might go to Kinko's and have the pattern enlarged a bit.

I'm working on The Wyvern Mystery, my final book for the R.I.P. challenge - wrote about it here - and have a long list of possibilities to try to track down at the library before I go to Amazon. I know I'm going to have to order The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story by Susan Hill. But should be able to pick up at least one Wilkie Collins at the library and maybe The Thirteenth Tale. I'm going to have to check my list for some of the others I've jotted down.

Chores and links

I've been in a low physical cycle lately. Very tired. No real reason, kind of a biorhythm that results in a lot of yawning and the desire for naps. Today, I'm determined to get caught up on some things that need to be done...housecleaning being the least attractive and most necessary. Looking at the list of things I jotted down to do (none of them entertaining or fun), makes me want to go take my nap right now.

On a positive note:

• I found the link to this art doll site on croque-choux's blog. I love these dolls and their quilted clothing.
• Julie Schlueter doesn't post very often, but I check in occasionally to see what's going on. Hills of the Wine Country is a beautiful quilt (50" x 60") that has an Art Deco look.

Remember Oedipus?

I've neglected Poetry Thursday lately, but DebR posted a kind of companion poem to one she had posted earlier. The earlier poem was Eve and Medusa, this one is titled Love Letter and begins "Dear Samson..." Her choices reminded me of this one (I have several "myth" poems) by David Ignatow.

Oedipus

My hands shook as I bargained for passage,
my hands shook because by his face I could tell
he was not one I could bargain with; death only
was his price. And when he lashed out at me
from his preeminence, his chariot, my hand
leapt to my sword, my throat ached.
I had no head then to consider I was killing
one who like myself had not been brought up
to countenance such manners, as to bargain.
Only against my grain I had wanted to.
I killed him, I felt myself cut off;
I heard myself inwardly go mad,
I had destroyed an image I hated:
I was destroyed.

--David Ignatow

So Oedipus fulfilled the prophecy and unknowingly killed his own father. The prophecy that O. would kill his father led Laius (a man with a pretty creepy past to atone for even before attempting to kill his own son) to have the baby Oedipus left on a mountain top to die. But as Oedipus concludes in this poem, the destruction of his father is also self-destruction--and everyone knows the rest of the prophecy isn't too cheerful either. The sins of the fathers...

How to Paper Piece a Hogwart's Crest or Quilting Harry Potter

Are you a Quilter and a Harry Potter fan? I found this link to Harry Potter Paper Piecing Patterns :) (tongue twister!) while visiting Sunshower Quilts. You can paper piece the Hogwart's Crest and much more. Katrina has done her own beautiful HP quilt--check it out.

I'm losing momentum on my list. Things have been a bit hectic around here lately, and my schedule frequently disrupted. Yesterday I did manage to work on my latest Halloween quilt - Yea! Hope more progress will be forthcoming today.

Last year, I moved this butterfly plant (not Buddleia davidii) last year after the drought had damaged it. I cut it almost to the ground and transplanted it. Although in the past, it was a beautiful spring and summer bloomer, nothing happened until a couple of days ago.




Last night, I watched (Fee went to sleep, of course) Mrs. Henderson Presents. Dame Judith and Bob Hoskins were wonderful in it. I love anything with Judi Dench, an inspiration in any role. The night before "we" watched Bride and Prejudice which was so much fun, so colorful, so charming.

Sewn Prayer and more about cobbler :)

I love hand-made books and came upon this one, Sewn Prayer, that seems so connected with the quilting world. It is located in the Spirit Book Gallery of Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord. The caption next to it reads: Sewn Prayer was named for the act of sewing, which is considered a symbol of life and its temporal nature. Click on any picture to enlarge.

Frances Pickering is also a book artist and an embroiderer who creates some charming journals. She also teaches weekend courses at Hawkwood College...what a beautiful place to indulge the muse.

And, by the way, the raspberry cobbler was delicious! The recipe was so quick and easy, and if a bit different from other cobblers, still quite good--especially when topped with ice cream!

From Cardiologist to Cobbler

I was up this morning by 5:15 so I could pick up Laddie and get him to the cardiologist by 7:00. We weren't finished until nearly 10:00, and by that time, I was practically a popsicle. In addition to the misery of death by frost, the chairs cut off the circulation in my legs. And I was hungry. Whine, whine, whine. As soon as Laddie was done, we were out of there like a flash and on our way to BREAKFAST at Strawn's. Coffee, eggs, bacon, toast, grits...mmmm. I kept my hands gripped around that coffee cup, absorbing warmth.

When I was turning in to drop Laddie off (full of his favorite meal), Fee called and said to meet him at Sam's. When he finally arrived, we did the usual tour, and I managed to put quite a few things in the basket. This took a good bit of time, so it was after 12:00 when I got back across the river and home.

My master plan included making apple bread this afternoon, but that was before raspberries came into the picture. Now, I'm planning on a cobbler.

Remember, I've got goals and cooking is on that list.

Back to work on 3rd little quilt

I finally decided to throw out my previous ideas for the 3rd Halloween quilt and start over. Decided to add a witch and keep a cat, but not the yucky one I worked on for awhile. After sketching out my new characters, I got busy and accomplished a good bit --considering all the interruptions. Here is what I have so far.

I'm still having fun reading my R.I.P. books and am planning on reading some bonus books before Halloween. Just finished Wilkie Collins' The Haunted Hotel (reviewed here), first published in 1879. I loved The Moonstone and The Woman in White when I was young; this one is much shorter but still fun.

Rain!

Rain! Yes, finally! And the high today is supposed to be 86...wonderful, wonderful rain and cooler temperatures.

pull bull

Carl V posted about Miel-Margarita Paredes' site a while back, and I've gone back to admire and desire several pieces. Loved "visiting" the studio, too. Isn't this an interesting bovine toy?


When I started recording my childhood memories, I didn't think I'd remember much, but the darn thing is turning into a book! Every incident I record leads to thoughts of something else. At one point, the idea was to go back over all the separate little incidents and organize them into a coherent whole. Now, I doubt that I'll ever finish...

Friday, Mac wasn't feeling too spry and, worried about the past problems with pancreatitis, I took him to the vet. Colonitis - Mac received some treatment and I came home poorer, but armed with special food, antibiotics, Lomotil, and instructions to keep a close eye on him. If he didn't improve, he had to go back for blood tests. Most of the time he seems to feel fine, but every once in a while, he seems a little subdued and my worry quotient goes up until he cavorts a bit to make me feel better.

Laddie and I drove all over the country yesterday; we took all the back roads (and many are less than roads) looking at fence lines, the effects of the drought, where my brother or Glen has disked up various fields. We looked for turkeys, but none showed themselves. No deer either, but they don't usually venture from the woods until dusk.

In many areas, we left a huge dust cloud behind us. We crawled all over his hundreds of acres; in some cases I had to drive slowly because of the ruts, but even when the ride was just bumpy, he kept telling me to slow down so he could see if there was any water in the sloughs or to tell me who had adjoining property, or where he got the tractor stuck on several occasions or... It was a pleasant, slow-paced several hours, and he kept up a steady stream of comments. Today, however, I still feel as if my throat is coated with dust.

quiltnbee's post

Reading Deborah the Librarian's (aka Knitstory's) post this morning led me back to this piece by quiltnbee--which I hurriedly read originally and, well, wasn't quite up to dealing with at the time because I was stressed/distressed. However, it is such a beautiful and thoughtful post, and on returning to it, I wanted to be sure and to add my vote to the Librarian's and to nominate this post for the BMH (Blog Medal of Honor) Short List.

Some personal goals...

These are some personal goals that I hope to keep in mind for the next few months...or longer. The list at Self-University (discussed in an earlier post) inspired me to write down a few and begin working on them. Better late than never, eh? Some items are new, others are just some things that I've not been fully committed to and want to attempt to make them habit. (I'm really lame, aren't I?)

1. writing - write memories of childhood for grandchildren (have been doing this, writing a little almost every day); write real letters to people instead of relying on the phone or email...have only managed one so far.

2. genealogy - working slowly on this, but finding it interesting research; discovering census records listing members of a household and their ages and place of residence sparks my imagination

3. clean 0ut, dispose of - I attempt this "slate cleaning" regularly, but don't usually get far; need to get in the habit of disposing of items that become clutter before they begin to accumulate; this may not seem like self-education, but it is a way of clearing the decks and examining what is important and what can be let go. Self-reflection and self-examination, don't you think?

4. read the R.I.P challenge books - no problem, this is going quite well.



5. cook - I'm a "seldom" cook kind of person since the kids have long had their own homes and Fee travels; I find myself resenting the prep time, actual cooking time, and clean up, but I'm working on it. I've tried a couple of new recipes lately. The trying new recipes does encourage me to cook more...and to eat more.

6. Collage a week - Kim at Skybellarts does this and the idea appeals to me, but with things so disorganized at the moment (Fee is replacing the floor in the spare bedroom and stuff has gotten piled in my sewing room), I haven't gotten started on this.

7. keep up with current stuff in literature and culture - Arts and Letters Daily is a great resource. I also check in at the NPR website and have some news aggregates that provide interesting articles.

8. walk or do qigong every day -(not quite succeeding here, but working on it)- Mind & Body work together...I always found learning and memorization easier if I paced and walking is both excellent exercise and conducive to thinking; qigong is excellent for mental, emotional, and physical reasons.

As Hamlet told Gertrude: "Assume a virtue if you have it not...for use can almost change the stamp of nature..." How else are habits built? Or can you really teach an old dog...?

I'm so lame...

In yesterday's comments, Jane Ann mentioned her banner...doesn't it look great? Especially with the old patterns framed underneath.

For the last two days, Blogger has refused to add pictures. BAD BLOGGER!

Deborah sent me this by email, but when I visited her blog, she has it posted there with her answers. Here are her instructions:

Participate with me on this. This is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be LAME and spoil the fun! Just give in and do it. Copy, not forward, this entire e-mail and paste it into new email. Change all the answers so that they apply to you then send this to a whole bunch of people you know *including* the person who sent it to you. Put your name in the subject. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little known facts about your friends. It is fun and easy 48 questions to answer. Work with me!

I had to laugh because I AM lame, and if she hadn't included that and the "Work with me!", I'd probably have just read her answers and moved on. Instead, I "gave in and did it." It is a revealing little meme, but not a serious one. Anyone who wants to participate, feel free, and please leave me a link in the comment sections so I can check it out (I'm so nosy).

1. FIRST NAME? Jenny
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Jenny from one grandmother; Claire from the other.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? I have never been much of a cryer and would cry more over a book or a movie than in real life. The past year has changed that.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Turkey
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Probably not a close friend. My friends have always been more outgoing than I am.
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Yes, although since I started blogging, it gets fewer updates.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Uh uh!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Kellog's Crunchy Blend Mueslix with raisins, dates, & almonds

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEMOFF? No.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? What I lack in strength, I often make up for with determination and agility. I am in pretty good physical condition, but have never had upper body strength.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Homemade vanilla
14. SHOE SIZE? 6
15. FAVORITE COLOR? Red. No, orange. Or red.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUTYOURSELF? High anxiety at certain times.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My mother.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Yes, please
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? jeans, brown sandles
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? A Quaker Chewey Honey Nut bar

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? HGTV is in the background
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? green
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? basil and rosemary when my dog brushes through them and releases the scent; baking bread
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THEPHONE? Fee, last night (he is in Natchez, but should be back today)
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOUARE ATTRACTED TO? First - friendly expression.
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes, although our connection is through our blogs, and we will probably never meet in person.
27. FAVORITE DRINK? Diet Coke; Margarita on the rocks
28. FAVORITE SPORT? Tai Chi
29. EYE COLOR? blue
30. HAT SIZE? don't know

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Had lasic surgery and now wear reading glasses (All The Time!)
32. FAVORITE FOOD? too many
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? SCARY!
34. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? white
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter (ours are brief)
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs - I often get "skin hungry" for my children and grandchildren and need that full contact
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? apple cobbler with ice cream
38. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Golden Boy (biography), The Keep, A Map of Glass, and will probably begin The Haunted Hotel today
39. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? not a thing

40. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Didn't watch tv last night
41. FAVORITE SOUNDS? the ocean, wind, rain,
42. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles absolutely if that's my only choice (going with Deborah on this) 43. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? England and Scotland
44. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? uh... I'm a good reader?
45. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Ringgold, Louisiana
46. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Deborah, the Librarian
47. NEWEST THING YOU'VE TRIED? Photoshop and genealogical research
NEW QUESTION:
48. ONE THING YOU'D CHANGE ABOUT YOURSELF: I'd be less of a procrastinator

Old dog, new tricks

I'm copying and reposting this quote from my review on Eudora Welty's biography on my book blog because I like it so much. Near the end of her life, Eudora tells of a letter from an old friend:
"She said, 'I'm 90 years old now, and I feel like there's somebody else living inside my skin and not a friend.' I loved that! Isn't that wonderful? I know what she means. I understand. I guess she feels her body is not obeying her. She didn't mean an enemy but not a friend." from Eudora Welty: A Biography by Suzanne Marrs.

I love the way Eudora enthusiastically seizes her friend's description.

I've been trying to master technology and not succeeding very well. Maybe it is just a matter of moving so slowly and painfully. Like everyone else, my favorite learning is where I make great leaps forward. I read directions in the Photoshop book and have no idea what has been said, and often don't know the terms used. This program is so far over my head and above my needs...

Have also been struggling with some geneaological research. I do like research, but find myself sitting down at say, 3:00 and suddenly finding that it is 5:30, and although I've covered hundreds of census records, I've not made that much progress. It is a fascinating activity to someone who enjoys research, but after getting caught up for hours, your eyes are tired, your back and shoulders ache, your neck is riveted in place.

Ancestry.com is an interesting program, but it, too, requires a lot of getting used to.

Apple Bread

Here is the Apple Bread recipe that Booklogged and Framed asked about:
Image from Wikipedia
3 eggs, beaten 1 t. baking soda
2 c. sugar 1 t. cinnnamon
1 c. oil 3-4 apples, cored and chopped
1 T. vanilla extract 1 c. chopped pecans (or walnuts)
3 c. all-purpose flour

Combine eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla until well mixed. Combine flour, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into egg mixture. Fold in apples and pecans. Divide equally between 2 greased and floured 9" x 5" loaf pans.
Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and 10 minutes. Two loaves :)



I can't find my eggplant recipe and emailed Erin to see if she could find it, but since she has moved, I haven't tried the email, and it may have changed.

Neither do I have Eric's tabouli recipe, but it uses couscous, green onions (I think), chopped tomatoes, golden raisins (a surprise touch), and I can't remember what else. It is beyond delicious! Erin, if you read this, I would like the Eggplant recipe and Eric's tabouli recipe...please.

Mythic Medusa

My own quilting is stalled again. I'm not going to bother to list the reasons (excuses), but just because I'm not actively working right now doesn't mean I'm not thinking about quilting.

Medusa by Kim at SkyBellArts



I regularly visit Skybellarts because Kim's work is always interesting and innovative. Check out her Friday Collages where Kim produces a collage each week, an excellent way to keep the creativity rolling.

The one I want to share (with Kim's permission) is Medusa, Week 36, Friday Collage. Don't you love the hair? Kim says it sits about 1/4" above the quilt, if you click to enlarge the picture, you can see the dimension better.

When you visit her site, please take a minute to view To Love That Well, her August Journal Quilt.

Here is a link to the JQC2006 album, another great place to visit. Some people did a better job of keeping up than I did.

Word Play and Recipe

Antagonyms (a word to describe words that have contradictory meanings) full list on this site -

Anxious: Full of mental distress because of apprehension of danger or misfortune [in effect, seeking to avoid] (We were anxious about the nearby gunshots.) vs. Eager or looking forward to (Until you returned, I was anxious to see you.)
Apparent: Not clear or certain (For now, he is the apparent winner of the contest.) vs. Obvious (The solution to the problem was apparent to all.)
Assume: To actually have (To assume office) vs. To hope to have ("He assumed he would be elected.")
Cite, Citation: For doing good (such as military gallantry) vs. for doing bad (such as from a traffic policeman)
Cleave: To adhere tightly vs. To cut apart
Clip: to attach vs. to cut off
More here...

Booklogged expressed an interest in the recipes from yesterday's favorite foods. Here is one that did real service when my kids were young.

Leslie's Chicken (version of King Ranch Chicken Casserole)

4-6 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 jar sliced mushrooms (or sliced fresh mushrooms)
1 pkg. grated cheese
1 large package of Doritoes
1 T. butter
1/2 onion chopped

• Boil chicken until tender; let cool; bone, cut into bite sizes
• Mix soups and Ro-tel tomatoes; heat 10-15 minutes
• Saute onion in butter (and if using fresh mushrooms, add them)
• Mix onion and mushrooms with soups
• Stir boned chicken into soups

Layer: crushed Doritoes and chicken mixture; top with crushed Doritoes and cheese

Bake at 350 until bubbly...

One-dish meal, hot and tasty, and makes wonderful left overs. A bazillion calories...

Fee got Photoshop CS2 Photoshop for me (we had one version that came on a computer several years ago, and I loved it). This version is so much more complicated! The main thing I wanted was a way to repair old photographs; that was pretty slow work on the old version, but worth it. At any rate, there is a lot to learn, and here resides a resistant learner of technology, not because I don't want to learn, but because it is difficult and time-consuming.

Favorite Foods and Gothic Photographs

Booklogged tagged me for this meme on Must Try foods:

1. Quick Breads - I love banana bread, zucchini bread, and apple bread. They are quick and easy to make and just sweet enough.
2. Leslie's Chicken - same as King Ranch Chicken, but the recipe came through Leslie all those years ago. I rarely make this anymore, but have such strong associations with the time when my kids were growing up.
3. Eggplant Coins - Erin gave me this recipe, an eggplant parmesan variation, several years ago when she was in law school. I love eggplant in almost any recipe.
4. Tomato Basil soup - from a small local restaurant. I've never liked tomato soup before, but this stuff is heavenly. I buy small containers of it in the fall and winter and indulge myself.
5. Eric's (son-in-law) wonderful tabouli. Mmmmm!

Anyone who wants to is welcome to try this meme. But leave a link in the comments so I can visit, please! :)

Simon Marsden's photographs are remarkable. You can look by category: Arcane Arches and Decorative Doorways, Crumbling Castles, Dark Towers, Gothic Graveyards, Grotesque Gargoyles, Haunted Houses, Romantic Ruins...to list just a few. Found this via Carl V. and nominate Simon Marsden for best Gothic Photographer.

This and that...again

As I mentioned on my book blog, I received my 5 R.I.P. Challenge books from Amazon yesterday and started reading last night. Quite a lurid cover for my first read. Gothic novels are such a perfect fall addition, although this novel has a slightly different cast...a sort of marriage of Goth and science fiction; published in 1908.

While wishing for days with highs in the low 70's, I'm actually pleased with days in the low 90's and a little less humidity. In the fall, rainy days are a pleasure, an excuse for staying in and cuddling up with a good book, but no rain here...just something to wish for.

I've been giving thought to how to adapt some of the Self-University possibilities and am making a tentative list of my own personal goals. I always have quilting techniques to attempt and tai chi to work on, but I'm reviewing the 52 items for some other ways to expand my knowledge, imagination, and abilities.

Shelina is also going to making adaptations and working her way through her own self-education goals. I think Rian could work with the new SUV and RV for trips that are both fun and full of learning. Any of the rest of you have possibilities in mind to pursue or adapt?

Framed posted this list of Alternate Meanings. I love them.

Lifelong Learning

Found this on Catana's blog and wanted to share. I've always believed in the value of self-education, either in conjunction with a school system or without any formal schooling. The best educated people are those who pursue something they love...taking advantage of whatever is available on the subject. One of my favorite autodidacts is Charles Darwin, who studied and learned and experimented and wrote for the simple love of it. I used to tell my students that although formal education can be valuable (if you want it to be), the most effective education is the one an individual embarks on for his own benefit and pleasure.

The first week in September is Self-University Week and 52 possibilities for celebrating lifelong learning are suggested. As I didn't happen on this post until the week had nearly passed, I'm going to start now and not worry about a time table at all. If I managed only one a week for the next year, I'd be quite pleased with myself. Truthfully, however, what I will do is interpret and re-interpret these ideas to suit myself. I will pick and choose and revise -- and still profit from the experience.


Here are two fall decorations I picked up at Joanne's at 50% off. I'm not sure where I'm going to put them yet, probably in the back garden.

Pomegranates and flowers

I love Dijanne Cevaal's Pomegranates and was amused to read that she ended up stitching them so intently that they became more time-consuming than she wanted. We all find that it is easy to get caught up in the stitching and spend way more time than intended. At any rate, I find the little pomegranates with their seeds and stitched details, elaborately stitched backgrounds, lovely colors, and "Cevaal" look so charming.



Some fall pots. Not much selection at Lowe's yesterday, but these little asters and dianthus were pretty. Other early morning shot of Chinese Chives -- invasive little buggers -- but so welcome at this time of year.

Elder Blogging and PSYOP

As Time Goes By has become a favorite daily read for me. Interesting topics for those of us who are, well, of a certain age. Here is a link to some Old Folks Jokes, Ronni just posted, and here is a link to a post about Baby Boomers. I find this an informative, stimulating, and often amusing place to visit.

I found this over at Kim's Something to Say and think it is the best advertisement for Coke I've ever seen. Such fun...and so creative.

Spoofing and apologies

I've just spent quite a bit of time with tech support and spyware scans since my email address was "spoofed" by a V--gra spammer. My sincere apologies to those who have received any emails from "me" to that effect. They did not originate here.

experimenting with woven strips

for a background. Saw this on Simply Quilts recently and decided to try it using Halloween fabrics. Some strips were cut, some torn, some were left overs. Some pieces are really raveled, others are not.

After all strips were woven (on top of fusible web), I used the iron to complete the fused piece of fabric which can now be picked up and transported easily. You can see the fusible on the bottom as I haven't squared the piece up yet.

How pleased am I? I'm not really sure...this was such a spontaneous thing and can easily be transformed by applique and quilting, but at present it isn't too much.

So, what to do with this background? I'm working on some ideas for the applique, but no decisions yet.

Human emotions and odd & interesting sites

This fascinating site tracks human emotions as related in blogs. I had fun playing with this one...so many ways to approach it. I think I liked "murmurs" and "mounds" the best.

The Memory Hole lists suppressed news stories.

A Literary Map of Manhatten....

I've updated my August reading list at my book blog and joined a fall reading challenge focusing on scary, gothic, supernatural books.