Running Outdoors!

I'm celebrating Outdoor Wednesday with a special highlighting of my son's collection.  Baby Boy is a collector.  He began collecting freeway signs and street signs several years ago.  He's only 13, but can navigate and bid on eBay like no one I know!

He actually found this sign at a local antique/collectables store.  I told him we could put it in the backyard, but I got to pick the location.  So, we ended up putting it at the end of the walkway to the backyard.  I thought it was funny that the arrow points to the fence - not the way to the backyard.  Baby Boy doesn't share my humor (sadly) and he wondered why we didn't make the arrow point the other way.  Having to explain my humor is complicated, so I just quietly walked away.

I think it's fun.  Not your traditional backyard accessory.

Thanks for visiting today!  Be sure to check out Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer! 

Running on Shoesday!

It's back!  It's Tuesday Shoesday! 

It's still "toasty warm" around town, so these fun shoes are cool and comfy!  I've gotten lots of compliments on my shoes, even from my students - so they must be cool!

Thanks for stopping by today - enjoy your Shoesday Tuesday!!

Running with Julia!

Our theme dinners with the Mr. & Mrs. Wine Guru have been going along deliciously!!  One of our summer dinner themes was recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking (by none other than...Julia Child).

We choose recipes that we could actually pronounce...well almost...

Our dinner was set for 6:30, and preparations began the day before.  The Wine Gurus spent the day before searching and scavenging, making friends with butchers, and driving around town!

Hubby and I didn't have to run around too much, but we started preparing at 10:00 am - a full 8 hours before our dinner!

Here's everything we used...half the day was spent cleaning up!!

So, lets translate...Coquilles St. Jacques, better known as scallops (we thought ham and cheese sandwich at first...wrong!)

Braise Aux Choux Rouges...braised red cabbage.

Stuffed Beef Rollup - amazing how it sounds the same in English - no, I forgot the French name.

Reine de Saba - Chocolate Almond cake.

We began the evening with name tags, in French of course.  Google translate is the best...amazing how wonderful "bite me", "shut the #$#$ up", "my cat is crazy", and "I am a ham sandwich", all sound in French!!

Braised red cabbage

Stuffed Beef Roll-up!

By the time we were all done cooking, here's what the cookbook looked like!  Don't you love that look...a well-used cookbook!

Our assessment of the evening was:

1)  Scallops (the one thing I didn't get a picture of) were fantastic and worth the time.  These we would make again.

2)  Stuffed Beef Roll-ups - not so much...meat stuffed with more meat...not worth all the time.

3)  Braised red cabbage - uh...just ok...not worth the 4 hours of braising.

4)  Chocolate Almond Cake - oh yeah!! Totally worth the 30 minutes of beating, and the 2 different kinds of chocolate being melted over a double boiler, and the slicing of each tiny almond (not really).  This is a phenomenal cake - very spongy, not too sweet, really, really, good!

Here's to you Wine Gurus (aka The Evil Ones)!  We always have a fabulous time with you!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you're having fun cooking this season as well!

Running with Shadows!

I love my kitties!  They give me such simple joy.  When our last kitty died in November, we lived 6 weeks without a little 4-footed friend in the house.  It was lonely.  The cats have always greeted me at the door when I come home.  Don't get me wrong - I love my kids and hubby.  But, there's just something special about a pet.

So, for Shadowshot Sunday, I present to you...Sophie and Jack.  They love to look out the backyard slider...and dream of chasing a bird or a butterfly!  I love the morning shadows on the lawn and patio.  Wow, I wish I could have sat there all morning and enjoyed a mocha...sigh... Hope you enjoy this picture as much as I do.  (It took all my self-control not to turn this black and white!)

Don't forget to head over to Hey Harriet and check out the other shadows this weekend!

Thanks for stopping by today!  And, yes, an explanation for my month-long absence will be forthcoming!