Of Recent Interest

 Camelias are starting to bloom...

 I am anxious to shoot a deer this year, so I can make this recipe (venison loin rolled with goat cheese, spinach and salami)...

Turducken VIII involved improvements in the greenhouse and frigid temperatures.

Happy Birthday Jenny!

Today, we celebrate my best friend! She's pretty awesome.

Tis the Season

We adopted two Salvation Army Angels this year, a 4 yr old boy and a 66 yr old woman. We enjoyed shopping for their gifts and even braved Black Friday to get some great deals for them. It was nice to take some time to do a little for those less fortunate this year. Merry Christmas!! 

Making new friends

Bernadette has befriended a puppy from down the hill. He comes up and chases her around the backyard. I draw the line at her bringing him in the house. 

 I recently made friends with a goat. His hide made my new boots beautiful.

The Historic Klondyke

Flashback: Friday lunch at the Klondyke is the best. Shown here is the fried catfish with crawfish creole sauce, paired with Pranqster, a Belgian Golden Ale by North Coast Brewing. Whether you have a beer or not, do yourself a favor and stop in here for lunch. You won't be sorry (or hungry). 

While there, look for the VFM plaque presented to Delta Brews members who served their beer to the public during a recent brewing event downtown.

Hello, Honey!

The bees were not fooled by beer v. mead at the Teach a Friend to Brew day downtown.

Beat Like a Dog

Looks something like this. At least in our house. Because of the still photo, hard to hear snoring and see her feet moving as she dreams. You'll have to trust me.

Texas Weekend

Barrett and I went to Houston this weekend to meet up with friends and catch a football game. We enjoyed staying with the Yoos, who were busy with a softball tournament, but made us feel welcome. Barrett has a new friend in Lila, for sure.

We also met Jenny & Greg and Truck & Holly for the Vandy-Texas A&M football game in College Station. Good times!! I enjoyed the Corps of Cadets and all the A&M traditions.

His first trip to TX included kolaches, a trip to Buc-ees and Lone Star beer. We'll be back, for sure!

Creature Comforts

Demand more, Annie does.

Sporty Sven

Thanks to Jeff for donating Yakima bike and boat rack for the Volvo. He recently sold his Volvo wagon and this rack didn't fit his wife's car. We happily accepted this surplus material and hope to use it often, for bikes, boats, maybe even two by fours!

Behind the Eight Ball

So excited the Vicksburg Farmers Market is back in full swing. I enjoyed finding some new offerings, red and white swiss chard, green and purple kohlrabi, lots of zucchini. I was amazed at how INEXPENSIVE the vegetables were. Stuffed these beautiful eight ball zucchini with sautéed vegetables and ground turkey. Anyone out there have kohlrabi recipes?

I miss long sleeves already...

Se BON!

Quebec, though not OFFICIALLY a nation, has a culture all its own. Ethnic Supper Club honored that culture this weekend, led by our own Lac St Jean native, Sophie!

I was in charge of poutine, which is a dish not unique to Quebec, but still one that is taken VERY seriously. French fries with gravy and cheese curds. I made homemade cheddar cheese curds for the first time, fried the potatoes TWICE (once at 325 and once at 375) to get that darker color, and made too little gravy. But I think they were a hit. No ketchup needed, here. 

 Here is our own 'bleuet' which is the French word for blueberry, and the nickname of people from the Lac St Jean area. She made tourtiere, which is like a meat and potatoes pot pie, very rustic and often made with wild game. This one had beef, pork, deer and something else.

 Denise and Jay, self-professed onion haters, took on French Onion soup and NAILED it! It was wonderfully rich, sweet from the carmelized onions and I did everything but lick the bowl.

Entree looked something like this--blueberry and red wine braised wild boar, pickled beets, salad a la creme, and traditional tourtiere.

Not pictured here were the desserts, Pouding chomeur and beignets. The latter were a huge hit with the kids, big and small! 

Curiosity, or something more

I lost my cat, Millie, this week. She had enjoyed spending more time out of doors lately, and I was helpless to refuse her. Ultimately, she was declawed, old and not tough enough to be outside. I found her this week, and will miss her terribly, but know she was happy until the end. It is somewhat easier than Max, because she didn't suffer, and I didn't have to make the call on ending her life. But it is still really hard. 

I love kids....

When they cry, ultimately someone else is on the hook.

Wild Kingdom

This act of nature was found by my neighbors during a casual Sunday drop in. Spring is in full swing!

I wish they lasted longer...

Azalea tunnel to the front door is possible with a little more neglect.

Movin' On to Larger Invetebrates

This weekend, shrimp and crawfish. But mostly shrimp. Huge, delicious shrimp. Boiled AND BBQed because life is full of tough choices, but this wasn't one of them.

Please Donate

I am raising money for St Jude's Children's Hospital this spring. I signed up for this as part of my Warrior Dash team of me, Jay and Denise. Any amount helps, so please donate and make a difference. More coming on this as the race approaches!

Look at THIS one!

Its always fun to sort through the crawfish and pick out the massive ones. This is the biggest one I could find, look at those claws!

Making Good Friday GREAT!

The crawfish and homebrew drew in the crowds, the weather was perfect and everyone had fun!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Persistence pays

After a couple of failed attempts, I have procured some new rennet and viola!! I am a cheese maker. And Kroger had three gallons of organic milk marked down. I may be headed back there for more. I may have a problem. But hold the intervention until after the pizza.

Spring has Sprung!

And Grady is rocking the seersucker!

Spring Breakers!

Xandi, Nik and Boomer made their way south last week for a visit! 

Bernadette graciously tolerated Boomer's excessive shows of affection. Most of the time. 

 We had dinner at Rusty's one night. Maybe for the last time (service leaves a LOT to be desired).

We had a great time, enjoyed lots of good food, had a movie date, and closed out in Jackson at the St Patricks Day parade. Nik even cleaned out my gutters one day! Love these kids.