Tick Tock

OMG ... it's the end of summer .... for the rest of you.

Down here in the land of gators and gumbos, it's difficult to tell, and frankly, y'all, we don't give a damn.

From Sunup to Sundown

What's this? Something is wrong, wrong, wrong. The weatherometer is all out of whack. It's is not supposed to rain til three in the afternoon. Everybody knows that's how things work on the Gulf Coast. Well, except for all of you cowards who scurry back up north when the heat and humidity soar up into the triple digits. Oh, you'll be slipping back quick enough when the S-N-O-W starts flying. But I digress .... when I awoke this AM what to my wondering eyes should appear ... oh, wait - that's a different blog. A rainbow, first thing. And isn't the arc all cattywampus? The darn thing seems to curve back under the building. Someone has probably discovered the pot of gold in the parking garage on his way to work. No need for me to run down.

Storms racing up and down the river all day. Thunder, lightning, clouds, and raindrops (and not the pattering kind either), and then, this glorious sunset. I, of course, have fifty more pictures of it, but I've been told I don't need to share them all.

So cheers from the Southwest Florida coast to wherever you are.

Sundown

I have not seen the sunset in Ann Arbor lately, but the top image is the latest end-of-the-day drop of the ball across the Caloosahatchee. The bottom photo is August two years ago in New Zealand with the big orb dipping into the Pacific.

When we eventually returned to America, the #1 son clicked through our boatload of photos on his huge- screen TV (Texas) and remarked, " Too many pictures of sunsets."

I guess I didn't listen.

It's a Bird

Low tide and smooth waters bring the always eye-catching roseate spoonbills to sip and sup in the Gulf. We love 'em even though they don't usually hang around and chat.

click on photos to enlarge

Let it Rain

We are the sunshine state (it says that on our license plates), but this time of year the storms roll through every afternoon. We don't mind. As long as those blustery hurricanes leave us alone, we are content to let a little rain fall into our lives. Well, actually ..... it's a lot with quite a bit of lightning and thunder, but we don't complain because we have such sunny personalities.

A la Cuisine

Obviously ........ I am being held hostage in my kitchen ....... or I am holed up in my pantry in anticipation of the hurricanes heading our way ....... or it's just too fryin' hot to venture out to a restaurant.

You say courgette; I say zucchini - let's make soup. Chilled, of course. Come on, people ..... it's summer.

Berrylicious

I know you're wondering who has taken over my blog. Simple, actually. If you want good food, you have to cook - occasionally. These little morsels are blackberry something or others from the August issue of Food and Wine. You may have noticed that some of the blackberries resemble strawberries. This is Florida, people, -- food spoils quickly. Some of the berries were just not able to make it to the game. Always have a Plan B.

Nenah Knits

Let me preface my comments with the confession that the last few sweaters that I have begun, I have not finished. Of course, you say. You were probably too busy splashing in the surf or sipping Chardonnay. Not exactly. The world's cutest clothes horse was inconsiderate enough to outgrow the garment before I even removed it from the needles. The nerve.

The knitting seems to be going well in the beginning stages, and the bright colors make me happy.


Not too much later I am starting to think that maybe just one color would have been a wiser choice. At this rate, the little Beau Brummel is going to be a high-school graduate before I manage to untangle this melange.

Ah, patience and progress. Knit and purl and follow the color chart.

I know. You want one too. But I can assure you that this is a one-of-a kind designer jumper (NZ) to be worn only by the world's cutest trendsetter.

So ... the sweater is winging its way across the ocean to New Zealand where winter still reigns - and it had just better fit the jigsaw puzzle king.

And yes, I would rather be in Paris - although I hear the weather has been horrible (slipping into French pronunciation) this summer.

Page Two

The chicken insisted on coming to dinner again. Fortunately I was able to find the kitchen and whip up a little something. I would prefer going out to dinner, but the chicken was not in the mood. Maybe next time.

As you probably know, I am not chained to my kitchen stove. Maybe if I had one of those massive gas ranges...... Anyhow, I do love these guys, Ms. Salt and Mr. Pepper. Battery-powered with a light underneath.

And these bad boys .... who doesn't love them in a kitchen? Well, yeah. How empty would that corner look without them? Geesh.

Of course, there is nothing in the Williams-Sonoma catalog that I wouldn't like to own. Notice that I said own, not use.

I adore Ina Garten. I watch her shows, buy her products, recreate her recipes; but I would be really, really happy if she invited me to lunch ----- at her house.

Someone's in the Kitchen

I may have OD'd on the cooking channel this weekend. Y'all know that my favorite meals are usually prepared in restaurant kitchens. I mean, after all, shouldn't we really leave cooking to the professionals?

At any rate, I found myself alone in my kitchen with a naked chicken. I offered it a glass of wine, but it seemed to prefer a concoction of prunes (yes, prunes) and french green olives that I threw together. Strange creatures, chickens. Pale and anemic-looking too.

Much more attractive with a tan.