Driftwood Craft Kit... Unassembled

Himself and I have a favorite place along the Mississippi River to find pieces of driftwood. 

After a flood it piles up in huge mounds.  The easy to access places we dig around in all year.  But some areas it is caught up in brushy places.  For those we have to wait until after a couple freezes… I don’t risk coming face-to-face with a copperhead or water moccasin!

There are twigs… sticks… branches… and LOGS!

Recently – having been inspired by the great signs people are making – I have been picking up drift boards.  This is one that “got away”.  I couldn’t fit it in my truck with all the other things I had back there.

But I did grab up these boards!

And found a small amount of driftwood I liked.

It will be added to my pile of driftwood at home for future projects. I keep my driftboards on a shelf in the garage.

That is a lot of future fun and funky projects in that pile!

The Stories That Will Never Be Told

A grandson once asked, “What did great-grandpa believe?

What were his prayers? What gave him his hope?

His grandson replied, “He had family preachings:

I hid in the coop; to miss his sermons – my hope!”

 

A grandson once asked, “What did great-grandma Aline like?

What made her laugh? What were her dreams?”

Her grand-daughter replied, “There were 9 children,

A farm to be run… how could she dream?”

 

A great-nephew once asked, “Why did they travel so?

What did they see? Where did they go?

Their niece replied, “They went all over,

Staying with each relative… saving their dough!”

Who were these people whose bloodline I share?

What made them smile, what job was their task?

So many questions I wanted to know…

Now only silence… no one had asked.

This blog is in response to the “You Capture” photo challenge – “Silence”.

http://www.ishouldbefoldinglaundry.com/2010/11/you-capture-halloween-silence.html 

Birthday Crab Boil for Himself

In my family, birthdays are special. The birthday person is the king or queen of the day with a special meal and presents.  October is Himself’s birthday month. We celebrated with a crab boil done up by my brother-in-law. The huge stock pot I brought up was too large for the gas grill…

… so we switched gears and made a wood fire to cook by.

When there was a good bed of coals and more wood burning, BIL transferred the stock pot onto the stone tripod.

The fire was built back up and we waited as it came to a boil.

BIL kept watch so he could get the timing right for all the things he would be adding:

potatoes, then corn, then lobster, then king crab and finally shrimp.

My Dad kept watch too.  A fire is a nice place to sit around and talk.

Finally the steaming pot was done and it was time to eat.

Little Bird enjoyed her first ear of corn.

And the rest of us hoovered the delicious seafood.  There weren’t many leftovers that night!

Zoo Day with the Babies

Little Bird was all dressed up with someplace to go!  She was told she looked very chic.

"Hey Grandma!  Look at this big ol' frog."

Little Bird enjoyed watching the meerkats in the Children's Zoo.

And they enjoyed watching her!

No Little Bird, you can't get in with the bunnies!

And where was Little Hoss? 

Sound asleep in the stroller!  Even the screaming lemurs didn't wake him up.

Photo Challenge: Architectural elements

STEEPLES

Ancient

or new,

they reach to the sky.

Bells call the faithful,

ringing through hills and town.

A landmark to guide,

the angels keep watch,

their Light house is dear. 

Photos shot on location in:

Cartagena, Columbia

Nairobi, Kenya

Budapest, Hungary

Celaya, Mexico

Guanajuato, Mexico

Granada, Nicaragua

Debre Zeit, Ethiopia

Celaya, Mexico

Post in response to the photo challenge at Razmataz 

http://razmatazblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/phot-challenge-architecture.html

Turning a New Leaf

"Fall Splendor” by Kimberly Santiago

For my next painting class I decided that if I can’t do a tree… maybe I could manage a leaf.

We started by blocking out shapes on our canvas.  Soon a series of triangles became a leaf form (sort of…). 

A few more strokes and some filling in and it did kind of look like a leaf.

What kind of leaf I’m not sure. It looked a little like a cross between a maple and an oak.

Maybe it is a “moak” leaf.

 

Yep… That’s what it is! It looks JUST like a moak leaf.

(At least I had a lot of fun… )

Good Eats: Broussards of Cape Giraudeau, MO

A few weeks ago I had the chance to have some Cajun food with my parents. I jumped at the chance!

I met them in Cape Girardeau, MO and we rode together downtown to Broussard’s. It’s part of a bar and grill. Even tho there is a non smoking section… you have to walk thru the bar to get to it and some does spill over. So if you are allergic this is something to be aware of.

The menu was full of Cajun staples… jambalaya, etouffe, gumbo, red beans and rice and so on. Fried frog legs, crayfish and alligator. How do you decide when everything sounds so tasty?

You don’t!

 

I ordered the sampler meal where you can pick 3 items from a list of about 8 different entrée offerings.  I had Shrimp Creole, Jambalaya and Crayfish Etouffe.  It came with a side of red beans and rice.  The creole and etouffe where fairly mild but the jambalaya and red bean could heat you up fast!   I thought it would be 'tasting' portions but it was an insane amount of food!

 As Cajun cook Justin Wilson would have said…

“Whooooo Boy! Dat’s good! I gar-on-tee!!!”

http://www.broussardscajuncuisine.com/