In culinary news...

With a heavy heart, I've consumed the last bottle of the BEST SALAD DRESSING EVER. (Still delicious, even though it was MONTHS past the expiration date.) Goodbye, "Classic Greek with Imported Olive Oil" by New England Inn Recipes...you will be sorely missed.

Here's something weird...according to Google Analytics, most strangers who navigate to this blog from search engines land on the February, 2008 lament that this salad dressing had apparently been discontinued. They arrive using keywords like "crowley & shay's gourmet foods" and "crowley new england inn dressing" and every other conceivable combination of significant keywords.
And here's why I'm FINISHED trying to grow tomatoes in Abilene...

Birds. Horrible birds.

Sticking their filthy, avian-flu-riddled beaks into every tomato *just* as it begins to ripen.

Eating even the remotely pink ones down to the nub.

Houston saw a mockingbird reveling in the planter the other day as if it were his own personal salad bar. It is so frustrating because fresh tomatoes are one of the BEST things about summer. (One of my favorite memories is when Russell and Bethany and I grew cherry tomatoes at our duplex on Minter Lane. We had the BEST tomatoes in that sandy soil, and Bethany would eat them like candy. We also had marigolds and hot peppers...and even wild strawberries near the leaky, perpetually wet AC unit!)

In other news, the basil and rosemary are doing GREAT. The cilantro has already gone to seed; we cut it back to stalks and are wondering if it will come back. Will post details about the peppers, if there's any good news.

To Mom...

...thanks.

Thank you, Mom. You and I both know how much you've done for me...and I rise up and call you blessed. (Proverbs 31:28)

I like Ike. And Mike. And links. (Lots of links.)

Here's an exchange from a December, 1958 interview Edward R. Murrow conducted with the handsome, charming Gene Kelly on Murrow's hit television show Person to Person.

Murrow: "Well, from what you say, I gather that you'd agree with the people who say that we Americans are just plain getting too soft. right?"

Kelly: "Yes. Yes, I do. I think that we should have done more about the physical fitness program of President Eisenhower. A couple of years ago, he had great talks about going ahead with something nationally. We never did. Over 30, men don't take enough care of themselves--including myself--we all let ourselves go."

Murrow: "Too true, unfortunately!"

Oh, dear. Those two legends had no idea that so many Americans, including Yours Truly, would be so out of shape 51 years later! In fact, the doctor fussed at me about my weight on Monday, and so it's time to get back on the wagon. The brittle, dry, Wasa fiber-cracker, Sugar Buster wagon.

(Actually, I'm kinda' looking forward to the challenge...it's going to be harder to lose the weight now that I'm in my forties, but if I did it in 2002, I can do it again! As my college roomie Linda used to say, "I'm the boss of what I put in my mouth and am solely responsible for my own weight!" )

And though I'm still pretty weak from strep throat and have no plans to exercise today, I'm gonna' hit the track AND gym hard this weekend! (May Bee & Dolly will be so happy!) Plus, you all know how much I love Mike Huckabee (who lost 110 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes, y'all!); he and Chuck Norris are always preaching physical fitness so we'll do an extra lap for our boys, Mike and Chuck.

Hey, Damon, HOPE's preacher, put his sermon online so I didn't miss it, after all! (We're in the middle of a series on prayer.) Canton was fun, but it's a bummer to miss church. (Lauren & Curtis recently announced that they're leaving HOPE for grad school, and it makes me so sad.) That's the bad part about becoming friends with all of these ACU and Dyess folks...they keep leaving! The Thompsons, the Pattersons, the Driskells, Kadie, the Harmons, the Masseys, and tons of others...it's getting to the point where I'm almost afraid to like anyone!

Like Marsha in Season Two of Spaced...these young people keep breaking my heart!! (And if you haven't put both seasons of Spaced in your NetFlix queue, you are robbing only yourself. Overlook their horrible language, please, because the show is wonderful, and THANK YOU to Falisha to sharing it with me!!)

And finally, HOPE finally won a church league softball game! Go, Wildcats!!! Lauren (the one I'm going to miss) emailed me this picture of the team prayer after the game, noting that if you look really closely, you can see their win on the scoreboard. :-)

GLEE!

Thanks to Meg Cabot's blog for sharing the glee!

Unwell? Yep. Unhealthy? Check.

The best photo of our weekend in Canton!
(Aren't these two spectacular?)

Had a blast on the Big Shopping Trip of 2009, even though I hardly bought anything and woke up sick on the last day. We laughed until our sides hurt...from the time we got there on Friday and discovered while unpacking that ALL SEVEN of us had brought wine, continuing through Libby's fall into the hot tub, the Bra Incident, the White Elephant gift exchange, and our free breakfast before we all went our separate ways...some to the Tyler Rose Garden and zoo, some to the Tanger Outlets, and some back to Abilene.

Last night's fever of 101 is down to 100, but it still seems prudent to go to the doctor. (The appointment is in about an hour, and although it's probably just a sinus infection, the thought of sitting in a doctor's office during the Level Five Swine Flu Pandemic is rather off-putting.) At least I have the AISD Kindle 2 to keep me company...I'm not touching ANY of those H1N1-infected doctor's office magazines!

And finally, here's one of my favorite parts of Dad's sermon yesterday which I read for a devotional this morning. He quotes a Dr. Allen Hunt:

"Most Americans define themselves by what they have or what they do. That is dangerous territory to inhabit. Your life is not defined by what you own, possess, or have. Nor is your life best defined by what you do for a living, whether lawyer, athlete, or auto mechanic.

A part of you craves meaning and purpose. Listen to that voice within your soul. Tune out the voices around you that insist you buy more, consume more, borrow more, and own more. The more you possess, the more you will worry about it. The more time you will invest in caring for your stuff, and the more energy you will spend in insuring it and maintaining it. Your life consists of far more than the possessions you pile up.

Simplicity is your friend, not your enemy."

Wow. I know he's right because my fever last night gave me nightmares and, apparently, what I fear losing most has nothing to do with stocks or bonds or *things* at all...money has nothing at all to do with what is PRECIOUS.

Happy Monday, everyone! Listen to the President and wash your hands

UPDATE: Strep throat. My first-ever case of strep. (I'm so visibly swollen that my new best friend, Cecille, at the United Pharmacy on 14th Street thought at first that I had a toothache! BTW, Cecille is the all-time coolest...a pharmacist who will remind you of your mom!)

Unbought? Yep. Unbossed? Check.

Want to watch a great documentary? Check out Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed! (Karen thinks I've lost my mind because she just caught me watching it for the 4th time, but it's just so good! This movie made me laugh, it made me cry...it nearly made me a Democrat!)

Shirley Chisholm may have been called "abrasive" and "unrealistic," but she was BRAVE and she was ARTICULATE and she was PASSIONATE. She makes the politicians of today look like Cowardly Lions, afraid of their own shadow, afraid of taking a stand, afraid of committing to something that they'll have to flip-flop on next week. (And they *will* flip-flop, if they think it will keep them in power. At least with Mrs. Chisholm, everyone knew exactly where she stood!)

Three of my favorite minutes on the DVD come between minutes 39 and 42; here is an excerpt from a speech she gave to a crowd of supporters who greeted her on the tarmac of the Pensacola airport: "Why is it, constantly, quadrennially, when politicians come out from every corner to get the most important thing you have--your vote--why is it that it has to always be white males, white males, white males?"..."So ladies and gentlemen, I conclude by saying if you can't support me or you can't endorse me, get out of my way. You do your thing and let me do mine. God bless you!"

And then to a crowd of children in her office: "One of the reasons why Mrs. Chisholm is able to make it in spite of all the obstacles that she has against her--so many things...I'm a woman, I'm a black, I'm "maverick-y," I won't behave myself, the bosses can't manipulate me, white politicians don't like me, black politicians don't like me...you know why Mrs. Chisholm is able to sustain all of this? She has something that none of them can take from her--brain power!"

When one of the students says that white people probably don't think that "a lady would be in office," she responded "Not only white people, but black people, too, son! There are a lot of black politicians that don't think a woman should run for President. See? Because a woman doesn't run for President in the United States of America. That's why I'm trying to break the barriers."

After Ms. Chisholm tells the kids that she wishes that she could spend more time with them because "you all are so much more fascinating than a lot of these politicians," the students begin to take turns shaking her hand and wishing her goodbye and good luck. She is gracious and attentive and says this as she shakes their hands and sees them out of her office: "Nice of you to drop by, and don't forget to study hard...I'm paving the way for you...You don't disappoint me; you get your education!"

After the last child leaves, she says to campaign staffer Robert Gottlieb: "Robert, that's why I'm doing this. It's the only reason. Honest to God, with everything going against me."

One more reason why I liked it? She reminded Karen and me of Nanny...which is weird because she and Nanny had next-to-nothing in common. But you'll see! She's spunky and built exactly like Nanny and I'm pretty sure that they had many of the same outfits. You'll love it, regardless of political affiliation. (If this McCain/Palin supporter loved it, anyone can love it.)

Solid potato salad, anyone?

Just when it seemed like YouTube was out of great videos, Karen sat me down at her computer and made me watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG1vEbdGRoI

And then Kirsten emails this:

I'm not sure what Solid Potato Salad is, but perhaps we should all put it on the menu!

Before heading to Fort Worth...

...I should share this:

It's pretty cringe-worthy...and even though it's AMAZING, let's hope no pedestrians were harmed in the filming of this video!

Found the battery. She'll live.

Happy Birthday, Dad! Happy Honor Breakfast, Molly!

Posing for the camera, dodging Aunt Kristy's kisses, & singing "Happy Birthday" to Grandpa! (Dad was treated to "Happy Birthday" in TWO languages this morning; after we finished the last notes of our song, Kirsten piped up with "Hoch Soll Er Leben!")

A photo of Dad taken in grass-less Andrews, Texas...
along with dialogue from his favorite movie, Raising Arizona!

Wordless Wednesday

Did you hear "Speaking of Faith" today?

I'm always calling my dad and asking if he heard this week's Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett; here was my favorite part of today's broadcast...from the chapter "Lenten Spring" of Inheriting Paradise: Meditations on Gardening:

"Several summers ago my children found two turtles and put them in the vegetable garden. During a thaw the next February, as I was digging up the soggy soil where the peas go, I lifted a heavy mound with my shovel, and then another. The two turtles had burrowed down for winter sleep, and I had rudely awakened them too soon. So I carried them to a corner of the garden where I would not disturb them and dug them in again. When my wife said that she feared the turtles might be dead, I said I did not think so (though I wasn't as sure as I sounded). I insisted that in spring they would come up. And they did in Easter week.

Lilies and hyacinths signify the resurrection, and I can understand why. But I have a pair of turtles that plant themselves in my garden each fall like two gigantic seeds and rise on Easter with earthen crowns upon their humbled heads. With the women at the tomb, I marvel..."

It's Friday...but Sunday's comin'!

Happy Sunday.

Rosemary's Nuts

Got nuts? Got rosemary? Get ready for a DELICIOUS snack!

I used the basic recipe for the Union Square Cafe's bar nuts, but reduced the salt and added the zing of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces.

Rosemary's Nuts

* 1/4 pound each peeled peanuts, cashews, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, and whole unpeeled almonds OR 1 pound unsalted assorted nuts
* 1 tablespoon butter, melted
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
* 1 teaspoon cayenne
* 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
* salt to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp--1 tsp. kosher salt should do it)
*generous dash of original recipeTabasco sauce
*generous dash of Worcestershire sauce



1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Toss the nuts in a large bowl to combine and spread them out on a cookie sheet. Toast in the oven until they become light golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.

3. In the large bowl, combine the melted butter with the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, salt, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce.

4. Thoroughly toss the warm toasted nuts with the spiced butter and serve warm. Store leftovers in airtight containers; they're great for a couple of weeks.