Dead Skunks, Buzzards and Being Honest

Last night, coming back from a bluegrass concert out of town, we drove miles and miles through the distinctive aroma of skunk. It must be mating season because where ever I go, I smell the unmistakable "perfume" of skunk. They are usually dead in the middle of the road.

I was wondering today, coming back home from church and getting yet another whiff of you-know-what, if buzzards would eat a nasty smelling old dead skunk. Of course, buzzards eat nasty smelling corpses of, I guess, just about anything. So, it stands to reason that a buzzard will eat a skunk and not worry about the smell.

So, I typed in the question into trusty old Google. I found one website that answered just about any question on the subject and in graphic detail. And, I might add, in so much detail that I came away feeling a little nauseated and disgusted. Ah, on the positive side, this might be a good day to start a DIET since I can't imagine eating anything after reading what I read.

On the other hand, I wonder how much of the skunk article is true? Maybe as much truth as is on the Internet? I figure (my own estimate and I am such a skeptic) that only part of what we read on the Internet is true. You know what "they" say, "You can't believe everything you hear (read or even see.)"

In writing my own stories, about 80% is actually true. Now, I am going to be 100% honest: I take a "seed" of what really happened, add a bit of creative fiction and a whole lot of "well, if it didn't happen that way, it SHOULD have!" I think 80% is a pretty close estimate.

Take my story "Nightmare," posted back in April of 2010. On the truthful side: I really did have an Uncle Bucky and all of the other names are correct. We really did ride the roller coaster named "Nightmare" and the twists and turns were just as I remembered. Joyland, the amusement park, was just as I described it.

Now, on the not-so-truthful side: it is "rumored" that Uncle Bucky swallowed his cigar (I have heard that story all my life) and the dialog "could" have gone as I wrote it. So, there you are, 80% truth. The rest is fiction.

So, whether you are talking about dead skunks, buzzards or roller coasters, when YOU hear a good story and pass it on, don't you want to make it just a little better? Now be truthful !

Comments answered

Hey Readers,

For some reason, I cannot figure out how to post a comment on my own blog. Does anyone know how to do this? If so, please send me an e-mail at writingonarainbow@gmail.com Thank you.

To Ann, I appreciate your comment about my poem about the hole in my sock. It was silly, but I am glad you like it. My sister in Kansas and my brother in California enjoyed it also (even if Brother called it "Corny but Cute.") They are both sweet about my little stories. Also, yes, I have seen the movie "Trip to Bountiful" many times. I love Geraldine Page and think she made wonderful movies.

Speaking of old movies, I am addicted to them. TCM is one of my favorite channels and I watched "Lost Horizons" the other day (had not seen it for years) and remembered how much I loved that movie the first time I saw it. Being from Kansas, another favorite is "The Wizard of Oz" and sometimes refer to it in my stories, especially in earlier posts. (I love going home to Kansas and need to write more about it soon. It is a wonderful state. I guess we love our home state and town the best. It is familiar and comfortable.) Back to old movies, I love old horror movies (really old ones) with Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney. I love the old Topper movies, the Three Stooges, Our Gang Comedy, and of course, since I am a transplant in the South, "Gone With The Wind."

I have listed just a few of my favorite movies. What are your favorites?

A Stitch In Time

I was inspired to write this little ditty when I took off my shoe last night and saw my big toe sticking out from a hole in my sock:














A Stitch In Time

A stitch in time saves nine, is what Grandmother always said.
I didn't heed her advise, there is a hole in my sock, instead.

Now, I'll look for a needle and thread I need to match,
A darning egg would be nice, so the problem I can patch.

I could throw out this holey sock and toss it in the trash,
But it is kinder for the planet to fix rather than to smash.

My toe is sticking out of my sock, what am I supposed to do?
I could cover it up, conveniently, and hide it with my shoe.

Ah ha! I found a needle and a thimble and now the thread.
I will fix the hole in my sock, and do as Grandmother said.



Dear Readers,


This is about the silliest thing I have ever written, but don't we need a chuckle or two when the world is so crazy? AND.... it was absolutely true, as you can see from the photo. I used to have a darning egg.... hmmmm.....I wonder what the heck I did with it?


Love,
Lynn

Dinner in 30 Minutes

Last Saturday night, we were going out to a music show at 6:00. I thought!

I was on the computer when Andy called out "Do you want to grab something to eat at a restaurant before we go to the show?" "No, I am going to cook tonight," I returned. "Well, you had better start, we only have an hour." He said.

"What!" I thought! It was only 4:00. As it turned out, we had to leave at 5:00 instead of 6:00 and I had to hustle in the kitchen. There was no time to panic. Get busy, Girl!

My rice cooker takes 20 minutes so I threw in a package (you know, the long skinny one) of yellow saffron rice in the cooker with butter and water. It started cooking right away. Good.

I sliced up steak, orange and red peppers and a large onion into strips and started to saute in a pan. When almost done, I tossed in a package of Fajita mix and a 1/4 cup water, covered and steamed until tender.

Meanwhile, I chopped up some Romaine lettuce, peeled a kiwi fruit and sliced. I peeled and sliced an avocado and arranged all on a plate and drizzled with Raspberry Walnut dressing straight from the bottle.

I warmed two tortillas, stuffed them with the meat/pepper/onion mixture and topped with freshly shredded cheddar cheese, plated up a generous scoop of yellow rice, brought the salad plates to the table and served my Mexican meal to my husband all in under 30 minutes. Not bad for a hurried up dinner and best of all- he loved it.

Some Updates and Things to Come

Hello Dear Readers,

I am working on some interesting, I think, stories to post soon.

Andy and I went to the boondocks last Sunday afternoon. We love to drive in the country and we had to drive through a lot of it to get where we were going.

Have you ever been to a town called "Tightsqueeze," Virginia? Neither had I but now I can say I have. I love that name and in a soon-to-be-published post, I will tell you how Tightsqueeze got its unusual name.

Also, Chatham,VA is a most interesting place with grand old homes and interesting architecture. I am going there for the day (or maybe two) this week and do a little poking around. Will be bringing, for your enjoyment, lots of pictures of this lovely little place.

Lets see, oh yes, the writers group book is in its final proofing and I should know more about its publishing date soon. I am looking for it to be out in a couple of months but, since many have asked about it, I will be sure and post that date and how to order it soon.

I spent a fun day in Greensboro, NC yesterday. Years ago there were six of us who worked together in a wonderful shop called: Potpourri Press the Company Store. Janet was the manager, I was the floral designer, Trish: the one who transformed the store into a thing of beauty. Helen, was the office manager and Becky and Marie wore many hats from cashier, to greeter to make-the-store-pretty employee. We all loved The Company Store and, even though it hasn't been in business for years, Greensboro remembers it also.

I digress. Anyway, We all met for lunch at one favorite place, The Pavilion. We all ordered the Julianne Salad with dressing on the side and garlic toast. Oh my goodness, you have never seen such a salad. I call it "The Big Salad" (remember Seinfeld?) and even the small salad is huge. I have been dreaming of The Big Salad for months. It was so good.

A quick trip to a few stores close by and home again. Andy has been out seeding, fencing and doing some front loader work on the farm while the weather holds out. The cows had gotten in a little fenced off area where we planted 50 little trees last year and made a mess out of things, so he was cleaning up that (and cussing a little bit too.) I can't blame him for that, they are a problem sometimes.

That is all the news on Tues. more later from South side Virginia!

Friday notes

Dear Readers,

I am happy to say that as of today, I have received 1,010 hits on my little blog in the past 9 months! While that may not be a lot for big important blogs, but I am thrilled. I especially love the fact that many people from all over the world visit my blog.

I have received a few comments about Chili Con Carne, other recipes and the book that some of my short stories will be in and coming out soon.

To Ann, I hope that recipe helps, although without the chili powder and hot spices, it will change the taste. After all it is: Chili :-) I still think it will be good, though, and please tell me how you like it. The masa harina that you buy for the recipe is the main ingredient in tortillas, tamales and a lot of other good Mexican food. Since you will have a bag of it leftover, you might want to try your hand at making your own tortillas. You can find all kinds of recipes in the Internet.

The Book is a mix of essays, short stories and poems written by the PAA Writers Group in Martinsville, VA. We are partnered with the Piedmont Art Museum and are quite an interesting bunch of people, if I do say so myself. Since I have no way of contacting people who leave comments, please continue to check back from time to time and I will post the information concerning how to purchase the book. Thank you for asking and I think it should be out in a couple of months.

To Ann, I think you will love that Hot Fudge Pudding Cake. Mother made it when I was a kid, I made it for my family and my children bake it too. I am not sure where my mother got the recipe, but I've always loved it. What is not to love about good, quick and easy!

Thanks for the comments and keep 'em coming!

Lynn

Chili Con Carne- for Anonymous

Hi Anonymous,

After a lot of research, and asking my son, Chef Travis, I have come up with an answer to your question about Chili Con Carne. Don't know if it is the RIGHT answer, but here goes:

Meaning "chili peppers with meat," there are as many Chili Con Carne recipes as there are hairs on your dog's head. And that, Dear Anonymous, is a lot of hair.

I think if you go back to my post "She Shot Him Over Chili Beans," and then scroll down to the recipe called "Chunky Chili" and make as directed but with the following additions: Add 2 more Tablespoons of Chili powder and a little more Oregano. Now, cook two hours on low on top of the stove, or up to 6 hours in a slow cooker.

The last hour of cooking, add 3 Tablespoons of Masa Harina instead of the 2 Tablespoons of cornmeal. You can find Masa in the flour/cornmeal section of any grocery store. Take the 3 Tablespoons of Masa and mix it with 1/4 Cup of water stirring until smooth. If stiff, stir in a little more water. Stir in the chili and cover again. Cook the last hour, stirring occasionally until thickened. (Note: Masa IS made from corn and so is, obviously, cornmeal, BUT Masa is ground finer and has a little different taste.)

Anonymous, I think this is the secret of Chili Con Carne- it is thicker (using Masa) than other chilis. I hope this helps and I hope you like your chili. Top with a little shredded cheddar cheese and saltines. Yum, I am hungry.

Consignment Shop and on Being Frugal

Being frugal has become a way of life to most folks these days. This is especially true if you are on a fixed income as Andy and I are. So, there are ways to cut back with discretionary spending, say with food, getting creative and using what is in the pantry/ freezer and just filling in with weekly shopping at the grocery store. Coupon cutting/trading/online couponing/store sales, I do them all. I heard recently that being frugal is the new "chic." So, I guess we are in the "in crowd."

Still, sometimes I like to shop for a few hours at my favorite places, just to see what is new, even if I don't buy a thing. It is fun and relaxing to me and I love to talk with the people in the stores.

One shop that I have blogged/facebooked about is The Cellar Chest. This is the manager's, Tania Riddle, description: "Consign, Repurpose & Collect. Furniture, Gifts, Accessories and Collectibles. (The Cellar Chest) Breaks from the traditional consignment mold, we offer a unique, eclectic mix of furniture, decorative items, antiques, gifts, collectibles and handmade treasures."

Indeed! It is large space with several rooms, decorated well with plenty of light to search for those treasures. The staff is informative and helpful and the prices are amazing. I saw a 46 piece blue and white Blue Willow set of dishes (lots of serving pieces and the cutest oriental figures for the salt and pepper shakers) for $80. Amazing, amazing price.

There are sofas, interesting side chairs, tables, mirrors, glassware, books, nice (some really good pieces) jewelry. Arranged everywhere are decorative pillows, dishes, Christmas items, framed prints as well as original paintings. There are several boxed sets of silver flatware. I saw nice lamps, new and still in the box gift items, garden/outside items and antiques. Many nice pieces of furniture including one metal twin sized bed frame that would make a great day bed. Anyway, too many items to remember. Go see for yourself.

The Cellar Chest is located at 6620 A.L.Philpott Hwy, Martinsville, VA. in what used to be the Old Yeatts Nursery Bldg on 58 East, in the Laurel Park area. They are open Tues - Fri. from 10 am to 5 pm and Sat. 10 am to 2 pm. The nicest part is that they are an affiliate of MARCWorkshop Inc. and the proceeds go right back to MARCWorkshop.

Y'all go check it out. I recently bought two cute decorative birdhouses (see picture above) trimmed with interesting "found" items such as doorknobs, locks and keys. I also left with an armload of current hardback books. Join the frugal fun and go on your own treasure hunt.

A Few Updates

Now that the Valentine holiday is over, it is time to look forward to spring. Here in Southern Virginia, we are getting a taste of it. The sunny days approach a lovely 60 degrees and would feel nice a springy if not for the blasts of wind! I cannot complain, however, because it all feels good after a long cold winter.

An update on Feb. 14th: Andy loved his grilling utensils. He was tired after a busy day at the livestock market (how romantic is this?) We decided not to go out to dinner because Monday is our favorite TV night, I am talking about Harry's Law and Castle! (How old are we anyway?) And, we ate P.F. Chang's Orange Chicken from the freezer, (which is quite good.) I made the rice and we ate chocolate cake. No wine, saving that for another time. Andy fell asleep in his chair. Again, how old are we anyway?

For the person who would like a good Chili Con Carne recipe- I am looking through my recipes. I will also consult my son who is a chef for any terrific ideas he might have. So, "Anonymous", check back in a few days for one or two recipes.

I am working on a few stories for a book due out in about two months. It is a book of short stories and poems from my writers group and should be quite good. We are proofing now and will turn it in, hopefully, in a couple of weeks. If anyone is interested in this book, let me know. I will have 3, 4 or 5 pieces in it, depending on how things go. It is all a slow process and driving me crazy.

Let's see, my sister just painted her kitchen and has ordered all new stainless steel appliances, my brother, in California, is doing great, my sons are happy, working hard, and my grandchildren and all beautiful and brilliant. Andy and I are gearing up for lots of work on the farm this spring. Our cows are all pregnant with the help of our very busy (and happy) bull. All is as it should be.

The Hopeless Romantic

Andy had the table set when I woke up this morning. He had to leave the house early to take cows to market. He was hoping to sneak out and surprise me but I caught him in the act ! After he left, promising we would celebrate this evening, I added the cake, plates, napkins and tablecloth, but he did the rest. What a hopeless romantic.

Now if I can just find that "Do Not Disturb" sign !

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone !

The Blind Date

February 16, 2006:

Andy and I met on a blind date two days after Valentines Day in 2006.

We decided to meet at a restaurant in Winston-Salem. we parked next to each other in the parking lot and, stepping out of his car, a tall, lean man said with a big grin, Well, hi Honey!"

We enjoyed a comfortable hour and a half talking and laughing, just getting to know one another over a nice Italian meal. After lunch he walked me to my car and said "Just a minute, I have something for you." He grabbed something out of his car and handed me the biggest box of candy I had ever seen. It was five pounds of chocolates.

"I thanked him and said "Would you like a piece of candy?"

Andy just grinned and said, "I'd rather have a kiss!"

Well, he got a kiss, a chocolate truffle and, three months later, he got me. We were married on May 31st, just 3 months after we met. We decided that when you are over age 60, you can't wait too long- just go for it.

Actually, he had me from "Well, hi Honey!"

This Takes the Cake

Hey there cupcake!

I discovered a very sweet blog site that is so delicious that I want to take a bite out of it! www.cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/ has all kinds of information about, what else, CUPCAKES. Anything you ever wanted to know about cupcakes can be found in the blog.

There are yummy recipes and pretty pictures of cupcakes around the country and all over the world. Another interesting feature is a list of cupcake bakeries all over the USA. What a fun trip that would be. How many pounds would I gain? Who cares! There are many subjects to visit, such as: "Popular Posts," "Mail Order Cupcakes," "Tips," and "Cupcake and Foodie Blogs."

I love cupcakes, they have just enough sweetness to end a meal. I even love the name "cupcake." How cute is that? On this site, you can even learn about unique "Bacon Cupcakes," and "Sea Salt Carmel Cupcakes." Who knew there was so much to learn about cupcakes?

Valentine's Day is around the corner so whip up a batch and give your honey a sweet treat.

My homemade butter cream icing follows, and isn't icing the best part? You bet!

Butter Cream Vanilla Icing

1/2 Cup softened butter, not margarine

2 Cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or lemon, strawberry, etc)

a few drops of food coloring, if desired

Cream butter and sugar, slowly add the milk and beat to the consistency that YOU like. I like it soft and smooth, but not so soft that the icing will slid off the cake. If it isn't just right, add a little more milk or powdered sugar. Add the vanilla (and food coloring) last. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Will ice 12 cupcakes.

Love is in the Air

Love is in the Air

It is almost here! Love is in the air, can you feel it? Four more days to the biggest chocolate eating, rose smelling, card sending and most romantic day of the year. I am, of course, talking about Valentine's Day.

I have several gifts for my husband, wrapped up in red and white paper with pink tissue and tied with miles of flowing ribbon. They are filled with candies and little momentos and one big gift bag is filled with new grilling utensils! Practical and not very romantic, but he really likes to grill in the spring, thus the utensils. I am giving him a beautiful card with lovey, dovey wording, kisses and hugs, Love, Lynn. You get the picture.

As for my husband, (I would bet you $100 right now) with only four days left until Valentine's Day, I don't think Andy has gotten me anything, (nada, zippo and zilch). So far, that is. He really is a very romantic guy, but he will purchase my gifts on Valentines Day. Not before.

Last year, he bought a dozen long stemmed red roses and kept them in the half bathroom off the garage. That is his space and I rarely venture in his man-cave bathroom. The problem was that for 6 hours the roses had no water source. Hummm..... don't know how they survived, but they were beautiful. I was a floral designer in a former life and would not recommend treating roses in this manner.

The picture shown was taken after a glass of wine or two. Look how much fun you can have with one perfect rose. Speaking of one perfect rose, read my next post tomorrow about just that.

Mom's Hot Fudge Pudding cake

I was thinking today about the "fast" food that my mother used to cook. Fast because it didn't take much time and used ingredients that she had on her shelf. My mother worked outside the home, and after a long day, she would usually cook a big dinner. I remember plates piled high with fried pork chops, deviled eggs, friend chicken or roast beef. There was always some kind of dessert. I don't know how she managed all the cooking, cleaning, caring for a family and working full time. She also helped with school activities, brownies and girl scouts.

I am giving you a yummy and fast cake recipe called "Hot Fudge Pudding Cake." Serve it with vanilla ice cream for a real treat.

Mom's Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Sift together:
1 Cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 Cup sugar

Stir in:
1/2 Cup milk
2 T. veg. oil
1 Cup chopped pecans

Spread mixture in a greased, 9 inch square pan and sprinkle with:
1 Cup brown sugar
4 T. cocoa

Pour 1 plus 3/4 Cups hot water over the batter in the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. The cake will be done and crackled on top and but there will be hot fudge pudding inside.

Serves 6-9