Magical

Early this morning, around 6:30 I was washing dishes at a loved one's house and looking out the window.  She has a fountain with a statue of a little girl wearing a skirt and water pours out of her watering can.  As I wash scrambled egg off a white plate I see a male ruby throated hummingbird fly up and perch on edge of the fountain.  "Hello big fella," I say to the hummingbird through the closed window.  I watch as he moves under the stream of water.  I see a hummingbird take a shower.  I've seen hummingbirds fly and eat and perch and zoom and zig zag but until this moment I had never seen a hummingbird take a shower.  I ask, "You need a towel out there?"  The hummingbird ignores me and flies away.  What a magical moment I had today!

Finally!

Whenever I visit Offspring #1 he makes tofu for me, or for himself, or for everybody at the table. This, to me, is highly ironic because when I presented meals when he was a teenager, he would ask in a tone of voice that suggested I was offering toxic chemicals, "I suppose there is tofu in this?"   And now he makes tofu for me.  He does it so well!  I visit him. He makes me tofu.  I go home.  I buy tofu.  I try and make it.  The tofu tastes terrible.  I give up on tofu until the next visit. Repeat 8 times.  This time was different. This time I made tofu and it wasn't half bad - crunchy and chewy; totally edible. The taste was improved with some ketchup and mustard.   My recipe includes these ingredients:  1 block extra firm organic tofu from Trader Joe's, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce (except I used ketchup a friend of mine made when she was one whole 30 diet), 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (except I used cornstarch).  Place your tofu on top of your cheese grater to drain while you cover it with 8 heavy ceramic plates. Go to the gym. Lift weights focusing on biceps, triceps, shoulders, lats and legs.  Walk on the treadmill at a good pace  and a 4.5 incline for 20 minutes. Drive home.  Cut tofu into small uneven chunks.  Aim for even though. Place chunks in bowl. Add oil, ketchup and cornstarch.  Stir until all chunks are covered. Preheat oven t0 400 degrees.  Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  When oven is hot spread tofu chunks apart making sure all surfaces are coated.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Turn each chunk.  Taste a chunk but don't be disappointed yet.  Bake another 15 minutes.  Look at tofu.  Give it another 5 minutes at 400 degrees.  Remove from oven. Bazinga!

Ruckus

The chickens raised a ruckus early this morning before the dawn.  I don't know what kind of predator was out there but my yelling out the window was not enough to make it leave the scene.  I had to go out there in person to scare it off.  Note to self: leave a robe by the bed.

Trail of Conflict

The Trail of Conflict is another book I read in Sicily.  Written by Emilie Baker Loring in 1922 this story is about a couple who marry for convenience.  One has money and the other has a good name.  The couple's creepy fathers make this arrangement and somehow expect it is going to work. The story is predictable. Time after time something is said that one person misunderstands and takes offence but never bothers to clarify what was meant and suddenly circumstances clear up the misunderstanding and all is well again.  After the fifth time a misunderstanding is cleared up I got tired of the pattern.  I did enjoy the descriptions of the food, clothing, and scenery though.

Myths and Legends of All Nations Famous Stories from the Greek, German, English, Spanish, Scandinavian, Danish, French, Russian, Bohemian, Italian and other sources

I decided, that on my trip to Sicily, a 17 hour trip not including the time to and from the first and last airport, I decided to read Myths and Legends of All Nations Famous Stories from the Greek, German, English, Spanish, Scandinavian, Danish, French, Russian, Bohemian, Italian and other sources on my Kindle.  You know, it makes sense.  I traveled to the island where the one-eyed Cyclops was reported to live.  Such stories.  So many heroes.   Cyclops was a dangerous legend. He ate a person per day.  Wow.  My favorite was Jason.  Jason of the golden fleece and his gang the Argonauts was my favorite hero.  Jason different from the rest in that he was more inclined to peaceful outcomes. I read myths and legends from Italy, Greek, Norway, Britain, Germany, France, Russia, Croatia.  Maybe, in the future, when they write new myths and legends, Jason's name will be replaced by the name Barack.

Leaving Time

Normally I borrow books rather than buy them but this one I bought in order to get free shipping on other Amazon items.  I am a big Picoult fan so I saved this book to read on the airplane ride to Sicily.  I read it and at the end I felt deceived. This book just didn't measure up to the other novels I have read by Jodi Picoult.  It wasn't a terrible book but no where near as good as the others of hers that I have read.  Some readers might think it was a clever plot twist.  Mine was, "Are you kidding me?"

Garlic Mustard

This morning I was driving home from the gym and noticed a new plant next to my driveway.  This is the same spot that a friend of mine said she found garlic mustard.  After parking I put my gloves on and pulled off a leaf of these green plants with white flowers.  It smelled delicious-like garlic mustard.  I know this is an invasive plant so I started pulling.  After all the rain we have had the plants pulled out easily.  I have tons of garlic mustard.  I pulled for an hour and filled up my garbage container.  My friend said garlic mustard must be trashed.  Composting isn't good enough she told me.  Whew!  There is an hour of hard work and I didn't get it all.  This is the same area that I have been fighting the buck thorn only to find it replaced by garlic mustard.  Golly. Sometimes the more you know about invasive species the less peace and tranquility you have in life.  My trash smells delicious but full of nasty garlic mustard.  The struggle is real.