A Normal Life

Old kitchen resources, and new finds

2012-01-02T20:18:00.000-06:00

Over the holidays, I've used some old resources and found a couple new ones, so I thought I'd share them here!
1. Microwave potato chips! These are wonderfully crunchy and quick. All I have in the house is Yukon Gold potatos, so I used those. I used my cheese slicer to get uniform thickness on the slices, but it might be just a bit too thick. Very little salt required, and it takes 3 minutes 35 seconds in my Gold Star cheap microwave. I foresee many batches. Be very sure you use parchment paper!
2. Italian Slow Cooker cookbook I've got this on my Kindle Fire (which is great for cookbooks!). Made a great Beef in Barolo, so good the first time, and the leftovers were also wonderful.
3. Italian Classics I've had the paper version of this book for years, and it is my go-to cookbook for authentic, Italian-pleasing recipes. I made the Bolonese Sauce again... I always use the pork country-style ribs instead of the beef.
4. AllRecipes.com Before this holiday season I never spent much time on this site. But wow, what a resource! I especially love the Ingredient Search, which comes in handy when I have run out of eggs, or milk, or want to finish up that last little dab of gorgonzola.

I hope that you all had a wonderful time with your family and friends. We had a fun cruise with my brother and his family (review here ) and a nice quiet time over Christmas and New Years at home.

The Parrot of Memory

2011-07-20T22:59:00.001-05:00

the parrot of memory, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This little parrot lives on my kitchen window sill. Every time I see him, he reminds me of my grandmother. She had him in a plant as well, although I can't remember if it was in a kitchen window or one of the cactus plants. I love the way the afternoon light makes him glow with memory.

desert elephant - namibia 2002

2011-07-11T20:10:00.002-05:00

desert elephant - namibia 2002, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

On an all-day game drive in the Skeleton Coast Park, Namibia... we saw quite a few elephants in a sandy river bottom. There was a family group of about 6-7 individuals, but most of them kept farther away. We were so close, could hear the elephant crunching the grass. Spent at least 15 minutes (although it felt MUCH longer) parked about 50 feet away from him. Eventually he became a bit agitated and did a little mock-charge but our guide assured us that we were fine... and of course we were. Seeing the famous desert elephants of the Namib desert was one of my life's ambitions. The game drive had lots of other moments (giraffe, eagle, gemsbok, jackals, impala) but this was easily the most remarkable.

Goat in Himba camp - Namibia 2002

2011-07-10T22:18:00.002-05:00

himba goat, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This little kid was curled up under a pile of firewood gathered at a Himba village near the Skeleton Coast. The sun was so hot, and the landscape so desolate. Hard to believe that the Himba make their living herding cattle!

Taken during my visit to Namibia in September 2002.

Renaissance time in Italy, for women who want it!

2011-07-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

Cook, eat, speak (and pray to stay)!!

A fellow blogger is offering what sounds like an awesome opportunity to spend 10 days hanging out with fellow women, learning the language, and reconnecting with yourself. The price is right too, so check it out!

Black Witch Moth

2011-07-04T11:11:00.002-05:00

Black Witch Moth, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

As we were rinsing the sand from our evening beach walk, this moth flew over from the neighbor's house. We have seen them before but they are not common here. The Black Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata) is, according to Texas Entomology, perhaps the largest insect north of Mexico. This particular speciment is a male, because it does not have a white band running across the wings.

The Black Witch has a somewhat grim set of cultural traditions around it. Apparently it is a harbinger of death in most of Central America. If it enters the house, and there is a sick person in the house, the person will die. Fortunately for us, this guy only made it to the patio. A brighter prospect is the South Texas tradition that says if the moth stays above your door, you will win the lottery! So I guess we should go buy a ticket.

Here is a second picture, so you can get some idea of his size. I'd guess this guy is about 6 inches across.

Finally, rain in Houston!

2011-05-12T14:23:00.000-05:00

What a lovely sight. Hopefully we will get at least an inch or two out of this front. I think we are at least 12 inches below normal rainfall levels.

View at La Torretta

2011-05-03T15:13:00.000-05:00

Beginning of our company's annual conference. Looks like a nice place!

a special day

2011-04-29T22:18:00.002-05:00

Today was an extra-special day - and not because of the royal wedding. Today I was privileged to hold a hummingbird in my hand! We were watching tv (yes, it was a program about William and Kate's big day) when suddenly there was a THUNK at the sliding glass doors. Mo was instantly interested, and when I went to find out why, I found there was a stunned hummingbird lying in a tiny heap on the deck. I went outside and carefully picked him up, trying to see if he really was alive.

Soon enough I saw that he was breathing and shaking his shining head back and forth unsteadily. We hoped that if we gave him some sugar water he might revive. I quickly sprinkled some sugar into a small bowl, put a bit of water on it and stirred. Dipping my fingertip into the sweetened water, I hoped that the drop clinging to it would appeal to this little guy. For a few minutes it didn't look too promising - he just kept shaking his head and refusing to drink. Eventually though his tiny little tongue began flickering and he drank quite a bit!

Mo came around to investigate and he began to struggle. So I took him outside, opened my hand, and he made a bee-line for the trees. What a privilege to hold such a quicksilver creature! I am grateful for the gift, and that he recovered.

Wildly sold in Italy...

2011-04-23T09:01:00.002-05:00

So I bought this Colomba (Easter bread) at Central Market in Houston, and didn't read the tag until I got it home. They should do a little spell checking before they print out the tag! :) The bread itself is just *okay*, the judgement here is that it may be a bit stale. Too bad because I was hoping for something really special. I guess I will just have to make it myself next year!

We are spending Easter at the beach house. Not completely true - I'm flying to LA for a couple days, leaving tonight. But fortunately I'm coming back here! The island is really packed with tourists coming in from all over Texas and Mexico. We even saw a license plate from Mexico City... a LONG drive to South Padre Island.

Happy Easter to all!

Gotta love Texas!

2011-04-21T12:46:00.000-05:00

Took this at the rest stop just south of Riviera, Texas.

gardenia (hipstamatic)

2011-04-15T20:55:00.002-05:00

gardenia (hipstamatic), originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This little gardenia has finally bloomed! We bought at MarchMart two years ago, and it struggled through last year. Now we have four blooms, four buds, and the leaves look healthy. Gardenias are notorious for being finicky, so I can only hope that this one has found its feet.

I used the Hipstamatic app (iPhone) to take this shot. Even the most mundane shot becomes poetic!

spring garden 2011

2011-04-04T21:10:00.001-05:00

spring garden 2011, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

Via Flickr:
Houston in the spring is an interesting mixture. Iris and roses in bloom. Sunflowers reaching for the sky. Hamaelia and hibiscus recovering from the hard freezes of winter 2010. Peach blossoms have come and gone, and there are more than 40 tiny small peaches beginning to form. Likewise, two lemons and 4 satsuma oranges are starting to swell. The pineapple guava trees are in tight bud, with the promise of white sweet petals and stamens bursting like fireworks. The coreopsis have already ventured two flowers, and there are dozens of buds coming. The small curling tendrils of the white pea vine are venturing forth.

Here and there, all over the garden, there are small basil plants beginning to put out their spicy leaves. Our bay "tree" survived the harsh winter and has put on a brave new branch. One Italian parsley plant has been installed in its own special pot. Oregano and thyme also made it through the winter, and the thyme is putting out the most exquisite white flowers.

The much beloved rangoon vine didn't survive, so we have replaced it with a climbing Don Juan rose on the left side of the arbor, and a sweet Asian jasmine on the right.

Ever hopeful, we have planted 4 tomato plants and two gypsy peppers. Maybe this year we will actually get a few before the squirrels do.

South Coast Plaza Cherry Blossom Celebration

2011-04-01T19:42:00.000-05:00

An impressive display.

Emerald Princess, day 10, Fort lauderdale

2011-03-18T07:54:00.000-05:00

Home again. We had a great time but are glad to be back. Now all that is left is to disembark, get through customs and get to the airport. Looking forward to seeing Mo!

Emerald Princess, day 7, Bonaire

2011-03-14T14:28:00.000-05:00

Hello from Bonaire! As you can see, the weather is overcast. What you cannot see is how humid it is! We had a good time wandering around the little shops. The island is Dutch and you can see that in some of the crafts. Oddly enough they converted to the US dollar in January.

Our health continues to be good other than the increasingly rosiness of my face!

Tomorrow is Aruba! Then two sea days and back to reality.

Emerald Princess day 5, Dominica

2011-03-14T14:22:00.000-05:00

What a great day we had today! The rainforest tram was so amazing, really a great way to see the forest. We are impressed too with the open friendliness of the people. Tomorrow we are heading for Grenada. Nothing special planned, but we have had fun so far just by walking around.

Emerald Princess day 4, St. Thomas

2011-03-11T11:30:00.000-06:00

We arrived early this morning, with a brisk breeze in our faces. Amazing to see how this big ship tucked itself right into the pier. Walked around town a bit - saw the old Danish fort, stopped in to see the Governor but unfortunately he was not available.

This afternoon we leave for Rouseau, Dominica. There we are taking a rain forest canopy tour in a kind of gondola you would normally see in a ski resort. The tour notes say that insect repellant is ESSENTIAL!

There are several Italians on board including the head waiter in the main dining room. He called the room yesterday to inquire after us since we had not showed up yet for any if the meals. We are supposed to go meet him tonight.

Hopefully I can post again tomorrow.

This photo was taken using Pro HDR for the iPhone.

Emerald Princess day 1

2011-03-08T13:39:00.000-06:00

This photo was taken using Pro HDR for the iPhone.

Peach blossoms!

2011-03-03T21:43:00.000-06:00

The first peach blossoms opened on my little Bonanza dwarf peach tree today. This will be it's third year and I'm really looking forward to the fruit. It was very tasty last year!
The garden is really starting to green up and grow. By the time we come back from vacation things will be in full swing.

Fifteen films that will always stick with me

2011-02-08T08:41:00.000-06:00

I was tagged by a friend on Facebook... so here we go!

The Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. 15 films that you've seen that will always stick with you. Take no more than 15 minutes to decide. Actually this is a bit difficult for me since I'm really not much of a film buff. No particular order except for the first two...

The Princess Bride
The Lord of the Rings (Fellowship, Two Towers, and Return of the King) trilogy (I know it's three films but I like to think of it as one 18-hour extravaganza when I watch the extended DVD versions one after another!)
K-19
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Sound of Music
Conan the Barbarian
The Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremacy, and Bourne Ultimatum (all excellent action films, again best if watched back-to-back-to-back)
Tank Girl
Finding Nemo
Wall-E
Fantasia
Star Wars
Roman Holiday
Alien
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Of the fifteen mentioned above, there is only one that I would NEVER see again - and that would be K-19. It is easily the most heartbreaking movie I have ever seen. Alien is another one that I would avoid seeing again, because it is so scary. All the rest are favorites that I would - and will - see whenever they are on the TV or even on my iPhone (which is where the Bourne movies are at the moment).

Which movies always stick with you?

A super day

2011-02-06T19:34:00.000-06:00

No Super Bowl festivities here... just a beautifully warm day. Clear, deep blue skies with little white puffs of cloud once in a while. Perfect! We spent much of it outside, working on the fence that's been falling down since Hurricane Ike. (Which was in 2008!) The citrus trees are so happy to see the sun. A little pruning and such too, but there is more cold weather on the way next week so I restrained myself.

I used to watch football - way back when - but I can't get enthusiastic about the game anymore. It takes too long, and I have more interesting things to do. Fortunately DH feels the same way!

Happy World Nutella Day!

2011-02-05T21:19:00.000-06:00

Today is World Nutella Day! I'm a big fan of Michelle Fabio's Bleeding Espresso blog and the peperoncino and Nutella cake she cooked up sounds fabulous. I did a very restrained celebration, with Nutella and Kedem biscuits (they are a bit like Petit Beurre). I may make Nutella Bread tomorrow - it looks yummy.

I also searched for the Italian version of Nutella, which apparently tastes differently. It has been a couple years since I tasted the genuine article. I'm working on finding it here in Houston. No luck at Phoencia, my go-to grocery for international foods. However perhaps I can get to Spec's downtown to check out their stock this coming week.

For those who are interested in a little more history, here is the Wikipedia link and the Ferrero (Italian) link.

Really really cold...

2011-02-01T23:00:00.000-06:00

The temperature is falling into the mid-twenties (Fahrenheit) tonight. A challenge for Houston - we don't usually see that kind of cold. I've covered the variegated ginger, the Meyer lemon, the Atlas mandarin, and the calamondin orange. Who knows what frizzled leaves will greet me in three days time, when the temps are finally going to get somewhat reasonable. The great news is that our precipitation came in the form of rain, and was gone in just a couple hours. No shoveling here!

Atlas Mandarin crop

2010-10-30T21:49:00.002-05:00

Atlas Mandarin, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

Not much of a picture. But, this is the ENTIRE crop of Atlas Mandarins from my tiny little tree. We planted the tree a year ago. Yes, I know you aren't supposed to let such a young tree fruit, but we just couldn't bear to pinch off all of the little guys. So, I left this one.

Slowly, slowly it got bigger and bigger. I had to add a support because the little tree (it is all of 2 feet tall) was leaning perilously towards the ground. Slowly, slowly the fruit changed from deep green to lime green, and in the last 2 weeks, more and more orange.

Since we were not going to be home the next few days, I clipped it off and brought it with us. We peeled and ate it tonight. What a wonderfully tart flavor, juicy and seedless too. I think it would be better to leave on the tree another week or so, but it was still eminently edible. Here's hoping our crop at least doubles next year!

Happy Birthday, Cousin!

2010-10-25T09:25:00.001-05:00

Coralee, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

Today would have been your 52nd birthday. I think of you every day, and miss you in this world. Hardly seems possible it has been a whole year.

looking out to sea

2010-09-28T22:30:00.002-05:00

looking out to sea, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

The end of the beach season is almost here... a cool north wind is blowing all the way down to the island. We will miss the swimming! But fall and winter beach walks are also amazing. And the beachcombing is better, for there is less competition for the shells and feathers.

Speaking of feathers, I found a couple great pelican feathers last week! There is quite a collection now housed in a San Bitter bottle on the counter. (My missionary upbringing makes it SO difficult to throw away "useful" things!)

This past week was not the best for weather but it was nice to just relax. Lots of rain and clouds. Hopefully I will be able to carve out another week towards the end of the year, when it usually is cold and windy (!). My timing is excellent.

the great roadrunner in the sky

2010-09-23T09:24:00.001-05:00

the great roadrunner in the sky, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This morning's sunrise was gorgeous! A lively cool wind, bright blue sky, and the promise of a sunny day. We are happy to see it, after 5 days of rain and almost as many inches.

Speaking of mirrors and sieves

2010-08-16T10:14:00.000-05:00

You can never understand one language until you understand at least two. -Ronald Searle, artist (b. 1920)

I am no linguist. My language skills are very limited, although I do have a decent ear for tones which helps a lot. Nevertheless, I have been surrounded by other languages since I was a child. My mother grew up speaking Bangala and English, so there were bits of Bangala in her everyday speech. (Actually there still are - just the other day she designated me as a "fundi" or expert in a task.) By the time I was 5, we were posted in Ruanda-Urundi and then a year later, to Congo. Over the next 12 years we moved around in Congo, and also spent nearly a year in Switzerland. I acquired a decent proficiency in French, and a passing acquaintance with Lingala and Kikongo. When we returned to the States we lived in Hawaii for a while, and I learned some Hawaiian Pidgin. For the last 20 years my home has been Houston, where the West and East Texas variations mix with the soft Southern sounds to become the classic Texas drawl. Now I am married to an Italian and am once again learning a new language, and a new culture.

Living in all these various cultures with their varying languages has made me acutely aware of the relationship between the two. You cannot truly understand a culture without speaking its language. And, you cannot speak a language well without also learning the culture. The depth and texture and complexity of either is lost if you attempt to learn them in isolation.

We are mirrors and sieves- reflecting our surroundings, sifting our experiences. We end up with an identity that is new every day, just a little bit different than the day before.

Life is dangerous. Life is risky. It's worth it.

2010-07-20T09:16:00.000-05:00

Beware of Life

One of the very best essays I have read on the business of life.

I don't think of myself as particularly courageous or adventurous. My late cousin Coralee has always been my definition of adventurous - she lived a life full of changes, challenges and stress, but also wonderfully full of love, joy and creative expression. When I went to visit her in 2002, I was on the brink of making a big decision. Spending three weeks with her in the deserts of Namibia was a formative experience and I came away from that trip with a better idea of who I am, and what I wanted from life. When I left she gave me a small envelope which said - DO NOT OPEN UNTIL YOU GET HOME. Once home I opened it and inside there were 6 pair of beautiful little green tourmaline gems, and a single word. "Remember". And I do.

I went ahead with my decision to marry yet again. The ring on my finger has three of those gems, and an engraved reminder: "Memento Audare Sempre"

Remember always to dare.

Mercy

2010-07-07T09:02:00.000-05:00

I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice. -Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. President (1809-1865)

Wise quote from one of my favorite wise men. There is a difference between being soft and being merciful. Mercy comes from strength and knowledge and kindness. Softness comes from weakness, perhaps even laziness.

On the road, from Houston to South Padre Island

2010-07-03T23:38:00.000-05:00

As some of you may know, I took the bus from Houston to Brownsville on Friday, and my husband picked me up there and went back to the house on South Padre Island. The first part of the trip was taking the Metro bus all the way downtown. I caught the first one, at 5:59am. Fortunately for me, there was only a light sprinkle of rain falling during the 2 block walk from our house to the bus stop. An hour later at the corner of Louisiana and Webster, we had gone 20 miles and it was raining just a little bit harder. The 2 block walk to the Greyhound station went quickly!

My 8:15 bus to Brownsville (fare $25.50 one way) finally left at 8:38. The passengers included an Army soldier going home for 4 days leave, a family with 5 small children, and two young men of unknown purpose. Not very many of us! I sat in the second row, on the right side of the bus, with a clear view of the road.

When we pulled out of the Houston station it began to rain HARD. Four out of the six hours we drove, it rained. Sometimes harder, sometimes softer... this tropical air from Hurricane Alex was persistent as we drove down US 59 and 77. The bus driver began singing along to his Spanish music station, and I watched the road unroll across south Texas.

I have made this trip many times, although not by bus. The flat land around Houston, filled with suburban houses and shopping plazas, gives way to cultivated fields and pecan trees growing in the river bottoms. Richmond, Rosenberg, Wharton (there is a Buck-ee's here that we often stop at), El Campo. Hillje, Louise, Ganado, Edna, Inez, Victoria. Victoria is a stopping place, with a McDonald's and big gas station. Victoria is also the place where I got a speeding ticket a few years ago... so we always watch our speed carefully around here.

After Victoria, there is another landmark - a small field that has charming goats. The road rises and falls over rolling hills, and there is one spot where I once saw a group of feral pigs. We pick up US 77, and head further south. The land becomes more and more rural, with large expanses of pasture and fewer cultivated fields. The next town is Refugio (pronounced Re-furrio). There is a McDonald's here, and also the HEB grocery store and gas pumps.

Just south of Refugio are the Urrea Oaks. The road divides around a small clump of ancient live oaks that are an historic Texas landmark. I've stopped there several times to stand under these trees and think about the history they have seen. So glad that TXDot has preserved them. The Historic Marker text:

By tradition, camping place in March 1836, during Texas War for Independence, of Gen.Jose Urrea of Mexico. Strategically located, this was Urrea's staging area. Capt. Amon B. King came form Goliad with his Texas volunteers to support the Refugio townsmen, who were taken into the safety of Mission Nuestra Senora Del Refugio. Then Lt. Col. William also arrived on March 13, and the "Battle of Rufugio" began. Both King and Ward left protection on the Mission, and Urrea won final victories over them, capturing King's command on March 15 and Ward's on March 22.

Woodsboro, Sinton (home of a famous rodeo), Odem (where trains often hold up traffic). Odem used to have a great sign that always amused me. Sadly, the sign was taken down a couple years ago.

South of Odem, we pass the turnoff for Corpus Christi. Then Robstown, where the bus is supposed to stop but didn't. The fields around here are very very flat and usually planted with cotton or sorghum. Far off to the left are many wind turbines catching the sea breezes. To the right, there is a large oil refining plant that on night drives looks like a fantastic city of lights and fire and smoke.

Driscoll has a large fruit stand which sells fruit of questionable quality. My one purchase there has discouraged me from ever stopping again. Falfurrias is next, then Bishop, where we often stop at the Dairy Queen for chili burgers and a pit stop. It's fun to listen to the families that come in from the surrounding ranches and small towns.

The next town is Kingsville, famous for the King Ranch. One of these days I'm going to stop at the Kings Ranch museum. Shortly after Kingsville is Rivera, which is the last stop for gas for 60 miles. Almost everything between Rivera and Raymondville belongs (or used to belong) to the King Ranch. I especially love this part of the trip. The land is pretty wild, lots of brush and wildflowers. There are lots of deer, some cattle. Turkey buzzards soar overhead, there are thousands of butterflies and dragonflies, and the caracara hawk and redtail hawk are commonly seen. Sometimes there will be high fences that indicate the presence of exotic game. I've seen one zebra, various antelope, even oryx! Certainly it would be easy to believe you were in Africa.

Smack in the middle of this empty space is Sarita, which is the Federal Border Patrol station. Here, northbound traffic is stopped and each vehicle is checked. Usually we are just asked "US citizens?" and waved through. The northbound busses are more carefully checked by a two-man team and sometimes a drug dog.

The land becomes much more sandy, with palmettos and yucca as well as grass and scrubby live oask. Baffin Bay is near, although you cannot see or hear the water. After an hour or so, Raymondville comes into view. Actually, the first sign of Raymondville is a magnificant line of palm trees in the center between the divided lanes.

South of Raymondville are Lyford, Sebastian, Combes, and finally Harlingen. Harlingen is largely a mystery to me - I've never stopped here except once to get gas. San Benito (home of Freddy Fender) seems to me to merge into the Harlingen metro area. The bus goes on to Brownsville, but when we travel by car we turn off to the east on Texas 100 for the final 30 miles to South Padre Island. That 30 miles goes very slowly, with many small towns that earn money with speed traps.

On this occasion, the bus took me to downtown Brownsville, which is a charmingly un-renovated (for the most part) town that looks like it's most prosperous time was in the 20's. Lots of brick buildings, sidewalks with store-windows displaying goods, and lots of shoppers. The bridge to Mexico is right there, across the Rio Grande, and many people cross for shopping and visiting. My husband met me at the bus station, and we drove back over Texas 48 towards Port Isabel.

The Port of Brownsville is on the way. The port has recently gotten busier building oil rigs. But there is also a large shrimping fleet that calls the port home. I have bought shrimp at Texas Longhorn Shrimp a few times. They have their own boat, and I'm sure also buy from other shrimpers. Good prices, fresh large shrimp, friendly service. Worth a stop, if you are in the area.

Texas 48 goes over the tidal flats and sand dunes of the coast, headed for Port Isabel. There, we meet up with Texas 100, turning right towards the Island. Landmarks here include the HEB and Wal-Mart, and the Port Isabel Lighthouse, which is a State Historic Landmark.

It looks great hung with lights at Christmastime, and is fun to climb too. The view is fantastic on a good day.

As you can see in the photo, the Queen Isabella Causeway arches over the Laguna Madre and those tall buildings in the distance (2.37 miles away) are part of the small town of South Padre Island. The Causeway is the longest bridge in Texas! On September 15, 2001, part of the bridge collapsed due to being hit by barges, and eight people were killed. It took two months to get the bridge reopened, and during that time traffic had to be ferried over. This bridge remains the only connection to the island. A second bridge has been under discussion for years, but who knows when that will be built.

Door to door, the drive is 359 miles long, and usually takes about 6 hours. The bus takes about the same amount of time, but costs less. There are reasons for both methods. I prefer driving for the flexibility it gives me to stop and investigate. On the other hand, the bus allows for sleeping!

All photos taken by me, at various times over the past few years.

True for women, too!

2010-06-25T08:57:00.000-05:00

Each morning puts a man on trial and each evening passes judgment. -Roy L. Smith

This quote seems to me to be from an earlier age... when standards of behavior and performance were higher.

This may not be true of everyone....

2010-06-17T08:44:00.000-05:00

Our heads are round so that thoughts can change direction. -Francis Picabia, painter and poet (1879-1953)

I believe I've met a blockhead or two in my life, whose thoughts could not possibly change their direction.

Mysterious quote...

2010-06-15T08:29:00.000-05:00

There is as much difference between us and ourselves as between us and others. -Michel de Montaigne, essayist (1533-1592)

I'll be thinking about this one all day...

Road trip!

2010-06-11T10:05:00.002-05:00

Headed to my bother's place, to see my neice's first dance recital. Should be fun! :)

Our House salad

2010-06-06T19:57:00.000-05:00

Humans are creatures of habit - I don't think that is a new idea. I was thinking of habit this evening when preparing our evening meal - I guess we could call this our House Salad.

Now, my salads are a bit different in that I don't want any greens, no lettuce, no spinach, no arugula. Our most common salad is more of a vegetable salad. The only required ingredient is fresh tomatoes, preferably Roma. If we have fennoccio (fennel bulb) that is a favorite. Cucumber or avocado are acceptable additions. All ingredients are chopped at about the same size. We often add canned cecci (garbanzo beans) or canned salmon for additional protein and heft. Fresh basil cut from the pot by the garage, spicy Sicilian olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and a tiny splash of balsamic vinegar create the dressing. Stir it up, let it marinate for a few minutes, and enjoy!

Very nice with fresh bread and we often have a bit of wine. DH is especially fond of any $4 Shiraz he can buy at Wal-Mart. Surprisingly, not too awful. The current vintage is Lucky Duck 2008 Shiraz.

Easier said than done, of course...

2010-06-03T08:31:00.000-05:00

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

― Buddha

This attitude of staying in the NOW is something that I am not very good at. Fortunately, DH is a an adept! Perhaps that is why he remains relatively healthy even in the face of a terminal disease.

Quote for today

2010-06-02T08:41:00.000-05:00

Wear your learning, like your watch, in a private pocket, and do not pull it out and strike it merely to show you have one. If you are asked what o'clock it is, tell it, but do not proclaim it hourly and unasked, like the watchman. - Lord Chesterfield, statesman and writer (1694-1773)

This quote reminds me very much of my two brothers and my father. They are all learned men, and all modest about it.

Quote of the day....

2010-06-01T09:28:00.000-05:00

Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.
-Hal Borland, journalist (1900-1978)

Me and Coralee

2010-02-09T21:42:00.001-06:00

Beginning a new project… a Blurb book about the two vacations that I spent with my late cousin Coralee in Namibia, in 1997 and 2002. I’ve found the journal I kept on the 2002 trip and the photos too. I need to find the old emails that I wrote (hopefully the backups are still intact!) too. My working title: Me and Coralee.

a wake-up fall

2010-01-04T20:15:00.001-06:00

This evening, I was trying to retrieve my coat from the back of the car after parking in our garage. To do that, I had to step over the lawnmower and open the car's back door. Somehow I got tangled up in the lawnmower handle and crashed to the ground, landing on both knees. No major damage, but I’m sure there will be magnificent bruises. What it points out to me is how different it is to fall now, instead of even 5 years ago. Age and weight are combining to make any tumble much more risky. Aspirin will take care of me now but it sure makes me aware of what I need to do. Eat less, stretch and exercise more, and work on balance. Call it a wake-up fall…

© Chrisharvey

Dreamstime.com

Will it snow?

2009-12-03T21:32:00.000-06:00

The buzz around here right now is that we might have some snow tomorrow! Houston doesn't get that much so this is exciting. I imagine there will several people that don't show up at work - even though the prediction is for 1-2 inches, west of 59. We will see!

Home again!

2009-10-19T18:17:00.001-05:00

We are home again! October 3rd to October 19 - a long time to be gone. As always it is good to travel and good to come home. Things are fine here at the house - the garden is a bit more overgrown than usual (looks like we had about 5 inches of rain while we were away). We wondered how Mo would react to us. She was a bit tentative at first but now won't let us out of her sight and has been purring more-or-less nonstop for the last 2 hours. Now the washer is running, the rice cooker is steaming, the suitcases unpacked, and the mail sorted (but not read, yet). Many pictures to edit, video to put together, and at some point I'll get started on the tripbook.

Tomorrow will be a breathless day at work I'm sure. But it will also be nice to get back into the groove of work.

Amy

On land again, in Miami

2009-10-17T10:41:00.001-05:00

We arrived in Miami early this morning... absolutely no problem getting off the ship and on to the hotel. We are sitting in the lobby waiting for the room now.

Transiting the Panama Canal was an awesome experience... so glad we were able to do it. Incredible to see how enormous ships are moved so easily and quickly up through the locks and then down again. We could hardly tear ourselves away from the deck - just like everyone else on the ship!

Grand Cayman was hot hot hot and incredibly humid. We walked down to Seven Mile Beach and sat on a small dock watching the fishes swim in impossibly transparent water. Then we walked back and went on our Atlantis Submarine trip. Forty people sitting back to back down the center of a small submarine, facing the portholes. Crowded but light and bright enough to prevent claustrophobia. We dived down and saw thousands of reef fish of all kinds, blue and yellow and black, striped and spotted, big and tiny. The biggest creature we saw was a turtle (not sure what kind), munching on something. We dove to 108 feet. I'm sure this is the deepest I will ever go in the ocean and it was exhilarating.

Will write more later. And I'll start posting photos too (of which there are many!).

A&A

Guatemala

2009-10-09T18:34:00.001-05:00

We had an awesome trip inland to Antigua, formerly capital of Guatamala. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and I can see why. Between 2 volcanoes and high up, it has cobblestone streets and lots of charm. Tomorrow is at sea, then Costa Rica. We have seen turtles, dolphin, lots of sea birds and some interesting fish. Got into a huge rain storm on the way back down the mountain... One of the people in our van said that people pay good money to Disney for rides like that!

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Amy Nicolai 713.301.0030

Finally sunny in Acapulco

2009-10-07T15:50:00.001-05:00

It was raining when we got here this morning but now is sunny and hot. Walked around the town and the fort - nice textile exhibit. On to Huatulco tomorrow!

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Amy Nicolai 713.301.0030

Test

2009-10-02T22:26:00.001-05:00

Testing

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Amy Nicolai 713.301.0030

Vacation is coming!

2009-09-27T18:31:00.000-05:00

We are getting ready to go on vacation: a 15 day cruise from San Diego to Miami, through the Panama Canal. Looking forward to it... hoping to get some posts in on the way. For now, we are packing and getting things organized.

We have found a sitter for our beloved Mo. This was probably the biggest hurdle since we didn't want to board her. Our friend Ev had graciously promised to watch her at their house, but she does already have two cats who own the house and she would be defending Mo constantly.

Adding a new layer of adventure, we plan to take the bus from the Downtown Transit Center to the airport instead of parking there. This saves about $90 in parking fees. The bus runs non-stop from downtown to Terminal C and costs only $1.50 each way! We will leave the car at my office and take a taxi from the nearby Renaissance Hotel to the transit center. I will check it out tomorrow but believe that the taxi will be about $10.

I am looking forward to getting on the "road" and seeing new things.

More to come!

One-day turnaround

2009-09-23T20:28:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I am off to San Diego for a deposition. And I'm doing it the hard way - leaving early in the morning, and coming back in the afternoon. I think it is amazing that this is even possible... to fly halfway across the country and back in one (long) day. Of course the weather has to cooperate, but it appears to be reasonably calm along my route. More amazing is how easy it is to take this incredible feat for granted.

Hopefully all will go as planned. I'll let you know!

hi there!

2009-09-12T18:14:00.004-05:00

hi there!, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

Playing around with the new camera... while I was wandering around the garden, the local boss hummingbird stopped by to see what I was doing. He didn't sit still so the shot is not great. But I'm happy to have it anyway!

sunset in San Diego

2009-08-28T22:50:00.003-05:00

sunset in San Diego, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

I am privileged to be able to travel for my work. This week I spent just a couple days in San Diego. Took a walk along the waterfront last night, from the hotel on Broadway to the SeaPort Village. It was a warm, humid evening and pretty miserable actually. The shops were only mildly interesting. The best part of the walk was listening to a pair of musicians play near the Village. They were probably Mexican, playing guitars, pipes, flutes, the harp... it echoed out over the still water and the dark.

my dad

2009-08-19T21:57:00.002-05:00

laughing, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

I love this photo of my dad. It embodies so many memories. I am thinking of him this evening, because in searching for something else, I ran across a list that we made together at the kitchen table, in September 2004. Somehow the conversation came around to the various jobs that his father, my Grandpap, had done during his life. Grandpap died when I was about 6, but I remember a tall man with huge hands, who seemed a bit grim. Photographs show broad shoulders, large features, strong-looking. He died young, in his early 70's I think, in about 1961. Here is list of the jobs that his father had, in the order that his son remembered them:

farmer (this would be in rural Pennsylvania, in a narrow valley near Tussey Mountain)
road builder
coal miner at age 12, in Elizabeth
carpenter at the power plant in Saxton
timber hauler
tunnel and bridge builder
led a rigging gang in a steel mill in Monassan (not sure I got that right, sometimes my writing is hard to read!)
coke screener in Johnstown
railroad bridges
constable
treasurer of the school board, Hopewell Township
state inspector for highway construction on Highway 70, from about Town Hill to Breezewood

I also know that Grandpap was a devout Democrat - one time we found the precinct lists. He was away from home a lot, which left my Grandma to raise her five sons mostly on her own. The farm provided most of the food they needed, but cash was needed too. Grandpap's jobs brought in enough! Interesting how many of them are in the construction/engineering area.

my assistant

2009-08-09T10:36:00.004-05:00

my assistant, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

Whenever I cook or bake Mo wants to be involved. She carefully smells everything but rarely actually tastes.

By the way - the Vanilla Dinner Rolls were really excellent! I highly recommend the cookbook, The Bountiful Kitchen by Barry Bluestein & Kevin Morrissey. This book is a staple in my kitchen and a source of inspiration.

thinking of ice cream

2009-06-01T21:52:00.005-05:00

Lately I've discovered Blue Bunny Butter Pecan ice cream. The Premium variety is of course fabulous, but even the No Sugar Added variety is really good. Smooth vanilla studded with pecans - what's not to like?! Eating this ice cream reminded me of the process we used to go through to make it when I was growing up.

Of course, we grew up in tropical Africa. The ingredients weren't always easy to find. Milk was pretty sketchy - I disliked the lumpy, reconstituted powdered milk. The "fresh" kind wasn't too fresh and often was watered down. The eggs were readily available but of uneven quality (not surprising since those hens ran away from things that wanted to eat them 24/7). Eggs usually came to the back door as gifts or for sale by the travelling merchants who also brought us vegetables and ivory carvings and huge stalks of bananas.

My mother would start the night before with a custard ice cream recipe from Joy of Cooking... although looking at my edition (1976, beginning on page 758) it seems we should have had vanilla beans around. I don't remember that. We probably subtituted vanilla flavoring. I remember Mom telling me it never hurts to double the vanilla! We definitely did have evaporated milk, which appears in some of the recipes.

The next day, maybe an early Saturday evening, the churn would come out. I think it was a wood one, and of course was cranked manually. The ice came from the kerosene-powered fridge, the salt probably from the local native market. The promising bucket dropped into the ice, and soon all of us kids took turns turning, and exhorting each other not to stop. Adults take over from time to time when we get distracted. After an interminable, arm-exhausting amount of time, Mom would pronounce it ready. Once in a while we would shave some Cote D'or chocolate into that luscious vanilla before churning.

The ice cream itself was smooth and creamy most of the time, possibly a bit crystalized if we didn't do a good job. Cold felt good on warm tropical evenings! Since our freezer was very small and really not intended for long term storage of anything, we had to eat the whole bucket. Not much of a sacrifice.

Another highlight of making ice cream was daring each other to stand in the ice-water left in the churn bucket. Wow that was COLD!!!! Bare feet in salted icy water - you can't beat it. I can feel my toes going numb just thinking about it.

I don't remember doing this very often - a few times a year perhaps. Then again, I was at boarding school much of the year so perhaps my family had it more often than that. But whenever we made ice cream, we made good food, good fun, and good memories.

Photo credits: the ice cream churn comes from Kalani at Dreamstime. The hibiscus schitzopetalus shot comes from my dad, an excellent photogapher who has preserved the the soft sunset light on film for us to savor over and over again. Thanks Dad!

The Roman stage...

2009-05-25T16:34:00.004-05:00

DH has reached the Roman stage of his journey - all has been well. He is happy to be rid of his car although he did enjoy driving it (a Lancia Ypsilon I think). Rome is no place for a car. Now he is staying at his cousin's apartment. He say's it's hot, but my weather service says it will cool down a bit between now and Wednesday. Wishing I was walking those old streets with him.

Memiary

2009-05-22T19:58:00.005-05:00

I've found an elegant small app for the iPhone that I just have to share. Memiary is so simple that I wish I had thought of it. Here's the concept: write down 5 things you did today. That's it. Really! I recommend it!

Diary photo from ©Beata Wojciechowska Dreamstime.com

spirit man

2009-05-15T23:36:00.003-05:00

spirit man, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This wonderful statue is framed by a bauhinia vine, in the Arbor Gate Nursery just outside Tomball. I highly recommend this nursery - fabulous demonstration gardens, interesting plant selection, friendly folks, and good prices. Arbor Gate Nursery

a month...

2009-05-06T21:27:00.003-05:00

I am without DH, who is visiting family and friends in Italy. Miss him already... hope he is ok on the big plane winging towards Milan Malpensa. Mo walks through the house looking for him too... I'm sure her day was strangely quiet. Now the TV plays COPS without sound - I had brussel sprouts with butter and lemon, with pretzels and wine for dessert - and the month stretches out before me like a sentence. It will get better but right now just feeling empty.

street flooding in houston

2009-04-28T08:01:00.002-05:00

street flooding in houston 2, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

We have had more than 10 inches of rain in the last 24 hours - and 8 inches since midnight. Fortunately no water in our house but I understand that others in our nieghborhood weren't so lucky.

dinner at the Brass Monkey

2009-04-22T19:39:00.003-05:00

The Brass Monkey, St. Pete Beach, Florida

I had a lovely peaceful dinner this evening at The Brass Monkey in St. Pete Beach, Florida. After a long meeting, it was so nice to sit on the second floor balcony and look out over the Gulf of Mexico, sipping iced tea and waiting for my "colossal" fried shrimp. They arrived in good time, accompanied by the recommended fresh green beans and boiled red potatoes. The size was indeed large and they were perfectly fried with a crunchy coating that probably had panko crumbs in it. The server was attentive and cheerful with helpful suggestions. He brought extra horseradish for the cocktail sauce too.

Unfortunately I couldn't stay for the sunset but no doubt it would have been awesome. I highly recommend this spot if you are anywhere near Tampa or St. Petersburg.

odd birds in Houston

2009-04-21T20:45:00.007-05:00

We've seen some unfamiliar birds in the last few days in Houston. Possibly the huge storm that blew through here on Saturday has driven some off of their migration course.

On Sunday, I saw a Baltimore Oriole (Icterus Galbula) - the very first time I've ever sighted one here. What a cheerful, beautiful song they have! The photo that I took is completely lousy, so I'll have to use someone else's... from a fellow microstock photographer on Dreamstime, Watware.

This afternoon, DH called me all excited - the bluebird of happiness was in the backyard! Once again, the photos do no justice to the bird. But I was able to positively identify it as the Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides). He was clearly blown off course since they don't usually come near the Houston area. Here is a nice shot from another Dreamstime photographer, Peterll. I'm glad this little guy stopped by - he sure is cute.

The final surprise happened this evening as I was watering the garden. There was an unfamiliar shape high in the sycamore tree... and I realized it was grey/brown, and had a crest. A Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)! Several of them perched high in the dead branches, and then a mockingbird flew at them and they hustled off towards the neighbor's live oak. While not completely unknown in Houston, I haven't seen them for many years. Here is a nice shot from Stephencoyle, another Dreamstime photog.

Registered for Mobile Blogging

2009-04-11T12:00:00.002-05:00

Sent from my iPhone...

This should be interesting.

INFP

2009-04-11T10:39:00.003-05:00

Browing through blogs today, I found this interesting questionnaire. I went through it, to see if my type has changed since the last time I took it, several years ago. Seems it has not changed a bit - still an INFP. Although I didn't know I was an Idealist Healer Personality!

INFP

Strength of preferences

Introverted 89%
Intuitive 25%
Feeling 38%
Perceiving 44%
very expressed introvert
moderately expressed intuitive personality
moderately expressed feeling personality
moderately expressed perceiving personality

Famous INFPs include Homer, Virgil, William Shakespeare, A. A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh), Helen Keller, Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers' Neighborhood), Dick Clark (American Bandstand), Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis, Neil Diamond, Tom Brokaw, James Herriot (All Creatures Great and Small), James Taylor, Julia Roberts, John F. Kennedy, Jr., Lisa Kudrow ("Phoebe" of Friends), Princess Diana, and J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter author).

Famous fictional INFPs (that I connect with) include Calvin (Calvin & Hobbes), Deanna Troi and Wesley Crusher(Star Trek - the Next Generation).

You can do it yourself if you want: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp .

Here is a link for my type... http://typelogic.com/infp.html.

computer killer

2009-04-10T19:32:00.004-05:00

Apparently I'm a computer killer. My HP Pavillion tx1000 died today - it is completely, 100% dead. It's not the power supply, the battery, the hard drive, the RAM - not even the screen. The BIOS is not sleeping, it's dead.

After a long and polite online chat with Santu at HP, we concluded that it has to go in for repair. Unfortunately that would be $398 plus tax. And I can get a new one for not too much more than that. The company has an EPP deal so looks like I can get something very nice for less than $800.

What is curious is my desktop ALSO died a BIOS death not too long ago. Strange. DH is blaming my aura. What do you think?

Long weekend...

2009-04-08T21:22:00.003-05:00

A long weekend coming up - me and the Mo are driving down to SPI to spend a little time at the beach and reconnect with DH. Should be an interesting experience - Mo hasn't spent that much time in a car since we brought her up from the island after Christmas. I've got a new carrier but mostly I expect she will be loose in the car. If that doesn't work, she gets some carrier time...

I like driving down to the island. There are long stretches of rural and even fairly wild terrain. Around Kingsville, there are places where I could be in Africa. And there are a couple exotic game ranches so I might even see a zebra or a few impala.

Happy Easter to all of you. Hopefully you can spend it with family and friend.

projects in progress

2009-03-29T15:39:00.003-05:00

A few things in progress today:

finished up stage 2 of the limoncino project. Stage 2 involves straining out the lemon peel and adding sugar syrup.
planting out the milkweed plant and cosmos flowers bought yesterday
installing the trellises that I bought yesterday for my pole beans
researching the next "big" trip - the Trans-Siberian Railway... ordered a book, read online for a couple hours...
booked the car (Nova Car Hire is highly recommended) for DH's trip to Italy in May
made waffles for breakfast!
finished up the taxes. Will re-do to see if I can eliminate the $2,000 we have to pay.

All in all, a busy productive day.

a banner day

2009-03-24T20:14:00.002-05:00

a banner day, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This is the first time we have actually witnessed two butterflies hatching at the same time.

Even in discouraging times, the miracle of daily life is intense.

Without this where would we be...

dancers

2009-03-14T17:55:00.002-05:00

dancers, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

We have had a couple days of cool, rainy weather here in Houston - very welcome because we are running a deficit of almost 7 inches this year.

These little evening primroses (or buttercups, for Texans) are weighed down by the rain. They look like dancers to me.

snapdragon

2009-03-11T22:21:00.002-05:00

snapdragon, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This snapdragon is something of a surprise to us. You may recall that last year we bought a bunch of plants for just a couple dollars. Apparently among them was a snapdragon. I've never actually grown one before so I didn't recognize the young plant until it began to form buds.

I love the color the flowers take on in the afternoon.

Cheddar cheese and sugar

2009-02-16T08:07:00.003-06:00

Last night I was feeling a bit nostalgic, and hungry too! When I am in that mood, I will often reach for extra-sharp cheddar cheese, dipped in granulated sugar. My Pennsylvania grandmother used to sit at the end of the kitchen table (the end closest to the stairs down to the basement, where many good things waited to be consumed!) and spoon white sugar over cheddar cheese. It is a wonderful comfort food, and one that reminds me of how simple things can be so satisfying.

Does anyone else have this tradition?

a really old church

2009-01-27T22:31:00.002-06:00

firenze - doorway to basilica di san lorenzo, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This is the doorway to the Basilica di San Lorenzo. Amazing to contemplate that the church (according to Wikipedia) was consecrated in 393 AD!!! The building that we see is more Renaissance than anything. This facade looks unfinished to me - I really must read up on it and find out why.

I've been remembering our November 2007 trip to Italy. So many wonderful moments. One of the many unfinished projects is to create a memento of that month. My tenative title is "A Drive Around Italy". I'll use Blurb and their wonderful software called BookSmart. Two previous creations were successful for their purpose, as family gifts.

sleeping cat

2009-01-14T20:36:00.003-06:00

sleeping cat, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

Mo is on the mend. She still has 6 more LymSulpher dip baths to go, and assorted antibiotics, ointments, and drops to be taken. Apparently adopting a cat from the wild is expensive (we are up to $400) but she is such a joy.

mo

2009-01-01T21:37:00.002-06:00

mo, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This is Mo, who joined our household officially on the day after Christmas, 2008. She is the youngest of the feral kittens who lived in and around our beach house on South Padre Island. After her father Faithful died on Christmas Eve, my husband and I decided that we needed to help this little one. She was wheezing and "sneezling" as DH says, and although always the smallest, now truly too skinny. So we took h er to the vet in Port Isabel, who perscribed some medicines and tested her for FIV and leukemia. She passed those tests. We brought her back to Houston, and then she went with us to Fort Worth for the weekend too. But by Monday 12/29 she was declining drastically. I took her to a vet here in Houston, who said she was critically dehydrated and was 24-36 hours away from death. The team at Houston Cat Hospital did a terrific job and she has bounced back very well. I suspect that by the time we go back on Monday 1/5, she will have added at least a pound to her beginning weight of 2.5 pounds (still not much for a 3 month old kitten).

Her official name is Motorino (little motor, in Italian). She has a great purr.

Two plants I'm thinking about today

2008-12-23T19:30:00.005-06:00

First, the Tree Dahlia, Dahlia tenuicaulis. A Flickr friend posted a lovely shot (not this one though) and it reminded me how much I wanted to try this one. Not sure how it will react to the warm humid Houston summers but it should like cool wet winters!

Second, the Sunflower Tree or Tree Marigold, Tithonia diversifolia. I've seen it growing in Tampa so I know for sure it will handle Houston! The bush I saw there could easily have been called a small tree - it was 12 feet high and covered in butterflies. There is a possibility it is an invasive species, from some of the reading I have done. So I will need to read some more before I dive in. I've already lived (and we are STILL living) the nightmare called ruellia.

Do any of you have experience with these lovelies?

Early December garden update

2008-12-14T20:57:00.002-06:00

The first two weeks of December have been dramatic. We have had warm humid sunny days, then cold, then warm, then back to cold and wet. Plants that grow well in Houston are tough!

Today I checked the Giant Granadilla to see how it was holding up. After all, we have had freezing temperatures and this is a tropical plant. There are 11 buds, 4 of which have actually opened! This is the first time the vine has flowered since its first year back in 2003. I doubt we will have fruit, but it is fun to see these giant flowers.

On our walk this morning, we discovered a treasure trove of discarded dianthus plants. The landscaper for the nearby office complex dumped a pile of plants in the empty field. By the time I spotted the pile, the marigolds had died. But there was an entire colony of pink and red dianthus thriving! So we hauled about 15 plants home and tucked them into the damp earth of the back garden. Dianthus are pretty hardy, and I have several plants that have survived for years. They suffer during the heat but if they are in a somewhat shaded location they will stumble through and then are in glory for the fall and winter months. Butterflies depend on their cheerful flowers for nectar, and I depend on them for a little color!

One of my crepe myrtles has gorgeous yellow leaves - a nice surprise. Houston isn't known for fall colors, and there is nothing else in the yard with color.

Tomorrow will be another humid day. Then we expect a cold front on Wednesday. I'm hoping for a freeze, to knock down the mosquito population! On the other hand, the giant granadilla will probably freeze back.

snow on the roof

2008-12-10T21:42:00.003-06:00

snow on the roof, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

It's snowing in Houston! This is a fairly rare occurrence south of I-10. We don't expect it to last even until morning. But for now, it's nice to see the flakes falling.

When I checked just a few minutes ago, the snow was already melted from the garbage can lid. But maybe we will wake up to a blanket of white. And I will have an excuse to wait a little while to go into work!

Thanksgiving part 1

2008-11-27T09:15:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we flew from Houston to BWI to begin the Thanksgiving holiday with my family. Our Continental flight left at 7:25 AM and so we were up at 4AM to get ourselves out the door by 4:30AM. I was concerned about parking but when we got to my preferred floor 7 of the Terminal E parking garage, it was almost empty! Getting through security was quick, we had 2 people in front of us. We spent an hour in the President's Club getting coffee and reading the paper. There was a nice surprise waiting for us at the gate, because when I went up to counter and asked about a possible companion upgrade I found they had already upgraded us. So we had first class seats and very nice service. And yet another breakfast! We arrived in Baltimore on time and got the rental car quickly (another free upgrade too). I don't know if leaving early was the key, but we had absolutely no trouble with our inbound travel. A big relief.

DH seems to have stood the trip well, no distress on the flight. I am so grateful for that. And today he is cheerful and ate a good breakfast of waffles and jam and coffee. Hopefully the healing process is well on its way.

November in Houston - garden update

2008-11-23T12:07:00.006-06:00

November in Houston is usually wonderful - the temps can range from warm to mild to cool, and we usually get some rain. Today is a warmish, humid day with sun peeking through the clouds and the promise of thunderstorms this afternoon.

I spent an hour pulling weeds in the garden (this time of year is the only time it's possible to get ahead of them) and noticed that my giant passionflower vine has quite a few buds! A nice surprise. Giant Granadilla source and photos

The fig tree is bravely producing fruit but the chances of it ripening are slim. We have had one ripe fruit from the fall flush.

The pineapple guava trees had LOTS of fruit this year, but they have all fallen off. Perhaps it was too cold, or too dry? Or maybe they needed some fertilizer. I've been lax in that department this year.

Most of the plants and trees have recovered from the hurricane damage they suffered during Ike. The crepe myrtles look less lush because all their leaves blew off and the time for growing leaves had pretty much passed. I still need to work on the climbing rose - it was severely blown around by the winds. That is a prickly job though, and I haven't taken the time to do it.

Inside the house I completed a second batch of limoncino. We should definitely have enough for years to come, now! Sometime in late December I will bottle the first batch and let it mellow. Now I am on the hunt for a good coffee liqueur recipe to use up the leftover vodka and grain alcohol. :)

It's been a week and two days...

2008-11-16T18:12:00.003-06:00

... and DH been home almost all of that time. The procedures (gallstone removal and gall bladder removal) went very well. We did spend a few hours in the emergency room yesterday evening, for severe stomach cramps - again! But it was probably too much rich food that caused it. All the blood work and scans came back normal. So we are going to stick with low fat, low cholesterol foods for a few weeks until his body gets used to having no gall bladder.

We have had wonderful care at the West Houston Memorial hospital - the staff has been kind and competent and for the most part, cheerful. Houston is famous for its healthcare options and I'm glad we live so close!

a BIG gallstone

2008-11-08T11:41:00.003-06:00

I'm glad to report that the surgery was successful. DH came through it just fine! The surgeon said the gallbladder was quite enlarged, and there was just one stone - the size of a robin's egg! He has 4 small incisions about an inch long.

You should have seen how he attacked the chicken broth and fruit! :) That was great.

We got a bit of a surprise though, because his cardiologist has done a chemical stress test (at 9 today) and we don't have the results yet. We are speculating that the doctor is taking advantage of this time to get further information on the progress of the congestive heart failure that DH has to cope with. I guess that means he still won't be allowed to come home today though.

Anyway - the best news is that he got through all the procedures beautifully. I am so thankful.

One down, one to go

2008-11-06T22:18:00.004-06:00

Today my husband had the gallstones removed from the bile duct. The doctor said that what he found was really like grainy sludge. He cleaned it all out, irrigated with saline, and made sure that the opening was clear. The procedure went well - took about 45 minutes. I was treated to lots of details about the machine, which apparently looks like the arched neck and head of a dinosaur. And the doctor has to wear a suit to protect against the radiation. Our patient was sedated for the procedure itself but I guess had lots of time to look at the equipment.

When I got there around 4:30, he had only been really awake for about an hour. And he was so hungry and thirsty, and still designated as no food or water! It had been more than 24 hours since he was allowed anything... So I got the nurse to call the doctor, who approved that he could have anything he wanted. What DH wanted was chicken broth and rice. After eating the whole bowl, and getting pain medication (the procedure left his abdomen quite sore) he was happy to settle into a doze.

The surgeon came to visit and discuss the gallbladder removal surgery tomorrow. He seems like a very nice guy - so far everyone has been - and explained that it will be laproscopic, with an incision near the belly button for the camera, and another small one to get the gall bladder out. The main concern is that since this is done under general anesthesia, there is risk because of the heart condition. Our doctor is confident that he will do well, and I am too.

The surgery is scheduled for noon tomorrow. The surgeon said that lots of people go home the same day, but he is going to keep the patient overnight to watch the heart and make sure the recovery is smooth. So, right now we expect that he will be home sometime on Saturday. We are both looking forward to that!

Thursday and Friday

2008-11-05T21:50:00.003-06:00

As some of you know, my husband went to the hospital last night while I was in Tampa, complaining of very severe stomach pain. They kept him overnight, and have done several blood tests and a CAT scan.

The diagnosis is gallstones. He has to have the gall bladder removed, as well as the gallstones themselves, which are lodged in the bile duct. The removal of the gallstones is done endoscopically, and is scheduled for mid-morning tomorrow. If all goes well, then the following day (Friday) they will remove the gall bladder. He should be home on Saturday.

He is feeling wretched right now, lots of nausea and fever/chills. They've started him on antibiotics and gave him a good shot of Demerol (pain) and phenargan (nausea). He's also on oxygen. When I left him the Demerol had taken effect and he was sleeping.

He looks so vulnerable...

a little better

2008-11-05T07:15:00.002-06:00

Husband called to say that they kept him overnight for tests and have moved him upstairs, out of the emergency area. He's complaining about the noise... He doesn't know what kind of tests but hopefully by the time I get home we will have a few more answers. And probably, more questions too.

worried in Tampa

2008-11-04T19:56:00.002-06:00

I flew to Tampa this afternoon... have a deposition tomorrow. But almost as soon as I got here my husband called to say that he had severe stomach cramps. And now he is in the emergency room and his doctor is on the way... I don't know what to do and I am just waiting to hear from him again.

He has been troubled with cramps a few times lately and I've been after him to call his doctor. But it didn't happen until now.

I wish I was there.

Early voting in Houston

2008-10-27T19:18:00.003-05:00

It took us longer to drive to the early voting site (15 minutes) tonight than it did to vote. We were in and out in 10 minutes.

Differences from the last time we voted, which was for the Democratic primary:

twice as many voting booths
twice as much staff
four times as many signs
a few supporters handing out fliers (none at the primary)
more smiles

I'm glad to get it done, and hopeful that my candidate (Obama) will win.

Interesting side note - we have been putting out our Vote Democratic sign every morning, and taking it in in the evening, hoping to prevent another tragic sign-stealing episode. This time, when I came home there was an unsolicited Obama/Biden sign in our yard. Makes me wonder. Did the local Democratic boosters just distribute signs, or did our thief feel a little remorse and replace the signs they stole?

flutterby

2008-10-26T22:51:00.004-05:00

flutterby, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

As a friend on Flickr says... this is life in motion. We move so fast through our busy lives, and sometimes miss the wonders right under our noses. This is certainly not a new comment - but it bears repeating.

A news article I read recently said that a byproduct of the worriesome economy is that people spend more time with their families. So there is a silver lining to the gloomy clouds.

Take a moment to see the fleeting beauty of nature. All we have is NOW.

Limoncino - the first day

2008-10-23T20:51:00.007-05:00

Tonight I began my next batch of limoncino. The first batch, made 2 or 3 years ago, has finally been consumed. The recipe that I use is from my husband's mother's cousin Roberto, an engaging, enthusiastic octogenarian who is the self-appointed welcoming committee for his village. Visiting his home is a culinary adventure - we always leave with recipes and full stomachs.

Among many wonderful things, he creates limoncino, and another version with orange peels instead of lemon peels. Also an interesting rose-petal liqueur. The ingredients (except for the alcohol) come from his lovely garden.

Here is Roberto's Limoncino di Casa Magnani (with modifications by me)

Day 1, Phase 1:

1 liter Everclear (grain alcohol 190 proof)

1 liter vodka (good but not necessarily premium)

15 lemons - quantity negotiable and dependant on how thick the skin is. The thicker the skin, the fewer lemons required. If possible use organic lemons with very thick skins.

Pour the alcohol into a clean, dry gallon jar. Carefully peel the lemons so that all you have is the yellow part of the skin. Stop frequently to smell the wonderful perfume of lemon oil on your hands. (My husband takes the now naked lemons and macerates them with sugar, to make a puckery and delightful dessert.) Put the lemon peels in the alcohol, swirl a little and admire how pretty they are in the light, and then put into a dark, cool cupboard for 8 days.

Day 8, 22, and 36:

Gently stir the lemon peels and put back in the cupboard.

Day 43:

Stir the lemon peels, and test flexibility. If the peel breaks like a potato chip, move on to the next step. If not and the peel just bends, put the jar back in the cupboard for another week.

The beauty of this recipe is that there is very little work to do for the first 6 weeks or so. Buy, pour, peel, and swirl.

Once your peels are brittle, you proceed to the next stage.

Day 1, Phase 2:

Dissolve 4 cups of white sugar in 3 cups of tap or distilled water (not mineral water). If you want a thicker syrup, use a little more sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Use a clean slotted spoon to remove the lemon peels from the infusion and discard. Using a large funnel and paper coffee filters, slowly (this may take quite a while) strain the infusion through the filters into a large pitcher. You will use lots of filters and probably make a mess. Rinse and dry the same gallon jar that you used in Phase 1. Repeat the straining process, this time back into the gallon jar. Add the cooled syrup. Return to a cool dry cupboard for 40 days to mellow.

Day 40, Phase 2:

Begin filtering the limoncino again, this time into a measuring cup. Then filter one more time into the bottles you will store the liquor in. You have now filtered the liqueur a total of four times, and it should be a lovely lemon yellow color, with a slightly thick feel to it. Seal the bottles very tightly. If you use cork be sure to dip the neck into melted wax. You don't want the alcohol to evaporate out through the cork!!!

The limoncino is now ready to use. But it gets smoother and more mellow the longer you let it sit. The batch that is now 2 or 3 years old is really excellent.

We keep ours in the freezer. It won't freeze, and the icy cold liqueur is wonderful on a hot summer day, or after a heavy meal. Also lovely on vanilla ice cream (Blue Bell, or Blue Bunny if you are in the US).

they stole my sign!

2008-10-21T19:44:00.002-05:00

I am sorry to report that some $#(@R$#$ person stole my Obama/Biden sign this evening. We planted it there a week ago and it survived until sometime between 5pm and 7pm tonight. So disappointing. Our neighbor on the corner takes his signs in every night - which we should have done too I guess. But I had hoped that the political climate, in Houston and my neighborhood, had gotten less petty.

Apparently not.

Update on work

2008-10-11T09:28:00.002-05:00

Good news - we won the case. My attorney did a FABULOUS job and it was a great learning experience for me. We celebrated with a nice bottle of red (Kunde Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley 2000) and he gave me another bottle to bring back to the hotel room. I had a relaxing room service meal of tomato bisque, broccolini with hollandaise sauce, and lobster mac 'n cheese. Good stuff.

Now I am headed out into the desert to see how the Prius drives on the freeway and look for pretty sights. Looking forward to a fun day.

Traffic in Las Vegas

2008-10-08T22:03:00.002-05:00

Having driven back and forth across town for two days now, I'm pleased to report that traffic in Las Vegas has been vastly improved. The freeway construction is more complete than it was, and there is a great cross-town alternative, Desert Inn road (known locally as DI) which makes a nice swoop over the freeway and under the strip to deliver me to the hotel. Wow, so easy.

Other traffic moments in Las Vegas include the time that it took me 1 1/2 hours to drive the Strip from from the North end to the South end... the person who stopped in the left lane of Sahara and then slowly, deliberately crossed all lanes, to make a right turn on (I think) Jones... watching someone who had forgotten their drink on the top of their car turn left and the drink spilling all over the car...

Overall it is an entertaining place to drive. The layout of the city is mostly a square grid, and it's hard to get lost when you have the Strip buildings as markers. I like visiting this city even when I can't take advantage of its famous sights.

5 nights in Las Vegas

2008-10-07T22:20:00.002-05:00

It sounds like fun, right? But I'm here working (honest), attending a trial. Today we picked the jury - a very interesting process. It was by turns boring, confrontational, funny, embarrassing, sad, and impressive. Trial starts tomorrow and of course I can't comment on the actual case but I'll try to share a little bit of the rest of the experience. Hopefully there will be a small side-trip to somewhere naturally beautiful - haven't decided where yet. Any suggestions?

up on the roof

2008-10-05T20:15:00.004-05:00

up on the roof, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

I've spent a lot of time looking at roof damage lately... fortunately not my personal roof, but the compay that I work for has had lots of roof "issues". Here, the men are having a meeting 40 feet in the air... discussing the holes in various roofs. I didn't climb the ladder, begging off because of bad knees. Yes, it probably was a wimpy thing to do, but the older I get the less I find I have to prove to anyone.

doing the happy power dance...

2008-09-23T07:54:00.003-05:00

When I finally got home last night, my neighbor's air conditioner was humming, and I had high hopes that my power would be on too. AND IT WAS! AND IS! It went off Friday 9/12 at about 11pm, and came back on Monday 9/22 at about 6pm. The house has different sounds now - the fridge making ice, the fan creaks, the little noises that I didn't notice before. The thing I really appreciate the most is being able to move the air. We have had very little breeze and the house was really getting stuffy.

I removed the few things we had left in the freezer side of the fridge, and threw away lots of "non-perishables" that had perished in the cold side. Ran the dishwasher too, which had been accumulating things for a while. Tonight I get to do laundry! :)

The trek home last night was memorable for its length. About 1 hour 45 minutes to go the 11 miles. The Westpark Tollway and the Sam Houston Tollway are still free, because the street lights are still not on in many areas. So I talked to my parents for a while on the cellphone and then listened to my lecture series History of the English Language, 2nd Edition
by Seth Lerer. A really great way to beat the frustration of traffic!

The city is still recovering from Ike, and will be for a while. Many schools are not open, and of course the further south you go towards Galveston, the worse the damage gets. I feel very lucky to be able to have my fan and dishwasher and fridge.

that important utility - ELECTRICITY

2008-09-19T19:28:00.004-05:00

Well theoretically I should have power on Monday... When will you get power?

The following zip codes are estimated to have substantial power restoration by the end of day on Monday, September 22: 77024, 77031, 77032, 77039, 77040, 77041, 77042, 77050, 77055, 77072, 77077, 77079, 77080, 77082, 77083, 77084, 77092, 77099, 77336, 77338, 77339, 77346, 77357, 77365, 77373, 77386, 77396, 77459, 77477, 77478, 77479, 77511, 77515, 77534, 77577, 77583
I'm hopeful.

I grew up having limited access to 24 hour electricity, so I already appreciated it. But it's been more than 35 years since I had to live without power and it sure is easy to get used to comfort! Especially in a hot, humid environment - and in a house that isn't set up to work without it.

Houston, day 5 after Hurricane Ike

2008-09-18T21:05:00.004-05:00

Well, the drive up to Houston from SPI was uneventful. I stopped in Refugio for gas and groceries (paid $3.69/gal) and then again in Wharton (again, $3.69/gal). Started out kind of sleepy, but by 9AM the phone was ringing constantly so that got me awake!

I drove straight to the house and sure enough the power is still off. Argh. But, the water heater and the stove top are natural gas so I will be able to cook and also take a hot shower! The yard looks nice because the yardman came.

There are huge piles of debris on the edge of each street. The mayor has said that heavy debris will picked up "sometime soon" by contractors other than our regular garbage folks.

I spent the balance of the day at one of our apartment complexes, meeting with adjusters and attempting to balance insurance requirements with corporate urgency. Everyone is stressed and the calls are sometimes strained. But we will get through this. It's only day 5!

As I look out over the city there are quite a few lights on - and huge swathes of darkness. It took me an hour to go the 11 miles from my house to our office in Greenway Plaza. Traffic lights were working on one block, flashing red on another, and just plain OUT on others. And it changes from block to block. Hardly anyone remembers how to handle a 4-way stop, especially on roads like Westheimer with three lanes and left turn lanes as well.

I've got a option to stay at my boss's home near the office, but will try one night at my own home just to see what it is like. Fortunately the weather is quite cool especially by Houston standards.

tomorrow, the adventure continues

2008-09-17T14:26:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow, (Thursday 9/18) I'm heading back into Houston to work. There are some things that just have to be done in person - like picking up invoices and moving them on to their proper destinations.

Our neighbor says that there still is no power at her house or probably at our house either. But the Randalls at Westheimer & Wilcrest and the HEB at Westheimer & Kirby are open and selling. And there is gas here and there but she recommended getting it before I come into the city. Someone from my office in the Greenway Plaza are said they had no trouble getting gas at the Citgo at Richmond & Kirby. I've heard the word "spotty" applied to electricity and fuel availability by so many people.

I plan to leave around 6am and hopefully pull into the office around noon.

looking east on our street

2008-09-15T22:36:00.002-05:00

looking east on our street, originally uploaded by AmyEmilia.

This is what our street looked like on Saturday 9/13. There was some flooding but the tree damage isn't too severe. You will note that there is a light on in the house to our left. That house has power. The house just to my left (invisible behind it's dangling pine branch) has power in PART of the house. Apparently one leg of the power is on and one is off. At least, that is what an electrician told my neighbor. Odd. This may also be true in our house since my husband told me that he noticed the internet cable modem lights were on when we were closing up the house to leave.

We decided that since there was no power and no water pressure, staying in Houston would be silly when we have a perfectly good house in South Padre to go to. So around 2pm we packed up and left. I've got a few pictures of the drive down but it was not dramatic at all. We found gas outside of Victoria and paid $3.59 - not a bad price. The trip took 5.5 hours which is faster than normal. There was hardly any traffic.

At least South Padre has power and water!

2008-09-13T21:37:00.002-05:00

We had a busy day today! Of course overnight Hurricane Ike roared through our neighborhood. The wind was impressive, and I am so glad that we got those big limbs trimmed off our tree! Although there was steady rain, we never really got a deluge.

Early in the morning (around 7 or so) the water was backing up in the street. I went out with camera, cell phone, and raincoat, and walked around. Cleared out the leaves and branches from one of street drains that was clogged. The little bayou was running fast, but the good news was that it was running downstream as it should. Which told me that our big bayou wasn't yet impacted by the big storm surge that pushed up into Galveston Bay, the San Jacinto River, and anywhere else that it could. By around 10 our street was clear of flood waters and they never got more than a couple inches up into our yard. I've definitely seen much worse from a violent thunderstorm.

Tree branches were down all over the place, but no trees fell. Our street was easy to drive on. I picked up lots of limbs and piled them in the front yard. Hopefully the heavy trash folks will come by soon and pick them up.

By noon, after listening to the radio and the neighbors, it became obvious that power was going to be out for a LONG time, perhaps weeks. And the water pressure was down to a mere trickle. So we decided to pack up and head down to South Padre Island. We are so fortunate to have another place to get, all set up and ready. A little ironic that it was only a few weeks ago that Hurricane Dolly was making her mark there.

We left around 2 and arrived by 7:45pm which was GREAT time. The road was completely clear and dry. Closer to Houston the gas stations were all closed but once we got to Victoria there were many open and serving. We bought gas at the Victoria McDonald's truckstop for $3.59 which isn't a bad price! (They usually offer a fair gas price.) Almost the entire way down US59 and then US77 we saw houses and businesses boarded up. A reminder of how the forecasted track of Ike moved from south of Corpus Christi all the way up to Galveston.

We arrived on the island just in time for the sunset and hurried down to the beach. There obviously was a huge surge, much larger than the one that Gustav sent a couple weeks ago. No trash cans on the beach so the city must have taken them away. The water was oh, so warm. The pink sunset and rising moon made for a good ending to a long day.

Except of course my day was not done. All of my company's locations in Houston had damage from the storm, so I have spent the evening writing up incident reports, talking to adjusters, and getting things lined up for Monday morning inspections. Tomorrow I'll be working again most likely. Maybe, depending on the response, I may have to drive to Corpus to see any damage reported at our three locations there.

We are relieved to have power and water, and a safe place to sleep tonight.

Update at 11:12pm

2008-09-12T23:12:00.004-05:00

The TV went out a few minutes ago... no great loss since we still have the internet (odd, that) and our handy little solar/crank/rechargeable radio/cellphone charger/flashlight. All it needs is a couple blades and it could be a really handy tool a la Swiss Army knife.

My husband has gone outside to watch the wind. It is the most visible wind I've ever seen. It keeps tricking me too, since it sounds like a vehicle coming up the road. I guess that is the leaves rustling. Still not too much rain. I see from the radar that it is coming. The eye is very close to Galveston too.

Thinking of all of you and hoping you are well. The drama of the storm is keeping us entertained and we are fine.