It's my sister's birthday today.
(She's the pretty one, I'm the smart one, but she'll ALWAYS been the older one.)
She's in Cancun, basking on a beach for a few days, which she so totally deserves after spending months "bringing the vision to life" for her multi-gazillion dollar company.
(I spent my week fighting for my capital project fund passage and learning our entire accounting and budgetary ins and outs in two days, which I will be solely responsible for for three months while my AA goes on leave. Sister got the better deal here.)
And yet, even though it's her birthday, I got MY prezzies from her today.
(My birthday is Monday.)
Aren't they perfectly pink and pretty?
I love hydrangeas...
I'm off to the homestead tomorrow to see Chemo!Girl (my mum started chemo this past weekend) and Shopping!Dad, and to ring in another birthday with the fam. Good times. :-)
But how 'bout one more pretty posy picture before I go...
Thanks, Sis!
(She's the pretty one, I'm the smart one, but she'll ALWAYS been the older one.)
She's in Cancun, basking on a beach for a few days, which she so totally deserves after spending months "bringing the vision to life" for her multi-gazillion dollar company.
(I spent my week fighting for my capital project fund passage and learning our entire accounting and budgetary ins and outs in two days, which I will be solely responsible for for three months while my AA goes on leave. Sister got the better deal here.)
And yet, even though it's her birthday, I got MY prezzies from her today.
(My birthday is Monday.)
Aren't they perfectly pink and pretty?
I love hydrangeas...
I'm off to the homestead tomorrow to see Chemo!Girl (my mum started chemo this past weekend) and Shopping!Dad, and to ring in another birthday with the fam. Good times. :-)
But how 'bout one more pretty posy picture before I go...
Thanks, Sis!
I've been exploring lots of new recipes lately, and I figured as I hit on a few winners, I'd share them with y'all. Here's my latest success...
Spring Onion Soup Recipe
(Mmm...soup!)
2 cups chopped green onions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cans of beef broth
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
slices of French bread
cloves of garlic
Parmesan cheese
Blanch the green onions. (Boil water, dunk them in for just a minute, then pop them into ice water to cool). Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion until golden - about 8 minutes. Add the beef broth, bring to a simmer, and then cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, salt, pepper and remaining butter.
Rub bread slices with garlic cloves, place on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for two minutes. Top each toast with cheese and bake until the cheese melts and the tops are golden - about four more minutes.
Add the green onions to the warm soup, pour into bowls, and then top with a cheese toast.
Tasty!
You know how airports and hotels and universities all have those zippy plasma screen televisions with updates and promotions and pictures continually scrolling on them?
I've wanted one of those for my library for AGES.
Sadly, cost is a wee bit of a factor. Those screens are uber-expensive, and then getting a program that will scroll and flip and update can be awfully pricey.
So, what do we do in the TinyTown library?
Get creative - on the cheap!
I decided that with a castoff monitor from my folks (thanks, Dad!), a decommissioned CPU from the Indiana Room and a powerpoint presentation on a flash drive, we could build our very own zippy promotional system!
It sits by our circulation desk and flips between pictures from programs, upcoming program information, general data (hours, ILLs, etc), and how to contact us. We're going to update it every few weeks, and so far response has been very positive. It may not be the biggest screen ever, but for us, it'll do. ;-)
Rock on!
(I'm particularly proud of using the plant to camoflauge the wires. We're nothing if not image conscious. *grin*)
I've wanted one of those for my library for AGES.
Sadly, cost is a wee bit of a factor. Those screens are uber-expensive, and then getting a program that will scroll and flip and update can be awfully pricey.
So, what do we do in the TinyTown library?
Get creative - on the cheap!
I decided that with a castoff monitor from my folks (thanks, Dad!), a decommissioned CPU from the Indiana Room and a powerpoint presentation on a flash drive, we could build our very own zippy promotional system!
It sits by our circulation desk and flips between pictures from programs, upcoming program information, general data (hours, ILLs, etc), and how to contact us. We're going to update it every few weeks, and so far response has been very positive. It may not be the biggest screen ever, but for us, it'll do. ;-)
Rock on!
(I'm particularly proud of using the plant to camoflauge the wires. We're nothing if not image conscious. *grin*)
I love Garden of the Gods in southern Illinois.
I love "the camel":
I love the enormous outcroppings:
I also love Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, right on the Ohio River.
I love the view out of the cave to the river:
I also love the look of Indiana skies when they are threatening...
And how the colours change minute to minute...
But most of all, I love spending time with family, exploring, taking pictures, eating outside in the wilderness, and having a laugh (or two):
'Twas a good day off!
I love "the camel":
I love the enormous outcroppings:
I also love Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, right on the Ohio River.
I love the view out of the cave to the river:
I also love the look of Indiana skies when they are threatening...
And how the colours change minute to minute...
But most of all, I love spending time with family, exploring, taking pictures, eating outside in the wilderness, and having a laugh (or two):
'Twas a good day off!
This Is How It Happened by Jo Barrett
This was a great chick lit book, except that it didn't follow the formula - no high flying job, no searching for love, no soul searching. Instead, Maddy is out for revenge on her lying, evil ex-fiancee, and she isn't above hiring muscle to do it. ;-)
This is a fast, funny read - I loved how Barrett alternated chapters, one chapter in in the present as Maddy tries to exact revenge, and one chapter chronicling her relationship, and the implosion of it, with her ex Carlton, who is just a despicable character you love to hate. You can't help but cheer Maddy on as she experiments with arsenic brownies and hires a hit man to take care of her "little problem".
The tags on the cover of this book are "NOT a love story" and "She's gotten mad, now it's time to get even", which truly sets the tone for this revenge tale tinged with romance, laughs and great characters. I really, really enjoyed this one - be sure to check it out!
This was a great chick lit book, except that it didn't follow the formula - no high flying job, no searching for love, no soul searching. Instead, Maddy is out for revenge on her lying, evil ex-fiancee, and she isn't above hiring muscle to do it. ;-)
This is a fast, funny read - I loved how Barrett alternated chapters, one chapter in in the present as Maddy tries to exact revenge, and one chapter chronicling her relationship, and the implosion of it, with her ex Carlton, who is just a despicable character you love to hate. You can't help but cheer Maddy on as she experiments with arsenic brownies and hires a hit man to take care of her "little problem".
The tags on the cover of this book are "NOT a love story" and "She's gotten mad, now it's time to get even", which truly sets the tone for this revenge tale tinged with romance, laughs and great characters. I really, really enjoyed this one - be sure to check it out!
Labels: book review
Red Lily by Nora Roberts
This is the concluding volume of Roberts' "In the Garden" trilogy, the other two I've listened to previously.
This time, Hayley is the focus of the novel - the youngest, newest member of the family, who is raising her baby daughter and falling in love with the son of Harper House. As this is the concluding book, the mystery of the "Harper Bride" is finally unraveled, and the family struggles to put the ghost to rest.
This was a very pleasant series - lots of talk of gardening and flowers, a nice interweaving of the three women's stories, and it was nice to spend time with the same characters and see how they change and grow. I'm glad I read this trilogy!
Note: I listened to the audio edition, narrated by Susie Breck, who did a fine job with all the southern voices.
This is the concluding volume of Roberts' "In the Garden" trilogy, the other two I've listened to previously.
This time, Hayley is the focus of the novel - the youngest, newest member of the family, who is raising her baby daughter and falling in love with the son of Harper House. As this is the concluding book, the mystery of the "Harper Bride" is finally unraveled, and the family struggles to put the ghost to rest.
This was a very pleasant series - lots of talk of gardening and flowers, a nice interweaving of the three women's stories, and it was nice to spend time with the same characters and see how they change and grow. I'm glad I read this trilogy!
Note: I listened to the audio edition, narrated by Susie Breck, who did a fine job with all the southern voices.
Labels: book review
