For the birds

When we built our home our grandson was not quite one year old and living with us, so we wanted to have a fenced area away from the pool where he could play. We planted a tree so he would have some shade and I remember well the first storm we had after we planted it. I had to hold it so my hubby could tie it down and it not be destroyed....well that was 18 years ago and of course the grandson is all grown up but so is the tree. It is now bird haven.

The quail love the bird block even though it is hard are a rock! After it rains it gets soft and all the birds flock to it.

There are all kinds of birds decor here and there

Some of my favorites are the quailthe yellow breasted wren

and of course the hummingbirds

Some have decided that this bird haven is the just the place to be and have made their homes real close....Check out these bird made holes in my Oleanders

and of course the waterfall for the pool makes the best bird bath...Did anyone think birds were dumb?

Well, maybe they are smarter than we think...My hubby also feeds the birds nearly everyday at Starbucks. He had told me that the birds knew him...well, it was summertime and we would sit ourside in the patio area and I told him that was silly, they begged everyone for crumbs, but you know what? We are now sitting inside and no matter where we sit they find him and come line up outside the window waiting for him to come out!

Next time you say "That's for the birds" you may just be handing out a compliment.

Boston Tea Party

Dec. 16, 1772
Colonialists attack, tar and feather a hapless tax collector. The colonies refused to pay the levies required by the Townsend Acts claiming they had no obligation to pay taxes imposed by a Parliament in which they had no representation.

Jan. 19, 2010
Rep. Scott Brown wins Senate seat in Mass.
A shocking outcome after more than 40 years of Dem. Ted Kennedy reining and ruling and even with a Health Care Bill pending named in his honor.
The truth lies in Scott Brown's theme "It's the people's seat".

Some have forgotten that Democracy is of the people and for the people

Thank you Mass. for a 2010 Boston Tea Party!

First Time

Every year we attend the gun show in Las Vegas which is held at the Riviera It is a older casino and has it's good and bad points as I have posted before but this year we decided to take a taxi and take in the "Fremont Experience". WOW! What an experience it was. This is the oldest gambling area in Vegas and they have built this huge covered canopy encompassing four or five different old casinos like the Golden Nugget

(swimming pool)

You can walk freely from one casino to another under the huge canopy that encompasses them.

The canopy towers 90 feet above the ground and spans the length of five football fields, features more than 12 million LED modules and 555,000-watt sound system and provides some kind of light show...let me tell you!

There is also a variety of shows, shops and etc. on the grounds as you walk around.......But the very best part for me?

Seeing this neon sign of the cowboy. I first saw this when I was around six years old traveling though Vegas with my parents and I haven't seen it since. It was one of the first big neon's that appeared here in Vegas and was well known.

I had checked out all the restaurants and picked inside of the Four Queens for dinner. This was to be the most romantic restaurant in all of Vegas with great food. I was not disappointed. From being handed a red rose prior to being seated to having four waiters catering you our every need which included four different breads, salad made table side, a palate cleaner (strawberry sorbet in a miniature cone), main dish and four different deserts (chocolate covered strawberries, vanilla dipped apricots and stuffed figs). Add to that "Franciscan" for their Cabernet house wine and you can be nothing but pleased.

It is funny because for the most part I don't enjoy going or being in Vegas since I am not a gambler but think adding this to our yearly schedule just might tip the scales.

Tidbits

Mushrooms

Mushrooms have no chlorophyll so they don't need sunshine to grow and thrive. Some of the earliest commercial mushroom farms were set up in caves in France during the reign of King Louis XIV (1638-1715)

The largest living organism ever found is a honey mushroom, Armillaria ostoyae. It covers 3.4 square miles of land in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, and it's still growing.


The world's deadliest mushroom is the Amanita phalloides, the death cap. The five different poisons contained in the mushroom cause diarrhea and vomiting within 6 to 12hours of ingestion. This is followed by damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system - and, in the majority of cases, coma and death.


Truffles, or mushrooms that grow below the ground, are one of the world's most expensive foods. One variety, Tuber melanosporum, can cost between $800 and $1,500 a pound.

So what got me to thinking about mushrooms you might ask?

The picture on the old cookbook of my daughters and
this simple recipe I found for (Fresh mushroom saute)
2 C. fresh mushrooms
1 tsp. flour
1 tbsp. melted butter
Wash mushrooms, slice through caps and stems. Sprinkle with flour.
Put melted butter in med. skillet. Add mushrooms; cover and cook over low heat 8-10 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
Happy mushrooming to you...............

A Momma's love

17 years ago my daughter married and left home......One of the gifts I gave her was this recipe book

filled with many of my recipes along with those of friends and family that brought their favorites to her Bridal shower........ As you can see, it has been well used. Recently, I offered to make a new one for her because it is something I enjoy doing. It seemed funny to see all the recipes I wrote out in long hand for her and those of people we both remember well. There are some she used and some she didn't and of course she has added her own along the way but it is a gift that was appreciated and made from a Mamma's love.

Happy New Year