all gross food

I received a package last week from my sister. She had mailed me a cookbook which she snapped up at a yard sale. Price: fifty cents.

"The American Woman's Cook Book " was first published in 1938 when women all across the fruited plains wore aprons all day long. Sometimes I yearn for those days, since I am definitely an apron kind of girl.

I also love, love, love reading old cookbooks. The food they ate back then! The many parts of a cow, sheep, and chicken which we can't imagine had culinary value: liver, tongue, gizzard, neck, tail, and sweet bread!

What is sweet bread? Well goodness, anything SWEET must be good. Maybe not.

Before the recipes even begin however, the author urges the reader to "strike up a warm acquaintance with your oven and its special temperament." -like the oven is an animate creature.

I love that.

"Time and your oven await the occasion and the man." I love that, too. Notice how the two terms are intertwined, as in the occasion IS the man.

Now, don't get all get-up on me. I am at this very moment in time awaiting an occasion and a man, and I don't mind admitting it in the least. Back in 1938, people told it like it was.

No apologies necessary.

Now, THIS. This deserves an apology.
I think it is stewed prunes stuffed with cheese served over a slice of canned pineapple and an electrified leaf of lettuce.

Mmmm.

I could look up the identity of this one under the "Presentation of Vegetables" section. But I would rather let my imagination roam. "Boiled Green Sticks with Cream Sauce Sprinkled with Shredded Yellow Stuff", I call it.

You don't want to know what I called this one when I showed it to the family. But it has something to do with the reason why we don't own a dog.

Dogs sometimes leave presents behind couches, especially when they have eaten something they shouldn't have. That's all I'm trying to say.

I will give you this: they don't usually deposit it in a gelatin mold.

Now, HERE'S an idea you may not have thought of.

The author asserts that these carrots are easy to make and serve.
She DOES NOT claim that they are easy to eat.

When showing the contents of this amazing book to #1 Son, he tossed his lithe body onto the leather couch and proclaimed:

"The next time I get an award and have a party thrown in my honor, I want to serve all gross food. Everything from this cookbook."

That about sums it up, folks.

beautiful people

Just look at these beautiful people whom I love.

This is my sister-in-law, Zalika. She was born in a mud hut in the middle of nowhere. Niger, to be more specific. She likes to crochet, shop yard sales, and make delicious African stew. She also likes to mix stripes with paids, florals with paisleys, and oranges with pinks. Zebra is also a signature look of hers.

You never know what you're gonna get with Zalika.

This is my niece, Aisha. She is ten years old. She takes lessons at Dance World and has a pet parakeet named Sunshine. She also owns a few cats.

Her smile takes my breath away.

These two beautiful people (whom I love) are now in Niger, Africa for two whole months.

This is my nephew Djibo. He was born in Africa but jives likes an American teenager. I love every smidgen of his cinnamon-y, rubbery and handsome face. He opted out of the Niger trip, as he has college classes and work to do over the summer.

Anyway, he's been back to the village where he was born, and they no speaky eng-laish there. So the draw is minimal.

I will bet you dollars to doughnuts that no one has relatives nearly as beautiful as mine.
The end.

trip to Adams

As a Father's Day gift to my dad, I traveled to Adams (2 hours, not too long!) along with #1 Son, and weeded his garden. This gesture was particularly useful because he recently had knee replacement surgery.

I was happy to do this outside chore for him as the weather was cool and breezy (keeping the bugs away) and also because it's a really wonderful garden! #1 Son weed whacked for a few hours -because that is also a chore that can't be done with a bum knee.

One of the perks was snagging a large bag of fresh spinach to bring home.

One of the other perks was finding this shoe in the barn:

#1 Son and I stood in puzzlement over it for a long while. What was it for? Why was there only one of them?

Upon inquiring in the house, the answer became so vividly clear. This shoe, tied to a crushed milk carton filled with sand, is the perfect way to exercise your good knee before surgery.

Well, YEAH.


#1 Son and I took off after dinner and went to Sackett's Harbor, where elegant houses and elegant people are everywhere.

Roadside, we found the latest in modern technology up for sale. #1 Son was taken by the sleek, retro design.
The price wasn't bad, either.

I know this is random post, but I am working on getting some of the quirky pics out of my camera. They say one can just delete 'em. But that's no fun now, is it?