I am about 18″ away from the feeder.  I’m in the hibiscus bush and I look like a crazy person.  This was a tricky angle as the opposite side of the feeder is most accessible to them.   She decided to give me a show.

I have a “sports continuous” button on my camera.  I can just push it down and hold and it’ll take a picture a second, or there about.

She is very curious about me and she’s looking at me and buzzing about.  I can actually hear her wings “buzzing.”  I love her.
They are so fascinating and beautiful.  This week I added another feeder, I now have 3.

She’s had enough of me, she’s off.

Do what you can for our precious birds.  You can see in the background that I have a bird feeder.  I feed them year around.  To the right of the feeder I have a bird bath that I fill with clean water most everyday.  With their natural habitats disappearing, they need our help more than ever.

Happy bird watching!

Angie

Hello everyone-

As I sit on my deck on this beautiful summer day,  I’ve got a lump in my throat, it’s hard to swallow.  You know what I mean.  When you are about to let the flood gates open for a good cry.  This day, you see, is very much like any other day when Mary was here, right next door.  I would hear the squeak of her back door and we’d talk over the fence for a minute, then decide to either sit on her patio or on our deck to enjoy conversation and an afternoon cocktail.  Kathy, my other good friend on the opposite side of Mary, would join in too.  We were three peas in a pod.

Since Mary’s passing, I’ve desperately wanted to write about her, but couldn’t find the words.  Or, most likely, it was too soon to write about it.  She passed away October 29th, 2011.  Today is the day I write about my friend.

I think about her daily, but I especially thought of her while writing my last post.  Food Talk.  I spoke of foods and memories of our favorites and precious traditions we hold onto from the past.  This photograph is of Mary’s 71st birthday, the last one we’d share with our dear friend.  It was a tradition to have Mary over for dinner for her favorite meal of mine, Panko and Herb Encrusted Tilapia.  I served it religiously with red skinned mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach.  There was birthday cake too, of course…..

Mary spoke of the birthday cakes her “Ma” made for each sibling.  The type of cake never changed, they would have their favorite every year, religiously.  I don’t remember when I started making Mary’s favorite, but I do remember the last two very vividly.  I made dinner and cake for her 70th birthday hoping that she would be around for her 71st.  On her 71st birthday I was quite sure this would be the last I would spend with my friend.

Mary was not terribly fond of desserts or sweets so when she described her traditional birthday cake growing up with a look of total delight on her face, it was a done deal.  I had to make it.  It was a basic angel food cake with pink icing and big ripe strawberries.  Simple and sweet.  To this day, whenever I see an angel food cake, I think of Mary.

I feel truly blessed to have had such a wonderful and true friend.  She was like a second mother to me.  She was one of the most trusted friends I’ve ever had.  I miss her so much.  My whole family feels a tremendous loss.  Jack, Chris and Ryan grew up with Mary next door, she was like a grandma to them.

Make your kid’s or your friend’s favorites when you can.  It’ll make you both feel wonderful, you’ll be so happy you did.

Have a nice weekend.

Angie

Hello everyone-

I think what I love most about what I do is menu planning.  I scour magazines for new ideas and on occasion I watch Food Network.  I especially love learning new tips or ideas from other great cooks.  Love “food talk!”  Often times I will strike up conversation with people in the check out line about how they’re going to prepare items in their cart.  People love talking about their specialties and they share their best tips freely.

Recently I had a conversation with one of my clients who is 84 years young.  We spoke of fall apart pot roast, mashed potatoes and cooked carrots…OMG, totally a favorite of mine since I was a little girl.  Clearly the conversation struck a chord with her, she had the sweetest expression on her face when she spoke of it being a favorite meal that her mother used to make.  I am SO going to put that on my menu in the very near future.  I love creating meals that take people back.  Sort of nourishing the body and soul.  I can’t explain why I get so much satisfaction out of that, but I truly love it.

Since it’s been so hot this July I took soups off my menu until fall.   I had a hankering for soup today.  I love it because it’s the simplest lunch that requires no thinking or assembly.  Simply warm it up and you’ve got all kinds of veggie and broth goodness in one bowl.  I love that there are no rules, whatever you want to throw in, it’s up to you.  I throw little bits of leftover vegetables, rice or pasta.  I think anything you throw into homemade chicken stock can’t help but be delicious.

I think I’m going to have to make myself soup in the next couple of days.  Maybe chicken vegetable noodle.  Recently I de-boned many chicken breasts so I’ve got plenty of soup bones for stock.  Since moving my business into my kitchen rental I haven’t made my usual Sunday chicken stock.  I put it on the stove in the morning after church and let it go all day.  The house smells amazing and at the end I’ve got a rich and lovely stock.  Yup, that’s what I’m going to do this weekend.

Let’s “talk food” again soon.  Thanks for reading:-)

Angie

Have you tried these Oven French Fries yet?  Once you do, you will never go back to the expensive frozen varieties.  They are seasoned perfectly and they taste like an actual potato, imagine that!  You will feel so great about serving these to your family.   Won’t do much cooking this weekend, it’ll be a nice break:-)

Going to pick up Jack, my eldest from college today.  I can’t believe he is done with his first year already!  Taking Chris and Ryan along.  We are going to stay at a nice hotel with an indoor pool over the weekend, happy boys!

Have a nice weekend!

Angie

My dear friend Mary with Myself and baby Ryan Memorial Day 2005

Hi Everyone-

I’m especially missing my dear friend and neighbor Mary today who passed away last October.  I came across this picture yesterday while looking for a picture for Ryan’s school project.  Isn’t she sweet?  She was like a second Mom to me.  She was an amazing person and friend.  I sure miss her.

Whenever I feel a little blue, I do a few things to take care of myself.   Number one, comfort food.  I know my beloved friend would have been in complete agreement with me on this being the perfect “comfort” lunch.  I will be enjoying a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a hot bowl of Great Northern Bean Soup.  I made a slight variation with my recipe this week.  I didn’t use the chicken sausage this time and I put whole stems of rosemary in the pot to simmer.  Doesn’t that sound good?

Secondly, I am baking today.  We are having snow flurries and I can’t think of a better thing to do than to fill my house with the scent of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  You should smell my house, I am making my family’s favorite, Whole Wheat Pumpkin Spice Bread.  I am feeling a little better already….

Lastly, what’s for dinner?  I’ll be sharing this one with you as it takes about 5 minutes of prep and then into the oven.  I am going to make pork loin roast.  I have some brussel sprouts and pancetta so pan roasting will be in order.  I’ll throw a couple of sweet potatoes in the oven while the roast is cooking and there you have it, dinner.

Have a blessed day.

Angie