Saturday, July 12, 2014
The little pink lily always surprises me when it blooms.
I have no idea what kind it is or where it came from. It just blooms in one of the pots in my front yard.
Five peaches, stick of butter, half cup brown sugar, vanilla, and some bourbon.
I made the batter and it is baking right now.
I have no idea what kind it is or where it came from. It just blooms in one of the pots in my front yard.
Pink!
Jesse and Craig are coming down so of course I had to make a cake. I decided on a peach upside-down-cake. Secret ingredient- some bourbon in with the peaches.
Five peaches, stick of butter, half cup brown sugar, vanilla, and some bourbon.
I made the batter and it is baking right now.
Batter up!
Buddy followed me around as I did my morning watering. I sat down on the back steps and tried to get a good photo with him.
Handsome!
He really hates having his picture taken, knows that sometimes the flash goes off.
Hard work being Buddy.
All I have left to do is vacuum and run to the store for some picnic items for tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 08, 2014
Let's make Homer-made fig newtons.
First go out in the backyard and feed Buddy breakfast.
First go out in the backyard and feed Buddy breakfast.
Good morning Buddy.
The fig tree is in my neighbor Dan's yard. About three years ago he stopped watering it and it mostly died. I have been watering it with the hose and when I empty and clean out Buddy's wading pool, so it is gradually coming back. I had to climb over the fence to get some of the figs. They exude a white fluid that makes my skin itch!
The fig tree.
I picked about 20 figs. Little bugs come out of the insides of many of them. I washed them and set them on the counter all day.
Figs.
I got home from work and told Puff he had to get off the table.
He was not happy.
Snowball is always well-behaved.
He likes me the best.
I washed dishes, scrubbed the table, wiped down the mixer and started following the recipe (I used the second one on this page).
Flour, salt, cinnamon.
I blended the butter, sugar, two egg whites, and vanilla in my Martha mixer. After I added the flour and mixed it in, I put the dough in the fridge for two hours to rest.
I then chopped the figs, added a little sugar and lemon juice.
Chopped figs- the 20 or so made four cups.
I cooked it down and tasted it, not really sweet.
Cooked compote.
I rolled the dough out. It is very hot and humid and so it didn't want to cooperate. I cut strips and placed the fig compote on.
Assembling.
I rolled the dough over and tried to seal it with very limited success.
Ready to bake.
In the oven for about 20 minutes. They come out fairly soft.
Cookie.
They don't taste much like store-bought Fig Newtons, but they are still good. They kind of have a rhubarb taste to them.
Sunday, July 06, 2014
32 degrees. That was the difference from the Tucson Basin to the top of Mount Lemmon.
A little motion caught my eye and I realized a hummingbird was getting its lunch.
Tucson is a big small town and sure enough along came Erica and her husband and dog, returning from a 10 mile hike. We said hello.
Some sort of locust.
The forest is recovering well from the enormous fires of 2003.
Other than a squirrel and a cute redhead, I did not see much wildlife.
I picked up Robert at noon and we drove up the side of the mountain. You pass through many ecosystems in such a short drive. The saguaros disappear, scrubby oak trees appear, then they disappear and eventually you are in a pine forest at over 9000 feet.
On the road going up.
Yesterday I got sick of my hair and its messy look and the general nuisance and buzzed it off. I look different with my new glasses.
Buzzed.
A type of agave that I had never seen flowering was blooming.
Agaves.
The flowers were bright yellow. Stormy monsoon clouds were everywhere, but we did not get rained on.
Flowers.
A little motion caught my eye and I realized a hummingbird was getting its lunch.
Hummingbird.
I pulled over near the observatory and Robert and I used a tree stump as a table. Cheese sandwiches, potato chips, chocolate. I brought along watermelon but it was mealy and gross. I hope the animals like it.
Robert and Homer.
Observatory trees.
A little further up the road I pulled over to admire the view and the lush green foliage.
The forest is recovering well from the enormous fires of 2003.
These trees did not burn.
Many wildflowers were blooming in the burned-over areas.
Other than a squirrel and a cute redhead, I did not see much wildlife.
Bear crossing.
I didn't see any cute bears though!
Saturday, July 05, 2014
Jeffrey came over and we climbed on top of the guest house roof. Doug came up and joined us. Buddy was locked inside my house, scared of the loud bangs as the neighbors shot off fireworks.
Homer and Jeffrey.
I had guessed the fireworks would be 15 minutes late, and I was only one minute off. We took photos.
Afterward, as the cars left the neighborhood, we continued our talking and I showed Jeffrey some interesting websites. He is the only friend I have who doesn't have the internet at home, lordy!
Friday, July 04, 2014
4th of July.
The neighbors are already exploding firecrackers at 2:00 in the afternoon. So Buddy started getting scared.
Buddy. Pardon the unfinished kitchen floor.
The neighbors are already exploding firecrackers at 2:00 in the afternoon. So Buddy started getting scared.
Buddy. Pardon the unfinished kitchen floor.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
I drove north to Craig and Jesse's estate. The thermometer revealed that Phoenix is indeed hotter than Tucson.
Mapworst had only one incorrect direction, so I was only slightly late. We went to lunch at a nice place and I had macaroni and cheese.
Craig.
Downtown Phoenix seems to be reviving, lots of artsy places and small restaurants. People were staggering around in the inferno heat, seemingly enjoying themselves. A good sign.
Jesse.
Jesse enjoyed the cheese platter and Craig a black bean burger.
Afterward we went to see an art-film directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky. The Dance of Reality is hard to describe- an autobiographical film with many fantasy elements. There were several scenes uncomfortable to watch. The film will be the subject of many future MFAs.
We returned home and later I realized I had left my camera back at the theatre. Chopper accompanied us on the quest to retrieve it.
Mapworst had only one incorrect direction, so I was only slightly late. We went to lunch at a nice place and I had macaroni and cheese.
Craig.
Downtown Phoenix seems to be reviving, lots of artsy places and small restaurants. People were staggering around in the inferno heat, seemingly enjoying themselves. A good sign.
Jesse.
Jesse enjoyed the cheese platter and Craig a black bean burger.
Afterward we went to see an art-film directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky. The Dance of Reality is hard to describe- an autobiographical film with many fantasy elements. There were several scenes uncomfortable to watch. The film will be the subject of many future MFAs.
We returned home and later I realized I had left my camera back at the theatre. Chopper accompanied us on the quest to retrieve it.
Blurry Homer and Chopper.
Craig made supper, a delicious appetizer and then buckwheat noodles and a pesto sauce.
Appetizer.
We watched a poorly-conceived science fiction movie. In the morning, Craig made pancakes.
Of course I forgot to photo the angelfood cake and lemon curd I made for the guys. It was very good, if I can be boastful.
Back in Tucson, my house is an oven.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
New glasses.
Gold frames.
The old pair got scratched and the protective coating was coming off. Everything was blurry. Next pair, I want round, silver or iron frames to go with my Victorian outfits.
Today is the one year anniversary of me becoming single. Oh, and the one year anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that the Federal government had to recognize same sex marriages. What a fucking ironic day that was, a year ago.
I hope that when the Supreme Court rules that anti-gay marriage laws are unconstitutional, that nothing equally as surprising and depressing happens to me on that day.
I hope that when the Supreme Court rules that anti-gay marriage laws are unconstitutional, that nothing equally as surprising and depressing happens to me on that day.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Pool volleyball season has started. I made a cornmeal-berry cake from Martha Stewart's magazine.
The guys.
Everyone brought along a lot of balls.
Cake.
After I baked it the dough rose up and covered most of the berries. It did not look anything like the picture in the magazine.
There were nine of us playing volleyball.
Everyone brought along a lot of balls.
Big balls.
It is good exercise jumping around in the pool.
Moi.
Nice to hang out with Richard and Roger.
Roger.
Richard and Patrick.
Wish some of you could come play.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
I went off to the Sweetwater Wetlands. At 1:00 PM and a 100 degrees, no one else was there. The first thing I saw were little fishes in the man-made stream. They probably ride into the wetlands as eggs on the feet of waterbirds.
Nice way to spend an hour.
Click on the picture to see larger version, you can see the fishes.
A lot of the water was covered with bright green stuff. There were not many ducks.
Delicious.
I sat down among the cattails.
Moi.
The most interesting birds were four cormorants.
Neotropic cormorants.
Black-necked stilt.
Juvenile cormorant.
Nice way to spend an hour.
