The Pastiera Napoletana (Neapolitan Wheat Berry Pie) has ancient origins in pagan rituals that celebrated the arrival of spring. Legend tells us, the mermaid Parthenope lived in the Gulf of Naples, and every spring she emerged from the waters to entertain people on the shore with love songs. To thank […]
Nature’s Yard Art
Who doesn’t have childhoods memories of laying on the ground, gazing up at the clouds, and discovering the white and gray painted images against the blue sky — a long tailed dog, a floppy eared rabbit, a winged elephant, a man smoking a cigar… Lets face it, when it comes […]
Book REVIEW: FALL BACK DOWN WHEN I DIE by Joe Wilkins
This book — FALL BACK DOWN WHEN I DIE by Joe Wilkins… What a masterful blend of character-driven, literary fiction (with poetic, melt-in-your-mouth sentences). Combined with the intense pacing of more commercial fiction, this is a book you don’t want to set down. This novel was remarkable in several ways, […]
Lemon Parsley Pesto
Are you thinking springtime meals and lighter dishes but the weather isn’t right for growing basil to make pesto. You can make pesto from other herbs and nuts that will be just as tasty. And nothing says spring like the juice of a lemon. Try this lemon parsley pesto. It […]
Nature’s Neon Lights: Aurora Borealis & Aurora Australis
Beautiful, magical, eerie, surreal, awe-inspiring… It’s hard to come up with adjectives to adequately capture the sight of the colorful, glowing, shifting curtains of light we know as the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) and Aurora Australis (Southern Lights). In ancient times, their appearance was both feared and revered. And while […]
Hearty Minestrone With Meatballs
Minestrone is a thick Italian vegetable soup containing dried beans and pasta. For me, it is often the soup I make when I have a number of vegetables I want to use before they spoil. This is the soup you make when it is cold outside and it is filling […]
Book: MIGRATIONS by Charlotte McConaghy
MIGRATIONS by Charlotte McConaghy is the kind of book that is the reason why I read: to slip into the skin of a character and fully inhabit her anguish, joys, thoughts, fears… to be transported to a different setting that I can experience in every possible sensory way. And, frankly, […]
An Easy But Elegant Dessert — Cheesecake Pie
In the mood for a luscious dessert but not for all the work that goes into such a recipe? Try this easy, low sugar recipe that combines some simple pantry ingredients with some fresh dairy for this tasty cheesecake pie. Find more great recipes — HERE ###
Words: “The Ultimate Weakness of Violence …”
From the last book written by Martin Luther King, Jr. — WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE: Chaos or Community? (Beacon Press 2010 edition) two passages confirming his continued relevance in todays world, pointing us in the right direction — regarding “the ultimate weakness of violence” — and giving hope… […]
Christmas Morning Coffee Cake
This coffee cake is perfect for Christmas morning to snack on while you sip your coffee and open presents. The filling is rich and creamy and the shape of the cake lends itself to festive decorations, such as candied cherries, colored sprinkles, or tinted frosting. The cake can be made […]
Book: THE MERCIES by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Oh, my… this novel — THE MERCIES! The atmospheric setting, the writing, the characterization, the story… I was swept away and transported from the first lovely sentences: Last night Maren dreamt a whale beached itself on the rocks outside her house. She climbed down the cliff to its heaving body […]
Tiramisu Parfaits: Fun, Festive, Flavorful
You love Tiramisu but don’t want a large tray of this tasty Italian dessert? Well, make Tiramisu Parfaits instead and enjoy all the flavors of this well-known dessert. This is also an excellent dessert to serve after dinner when entertaining. ###
For The Joy of Animals: Gardening For Groundhogs
Anyone who has grown a vegetable garden knows it is first and foremost a labor of love. You LOVE watching things grow and reaping your home grown harvest, but it take a tremendous amount of physical LABOR. And, yes, the rewards can be amazing, but they can also be extremely […]
Book Review: THE FOREVER FRIEND by Suzie Ivy
To the delight of fans, Detective Laci Jolett is back in action in Book/novella #3 of Suzie Ivy’s K9 Forever Series — THE FOREVER FRIEND. This time it’s drugs in the local high school that has two students in the hospital and Detective Laci Jolett on the case with her K9 partner […]
Homemade Apple Pie — The Perfect Fall Dessert
The warm smell of baking apples and cinnamon definitely says Fall is here. Apples are in season now, so take advantage of their flavor to make a delicious homemade apple pie. Store-bought pastry can quicken the process but homemade pastry adds great flavor to your pie. The best pie apples […]
For The Joy of Animals: The Antics of Badgers
The wonderful thing about wild animals is they always seem to have a few delightful surprises for us humans. Growing up in the midwest I knew what Badgers looked like thanks to zoos and wildlife shows (and hello, UW mascot!), but I had never actually seen one in the wild. […]
Music: Leonid & Friends Cover “25 or 6 to 4”
A bonus of our current Covid-19 life is having the time to find an awesome cover of an old favorite — Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4. Especially when you feel like you’re sitting in a jam session with extremely talented musicians having the time of their life playing it. […]
Book Review: CODE NAME HELENE by Ariel Lawhon
CODE NAME HELENE by Ariel Lawhon was the right book at the right time for me – the story of a tough-as-nails woman whose struggles and bravery make our shelter-in-place woes seem trivial. (Yes, the fictional story is – remarkably – based on a real-life character [one of the most […]
Backyard Engineering: Bike Experiments In Speed
Most of us like to try new things, especially if they are relatively safe and easy to do. But, would we be willing to endure hardship in order to explore a new idea? Probably not. Yet, most of us will have a time in our life when we will be […]
Comfort Italian Style — Stuffed Cabbage
As the weather cools, it is nice to be able to serve some comforting food, My Italian version of this dish will definitely comfort you. I like to serve this dish with mashed potatoes and oven-roasted carrots. ###
Words: ” A Bright Future For Man …”
If only there were “Here Thanks To Nature” tags attached to everything everywhere as a reminder that our very lives are utterly and completely dependent on nature — not technology… I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her […]
Rescue Journey of Piglet and Calf Buddies
A ride to an animal sanctuary was all the bonding time needed for this piglet and calf to become bffs. These two are not only adorable and heartwarming, but living proof that animals — regardless of whether they are domesticated pets, livestock or wildlife — have a basic need and […]
The Lost Era Of Electric “Flying Trains”
Over 119 years old and still in operation today, the Wuppertaler Schwebebahn in Germany is the world’s oldest electric elevated railway with hanging cars. Developed as the first to transport people instead of goods, this electric “flying train” is an impressive feat of engineering and magical to watch. At an […]
Book Review: THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE by Charlie Mackesy
I received THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE by Charlie Mackesy as a birthday present earlier this week and likely would never have picked it up on my own. What a little gem I’d have been missing. Especially in the time of Covid-19 and social distancing, I […]
For The Joy of Animals: Seal Holds A Diver’s Hand
It is pure joy to watch the emotionally powerful and extraordinarily moving interactions between diver Ben Burville and his diving buddies. What a wonderful celebration of life and human/animal connection as a wild grey seal holds a diver’s hand! At the same time, it is a sad reminder that these […]