Note to turkey Vultures-I'm back & I'm alive

I just spent a 3 day/2night all expense paid (or most I hope) trip to the Lock Haven Hospital.

Sorry. Vultures, I'm alive-it was only diverticulitis. I thought that I had gotten food poisoning at a picnic on Saturday, but by Sunday, I decided to go to the ER. Yep, no strawberries for me this season. Look what was waiting for me at home-turkey vultures:

Charlie's tattoo

Here it is-Charlie's new tattoo with his ball python, Tyke.

Bearclaw necklaces finally done

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of ours gave me a paw that had fallen off of his bear skin rug & told me that he wanted to comission 4 necklaces. I encased the claws in beaded buckskin & added turquoise, coyote teeth, 2 jasper zuni bears, bone beads & for the last one, 2 raccoon bacula.

So, you think that you really love garlic?

After cooking cream of garlic soup a few weeks ago, I decided to come up with a variation.

Creamy garlic mushroom soup

Bring to a boil:
1 qt chicken stock
1 chopped tomato
1T pesto
all the peeled cloves from 1 head of garlic (Yes you read that right-a whole HEAD of garlic
simmer 20 minutes & then process in food processor or blender with
2 T flour.
Saute:
12 oz sliced mushrooms
in 2T butter until done
Add the processed liquids & bring to a boil until thickened. Turn off heat & add:
1c milk or cream.


Singing "There ain't no bugs on me..."

Gumbo my way

I made a powerfully good gumbo this week. I read a couple of recipes & then winged it. Here's an approximation:

Saute together:
1/2 pound hot sausage cut in bite sized pieces (I used Italian)
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast in bite sized pieces.
Remove from pan & add:
2T flour
cook stirring until flour browns & then add:
4 minced cloves garlic
1.5c chopped onion
1c chopped celery
1 chopped red bell pepper
Chopped hot pepper to taste (I used 2 jalapenos)
2 pound can diced tomatoes & a canful of water
1t salt
1t pepper
1T Worchestershire sauce
1/4c minced fresh parsley
3/4c sliced okra
The cooked sausage & chicken
Simmer for 1-2 hours & then add:
1/2 pound shrimp
2c cooked brown rice.
cook until shrimp are done (5-10 min)