December 11, 2008

The Fright Queens


Movita has suggested that since I posted a photo of Adam's teddy bears waiting for Finnie to arrive from France, I also include a picture of the girls' dollys. Unlike the benign and adorable teddy bears their little brother considered as part of his circle of friends growing up, the girls had dolls that perhaps reflected the degree of angst and number of issues that little girls begin to acquire at even a very early age. Adam and his friends, it seemed to me in comparison, were always so much more laid back and really little men of few words.
Of course, I shouldn't generalize. Perhaps it does not reflect the difference between boys and girls. Perhaps it was just that generation of boys and girls. Or that particular community. Whatever the reason, I think I will put these gals back in their box in the basement lest they scare the hell out of little Finnie.
P.S. You haven't seen Baby Chrissy! Lordy, that doll even left the Rutherfords wide eyed one night they were here for supper and Rachael was bonding again with her pal/alter ego at the supper table. The dialogue could have been lifted straight from Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte!

December 10, 2008

When Squares Go Wrong - Horribly Wrong


I have discovered a number of very good recipes to add to the Christmas menu over the last few years - provolone and amaretti cookies, rosemary bread sticks, Cornish saffron bread, Hello Molly's, roasted squash soup, yule log, etc. Alas, last evening's experiment will not be repeated - a disastrous waste of time, electricity, chocolate, pecans, and caramels. The end result was a molten, sickeningly sweet mound of disgusting matter. Looking critically at the recipe, I suspect the problem is the addition of too much liquid at the various stages of execution.
Julia Child maintained that an extremely high percentage of recipes written and published had errors. She was known for exhaustively testing and retesting a recipe. Her first book took over ten years to go to press as she and her two colleagues in France made sure that every recipe was error free and every French ingredient had a suitable American equivalent. This recipe has the potential to destroy reputations on either continent.

December 05, 2008

Guess Who Came For Lunch Today


I was at the kitchen sink this afternoon when I spied through the trees in the upper yard what appeared to be the rear end of a white pony. A pony? In our woods? Then a hint of what appeared to be a second - pony??? Two renegade Great Danes??? Deer in Nova Scotia are white tailed deer. The body color is brown. Typically, one can spot the large upright, white tail and look closer to see where the rest of the deer is actually situated in the trees and undergrowth. One does not typically see a entire white hind end! I raced for my camera and softly made my way across the back deck, along the lower pathway, and up over the upper lawn where the two albino deer watched me warily but allowed me to take a series of photos.
Here is a link to a website that gives more information on these rare creatures:
http://www.buckmanager.com/2008/01/07/all-about-albino-white-tailed-deer/

December 04, 2008

Waiting


The old gang has gathered. Eleven days to go...