Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Quick Update

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I apologize for the delay in posting
... we have been busy packing.

And, I have been distracted.

Judith had asked for an update on the straw bale garden experiment.

It is going, and growing, well.

I can definitely see how the plants would benefit from supplemental nitrogen.

Some of the leaves are yellowing, but
I wonder if that is because I reduced my watering 
to every other day ... in order for the bales
to dry out so they can be transported to their new home.


Here are the snapshots I took this morning.


The pumpkins, squashes, and watermelons 
... planted into the sides ...
are doing excellent.

The cantaloupes, jalapenos, and tomatoes
(transplants)
are all flowering, and doing awesome.

The smaller seedlings are not fairing too well
... and, like I said, it may be due to cutting back on their water.

I don't know.

I am sad to not be able to see this experiment through to the harvest
... but I hope someone benefits from it, and enjoys it.

On a different, more exciting note, we are packing.


My house is turned upside-down, and is a cluttered mess.

Yes, we are moving back to Texas.

Fort Worth, to be exact.

Where I grew up.

I anticipate another delay in posting ...
I do not have a fancy, smart phone
(only a basic texter)
and I do not like how it mobile blogs.

However, I will have tons of updates on Facebook
... so add me, if you have not already done so.

My final night in Missouri, I treated the girls and my Self
to Benita's Cafe on the Square
in downtown Alton.


Miss Field Lab loved it ... the name won her over.

*big smile*

And here is our final series of sunset shots
... from tonight's walk home.


Goodbye, Missouri ... whew.

Love you all, and hope to see y'all again real soon.

Keep us in your prayers, please.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Good Morning!

 

This is my very first blog post from my cell phone ... this is a test.
Did it work? 
If so, know I love all of y'all and want everyone to have a wonderful day.

Monday, June 6, 2011

This Woman

Today, Monday, June 6th, would have been my Nanny's 81st birthday.


Peggy Muriel Johnson Brookreson-Brolls
June 6, 1930 - September 30, 2009

This woman is like a sleek, red-on-red '69 Corvair
languishing under arthritic mesquites over in Lawn,
scrapyard, Texas … and she sleeps peacefully,
rusting, beneath a roasting sun's dread … praying
her purr is not too long dead. And this woman

is like a platter of rib-eye steak with puddled juice
seeping into creamed potatoes … indeed, the
sourdough sops her up. Bath for the palate?
A slippery, wide-mouthed quart of iced tea with
lemon. Un-sweet, please. This woman is even like

Pee-Wee's ... the old rock gas station right before
the big oak-lined curve in the Gap ... that remembers
fifteen cent Dr. Peppers from the ice box, days of real
full service, and the billowing smokehouse out back
with its tree's swing still swaying as when baby Harry
hung himself from it. Yes, this woman is ever

so much like silver-streaked, seventy-nine years of
pure West Texas ... forty of which passed strolling
the God-forsaken wilderness in gallant blunder;
and she always took life for granted so long as her
four children were fed.

Shot in the head ... right there in the blue-n-white
striped VFW building that's next door to what's now
the all-nude Cloud Nine ... and somehow lived to
not want to tell a soul about it. This woman.

                                                                                        © brooke

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Thin-Crust Pizza ... Out of Flour Tortilla Dough

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For one pizza:

Melt 1/2 stick of real butter.


Add salt, and other spices 
... I used coarse black pepper, and garlic.

(Most times I use "salt only" if making tortillas 
... depends upon my mood.)

Then add 2 cups of flour, and 1/2 cup of hot water.

(Sometimes I need a little bit more water.)


Stir with a fork until crumbly.


Then knead, and let sit for five minutes or so.


At this point
 ... if I was making a batch of tortillas ...
I'd make balls of dough, and roll out on a lightly floured surface.

But, tonight I am making pizza.

So I'll roll out the whole glob, and place over pizza pan.

And rub with olive oil.


Trim off the excess dough from the outer edge
... set aside for a snack.

Place panned dough in hot oven, and bake until golden brown
... the longer you bake, the crispier it'll get.

Spread pre-baked dough with your sauce and toppings
... in our case, we wanted a simple cheese pizza.


Put back in oven.

While the cheese was melting in the oven, 
we made "snacks" with the leftover dough
that was trimmed off.


Flour tortillas :)

Some of them can take on very unusual shapes
... especially if children are helping.

They are delicious
... there is NOTHING like homemade flour tortillas.


I think the pizzas are ready ...


... yeppers, and they were yummy.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Come Back to Texas

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Troy Aikmen wants you back
Willie Nelson wants you back
N.A.S.A. wants you back
And the Bush twins want you back
(La la la la)
And Pantera wants you back
(La la la la)
And Bluebell wants you back

I got a premonition
I'm takin' a petition
And the whole state's gonna sign

Come back to Texas
... it's just not the same since you went away
 
I bet you missed your exit
And drove right on through the Lonestar State
 
There's a seat for you at the Rodeo
And I've got every slow dance saved

Besides the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway

(Bowling for Soup)
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