An {Okra} Recipe for Disaster

Here is a new family favorite recipe for Mama's Cabin Burnin' Okra:

-First wash and cut stems off okra.  Cut into 1/2 inch pieces.  Coast lightly in flour, dip in 2 beaten egg whites, and then dredge in salted bread crumbs.  Heat 2 inches of canola oil up to 350 F and in batches fry okra pieces until they are golden brown.  Skim them from the oil, drain on paper towels, and salt.  Serve in a basket lined with a napkin and ketchup for dipping.  Leave your house to take okra to neighbor's house for dinner.  Don't turn off the gas burner under the giant pot of hot oil on the stove.  Leave all windows closed and leave your dog trapped in the house.  When you hear the neighbor's dog barking at sirens, ignore (even if they sound close).  When fire department calls and says they've just arrived to your house to check out a potential fire, freak out.  Speed back home and find that two firemen have saved your ass and your dog is fine.  Open all windows upstairs & down to rid the house of heavy black smoke.  Give your dog a treat for not attacking and killing the 2 nice firemen as they broke in your house to help when you wern't there.   Tell your daughter she was right; you shouldn't have rushed to make Fried Okra when you only had 10 minutes to get to the neighbor's house on time for dinner.  Moral of the recipe:  When makin' Fried Okra: don't rush through it, always be sure to turn that burner off, and ALWAYS listen to your daughter!

Above are some bizarre-o pics of recent wasp nest finds under our house.  I think they are so beautiful; they show some serious architectural considerations on account of the wasp.  Unbelievable, right?!  I imagine the little wasp landing on the lightbulb and thinking, 'OK, I gotta make a nest by 5pm today and I still am fresh outa ideas for the design!'  Then he inspects the object he's landed on and thinks: ' I bet I could reproduce this!'   He did pretty good on the lightbulb; just a little off on scale.  

And the other one reminds me of a wedding cake.  A four layer cake topped with a honeycomb puff.  It's scary how smart they are...

we're (blackberry) jammin'

Our Bullpen Trail blackberry jam 

I've been working on my embroidery stitches...my first piece here; not too bad, eh?

Well, yesterday evening I was feeling so bummed about not being with Yann; It's kind of a form of torture to be separated from my new husband.  I really miss him sooo much and now I'm kind of kicking myself for not finding a way to head back to France earlier.  But it is what it is, ya know? So, we are counting down to days to our reunion. I think there are about 11 more days because I go back on August 3rd. I've been away from Marseille since June 2nd.  So, that is a total of about 65 days that I will have been gone from our home there.  However, Yann and I did get to meet up for the Honeymoon in Brazil, which is a whole-nutha' post in itself!  We got to spend 2 weeks together there, but still there is no place like home; home with the hubby.  

I was down, melancholy, and generally moody last night and for a good part of the morning today about all that.  But then I took Rascal hiking and seeing him let loose in the river chasing sticks made me feel joy.  I was totally living vicariously through him; a perfect dog day.  The only 'down' he felt all day was when he was stung on the top of his nose by a hornet.  It got all puffy and huge on the end of his snout.  He was terrified for about 10 minutes after that, because he had no idea what happened or where the pain originated from.  He stayed right by me, looking for protection.  It must be nice to be a dog, where you take each moment right as it comes at you.  Rascal never knows what is in store for him, where he may go for the day.  Maybe we'll take him hiking or maybe he lay around in the sun on the porch all day.  Either way though his day is great, as long as he stays away from wasp nests and rattle snakes.  And when he does experience pain, it's usually only physical, not emotional, and in five minutes after the initial pain subsides, all is forgotten and the day is full of beauty and bliss again. 

Well, unfortunately for us humans and it takes us a little longer to get over our blues.  And I finally got over mine after finding a giant stretch on the trail of sun-ripened blackberries.  We immediately went to town stuffing water bottles and hats full of the things.  We ended up with a gallon sized plastic bag of em' and each time we called it quits, we'd find another mother-load. As we called them, mother-loads. I like the sound of that for some reason.  Talk about getting over my 'blues', my hands are now completely stained dark blue/black in a weird spotty pattern that won't scrub off.  

Well, we came home and made wild blackberry jam and that definitely lifted my spirits, especially since the jam set up so firmly.  I hate nothing more than jam that don't never set up.  A beautiful black and chunky and seed-filled jam to make me a happy camper.  

Well, also I wanted to remind you that I'm going to be the big ol' 2-7 on July 29th! OMG!  Some people like to hide the fact that their birthdays are coming up; maybe they feel like they are too old or that they are embarassed with all the attention.  Me, I like to begin a nice birthday week of celebration before and after.  I also like to remind all my friends and tell lots of random store clerks and mail men that my birthday is coming soon.  I really can't explain why except that, as you read in a past post, my mom always threw killer b-day parties for us and we'd go around and promote the event to the kids in the neighborhood.  My birthday was in the summer and most of the kids were away on vacation with their families.  So, in order to reward those faithful friends who happened to be around in late July, we'd throw a real whopper of a party.  Clowns, pinatas, ice cream cake, ect...So, no biggie this year; just a small party at home and that's that! :) Hello, Year 27!

Also, we are in the process of putting my Asheville/Montford home on the market, so if you know anyone interested; it is a truly great house.  It was very well loved and taken care of.  You can see the description, pictures, and asking price of the house by going to:

www.ashevillebungalow.blogspot.com

pictures from the shower...

Here are the pics from the shower...check the post below

for the story on the party...xo H

All photos credits go to Abby Liga, photog extraordinaire, at Liga Photography, Orlando, FL

it's been sooo long (sorry!)

Hello again in July.  It's been a while since I've posted so I really feel like there is tons to say.  Let's start with what's been going on since I last left you...well, I have been here in Sarasota and will be here until I go back to France on August 3rd.  I was going to head back on July 16th, but Yann had an awful lot of bad shifts for this month and he wasn't going to be able to be home in Marseille much at all.  So, we decided so that I wouldn't have to spend my 27th B-day all by my lonesome, that I should stay here in SRQ with fam & friends until August comes.  His schedule is much better then and we will be able to be together much more.  We were bummed when I changed my plane ticket to extend my stay here, but I know the time will pass fairly quickly and soon we'll finally be reunited!  I miss my guy so much!

And I had my bridal shower here at the house.  Abby took some beautiful pics that I will be posting as soon as they arrive.  It was truly a wonderful party.  Usually the bride is kept from knowing the planning details, such as the theme, games, food, ect.  Well, as you know, NOTHING about my marriage has been traditional, hence my mom and I planning and executing the whole thing ourselves. ( With some late night help on the eve of the shower from Steph & Abbs)  I felt first hand what it would be like to be a caterer/part planner.  First, we had to start with a theme; we decided to do a pink-y French, Eiffel Tower theme.  Sounds kinda trite but it really turned out cute as a button.  We wanted to have my dad's new espresso machine out on the counter for all to use, but we didn't want to buy 10 million cappucino cups that we can't fit in my mom's already full cupboards.  So, after a quick search on ETSY, we decided to buy customized latte mugs from an artist.  I thought it was better to support an artist and they did turn out so cute.  Each one was a little different.  Then after the guest used her mugs for coffee she could take it home as a favor.

We really went all out on the food.  The only things we ended up getting 'catered' was the cake and the fruit and veggie tray.  We made deviled eggs, creamy dill shrimp salad, mini sundried tomato and leek quiches, mixed olive plate, curried chicken salad on baby croissants, cheese board (with all French cheeses), home made hummus and toasted pitas, and tea sandwhiches.  We cracked open many-a-champagne bottles and had a great time overall.  I also ordered a cooper cookie cutter in the shape of the Eiffel Tower and made sugar cookies.  I iced them with Royal Icing in pink & black and put them in little bags as favors.  I made this fabric banner with said, "Congratulations, Heather & Yann" to hang on the walls.  It felt kinda funny doing all this extra work for my shower, but for parties, I go all out.  I really wanted to do an above average job so people would remember it.  

Instead of the stupid games, like, Pass the Greased Cucumber Between your Legs, we made up French Trivia games, where we tested everyone knowledge on French cusine & culture.  We also said some simple phrases in English and we gave a prize to the person who could translate it into French.  Good times, good times, maybe I should have made them play the Greased Cucumber game...

Anyways, all has been good since then.  I am headed up to North Carolina with the fam to do some summery hiking and camping.  Of course, my hound, Rascal is coming. We'll be celebrating my birthday on July 29th,  but it will feel weird to celebrate without my hubby there.  He will be there in spirit.  Katie R. is coming up from Atlanta and Rascal and her doggie are going to have a blast, I'm sure.  Her dog has never been hiking before so Rascal will have to show him the ropes on the trail.  

I've been doing this massive project for my family.  I ordered a machine from the internet where you can take all your old VHS and transfer them to DVDs.  So, I'm on DVD #61!! (OMG)  And it' been really nice to organize and catalog all the old family tapes.  I feel so nostalgic looking at us as kids; our parents really provided a great childhood for us.  So many adventures, birthday parties, presents at Christmas...I gleaned some good parenting tips from watching those tapes again.  I have to say old mom was the best birthday planner ever.  She would plan elaborate pool & patio games for us, and then we'd go inside to play Bozo Buckets and pin the tail on Minnie Mouse.  There was, without fail, always a pinata,  (this from their years living in Mexico in the 70's), which we would beat senseless until candy came pouring out. Then while we kids where shoving cake in our faces, there would be a knock at the door and a clown or a magician would come in to keep us entertained.  When I look back I feel like we've always had a lot of love and attention.  That's something so important to see on the videos, because many of the things on these tapes I was too young to remember.  But even though a toddler may not remember getting the ballon animal from the clown on her 5th birthday, she will remember the love surrounding the event.  I just hope I can give that same energy and excitement to my kids someday.  

Anyways, pics will be following soon...check back!