MLLE RENEE IS FUNNY ABOUT BUNNIES

Let me start by noting that in all her seven-years of living with me, Renee has chased dozens of bunnies that have ventured into “her” yard and never came close to catching a single “hare” on their chinny-chin-chins or bunny tails.

Opossums she can catch and shake up until the go limp. (Though she has no idea how they get manage to get resurrected and disappear if she turns her back.

Well, at Walgreen’s after Easter clearance sale I bought her a stuffed “realistic” bunny. (After I cut it open, removed the squeaker in its bunny belly and sewed it back up. If I didn’t remove the squeaker, she’d rip the stuffed animal apart until she was able to remove it herself. Anyway, she had a great time playing with her bunny all spring.

I knew it wouldn’t last in the house, because she has a tendency to sneak her toys out of the house and into the backyard when I’m not looking. And sure enough, last week I went outside and discovered … on the back lawn.

I’m quite sure she left it there to trap any real bunny that dared to trespass through “her” backyard.

THE COMPULSIVE COOK-One Dish Dinners

Today, I’m going to share  the recipe for a one-dish dinner I might or might not have created. It’s based on a dish my mother used to fix for family dinners when I was a kid … Baked Beans and Pork Chops.

My mother’s dish was rather time consuming involving soaking dry Great Northern Beans for a couple of hours  and then cooking them for additional hours on the stove until they got tender. I cut a lot of her prep time by buying two cans of low sodium Great Northern Beans from my local stupid-market.

I empty the beans into my Pyrex bake dish … add a pinch of ground white pepper, and a half-teaspoon of celery seed. Then I chop a medium white onion and mix it into the beans.

My pork chops are the ones sold in meat markets as Breakfast Chops. They’re a thinner, boneless pork cutlet. I season them with a bit of salt and cracked black pepper, and place them on top of my beans.

I used my toaster/oven to cook my dinner. TEMP 300/350 – for about two hours until the cutlets are brown and cooked through. The beans take care of their self. If the chops are a little thicker, you might want to turn them over halfway to brown on the other side.

This dish should serve four with the addition of a green salad and perhaps a glass of Moscato wine.

Since I usually cook for one, leftovers stored in freezer containers will provide three additions meals.

NOTE: Great northern beans are a low-fat, cholesterol-free, low-calorie source of iron, dietary fiber, potassium and protein. Tastes so good, and good for you too!

THE FIRST OF MAY AFTER A STORMY NIGHT!

Well, Renee and I survived two heavy hail storms, three thunder storms  and a hell of a lot of rain last night and just a little water leaked into the basement.

And most of all, surprisingly, the roses in full bloom weren’t ripped to pieces…

ST. LOUIS MUSEUM OF FINE ART

What is now the St. Louis Art Museum was the only permanent building constructed for the Saint Louis World Fair of 1904. At that time it was the central structure of the Palace Of Fine Art. After the Fair closed all the wood and plaster buildings that surrounded it were demolished.  And last week I was able to take these close up photos of the grand old (112 years) building.

In order to take this detailed photo of uppermost part of the structure, I had to go across Fine Art Drive and brace myself against the base of the Statue of Saint Louis.                               In case you’re wondering, there are four female and two male figures in the group.

As you can see from the close-ups of the sculptures, each one represents some aspect of art. Yes, I think the first naked guy is holding a small sculpture of the Sphinx.

The dedication inscription right below the six sculptures reads … DEDICATED TO ART AND FREE TO ALL … which has been the guiding motto of the museum for 112 years … so come visit.  It’s free!

And right next to the grand old building is the new modern addition. While it has the art, it doesn’t have the charm. It does have a great restaurant with good food and ceiling to floor windows that overlook Art Hill and the Grand Basin.

SUNDAY MORNING AND ANOTHER COLD RAINY DAY … AGAIN!

OK, so I slept-in a bit this morning and got up a little later than usual. (OK, so it was rather close to noon.) But that was because I was reading a great mystery on my new Paperwhite Kindle Reader. (It’s the one with the backlight feature.) And I really didn’t get to sleep until a little after midnight. 

Anyway when I woke up, I discovered Mlle. Renee missing from her usual spot at the foot of my bed … and this photo in her place.

I don’t know, but I think she’s trying to tell me something. It might be a neat idea, but who would keep my feet warm at night?

Oh, yes, it’s yet another cold and rainy April day. What happened to SPRING!

 

EASTER YESTERYEAR AND YESTERDAY

 This is one of the few remaining photos of me taken way back in the Yesteryear Easter of 1944.

And this is a lot of photos of the family taken yesterday in the Easter of 2016. You can click on the individual photo for a larger view.

 

DAILY POST WORD PRESS WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE … HALF-LIGHT

Share a photograph inspired by a favorite poem, verse, story, or song lyric. Bonus points if you share why the particular text resonates with you. (Though you certainly don’t have to!) If you’re not feeling especially literary or musical this week, see if you can capture the beauty of morning or evening half-light in your corner of the globe.

My example of HALF-LIGHT is the scene I see in my back yard every evening as the sun sets. It’s a display of shadowy silhouetted trees with the background of heavenly blue skies and the setting sun. Every time I see it I’m reminded of one of my favorite Broadway musicals written by Stephen Sondheim … ˆInto The Woods!” Yes, it’s a fairytale photo to go with a fairytale musical.

INTO THE WOODS TO GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE

AND HOME BEFORE DARK

MLLE RENEE … Portrait Of A Happy Dog

 

Renee is a very happy puppy!    As seen with her wacky ducky!

And getting ready for an afternoon nap.  She’s partial to soft, fluffy blankets.

Weird Storm Clouds Moving In

Since Today was the Ides Of March, I was really expecting some weird weather to move into the area. Ok, the temperatures did climb into the eighties. And our neighbor state Illinois was under several tornado watches.

Mlle Renee spent her afternoon basking in the warm sun. And I tried to catch a quick nap in an attempt to negate the dozy effects of daylight savings time. It becomes harder each year as I grow older.

Then late this afternoon the strangest storm clouds I’ve ever seen filled the skies overhead.

They were moving in a north easterly direction, most probably to give credence to the weather forecaster’s storm alert. With all the news coverage centered on primary election results, never did hear if the storm developed or not. But Renee did not like the clouds overhead and she ran into the house and into my bedroom. (Her storm safety cover!) And not being a dummy, I joined her and we both took a nap.

CLOSE LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE ART MUSEUM!

Yes, I know, if you want to get a detailed view of the very top of the St. Louis Museum Of Fine Art from the middle of Fine Arts Drive you’re going to end up with a very stiff neck or get run over by a car!  So I’ve decided to make photographing the entire upper reaches of the classic building my summer photo project.

I took a quick shot of the center section last Friday. It was the perfect day for shooting photos … bright, but totally overcast so I was able to capture the details  of the building without any shadows.

Hopefully, I’ll have more days like this throughout the summer.  So drop in occasionally to see how my project is advancing.